Toybox REVIEW: Power Rangers Lightning Collection Mighty Morphin Zordon & Alpha 5

Release Date: August 2020

RRP: $29.99

With all seven of the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers available through the Lightning Collection’s main range, one has to wonder where Hasbro will continue to go to keep the MMPR hype train going. Sure there’s plenty of other instalments in the Power Rangers franchise to draw inspiration from, but it’s always going to be MMPR that makes the big bucks. In recent months we’ve seen Hasbro turn their attention towards monsters with deluxe $30 figures, but on top of that fans were also treated to a Lightning Collection Mighty Morphin Zordon & Alpha 5 set as a Walmart exclusive. Despite not receiving that many figures over the years no MMPR collection feels complete without the rangers’ wise mentor and his robotic assistant, so it’s great to see the line get to these characters so early in its lifespan.

Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Studio Series 86 Kup

Release Date: December 2020

RRP: $19.99/£19.99

There’s no better way to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Transformers: The Movie than with a whole line of figures based directly on it, featuring many of the brand new characters that would replace the original 1984-85 cast and go on to be the leads in subsequent seasons of the show. Among those characters is of course Kup, an old Autobot war veteran with plenty of war stories to keep the young un’s entertained (or not so much in Hot Rod’s case). Fun fact - he also happens to be my favourite Autobot in the whole franchise. I have a lot of love for the TakaraTomy Legends figure from 2017, but a more cartoon-accurate version directly referencing the movie? Studio Series 86 Kup was an instant preorder.

First Impressions: Power Rangers Dino Fury

With Hasbro now in full control of Power Rangers, the future of the franchise feels pretty uncertain from the perspective of a fan. We know that a new movie is on the way, along with a whole reboot universe being crafted by writer/director/producer Jonathan Entwistle (I Am Not Okay With This, The End of the F***ing World). An exciting prospect for sure, but how this will all take shape - as well as what it means for Power Rangers being an adaptation of Super Sentai, is all unclear. That's still all a fair way off in the future though, and after Power Rangers Beast Morphers ushered in a transition between Saban Brands and the toy giants it's time to see what they can really do with Power Rangers Dino Fury. Adapted from Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger and the fourth dinosaur-themed Power Rangers series, Dino Fury is the first to be produced by Entertainment One - which Hasbro also purchased in 2019.

Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Studio Series 86 Grimlock & Autobot Wheelie

Release Date: January 2021

RRP: $49.99/£49.99

The Studio Series range has been providing Transformers fans with fantastic representations of live-action movie characters for a good few years now, but there’s always been one film from the franchise that’s been off its radar. With 2021 marking the 35th anniversary of Transformers: The Movie, there’s no better time for Hasbro to unleash Studio Series 86 on the world. As a longtime fan of Transformers first big screen outing, a toy line truly dedicated to its cast is something both I and many other Transformers fans have dreamed of for some time. Sure there have been plenty of G1 figures and reimaginings over the years, but having them all in one place in an anniversary toy line is a very exciting prospect. Among this first wave of characters is Studio Series 86 Grimlock & Autobot Wheelie, the first Leader class figure to be released. The powerful but not so bright leader of the Dinobots is a prominent character in the film, making friends with the lost Autobot Wheelie and bringing him along on their mission to destroy Unicron.

Toybox REVIEW: MAFEX Batman (Batman: Hush)

Release Date: July 2020

RRP: 7800 yen

If there’s one toy line that feels unrivalled when it comes to high-end comic-style superhero figures right now, it’s Medicom’s MAFEX line. Sure they don’t come cheap and long delays are often common, but when it comes to those perfect comic sculpts there’s no one quite like them. But as nice as they are, my previous experience with the MAFEX line has been mixed to say the least. Poor QC is something often on the tip of everyone’s tongues, and after having one figure have both wrist joints completely disintegrate 30 seconds out of the box (followed by months of exchanging emails with Medicom customer service in order to get replacement parts) certainly soured me on them somewhat. However so many of these figures just look so good it’s hard to say no, and MAFEX Batman (Batman: Hush) was just one I couldn’t pass up. Based on the caped crusader in the acclaimed 2002 story by Jeph Loeb (which was turned into an animated film in 2019), this is the first in the line’s range of Hush figures which has now gone on to include Superman, the Joker, Catwoman and of course Hush himself.

Miniseries REVIEW: Ultra Galaxy Fight: The Absolute Conspiracy

Ultra Galaxy Fight: The Absolute Conspiracy is available both subtitled and English dubbed on Youtube

When Tsuburaya Productions released Ultra Galaxy Fight: New Generation Heroes via their official Youtube channel in 2019, it showed a dedication toward bringing the Ultraman franchise to global audiences that rival tokusatsu properties can't even begin to compare to yet. This wasn't just releasing the currently airing show with English subtitles - it was creating an all-new weekly miniseries especially for streaming on a free platform with two language choices. It's no surprise that an offer like that proved a hit, so of course TsuPro followed it up with a sequel. Ultra Galaxy Fight: The Absolute Conspiracy was released as a ten episode miniseries, with each individual episode averaging around ten minutes long. As well as leading into the beginning of Ultraman Z, The Absolute Conspiracy also begins a new story arc that will continue on into future Ultra Galaxy Fight instalments.

Toybox REVIEW: Doctor Who Coal Hill School Set

Release Date: November 2020

RRP: £19.99

2020 was the year that the B&M exclusive range of Doctor Who figures really kicked into high gear, and even after two impressive waves of releases Character Options weren't completely done yet. Just as the year was closing a further two sets were announced - one based on The Witch's Familiar from 2015 and another based on 1988's Remembrance of the Daleks. That latter release was the Coal Hill School collector figure set, featuring releases of both Seventh Doctor companion Ace and a standard Imperial Dalek - two popular and now highly sought after figures.

Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Generations Selects G2 Megatron

Release Date: December 2020

RRP: $29.99

The Generations Selects line has become the perfect place to provide Transformers fans with all those obscure characters and old-school homages that the main lines can't accommodate, and when it comes to wacky colour schemes nothing beats the Generation 2 days. From 1992-1995 Transformers was home to the most outlandish colours you could see on a toy, and some of the catchiest adverts the franchise has ever had. While a lot of big name characters in the range were slight remoulds of their Generation 1 versions, the line still had plenty of interesting new releases too - with Megatron being one of the most notable. Gone was the silver Walther P-38 pistol, replaced with a giant gaudy green and purple tank that cried out "MEGATRON ATTACK" at the touch of a button. It was a thing of beauty, and began the trend of tank Megatrons that continues today. Now Hasbro celebrate his legacy with the Generations Select G2 Megatron, bringing those iconic colours back and slapping them on a mould fit for 2020.

Custom Figure: TV21 Comics Black Dalek (Second Version)

As the Dalek drones of the TV21 comics slightly changed colours so did the Black Dalek, and with my "Guard" Dalek drones now under the command of a Red Dalek Leader, I felt it was important to also add a new Black Dalek to the mix to complete the chain of command. This second version of the Black Dalek is another custom I've been looking forward to doing for some time now, and the increased availability of the Guard Dalek mould following the release of History of the Daleks sets finally made it an affordable possibility.

Custom Figure: TV21 Comics Red Dalek Leader

With the classic Dalek figure back on the market again thanks to the History of the Daleks sets being released at B&M Stores, it's been great to get back into producing custom Dalek figures on a regular basis. As you might be aware by now the 1960s Dalek comics published in TV Century 21 are one of my all-time favourite pieces of Doctor Who media, so building up a collection of figures to properly represent them has been a dream of mine for some time. The comics finally getting republished in 2020 also rekindled my love for them all over again. After creating a comfortable little display of a black Dalek, red Dalek and two Dalek drones in the colour schemes of the early strips, my next plan was to do the same for when the designs and colours of the Daleks began to mirror that of their movie counterparts. For example the standard silver and blue Dalek drones became the blue-domed versions seen in Dr. Who & the Daleks.  This time around getting the drones done didn't require any paintwork, but they did need leaders - and this is where the Red Dalek Leader of Skaro Control Sky Seven comes in.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Ultraman Z Alpha Edge

Release Date: December 2020

RRP: 3850 yen

Thanks to its worldwide release via Youtube, Ultraman Z was the most accessible Ultraman ever on release and that certainly did good things for merchandise sales as well. Not only could fans across the globe see these pieces in action on the show freely and legally, but Tsuburaya's uploads also included actual toy adverts just to help seal the deal. Once Bandai Tamashii Nations had announced the S.H. Figuarts Ultraman Z Alpha Edge they were also able to get in on this, with multiple episodes featuring onscreen ads for this latest New Generation Hero release. Like his predecessor Ultraman Taiga, Ultraman Z Alpha Edge was intended to act as a sort of "gateway" release for fans of the show/new collectors by sporting a much lower price tag than a typical figure from the line - something the line has been doing with the Kamen Rider series for a good few years now. 

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series Cara Dune

Release Date: December 2019

RRP: $19.99/£19.99

If there's one thing that The Mandalorian has received near-universal praise for, it's the number of kickass women it's added to the Star Wars universe. Season two especially earned high marks with the live-action debuts of Ahsoka Tano and Bo-Katan Kryze, as well as expanding the role of Fennic Shand and introducing Koska Reeves. But before it gave us any of those, it gave us Cara Dune. A survivor of Alderaan, the former Rebel Alliance shock trooper quickly become one of Mando's most trusted allies - assisting him in his fight against Moff Gideon and the remnants of the Empire on multiple occasions. As one of the major recurring characters in the Disney+ series, she was one of the first to arrive in Hasbro's Black Series toy line.

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series 'Gaming Greats' Electrostaff Purge Trooper

Release Date: October 2020

RRP: $24.99/£24.99

Jedi: Fallen Order felt like the gateway into a largely unexplored chapter in the Star Wars universe, and with it the game brought plenty of memorable new characters and new nuggets of lore. One such aspect was the use of Purge Troopers - previously introduced in the Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith comic but used most prominently here. Highly specialised troopers that worked alongside the Inquisitors to hunt down the remaining Jedi, the Purge Troopers are incredibly skilled fighters adept in a number of combat types. Hasbro released a standard rifle variant as part of the Black Series in 2019 as a GameStop exclusive, and a whole year later a second Black Series Electrostaff Purge Trooper followed as part of the growing Gaming Greats sub-line. This figure was also released as a GameStop exclusive in the USA, however was made a bit more accessible to rest of the world via Hasbro's fan channel.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider Thouser

Release Date: October 2020

RRP: 6600 yen

With multiple Riders right from the very beginning Kamen Rider Zero-One could hardly stick the standard mid-series secondary Rider introduction format. By that point not did it already have five Riders, but also three different transformation belts. So instead that shake-up came about with the introduction of ZAIA Enterprise Japan and its CEO Gai Amatsu, who immediately sought to takeover Hiden Intelligence and prove his ZAIA Spec to be superior to Hiden's HumaGears. This led to a competition between both Gai and Aruto Hiden, one which the former never planned to play fairly. In both his guise as ZAIA CEO and as Kamen Rider Thouser, Gai Amatsu caused chaos - not only furthering the conflict between humanity and HumaGears but also revealing himself to have manipulated the events that led to the Daybreak Town incident. As a key player in Zero-One's story it was only a matter of time before Bandai Tamashii Nations revealed S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider Thouser, releasing him as a Tamashii web exclusive much like the majority of Zero-One's cast.

This review is presented by ZAIA©.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Brothers' Mantle

Release Date: November 2020

RRP: 2420 yen per Mantle

If you ever need any proof that capes immediately make something cooler, look no further than the Ultra Brothers. The collective name of the legendary Ultramen that have defended planet Earth, these brothers in arms are amongst the most skilled warriors from the Land of Light and now done flowing red mantles as a symbol of their status. With the original six Ultra Brothers now available in the S.H. Figuarts line, the time had finally come for Bandai Tamashii Nations to release the S.H. Figuarts Brothers’ Mantle. Released as a Tamashii web exclusive, this add-on set finally gave fans the opportunity to truly turn their Ultraman Figuarts into the legends they have become - boasting pliable, fabric capes as opposed to the jointed plastic ones of the old Ultra-Act line.

Toybox REVIEW: Power Rangers Lightning Collection Pumpkin Rapper

Release Date: November 2020

RRP: $29.99/£29.99

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers has a lot of memorable monsters, but of course many of them weren't actually a product of the show itself as they were originally created for Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger. However when the Power Rangers proved to be a smash hit and Saban commission Toei to fill new footage for the show (which has since been dubbed "Zyu2" by fans), it presented an opportunity for the show to truly have some monsters of its very own. Undoubtedly the most famous of these is the Pumpkin Rapper, who true to his name is a rapping pumpkin monster that appeared in episode 54 of the series, Trick or Treat. Pumpkin Rapper was among the handful of monsters to return in the show as well, resurrected by Lord Zedd as part of his Halloween Haunted Forest. With this popularity in mind, it makes perfect sense that he joins King Sphinx as the first releases in Hasbro's new range of deluxe price point Lightning Collection figures.

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series Incinerator Trooper

Release Date: October 2020

RRP: $19.99/£19.99

The Mandalorian is currently making huge waves in the Star Wars universe with its various connections to the various feature films, but one of its most exciting aspects to long-time fans is how its re-canonising elements from the old expanded universe of novels, video games, comics and more. These works were the lifeblood of the franchise at one point, but pushed aside once Disney went forward with plans for their own sequel trilogy. Incinerator Troopers were first seen in the 2008 game The Force Unleashed, notable for their red markings and flamethrower weapon. Considered one of the most devastating classes of Stormtrooper, they have since reappeared in chapter eight of The Mandalorian under the command of Moff Gideon. And with Hasbro recently unveiling a new trooper mould in their new phase of the Black Series, now was the perfect time to release the Black Series Incinerator Trooper.

Toybox REVIEW: Power Rangers Lightning Collection King Sphinx

Release Date: November 2020

RRP: $29.99/£29.99

When Hasbro announced the Power Rangers Lightning Collection and revealed it would be drawing inspiration from across the whole of the franchise, there were two questions that immediately came to fans' minds. The first was whether the line would also be incorporating Megazords, and would the various monsters of the Power Rangers universe (the episodic ones, rather than the big bads) be getting in on the action too? While we're still really waiting for an answer on the Megazords, Hasbro will indeed be bringing on the bad guys with a range of deluxe Lightning Collection figures at a $30 price point (similar to that in their other collector lines). Given his overwhelming popularity even amongst the most memorable MMPR monsters, Lightning Collection King Sphinx was an obvious first release. Appearing in the fourth episode of the series, A Pressing Engagement, King Sphinx is sent to battle against the Rangers as Jason attempts to break a fitness record. King Sphinx also appears in the unaired pilot for the series (since released as the "Lost Episode"), which likely led to the monster appearing in so much of the merchandising at the time.

Movie REVIEW: Kamen Rider Den-O: Kamen Rider Pretty Den-O Appears!

If there's always one thing you can rely on in the Kamen Rider franchise, it's that there's never too long to wait until another Kamen Rider Den-O special. When the series first landed all the way back in 2007 the cast immediately captured fans hearts and even though lead actor Takeru Satoh has gone on to bigger things, the Imagin and supporting cast have made numerous appearances in the years since. From crossovers with Kamen Riders Decade, OOO and Zi-O to the various New Den-O spin-off films, the climax has never stopped. Even a global pandemic can't stop the climax, with 2020 seeing them return once again in Kamen Rider Den-O: Pretty Den-O Appears! Released as part of the Toei Manga Matsuri omnibus film series, this half hour film introduces a new kind of Kamen Rider heroine.

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series 'Gaming Greats' Scout Trooper

Release Date: October 2020

RRP: $24.99/£24.99

Ever since first watching Return of the Jedi Scout Troopers have been my favourite variant of trooper in the ever-growing Galactic Empire army, but as someone who tends to mostly avoid buying vehicles (for space sake) it can be quite difficult getting a good figure of them these days. While admittedly there was an individual Archive Series release of the trooper back in 2019, the fact they are synonymous with Speeder Bikes usually means more often than not they’re bundled together as part of a larger set. But there’s been quite a bit of Scout Trooper love in the Star Wars universe recently, with them making prominent appearances in both The Mandalorian and Jedi: Fallen Order. That latter appearance is particularly notable as it’s a rare time we see them sans Speeders, with Hasbro capitalising on that to produce the Black Series Gaming Greats Scout Trooper. Released as a GameStop exclusive in the US and via the usual fan channel in the rest of the world, this version of the Scout Trooper is armed with a deadly electro-baton and quite adept in melee combat.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts -Shinkocchou Seihou- Momotaros Imagin

Release Date: October 2020

RRP: 7150 yen

If there’s one Kamen Rider series you should never discount the popularity of, it’s Kamen Rider Den-O. Even though Bandai Tamashii Nations have released nearly every S.H. Figuarts Shinkocchou Seihou figure that isn’t of the titular character as a Tamashii web exclusive since 2017, Den-O was always going to be the one that got a few extra coming to retail. And that’s because these days it isn’t really Ryotaro Nogami who’s considered the star of the show, it’s the Imagin. So while we still patiently wait to see what Bandai have in store for Kamen Rider Zeronos, S.H. Figuarts Shinkocchou Seihou Momotaros Imagin has arrived in the meantime to tide us over. The third release in the Den-O range, Ryutaro’s first and most prominent Imagin partner was a no-brainer for the Shinkocchou Seihou line. With the original S.H. Figuarts figure having been released all the way back in 2009, Momotaros was long overdue the kind of high quality up date this line has repeatedly delivered.

Toybox REVIEW: Soul of Chogokin GX-33R Leopardon & Marveller Summoning Set

Release Date: September 2020

RRP: 22,000 yen

The 1978 Toei Spider-Man series is a tentpole piece of tokusatsu - not only extremely popular but also notable for introducing elements that would eventually become staple of the Super Sentai franchise. That said it’s a series that’s pretty short on merchandise, particularly toys that were produced after the series had finished airing. But with the world currently undergoing something of a Japanese Spider-Man renaissance, 2020 was the year merchandising for the Emissary of Hell made a comeback. Bandai’s most notable offerings included both an S.H. Figuarts Spider-Man and Super Mini-Pla Leopardon, but no assortment would be complete without a reissue of another high end figure. Previously released all the way back in 2006, the Soul of Chogokin Leopardon makes a grand return in the Soul of Chogokin GX-33R Leopardon & Marveller Summoning Set - combining Tamashii Nations’ transformable die-cast robot with the first-ever commercial reproduction of Spider-Man’s Spider Bracelet.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider Evol Black Hole Form (Phase 4)

Release Date: November 2020

RRP: 7700 yen

Kamen Rider Build has proven itself to be a particularly popular series, especially since Bandai Tamashii Nations are still steadily releasing S.H. Figuarts over two years after its completion. After the release of the extremely popular Kamen Rider Evol (Phase 1,2,3 Set) in 2019 a retool of the evil alien Evolto’s ultimate form seemed inevitable, and sure enough in 2020 S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider Evol Black Hole Form (Phase 4) arrived as a Tamashii web exclusive. After upgrading his standard Cobra Form with the power of the Evol Trigger, Evolto becomes complete once more an no longer requires a human host. True to its name, Evol now commands the power of miniature black holes - able to create and manipulate to leave not a single trace of his destruction.

Series REVIEW: Ultraman Z

Tsuburaya Productions have been leading the way when it comes to releasing tokusatsu worldwide for some time now, but their release of Ultraman Z in 2020 made Ultraman more accessible than it’s ever been before. Whereas previous series had been simulcast via Crunchyroll, the 32nd entry in the Ultra Series was released directly to Tsuburaya’s own YouTube channel - with each episode appearing moments after airing in Japan and remaining available for a period of two weeks. Okay so the time limit might not be ideal, but at the rate Mill Creek have been pumping out the Blu-Ray releases that can’t be far away either. Ultraman Z is the eighth entry into the New Generation Hero lineup, as well as celebrating the 10th anniversary of Ultraman Zero.

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series 332nd Ahsoka's Clone Trooper

Release Date: October 2020

RRP: $24.99/£24.99

Although it was only a tiny part of the series overall, the moment when Ahsoka Tano is greeted with a legion of clone troopers with repainted helmets that match her own face markings is synonymous with Star Wars: The Clone Wars season seven. Not only is it a key scene where the former Jedi Padawan reunites with her former comrades, but it was a huge part of the season's promotional iconography - making it a sort of "welcome home" for viewers as well. So even though these may have just been nameless clones that eventually fell victim to Order 66, they were a strong contender for action figures - appearing in both Hasbro's Galaxy of Adventures line and of course the Black Series. The latter release, fully labelled as the Black Series 332nd Ahsoka's Clone Trooper, arrived as part of WalMart's exclusive (fan channel exclusive outside of the US) wave of Clone Wars figures alongside Ahsoka, the Mandalorian Loyalist and the Mandalorian Super Commando.

Reviews in Time & Space: Doctor Who 2021 New Year's Day Special - Revolution of the Daleks

After the Doctor's origins (as well as the series canon in general) were blown apart at the end of the last series, nobody quite knows where Doctor Who is headed next. One thing is for sure though - ending on such a divisive note means the next episode ideally needs to follow up with something familiar. And that's exactly what showrunner Chris Chibnall did for the 2020/2021 New Years Special, as the Doctor's greatest foes returned once more in Revolution of the Daleks. Written by Chibnall and directed by Lee Haven Jones, this episode sees the exit of companions Graham O'Brien (Bradley Walsh) and Ryan Sinclair (Tosin Cole), as well as the proper return of Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) - something that was teased all the way back in Fugitive of the Judoon.

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series Ahsoka Tano

Release Date: October 2020

RRP: $24.99/£24.99

Despite her not appearing until live-action until 2020 in season two of The Mandalorian, the popularity of Ahsoka Tano cannot be understated. Despite her rocky introduction as Anakin Skywalker's Padawan in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Ahsoka developed throughout the series to become one of (if not the) its most engaging characters - eventually reappearing in Star Wars Rebels and now in The Mandalorian. But prior to her live-action debut Ahsoka also had another big revival in 2020, as the newly produced season seven of The Clone Wars showed the path she took after leaving the Jedi Order before teaming up with Bo-Katan's Mandalorian loyalists and the clone troopers once more to fight against Maul during the Siege of Mandalore. Now this version of Ahsoka Tano arrives as part of Hasbro's Black Series line in a wave of Walmart exclusive (fan channel exclusive outside of the US) figures dedicated to this closing arc of The Clone Wars.