Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts -Shinkocchou Seihou- Kyoryu Red

Release Date: May 2024

RRP: 9900 yen

As if releases from series of the past three years wasn't enough confirmation that Super Sentai S.H. Figuarts truly are back, there's now also the fact that S.H. Figuarts -Shinkocchou Seihou- Gokai Red wasn't just a one-off. While the idea of getting full teams from Bandai Tamashii Nations once again still feels like a pipedream, a second entry in this prestigious line is definitely something to be excited about. This time around Bandai are being a little timelier with their celebrations, marking the tenth anniversary of Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger with the (general retail) release of S.H. Figuarts -Shinkocchou Seihou- Kyoryu Red!

Kyoryu Red comes in the standard two-piece S.H. Figuarts Shinkocchou Seihou style box, which has been given a glossy finish to match that of Gokai Red's. The top half of the box features the usual side profile image of the figure against a plain white backdrop, with only "Kyoryu Red" in silver foil lettering adoring the plain black sides. The bottom half of the box is all white and features a variety of images showing the figure off in various poses, including a rather nice one of him against an explosion. Inside the figure is neatly stored on a white plastic tray, with a second shallower tray with all the accessories slotted underneath.

The Fanged Brave returns to S.H. Figuarts! In some ways Shinkocchou Seihou Kyoryu Red feels like a far more conventional Figuarts release when compared to Gokai Red. This isn't one that features soft plastic areas or anything else that the Seihou line usually tackles better than the standard range - just a nice straightforward Super Sentai figure that makes full use of that "true bone carving" sculpting style. If you've handled any of the recent Super Sentai releases since Zenkaizer you'll have a good idea what to expect, with perhaps just slightly more realistic proportions (but admittedly there's not a great deal in it). Every aspect of the suit has been recreated with exquisite detail - from the printing on the Zyuden Mobuckle to the raised Gabutyra logo on the sash. That distinct Kyoryuger helmet design looks amazing too, the gloss of the visor combined with the indented metallic silver mouthpiece really making the whole thing pop. Then finally of course there's the arms, not only mixing up the colour palette with the darker red plastic but also the sculpted mesh standing out against the smooth bodysuit. If there's one thing the Kyoryuger suits had, it's flair. 

The S.H. Figuarts line has come a long way in ten years, and comparing this with the original Kyoryu Red you can see just how much has changed in terms of sculpting and articulation. Shinkocchou Seihou Kyoryu Red is a far "fuller" figure, sporting more realistic proportions that allow it to sit far more comfortably with modern releases. Comparing the two it's interesting how differently they approach certain areas, particularly when it comes to the torso articulation. While the original cuts the upper torso in a way that leaves the yellow sash piece unbroken, the Shinkocchou Seihou opts for a more straightforward cut across the middle so that the sash sits on both halves. That all said, the new version doesn't necessarily do everything better than the original – for some inexplicable reason the Seihou has removed the rotating Zyuden Mobuckle gimmick. It might not be much, but considering it’s a very simple thing that wouldn't impact it in any way it's odd that it's been taken out. Usually it's in the line's wheelhouse to improve little functions like this (like have it open as well as rotate), not outright remove them.

Articulation is where the figure really takes a leap forward in comparison to the original though, with a different joint configuration that results in a figure that's both sturdier and more poseable. Altogether Kyoryu Red features;

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

- Swivel hinge shoulders, hips and ankles

- Butterfly joint shoulders

- Double hinge elbows and knees

- Single hinge toe sections

- Bicep and thigh swivels

Although the original Super Sentai figures are definitely beginning to show their age, rather than the level of articulation itself the bigger problem with them is the tendency for the joints to get loose simply with age (the hip joints especially) - several of mine suffer from this issue and it leads to them being a lot more fragile. Right away though you can feel how much sturdier these new build S.H. Figuarts are though, and the hips are unlikely to ever encounter such issues. In fact the design the Shinkocchou Seihou line currently uses is particularly good, with hidden sections inside the leg revealing as you pull them to the side to cover any gaps. The rest is to your typical S.H. Figuarts standard, offering a wide range of movement with very little in the way of armour to impede the joints. The right shoulder pad does have a little bit of movement, but considerably less than the standard hinge joint that was on the original. Not that it matters, because the arm certainly doesn't feel in any way hindered by it.  

Accessories are another interesting point of discussion when comparing this with the original release. Altogether the Shinkocchou Seihou comes with six additional pairs of hands, the Gaburivolver, Gaburicalibur, a folded Gaburicalibur piece (which connects with the Gaburivolver to form the Gaburu Cannon) and the Gabutyra Zyudenchi. Although all of these weapon accessories (with the exception of the Gaburu Cannon piece) were included with the original, naturally they've had a significant upgrade for this release. All the weapons have been re-sculpted with much better proportions, paintwork and detailing as well as moving parts. The Gaburivolver sports a spinning cylinder, and both the Gaburivolver and Gaburicalibur have opening compartments that can fit the included Zyudenchi (which is also significantly more detailed than the original release). The hand selection on offer is very good too, featuring a range of accessory holding hands as well as signature pose ones. There is one glaring omission however, and again it's surprising since it's not like the Shinkocchou Seihou line to include less accessories. The original release also included Kyoryu Red's Armed-On parts, consisting of an alternate right arm and Gabutyra Fang. The loss of these means that this Kyoryu Red doesn't have any weapons that are wholly unique to him, and instead only has the standard Kyoryuger sidearms. While the added gimmicks in those and the new Gaburu Cannon parts are nice, they don't really feel like a fair trade. One can only assume there's a reason Bandai didn't want to include a separate arm part, but it doesn't appear that the arms are that much harder to remove here so it's unlikely to be that. Overall it's a solid set of accessories for Kyoryu Red, but it's rare to handle a Shinkocchou Seihou and come away with a sense of "yes this should have come with more".

All in all S.H. Figuarts -Shinkocchou Seihou- Kyoryu Red is a rather conflicting release. There's no doubt that it benefits from ten years' worth of figure advancements and in that respect is a great successor to the original, but it just doesn’t feel like it completely outclasses it in the same way most other Shinkocchou Seihou releases do. The loss of the Armed-On parts is the most significant factor, but even little touches like removing the rotating belt buckle make it feel like less of an upgrade than it could (and should) be. Still, more Super Sentai S.H. Figuarts is never and bad thing – and even if Kyoryu Red is the only one we're going to get a Shinkocchou Seihou is the perfect way to celebrate Kyoryuger's tenth anniversary.