Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts GUTS Wings 1 & GUTS Wings 2 Set

Release Date: January 2022

RRP: 2200 yen

In addition to silver giants battling against giant monsters and aliens, there's one aspect to the Ultraman franchise that's remained relatively untouched by the S.H. Figuarts line until now. Most Ultraman instalments feature some sort of science or military team that utilise technologically advanced vehicles - inspired by the likes of Thunderbirds and the other works of Gerry Anderson. The overwhelming popularity of Ultraman Tiga has once again convinced Bandai Tamashii Nations to break new ground with the range - introducing the S.H. Figuarts GUTS Wings 1 & GUTS Wings 2 Set. This accessory set features the two primary vehicles of the Global Unlimited Task Squad, with the GUTS Wings 1 also making an appearance in Ultraman Trigger: New Generation Tiga.

The GUTS Wings 1 & GUTS Wings 2 set comes in smaller-sized S.H. Figuarts packaging, not that far off what Bandai tend to use for most of their releases these days. The box design uses the same layout and patterns as the Figuarts Golza release, swapping the blue of Golza's box out for a more appropriate yellow colouring. The front of the packaging features nice big images of the GUTS Wings models from the show but doesn't really give you a good look at the toys themselves, with only the GUTS Wings 1 poking out through the small window section. On the back however you'll get a much better look at what's inside, showing off both vehicles and their functionality. Open it up and you'll find everything laid out on a moulded plastic tray, using up all of the space well despite being considerably smaller than a typical S.H. Figuarts figure.

GUTS Wings 1 is the smaller of the two vehicles - a high-speed fighter jet initially designed for rescue operations but later modified for combat. Given the small size of this piece Bandai have done an absolutely incredible job with the detailing, not only getting all of the moulding and colours spot on but also going so far to fit all of the smaller bits of detailing (such as the GUTS logos and GW-01 markings) on the wings as well. The wings can be retracted by clicking them out of place and then pushing them both around to the back and then pushing them into the body of the vehicle. While I appreciate this level of functionality on such a small vehicle, the execution of it isn't the best. Clicking the wings out of place is a simple enough step, but then pushing them into the back requires a fair amount of force - far more than you really want to do on something as small and fragile as this. Pulling them back out again is even worse, so much so that I genuinely thought I was going to rip the wings off doing so. It's a nice little feature, but probably worth avoiding simply for fear of breakage.

The GUTS Wings 2 is a much larger figure (over twice the size of GUTS Wings 1) that can act as a mobile command post as well as a fighter jet. Though it lacks the outer space capabilities of the GUTS Wings 1 it is equipped with the Hyper Railgun, which is revealed through opening the front section of the vehicle. Thankfully this is much easier to do than retracting the wings on the GUTS Wings 1, largely due to you just pulling the sections outward rather than swinging them around and locking them in place at an angle. Although there is space at the back that makes it look as though the wings can retract on this one too, they are fixed into place and will not move. Though a much larger canvas for Bandai to work on the level of detail they've managed to cram onto the vehicle is equally impressive - with lots of smaller details present as well as getting all the moulding and colours perfect.

The package comes with two display bases for the vehicles, both of which have been done in the shape of the GUTS organisation logo. Two copies of two different kinds of connector arm have also been included, giving you a variety of options when it comes to display. The first kind is just a solid transparent plastic arm, much like the kind that are included with other accessories that require additional support. These give the GUTS Wings a sturdy display base but don't really offer anything dynamic. For that you instead need to look at the second option included in the set, which is a long, thin wire coated with a translucent plastic.  The wire can be bent into all manner of shapes, giving you free rein over how you want to pose the vehicles. It's also worth noting that both types of connector can also fit into standard Tamashii Stage bases, as well as the hidden stage ports on the top of certain OPTION: ACT buildings. Just be careful when removing the wire arms from the display base, as it's very easy to accidentally pull the wire out of place rather than pulling the whole socket out (I recommend pushing up from the bottom of the display base to avoid this).  

The S.H. Figuarts GUTS Wings 1 & GUTS Wings 2 Set is a nice little addition for those looking to build up their Ultraman Tiga collection, and honestly something Bandai Tamashii Nations should have got into a long time ago. Between the OPTION:ACT buildings and all of the effect parts the Ultraman range is perfect for proper diorama display/play, and with the science patrol vehicles being such a big part of the franchise accessories like these were long overdue. The size and fragility of these pieces makes their interactive elements a little daunting (particularly on GUTS Wings 1), but there's no denying that Bandai have shown off a real eye for detail with this release. The bigger issue though is that now that these do exist, the range suddenly feels that little bit more incomplete. There are a bunch of other GUTS vehicles that would be great in the line, but more importantly why does Ultraman Tiga get to have all of the fun? If we aren't getting vehicles like this for all the other Ultraman series (particularly the Showa era - I'd kill for some MAT Arrows at this scale) then it's all a little disappointing. Unfortunately having collected Figuarts for as long as I have I fully expect this to just be a one-off, but I'd love to be proven wrong.