Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts -Shinkocchou Seihou- Kamen Rider Faiz

Release Date: August 2023

RRP: 8800 yen

2023 marks the 20th anniversary of Kamen Rider 555, and given the immense popularity of the series in Japan there was no way Toei and Bandai weren't going to make it a big occasion. On the live-action side of things next year will see the release of Kamen Rider 555 20th: Paradise Regained, a sequel film which will also debut a brand new form for its titular Rider - Next Faiz. Bandai Tamashii Nations are so on the ball with this that they've already announced an S.H. Figuarts Shinkocchou Seihou release for next year, but before then they've also delivered a base form S.H. Figuarts -Shinkocchou Seihou- Kamen Rider Faiz for fans to enjoy in the meantime. Another main Rider for the "true bone carving" series of figures, and one step closer to completing the first phase Heisei series lineup in the line too - with just Ryuki and Blade left to go.

Series REVIEW: Kamen Rider 555

The early Heisei era was a pretty grim time for Kamen Rider. Not in the sense of the franchise’s popularity, but in terms of the amount of death and destruction going on in them. Kuuga had the Grongi racking up enormous body counts on a weekly basis, Agito saw the Lords come up with new and grotesque ways to kill their victims and every Ryuki rider was at constant risk of being eaten by their own Contract monster. This then continued in 2003-2004 with Kamen Rider 555, the fourth entry in the show’s Heisei era and 13th series overall. It was written by tokusatsu veteran Toshiki Inoue, his second time as a Kamen Rider showrunner following his work on Kamen Rider Agito.

Miniseries REVIEW: Kamen Rider 4

Let’s be honest – there are a lot of problems with Super Hero Taisen GP: Kamen Rider 3. But perhaps one the strangest ones is the fact that the film ends on a huge unresolved plot point – namely the death of Gou Shijima/Kamen Rider Mach. After a pretty explosive death scene that’s overlooked by most of the characters fighting in the battle against Shocker, the story then concludes with Shinnosuke and Kiriko mournfully getting on with their lives without him. This wasn’t just lazy writing though, as these events then tie into Kamen Rider 4 – an internet mini series released in accompaniment.

Movie REVIEW: Super Hero Taisen GP: Kamen Rider 3

Back in 2009 when Kamen Rider Decade: All Riders vs. Dai-Shocker was released a giant Kamen Rider crossover was a pretty big deal. The film itself wasn’t the best, but it was the largest gathering of the franchise’s heroes yet and that certainly held its weight in spectacle. But since then these crossovers have become commonplace, even briefly roping in the Super Sentai and Metal Heroes franchises for Super Hero Taisen and Super Hero Taisen Z. A few of these offerings have still managed to hold their own in terms of spectacle, but more often than not these films have suffered greatly from the law of diminishing returns. After last year’s Heisei Rider vs. Showa Rider: Kamen Rider Taisen feat. Super Sentai, Toei are continuing on the Kamen Rider focus with Super Hero Taisen GP: Kamen Rider 3. The draw this time however is perhaps not the mass assembling of Riders, but the first onscreen appearance of a lost piece of Kamen Rider history.

Toybox REVIEW: 66 Action Kamen Riders Wave 4

Bandai's brilliant 66 Action line has now stretched out into the likes of the No More anti-piracy campaign, Dragon Ball Z and (soon) Ultraman, but it probably wouldn't be where it is today without the success of the Kamen Rider figures it pumped out through the course of 2014. Rounding things off in December last year was wave four of the popular range of 66mm candy toys, adding Kamen Rider Drive Type Speed, Kamen Rider Gaim Kachidoki Arms, Kamen Rider Wizard Flame Style and Kamen Rider Faiz to the mix. That's a total of three new Riders to add to the ever growing collection, and yet another form for the lead Rider of 2013-2014.