Release Date: October 2022
RRP: $50
With Ultraman's current conquest of the West advancing at a rapid pace it was only a matter of time before the franchise broke through to the convention exclusive circuit. Alongside the usual array of Dragon Ball Z figures, for the 2022 New York Comic Con (and later, various other events across Asia) Bandai Tamashii Nations revealed S.H. Figuarts Ultraman (The Rise of Ultraman) – the first Ultraman Figuarts initially aimed at a Western market. As the name suggests this figure draws inspiration from The Rise of Ultraman – the first of several limited comic book series by Marvel Comics released in 2020.
Straight off the bat if there's anything pointing toward this being a convention exclusive it's the packaging. Rather than the usual design reserved for the Ultraman Figuarts, this release comes in a smaller-style box with a windowless front featuring the The Rise of Ultraman #1 artwork by legendary artist Alex Ross. It's an incredible bit of artwork that really adds some gravitas to the box, and immediately sets it apart from the standard Ultraman releases. If you want a look at the figure itself though it can be viewed through a transparent window on the back (much like the Shin Ultraman packaging), where it sits alongside stock images of the figure in various poses. Inside Ultraman and his accessories are neatly stored on a moulded plastic tray.
S.H. Figuarts Ultraman (The Rise of Ultraman) is a repaint of the original Figuarts Ultraman from 2016, giving the base mould a shiny new paint job meant to mirror Alex Ross' artwork from issue one. The body now uses a slightly darker red alongside a shinier silver, decked out with blue highlights that give further muscle definition as well as replicating Ross' art. Similarly, the previously white eyes are now yellow – an element that not only mirrors that particular cover but also Ultraman's appearance in the comic in general. It's an absolutely spectacular paint job and easily the best this mould has received, not only making the figure feel far more 'modern' (the original release's colours catered more toward the original suit) but also like its own unique entity.
Comparison with the original release shows how much a new paintjob does for the figure, with this Ultraman looking both slicker and shinier in comparison. While the original does still have its charm, it's certainly lacking in comparison to the new Shinkocchou Seihou release. This new colour scheme has arguably given the original version a new lease on life – giving it a place on collectors' shelves when many would have sold it on upon receiving the Seihou.
Despite being a six-year-old figure the mould still has a fair bit to offer when it comes to articulation, and stands as the template that future Ultraman S.H. Figuarts were built upon. Altogether it features;
- Peg joint head
- Ball jointed neck, torso, waist and wrists
- Butterfly joint shoulders
- Swivel hinge shoulders, hips and ankles
- Double hinge elbows and knees
- Single hinge toe sections
- Thigh swivels
As you can see very little has actually changed since the original figure, and overall poseability remains pretty good. Much like the original version it can be a little difficult to get a perfect Specium Ray pose out of it (the shoulders just don’t have the mobility), but it can get a satisfying one down at least. But the problem with this release isn't the articulation itself, but rather the joint tolerances. Not only is this mould getting pretty old now, but it's also had numerous reissues and remoulds/repaints (Zoffy, the Type A suit, a metallic edition) since then. As such the mould's been through the wringer by this stage and it's beginning to show a bit. Whereas on the original release I only complained of stiff shoulders (floppy hips came much later and were a reported issue), this one had stiff shoulders and elbows as well as loose hips straight out the box. Thankfully it can still pull off poses nicely without toppling over, but it does mean that the quality may vary from figure to figure.
That all said, it's the accessory count that sadly brings this figure down. Altogether this version of Ultraman only comes with a replacement red colour timer and two additional pairs of hands (open and Specium Ray pose) – two pairs less than the original release had. While like the figure itself these replacement hands have also had the blue highlight comic book treatment, it feels pretty stingy on Bandai's part to not include the same assortment as the original release. What's perhaps more glaring though is the lack of Specium Beam effect part – another element that was present on the original release AND is arguably a staple of nearly every Ultraman Figuarts. Even if Bandai didn't want to include the full beam effect here, something like the Ultra Slash part (previously included with S.H. Figuarts Mefilas) would have made this feel like a more "complete" release. Newer releases like Taiga, Z, Trigger and Decker have made me used to Ultraman Figuarts with no accessories, but that combined with the minimal number of hands makes it particularly sting here. On the upside, at least the colour timer is much easier to swap here than it was on the original? The way you go about it hasn't changed, but the age of the mould has presumably made the piece fit looser as well. Not so loose that it ever falls out, but loose enough that it's easy to pull out with a pair of tweezers.
The first (primarily) American-aimed Ultraman exclusive is a pretty big deal, and when it comes to looks S.H. Figuarts Ultraman (The Rise of Ultraman) certainly does not disappoint. Sure it might not be the shiny new Shinkocchou Seihou mould, but the yellow eyes and lavish new paint job really turn the old 2016 into something worthy of being called an exclusive. Sadly the age of mould is really beginning to show when it comes to poseability, and the minimal accessory count are flaws that are difficult to overlook on what's otherwise a great looking figure. It’s a niche deco that'll mainly appeal to completists, but it's a great choice for an exclusive nonetheless.
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