Friday 27 May 2016

Toybox REVIEW: Nendoroid Link (Majora's Mask 3D Ver.)


When Nintendo finally began licensing their characters out to companies to produce figures it didn’t take long for said companies to realise they were on to a golden goose. So after the success of their Skyward Sword Figma and Wind Waker Nendoroid figures, Good Smile Company have turned to the Legend of Zelda franchise once again for another iteration of the legendary Hero of Time. This Nendoroid Link is based on his appearance in the 2000 Nintendo 64 game Majora’s Mask, or more specifically its 2015 3DS remake Majora’s Mask 3D. This unique Zelda offering took Link out of Hyrule, placing him in the land of Termina with only three days to stop the moon crashing into the Earth. However thanks to some ocarina trickery, you can do an awful lot in 72 hours. For Smash Bros. fans this figure can also serve a double purpose, representing Young Link from Super Smash Bros. Melee. This was the only game in the franchise Young Link appeared in, before being replaced by Toon Link from Brawl onwards.

Wednesday 25 May 2016

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider Ghost Ore Damashii


It’s that time of a year again where the latest Kamen Rider series makes its first jump into the world of S.H. Figuarts. 2015-16 is the year of Kamen Rider Ghost, so things are kicking off with S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider Ghost Ore Damashii – the base form of the titular rider. “Ore Damashii” means “My Soul”, as in this form is all Takeru Tenkuji as opposed to the various legendary hero Eyecons he acquires over the course of the show. While personally I can’t say I’m much of a fan of Ghost as a series, that’s a discussion best saved to have in a few months time. In the meantime, let’s take a look at the first figure from a series that certainly has plenty to offer the line in terms of scale.

Monday 23 May 2016

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Body-Kun DX Set [Gray Color Ver.]


For the past few years the blank S.H. Figuarts body has been a staple of the Tamashii Nations event. Whether it’s showing off the latest effect parts, acting as a stand-in opponent or teasing collectors by being displayed in various Kamen Rider henshin poses, these figures are never too far away from a big display. Clearly knowing that they had something good on their hands, Bandai have now officially released this blank body to the public under the guise of the perfect drawing aid for human bodies. Not only that, but there were an impressive four different retail releases for Body-kun (male) and Body-chan (female) – standard orange/flesh coloured versions as well as grey DX variants with boosted accessory counts. On review here is the DX Body-kun set, arguably the poster child for this surprising but at the same time intriguing sub-line of the Figuarts brand.

Wednesday 18 May 2016

Toybox REVIEW: Megahouse G.E.M. Series James (Kojiro) & Meowth (Nyarth)


If you’re prepared for trouble then it’s time to make it double! Megahouse kicked off their highly anticipated Pokémon range in their non-scale G.E.M. Series statue line a few months ago with Jessie and Wobbuffet (known to Japanese audiences as Musashi and Sonans), and so the second character to join her is of course the second half of the enigmatic Team Rocket duo. However James (or Kojiro as the Japanese packaging notes) isn’t alone either, bringing along with him Meowth (Nyarth) – the talking Pokémon who’s just as much a member of the bumbling team as his human compatriots. For long-time Pokémon fans this is a rare opportunity to own high quality figures (or even figures in general) of the anime cast, so surrender your wallets now or you’ll lose the fight! Meowth, that’s right!

Monday 16 May 2016

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Bowser


Bandai Tamashii Nations’ journey into the colourful world of Nintendo’s flagship franchise continues with the arrival of S.H. Figuarts Bowser! Primary antagonist and star of the Super Mario series since the very beginning, the King of the Koopas is perhaps one of the more radical entries in the Figuarts line thanks to his inhuman design and proportions. While some collectors out there may think Bowser is more suited to the S.H. MonsterArts line, his cartoonish design would have been a major clash there and so really he fits perfectly under the Figuarts banner. Like the Fire Flower Mario and recent diorama sets, Bowser is a Tamashii web exclusive figure.

Friday 13 May 2016

Toybox REVIEW: Power Rangers Legacy Collection Thunder Megazord


The 20th Anniversary of the Power Rangers franchise may have spawned a pretty terrible celebration in terms of the show, but as far as the toys go Bandai of America have been doing some pretty interesting things since. Although the strict focus on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers might be irksome to fans who want to see the other iterations receive fair representation, the Legacy Collection toy line has come a long way from beginning with a nice repaint of the 2010 Megazord release – now churning out high-end quality role play weapons and zords with better sculpting and detailing. The original Dino Megazord was followed by new versions of the Dragonzord, Titanus and the White Tigerzord, and as the trip through the three seasons of MMPR continued the Thunder Megazord came next. Initial pictures suggested this could be the most impressive Legacy Collection release yet, but at $200 it certainly doesn’t come cheap.

Wednesday 4 May 2016

Custom Figure: Time War Dalek Scientist


"Did you not see the markings on their casings? Dalek Scientists."

From the Dalek Time Controller to the “benevolent” Daleks from a parallel dimension, Big Finish’s expansive Doctor Who audios have always been a wonderful source for interesting and obscure Dalek variants. Sometimes these simply have to be left to interpretation, but those that manage to grace the CD artwork the perfect inspiration for custom figures. And with the release of Infernal Devices, the second box set in the new War Doctor range, another has joined them. Appearing on the cover of its second part A Thing of Guile is a new version of a Dalek Scientist, specifically the ones that appeared during the last great Time War between the Daleks and the Time Lords.