Category Archives: S.H.Figuarts
“A new standard in action figures representing the state of the art of Bandai’s design technology. Designed to perfectly mimic the range of motion of the human body, the series name is a contraction of the concepts of “Simple Style” and “Heroic Action.” Standing roughly 14cm tall, the highly posable SH Figuarts figures are designed to feel like little treasures.”
Source taken from Tamashii.jp (http://english.tamashii.jp/item/category10.php)
Review: S.H.Figuarts Shinken Gold
スシチェンジャー！寿司ディスク！
＊いらっしゃい＊
一貫献上!
＊光＊
俺が６人目のシンケンジャー！シンケンゴールドだ！
Umemori Genta is my favorite character in the whole Super Sentai Series of Japanese television series, mainly because the character is well delivered by the actor himself and partly because gold is my favourite colour.
And everything about this guy is a joke, from the suit to his personality.
I love gold, especially those pika pika (ピカピカ) types, sparklingly shinny!
I love gold bars, gold coins, gold plates, gold toilet bowls…
First Impression
Probably under the influence of this character being a sushi seller in the Samurai Sentai series, I can’t help but linking the whole feeling together as one big sushi theme each time I set my eyes upon this figurine.
It feels like a plate of plain salmon sushi to me. (You will need to watch the series to understand what I am trying to convey.)
And not surprising, it has almost the same mould as S.H.Figuarts Shinken Red. I find it a bit out of place simply because in the show, I don’t remember the suit actor being this skinny, as though the figurine is facing a problem of being malnutrition.
The Head
The eye guard on the helmet forms a kranji, meaning “Light”, simply enough because Umemori Genta is the “Warrior of Light”. Just that he is not those “holy-types”, you see…
The black colour used on the eye guard is not as shiny as that used on Shinken Red’s eye guard. It doesn’t really reflect light well and I like it because it doesn’t steal away the limelight of his suit (being sparkling gold).
The Body
As much as I hate complaining, the body is choppy. Despite having said that at least it is still better than those average “one-whole-piece” toys which you can grab and go in those major toy shops.
The gold colour has a grainy effect, reflecting light thus giving the overall figurine a “shiny” effect. I am not sure whether it is just me but the blue looks a bit purplish and I find it brilliant because I find that the blue colour used in the show makes the suit a bit out of place.
In my previous entry, I mentioned that the Samurai Logo located on the left side of the chest area is painted on. I would like to give an in-depth of what I actually meant. If you see the photo carefully, it is painted on but the crest has a slight protrude, giving it a depth.
It wasn’t obvious on Shinken Red but this one was being brought out thanks to the black colour used because black and gold colour tends to amplify one another.
The Belt
Sushiger can be seen resting at the right side of Shinken Gold’s belt. It has the same design (but different color) as Shinken Red and even has a small Samurai Logo painted on the pouch.
The belt has a grainy silver colour with a matte finishing so that it doesn’t overpower the gold colour of the suit. Well done!
And the back lies quietly the all time favourite Sakanamaru! The details are there just that if you notice the Samurai Logo at the head of Sakanamaru, it could really use some painting.
And yes, the sword can’t be drawn out from its sheath.
The Upper Limb
Having the same mould and design as Shinken Red, this time round the only thing I can complain about is probably the ball joint. Take a look at the wrist joint. What’s that colour? That’s yellow…
It makes the figurine look flimsy.
The Leg
Still I find it a bit feminine. But it looks great which I strongly believe because of the colour used. It makes the legs look good.
The Accessories
This release comes with lots and lots of accessories! To which, I just couldn’t ask for more!
1. A pair of relaxed hands.
2. A pair of weapon holding hands
3. A pair of clenching hands.
4. One right hard for holding Daigoyou’s hands as weapon.
5. One Ebi Origami
6. One Ika Origami
7. One Sushi Disc
8. One Daigoyou’s body
9. One combined Daigoyou’s hands
10. One Sakanamaru (to be placed on Shinken Gold’s Belt when not used).
11. One Sakanamaru’s sheath
12. One Sakanamaru’s blade
13. One half drawn Sakanamaru
*Do note that the weapon holding hands are currently used on the figurine.
Ebi Origami is so badass. It is nicely sculpted and I really can’t ask for more. It doesn’t have any articulation but I guess it is more than enough. To me, this is definitely a plus point!
The Ika Origami is also very nicely sculpted and painted. I love it because of the size. And same as Ebi Origami, it has no articulation but I really can’t ask for more. This is beautiful.
As for Daigoyou, I believe this is a breakthrough for Bandai Tamashii because this is very nicely sculpted and painted. The probably sad part is you can’t fix the hands to the body to form a standalone Daigoyou otherwise it would be perfect. The Krangi word “Samurai” protrudes but doesn’t look out of place given the part where the word is does not have a smooth surface (lantern design).
Tamashii even bothered to sculpt the part where Daigoyou shoots discs out of his stomach. It would be nice if a Black Disc is included in the release.
There are 3 types of Sakanamaru given (as mentioned under “The Accessories”) gives Shinken Gold a wide range of posing possibilities.
If you were to use Daigoyou, you may want to attach the smaller version of Sakanamaru behind the belt. Please note that you have to use the correct right hand when you decide to make Shinken Gold hold Daigoyou.
You can choose the half drawn Sakanamaru to give Shinken Gold a serious look and attach the Sushi Disc to it if you so wish to power up!
It is also possible if you want to attach the Sushi Disc to the fully drawn Sakanamaru! Please note that you can’t sheath this version of Sakanamaru.
Conclusion
Shinkenger is one of my favourite Samurai Sentai Series and no doubt I am going to collect all the different colours. I like it how it is being done and if you are a fan just like me, this is a release you probably don’t want to miss. And rejoice because it is a mass release so it shouldn’t be too expensive.
And until I get my hands on Shinken Blue and Shinken Green, Shinken Gold and Shinken Red will have to stay in their individual casing until further notice.
Rejoice! The wait will soon be over~
Oh yes, Ebiko is very healthy. Look at the face, it says everything.
Thank you for reading! And please support the Charity Drive. For more information please click HERE 😀
~Tulcus
Review: S.H.Figuarts Shinken Red
My Sony DSL is currently down so I had no choice but to use my backup camera. Doesn’t make a difference though, not as if I am gonna produce any good pictures anyway? *shrug*
封印させない、御前を倒す！
ショドウフォン、一筆奏上!
＊火＊
シンケンレッド、志葉 丈瑠！参る！
The early stage of Shiba Takeru was atrocious. He is a very self centered red ranger whom I really feel like punching if given the chance. What’s with the “OMG I am the red ranger, I have to fight the battles all by myself!” theme? This has been overused and old habits sure are hard to die, I guess. But I came to like this character as days go by simply because even though he isn’t as “up there” as I thought he would be, especially so when Shiba Kaoru came by and he was found out to be the “pirated red ranger” that kind of stuff, yet despite all the odds I will still prefer him to be the destined one.
First Impression
A well anticipated release, I supposed. When I first saw this, I love the color finishing, especially the red color chosen for the entire body. It kind of reflects the light, giving the figurine an extra very hard-to-explain glow. It works when you put it under yellow light. And the best part is this is a normal release!
The Head
The eye guard on the helmet forms a kranji, meaning ‘fire’. I love the design simply because it fits nicely. The head is sculpted closely to that from the show, being rounded. The black color used to fill the eye guard is shiny black, allowing little light to be reflected, giving the eyes a very special effect. Try staring into it and you will know what I meant.
I can’t help it… It looks like moustache! AHAHAHA~
The Body
The body looks a little bit skinny. Probably because of the way the shoulder articulation is being designed, I find it weird looking. But I like the Samurai Logo located on the left side of the chest area. It is actually painted on. Whoever done this really deserve a good praise.
Yet I feel that the whole body looks choppy. It seems to me that everything is in segments and doesn’t look like a whole.
The Belt
Except that it doesn’t open up, I really like the way it is being done because of the detailing. However, I really hoped that the gold color can be brighter. That would be perfect!
The Shodophone pouch located at the right side of the belt looks surprisingly nice. I am actually quite happy that Tamashii is willing to put in so much effort to a detail as small as this!
The Samurai Logo is so small yet it is sharp and clear. The pouch looks leathery because of the sculpting contrast between the black and the red area. And the phone resting inside the pouch marvelously tells you that Shodophone is a flip phone.
Shinkenmaru rests quietly at the left side of the belt. I find the length of the blade just nice. The sculpting of the sword is really very detailed and it is separable from the holster. And the best part is, you can play around with the Shishi Disc as it is detachable from Shinkenmaru!
The only sad thing is that it can’t spin…
The Upper Limb
As I’ve mentioned earlier, the design of the shoulder articulation may put you off but that’s the initial part. I have played around the figurine long enough to find out why Tamashii settled down with this design and here are the few reasons I can think of.
A samurai holds the sword near to its body, and to achieve that, the shoulder must provide and inwards articulation. And that’s probably a strong argument point when the figurine starts to hold the Rekka Daizanto with the given correct articulation and balance.
The Leg
I feel that the thighs look a little bit feminine while the calves looks just nice. And just like any other release, the articulation existing all the way from the hip to the legs grants this figurine a wide range of posing ability.
I like the cloth crisp detailing which you can spot at the boots. A plus point because it adds on to the feel of the entire leg so that it doesn’t look out of place no matter how you put it.
The Accessories
This release comes with a very pleasing number of accessories:
1. A pair of weapon holding hands.
2. One right hard for holding Rekka Daizanto.
3. One right hand for holding Emblem.
4. One right hand for holding Shodophone.
5. A pair of clenching hands.
6. A pair of relaxed hands.
7. One (super tiny) Shishi Origami.
8. One Emblem.
9. One Shodophone.
10. One Shinkenmaru.
11. One Rekka Daizanto.
*Do note that the right hand for holding Shinkenmaru and left relaxed hand is currently used on the figurine.
Just want to share something…
When I first saw the right hand which is meant to hold Rekka Daizanto, I was puzzled simply because I thought it was an extra hand and didn’t know what to do with it. If you notice Rekka Daizanto, it has a black trigger at the hilt (if you recall that Rekka Daizanto can be transformed into Ozutsu Mode, which is the gun mode), and that is what the hand is used for.
And also the right hand given to hold the super tiny Shishi Origami which I will introduce later, Tamashii is really making us spend our money willingly.
How nice of Tamashii!
Before I say anything about how disfigured my emblem is (which I just did, sorry), I just want to say that it is a good job done getting such a small piece of emblem nicely done. It couldn’t have been done better just that I hope mine could have been through a rather more thorough quality check.
And yes, I always find this pose cool! Lets flood the monsters with all the kranji characters I have yet to master! Ippitsu Shojo!
Rekka Daizanto is so beautifully sculpted! The only thing you may want to ask for more is probably the Ozutsu Mode which is sadly not included in this release despite having more airing time as compared. Posing wise, you have got to be careful because the blade is obviously heavier than the hilt and guess where all the weight goes to. And here, I prefer to use the hands meant to hold the Shinkenmaru so that Rekka Daizanto is more secure.
And the Shishi disc is detachable…
And maybe you want to let it rest on the shoulder so that it is more stable.
The Shishi Origami is so small and looks exactly similar to that from the TV series! It makes me wonder how Tamashii even does that! So small and yet so detailed. Oh yes, it has articulation at the front legs, mimicking that from the show. Cute!
Conclusion
Shinken Red is a very solid release. As a huge fan of Shinkenger, I have embark on a journey of no return to collect them all. By owning this release, it makes me happy and I couldn’t ask for more. I do hope that Tamashii comes out with Rekka Daizanto Ozutsu Mode so that it feels more complete. Nevertheless, I find my money worth spent.
Time to feed the dog! Thank you for reading 😀
~Tulcus
Review: S.H.Figuarts R Nasca Dophant
今見せてあげる。あねの意志を…
*ナスカ*
Bad sister, jealousy really won’t get you anywhere. And Wakana-hime will always be in my heart. Sonozaki Saeko really holds up the image of being a villain. But in the end, she is just any other sister who really loves her younger siblings…
So guys out there, stop bullying her by saying she is evil! She is NOT! ROAR!
And being so compatible with the Gaia Memory, she was able to achieve level 3, becoming R Nasca Dopant when using Nasca Memory without the Gaia Belt to limit her potential.
R means Red. R may also mean Revenge – revenge against her younger sister, Wakana.
First Impression
If you have previously own a copy of S.H.Figuarts Nasca Dopant (click HERE for the review), chances are, you have already known what to expect. And if you haven’t got one or any of the both, you may want to consider getting a copy of R Nasca Dophant because it is a stunning beauty. Trust me!
R Nasca Dopant is a Toei Hero Web Exclusive, meaning that it can be quite a bit of a challenge to grab yours in town without pre-ordering. For mine, I was lucky enough to pick it off the shelf with a few guys cursing behind my back. And true enough, it was a hefty price I paid…
The Head
Similar to Nasca, R Nasca also has a very abstract design between head armour and an eye guard. I really like the colour contrast at the mouth part. From tomato red to gooey orange, adding on to the already feminine look for R Nasca.
The Body
Maybe it was just me but I feel that the body’s colour contrast is so nicely presented that one look at this figure, I know it is a female. Especially the upper body area where there are lots of areas with white paint, I love how Tamashii did it with the glossy silver at the chest.
The Hip
As R Nasca transformed without using a Gaia Belt, there is no such thing as a belt for the figure. If you may observe, the hip area has a different design as compared to Nasca’s. In comparison, R Nasca’s hip has a more feminine design while Nasca’s has a more manly design. Once again, I am being reminded that R Nasca is a female…
And instead of having an orange ball in the center, this time round it is a red glossy candy. Looks tasty though…
The Back
As irritating as that of Nasca’s, the scarves are totally a pain in the ass to get them on. However, thanks to previously owning Nasca, I am now more experienced. I totally knew what to expect.
MUAHAHAHAHA, have fun dudes!
With that aside, it has an almost similar back design as Nasca, the more distinctive features will be the gold glossy paint. It really helps a lot in bringing out the epic coolness of R Nasca when you watch it from the back. So nicely done to a point where I could have drooled all over my keyboard while looking at it the whole day. It’s glossy gold!
+1 to Tamashii!
And the hip area has a different design as compared to Nasca. As much as I like the design, I wished it would be nicer if is longer enough to cover the butt. The more I look at it, the more weird it becomes…
Look so wrong…
The Upper Limb
Both the right and the left hand shares the same mould as Nasca. Nicely done and well presented. I have completely no complains about the upper limbs and find them purely awesome.
Tamashii did a good job in trying to bring out the firmness and powerful side of R Nasca thought the upper limbs.
The gold glossy paint of the left hand really places a lot of emphasis on the design! I am totally captivated because my favorite color is gold and Tamashii did well in making a good choice in the use of the color.
The Leg
The liver color gives the leg a very obvious leathery feeling. The orange paint around the knee area is also darker as compared to the rest of the body.
The color contrast at the thighs is equally awesome. Some areas are darker, some areas are lighter. It really brings out the old school feeling and epic coolness at the same time.
The Accessories
This release comes with the same number of accessories as Nasca:
1. A pair of opened hands (both left and right).
2. A pair of weapon holding hands (right hand is currently on the figurine).
3. A pair of clenching hands (both left and right).
4. A pair of relaxed hands (both left and right).
5. Two scarves (currently on the figurine).
6. One R Nasca’s signature sword.
Conclusion
R Nasca is a very sturdy release, having what it takes to be a Toei Hero Web Exclusive. On a very personal level, I have already owned a Nasca and I am really glad in adding R Nasca as my prized collection due to its stunning beauty.
The colour scheme is so perfectly chosen. The overall feel of R Nasca is well presented through the feminine design as well as moulding.
And it feels so completed when you put both Nasca and R Nasca together.
Should you have already owned a Nasca, trust me, you won’t regretting in getting R Nasca. And if you haven’t, hurry up and get both!
Simply love it lots! Thank you for reading!
~Tulcus
Review: S.H.Figuarts Nasca Dophant
言っただろ。私もこの街を愛してると。
Despite having said that he likes the city of Futo in the end he still died. It was glorious death indeed and thank you for transforming Nazca Dopant from a splendid villain to hero. But still, getting killed by your wife is out of the question.
First Impression
My first impression on Nazca, from the show, is that the coolness of the design captivated me. I remember how much I couldn’t wait for the actor to transform into Nazca and fight. Coolness overloaded!
Quite a pity that Kamen Rider has to follow a bug theme, else, Nazca could have easily made it to the top ten Kamen Riders I idolizes. Oh well, it’s always the usual thing that goes around when it comes to villains versus heroes. Which I just don’t understand why…
How come the villains always look so much cooler?
The Head
The design of the head guard gives me an abstract idea between head armour and an eye guard. It also makes me wonder how Nazca is able to see through it. The “crown” like details is so close to that from the show that I was almost shocked when I tried to feel the plastic – it is very solid and almost indestructible unless you do something stupid to it.
The head is very “rectanglish” and trust me the ratio of the head to the body is perfect. So perfect that I want to cry like for god sake.
The only thing I am unhappy about is probable the painting? I believe mine was not handled properly, or else what could have explained the obvious smudging of the orange paint onto the silver areas. Why is that so??? 😦
The Body
The body is so sexy! Not only is it close to that from the show, the proportion of the body, I believe, has been measured and scaled to a point where it is proportionate to the rest of the parts.
The articulation between the chest area and the waist is very well “hidden” by the detailing. It gives me a very “wholesome” feeling no matter how much I look at it.
The Belt (aka Gaia Driver)
As Kirihiko transformed into Nazca Dopant with the aid of a Gaia Driver, of course, he has a belt around his waist area. The detailing of the belt has different heights and depths, these areas are highlighted with black paint, giving the belt a silhouette of evilness.
I don’t know why but the orange ball in the center reminds me of the inedible decorations on a typical birthday cake. Haha!
I was totally speechless when I came to notice the waist guard armor and the groin guard area. The carefully designed area simply enhances the overall character design. For that, Tamashii really deserve a round of applause.
The Back
Firstly before I begin, I strongly urge you to calm the f*** down while you are at it, I repeat, calm the f*** down. This is because, not just one scarf but two scarves are readily to cause a really good pain in the ass when you are trying to mount them on. Parental guidance is off the limits, just imaging from who you inherited your short-temperedness from? And parents will never fail to make things worse. Especially so when it comes to things they don’t know how to appreciate.
Well, I can say that the gradient color for the scarf is considered well done. Just that I feel that the machine could have done it in a better way than smudging my model all the time. Sigh…
Once the scarves are in, the super tightness in the ball joints gives the scarves a chance to move up and down for posing purposes. The design of the scarves gives two possible ways of posing the figurine – one, the scarves act like a drop-down against gravity, simple and easy. Two, the scarves when lifted up or to either one side (depending on whatever pose you desire), gives a wind-blowing effect.
Somehow, it looks flat. Or was it just my problem? I can’t fault Tamashii for this because I have never seen the back of Nasca in the show before. Ahaha! To be serious, if the lines are more distinguished (for example, the depths are being highlighted black or something), it would have left a different impression.
And the butt area looks a bit too big for its own good…
The Upper Limb
One thing I really need to point out now would be the shoulder pads, the part where there is a piece of it protruding out towards the chest area, while being amazed by how it is done (to follow as close as possible to that from the show) the protruding part is very delicate and prone to damages (especially when you have elephant fingers like someone), so please be extra careful when you are twisting and turning. The articulation at the shoulder area is somewhat limited due to the protruding part. So much to sacrifice for the sake of detailing…
The right arm has a different design from the left arm. For the right arm, the forearm gauntlet gives it a very “strong and firm” feeling. What I am trying to say is that the design and detailing of the arm makes it presentable, everything looks in place. And it looks deadly too! Anyone who’s caught within the right arm will without a doubt end up like a drama gone wrong…
As for the left arm, the forearm gauntlet detailing is very much into place. The orange “bird-like” design gives it a very mysterious look and the best of all, it is protruding out and adding on to well presented depth of the forearm arm. Just that if you notice, only the top part is painted orange, I was hoping that the sides can be painted too.
The Leg
Had I not watch the show, I will start to wonder why this guy has elephant thighs. It probably looked big here in proportionate to the rest of the lower limb but in real life it is JUUUUUST nice. Trust me on this, for once.
And the crisp effect on the clothing is really a turn on. Erm, yeah maybe there is a better choice of words but I find it sexy. Powerful legs! And the best part is, the articulation works great despite the size of the thighs! Hoho!
However, having said that, posing-wise this model can have a hard time doing so. Good luck with that, I guess.
The Accessories
This release comes with a very pleasing number of accessories:
1. A pair of opened hands (both left and right).
2. A pair of weapon holding hands (right hand is currently on the figurine).
3. A pair of clenching hands (both left and right).
4. A pair of relaxed hands (both left and right).
5. Two scarves (currently on the figurine).
6. One Nasca’s signature sword.
The silver linings on the Nasca Sword have a rather solid shinny effect, providing a plus point to the overall detailing of the weapon in its finest form. And the length of the sword is puuuur-fect! I love~
It is also very sturdy unless you want to try anything funny.
SURPRISE!!!
Some may not notice but as brilliant as I am (as well as Tamashii), I spotted Fuuto kun on the box! You can find him when you open the box from the right side!
I LOVE Fuuuuuuuu-to kun!
Conclusion
The most unsatisfying area, for me, would only be the blotch on the head and the scarves. Then again, the overall finishing for the entire figurine makes these mishandlings somewhat moderate. And being kind and gracious, I don’t mind sending the figurine in to get it repainted.
Posing-wise, this figurine has a bit of a balancing problem because of the leg area. However, the detailing (crisp on the clothing) adds on so much to the point, again, I don’t mind putting in the extra effort to support the entire figurine.
On a very personal level, I love the design of this character and admire the ideal this character held on so tightly in the show. And this, the quality of the character, actually made me want to own a copy of this release no matter what. That’s me.
I DON’T CARE WHETHER THERE IS A HOLE IN MY POCKET!
Yeah, like real…
Haha! Happy Lunar New Year to all my friends and family once again! And thank you for reading! Tata~
~Tulcus
Review: S.H.Figuarts Kamen Rider Double Cylcone Joker
行くぜ、フィリップ！
あぁ、翔太郎！
*サイクロン*
*ジョーカー**VV* 変身！
俺たちは/僕たちは、二人で一人の仮面ライダーさ！ さぁ、御前の罪を数えろ！
I am proud to announce that I finished the whole series (long ago) on KR Double before I did this review! Yay!
*clap clap clap*
I hate Kamen Riders with weird hair styles. But thanks to KR Decade I decided to give KR Double a chance to be shown on my screen and I actually came to like the series a lot.
KR Double is the first Kamen Rider that requires two people to transform into and I actually buy the idea (surprisingly) where Hidari Shotaro and Philip are 2 detectives in 1 Kamen Rider. Despite having an issue with Philip’s hair I eventually came to like the character as the story progresses. In fact, I feel sad when he disappeared. He and his pet, bird…
And Shotaro will always be half-boiled. He would have died eons ago if it weren’t for Philip’s intelligence on Gaia Memories.
And because I love this series as well as the characters so much that I decided to at least get the release of the primary form of KR Double.
And here is the review of S.H.Figuarts KR Double Cyclone Joker.
First Impression
KR Double’s design is originally simple and sweet. And it works out very well when Bandai Tamashii transforms the real suit into a toy. To me, the simplicity of the suit is so well portrayed and therefore figurine is good with some minor flaws.
The Head
I feel that the head is a bit small for the body. The actual eyes of this figurine are round, instead of looking like an angry pub, so round that they look small and dumb. And because the head is small, and the eyes being even smaller, the “W” fin on the forehead looks a little bit too long. I wish the head is bigger and the eyes is more sturdy looking.
But the compound details in the eyes are nicely done in red and it reflects light so well like little gems worth to be stared upon.
The Body
The body is made up of two pieces of plastic, one is the chest armour and the other is the torso. KR Double’s body looks shorter in the show but this figurine’s body looks somewhat longer. While it is not in ratio to that from the show, I actually liked the way this body is being sculpted. While the green has a glossy finishing, the black has a very-close-to-matte finishing. This actually gives the entire figurine a very sturdy and attractive colour. However, I still hope that the black is done in matte like that from the show.
The carvings on the chest armour are a little bit disappointing. The Cyclone (green) side looks weird to me, as if Bandai Tamashii is too lazy to spend any more efforts in printing square patterns. However, the Joker (black) side looks good. The Cyclone side could have been done better because it is such a waste to see only the Joker side being done nicely.
The Belt (aka Double Driver)
Putting into consideration that this is a mass production, the Double Driver is considered to be very detailed. However, I still have some very minor nitpicks about the Cyclone and Joker Memory in the Memory Slots. The Cyclone Memory (located at the right/your left) should at least be painted green since Bandai Tamashii actually bothered to paint green and purple for the lighting below. Nevertheless, the belt is considered nicely done.
The Maximum Slot (located at the right of Double Driver/your left) is also nicely done. I just don’t understand why the belt is so highly detailed yet the Cyclone Memory is left unpainted…
Hmm…
The Back
This release comes with two scarves, the other scarf will be shown in the later part of this review, where only one can be placed on the Cyclone side. Both scarves are done using soft plastics so that they are fit for posing.
Same logic as the KR Kiva (Emperor Form)’s scarf…
There is a hole that actually allows you to fit the scarf in. And by fitting the scarf into the hole, you are granted a great field of articulation. And don’t be stupid enough to actually act cute and test the system by turning the scarf in weird directions, least you break them.
And please bear in mind to be careful and patient while fixing the scarf because I almost broke mine in a fit of anger. You just can’t imagine how much I went through fixing that ****ing scarf…
The Upper Limb
The shoulder pads are very well done because they aren’t in the way no matter how you lift up/down the upper limbs.
After meddling with the toy “seriously”, I shall conclude that this is possible thanks to the wonderfully designed articulation existing at the shoulders. It brings the whole upper limb to a whole new level and fans like us have no problem in posing this release in any way we want.
Taking a look at Cyclone’s arm (the green arm), I am in love with the wristband. It is the first area that caught my attention, mainly because it is painted gold and is so shiny and partly because of the detailing. I would be even happier if the joint at the elbow is painted green. I can tell that it is a rush job done, once again, considering that it is a mass released toy blah blah blah…
But I still… Ok fine…
And yes, if you notice the unevenly craved hand, the flaw is only visible if you were to glue your eyes onto the hand. Anyone caught doing that is an incurable nitpicker…
At least I am curable…
The Joker’s arm (the black arm), in comparison, is a beauty. The wristband is nicely detailed and sculpted. And here, the purple is very outstanding! You can see the graining effect, making it looks like a tasty jewel candy. Lucky that it is inedible…
Simultaneously speaking (I don’t know why I said that), the hand has a better carving as compared to Cyclone’s hand. For whatever reason, Tamashii could have done a better job on Cylcone’s hand…
The Leg
The legs is too slim, as if they are malnutrition or something. But then again kudos to the leg bands, I seriously love the way they are being carved and handled.
The articulation at the knees is really bad. I was playing around with it and realised that had I not restrain myself, they looked as if they are feeble. It is advisable to handle the baby’s leg with upmost care simply because odd directions is accessible with just a little pull sideways especially if you are trying to pose with the legs wide open. Then again, the legs do not offer much articulation for posing in the first place…
It can be said that the legs KM Double has is one of the badly designed ones…
The Accessories
These includes:
1. A pair of relax hands (both left and right).
2. A pair of signature hands (both left and right).
3. A pair of clenching hands (both left and right).
4. One scarf (excluding the one that is already on KR Double).
Conclusion
If you are a fan of KM Double, this is probably something you may want to add to your collection despite the very badly designed legs. Rest assure that the low counting in the number of accessories for this release is not going to burn a hole in your pocket.
And since KM Double does release different other combos such as “Heat Metal”, “Luna Trigger”, “Heat Trigger”, “Luna Metal”, “Cyclone Trigger”, “Cyclone Metal”, “Heat Joker”, “Luna Joker” and “Fang Joker”, I would really recommend everyone to buy only those main combos such as “Heat Metal”, “Luna Trigger” and “Fang Joker”.
For myself, I got quite fed-up with the leg design and have already decided to give up on the rest of the releases for KM Double and picked up KR Double Cyclone Joker Extreme and KR Double Cyclone Joker Gold Extreme instead. Agreeable?
Wee, done! Thank you for reading!
~Tulcus
Review: S.H.Figuarts Kamen Rider Kiva (Emperor Form)
ぴゅんぴゅーん！テンション フォルティッシモ！
変身！
My knowledge on Kamen Rider Kiva is pathetically close to clueless. And so, to do this review, I watched the Episode 24 of KR Kiva to get a feel on what it takes to be Kiva Emperor Form. However, I find the Tatsulot (used by KR Kiva to unleash his final form) rather irritating and disturbing…
I learn about KR Kiva Emperor Form through one of the episodes in the season of KR Decade. Even though it was a brief entrance towards the end of the season, my eyes were literally glued to the screen when it first made its appearance (at least to me) in the show. And dear me, it is so sparkly gold!
I am so gonna get this dude! Which I came to own right after Machine Decader, it was awfully expensive.
First Impression
I literally drooled when I first removed this figurine out of the box. Everything about this figurine is exquisite. From the detailing to the color, everything is almost perfect! It is a very solid release and the figurine weights 3 times heavier than KR Decade. The feel of the plastic is so reassuring that you may start to wonder if Bandai Tamashii has changed to use an even more expensive mould for this release.
The Head
The head is beautifully sculpted. The golden crown has got some awesome carvings. One thing about the head which I feel I must really point it out would be the green jewel on KR Kiva’s forehead. It is not just done using a dot of green paint! Bandai Tamashii actually went through the pain to sculpt and pain the green jewel to give it a depth. It is as though you can pawn the jewel away if you really wanted to…
The eyes are gorgeous too. The whole eye actually brightens up if you were to shine light at it. My camera is unable to capture the detailing but the eyes have got very detailed compounds. I know it looks different from the show but this is really a beauty to stare at if you know what I meant.
And the mouth reminds me of the mouth of samurai armored face mask, don’t you think so?
The Body
The body sculpting design gives me a very 3D and castle feel. The body armor has got this unique depth that will totally captivate anyone who starts at it for a long time. The carving and painting are almost perfect. Just like the green jewel on KR Kiva’s forehead, the three jewels on the body seem to have a certain depth sculpted. However, I really wished that they share the same color as the one on the forehead. The three green jewels on the body seemed like a rush job done.
I really like the color scheme used. Metallic Red versus Sunny Golden, it is like a perfect match to bring out the bat-theme from KR Kiva in his emperor form. The color looks grainy and it reflects light nicely.
Even though it seems like the body is made up of three different pieces, the truth is the body is only made up of two separate pieces like any other Kamen Rider figurines to give it an articulation at the area above the torso as well as the waist area.
The black color used in this figurine looks a bit flimsy. It would be better if the black is darker and duller instead of being so shiny so that the black areas look more leathery.
The Belt (aka Kivat Belt)
The highly detailed Kivat Belt came as a total surprise simply because I was pretty upset about KR Decade. If only Bandai Tamashii could add line details to Kivat’s eyes, it would be perfect. But then again, considering that this is a mass release, I am probably asking too much.
The Fuestles (whistles which are used by Kivat to summon different power-ups) are located at both sides of the belt. Each of them has detailing sculpted on them and they are painted nicely which definitely adds on to the trip to heaven. You can imagine how jaw-dropping this figurine is because the detailing at the belt area is so hard to notice unless you have a very close up view.
I think Bandai Tamashii really outdid itself for this release. I am totally in love with this release because of the belt.
The Back
One thing bad about this release is probably the back of the figurine. It comes with two pieces of separated red plastic meant for the cape. And trust me that you will still get annoyed even after you managed to put the two pieces of plastics into place to form the cape. Mine is now a bit loose, as in they don’t really hold into place unless I press it down really hard. So guys, please be really careful when you fix the cape simply because you don’t really want to risk breaking the joints.
The design of the cape is really cool. KR Kiva in his emperor from has this habit (or should I call it a tendency or bad habit?) of flipping his cape or pose while holding his cape. If you are able to see pass the fact that the cape is being done using 4 different pieces of plastics, it actually allows you to achieve the poses similar to the show. It is not that bad if you see it from the front though. Some people may just feel weird about it but this is how Bandai Tamashii does it.
The Upper Limb
The shoulder pads are very much in the way, you will probably only be able to lift the entire upper limb up to at most 90 degrees unless you turn the shoulder. But the design and the sculpting is so exquisite, it moderates the posing problem. If you recall, KR Kiva Emperor Form doesn’t do any weird poses with his upper limbs held high, does he?
I only remember KR Kabuto does his grandmother pose with his right hand held high. Weird…
The Tatsulot on the arm looks like a rush work to me. Bandai Tamashii could have done a better job by at least getting the color scheme right. The middle should be red instead of an orange spot. There should be a green jewel at the tail and the silver should be darker…
At least the wrist band is probably done…
The Leg
The legs are annoying me greatly. In fact, the entire figuring has some sort of balancing problem. While you can’t spread the legs too far apart, even if you try to close the gaps between the two legs, the entire figurine still has problem standing still. I literally have to use blue tags to hold the figurine into place.
And the leg feels lighter than the body. Somehow, I feel that the center of gravity of the entire figurine is off the place. And this adds on to the posing problems.
But there are still a few good parts I have to highlight would be the kneecaps, the ankles and the feet. The design of the sculpting makes the legs look more “armory-like” which I find it cool and sturdy.
The Accessories
These includes:
1. A pair of clenching hands (both left and right).
2. A pair of signature posing hands (both left and right).
3. A pair of weapon holding hands (both left and right).
4. Demon Imperial Sword Zanvat Sword (I really hate to type it out so I will stick to calling it DISZ Sword).
The DISZ Sword is amazing! Look at the detailing, it is nicely sculpted and painted accurately. The only thing I could wish for is the straight line in the middle of the grip of the sword extending all the way from the cross-guard to the pommel should be painted gold. As well as the wings, the holes should be painted orange.
Call me a nit-picker! XD
The Zanvat (the sword’s rain guard) can move up and down along the Imperial Blade (the blade of the sword). This means, it is possible to pose KR Kiva Emperor Form prior to unleashing his Final Zanvat Slash!
And of course the sword doesn’t glow. I like how the blade is being done using clear plastic with painted slivers running along. It is as though the clear plastic is being uncased by another silver plastic.
Conclusion
Despite the major problems this release has in regards to balancing problems etc I highly recommend this figurine because of the level of detailing existing in most crucial areas such as the head, body and belt. The color scheme is wonderful least to say I really hoped the black could be more leathery.
After owning this release, I really want to own Dark Kiva too. I am probably looking out for Kiva in the meantime. What can I say? This release is definitely worth the money you are paying for. I have got a feeling that this may be the only release Bandai Tamashii is willing to put so much effort in regards to the detailing and coloring in areas such as the belt itself. You will probably notice and agree with me that it has got the best belt sculpted so far.
Kudos! And thank you for reading!
~Tulcus
Review: S.H.Figuarts Super Sentai Shinkenger Kuroko
I probably mentioned it in one of my regular updates. I don’t know why I bought them but I am really happy to have bought Kuroko and add them to my collection since I intend to collect the whole series of S.H.Figuarts Super Samurai Sentai Shinkenger.
Kuroko is a traditional stagehand in Japanese theatres. They would dress in black and help out the main crews as a stage runner. And in Super Samurai Sentai Shinkenger, the Kuroko are a group of commoners who wish to help in fighting the Gedoushu (aka Monsters), however due to the fact that they lack of Mojikara (aka powers to fight against the monsters), they act as support to help the Shinkengers (aka the main casts) so that the Shinkengers are able to better focus on the battle. Their duties vary from doing house chores to helping the people in the city and from preparing the Shinkengers to battle to evacuating the people away from the monsters.
High respects for them!
First Impression
Initially, I didn’t think of getting them since all it does is just squatting there and doing nothing. And it is not exactly cheap, you see…
But I kinda like it as time goes by simply because it is a very solid release. The quality of the plastic is definitely worth the price. The level of detailing is also worth the praise.
The Head
As much as I wished that the cloth covering the face is made of real cloth, however, everything is made of plastic. It works out just fine since you are not supposed to see the Kuroko’s face in order to imply that they are invisible and are not part of the action onstage.
And if Bandai were to do it, they would have to paint a face on each Kuroko which would result in a rise in the cost.
If you aren’t convinced, take a look at the ears. They are nicely detailed! Kudos!
You can also see the neck. Up to this point, this figurine is insanely humanoid!
The Body
As the Kuroko is in a squatting position. The body is slightly bent forward. In this case, Bandai really did a great job in emphasising the “humbleness” of the Kuroko that they are of lower status. I can sense that even though they are like servants, they still have backbones, if you know what I mean. And as I said, that makes me respect them even more.
There are no articulations since it is made up of a piece of plastic moulded together.
The Belt (aka Obi)
The back of the figurine is nicely done too. I love the detailing of the Obi. This is definitely a plus point for the entire figurine. Imagine if you were to pose this figurine with its back facing the front, it will be equally nice.
*For reference sake, I reposted this picture.
The Upper Limb
While the right hand is resting on the knee, it forms a cap on the knee (taking the shape of the knee) which makes the hand looks very natural. Same goes to the left hand. It gives me the impression that the Kuroko is only placing it on the lap giving the Kuroko a very respectful look.
I wouldn’t mind if this Kuroko breaks a plate or two, I will definitely forgive him…
The right sleeve looks a little bit unnatural. It looks like it is defining gravity and is inclining towards the right. This is especially so if you look it from the front. But then, that’s just a minor problem.
My real issue lies with the fingers. They look a little bit blocky to me. The absences of the knuckles are probably the cause. And there are no fingernails. Then, I would expect lines to be painted and hairs to be visible… Dear me…
The fingers, they are annoying me…
The Leg
Beautifully done. The legs are very natural and proportionate. Bandai even bothered to add details to the shoes. The area above the ankles is nicely sculpted! I wish they can do more on the foot because it looks like a job done in a rush.
And below, there is a printed text under the right foot. The left knee and toes are flat too. Can’t be blame since the Kuroko needs the balance to squat down.
The Accessories
I definitely consider this as an accessory simply because the figurine itself is already a bonus. But then, I would really appreciate if Bandai includes a flag in this release since it is not exactly cheap.
This is way too cheapo. I won’t even bother cutting the flag out from behind the box. Maybe I will just refer to the scale and make a copy my own. Using real cloth, of course.
Conclusion
Kuroko is a very nice add-on to your collection if you are a Shinkenger fan like me. It makes your collection feels complete. And it is nice to have these guys around simply because they appear a lot in the show and are part of the show itself. In fact, there is an episode done specially to introduce the Kuroko and to appreciate their efforts.
Not asking you to get one for each Shinkenger because you will find yourself having six Kuroko doing nothing but squatting there. And as far as I know, in the show, it is true that there are lots of them running around, I only saw two Kuroko standing one at each side.
So for me, I do recommend that if you are getting Kuroko, you should get two of them. I got them at a very reasonable price because the boss is trying to get rid of them. I wish you have got the same luck as me.
Meanwhile, please excuse me while I get obsessed with the popping of bubble wraps. Love it!
*pop pop pop*
Oh yeah! Thank you for reading!
~Tulcus
Review: S.H.Figuarts Kamen Rider Decade (Violent Emotion)
俺は全ての破壊者だ。
俺はそれを受け入れた。
それだけものだ。
Kadoya Tsukasa, to me, is probably the most powerful Kamen Rider of all. No matter who stands in his way, he will have your card and trash you like a rug doll. Especially when he is in Violent Emotion, he is double the bad ass. A good boy gone bad.
Even if you gang up against him, chances are, he will use one of his many cards to turn one of many you into one of his many weapons. For example, KR Blade, Faiz or Kiva etc.
I skipped the normal release of S.H.Figuarts KR Decade simple because of the inaccurate helmet design as well as the wrong choice of color. He is supposed to be Magenta, not totally pink.
I was totally turned off until Tamashii released “Violent Emotion” which I find it a beauty the moment I set my eyes upon it even though it is still in the box up on the shelve sealed away from me in the shop. *breathe*
Lets jump straight into the review, shall we?
First Impression
To be honest, I am kinda bias when I say this figurine is nicely sculpted simply because he is one of my favourite Kamen Rider and I am totally obsessed about owning one. The colour chosen is totally accurate and matches the movies. Or probably because the normal release was done so poorly that even a small enhancement in this release makes me overjoyed?
Then again, I was hoping that the black colour is whole matted instead of being glossy in certain areas because if you were to shine lights at this figurine, the reflection of light can be very annoying.
Now the whole figurine feels like Strawberry short cake with cream. And Tsukasa isn’t shy about it. XD
The name Gekijōtai (激情態) is a pun on the word for “theatre” (劇場 gekijō), which literally translates as “Fury Form”. The May 2010 issue of Hyper Hobby magazine and Bandai’s S.H.Figuarts toy line officially translate this name as “Violent Emotion”, a literal translation of the word gekijō (激情) which omits any translation for the word tai (態, “form”).
Source taken from Wikipedia.
The Head
This release comes with two heads. Both have the same sculpting. The only difference is probably the colour on the forehead. One is purple while the other is yellow. The other head will be covered in a while.
The eyes are gorgeously done to bring out the unique design of compound eyes. Bandai really spent lots of effort getting this done simply because the insides are so detailed before being covered by another clear material to form the eyes. The plus points lay in the area where the eyes reflect light! Like when the Kamen Riders do their henshin, their eyes light up.
Simply gorgeous. The head is beautifully and accurately done. If you compare it to the normal release, you will know what I meant. I don’t own a normal release so I don’t really know much of the existing difference.
The Body
I have a slight issue about the body. Decade’s body seems to be over-killed by the armour plates. The chest and the stomach area seemed to be out of place. What I am trying to say is that the chest looks too big for the stomach and makes the design look kind of heavy and uncomfortable.
While the piece joining the chest and the waist area is a separate piece of plastic, it gives the body two articulations. A point to take note is that if you turn the articulation between the chest and the stomach, you can see the insides of the figurine, not very nice. I was quite disappointed with that when I first discovered it. I was hoping that the stomach piece could be a larger piece of mould. But then again, that could have hindered the articulation? Maybe Bandai gave a lot of thoughts in this so I didn’t bother to post a picture of the problem.
The Belt (aka DX DecaDriver)
*Using the same picture as reference
I think this figurine is a budget release considering that it is in mass production. Probably Bandai has set out to disappoint the Decade fans once again with a green blotch on the belt. Not asking the belt to include detailed drawing of the different Kamen Riders’ logos but if you are going to give us a blotch, might as well include nine more dots of gray paint?
At least that gives the illusion of the nine Kamen Riders’ logos being visible from afar. Bandai, you owe me nine dots of gray paint, I tell you!
The rest of the belt is nicely detailed. Especially the core of the belt, it is like a gem, a cherry on the cake, a gummy that looks gummy! And of course you can expect the belt to be able to open and close.
The Ride Booker is located at the right side and is detachable prior to the kind of pose you wish to have. I will be explaining that in a minute.
This figurine has got a sexy back! Nicely sculpted close to the show! Kudos!
The Upper Limb
It is connected to the body with a ball joint located at the axilla, giving you a nice articulation. However the articulation at the elbow can be annoying due to the articulation at the arm simply because many poses are highly depended on the upper limb since KR Decade’s only weapon is the Ride Booker if you exclude the usage of cards. KR Faiz probably has the same problem. Maybe it is just me? But I still want it included.
There is also a ball joint articulation at the wrist. The hands are interchangeable which will be covered later.
And the good thing is that the shoulder pads aren’t in the way, thus, making poses with the upper limb is somewhat enjoyable.
The Leg
Tsukasa is a very lean actor. Same like the upper limb, the legs are also lean, which helps me build a reference and link this toy to the show. At least it is done properly, unlike KR Faiz, you can tell that it is a guy’s leg.
The kneepads are doing their job in covering the knee joint articulation. I heard of incidents where the kneepads will just pop out if you are not careful with the handling of the figurine. Mine are strongly stuck in the places where they should be although I am afraid that the worst might happen any soon. I am not going to touch them again! Eeek!
The articulation that connects the leg to the waist provides a 45 degrees turn for the entire leg. However I feel that it is not enough. You can’t really make poses that requires the legs to split. Sigh…
Or maybe I was asking too much?
There is an articulation at the ankle as well as the foot. At least when you are posing the figurine, the foot sticks to the ground.
The Accessories
This release comes with a number of accessories which I am quite satisfied with.
These includes:
1. And extra head (which has a yellow paint on its forehead instead of purple).
2. Ride Booker (Gun mode).
3. Ride Booker (Sword mode).
4. A pair of holding card hands (both left and right).
5. A pair of weapon holding hands (both left and right).
6. A pair of clenching hands (both left and right).
7. One pointing right hand.
8. A pair of relaxed hands (currently on the figurine).
I wonder what’s with the extra head. Many fans justified that Bandai included this head in the release hoping to rectify the wrongly sculpted head in the normal release. What do you think?
Or probably it is just another reason for fans to purchase this release?
And I don’t know what the pointing right hand is for. Can anyone enlighten me, please?
The Ride Booker
The Ride Booker is probably KR Decade’s only weapon in the show if you were to exclude the usage of cards. It is located at the right side of the DX DecaDriver and is detachable prior to the kind of pose you wish to have.
And the best part is that, you can open the Ride Booker! Kudos!
And no, there is nothing in there, it is just pitch black. No, you can’t put cards in them and no you can’t even put one card in, if that’s what you are thinking…
It is pretty much expected that the Sword mode and the Gun mode comes in different pieces, which is good since people like me is prone to breaking things. I guess it runs in the family. Or not?
And of course you will need to remove the Ride Booker from the belt if you were to pose the figurine using the Sword or Gun mode. So that the figurine will make sense…
Unless you have the normal and Violent Emotion release! I was thinking of doing the illusion effects but then I am too lazy to photoshop…
Conclusion
This is a solid release. As a fan of KR Decade, this is probably a release you wouldn’t want to miss. And if you already have the normal release then this will probably make your day. I am pretty disappointed with the body (particularly the chest armour) of this figurine but it isn’t that bad if you are able to look past this minor flaw since everything else makes it moderate.
The head is beautifully done. If you grab one of this, you may want to replace the normal release with the extra head included? But then, the colour scheme is totally different so please bear that in mind.
And I somehow feel that this release is incomplete. Bandai should include the row of Kamen Rider Cards thought it was included in the normal release. I don’t mind cutting them out one by one if I have to… 😦
All right, thank you for reading!
~Tulcus
Review: S.H.Figuarts Kamen Rider Faiz
5 . 5 . 5 [Enter]
“Standing Back”
「俺には夢が無い、でもな、夢を守る事はできる！変身！！」― 乾巧
“Compelete”
There is always a certain air Inui Takumi carries which makes him unique, whether he is in his human form or he transforms into either the Kamen Rider Faiz or the Wolf Orphnoch. Always in a constant dilemma and being the only person able to use and fully utilize the Faiz Gear, the character is probably the reason why Kamen Rider Faiz stays firm as my favourite of them all.
And it is also the very reason why I wanted a toy figurine of KR Faiz so badly and I so happened to stumble upon S.H.Figuarts and fell so deeply in love with the line. Bandai is finally making something reasonable after so many years (so many years of me not buying toys, I meant).
First Impression
Seriously, I was astounded, in both good and bad ways. The most important about first impression is what the figurine is trying to tell you. And in this case, it is trying to tell me that “I AM KAMEN RIDER FIAZ!”
You may go like “duh!?” but please notice that up till now, you will recognize the figurine as KR Faiz without noticing anything wrong about it. I personally find this part crucial. What do you think?
The Head
The head is probably the first thing you look at in order to recognize a character. And I believe that you will equally fall in love with how the head is being sculpted. The detail of the eyes is so clear cut! It is like an identity of any Kamen Riders and for KR Faiz, it is shaped in lines of golden semi-circles before being covered by another layer of clear material. This is definitely a beauty.
The level of detail is very visible if you take a close look at it. The lines running along the helm and the mouth piece, they are all well sculpted. And not forgetting the green paint in the middle.
The Body
You may call me a nitpicker. I find the body somewhat feminine. In the show, KR Faiz looks much bigger in the chest area because of the armour plates (naturally because of the “Accel Form” hiding beneath). However, in this case, it is as though the armour plates are trying to squeeze in and makes me wonder if there is space underneath.
*And if you are wondering, those chest plates cannot be opened like how they did in the shows to become Accel Form. Bandai is releasing KR Faiz Accel Form as an exclusive in times to come.
One thing to note is that the red lines are accurate and clear cut. I like it very much because of the red colour chosen. If you shine light at it, it is as though lit up!
I find the black a bit too glossy. It wasn’t like that in the show…
And the part between the chest and waist (which I believe is the stomach area) is a separate piece connecting together, thus, providing the figuring with two articulations in the body part.
The Belt (aka Faiz Gear)
If you may, it is another KR’s icon, something that makes them unique. And here you can see that the belt accessories are interchangeable to suit different poses (the Faiz Pointer on the left, Faiz Phone in the middle and the Faiz Shoot on the right). The level of detailing is high and clear cut, similar to that from the show itself! Impressive, it is!
Even the back is nicely sculpted closely to the show!
Nice butt! XD
And what’s with the butt line? Why is there a circle thingy? And what’s with the text printed there? Notice the back of the head, there is a blotch! But I am not alone…
Call me a nitpicker, whatever…
The Upper Limb
The upper limb is beautifully sculpted, as though it has belonged to a correct person all this while. It is connected to the body with ball joint located at the axilla which gives you more than just a simple 360 degrees turn. It is almost identical to a human’s upper limb. ALMOST, I said.
There is also a 360 degrees articulation located at the arm.
There is also a less than 180 degrees articulation located at the elbow.
And a ball joint articulation located at the wrists. It allows you to switch with different pairs of hands that come along with the accessories which will be covered later.
The design for the upper limbs along with all the articulations greatly increases the possibilities of the figurine’s posing which is somewhat similar, if not better, than real life.
And the best part is the shoulder pads are not in the way! Yippie!
The Leg
The right leg in particular is a little bit different from the left simply because you can mount the Extended Faiz Pointer onto it to perform the “Crimson Smash”. In this case, it is a signature move of KR Faiz where he squats down to while waiting for the “Exceed Charge” to take place before he performs his own version of Rider Kick!
And to prevent further spoilers, please look forward to the details of the foot! It is beautiful!!! *drool*
There is an articulation located at the hip to provide a 45 degrees turn for the entire leg.
There is also an articulation at the knee to provide a less than 180 degrees turn. The joint is being well covered (I did not say “hidden” since it still can be seen) by the knee pad, which is a good thing since knee joints are always ugly.
There is an articulation at the ankle which mimics real life ankles. There is also an articulation at the foot. These two articulations provides a wide range of poses possibilities for the figurines from standing to squatting and from doing nothing to performing different attacks!
The Accessories
Please know what to expect when you are considering on picking up a copy of KR Faiz. It comes with quite a number of accessories that will make you happy!
These includes:
1. Faiz Edge (Sword)
2. Faiz Phone in 3 modes.
3. Extended Faiz Pointer (currently mounted on KR Faiz right leg).
4. A pair of relaxed hands (currently on the figurine).
5. A weapon holding right hand.
6. Faiz Shot (mounted on a right hand).
7. Belt (with Faiz Phone).
8. Belt (without Faiz Phone).
9. An un-extended Faiz Pointer.
The weapons are like painted plastics suited for different uses (For example, the phone can’t be flipped to close or bent to form the Phone Blaster and you need to use the readily made pieces for different poses). But then again, it is something that one must deal with especially when it is a massed produced figurine.
I am disappointed with the hands accessories because the fingertips are not painted silver! WHY!?! It is like missing an identity! But then, it is a massed produced figurine, so…
Seal it away!!!
Conclusion
It is an impressive release, probably one that most are looking forward to. If you are a fan of KR Faiz then this is a must-get figurine but be prepared because KR Kaixa is going to be released soon and I am expecting KR Delta too.
And then there is the rides – Auto Vaji, Side Basshar… ARGGHH
If it is true, I am gonna collect them all from the season! *grin*
To finish things off! Here is a picture I got from Hobby Stock’s coverage of Tamashii Nation 2010. Awesome! I do hope the effects came with the figurine though…
Thank you for reading!
Tulcus reviews on TOYS 