GCT Studios have finished painting up two more of their fantastic Bushido miniatures. This time around you're getting brute strength in the form of Malosi and a bit of cunning and guile with Atsushi and is faithful hound Shinobu...

"In the Jumo ring there can only be one winner, Malosi is that winner. The champion of the Iron Fist gumi, Oda’s best student. A Buto as strong and fearsome as any other in memory, to look into his blank stare is enough to break the spirit of even the stoutest.

Few words are muttered from this hulking monster, in combat he sounds more animal than human, growling and grunting whilst handing out savaging beatings with fist or skull crushing mace, smashing the armoured like beetles beneath an angry bull’s hoof. "

"The ronin of the Shiho remain a thorn in the Takashis' side. Without a fixed army the Takashi have found it almost impossible to hunt down and destroy the remaining rebels in the field, these cowed dogs hide in the woods and hills of the Dragon's lands.

The solution has been somewhat answered in the excellent tracking and scouting skills of Atsushi, a former Satou family retainer now sworn to the Takashi. With his faithful hound Shinobu, rooting out those hiding in the dark, eager to savage any at the utterance of a single word from his master."

While I do appreciate the over the top nature of Malosi I'm just not won over by his look as a whole. I don't particularly like the big mallets or his stance which makes him look a bit like a cartoon character.

Atsushi on the other hand looks awesome and I love his 'movie star' stance which would clearly be on a poster. He also reminds me of Xiahou Dun from the Dynasty Warriors series (admittedly this is Chinese!). His hound is also very cute and deadly all at the same time.

What do you think about this pair?