The Last of Us 1/4 scale statues are here! Which giant Joel and Ellie statue is more worth it?

If the appeal of The Last of Us comes half from the weight of its post-apocalyptic journey and half from the kind of emotional tension in its characters that’s hard to replicate, then Prime 1 Studio’s newly revealed statues are clearly aiming to “bring that emotion into physical form.” Recently, during the “Next Level Showcase XVII” livestream event, Prime 1 Studio unveiled three 1/4-scale premium collectible statues from The Last of Us series in one go: Joel, Ellie, and the infected’s final form, the “Bloater.” These products are not aimed at the average merchandise buyer, but at the high-end collectibles market. Pre-orders are scheduled for Q2 2026, while pricing has yet to be announced.

Let’s start with the two protagonists. The most immediate strength this time isn’t just that they “look accurate,” but that they “carry drama.” Judging from the physical pieces shown during the livestream, both Joel and Ellie come with interchangeable hand parts, which means collectors can reconfigure the characters’ presence even in a static display. It’s a bit like adjusting your landing point in a platformer—change the pose, and the storytelling of the entire piece shifts with it. Joel’s statue is especially striking: his green-brown eyes, along with his trimmed beard and hair, make him feel not simply rugged, but hardened in a way that suggests tightly restrained emotion.

Ellie, on the other hand, feels more like a “detail-driven puzzle.” Her coldness and pessimism aren’t forced through exaggerated expressions, but gradually built up through her gaze, the texture of her clothing, and small accessories like her backpack. The longer you look, the more it lines up with the suffocating, steadily downward spiral of atmosphere that defines The Last of Us. For longtime players, the biggest fear with statues like this is that they merely enlarge a character’s appearance. But at least from what’s been shown, Prime 1 seems to understand that Ellie isn’t just “cool” — she’s sharp because the world has worn her into that shape.

Of the three, the most visually impactful is still the “Bloater.” Its design, covered head to toe in thick fungal plate-like armor, directly conveys the overwhelming, heavy sense of menace that comes with the infected’s final stage. The base even uses a battered iron gate to emphasize its scale. It’s a smart choice, because it’s not simply making the monster bigger—it uses spatial relationships to push that sense of being physically blocked and overwhelmed right into the viewer’s face. In a display cabinet, it will most likely be the one that steals your attention at first glance.

If you’re planning to pick one up, my advice is simple: if you love character-driven storytelling, prioritize Joel and Ellie; if you prefer oppressive presence and a centerpiece display, then wait for the “Bloater.” A 1/4 scale inherently means size, space, and budget are all serious considerations. At this stage, with the price still unannounced, what you should really prepare in advance isn’t your wallet, but your display space and your own collecting preferences. Prime 1 Studio also stated that the goal of this lineup is to capture the essence of both the characters and the monsters. Based on what’s been shown so far, it has at least hit the point that The Last of Us fans care about most: not making “a statue that looks like the game,” but creating “a collectible that brings the game’s atmosphere back into reality.”