Wednesday, December 11, 2013

My collection (II): Creation Ent Yin Yang Chakram 116/500

Second post about my collection! :)

This time, I present you my Yin Yang chakram replica.

Side 1 of the Yin Yang Chakram.
Side 2 of the Yin Yang Chakram.
Both sides of the chakram opposed one to the other.

Like the Original chakram I showed you in my previous post, this is a fully licensed replica distributed by Creation Entertainment. Last time I spoke more about the company, but this time it's turn to talk of the replica itself.

As you may deduce looking at the pictures, the chakram is made of aluminum and is an exact replica of the one Xena used in the later seasons of the show (Seasons 5 and 6). Although it does not split (there are replicas that do it, just not Creation's), this is the most accurate replica of the Y&Y chakram there is (in size and shape). Here why they've been sold out for many years. However, some do pop out on eBay from time to time.

Like in the Original chakram, the blade is thick and blunt instead of sharp.

The blade seen from both sides of the chakram.

The black shadowbox is a nice add to the piece. Its front is made of plexiglass, and the frame is solid wood. It opens with a very strong velcro type closure, somewhat difficult to open. It's sure enough to reassure it won't come open accidentally and cause the chakram to fall over my head at night ;) The inside is lined with a blank soft material and the chakram rests in a moulded area that fits the chakram design. Finally, the mold inner area shows a picture of Xena holding her weapon. Neat!

Here you have a couple of pictures to judge for yourself.

Chakram shadowbox - Natural light.
Chakram shadowbox - Artificial light.
Chakram shadowbox - Close-up.

Creation chakrams came with an original COA to warrantee their origin. Sadly, it turns out many collectors lost those papers with time (these chakrams were sold around 15 years ago, after all!). Mine came without its COA. However, the prop masters were clever enough about this detail: the brass plaque attached to the shadowbox serves the same purpose, and in my case it's intact! It has engraved the show's logo, the number of the chakram, and the fact that it was made by the blacksmiths in NZ.

Mine says only "chakram", but I've seen others with "Yin/Yang chakram" instead. They are both authentic, of that I'm certain.

Close-up to the brass plaque.

The only issue I have with the Y&Y chakrams made by Creation Ent is their inconsistency. Some of them were superbly made (like some very early number, some in the middle - mine is a good example - and also the latest of the numbering), while others have a paint scheme that is completely off.

Some of them present a brown and orange base paint, instead of gold and copper. Others were painted all right, but had the accents/weathering added without enough care - they somehow remind me of cheetahs. The reason? Who knows. Problems with the schedule? Too much demand at once? I don't know. I can only judge the results.

Here you can see some examples:

Other numbers have odd paint schemes.

While mine, on the other hand, looks identical to the one shown on-screen. I'm very happy about it! :)

A screenshot (left) and my chakram (right).

Bonus material: A pic of Xena sporting her brand-new Yin Yang chakram in the S5 episode of the same name, "Chakram". Enjoy!

Battle on!

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