NEOTOYS NEO-001 Godslayer vs Sigma Studio GOW-01A: Is This the New 1/12 Kratos to Beat?

Six months ago, I unboxed the Sigma Studio GOW-01A GodSlayer, an ambitious figure that tried to bring the scale, weapons and imposing presence of classic Kratos into the much smaller 1/12 format.

Now, another third-party manufacturer has entered the arena.

The NEOTOYS NEO-001 Godslayer is an upcoming 1/12-scale figure inspired by Kratos as he appeared during the Greek era of God of War. At first glance, it may look like direct competition for Sigma Studio’s earlier release—but NEOTOYS is taking a noticeably different approach.

Instead of relying on a conventional exposed-joint action-figure body, NEO-001 uses an independently developed seamless platinum-silicone body. Add two movable-eye head sculpts, the Nemean Cesti and UV-reactive Blades of Exile, and this suddenly becomes one of the most interesting upcoming 1/12 figures on my watch list.

But does an impressive prototype automatically make it better than the already-released Sigma GOW-01A? Not necessarily.

NEOTOYS NEO-001 at a Glance

NEO-001 is approximately 20.5 cm tall, making it considerably larger than an average six-inch action figure. That size may sound closer to 1/10, but Kratos is supposed to tower over ordinary characters, especially in his Greek-era appearance.

The announced set includes:

• Two head sculpts with movable eyeballs
• One painted seamless body
• An independently developed platinum-silicone outer body
• Eight interchangeable hands
• Default battle armor
• Golden Fleece
• Two Blades of Exile
• Two Nemean Cesti

The Blades of Exile also use a coating that fluoresces under UV light. International listings identify the materials as PVC, ABS, fabric and silicone.

That is not the largest accessory list I have seen, but it covers several of the most recognizable pieces of equipment from God of War III. More importantly, the accessories appear to have been selected around a specific version of Kratos rather than simply adding as many weapons as possible.

The Seamless Body Is the Real Attraction

The most important feature of NEO-001 is not one of its weapons. It is the body underneath the armor.

Muscular characters are difficult to reproduce convincingly at 1/12 scale. Traditional shoulder, elbow and torso joints can provide excellent articulation, but they also interrupt the shape of the muscles. This becomes especially noticeable when the character has large areas of exposed skin.

NEOTOYS claims to have developed its own platinum-silicone seamless body for NEO-001. If the production body performs as well as the promotional prototype, the figure could maintain a much more natural silhouette through the shoulders, arms, chest and abdomen.

For photography, that difference could be significant. A seamless body allows light to move across the muscles without being broken by obvious joint cuts. The figure may consequently look closer to a scaled-down 1/6 collectible than a conventional 1/12 action figure.

However, “platinum silicone” should not automatically be interpreted as a guarantee of durability. The final result will depend on several things that cannot be judged from promotional images:

• How far the internal skeleton can move
• Whether the silicone bunches around bent joints
• How quickly the body returns to its original shape
• Whether paint rubs from the silicone surface
• How the material handles long-term posing
• Whether the wrist and ankle connections are strong enough

At this size, the silicone layer must be thin enough to preserve articulation but strong enough to survive repeated movement. That engineering challenge is one of the main reasons I want to see a proper production-sample review before reaching any final conclusion.

Two Movable-Eye Head Sculpts

NEO-001 includes two different head sculpts, and both are advertised with movable eyeballs.

This is another major advantage for figure photography. Eye direction can completely change the feeling of a pose: Kratos can look directly at an opponent, glance toward one of his blades or stare slightly away from the camera for a more cinematic portrait.

The promotional sculpts also appear sharper and more realistic than what we normally expect from a figure of this size. The beard, scars, skin texture and aggressive expression are all highly detailed in the prototype photographs.

Still, movable eyes are only useful when the mechanism is implemented well. The production heads will need properly aligned eyes, a usable adjustment system and enough space inside the sculpt to reposition them without damaging the paint.

That is something we will only know once collectors have the final figure in hand.

What Do We Know About NEOTOYS?

At the time of writing, there is very little verifiable public information about NEOTOYS as a manufacturer.

Retailers identify it as a third-party figure brand, but their NEOTOYS catalog pages currently show NEO-001 without a meaningful history of earlier releases. The “NEO-001” model number also gives the impression that this may be the beginning of a new product line, although a product code alone is not enough to prove that it is the company’s first release.

Chinese gaming media describes NEO-001 as an unofficial, fan-oriented product with no affiliation to Sony Interactive Entertainment or Santa Monica Studio. Its announced domestic price is 598 RMB.

In other words, NEOTOYS appears to be a new or at least sparsely documented Chinese third-party label. There is currently no established release history that collectors can use to evaluate its quality control, silicone durability or after-sales support.

That makes NEO-001 exciting, but it also means the promotional prototype must not be mistaken for a final review sample.

My Sigma Studio GOW-01A Unboxing

Before comparing the two figures, here is my full unboxing of the Sigma Studio GOW-01A GodSlayer, filmed around six months ago:

Sigma Studio’s figure is important because it already attempted many of the things that NEO-001 is now promising: a large Greek-era Kratos in 1/12 scale, two expressions, real fabric elements and an extensive collection of weapons.

Unlike NEO-001, however, the Sigma figure is already in collectors’ hands. We can evaluate the actual product rather than relying entirely on prototype photography.

NEOTOYS NEO-001 vs Sigma Studio GOW-01A

Sigma provides the broader traditional weapon selection. Depending on the version and retailer description, the set includes two regular Chaos Blades, two chained versions, the Blade of Artemis and a Zeus lightning effect. Its construction also makes use of fabric, magnets and metal components.

NEOTOYS has fewer weapons, but the Nemean Cesti give it a very different display option. Together with the Golden Fleece and Blades of Exile, its accessory selection feels more specifically focused on God of War III.

What the Sigma Release Has Already Taught Us

Sigma Studio GOW-01A remains an impressive concept. It brings a surprising amount of equipment into the box, and its magnetic chains and weapon attachments are clever ideas for a figure this small.

It also demonstrates why final production quality matters more than promotional photographs.

Some owners praised the articulation but criticized areas such as the dark facial paint, relatively simple fabric work and weapon finishing. More importantly, several collectors reported that the wrist pegs were brittle or difficult to remove, with at least two buyers describing broken wrist connections even after trying to warm the parts first. These reports do not prove that every GOW-01A has the same problem, but they are serious enough to justify caution when changing its hands.

This is the lesson NEOTOYS needs to learn.

A seamless silicone body may look more advanced, but collectors will still need to change hands to use the Blades of Exile and Nemean Cesti. If those connections are too tight, too thin or difficult to access through the silicone wrists, the new body could introduce its own problems.

I will be paying particular attention to the wrist design when the first production reviews appear.

Does NEO-001 Already Beat the Sigma GOW-01A?

On paper, NEO-001 has the advantage in realism.

The seamless muscular body, movable eyes and highly detailed prototype heads give it the appearance of a miniature high-end collectible. For portrait photography and close-up display, it could be significantly more convincing than Sigma Studio’s conventional construction.

Sigma still has several advantages of its own. It includes a wider selection of blades, a Zeus effect and clever magnetic features. More importantly, it is a known physical product. Its strengths and weaknesses have already been documented by collectors.

NEO-001 remains a promise.

Promotional photographs cannot show how the silicone will age, how strong the internal joints are or whether the production paint will match the prototype. Those questions matter even more because NEOTOYS does not yet have a well-documented release history.

So, no—I would not say that NEO-001 has already defeated Sigma Studio.

But it may have designed a more ambitious figure.

Price and Expected Release

NEO-001 was announced in China at 598 RMB. At the time of writing, international preorder prices range from approximately US$113 to US$145, depending on the retailer and whether shipping is included.

Most retailers currently expect it around Q1 2027, while some provide a wider Q1–Q2 2027 arrival window. These dates should be treated as estimates rather than guarantees.

For a figure with two movable-eye heads, a newly developed silicone body and this collection of armor and weapons, the announced Chinese price is certainly attention-grabbing. Whether it represents good value will depend entirely on how closely the final production figure matches the prototype.

Why NEO-001 Is on My Most-Anticipated List

NEOTOYS NEO-001 is not on my list because I believe every promotional claim without question. It is there because it tries to solve one of the biggest limitations of muscular 1/12 figures: the conflict between articulation and a natural-looking body.

It also arrives at an interesting moment. Sigma Studio has already shown that collectors want a detailed Greek-era Kratos at this scale, but its released figure leaves room for improvement. NEOTOYS appears to be targeting that exact opening with a more realistic body, movable eyes and a focused God of War III equipment set.

If the final product preserves the prototype’s sculpting, maintains useful articulation and avoids fragile hand connections, NEO-001 could become one of the standout third-party 1/12 releases of 2027.

Until then, I am interested—but cautiously interested.

If I can get NEO-001 for the Miki Hobby channel after release, the comparison I really want to make is not between two sets of promotional photographs. I want to place it directly beside my Sigma Studio GOW-01A, test both figures under the same camera and lighting, and see which Godslayer truly deserves the throne.

NEOTOYS NEO-001 and Sigma Studio GOW-01A are unofficial third-party collectibles. They are not affiliated with or licensed by Sony Interactive Entertainment or Santa Monica Studio.