Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider Zero-Two (IS Ver.)

Release Date: December 2022

RRP: 7150 yen

While once a staple for pretty much any Kamen Rider series, it's fair to say that final forms aren't much of a priority for S.H. Figuarts anymore. While we still tend to get them eventually (unless you're Kamen Rider Ghost that is), the gap between the series ended and the final form getting released has been much longer for quite a few years now. Kamen Rider Zero-One is a particularly curious case, because while the end of 2022 saw the final form get Figuarts treatment (for the sake of this review let's ignore any debate around Realizing Hopper) it also wasn't actually Zero-One. The climax of REALxTIME sees Is join the fight alongside Aruto as Kamen Rider Zero-Two, with the Humagear assistant also returning as a fully-fledged Rider in Kamen Rider Jeanne & Kamen Rider Aguilera with Girls Remix. So instead the latest Tamashii web exclusive in the Zero-One range is S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider Zero-Two (IS Ver.), marking her second figure in the line.

The familiar Kamen Rider Zero-One S.H. Figuarts packaging is back – a bright white, windowless box sporting a nice big image of Zero-Two alongside light blue highlights (nicely matching the accents on Is' dress) denoting that the character is part of Hiden Intelligence. On the sides and back of the box you'll find more images of the figure in various poses, and then inside both Zero-Two and her minimal accessory count are neatly stored on a moulded plastic tray. Like many recent S.H. Figuarts releases, the accessory instructions for the figure are printed on the inside flaps of the box rather than on a separate paper flyer.

Kamen Rider Zero-Two represented a move toward simpler final forms, building upon the base Zero-One design rather than turning into something completely different. Longtime Rider fans will immediately recognise elements derived from the original Double Riders, particularly Kamen Rider 2. In addition to adding more silver to Zero-One's black and neon yellow/green colour scheme, the Zero-Two suit adds metallic red gloves, antennae as a scarf-like piece that evokes the Double Riders' iconic muffler. It's worth noting though that the additional colours aren't the only divergence from the original Zero-One suit though, and that the armour pieces and overall layout are quite different when you put them side by side. That said, all the high quality design work that went into the S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider Zero-One figure is present here as well, from the textured black undersuit to those vibrant yellow/green armour pieces. While the figure doesn't have an obviously feminine build (which is just as it looks onscreen, and is by no means a bad thing), the height difference between it and Zero-One one (this being a little shorter) is enough to identify it as the Is version of Zero-Two rather than Aruto.

The Zero-Two Driver is beautifully moulded in translucent yellow plastic, complimenting Zero-Two's overall design whilst also bolder and more prominent than the original Zero-One Driver. The Zero-Two Progrise Key can be removed from the Driver and held by the figure, but like previous figures in the line is pretty lacking when it comes to detailing. Bandai have done much better with transformation trinkets in the past (and have done so since with the Revice figures), but I can understand not going all out on Zero-Two so it better matches the other Zero-One figures. The Progrise Key is moulded in its extended form and is unable to fold, nor is a folder version included with the release. It does however slot into the Driver perfectly, which is a win in itself given how precarious some of the Drivers/Keys were on these figures.

Articulation is pretty much the same as the rest of the Zero-One figures, which is by no means a bad thing as this was around the time we saw the mainline Figuarts really step up what they had to offer. Altogether Zero-Two includes; 

- Ball jointed head, neck, torso, waist and wrists 

- Swivel hinge shoulders and ankles 

- "Drop down" ball jointed hips 

- Double hinge elbows and knees 

- Single hinge toe sections 

- Bicep and thigh swivels

Drop down hips are much less common on Figuarts these days but it's worth noting that the Zero-One figures use a much more refined version than the Figuarts of old, sporting much better tolerances as well as a more advanced/sturdy design in general. The fairly minimalist design when it comes to armour also does the figure huge favours in terms of poseability, with little to get in the way of joints being used to full potential. The extended wrist guards do make it a little fiddly to bend the hands all the way back (a staple of some of Is' trademark poses), but it's nothing major.

Unfortunately accessories is the one area where there isn't a whole lot to say about Zero-Two, as the figure only comes with three pairs of alternate hands. This gives Is a pair of default open hands, closed fists and two pairs of specific pose hands in total. There's lots of good stuff here for Is poses, but the figure feels a little less versatile when it comes to suitable fight poses. The lack of proper gripping hands is a shame, since the figure would have then been able to wield all the weapons released with previous figures instead. Ultimately a lack of accessories isn't all that surprising given how little Is appeared as Zero-Two, but a closed Progrise Key or some basic effect parts (such as the zipline effect used for both Zero-One and Zero-Two) wouldn't have gone amiss. In the place of accessories though there are some other nice gimmicks to Zero-Two worth talking about – the figure uses the same neon yellow plastic as Zero-One, which glows rather prominently under a UV-A/black light. The way the Driver lights up as well thanks to the translucent plastic is particularly striking. As with Zero-One it's a shame that the eyes don't light up as well to really make the figure pop, but there's bound to be a third-party one coming at some point.

The fact we got S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider Zero-Two (IS Ver.) before the Aruto version is a surprise to be sure, but definitely a welcome one. For collectors like me who get more invested in characters rather than forms this is a rare opportunity to own a final form without breaking your own collecting rules (can't afford everything after all!), and an amazing alternative to the civilian Is figure. The lack of accessories is a shame (though not surprising in the slightest), but the figure itself is glorious – capturing everything that was great about Zero-One while adding its own unique flare to the mix. The perfect partner to Zero-One both onscreen and in figure form.