Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Body-chan -Kentaro Yabuki- Edition DX Set [Gray Color Ver.]

Release Date: September 2017 (DX version, grey body), October 2017 (Standard version, pale body)
RRP: 7020 yen (DX version), 4860 yen (Standard version)

When Bandai Tamashii Nations announced that they would be releasing their blank body S.H. Figuarts as part of a new range intended as drawing aids, no one quite expected them to take off the way they did. However the pair have arguably gone on to become two of the most popularised Figuarts in the entire brand, prompting a number of recolours and special event exclusives as well as a string of cheap knock-off versions. The fact that my original DX Body-kun review is the most viewed toy review on this blog by a wide margin speaks for itself. Now they’re back with two brand new versions done in collaboration with manga artists Kentaro Yabuki and Rihito Takarai, each bringing their own style and proportions to the Figuarts body. Like her predecessor the S.H. Figuarts Body-chan -Kentaro Yabuki- Edition comes in both standard and DX varieties, with the DX edition moulded from grey plastic and including a larger amount of accessories.

Toybox REVIEW: Nendoroid Link Breath of the Wild Ver. DX Edition

 Release Date: July 2017
RRP: 4167 yen (Standard Edition), 5370 yen (DX Edition)

Continuing in their goal to seemingly make a new Link figure for every Legend of Zelda game going forwards, Good Smile Company are back again with Nendoroid Link: Breath of the Wild Ver. in both standard in DX Editions. While some are surely thinking “do we really need yet another Link figure?”, when it comes from one of the most popular Zelda games of all time and is based on a design that’s a significant departure from the usual one the answer is most definitely yes. Breath of the Wild Link is the third Link Nendoroid (following on from the Wind Waker and Majora’s Mask versions) and the sixth overall including the three Figma releases. It’s also the second to be released in 2017, coming only a few months after the release of Figma Link Twilight Princess Ver.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Body-Kun DX Set [Gray Color Ver.]

For the past few years the blank S.H. Figuarts body has been a staple of the Tamashii Nations event. Whether it’s showing off the latest effect parts, acting as a stand-in opponent or teasing collectors by being displayed in various Kamen Rider henshin poses, these figures are never too far away from a big display. Clearly knowing that they had something good on their hands, Bandai have now officially released this blank body to the public under the guise of the perfect drawing aid for human bodies. Not only that, but there were an impressive four different retail releases for Body-kun (male) and Body-chan (female) – standard orange/flesh coloured versions as well as grey DX variants with boosted accessory counts. On review here is the DX Body-kun set, arguably the poster child for this surprising but at the same time intriguing sub-line of the Figuarts brand.