Top 5: Tamashii Nation 2022 Reveals

This weekend saw the Bandai Tamashii Nations 2022 event take place in Tokyo, and as usual it was an exciting few days of brand-new reveals to look forward to over the coming years. 2022 saw big moments such as the grand return of One Piece S.H. Figuarts, the continuation of the Super Sentai range, Metal Heroes gain new life in the Chogokin line, a strong return for S.H. MonsterArts as well as the usual impressive displays from the likes of Kamen Rider, Gundam, Ultraman, Macross and more. So today I'm looking back on my five favourite reveals from the event, all of which I simply can't wait to preorder…providing these aren't more examples of figures that revealed and immediately end up in Bandai purgatory that is.

Toybox REVIEW: Marvel Legends Carnage (Venompool Wave)

Release Date: September 2020

RRP: $19.99/£19.99

There are so many characters in the Marvel Comics universe that Hasbro could probably get away with brand new ones for each and every release and still not run out, but with new collectors joining all the time of course you’re going to keep all of the favourites in circulation. The psychotic symbiote and Spider-Man villain Carnage is one such character, having previously graced the line in 2018 as part of the Monster Venom build-a-figure wave and now having returned two years later in the Venompool build-a-figure assortment. A slightly different take on the classic character to the previous release, this Marvel Legends Carnage has also seen a re-release in 2021 - perfect for helping to generate hype in the lead up to Carnage’s cinematic debut in the forthcoming Venom: Let There Be Carnage.

Toybox REVIEW: Figure Complex Amazing Yamaguchi Carnage

Release Date: May 2018 

RRP: 7452 yen

Once upon a time Kaiyodo's Revoltech line ruled the roost when it came to collector-orientated affordable, articulated figures from Japan. But with the rise of competitors such as Figma and S.H. Figuarts, Revoltech's trademark clicky revolver joints began to lose their charm for many buyers. However the line never stopped, and in recent years Revoltech technology has branched off into a number of lines under the "Figure Complex" umbrella. The most popular of these has been the Amazing Yamaguchi line – where sculptor Katuhisa Yamaguchi gives his take on various characters from the Marvel Comics universe. Its latest release is another addition from the Spider-Man family, logically following on from the success of its Venom figure with the release of the symbiote's murderous offspring. With a design evocative of 90s comic edginess and all manner of possibilities when it comes to posing and accessories, Amazing Yamaguchi Carnage is the perfect addition to Revoltech's big comeback.

Toybox REVIEW: Marvel Legends Spider-Man (Ben Reilly)/Spider-Carnage

The 90s were a pretty weird time as it is, but for Spider-Man they couldn’t get much weirder. 1994 brought along the infamous two-year-long Clone Saga arc, which ended with Peter Parker, given the news that he in fact may actually be a clone, leaving to begin a new life with Mary Jane as a new Spider-Man took over duties in New York City. This Spider-Man was Ben Reilly, the former Scarlet Spider originally perceived to be a clone. Of course this being comics the status quo didn’t last forever and Peter one day returned (with confirmation he was the original), but Ben’s time as the Scarlet Spider/Spider-Man and eventual sacrifice has made him a favourite amongst fans despite considerable backlash at the time. Now Hasbro have added the Ben Reilly Spider-Man, complete in his rendition of the costume, to their Marvel Legends line – complete with alternate parts to create Spider-Carnage, the twisted mix of Reilly and the Carnage symbiote.