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Showing posts with the label Marvel Cinematic Universe

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts The Amazing Spider-Man

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Release Date: June 2023 RRP: 7700 yen They say good things often come in threes, and when it comes to Spider-Man you can't really beat getting all three modern movie Spideys together in Spider-Man: No Way Home . So of course Bandai Tamashii Nations (along with several other toy companies) are going to capitalise on that for the S.H. Figuarts line, and the trifecta is now complete with the release of S.H. Figuarts The Amazing Spider-Man ! Despite being the last of the three to be released, Andrew Garfield's version of the web-slinger was actually meant to was actually meant to come a few months earlier - with a rare case of production problems not only leading to delays but also last minute changes. Like both the Friendly Neighborhood and Integrated Suit -Final Battle Edition- figures, the Amazing Spider-Man was released as a Tamashii web exclusive .

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Spider-Man (Integrated Suit) -Final Battle Edition-

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Release Date: May 2023 RRP: 9350 yen Even though S.H. Figuarts is a collector-orientated line first and foremost, Bandai Tamashii Nations certainly aren't opposed to getting things out in the name of timeliness either. This is particularly true for the Marvel Cinematic Universe in recent years, with figures often being released to coincide with the films rather than some months later. The unfortunate result of working off of concept art (rather than the finished product) however is that sometimes these figures will get details wrong, which means Bandai end up releasing a better version those few months later anyway. This is true of the lengthily titled S.H. Figuarts Spider-Man (Integrated Suit) -Final Battle Edition- , the second of Spider-Man: No Way Home 's three Spideys to be released as a Tamashii web exclusive. Following some technical issues with the Amazing Spider-Man , Peter 1 was pushed back from his original March release date to May – which is a pretty appropriat...

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man

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Release Date: March 2023 RRP: 8800 yen The Multi-Verse is set to play a big part in the Marvel Cinematic Universe going forwards, but arguably it's already peaked by bringing together three different eras of web-slinger together in Spider-Man: No Way Home . The climax of the film saw both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield 's iterations of the hero join Tom Holland in a battle against Spider-Man 's enemies from across the Multi-Verse, renewing interest in both actors and their respective films. Of course it also means brand new merchandise too, with Bandai Tamashii Nations among the first to announce all three versions as part of the S.H. Figuarts line. Kicking off with the original, S.H. Figuarts Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (also dubbed "Peter 2" in the film) was released as a Tamashii web exclusive .

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Doctor Strange (Battle on Titan Edition)

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Release Date: January 2021 RRP: 8800 yen With the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Infinity Saga having finally come to an end, it seems that all of the toy companies that produce Marvel figures are having one last hurrah before moving onto the next phase - releasing the best versions of these beloved characters that they can. That can definitely be said for Bandai Tamashii Nations , whose S.H. Figuarts line moved into a number of "Final Battle" editions based on the climactic scene from Avengers: Endgame (it helps when you're releasing toys after the movie has been released, rather than just prior like they did initially). However with many key characters absent from Endgame for the most part there are plenty of iconic scenes to explore from Avengers: Infinity War as well, such as this S.H. Figuarts Doctor Strange (Battle on Titan Edition) figure. 

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Black Widow (Black Widow Ver.)

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Release Date: June 2020 RRP: 6600 yen Among all the key characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , the one who’s had the most unfortunate time of things is undoubtedly Black Widow . First came her troubled subplot in Avengers: Age of Ultron , then came her rather unceremonious death in Avengers: Endgame and now after years of being denied one, her upcoming solo movie has been delayed indefinitely thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. But while the wheels of Hollywood may have stopped turning the merchandising game certainly hasn’t, with both Hasbro and Bandai Tamashii Nations having both put out their Black Widow movie offerings at the time of film’s originally proposed May 2020 release date. S.H. Figuarts Black Widow may come only a short time after the release of the Endgame version, but given her absence from the film’s final battle this general release figure fits in pretty well with Tamashii’s current slew of re-released characters. Whilst Hasbro have been fairly thorough with their...

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Captain Marvel (Avengers: Endgame)

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Release Date: June 2020 RRP: 7700 yen Avengers: Endgame provided Marvel Cinematic Universe fans with the largest assembly of Marvel heroes on screen yet, and it's no surprise to see that Bandai Tamashii Nations are largely going the same way with their S.H. Figuarts releases as well. In fact so much so that they're also currently doubling up on the main cast members with "final battle" editions with decos and parts more accurate to the film itself (since a lot of the original releases were presumably based off of concept art). There's still plenty of gaps though, with one being filled with the release of S.H. Figuarts Captain Marvel ( Avengers: Endgame ) ! The second S.H. Figuarts release of Carol Danvers , this Tamashii web exclusive release is based on her new costume and appearance following the film's five year time skip – notably appearing at the end of the film to help the Avengers' last stand against Thanos' forces.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Thor [Avengers Endgame]

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Release Date: January 2020 RRP: 6600 yen Avengers Endgame’s moment in the spotlight has come and gone by now, but when you’re working on the kind of timeframe Bandai Tamashii Nations does it’s not surprise to see S.H. Figuarts being released months later. Unlike a lot of the other Avengers Thor was one of the characters whose design was kept completely under wraps prior to the release of Endgame , so not to spoil the big changes the character went through during the film’s five year time skip. So unable to join many of the other key characters in being released in the run up to the film, S.H. Figuarts Thor [ Avengers Endgame ] was finally released at the beginning of 2020 as a Tamashii web exclusive. Once again late to the party, this is the third of four Thor S.H. Figuarts to be an exclusive - the only retail release being the original Age of Ultron one all the way back in 2015.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Nebula

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Release Date: September 2019 RRP: 6480 yen The S.H. Figuarts line may have been tackling the Marvel Cinematic Universe for a good few years now, but when it comes to character diversity there’s still a lot of untrodden ground. On the one hand who can blame them when Iron Man continues to be Bandai Tamashii Nations’ golden goose, but on the other it would be nice to see a bit more variety among the releases. But every so often a new character finally manages to slip through, with S.H. Figuarts Nebula  finally joining the line this year as a Tamashii web exclusive release. The second daughter of Thanos is the fourth Guardians of the Galaxy character to be released but definitely one of most overdue, and although the figure is based on her Infinity War appearance with her significantly expanded role in Endgame this figure couldn’t have come at a better time.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Iron Man Mk 85

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Release Date: June 2019 RRP: 6480 yen Avengers: Endgame marked the end for many aspects of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we currently know it, but for many fans the main thing it'll be remembered for is its place as the final chapter in Tony Stark 's story - the man who first shaped its origins way back in 2007's Iron Man . The character is not only the MCU's biggest star but also one of Bandai Tamashii Nations' biggest sellers in the S.H. Figuarts line, given the number of different suit variants the company has put out over the years. So when a number of characters were suddenly announced a few weeks prior to Endgame 's cinema release, there was no doubt that the latest rendition of Iron Man was going to be among them. However S.H. Figuarts Iron Man Mk 85 was actually the last of these initial general sale  Endgame Figuarts to be released, with a third version of the  Infinity War Mk50 suit preceding it the month before.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Captain America [Avengers: Endgame]

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Release Date: May 2019 RRP: 6480 yen Bandai Tamashii Nations have been pretty on the ball with their Marvel Cinematic Universe releases in the S.H. Figuarts line, and with a release as big as Avengers: Endgame it's no surprise to see how quickly they went all out. The film's release was followed by three months in a row of multiple new figures, and among them was of course a brand new version of America's ass himself. The Endgame edition of S.H. Figuarts Captain America released alongside Ronin and a second nano weapon set of the Iron Man Mark 50 armour in May, all of which were general retail figures.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Avengers Thanos [Avengers: Endgame]

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Release Date: April 2019 RRP: 9504 yen Avengers: Infinity War was the biggest gathering of Marvel Comics heroes on the big screen there  had ever been, but for many it wasn't the good guys that came out of that film as the runaway hit. After being teased throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe Infinity War properly unleashed  Thanos upon audiences, shocking them as he gathered the six Infinity Stones and succeeded in his mission to wipe out half of all life in the universe. With the first major chapter in the MCU coming to an end in Avengers: Endgame the Mad Titan returns once again, with  Bandai Tamashii Nations immediately added him to their S.H. Figuarts line up. First announced at the beginning of April before being released a mere few weeks later, this new  S.H. Figuarts Thanos depicts his appearance in Endgame - returning him to the armoured look he shed at the beginning of Infinity War.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Ant-Man [Avengers: Endgame]

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Release Date: April 2019 RRP: 6264 yen Bandai Tamashii Nations are usually fairly content with releasing S.H. Figuarts months after a series has started or a character has made their onscreen debut, but for big cinema releases they've increasingly been rolling out figures to coincide with their initial release to capitalise on the hype. The massive hype behind Avengers: Endgame has seen the company pull out possibly their biggest turnaround yet, with not only all the figures being announced the same month as the film's release but also the first selection of them arriving a mere few weeks later. Among these initial releases is S.H. Figuarts Ant-Man , a character who despite being absent for Infinity War plays a key role the conclusion to the Marvel Cinematic Universe 's first ten years.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Star-Lord

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Release Date: September 2017 RRP: 6264 yen (Japanese Edition), $84.99/£99.99 (Western Edition) With the Marvel Cinematic Universe now truly engrained into the S.H. Figuarts line it’s become customary to expect at least one figure from each new film, and Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 has proved to be no exception. September saw the release of both S.H. Figuarts Star-Lord and a Rocket/Groot 2-pack , both as Tamashii web exclusives . However whereas Rocket still curiously remains exclusive to Japan, Star-Lord follows the recent trend of enhanced Western releases for Marvel Figuarts – coming bundled with effect pieces in the same way Doctor Strange and Spider-Man had earlier.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Spider Man

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Release Date: August 2017 RRP: 6264 yen (Japanese Edition), $99.99/£99.99 (Western Edition) S.H. Figuarts may have released an impressive number of Marvel Cinematic Universe figures over the past few years but there’s always been one character collectors have been clamouring for. Rival lines Revoltech, Figma and Mafex have all done him in the past, but now with the release of Spider-Man: Homecoming it’s time for Bandai to finally take a crack at everyone’s friendly neighbourhood wall-crawler. S.H. Figuarts Spider-Man is the newest mass release figure from the MCU range, not only retailing in Japan but also arriving in the West as part of a special DX set akin to Bluefin Tamashii Nations ' previous Iron Man Mk III and Doctor Strange releases.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Doctor Strange

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Release date: June 2017 RRP: 6480 yen (Japanese Edition), $84.99/£99.99 (Western Edition) Bandai Tamashii Nations' journey through the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues with the release of S.H. Figuarts Doctor Strange ! Although coming quite a while after the release of the character's film debut last year, the figure does time nicely with the growing hype for Avengers: Infinity War next year when the character (as played by Benedict Cumberbatch ) will interact with the rest of the MCU for the first time. As well as releasing as a Tamashii web exclusive in Japan, Doctor Strange was released officially in the West as part of an exclusive set which also includes a number of flame effect parts.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Black Panther

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With the release of both Captain America: Civil War and Doctor Strange in 2016, it's been a pretty good year for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's hasn't been too bad for Bandai Tamashii Nation's  of range MCU S.H. Figuarts either, with the line delving into Civil War as well as going back to revisit the original Iron Man  film. While most of the figures have been costume variants, we have had a couple of new heroes too - Civil War  Ant-Man joined the line as a mass release figure in July, and was joined by the Age of Ultron Black Widow shortly afterward as a Tamashii web exclusive. Finally November saw the arrival of T'Challa , king of Wakanda join the line, as S.H. Figuarts Black Panther was also released as a web exclusive.  

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Ant-Man

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Of all the new media Bandai Tamashii Nations has dug into for the S.H. Figuarts line, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has got to be one with the most worldwide appeal. After working their way through Iron Man 2, 3 and Avengers: Age of Ultron , the line has now began the tackle latest big event to hit screens - Captain America: Civil War . Following the obligatory new versions of both Captain America and Iron Man , relative newcomer Ant-Man has arrived as a surprise mass release figure! Although Civil War may not be the first movie outing for Scott Lang , his solo outing was overlooked by Bandai making this first Ant-Man in the Figuarts line and a much needed boost to Team Cap.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts War Machine Mark 2

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With Bandai Tamashii Nations slowly running out of “main” Kamen Riders to produce for the S.H. Figuarts toy line, the last few years has seen the line expand into a number of different properties. And among the various other tokusatsu, anime and Star Wars figures, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has proven to be a particularly serious source of inspiration. We’ve so far had figures from both Iron Man 2 and Iron Man 3 , followed this year by the core Avengers as they appeared in Age of Ultron . Bandai show no signs of stopping there though, with both Iron Man’s Hulkbuster armour and Ultron himself due next year as well as a number of other figures (most importantly including Hawkeye and Black Widow ) revealed at the Tamashii Nations 2015 event. But before we get to any of those, the first Tamashii web exclusive figure from the Avengers sub line is in fact War Machine Mark 2 – who in reality only appeared in the movie for a couple of minutes at the most. However with James “R...

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Thor

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It's perhaps taken a lot longer than many collectors would have thought, but we finally have a complete line up of the core Avengers from the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Bandai's S.H. Figuarts line. Whether we'll ever get the likes of Hawkeye or Black Widow is anyone's guess, but for the time being it's great to finally have the main gang together. Following on from Captain America , Hulk and multiple versions of Iron Man is the god of thunder himself Thor , based on his appearance in Age of Ultron played by Chris Hemsworth. With Figma's version of the Hulk not due out until May 2016, Bandai haven't just got them out way before their rivals will - they managed to get them out in a matter of months while it'll take Figma nearly two years.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Iron Man Mark 45

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Unlike the rest of Marvel's Avengers , Bandai Tamashii Nations are no strangers to Iron Man figures. In fact the character has been a pretty integral part of the S.H. Figuarts line since his first figure back in May 2013, prompting a number of different releases from both Iron Man 2   and Iron Man 3 - as well as a special black and gold release of the Mark 6 armour for the Tamashii Nations exhibition in the same year. Despite skipping over the first Avengers film Bandai have the character back in full force for Age of Ultron , joined by his main team mates for the very first time. While technically the Mark 43 armour was the first release from the film, as a repaint of Iron Man 3 's Mark 42 it perhaps wasn't quite as notable as what followed. The Mark 45 on the other hand is a different story - a brand new mould and the latest addition in Tony Stark's ever growing hall of armours.