SIC Classic: Kamen Rider Amazon & Jungler

So maybe you jumped on the S.I.C. bandwagon a little late, and now some of those cool older figures are commanding big bucks online or in the shop if you're lucky to have nearby. Well fear not, because Bandai's been re-releasing older S.I.C. figures under the title "S.I.C. Classic".

We've already seen the Kuuga four-form set and the V3/Riderman two-pack, and on the 23rd of this month Amazon & his bike Jungler are getting a second shot. This is especially good for me as I missed out on him the first time, and since I've gotten all the other classic Riders (well, what few of them there have been) I'm looking forward to getting this one too.



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Review: H.G.C.O.R.E. Kamen Rider Part 4

And to finish off the H.G.C.O.R.E. reviews (for now) it's Part 4, which saw release just last month, prior to Kamen Rider THE NEXT hitting theaters. Speaking of which, slight spoilers for that movie contained in the review below.

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High Grade Collectionfigure Of Real Entertainment: Kamen Rider Part 4
Hey, wasn't V3 in the last one?

There's this strange thing about me and the "revamp" movies Kamen Rider THE FIRST and Kamen Rider THE NEXT: so little stuff related to them comes out (at first) that I find myself getting excited about everything. I mean, under normal circumstances, an expensive Kamen Rider USB flashdrive that has Kabuto's face on it is something I'd probably skip over. But put the Shocker emblem or TRC logo on that sucker, and I'm sold. As a result, anything with the FIRSTy/NEXTy logo on it just demands my attention. This *may* have something to do with the fact that the movies are about a bunch of guys call Rider 1, Rider 2, and V3 (or at least modernized ciphers of them), but I digress. Onto the review!


Kamen Rider V3 (THE NEXT version)

Aside from like, a theater exclusive V3 stamp figure that you could get if you bought an advance ticket (and even then, you got it at the theater when the movie came out), I'm pretty sure this set had the first real Kamen Rider THE NEXT-related figures released. A big deal was made out of this fact: not only do NEXTy characters make up half the set (or more than half if you count the variations), the whole thing is given the subtitle "Kamen Rider V3 Reborn". So fittingly enough, the big V to the 3 is here, and
he compares favorably to his old TV self from the last set.

If you've read any of the other C.O.R.E. reviews, you know by now that really great detailing and clear eye parts on the Riders are pretty much standard issue with these figures, so I won't get too deep into that other than to say that this is one nice V3, although I'm sure we'll see another (Gallery or Rider Kicking) soon enough. As it is though, it's a pretty good one. The pose is yet again a throwback to that of the original High Grader series Part 1's V3, albeit more dynamic now with those seperately-sculpted scarves.

Those green scarves! Yes, looking at this figure really brings out a lot of the color and stylistic differences to the original V3. The lower half of his mask is silver (the original's ranged from white to grey at various points in the series.) His gloves are yellowish-gold, Shocker Rider-style, and not white. His suit's more of an olive drab than the solid green of the original. And we can see his neck and hair. As with the updated Rider 1 & 2 costumes from the movies, I prefer the TV series originals, but the revamps are still pretty freakin' awesome, so no complaints there. All told, V3 2007 looks sweet.

He's got the little Shocker emblems on his back and gloves too. Cuz, you know, V3 starts out on the opposing team this time.

I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of V3 in the coming year, but if you have to get at least one figure of the new spin on the big green guy, this is a pretty good one to get.


Kamen Rider Den-O (Liner Form)

Bandai's just tearing through those Den-O forms, isn't it? We get not one, but two all-new forms this time around, both of which are conceptually similar but quite unique from a design standpoint. Liner Form is... well, I'm still not sure how I feel about it. It's sort of less cohesive with the other designs as Climax Form is, but it looks a bit more well-planned. As opposed to just being like "Okay, this goes here, that goes there, and we put one of those right there."

I'm sure the upcoming Sôchaku-Henshin figure will change my opinion a great deal (they always do), but for the moment I have to say this is a pretty good figure for the big red one. Yes, it skims on the paint, and it's a lot more blatant here than on other figures. His belt phone thingy is unpainted, and the big crazy sword thing could use some touching up. But then again, it is just a Gachapon figure, and none but the most absolutely picky of fans should expect perfection when it comes to paint. Also, I like getting extras of HG figures and paintin' them up (or "super-detailing" as I tend to say) so no harm done.

He comes with an extra open hand to switch around with the sword-wielding one. As a result, you can make it appear as though he's surfing (and honestly, the above V3 kind of looks like he could be surfing too.) The clear parts used on the eyes work well enough. The Den-Gasher parts on his belt are removable, and curiously are different than what we've seen with past Den-O figures (they're much smaller, and painted.)

Other than that, there isn't much to say, but (as the alternate ad shows) if you're not buying this for the movie guys, then this is the figure to get excited about this time. Because it is after all this year's STRONGEST FORM EVER!!!1!!1!11one


Kamen Rider Den-O (Climax Form)

Den-O's mid-series upgrade. Known by a number of interesting nicknames which I won't reprint here (it is a family blog, after all), this guy combines the four basic forms into one big supa-dupa form that's still not as amazingly powerful as Liner Form, but not too shabby either. Plus, he has a nasty Rider Punch & Rider Kick, and those are always good things.

Like Liner Form, he's got the new, smaller Den-Gasher parts for his belt. He's got clear eye parts that do the job, and he's got a big red chunky phone on his belt.

The pose is pretty cool. It's not the most action-oriented one, but more like a "Come get some" taunting pose. I bet if you fudged around with it a bit, you could get him to hold some of the Action Pose figures' weapons.

The details are overall pretty spot-on. And this one actually outdoes Liner-Form in the paint department: nice to see somebody remembered Rod Form's eyes this time!

It's also as good a time as any to point out something I forgot in the C.O.R.E. Part 3 review. As of that set (not counting the Action Pose one) the figures all have holes in their feet. This will come into play in the upcoming H.G.C.O.R.E. EX Kamen Rider set, which I'll review at a later date. Like, when it finally comes out!


Chainsaw-Lizard (Without & With Chainsaw)

First off, you should know that there are two figures here. It's another "variation 1/2 assortment" thingy. You can either get the one on the left, or the one on the right. The only differense is the arms, they're both different for either figure. And yes, you can mix & match them!

Now onto the figure itself, which is of course representing the psychotic chainsaw-wielding villainess from Kamen Rider THE NEXT. If you read my review of the film, you probably gathered two things. 1) I like Chainsaw-Lizard and 2) I was rather disappointed that, along with Scissors-Jaguar, she was not responsible for the film's gorier killings. I suppose the reason for this is it makes her character a bit more accessible since kids will now doubt be adding figures of her to their collections, but then again this is a character whose first scene is her and a bunch of other guys standing around wearing very little (and by very little I mean creepy monster helmets and not much more) and later extols upon the audience how killing people really gets her off. Ummm... yeah. So I'm not sure what the deal is exactly, but the point remains that I like Chainsaw-Lizard, even if she wasn't used the way I would have used her (here's a hint: in a movie that has a lot of very violent and bloody deaths, doesn't it sort of, you know, make sense if they're committed by people who have chainsaws and giant blades for hands?)

But onto the figure at hand... whoa. An update of classic V3 villainess Nokogiri-Tokage, I have to say that, along with Scissors-Jaguar '07, I really like the costume. She's slinky, deadly, and decked out in leather, metal, and Shocker paraphernalia. Her "hair" (a bunch of chains shaped into a braid) that comes out the back of her head is really well done, and making it a seperate part paid off. I can't really make up my mind about the paint. While there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of it, based on the film and photos of the character, she isn't incredibly colorful anyway, so it does the job.

Both versions are quite neat. I like the chainsaw one just a bit more because, as mentioned in my review, I like the idea of monsters with chainsaws, because it's such an imposing weapon that it automatically makes whoever's going up them look 1000% cooler (and at least 5000% more doomed) than usual. Also, Bandai did a nice job on the chainsaw arm. All that's missing is the "SHOCKERS" inscription on the side!

And then there's the boots. I once described Chainsaw-Lizard's boots as being able to "kill the sidewalk". And indeed, I don't think it's possible for her to stand without the aid of a base (although I admit I haven't tried it yet.) Seriously, her heels alone are worthy of being considered a deadly weapon, and it's quite amusing to play "watch the boot change" during the movie (as with Kamen Rider Femme, where her heels magically appear and disappear depending on the scene.)

So yeah, this one's a winner. I'm hoping for a Scissors-Jaguar companion piece soon. And Shocker Riders! A whole buncha them hang around with the chainsaw-wielding one. Just no Chiharu please. I'll even take an Ouja Blank Form before her. And I don't often say that.


Gani-Koumoru

I talked about Bandai's seeming indecision about how to properly approach the Shocker Kaijin in a previous C.O.R.E. review. This time, they decided to just jump ahead and do the very first Gelshocker Kaijin (although we're back to Shocker next time.)

Not that I'm complaining. Gani-Koumoru here is known to Rider fans as being one of the biggest badasses of 1972. And that's a year that also introduced us to Jiro, a guy who could drive around on a bright yellow motorcycle with a bright red guitar and *still* manage to look like a stone-cold playa. The crabby bat guy here managed to hang around for 3 episodes (4 if you count the recap at the beginning of #81), go through 2 voice actors and famously had his final showdown with Rider 1 on Toei-favorite Sarushima, a place I've been to before and will talk all about in the future. So it was only natural that, at some point, he'd get a Gachapon figure.

And you know something? For such a colorful character, Bandai really managed to do him justice. The paintjob on this guy is top-notch, and the sculpting is something to write home about as well. Yes, he does look a bit like he's surfing (don't they all) but this one's a real winner. And in a set with new Den-O forms and new Rider movie characters, the fact that I can still get excited over a monster who made biplane noises when he flies just proves to me one thing: I really *am* the biggest Gelshocker fan there is.

Black Shôgun would be proud.


Kamen Rider (THE FIRST verion & THE NEXT version)

Seeing as how Kamen Rider THE NEXT is just as much about Rider 1 & 2 as it is about V3 (and sadly, at times it's more about Chiharu and her @#$%ed-up life than any of them), it's only fitting that we get a Rider 1 figure in this set. But what's this? We get not only the main main in his current, "Sakurajima Rider 1"-inspired threads, but the first version from Kamen Rider THE FIRST, both in "Gallery Form". So yes, it's another variant figure deal.

Looking at the two side-by-side, you can see just how much Rider 1's changed over the course of two years. The newer costume is darker and more beat-up. I like to think it's a result of him fighting a long, difficult battle against Shocker, but it's probably just due to him not taking the costume to the dry cleaner's (where's Takumi when you need him?) While the only real difference in the figures is the color (and clear plastic used for the eyes, pink or red), the current version has some extra "damage" detailing painted onto his helmet, and it looks pretty neato.

Not much else to say other than "Dude, it's a Rider 1, of course I'm going to like it." Hopefully we'll see Rider 2 (in both versions) follow suit soon enough.

***

And that's it for the reviews! I hope you've enjoyed reading them, because I sure enjoyed writing them (even if they take forever!)

Bonus:


The alternate ad/insert for this set, featuring Liner Form as the main selling point.












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Review: Action Pose Kamen Rider Den-O Part 1

Released in September '07, the annual installment of the Action Pose (High Grade Gachapon figures with increased articulation) takes everything that makes the current H.G.C.O.R.E. line great, and makes it even better. But how does it stack up to the Action Pose sets of the past? Read on:

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Action Pose Kamen Rider Den-O Part 1: "As soon as I get started, it's the Climax!"
It's like "The Seven Samurai" if five of them were the same guy and one of them was the guy who possesses another guy

Since its inception back in the days of Kamen Rider Ryuki, the Action Pose spin-off line of HG figures has become an annual (or sometimes bi-annual) event, usually linked to the yearly movie or mid-series point through some vague manner. It's also been one of the most variable in terms of overall quality. The original set, featuring all Ryuki characters, was actually more of a half-Action Pose set. Ryuki Survive, Knight Survive, and Zolda were all highly poseable and in the latter's case was pretty much the definitive Zolda figure in that scale. But Knight (normal), Ouja, & Ryuuga were just like your standard ol' HG figures, but then again part of the function of this line was to do also do characters who hadn't been in the regular HG line. In other words, it was to handle all those extra forms/Riders and movie folk who they'd never have gotten around to any way.

The follow-up was a big improvement. Not only was everybody super-articuated now, but it had a really, really good Faiz (and there have been a lot of Faiz figures so far), a couple of the more interestingly-designed Kamen Rider Ryuki alumni (Scissors, Gai, Tiger & Verde), and AutoVajin, who honestly could only have possibly worked as a Gachapon figure in Action Pose form. Faiz got a second helping a few months later with a set that featured his movie Riders (including the best Psyga figure apart from the Sôchaku-Henshin one) and even Rider 1 & 2. So of course you know that went over well. The only real downside is the elbow joints used in these figures were of the hinge-and-swivel kind, and not the faux-ball joints used in the earlier ones. Of course, if you have no idea what the hell that last sentence means, then they're perfect.

Blade's Action Pose set was tied right into the movie, featuring Glaive, Joker & King Form (the latter two of whom arguably made their debut performance in that.) A fairly solid set all around, and the best one up until the Kamen Rider Hibiki set the next year. It was that set which introduced chase figures into the mix (Hibiki Kurenai & Zanki, natch), gave us a really good Hibiki, Ibuki & Todoroki, plus some movie guys (Kabuki & Nishiki, who is an incredible figure on his own.) And they used clear red-tinted plastic for Hibiki's drumsticks, which make them look extra cool.

Kabuto got two Action Pose sets. The first one was decent, but a bit of a step backwards from the majesty of Hibiki's outing, with the figures being a little less poseable by now lacking ball-jointed shoulders (something that sadly has remained since.) The second one was a big leap forward, and the clear eye parts of course led into the H.G.C.O.R.E. line eventually.

So how about Den-O's first foray (as we know a Part 2 is now in the works)? I'm glad to say it's a winner, at least on par with the previous Kabuto set. There's 5 forms of Den-O, a Zeronos, and a very famous Imagin who comes in two flavors. Can't go wrong with that combo.


Kamen Rider Den-O (Sword Form)

This marks the third version of this particular Den-O form this year, and suffice to say there's a notable change from the first one seen in H.G.C.O.R.E. Part 2. Namely, his head's a whole lot bigger now! It seems a bit more in-scale with the older Rider's heads in the C.O.R.E. sets, although it's questionable which one's really more true to reality.

Whatever the case, this guy's jointed at the neck, waist, shoulders, biceps, elbows and wrists. He can do two really good poses (the one seen here and one with his sword slashing down) but with some messing around, you can probably get some other good ones. There's clear parts used for the eyes, and they look quie good. I'd venture to say this is the best Sword Form we've gotten yet, and considering how good the others have been, that's saying a lot.


Kamen Rider Den-O (Rod Form)

With the only other Rod Form being a "Gallery" version, this dynamically-posed one gives you a more action-oriented Rod Form. He's got clear plastic used for his eyes, and it looks even better than on the other figure, which shows some nice progression on Bandai's part. He's jointed at the neck, waist, shoulders, elbows, and wrists. And the Den-Gasher weapon is totally removable, so he can be displayed with or without it, and holding it in one or both hands. The fairly open-ended pose on this guy allows for a lot of different variations. Definitely a highlight of this set.


Kamen Rider Den-O (Axe Form)

Chop chop! The second outing for Axe Form is, like Rod Form, a nice step up from an already good figure. His axe is removable, so you can have him holding it in one hand, both hands, or not at all. He's jointed at the neck, waist, shoulders, right bicep, elbows, and wrists. As with Rod Form (and Gun Form below) his hands are molded so he can be ambidextrous and hold his weapon in either hand. Neat!


Kamen Rider Den-O (Gun Form)

The last of the "updates from the Gallery" figures, the purple one is jointed at neck, waist, shoulders, elbows & wrists. The gun is removable, and can be held in either hand. Considering the lack of bicep articulation, you can still get a lot of nice poses out of this guy, shooting at anything and everything you please. We're already getting another Gun Form in the upcoming H.G.C.O.R.E. EX set, so it should be interesting to see how that one stacks up to this guy.


Kamen Rider Den-O (Wing Form)

What's shiny & gold and briefly in the TV series (as well as popping up in the movie)? You guessed it, it's Den-O's fifth form. He borrows some parts from Sword Form, but also has a surprising amount of newness to him, so he really is more than a variation figure.

His belt has the holes and detachable Den-Gasher parts (which none of the other figures in this set feature aside from the Zeronos) and curiously, his eyes are painted solid blue, and not made of clear plastic as the insert/ad shows.

He's jointed at the neck, waist, shoulders, biceps, elbows and wrists. The lack of any weapons for him to hold is a bit of a bummer, but for a "movie-only" (in name) character, just having him is nice enough.


Kamen Rider Zeronos (Vega Form)

We got an Altair Form in the standard C.O.R.E. series, so why not his Deneb-infused self for the Action Pose set?

While he doesn't come with any weapons to hold, remember the detachable bowgun that C.O.R.E. Altair Form had? With a bit of messing around, you can get Vega Form to hold it. Neat! He's got various doo-dads to stick on his belt, including his unassembled weapon parts and the case for his Rider Ticket. Also, clear parts for the eyes, and jeez do they look good.

He's jointed at the neck, waist, shoulders, biceps, elbows, and wrists. We'll be revisting this guy in H.G.C.O.R.E. Part 5, but this is a pretty good first run. I wound up getting *a lot* of him too, so... contest prize fodder!


Momotaros

Yep, the "secret" figure not shown in the magazines until the set debuted is the big man himself, who comes in two colors; normal and, er, "sandy".

Each version includes two lower torsos, one of which is a pair of regular legs, and one of which is a big pile of sand. As you can see, I keep them displayed as such, but you can do it either way.

He's only jointed at the neck, elbows & wrists, but you can get a couple nice poses out of that. And it's Momotaros: he could be a solid chunk of plastic and he'd still be cool.

That's it for now. As you can see, this set's another winner, and I await the second installment (featuring Plat Form!) with much anticipation.

***

Review: H.G.C.O.R.E. Kamen Rider Part 3

And now, Part 3, which saw a release back in August and is notable for being a sort of "Flashback" companion to the next set. Well, they both have a V3 in them, anyway.

***


High Grade Collectionfigure Of Real Entertainment: Kamen Rider Part 3
In which we get something old, something new, and the Best. Riderman. Ever.

If you've read the reviews of the previous two H.G.C.O.R.E. sets, you know the drill by now. Clear eyes, improved detailing, chase figures. This time around, Bandai combined the "figure with optional parts" and the "variant 1/3 assortment thing" figures into one. Additionally, we got two related figures, one of whom is an old favorite and another of whom is a long-awaited villain, as well as the (then) fairly-new Rider, and some "Gallery" figures to round things off.


Kamen Rider V3

Like Rider 1 and Rider 2 before him, V3's seen a lot of Gachapon incarnations so far. At least 3 basic V3's, a "Rider Kick" version, and a "Gallery" version. Kazami Shirô even got a shot way back in Part 8 of the original High Grade Kamen Rider line. The most recent of these, from a set 30-something (which was also notable for featuring the "cutaway" Rider 1 and both versions of Kamen Rider Blade's enemy Cerberus) looked to basically be the definitive version of the character in this scale for a long time. It was just that good. In fact, I'd say that this latest one just barely manages to edge out that version. Just barely.

It's mostly down to the pose and details. While that V3 is in more of a "battle stance", the C.O.R.E. update is literally a new take on the very first HG V3 figure from way back in Part 1, in one of his famous poses. Also it's a bit of an odd pose, and looks to me sort of like V3's surfing (a trend which will continue in the next C.O.R.E. set.) It looks a bit strange from some angles, but from others, looks pretty cool, and when put next to the Riderman from this set, looks quite dynamic. As for details, the prior V3 was pretty revolutionary for including everything, and I mean everything— buckles on the boots and gloves, ridges on the hands, an actual sense of a real boot heel and not just a big chunk of plastic, etc. This version includes all that, plus new upgrades like seperately-molded scarf pieces and clear eyes. So I think we all know who wins out in the end.

Another thing I love about this V3 is that his hands are painted just a slight shade of grey. This is true to the actual costume, where the hands tended to get a little darker than the rest of the glove due to all that punchin' and stuff, so good job there, painter guys.

So best V3 yet.? Tough call, as the last normal HG one was pretty good too. Compared to the figure below, which is pretty much a clean sweep, this one's actually a tough call. Still, considering it looks like we're getting all the old Riders in new C.O.R.E. versions, this is one to add to the pile of "good updates that should last us a while."


Riderman

Awwww, yeah. Now this is what I'm talking about. Our prior three HG Ridermen were good, with the rather clunky original (with Rope Arm), the improved one (with Power Arm) and the "Gallery" one, which is just in a neutral stance and has a regular, silver-gloved arm.

But this guy? He blows them all away. But before we dive into that, let's cover the really important thing. There's 3 versions of this figure, which are identical save for they include a different alternate arm. All three come with the silver-gloved arm seen here, as well as one of Riderman's Attachment Arms, those being 1) Rope Arm (Hook), 2) Rope Arm (Sickle), and 3) Power Arm. You have equal chance of getting any of the arms, and I've managed to get all three a few times over.


Shown here is the hook-type Rope Arm. So there's the interchangeable aspect to it. Simple enough, right?

Now let's get to what I love about this figure. The pose is great, an iconic Riderman stance that looks good with any of the arm variations. We get seperately-molded scarf & even ches armor pieces, which looks great upon close inspection. The details on the rest of the suit, the boots and the belt are great too. This figure has some of the most detailed belt pouches of any Riderman toy ever.

And then there's the head. The clear eyes work as well as they have on the other Riders thus far, and even better, the helmet and the face below are seperate pieces. This means that the edge of the helmet sort of covers his nose like the real thing, but you still get the sense of it being a helmet and not one big piece of plastic. This is a really awesome touch and shows just how far we've come since the first Riderman figure.

So yeah, I'm calling this the Best. Riderman. Ever. I see no need for an update anytime soon unless it's an Action Pose figure or includes more arms, or something. Because Bandai really outdid themselves here. Riderman fans, you're gonna want this.


Zariganna

Fittingly, in a set which features both V3 & Riderman, why not feature one of their most famous foes? While this means we go Shocker Kaijin-less for a set, what we do get more than makes up for it. Zariganna, Marshal Armor's mutant alterego from the final two episodes, sees his first incarnation in plastic in a long time. I'm pretty sure the last one was a bottlecap figure!

There is one notable thing missing from this figure though, and that's the big 'ol shell he's seen wearing on his back in most pictures. And you might remember him having it in the show itself, when he used it like a folding chair and bashed Riderman over the head, and later when he broke it up into chunks and threw them at V3 like a lot of people back in 2000 did when they broke their Playstations into chunks and threw them at the TV when they couldn't figure out how to unlock that "Breakout"-style minigame in the Kamen Rider V3 PSX game.

To their credit, Bandai did address this issue, citing that this is the "first appearance" version. As yes, if you go back and watch episode #51, the first time Zariganna appears, he's without his big shell. So I guess that sorta covers their asses gives me hope for another versions some day.

As it is though, I can't really complain. I mean, it's Zariganna! And as the saying goes, some Zariganna is better than no Zariganna.

Okay, I just made that up.


Kamen Rider Zeronos (Altair Form)

Hey, now this is different: a kneeling/crouching figure. We get them every once in a while. Rising Pegasus Kuuga and TheBee Rider Form have yet to gain standing versions, but we already know a standing Action Pose version of this guy is on the way, so this is a pretty neat little figure as it is.

The pose is dynamic, the details and clear eye/mask parts are all there, and even better, the crossbow weapon is removable. This is a pretty cool feature, as the next review will show...


Kamen Rider Den-O Sword Form

Remember what I said about there being a Sword Form in this set? Well, here he is! In "Gallery Form" no less. And along with...







Kamen Rider Den-O (Gun Form)

...they complete the 4 main Den-O incarnations. They look quite spiffy altogether. Gun Form, like Axe Form, doesn't use any clear plastic for the mask. But Sword Form, like Rod Form, does. And both of these guys have the detachable Den-Gasher parts seen in their Part 2 compadres.

So that's 3 sets down the tube. Part 4 will come soon, but first, a foray into Action Pose territory, as we got one of those between the release of C.O.R.E. 3 & 4.

***

Bonus:

The alternate ad/insert for this set, featuring Zeronos as the main selling point.

Review: H.G.C.O.R.E. Kamen Rider Part 2

And we continue the C.O.R.E. onslaught with Part 2, which came out... uh... sometime earlier this year.

***


High Grade Collectionfigure Of Real Entertainment: Kamen Rider Part 2
It's got Rider 2. It's got Den-O. It's got... Kuuga!?

As you probably determined from the previous review, the H.G.C.O.R.E. upgrade to the old High Grade Gachapon line was a very good thing indeed. The follow-up set acted as both a "Hey let's get the new Rider in here somehow" set as well as a "Hey let's repeat the great idea of the first set with revisting older Riders and giving them much-needed updates" set. The end result: Awesomeness. Literally. I'm going to start running out of positive things to say about these if Bandai keeps it up.


Kamen Rider 2 (New)

If there's one thing that I think all the people of the world, regardless of color, creed, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, political, cultural or ideological differences can agree on, it's this: Ichimonji Hayato is a @#$%ing badass. I mean, this is a dude whose meddling led to dozens of Nazi war criminals being blown up in exploding secret base. On Christmas. Does it get any better than that? In my book, not much, unless it involves the words "Junko" and "swimming pool".

Naturally, with the Best. Gachapon. Rider 1. Yet. having debuted in the previous set, was anyone really surprised that we'd get Rider 2 to follow up in the next one? Probably not, but the choice of Rider 2 was an interesting one; whereas the Rider 1 was from near the end of the series, the "definitive" look of the character that has remained up to today, this Rider 2 is from the episode where he comes back to lend Hongô a hand, #72. It's sort of a transitional suit, using the red gloves and boots he is known for today, but keeping the big, thick silver lines on the side (eagle-eyed fans will spot that when he returns near the end of the series, the lines are much thinner and more silvery-white/solid white.) As a result, it's a bit unique, as we've never gotten this particular Rider 2 before. He goes along with the Kaijin in this set, so there's that too.

Next to Rider 1, he looks pretty good. Rider 1 didn't change *that much* from #72 to #92, so they go well enough together. As for Rider 2 himself, he's well-done. Another classic pose brought to life, and the detailing is spot-on. I think Rider 1's mask & eyes came out a little bit better, as the slightly more opaque plastic used there made them look more solid red, whereas these come out a bit orange red. But you know, that's a very minor nitpick, and not enough to stop me from calling this one of the best Rider 2's yet. I wouldn't say it's the pinnacle like Rider 1, and there's plenty of room to improve, but as it is, it's a pretty good shot and for the specific scenes (from episodes #72 & 73), it's as good as it gets.


Kamen Rider Den-O (Sword Form)

First shots at new Riders, when their shows are still fairly young and the sculptors have to basically make it up as they go, tend to be varied. The first HG Kuuga was great, and even had an unintentional amount of poseability. Agito & Faiz were stuck in odd poses, Ryuki & Blade were true to the series, Hibiki had 2 first figures (both of which were great) and Kabuto got a "Gallery" one where he just stood there. Den-O's most famous form definitely lucked out, getting what is this set's "Gatack": he's got additional hands, so you can have him holding the Den-Gasher Sword or... not holding it.

His arms, neck, waist and wrists are moveable enough that you can get a couple poses out of him. It's not quite an Action Pose figure, but there's room for variety, which is nice. He definitely looks best with sword in hand, although in a neat little bit of cross-figure compatibility (that surprisingly went unflaunted by Bandai), the Den-Gasher parts from the Rod Form & Axe Form figures in this set can be plugged into the holes on his belt to achieve the "unassembled DenGasher" look. It's a cool little detail, and another of those great C.O.R.E. touches.

As for the eyes, making use of the clear parts as they do... they work well enough. One thing that should be apparent if you put him side-by-side with Rider 2 is that his head looks a bit small, and the follow-up Action Pose version (to be reviewed at a later date) sports a much bigger noggin. I'm not sure which is more accurate, but in any case they both look cool. I have to say, if we only got one Sword Form ever (which, as we know, isn't the case as we get one in the very next set!), this would be a pretty decent one to have.


Kamen Rider Den-O (Rod Form)

Bandai did something here that I quite like: they stuck 3 Den-O's in this set, but made two of them "Gallery" series figures. In a sense, this gives us more Den-O for our buck, and also elminates the need to do these guys later on down the road. And since the then-upcoming Den-O Action Pose set would feature the basic 4 forms anyway, they could get away with doing the static, neutral-posed ones here and now. Or then.

As mentioned, the Den-Gasher parts on his belt can be removed, and used with Sword Form, or even Axe Form (who comes with his own.) Other than that, it's a good enough figure. I definitely don't think the picture does it justice, as the head, which looked somewhat wonky in early photos, actually comes across nicely, and the big orange eyes make use of clear plastic quite well. It's basically about as good as a non-posed version of the character as it can get.


Kamen Rider Den-O (Axe Form)

Everything I just said about Rod Form? Applies here too, minus the eyes (which use no clear parts.) Still looks cool, and the "face axe" was done quite well. Not much else to say here, other than that he looks great displayed next to Sword Form & Rod Form from this set, or the Sword Form & Gun Form figures from the next one.

Also: "NAKERUDE!"

Mosquiras

A sort-of companion piece to the Rider 2 in this set, Shocker's mosquito Kaijin was after all the one who got to fight that particular version of Ichimonji, along with Shiomaneking in the next episode (and the big crabby guy will be seeing a C.O.R.E. debut in a later set.)

Mosquiras has a fairly intricate design, especially where the face is concerned, and Bandai more or less pulled it off here. The use of several parts for the face/mouth works out well, as it looks really sharp and true to the TV version. The clear plastic used for the wings is rockin', and that shiny gold Shocker belt buckle is nice to see once more (seeing as how, aside from one earlier especially notable monster from this era, it's been all silver & dark gunmetal belts.) And man, they even painted his fingernails!

Although an earlier sample had some trouble standing properly until I fumbled around with the base, the one I have here stands up no problem, so it's not a figure-wide issue. Which is good, because a Kaijin who keeps tipping over doesn't exactly inspire much fear.


Kamen Rider Kuuga (Mighty Form)

Kuuga? Kuuga!? Don't get me wrong, I love Kuuga, but his inclusion here was certainly a surprise. It's a bit like how Bandai just randomly decides to do Faiz every now and then, although at least then they have the excuse of him being the most popular (design-wise) of the new Riders amongst people who actually bother to fill out the little
enquete that comes with each figure. Kuuga's inclusion is a bit of a mystery, until you go back and realize that 1) the one time we got a Rider Kickin' Kuuga, it was Rising Mighty Form and 2) after all these years, they've never done Growing Form!

Both issues were rectified here, with what was this set's "variation 1/2 assortment" chase figure. You basically could either get Mighty Form Kuuga or Growing Form Kuuga in almost the same pose. Sadly, I don't have a Growing Form on hand to show you, but I did get one (a couple, actually) back in the states via HLJ and he's basically the same from the waist down. Above the belt, his armor's painted white, his head and eyes are different (orange instead of red), and his arms are slightly different, with open hands and posed much less like the confident "Uooorrriiaaaaaaa!" Mighty Form, and more like the "Oh #$%@ I'm gonna die!" Growing Form.

Aside from that, Kuuga's one of those characters that you have to struggle with to get wrong, he pretty much always looks good in every toy I've ever bought of him. The clear plastic for the eyes is as good as ever, and I suspect this will probably be the last we'll see of Kuuga for at least... a couple sets. So it's a good thing that this one, both of them, are winners.

And that's it for now. Tune in soon for Part 3!

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Review: H.G.C.O.R.E. Kamen Rider Part 1

And so we kick off the week of reviews with that most very special of Gachapon sets, the original C.O.R.E. 1 from way back when earlier on in 2007. You might remember me making a big deal out of it around this time last year, and now you'll find out if it lived up the hype that I single-handedly built up for myself. Because I think if there's one thing that's clear, it's that nobody was as excited about this as I was. Nobody, dammit! Nobody! N-O-B-O-

Well, you get the idea.

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High Grade Collectionfigure Of Real Entertainment: Kamen Rider Part 1
Possibly the most long-awaited release since some famous band that you liked said they were reuniting to release a new album.

Last year saw the end of the standard-issue "High Grade Gachapon" (sometimes written "Gashapon") where Ultraman & Kamen Rider were concerned, with close to 40 sets for the Riders and a dozen or so more for the Ultras. Of course, these popular lines weren't really going anywhere; they were just undergoing a little revamp, taking what Bandai had learned with the larger-scale "Ultimate Solid" Gachapon figures (namely, that people like pretty clear parts, chase figures and clever little gimmicks.) Also, a new numbering system would be implemented, considering things had gotten a little crazy by the end of 2006. Did the Action Pose sets count, or not? How about those re-released "Greatest Hits"-style mega collections? Was that Agito Trinity Form that came with the book set cannonical, or just some strange little oddity?

To rectify this, Bandai started over from scratch, yet at the same time didn't. The upgraded H.G.C.O.R.E. line would revisit older Riders and characters who hadn't gotten much attention in a while, whilst also sallying forth, covering Riders from the current series as well as continuing the seemingly-mad goal of doing every monster from the original Kamen Rider. And they'd do it all with a renewed sense of style and attention to detail, making High Grade figures live up to their name more than ever.

Now I'll be honest with you guys: when it all comes down to it, the High Grade Gachapon figures are my favorite ongoing line of Kamen Rider toys bar none. I like the "Rider Hero Series", the Sôchaku-Henshin figures, the Medicoms, the many miscellaneous candy toys, and all that jazz. But there is something especially appealing to me about HG figures, in part because they're 1) small, so it's easy to collect/display a lot of them, 2) diverse when it comes to covering goodies and baddies alike, 3) relatively inexpensive and 4) really fun to tinker with. So obviously, any time there's a big shake-up (pun!) in the Gachapon world, I take notice. So I awaited the release of this set with much anticipation.

Actually, we got a taste of what was in store with C.O.R.E. in the last standard HG Rider set. We had the "multi-figure 1/3 assortment" thing going with the three Riders from God Speed Love, and we had a sample of what clear eye-parts would be like with the Rider Kickin' Kamen Rider 1 from Kamen Rider THE FIRST in the same set. The second Kabuto Action Pose set also made use of the clear eyes in its various figures, and if you were one of the lucky winners from this summer's Kamen Rider Sigma Fan Art Contest, you might know what I'm talking about because you might've won some of them!

In any case, H.G.C.O.R.E. finally made its debut in early 2007, and I scooped up as many of these figures as I could (for reasons outlined below) during an earlier junket to Japan back in January. I had been meaning to review this thing for ages, and just finally got around to it now, back in Japan, where I went and collected all the current H.G.C.O.R.E. figures over again because, hey, when the Gachapon machines for them are still around, why not? This debut set features seven distinct figures, although an eigth figure can be created if you obtain two of the others. Technically, a total of six extra figures can be created, but more on that shortly. On with the review!


Kamen Rider 1 (New)

The proverbial crown jewel of the set, and the one most-highly touted (notice how much space he takes up on the ad/insert!) And why not? Because I kid you not when I say that this is the Best. Gachapon. Rider 1. Yet. Yes my friends, it's that good.

Hongô Takeshi has probably seen more High Grade incarnations than anybody bar Kuuga, and that's only because Special K has all those forms. We've gotten nearly every costume variation of Rider 1 though; the classic, "blue" look; the "Sakurajima" version (in Action Pose as well!); the latter-half-of-the-series "New" Rider 1; plus a whole host of odds and ends like an unmasked Rider 1, a "cutaway" Rider 1, Rider 1 on the Cyclone and New Cyclone, etc.

The version seen here is the "New" Rider 1, specifically as seen towards the end of the original series where the costume was probably at its absolute sharpest, with crisp silver-white lines and a shiny blue/green/silver helmet. It's the one you've probably seen in the first two episodes of Kamen Rider V3 if you were awesome and picked that up on DVD when it came out, and the current, "modern" look of the character as seen in Kamen Rider Spirits, Kamen Rider Genealogy of Justice, and just to shamelessly promote myself, Kamen Rider Sigma.

So just what it is that makes this particular Rider 1 so good? Well, for starters, he's based on a particularly notable scene, from episode #92, when he's facing off against Shocker Rider #1 on the shore as waves crash around him dramatically. This is one of those really iconic moments for this particular look of the character, and it's great to see a three-dimensional representation here. Also, the detailing on this guy is spectacular, from the mask (with clear eye parts, which work out amazingly) to chest armor and to the detailing on the boots and gloves, and the scarf, which is a seperately-molded piece, allowing it to "flow" more naturally and, if possible, dramatically.

Speaking on the gloves, boots and scarf, they're important to point out as when you get your hands on the next figure, you can use parts from him with Rider 1 to make... well, we'll get there in a moment. But just know this: Bandai really outdid themselves with this guy, and it's no wonder he commands a high price in collectible shops across Japan— this really is the best Rider 1 in this scale yet, and if Bandai can top this, why, it'll be cause for dancing in the streets. And I don't often say that.


Gelshocker Combatant

Although Shocker goons were popping up in High Grade form as far back as the very second set all those years ago, the Gelshocker thugs got overshot in favor of Destron's squeaking hordes and even the Riotroopers, who are basically glorified henchmen. H.G.C.O.R.E. Part 1 amended this, and threw in a great little gimmick which I'll get to soon enough.

As for the Gelshocker Combatant himself, he looks great. Considering the primary-color costumes these guys had don't make them look very threatening next to say, the GOD soldiers (who manage to look fearsome despite wearing berets), a large part of this character's (or more precisely, these characters') appeal comes from being familiar with them in the show, where they are vicious little buggers, teleportin' around and slaughtering hordes of useless ex-Shocker scientists and henchmen like it was going out of style. The pose on this guy is a fairly standard "henchman fighting" pose, and the simplicity of the design means he's great for customizing, although chances are you won't want to do that until you've amassed enough to have both a squad of these guys and enough extras to create...

...the Shocker Riders!

Yep, when you take the gloves, boots and accompanying scarves that come with the Gelshocker Combatant, and switch them around with Rider 1's gloves, boots and scarf, you can create any of the six ripoff Riders who harassed our heroes in the original series episodes #92~94, and recently got a big-screen comeback/makeover in Kamen Rider THE NEXT. With each Gelshocker Combatant, you get two scarves (#1 & #2, #3 & #4, #5 & #6), so technically you just need three of the goons to get all six scarves. But you also need three more, plus 6 Rider 1's to create the whole Shocker Rider crew.

Thankfully, through a combination of luck, patience, and lots of 100 yen coins, I was able to amass enough of both to create all 6 Shocker Riders and still have a couple Gelshocker Combatants and a Rider 1 left over. Alas, they're all back in the States now, but I did get one of each here so you can see what the end result looks like.

Obviously, it's not the most accurate Shocker Rider ever (as any true Shocker Rider afficiando knows, the eyes are also different, plus the part of the scarf around his neck is still red) but really, these are minor quibbles that don't change the fact that this was a great little gimmick, as while both Rider 1 & the Shocker Combatant can be enjoyed on their own, combined, they can make an additional figure, which is great if you're prone to getting a lot of extras of them (and if you are, I envy you, because it's the rest of this set that I tended to get a lot of extras of.)


Kamen Rider Gatack

Prior to this and the more recent Ultimate Solid figure, the God of War had so far only seen Gachapon incarnations in the Action Pose spin-off line, with his Rider Form being in the first set and his Masked Form being in the second. The first of these Gatacks was decent enough, but like the rest of that set felt a little sidelined by the Zectrooper variation gimmick everybody was really buying it for, and deserved an update (as does Sasword, who's still waiting on one.)

Well, KAGAAAMI sure got it! If the Rider 1/Gelshocker Combatant/Shocker Rider deal was this set's big gimmick, Gatack would qualify as its other big gimmick. He comes with two sets of hands, the one seen here for a standard open/dramatic battle pose, and...


... the ones for gripping his Gatack Double Calibur, which can be stored on his shoulders when not in use, and even combined into the big scissor/hedge clipper weapon thing for "Rider Cutting!" action. Sweet!

Apart from that, this Gatack is a big improvement over the Action Pose one, with a great, dynamic stance that even allows for some movement. It's not much, but it's a start. The clear eye parts look good, if a bit more pinkish than I remember (but I confess to not having watched much Kabuto since it ended, so it might be the mind playing tricks.) Again, small quibble though, and we end up with a really solid figure who likely won't need an update any time soon. Or at least, after we get a similarly-decent Sasword.


Kamen Rider 2 (THE FIRST version)

The companion piece to the last regular HG set's Rider 1 mentioned earlier, this Rider Kickin' version of the big screen Ichimonji update is pretty much exactly what it needs to be: The companion piece to the last regular HG set's Rider 1 mentioned earlier.

All the details are there, including the Shocker logos on the gloves and back (something Bandai's getting really good at.) The clear parts for the eyes look great, and he looks really neat next to Rider 1. Now if they'd just do Bat in one of the upcoming C.O.R.E. sets...



Snake

Say it with me now: "SNAKE! COBRA! SPIDER! BAT! ANNNND... THE MASKED RIDERS!!!"

*Ahem*. Yet another "companion piece" this time literally, as Snake's boytoy Cobra was featured in the last HG set along with FIRSTy Rider 1. They look great together, blah-blah-blah.

While I'll get really excited when we get Spider or Bat some day (hopefully), Snake here isn't bad at all, and does pretty much what you'd want her to do: stand there and look cool. She comes with the snake tail whip thingy, which is detachable. This is a nice touch, and I suppose along with Snake & the Double Riders doing their kicky thing, you can recreate the climatic moments of the movie, which has one of my favorite overly-dramatic transitional jumps ever (it's at around 1:21:54 if you're keeping track.)


Mimizu-Otoko

Admittedly, Bandai's been a bit schizophrenic when it comes to the High Grade Shocker Kaijin lately. We got up to Gilgaras just fine, with the occasional jump forward to cover the major players (Shocker Officer mutant forms, Zanjio, etc.) Then it suddenly all went nutty. Some sets had a Shocker Kaijin, some had none at all. While they didn't break out of the late 50's/early 60's episodes, they still seemed a bit indecisive about whether to stick with the nice, consistant order they had going or not.

Ultimately, they seem to have settled on doing "whatever the hell we feel like", as the next few sets will attest to. While this does sort of make me dread having to wait until 2017 just to get my Gachapon Canary-Cobra (Don't laugh! He's one sadistic bastard!), at least they are doing somebody ever set, so that's good.

Mimizu-Otoko, hailing from episode #59 of the original series, was as good a character as any to pick up on for C.O.R.E. One of the more disturbing Shocker Kaijin (I mean, he's an oversized earthworm that strangles people with slightly less-oversized earthworms), he's also got a wicked design, with half of his torso seemingly rotted away, exposing a mass of, well, oversized earthworms. This look was reproduced faithfully by making the worms a seperate piece, giving them the feel of worms actually squirming around and not just being a bunch of bumps on his tummy with extra paint on them. And the rest of it all falls into place; his creepy snout, his oversized left claw, etc. It's a good sign that the Riders aren't the only ones benefitting from the C.O.R.E. improvements, and I can't wait to see how future Shocker Kaijin will turn out after this guy (and his follow-ups in the next three sets.)


Doctor Shinigami

And we round off this review with the requisite "Gallery" (re: includes a black square base) figure, although this time it isn't a Rider! Rather, it's the big man himself, last seen way back in the original High Grade Kamen Rider Part 10. That was like, pre-Kuuga, mind you.

Perhaps inspired by his digital appearance in Kamen Rider THE FIRST, this Shinigami 2.0 manages to improve on an already great figure. The main difference is that while the original had a molded-on cape, and was essentially a big chess piece split into two, this version can be displayed with or without his cape— he's a whole figure underneath! He's basically in a neutral, standing pose, but that's pretty much what you'd want a Shinigami figure to be in. The sculpting on the head is pretty good, and looks passable enough to be Amamoto. And did I mention the outside, black part of his cape is shiny? Shiny is always good. I like shiny.

So there we have it. A pretty solid first outing, and (via the power of writing these long after the sets have come out) I can say that the level of quality established here is maintained throughout. If you can still get your hands on some of these, by all means, do. They're the beginning, or rather the new beginning, of something very great indeed.

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I can't think of a title at the moment

Due to various health, work and general time-management circumstances, I sort of took the last week off from blogging. Hey, it happens. I also wanted to keep the review of Kamen Rider THE NEXT at the top of the page for at least a week.

Regular posting will resume henceforth, with a week of the much-promised reviews. And on a similiar note, you may have noticed not much happening with the site proper lately. No new KOTM, no new Sigma, things decaying here and there, entropy taking hold of the universe, etc. This is mostly due to the fact that I've been having some technical issues to deal with, as well working behind-the-scenes in an effort to make the biggest, bestest (is that even a word?!) update yet, which will mostly likely be... sometime around the end of the month. Yeah, it's a ways off, but hopefully it'll be worth the wait. I'll be adding a lot of new content and rearranging the look and feel of the site into something a bit more 'personal'.

Don't worry, it's not going to change drastically, just become a bit less 'corporate' and more importantly, a bit more complete. This probably means it'll be down for a weekend late in the month, with scant updating in the mean time. But I'll keep going at it on this blog daily, and again, by the end of the month/early December there'll be some exciting new stuff. I'm hoping to have the site at least 50-75% "complete", in terms of the basic Rider/Villains/Combat Tech/etc. stuff. Given my current lack of photo resources, there might not be as many pictures as I'd like, but the groundwork will be there at least. This is all part of the grand masterplan to have IKRP more or less complete by the end of the year.

So stay tuned, it's going to be an exciting ride!

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