Toybox REVIEW: Doctor Who History of the Daleks #21 Set

Release Date: August 2025

RRP: £21.99

Despite seemingly having all odds against it, the B&M exclusive Doctor Who figure range has now continued on for several years. A big part of that range has been the "History of the Daleks" sets, and with Character Options now having run out of classic stories to cover things are starting to get a little more interesting. The modern iteration of Doctor Who may have less variants in terms of design and colour, but that doesn't mean it isn't without its surprises. Arriving in stores unannounced and to everyone's surprise was History of the Daleks #21, featuring two Executioner Daleks (or Death Squad Daleks if you'd prefer) from 2022's Eve of the Daleks. Not only is this the first time the Thirteenth Doctor era has been covered in History of the Daleks, but it's also the most recent story the range has represented.

First Impressions: Kamen Rider Zeztz

With Tsuburaya Productions having simulcast Ultraman on YouTube for several years now, Toei have been sorely lagging behind with their tokusatsu offerings. The US is being well-served by various releases of older series on blu-ray as well as a handful of shows on streaming, but when it comes to the newest shows fans have still had to resort to more clandestine means. Until 2025 that is, as Toei finally bring the latest Kamen Rider series to a (somewhat) worldwide audience with Kamen Rider Zeztz! The seventh series to debut in the Reiwa era will have its episodes released on the TokuSHOUTsu YouTube channel with English subs, live-streaming on a continuous loop for the following five days. Franchise veteran Yuya Takahashi (Ex-Aid, Zero-One, Geats) returns once more to write the series, with Kazuya Kamihoriuchi directing this first episode - "Case 1: Start".

Series REVIEW: Kamen Rider Gavv

Of all the weird and wonderful bits of Kamen Rider merchandise out there, one piece that's easily considered the stuff of legend are the Kamen Rider Gummi. Ask anyone who's been following the franchise for the two decades, and they'll fondly recall the adverts of the child who can't get enough of them, crying out his catchphrase of "juicy!" With how much of a tradition they became over the years, it's amazing that it took until 2024 for an actual series to adopt them as its motif. While not strictly about the franchise's particular brand of gummies, sweets, confectionary and all things sugary take centre stage in Kamen Rider Gavv - the sixth main line Rider series of the Reiwa era and 35th overall. Junko Komura (best known for her work on Super Sentai series Zyuohger, Lupinranger vs Patranger and Zenkaiger) led the series as its main writer, Teruaki Sugihara as main director, Hiroshi Butsuda as SFX director and Satoshi Fujita as Action Director. The series ran for a total of 50 episodes, and is notable for being one of the few series since 2010 to not to have a crossover with its predecessor as a Winter movie release.

Toybox REVIEW: Meisho Movie Realization Daimyo Boba Fett

Release Date: January 2023

RRP: $124.99

Among all of Bandai Tamashii Nations' toy lines, the current state of the Meisho Movie Realization line is perhaps the thing that confuses me the most. After years of both retail and Tamashii web exclusive releases in Japan, this rather unique take on the Star Wars universe seems to no longer be a thing in the company's home territory - with the handful of releases since 2021 seemingly exclusive to the US and Europe. Nevertheless as Star Wars continues to grow on Disney+ so does the line itself, with a brand new Meisho Movie Realization Daimyo Boba Fett figure released on the former bounty hunter's title role in The Book of Boba Fett. While the Movie Realization line usually has to bestow a title upon its figures, here the work had already been done for them - with Boba Fett taking up the role of Mos Espa's "daimyo" in the series itself.

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series Nightsister Merrin

Release Date August 2025

RRP: $24.99/£24.99

With the number of different Star Wars video games there have been over the decades, Hasbro are unlikely to run out of character choices for its "Gaming Greats" range of Black Series figures any time soon. But then again, they don't really need to look to the past either when there are so many popular characters from recent memory deserving of a place. The line has been steadily building up the cast of Respawn's Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor games, but outside of lead character Cal Kestis the rest of the Mantis crew have been inexplicably absent. Until now that is, as Black Series Nightsister Merrin has finally been released - giving Cal a helping hand in what's mostly been a sea of rogue Jedi, Inquisitors and endless trooper and droid repaints.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider Valen Chocodon Form

Release Date: June 2025

RRP: 8250 yen

It feels like a missed opportunity that just as Kamen Rider Gavv is beginning to wrap up as a series, we're only now getting the rest of the cast in S.H. Figuarts form. Bandai Tamashii Nations released Kamen Rider Gavv Poppingummy Form all the way back in February, so why the four month wait until a second release from the series. But that release did finally come in the form of S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider Valen Chocodon Form, the second Kamen Rider to appear in the series. Of course Valen is also a Tamashii web exclusive as well, because despite the line still seemingly going strong we're long past the days of anyone other than the titular Rider getting a retail release. How things have changed.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Imit-Ultraman (Shin Ultraman)

Release Date: April 2023

RRP: 7700 yen

While certainly not covering everything in the film, Bandai Tamashii Nation's Shin Ultraman S.H Figuarts range still proved to be fairly extensive - something it's very easy to be when you can release multiple versions of the same mould with only slight variations. Just as well then the film featured Imit-Ultraman, a disguise used by Alien Zarab to try and discredit Ultraman as part of his plan to take control of the Earth. S.H. Figuarts Imit-Ultraman (Shin Ultraman) was the first Tamashii Web exclusive release from the film, the third release overall AND the third use of the Ultraman mould. Case in point really.

Toybox REVIEW: Hero Action Figure Zone Fighter (Ver. 2)

Release Date: June 2025

RRP: 12, 980 yen

For Showa era tokusatsu fans, Evolution Toys' Hero Action Figure line has been a godsend for getting classic characters untouched by other companies - from Toei legends like Inazuman and Zubat, Tsuburaya greats like Mirrorman or Redman and even lesser known heroes such as Iron King. There is however one rather significant downside - the figures themselves aren't too great, especially when compared to some of their nearest competition. However just like the company's name the line continues to evolve, with many of their original releases now coming around again with improved "version 2" releases. Among this roster is Hero Action Figures Zone Fighter (Ver. 2) - the titular hero from the 1973 series of the same name (also known in Japan as Meteor Man Zone) and good friend to the King of Monsters himself, Godzilla. Have there been enough improvements to finally make HAF a credible rival to the likes of S.H. Figuarts?

Special REVIEW: Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger Formation Lap: Settlers of the Galaxy

Once upon a time a big multi-series Super Sentai crossover could be considered a special occasion, but with the arrival of Toei Tokusatsu Fan Club it seems more like an everyday occurrence. Nevertheless it's always fun to see which franchise alumni come back for these streaming service specials, and Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger Formation Lap: Settlers of the Galaxy offers quite the cast list. As well as serving as a prequel to Bun Violet and Byun Diesel's arrival in Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger, the one-off special also features returning cast members from Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger, Avataro Sentai Donbrothers, Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger, Uchu Sentai Kyuranger AND Engine Sentai Go-Onger. Just another day in this wild and wonderful multiverse we call Super Sentai.

Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Studio Series 86 Ultra Magnus

Release Date: September 2023

RRP: $89.99/£91.99

Even with several of the Transformers: The Movie cast receiving figures towards the tail end of the War for Cybertron trilogy in the Kingdom line, that didn’t mean they were off the table for Studio Series 86. Where there were improvements to be made in the name of screen-accuracy they have for the most part been taken, and there’s no better example of this than Ultra Magnus. Leader class figures are great, but why not go bigger? Studio Series 86 Ultra Magnus gives the Autobot City Commander a much needed boost by bringing him up to Commander class status, as well as the largest single figure in the range thus far.