Toybox REVIEW: Blokees Action Edition Evangelion Proto Type-00

Release Date: September 2025

RRP: $49.99

Over the last few years Chinese company Blokees have taken the toy collecting world by storm, wowing buyers with their range of affordable yet accurate articulated model kits and blind box figurines. The number of licenses they’ve gathered in this time is equally impressive, with the likes of Transformers, Pokemon, Marvel, Ultraman, Kamen Rider, various anime properties and more under their belt. But certainly among their most talked about properties is Neon Genesis Evangelion, with the company celebrating the series’ 30th anniversary with a new range of model kits in their Action Edition line. It’s a line I’ve had my eye on for some time, and with a lot of my Revoltech Evangelion collection now pushing 15 years old I was keen to update it with something a little more modern. Blokees Action Edition DX Evangelion Proto Type-00 is their rendition of Rei Ayanami’s Unit as it appears in the second Rebuild of Evangelion film – a snap together model kit suitable for builders of all ages and experience.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Spider Kumonos

Release Date: February 2026

RRP: 9350 yen

Super Sentai may be on hiatus as far as the show is concerned, but that doesn't mean Bandai still don't have 50 years' worth of shows to make further merchandise from. Since it's grand return to the S.H. Figuarts line back in 2022 Tamashii Nations have put out a select few characters each year, and while it's not quite the same as the full teams they put out previously it's still great to have some representation from Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger all the way up to No.1 Sentai Gozyuger. However the first (and currently only confirmed) Super Sentai release for 2026 doesn't hail from most recent series, and instead makes a return visit to 2023's Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger with S.H. Figuarts Spider Kumonos! The King of the "In-between Land" Bugnarak is a Tamashii web exclusive and the third release from King-Ohger (following on from Kuwagata Ohger and Ohkuwagata Ohger), making it the first series in the relaunched range to receive more than two releases.

Toybox REVIEW: BUZZmod Ryuko Matoi

Release Date: December 2025

RRP: 12,000 yen

As Trigger’s first full-length original television series Kill la Kill holds a special place in many anime fans’ hearts, but there’s no denying that the show was majorly underserved when it comes to articulated figures. Figma led the charge with battle versions of Ryuko and Satsuki in 2014 and 2015 respectively, but even they took a further five years to follow it up with Mako in 2020. Now a whole 12 years after Kill la Kill first hit screens Aniplex’s BUZZmod line have finally stepped in with their own take on the show’s heroine. BUZZmod Ryuko Matoi differs from Figma’s version in that it’s based on her standard/casual attire, offering fans something a little less risqué to display and delivering something they’ve been crying out for for some time.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Birdon

Release Date: February 2026

RRP: 14,850 yen

There are many kaiju in the Ultraman franchise that have proved more than a match for the giants of light, but very few have had quite the success rate on their debut as Birdon. First appearing in episodes 17 to 19 (the first kaiju to ever feature in a three-part story) of Ultraman Taro, the "Volcanic Bird Monster" made short work of the insectoid kaiju Kemjila before turning its attention towards Taro. Birdon swiftly added even Taro to its kill count, with the Ultra Brother needing to be returned to M78 for resurrection. In his place Zoffy arrived on Earth to battle the monster, but even the leader of the Ultra Brothers was brutally murdered. Whilst it would eventually be defeated by a revived Taro and Zoffy in turn would be similarly revived, two Ultra Brothers is nevertheless an impressive record. Such is its legacy that the release of S.H. Figuarts Birdon feels long overdue. Released as a Tamashii Web exclusive, Birdon is the third figure from Ultraman Taro and the first kaiju from the series released in the line.

Movie REVIEW: GARO: Taiga

A big anniversary for a long-running franchise is always a good excuse to look back on and celebrate where it all began, but what about going even further back to before the beginning? This is how the GARO franchise decided to celebrate its 20th anniversary, with the release of GARO: Taiga - a brand-new feature film starring a Taiga Saejima, father to Kouga (and grandfather to Raiga) whose time as the titular Golden Knight had previously only been seen through flashbacks. Series creator Keita Amemiya returned to write the film, as well as co-direct it alongside Masaki Suzumura who handles the action sequences. Shoichiro Kitada takes over as a younger Taiga, with the character having been played by Hiroyuki Watanabe in previous appearances.

Toybox REVIEW: HIYA Exquisite Basic Series Kong (B.E.A.S.T. Glove Ver.)

Release Date: September 2025

RRP: $51

For the longest time Bandai ruled the roost when it came to high-end articulated kaiju figures, but in recent years they've found a real competitor in the form in China-based company HIYA. While initially their primary focus seemed to be tackling characters from Legendary Entertainment's Monsterverse films, recent years have also seen them also move into the Heisei and Millennium eras of Toho's Godzilla backcatalogue as well. For kaiju fans "Bandai vs HIYA" is often a constant source of debate, but HIYA definitely took the win when it comes of their handling of Kong in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. After releasing a standard version of Kong in the S.H. MonsterArts line prior to the release of the film, Bandai later decided that if fans wanted a movie-accurate head and the B.E.A.S.T. Glove Kong wields in its climax to go with it, they'd also have to buy (the expensive Tamashii web exclusive) Shimo and Skar King to go with it. HIYA on the other hand went for the much more sensible and consumer-friendly route, releasing the Exquisite Basic Series Kong (B.E.A.S.T. Glove Ver.) as an entirely separate release to the standard version. This is HIYA's fourth version of the gorilla Titan, following on from versions based on Godzilla vs. Kong and Kong: Skull Island  as well as the aforementioned standard New Empire one.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts -Shinkocchou Seihou- Kamen Rider 2/Hayato Ichimonji (Kamen Rider: The Next)

Release Date: February 2026

RRP: 9900 yen

The reveal of S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider 1/Takeshi Hongo (Kamen Rider: The Next) as the 100th Shinkocchou Seihou Kamen Rider release came as quite a pleasant surprise, even though it absolutely deserved its place given it was the figure that kicked off the whole S.H. Figuarts toy line. Of course it was also far too good of a figure to be left on its own as well, so after a slight wait Bandai Tamashii Nations have returned to the world of 2008's Kamen Rider: The Next with the release of S.H. Figuarts -Shinkocchou Seihou- Kamen Rider 2/Hayato Ichimonji (Kamen Rider: The Next). In the film, Hayato returns on the brink of death, his wasting disease becoming more debilitating without regular transfusions from Shocker. Nevertheless he fights alongside Hongo once more, even at the cost of his own life. As with the Rider 1 figure, this new version of The Next's Kamen Rider 2 was released as a Tamashii web exclusive.

Toybox REVIEW: Shokugan Modeling Project Saintkaiser

Release Date: November 2025

RRP: 10,000 yen

True to any toy company that wants to make money, it didn't take Bandai long after the release of SMP Wolkaiser to follow it up with its obvious remould. Shokugan Modeling Project Sainkaiser is the third release in the Mahou Sentai Magiranger range - based on the movie-exclusive mecha from Mahou Sentai Magiranger the Movie: Bride of Infershia. After travelling to Infershia atop the Horned Sacred Horse Unigolon in order to save his friend Yuka, Kai Ozu's Magiphoenix form combines with the unicorn to form the Holy Majin and defeat Glúm do Bridon. This Premium Bandai exclusive set includes both Saint Magiphoenix and Unigolon, as well as the very first poseable Wolzard Fire figure.

Toybox REVIEW: Shokugan Modeling Project Wolkaiser

Release Date: September 2025

RRP: 8900 yen

Mahou Sentai Magiranger was a series with a lot of interesting ideas, and one of the most interesting of all was Wolzard - the dark magic knight who was eventually revealed to be Isamu Ozu, the father of the five Magirangers who fell to darkness during his battle with the Absolute God N Ma. Repeatedly battling against the Magirangers across the course of the series, the family were eventually able to return their father to the light - making him of the first Super Sentai villains to become an "extra" ranger. His impact on the series makes Shokugan Modeling Project Wolkaiser the perfect choice to continue Bandai's new range of Magiranger model kits - neatly coinciding with the show's 20th anniversary. Featuring both Wolzard and his horse Varikion, SMP Wolkaiser is a Premium Bandai exclusive and the second SMP release from Magiranger following on from Magiking.

Series REVIEW: GARO: Sentinel of the East

As the GARO franchise continues to celebrate its 20th anniversary, fans are lucky enough to have two projects representing its two main continuities. Whilst the Saejima family timeline added a new chapter to its story last year with prequel film GARO: Taiga, 2026's offering instead focuses on Ryuga Dougai - continuing his story from when we last saw him in 2024's Heir to the Steel Armor. Though at only eight episodes (plus a prologue episode which quickly recaps Ryuga's story from the very beginning) GARO: Sentinel of the East is one of the shortest entries in the franchise thus far, it does however reunite Ryuga with Rian - the Makai Priestess who first debuted alongside him in The One Who Shines in the Darkness and continued into Gold Storm, Gold Storm -Sho- and Fang of God. As with the previous series, The Eastern Sentinel was made available worldwide via the official GARO YouTube channel with multi-language (albeit AI generated) subtitles.