Following his work on 1976's  Space Ironman Kyodain , creator Shotaro Ishinomori  expressed an interest in creating his own giant robot show akin to the likes of Tetsujin 28  and Giant Robo  as its successor - an idea that the sponsors were also keen on. Though initially conceived as an animated series, it was eventually decided that a live-action tokusatsu production would be far more impressive - the first Toei would have produced since Giant Robo nearly a decade ago. The result was Daitetsujin 17 (pronounced "One-Seven"), a 35-episode series which ran from March to November 1977. Following this, giant robots would become a staple of Toei's tokusatsu productions - first in Spider-Man  the following year, and from there a core component of the Super Sentai franchise.

The shift in legal rights surrounding the original Super Dimension Fortress Macross in relation to its US-adapted counterpart Robotech has led to an age where there's more options for merchandise than ever before, and with many of the more popular ones being on the larger side it can be a daunting experience for newcomers knowing where to start. And for those looking for something a little smaller, the Kids Logic Mini Metal 001 Veritech VF-1J Fighter Mode gives you the opportunity to proudly display the show's iconic mecha in its fighter jet configuration. This review was done in collaboration with Zero Variant , an independent UK-based online store specialising in Japanese collectibles ranging from anime figures, mecha, statues and model kits, alongside premium Western releases. Everything sold is either an official licensed product or a selected premium third-party piece that earns its place on the site. No bootlegs. No knockoffs.  The review sample was kindly provided by Z...

Release Date: August 2026 RRP: 11,000 yen It's a testament to the popularity of Kamen Rider Black that it remains the only Kamen Rider series to receive a direct sequel with the same lead character, and even though for many Kamen Rider Black RX didn't reach quite the same heights it's a surprise that Bandai Tamashii Nations  didn't immediately follow up the release of Shinkocchou Seihou Kamen Rider Black  with his successor. But five years later and finally S.H. Figuarts -Shinkocchou Seihou- Kamen Rider Black RX  has arrived, bringing us one step closer to a complete line-up of titular Riders in the premium "true bone carving" line. Surprisingly unlike most of the other Showa Riders, Black RX was deemed popular enough to receive a general retail release rather than Tamashii Web status, with the figure also showing off a few new surprise additions to the range in terms of design.

Release Date: June 2026 RRP: $42.99/£34.99 Once there's a new version of the Seekers on the market, the biggest question on Transformers collectors' minds is how long Hasbro are going to take to release the rest. And in the case of the Studio Series , it seems the answer is "not very long at all" - with all three of the original Decepticon jets releasing in 2026 as part of Transformers: The Movie 's 40th anniversary celebration. But contrary to how the usual release pattern goes, Studio Series MTMTE Collection Starscream  is not only the last to be released but also the "exclusive" of the bunch - with both Thundercracker  and Skywarp  having released as retail items in the months prior. As was the case with previous "MTMTE Collection" figures, Starscream was exclusive to Target (with limited quantities also available on Hasbro Pulse) in the USA - but saw general release elsewhere in the world. Unfortunately, this also made the figure notoriousl...

When it first started all the way back in 2020 Dogengers could have easily been a "one and done" novelty. But this hilarious look at the lives of Fukuoka's local heroes (and villains) has since endured over multiple series and specials, which just goes to show how beloved these characters are. And arguably one of the most beloved of them all is Ohgaman  - the hero of Ohga Pharmacy created to tackle the "leftover medicine issue" caused by people not taking their medicine. Sandwiched between the release of 2023's Dogengers Metropolis and fifth series Shin Dogengers the following year was one-off special A Day of Ohgaman - taking a special look into the daily life of this very special hero.

Release Date: August 2026 RRP: 8250 yen The inaugural Project R.E.D. S.H. Figuarts release has arrived! Whilst Toei’s new tokusatsu venture may have replaced Super Sentai on television screens, it appears that there’s still room for them both over at Bandai Tamashii Nations . S.H. Figuarts Gavan Infinity arrives as a general retail release a few months after the end of Super Space Sheriff Gavan Infinity , although with the characters still a prominent part of Kakusei Omegahorn that certainly won’t be the last we see of the shiny red combat suit. Bandai have seemingly (and perhaps overconfidently) gone all-in on the initial release of the Gavan Infinity Figuarts too – with both Gavan Bushido and Gavan Luminous following in the coming months also as retail items.