Toybox REVIEW: Arms Change AC EX Legend Rider Arms

As we reach the end of my planned Kamen Rider Gaim Arms Change figure purchases, we also reach the reason I decided to check out the line in the first place. Rider/Sentai movies are known for their exclusive power-up forms and mecha, and Gaim's first movie outing - The Fateful Sengoku Movie Battle, is no exception. However rather than be four brand new fruits, here the core four Gaim riders draw on the power of the previous four "Neo-Heisei" era Kamen Riders - W, OOO, Fourze and Wizard. How could the prospect of riders wearing other riders as armour not be exciting?

Toybox REVIEW: Arms Change AC05 Kamen Rider Zangetsu

Part four of my look into the first releases of Kamen Rider Gaim's highly popular Arms Change line is the final figure I'll be covering and moves things away from the "Beat Rider" characters of the story. This time it's the mysterious white armoured Rider Kamen Rider Zangetsu, whose real identity is Yggdrasil Corporation project overseer Takatora Kureshima. As the man behind the project issuing Beat Riders with Sengoku Drivers it seems at first he is a villain, but as the story is progressing its emerging that there may be more to him than was once thought.

Toybox REVIEW: Arms Change AC03 Kamen Rider Ryugen

Part three of my brief foray into the Kamen Rider Gaim Arms Change line logically takes us to its third entry (designated AC03) - Kamen Rider Ryugen. This Armored Rider, whose real identity is Mitsuzane "Mitchy" Kureshima, is of particular interest because not only is he the second rider of Team Gaim, but he is also brother of Yggdrasil project leader Takatora - who we'll be hearing more about in the next post. Anyone watching Gaim will known Mitchy is proving to be a fascinating character, as his cheery exterior hides a pretty dark manipulative side. 

Toybox REVIEW: Arms Change AC02 Kamen Rider Baron

After the Arms Change Gaim figure proved to be such a roaring success, I was very eager to check out more of the figures the line had to offer. However despite being the second release in the Arms Change line, Kamen Rider Baron is in fact the last figure I bought of the five I own. This was less out of preference, and more because he proved to be the hardest one to get at an affordable price (seriously, these things are reaching crazy prices). Next up is the second Rider to appear in Kamen Rider Gaim - Armored Rider Baron, aka Kaito Kumon - leader of the rival beat Rider team "Baron".

Toybox REVIEW: Arms Change AC01 Kamen Rider Gaim

The annual gimmick line isn't usually something I pay close attention to when it comes to Kamen Rider. They've been around for years now, Wizard's WAP (Wizard Action Please) and Fourze's FMCS (Fourze Module Changer Series) just to name a few - but with collector-orientated figures like S.H. Figuarts available why would I look at the kids' line? That's what a lot of collectors have probably thought in the past, but it seems things have changed with Kamen Rider Gaim. True the Figuarts for Gaim are coming later than usual (May rather than the usual February), but even ignoring that factor the Arms Change line has been a MASSIVE hit - apparently showing a 310% improvement in sales over the Wizard line and cementing itself as one of the most popular Kamen Rider toylines of all time. 

So naturally I needed to get in on the fuss. The result was coming away with four AC figures along with a little bonus that was what inspired me to get in on the line in the first place. For the rest of the month I'll be documenting my Arms Change experience (as I will unlikely be buying any more from the line for reasons that'll be clear in later posts) started with the obvious beginning - AC01 Kamen Rider (or Armored Rider if you'd prefer) Gaim.