Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Missing Link C-01 Convoy

 

Release Date: February 2024

RRP: 15800 yen

2024 marks the 40th anniversary of the Transformers franchise, and a milestone like that certainly isn't going to uncelebrated. And part of that celebration is naturally looking back to where it all began with the original 1984 Optimus Prime toy. While there have been countless renditions and reissues of the Autobot leader over the years, none of them have been quite like what TakaraTomy have delivered here. Transformers Missing Link C-01 Convoy is an all-new rendition of the original Optimus ("Convoy" in Japan) toy, not only improving the deco and engineering but also giving it the one thing it lacks when stacked against modern toys - proper articulation. This properly poseable version really is a toy for the ages, exciting fans with a concept that's been dreamt of for decades. In addition to the C-01 toy deco edition, a slightly cheaper (9800 yen) C-02 Anime Edition was also released which more closely resembles Optimus' look from the original Generation One cartoon.

Toybox REVIEW: SJHU Project Shin Universe Robo

Release Date: January 2024

RRP: 21,000 yen

"There was an idea...The idea was to bring together a group of of remarkable people to see if they could become something more. To see if they could work together when we needed them to, to fight the battles that we never could." 

- Nick Fury, The Avengers

The Shin Japan Heroes Universe is a collaborative project between Toho, Studio Khara, Tsuburaya Productions and Toei that brings together the works of Hideaki Anno for all manner of merchandising and special events. During and following the production of his Rebuild of Evangelion film series, Anno went on to reimagine the tokusatsu juggernauts from his childhood in three critically acclaimed films - Shin Godzilla, Shin Ultraman and Shin Kamen Rider. As part of the project, Bandai unveiled one of most ambitious and bizarrest pieces of crossover merchandise you'll ever find. SJHU Project Shin Universe Robo - a Premium Bandai exclusive figure which takes Evangelion Unit 01, Godzilla, Ultraman and Kamen Rider and combines them in a classic style giant robot. As if the sheer insanity of the toy wasn't enough, further hype was built around the project with the production of a special web commercial directed by renowned special effects director Hiroshi Butsuda - showing off a full CG transformation sequence before showing off the robot in all its glory with a practical suit. Toys rarely get much stranger than this.

Movie REVIEW: Kamen Rider Geats: Jyamato Awaking

If there's one important thing for a modern Kamen Rider fan to learn, it's that a series ending is never "the end". As finite as an ending may seem, between subsequent Winter crossover movie, V-Cinext releases and any other spin-off Toei might want to throw out in the not-too-distant future you can guarantee that all your favourite Riders will be back a good few times long after the final episode has aired. Kamen Rider Geats is no exception to this of course, with the stars of the Desire Grand Prix back once more for their first V-Cinext/epilogue outing in Kamen Rider Geats: Jyamato Awaking. Keeping things in-line with the show's continuity series head writer Yuya Takahashi returns once more to provide the story, with the film directed by tokusatsu veteran Koichi Sakamoto.

First Impressions: Shinkalion: Change the World

Proving that trains and giant robots continue to be a winning combination, the Shinkansen Robo Henkei Shinkalion franchise has returned for a third instalment in 2024 - but this time mixing things up a little bit. Not only does Shinkalion: Change the World appear to be starting afresh with a brand new continuity (ignoring the 2018-19 original series and its 2021-22 sequel Shinkalion Z), but it's also working with a slightly older cast. From a production standpoint things have slightly changed too, with Production I.G. and Signal.MD taking over animation duties from OLM. The first episode has also been made available worldwide via the official Shinkalion YouTube channel, albeit without subtitles.

Toybox REVIEW: MAFEX Endoskeleton (Terminator 2 Ver.)

Release Date: January 2024

RRP: 14080 yen

While the quality of the Terminator franchise certainly declined in later years, no one can deny the strength and impact those first two films had. The general consensus may lean toward Terminator 2: Judgment Day being the better of the pair (I personally prefer the first one), but both are very close to what should be considered 'perfect' films. Along with the strength of the cast, story and dialogue of the films, one aspect that's really stood the test of time is the robot designs and visual effects - with the T-800 Endoskeleton definitely earning a place among science-fiction's greatest. And now to go along with their various Arnie T-800 figures Medicom have released a fully skinless version in the form of the MAFEX Endoskeleton (Terminator 2 Ver.).

Special REVIEW: Geats Extra: Kamen Rider Gazer

With quite easily the most Kamen Riders introduced in a single series ever, Kamen Rider Geats certainly isn't going to run out of fodder for spin-off fodder any time soon. The Toei Tokusatsu Fanclub already got a good head start on ancillary material during the show's run, and it looks to be continuing on following its conclusion with the release of Geats Extra: Kamen Rider Gazer. This one-off special is the third major instalment in the Geats Extra series (following on from Kamen Rider PunkJack and Kamen Rider Tycoon meets Kamen Rider Shinobi), chronicling the origins of Niramu/Kamen Rider Gazer as well as acting as a prequel of sorts to the Kamen Rider Geats: Jyamato Awaking V-Cinext release.

Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Studio Series 86 Dinobot Snarl

Release Date: June 2023

RRP: $54.99/£55.99

Transformers: The Movie offered some of the greatest mysteries to the Transformers fandom. Which of the damaged Decepticons specifically turned into Scourge and Cyclonus? Whatever happened to Cyclonus' Armada? And perhaps the greatest of all - just where the hell was Snarl during the events of the film? Despite being seen alongside his fellow Dinobots for a handful of scenes, he's bizarrely absent for almost the entirety of the runtime despite the Dinobots being main characters in the story. While that mystery may never truly be solved, at the very least Hasbro haven't forgotten about him - with Studio Series 86 Dint Snarl being the next Leader Class release in the popular range of new toys based on the film.

Series REVIEW: GARO: Heir to Steel Armor

In 2013 the GARO franchise took a surprising turn with the release of GARO: The One Who Shines in the Darkness – a series featuring a brand-new protagonist in the golden armour completely removed from previous entries. From there the story of Ryuga Dougai continued to grow, expanding into multiple series and films to truly become its own separate continuity. Ten years on from Ryuga's debut and GARO has marked the occasion with the next chapter in his story – GARO: Heir to Steel Armor (GARO: Hagane o Tsugu Mono). Heir to Steel Armor also marks the first time a live-action GARO series has been simulcast to worldwide audiences, releasing on the official GARO Youtube channel with English subtitles shortly after their Japanese broadcast.

Anime REVIEW: Brave Bang Bravern!

Masami Ōbari is a name synonymous with mecha anime. Transformers, Dancouga, Gravion, Gundam - these are just some of the shows/franchises that the legendary artist and director has leant his talents too. So when it was announced that he would be working on a brand new show in 2024, excitement was naturally high. Combine that with a name like Brave Bang Bravern!, and minds will already be cast back to the super robot shows of old. Outside of Ōbari's name this 12-episode series seems to come from quite humble roots - animated by the relatively new CygamesPictures (Blade Runner Black Out 2022), a subsidiary of video game company Cygames.

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series R5-D4

Release Date: December 2023

RRP: $24.99/£24.99

Of all of the things to happen on The Mandalorian purely in the name of fan service, the droid that Luke Skywalker almost bought instead of R2-D2 becoming Din Djarin's personal astromech has to be one of the wildest. But that's exactly what happened in the show's third season, with R5-D4 finally leaving Tatooine after so many years (and several previous cameos on the show) to join the Mandalorian and Grogu on their adventures. His prominence on the show has naturally also resulted in a flurry of new figures, among them of course being a brand new Black Series R5-D4 release.

Toybox REVIEW: MAFEX The Mandalorian Ver. 2.0

Release Date: February 2024

RRP: 10780 yen

The six-inch Star Wars action figure market has become rather competitive in recent years, particularly when it comes to the most popular characters. While Hasbro will always rule to roost in terms of range with the Black Series, both Bandai's S.H. Figuarts and Medicom's MAFEX lines have become quite the rivals in regards to higher-end alternatives. Multiple seasons also mean multiple renditions of characters, and now Medicom are back with their MAFEX The Mandalorian Ver 2.0 figure. After their initial Mandalorian release back in 2021, this new version of Din Djarin takes inspiration from the second season of The Mandalorian with modifications, improvements and a tonne of new accessories.

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series Krrsantan

Release Date: September 2023

RRP: $33.99/£33.99

While the recent string of Star Wars television series has seen a number of popular characters from Clone Wars and Rebels make the jump from animation to live-action (and in the case of Fennec Shand, the reverse), this isn't the only place they've been drawing inspiration from. The Book of Boba Fett also saw a popular Marvel Comics character make his live-action debut, namely the Wookie bounty hunter Black Krrsantan. After working alongside the likes of Jabba the Hutt, Darth Vader and Doctor Aphra during the time of the Empire, in Book of Boba Fett Krrsantan is hired the Twins to reclaim Jabba's territory. After a failed assassination attempt on the new Daimyo, Krrsantan joins Boba in his fight against the Pyke Syndicate. A much-anticipated release for the line, Black Series Krrsantan joins the range as a deluxe-sized release.

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series Emperor's Royal Guard

Release Date: June 2017 (Original), August 2023 (Reissue)

RRP: $24.99/£24.99

While the Star Wars universe is constantly growing with new characters to be made into action figures every day, the old favourites will always return one way or another. This rings especially true for anything that can be considered an army builder, so the Galactic Empire will rarely be short of new recruits. In celebration of Return of the Jedi's 40th anniversary in 2023 Hasbro reissued a number of Black Series figures in new packaging, and among them was the Black Series Emperor's Royal Guard. Reputedly the most skilled soldiers in the Empire, they acted as the personal bodyguard to Emperor Palpatine himself.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Type 23 Special Tactical Armored Kaiju Earth Garon

Release Date: December 2023

RRP: 9900 yen

Ultraman Blazar took something of a "back to basics" approach when it came to its titular hero, and one aspect of that was a heavy reduction in the number of alternate forms he has. While from a show perspective this was definitely a breath of fresh air, it does of course leave Bandai with a lot less options when it comes to toys. Luckily to balance this Blazar also featured a companion mecha - something that has become a staple in the past few years of Ultraman. So this means instead of multiple Blazar we instead have a much quicker release for S.H. Figuarts Earth Garon, the second Figuarts release from the series and the first support mecha to be a retail release.

First Impressions: Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger

Having proved to be a guaranteed hit in the past, there are some themes that Super Sentai will always revisit every few years. Dinosaurs and ninjas are two of the most obvious ones, along with the subject of 2024's entry into the franchise - vehicles. After trying some new things last year with Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger, Super Sentai looks to be moving back into its comfort zone with its 48th series Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger. Newcomer to the franchise Atsuhiro Tomioka joins as its head writer, with Shojiro Nakazawa (who has worked on a number of Super Sentai series since Timeranger) as director. Following their work on King-Ohger, Jun Watanabe and Hiroshi Butsuda also return as action director and SFX director respectively. 

Series REVIEW: Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger

Over the last few years the Super Sentai franchise seems to have entered a period of experimentation in the run up to its 50th anniversary - discarding some of the usual tropes it's maintained for decades in favour of fresh ideas that still don't feel too far removed from what the franchise is known for. This experimentation continued on into its 47th entry Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger, with the series not only mixing things up in terms of visuals and story-telling but also adopting an insect motif - something fans have wanted to see Super Sentai tackle for some time. The series was written by Minato Takano in his debut for the franchise (having previously written supplementary material for both Kamen Rider Ex-Aid and Kamen Rider Zero-One), with Kazuya Kamihoriuchi, Jun Watanabe (who has worked as a suit actor on a number of Super Sentai productions) and Hiroshi Butsuda acting as director, action director and SFX director respectively.

Toybox REVIEW: Shokugan Modeling Project Ninjaman

Release Date: May 2023
RRP: 5400 yen

The Shokugan Modeling Project (formerly Super Mini-Pla) line has been reasonably good at covering everything when it tackles a Super Sentai series, but that isn't to say there aren't a few gaps here and there. Luckily Bandai are proving to be quite good at covering said gaps at a later date, as evidenced by the release of Shokugan Modeling Project Ninjaman! A Premium Bandai exclusive, this release comes a whole five years after the release of the Muteki Shogun and Kakure Daishogun & Tsubasamaru sets – although nicely timed with releases from the Super SHODO line for the full Ninja Sentai Kakuranger experience.

Toybox REVIEW: ACT MODE Shirabe Tsukuyomi

Release Date: July 2023

RRP: 8900 yen

Credit where it's due to Good Smile Company, they really did commit when it came to the ACT MODE Symphogear range. After Hibiki Tachibana was first released back in July 2022, a year later and they've produced all six main girls to essentially "complete" the selection. Considering Figma only got as far as Hibiki and Tsubasa back when the franchise began, that's quite the achievement. ACT MODE Shirabe Tsukuyomi is the final girl to be released - completing both the second "wave" of users that were introduced as antagonists in second season Symphogear G and the lineup as a whole.

Toybox REVIEW: ACT MODE Kirika Akatsuki

Release Date: June 2023

RRP: 9500 yen

Between all the various toy lines and anime franchises Good Smile Company cover they don't go all-in on a specific property all that often, but whenever they do they certainly like to make it count. Years after the Figma range died before it really began, Symphogear finally got the love it deserved in the ACT MODE line. And not just content with releasing the original three girls of the franchise, Good Smile quickly followed up with the announcement of the rest of the cast to complete the lineup. ACT MODE Kirika Akatsuki is the fifth and penultimate character to be released in the line - bringing fans one step closer to completing the collection.

Toybox REVIEW: Power Rangers Lightning Collection Wild Force Lunar Wolf Ranger

Release Date: April 2022

RRP: $24.99/£24.99

When it comes to both Power Rangers and Super Sentai toys, logic tends to dictate that if a company is going to only release one member of a team it's going to be the Red Ranger. They are largely considered to be the mascot of the series, and it's certainly the route Bandai Tamashii Nations have taken with the revived S.H. Figuarts range. But to their credit Hasbro have bucked this trend quite a few time with the Lightning Collection, only only jumping between teams but also colours as well. Wave 10 saw the debut of Power Rangers Wild Force in the line, kicking things off with the Lightning Collection Wild Force Lunar Wolf Ranger. If you're not starting with the Red, then sixth is always a solid place to start as well.

Toybox REVIEW: Power Rangers Lightning Collection Dino Fury Red Ranger

Release Date: April 2022

RRP: $24.99/£24.99

Despite an obvious bias towards the original series, all in all the Power Rangers Lightning Collection

has done a pretty good job of releasing rangers from a variety of different teams. While there are still plenty unaccounted for and lots of incomplete teams, it has at least covered a fair portion of the franchise one way or another over the past few years. But as important as looking back on the franchise's 30-year history may be, it's also important to look at the present – with the lines tenth retail wave including the Lightning Collection Dino Fury Red Ranger. As the (then) currently airing series as well as one of the first fully under Hasbro's leadership, Power Rangers Dino Fury marks a key point in the Power Rangers timeline and one definitely deserving of representation in the line.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Darth Vader (Obi-Wan Kenobi)

Release Date: November 2023

RRP: 9900 yen

Even amongst all of the Star Wars series that have been released on Disney+ over the past few years Obi-Wan Kenobi was particularly significant – bridging the gap between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope for the former Jedi Master. However the series was just as notable for the return of Darth Vader, who attempts to chase down Kenobi throughout the series before a final showdown with him on a barren moon. So of course the show prompted a whole range of new action figures (because what Star Wars product doesn't?), with Bandai Tamashii Nations joining in the fun with two new S.H. Figuarts releases of the iconic characters. S.H. Figuarts Darth Vader (Obi-Wan Kenobi) is their fourth rendition of the Sith Lord, following on from a Return of the Jedi version in 2015, a A New Hope version in 2018 and a second Return of the Jedi one in 2019.

Series REVIEW: Kamen Rider (1979) (Skyrider)

Following the conclusion of Kamen Rider Stronger in 1975, the Kamen Rider franchise seemed to have come to its conclusion. However the success of anime series such as Space Battleship Yamato created a renewed interest in science-fiction and tokusatsu works across Japan, and together with re-runs of the original Kamen Rider series a new boom for the franchise had begun. It wasn't long before producer Tohru Hirayama was put in charge of a brand new instalment, originally intended to be a revival of the original. Kamen Rider (1979) began airing in October 1979 and ran through to the following October, for a total of 54 episodes. To avoid confusion with the original series (as well as the fact it would eventually diverge from being just a revival), it is also known by the names New Kamen Rider and, perhaps best of all, Skyrider.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Absolute Diavolo

Release Date: November 2023

RRP: 9350 yen

Although the epic conclusion to the fight between The Kingdom and the Land of Light is still yet to be told, Tsuburaya Productions aren't going to let Ultraman fans forget about the story they're weaving in Ultra Galaxy Fight any time soon. The same can also be said for Bandai Tamashii Nations, who quickly followed up the release of S.H. Figuarts Absolute Tartarus with a second Absolutian to join the fight against the Ultras. S.H. Figuarts Absolute Diavolo is a Tamashii web exclusive release and key player in the Ultra Galaxy Fight story - having a historic rivalry with Ultraman Regulos and as well as battling Ultraman Trigger in a bid to obtain the Eternity Core.

Series REVIEW: Ultraman Blazar

After 25th anniversary celebrations of both Ultraman Tiga and Ultraman Dyna in the form of Ultraman Trigger: New Generation Tiga and Ultraman Decker, it was fair to assume that Ultraman Gaia would receive similar treatment for the Ultraman series in 2023. However Tsuburaya Productions aren't always that predictable, and after director Kiyotaka Taguchi (Ultraman X, Ultraman Orb, Ultraman Z) decided that replicating a show as good as Gaia was a near-impossible task, he instead sought to create a brand new series from the ground up. That series was Ultraman Blazar, the 35th entry in the Ultra Series and fifth to be produced in the Reiwa era. As has been the case for the last few years Blazar was simulcast worldwide via the official Ultraman YouTube channel, but this time TsuPro went one step further. In addition to simulcast subtitles in a variety of languages, English (starring Power Rangers alumni Johnny Yong Bosch in the lead role), Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese, Taiwanese Mandarin, Thai, Indonesian, Malay and Hindi were also produced and released at the same time. When Tsuburaya said they wanted to bring Ultraman to the world more than ever before, they really meant it.

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series Pre Vizsla

Release Date: October 2023

RRP: $24.99/£24.99

If there's one thing that can be guaranteed about this era of Star Wars it's that Mandalorians won't be going away any time soon, and when it comes to action figures the more Mandalorian variants the better as far as Hasbro are concerned. Thankfully they've got plenty of instalments across the Star Wars galaxy to pull from, with certain characters long overdue immortalisation in the current collector lines. Black Series Pre Vizsla is one such example, being a key player in Star Wars: The Clone Wars whose involvement set so much in motion that's still in play today. Death Watch, Bo-Katan, Darth Maul's rule of Mandalore, the Darksaber...it all started here.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Ultraman Blazar

Release Date: November 2023

RRP: 7150 yen

For the last few years both Ultraman and Kamen Rider fans have been able to enjoy the newest (titular) S.H. Figuarts releases at a lower price than what Bandai Tamashii Nations usually demand, meant to act as a sort of "gateway" entry to a new range and entice collectors to pick up more. Sure said releases are usually missing key accessories that end up getting packed in with other releases, but if you were planning to pick up more than one character anyway it's not a bad money saving opportunity. However those days might just be coming to an end though, with both the latest entries from both franchises bucking that trend. With the forthcoming Kamen Rider Gotchard it's likely due to that chrome finish, but with S.H. Figuarts Ultraman Blazar it's a little less obvious. One of the last Ultraman releases for 2023, this retail release is more along the lines of your average S.H. Figuarts purchase. Is there enough here to justify that? Let's find out!

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider No. 0

Release Date: October 2023

RRP: 8250 yen

Although Shin Kamen Rider stayed fairly true to the original 1971 series in a lot of ways, there were also some key areas where it diverged quite significantly - the main one being the portrayal of SHOCKER. Rather than a secret terrorist organisation bent on world domination, the Sustainable Happiness Organization with Computational Knowledge Embedded Remodeling (or SHOCKER for short) is a cult-like organisation that has vowed to "lead all mankind to happiness". Another major difference was the  identity of the film's main villain - Ichiro Midorikawa, the son of Doctor Midorikawa (and brother to Ruriko), who was transformed into Chou Augment-01 by SHOCKER. Planning to exact his version of SHOCKER's goal through the Habitat Project, at the end of the film he assumes the identity of Kamen Rider No.0 to battle against the Double Riders. S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider No.0 is the fourth release in the Shin Kamen Rider range - following on from Kamen Rider 1 and Kamen Rider 2 as well as the Cyclone motorcycle. As per everything else in the range past Rider 1, the figure is a Tamashii web exclusive.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Kuwagata Ohger

Release Date: October 2023

RRP: 7150 yen

While it's questionable whether we'll ever get full teams again, it's nice to know that the return of Super Sentai S.H. Figuarts wasn't a one-and-done thing. Since the franchise made its long-awaited return to Bandai Tamashii Nations' flagship toyline back in 2022 with Zenkaizer, we've gotten at least two figures from each succeeding series whilst the Shinkocchou Seihou range goes back and revisits some old favourites. With Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger taking over from Donbrothers in 2023, Bandai were quick off the mark to see that S.H. Figuarts Kuwagata Ohger was released before the series was over. Likely to be the only retail release from the series, Gira Husty will soon be joined by a Tamashii web exclusive Ohkuwagata Ohger release, however the rest of the main team seem much less likely.

First Impressions: GARO: Heir to Steel Armor

Between the numerous live-action series, movies, anime adaptations, action figures and more, it doesn't feel like all that long ago we were in a golden age of GARO. But truth be told the franchise has actually been relatively dormant for the last few years - the last series GARO Versus Road having come out back in 2020. However it's been ten years since the franchise's second Golden Knight Ryuga Dougai was first introduced back in GARO: The One Who Shines in the Darkness, and to mark the occasion he's back for a brand new series. GARO: Heir to Steel Armor (GARO: Hagane o Tsugu Mono) is the third series to feature Dougai in the titular role, and also marks a big first for the franchise. Much like what Tsuburaya Productions have been doing with Ultraman for the past few years, episodes will be released weekly on the official GARO YouTube channel alongside their Japanese airing - available worldwide complete with English subtitles.

Movie REVIEW: Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger the Movie: Adventure Heaven

Truth be told, Super Sentai Summer movies are rarely full of surprises. That isn't to say that the content itself can't be a lot of fun, but rarely could they be described as unpredictable. However the last few years has proven quite interesting for the near-50-year-old franchise as it's slightly diverged from the usual Super Sentai tropes and set-up, and Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger is certainly no exception. Released as a double-bill alongside Kamen Rider Geats the Movie: 4 Aces and the Black Fox, Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger the Movie: Adventure Heaven is the first big-screen outing for the 47th Super Sentai series, written by series head-write Minato Takano and directed by Kazuya Kamihoriuchi.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Monkey D. Luffy -The Raid on Onigashima-

Release Date: August 2023

RRP: 4400 yen

While 2022 marked the return of Super Sentai to the S.H. Figuarts line, 2023 heralded the return of a much bigger Toei property. After 13 years absence, One Piece finally came back to the fold. Although 2010 only saw a handful of releases from the series, this time around Bandai Tamashii Nations seemed to have much bigger plans in mind – kicking things off in a manner very similar to many of their other popular ranges. This new range of modern One Piece releases begins with S.H. Figuarts Monkey D. Luffy -The Raid on Onigashima- – based on the character's appearance in the recent Wano arc and a cheaper-than-usual retail release to entice collectors back into the fold.

Toybox REVIEW: BUZZmod Kamina

Release Date: July 2023

RRP: 11000 yen

2022 marked the 15th anniversary of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, and as one of the most popular mecha series to have been released in the past few decades there was no way figure companies weren't going to mark the occasion. But while there was the predictable onslaught of high-end versions of the titular mecha, Aniplex's still relatively new BUZZmod line went in a different direction and did something fans have been waiting years for. Articulated figures of the mecha are commonplace, but the cast themselves? That's much rarer. After 15 years, one of the show's most unforgettable characters has finally received an articulated action figure in the form of BUZZmod Kamina. As an Aniplex exclusive release, the figure could only be ordered through their official webstore (in both Japan and the US) – and of course any middleman service supplying it through them.