Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Ultraseven (The Mystery of Ultraseven)

Release Date: October 2023

RRP: $62

After Bandai Tamashii Nations surprised everyone last year with the first US-focused S.H. Figuarts Ultraman exclusive, they were quickly at it again for the 2023 New York Comic Con. Inspired by the new Ultraman comics from Marvel once more, this time it's Ultraseven's turn with S.H. Figuarts Ultraseven (The Mystery of Ultraseven). This version of the character is based on the third miniseries in Marvel's run of comics, released in 2022-2023 across five issues. Though the exclusive was initially released via NYCC, it has since also been made available at the Tamashii Nations Pop-Up Spot in Hong Kong.

Toybox REVIEW: MAFEX Scarlet Spider (Comic Ver.)

Release Date: June 2023

RRP: 9680 yen

One has to admire Medicom's dedication to releasing as many different Spider-Man variants in the MAFEX line as possible. While on the one hand it is just them getting their money's worth out of the moulding/tooling, on the other it's delivered some fantastic versions of the wall-crawler so far. As such a MAFEX Scarlet Spider must have been on many fans' wish lists for some time and after the release of the Ben Reilly Spider-Man figure seemed inevitable, yet it still took another year and a half to become a reality. The 1990s are back once again with the star of the infamous Clone Saga, as the clone Peter Parker (renaming himself Ben Reilly) takes on this mantle after donning this makeshift costume.

Toybox REVIEW: Marvel Legends Ghost Rider

Release Date: November 2022

RRP: $27.99/£25.99

Retro-carded releases have become one of Hasbro's favourite things in the last few years, releasing them across nearly all of their collector brands. It's hard to see how they're a bad thing though, in fact there's quite a lot of advantages to these releases. They appease MISB fans with their nostalgic packaging, though reissues the figures themselves are often ones that have gone long out of print and more often than not they have considerably improved decos. So what's not to love? With all the Marvel Comics cartoons and toy lines there were back in the 90s the Marvel Legends line features a good share of figures with these throwback card backs. Picks like Spider-Man, X-Men and even the Fantastic Four seem obvious, but who could have seen a Marvel Legends Ghost Rider with retro packaging coming?

Toybox REVIEW: Star Wars Black Series Boba Fett (In Disguise)

Release Date: July 2022

RRP: $33.99/£38.99

If Hasbro are ever in doubt about what to release as a convention exclusive, they can always be sure that a Boba Fett variant will go down well. Not only is his Mandalorian armour one of the most iconic designs in all of Star Wars, but there are so many colour variants that it'll be a while before Hasbro run out of options. For 2022's San Diego Comic Con Hasbro turned their attention toward the more recent Marvel Comics, releasing the Black Series Boba Fett (In Disguise) as both an SDCC and fan-channel exclusive. Based on the War of the Bounty Hunters comic event from 2021, the story sees Boba don an all-black look to enter fighting pits after a complication arises in delivering Han Solo to Jabba the Hutt.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Ultraman (The Rise of Ultraman)

Release Date: October 2022

RRP: $50

With Ultraman's current conquest of the West advancing at a rapid pace it was only a matter of time before the franchise broke through to the convention exclusive circuit. Alongside the usual array of Dragon Ball Z figures, for the 2022 New York Comic Con (and later, various other events across Asia) Bandai Tamashii Nations revealed S.H. Figuarts Ultraman (The Rise of Ultraman) – the first Ultraman Figuarts initially aimed at a Western market. As the name suggests this figure draws inspiration from The Rise of Ultraman – the first of several limited comic book series by Marvel Comics released in 2020.

Toybox REVIEW: MAFEX Spider-Man (Ben Reilly)

Release Date: November 2021

RRP: 7800 yen

The various Spider-Verse titles there have been in the past few years may have shown that there's much more to Spider-Man than just Peter Parker, but back in the 1990s when comic readers were introduced to a brand-new Spidey he wasn't that far detached from our original hero. Popularised during the infamous Clone Saga that ran between 1994 and 1995, Ben Reilly (combining Uncle Ben's forename and Aunt May's maiden name) is a clone of Peter Parker that originally fought as the Scarlet Spider before truly taking the mantle of Spider-Man in Peter's absence. His time as Spider-Man saw him bond with the Carnage symbiote as well as take part in the multiversal Marvel vs DC crossover, though Peter would eventually return when Ben took a fatal wound from the Green Goblin. Despite the Clone Saga's notoriety, the character's popularity makes him an obvious choice for Medicom's "miracle action figure" line. MAFEX Spider-Man (Ben Reilly) is the next in a long line of Spider-Man figures from the company, and it looks like they have no plans on stopping any time soon.

Toybox REVIEW: Marvel Legends Retro Thing

Release Date: November 2021

RRP: $22.99/£21.99

Just call the four! Fantastic Four! What better way to round out this quartet of Fantastic February reviews than with Aunt Petunia's favourite nephew, the Marvel Legends Retro Thing! Although not a blood relative like the rest of Marvel's first family, Benjamin Grimm is as much as part of the family as the rest of them. The pilot of that fateful spacecraft that was bombarded by cosmic rays, Ben was turned into a walking pile of rocks - unable to "turn off" his powers like the rest of the team. Though an integral part of the Fantastic Four the Thing's popularity has also led him to break away into many of his own adventures - from solo comic runs to a short-lived animated series in 1979 (where he had quite the different origin). This retro version from Hasbro is supposed to reminiscence on a different animated version though - the one from the Fantastic Four animated series of the 1990s which debuted as part of the Marvel Action Hour.

Toybox REVIEW: Marvel Legends Retro Human Torch

Release Date: November 2021

RRP: $22.99/£21.99

No need to fear, they're here! Part three of Fantastic February continues with Hasbro's Marvel Legends retro Human Torch figure! The brother of Invisible Woman Susan Richards, Johnny Storm is the youngest and most hot-headed member of the Fantastic Four. After shouting his catchphrase of "Flame On!", Johnny becomes engulfed in flame and is capable of flight in addition to controlling his own flames or absorbing any around him. As was the case with the Invisible Woman, a Hasbro Pulse exclusive version was released alongside this general retail figure. Only this time the difference was a little more substantial, with the Hasbro Pulse variant being a powered-down version of Johnny with minimal flame effects.

Toybox REVIEW: Marvel Legends Retro Invisible Woman

Release Date: November 2021
RRP: $22.99/£21.99

And the four were changed forever, in some most fantastic ways! This quartet of Fantastic February reviews continues with the Marvel Legends retro Invisible Woman figure! Given the powers of invisibility and force field projection by the cosmic rays that hit their spacecraft, Susan Richards (nee Storm) formed the Fantastic Four alongside her husband-to-be Reed Richards, brother Johnny Storm and friend Ben Grimm. This entry in Hasbro's ever-growing range of retro-figures is based about the character's appearance in the 1994-96 animated series, where she battled against the likes of Doctor Doom, Galactus, Annihilus, Blastaar, the Skrulls, Psycho-Man and many more. While this figure was a general retail release, it was also accompanied by an "invisible" Hasbro Pulse exclusive variant moulded entirely in clear plastic.

Toybox REVIEW: Marvel Legends Retro Mr. Fantastic

Release Date: November 2021

RRP: $22.99/£21.99

On an outer space adventure, they got hit by cosmic rays! Though often under-appreciated, the 1994-96 Fantastic Four animated series was a significant piece of Marvel Comics animation for fans growing up during that time. Though it may not have been on the same level as the Spider-Man or X-Men cartoons, Fantastic Four was my generation's main introduction to the world of Marvel's first family - and its (SIGNIFICANTLY better) second season the likes of Black Panther, Thor and Ghost Rider too. So imagine my excitement when Hasbro announced a whole wave of retro carded Fantastic Four Marvel Legends figures, following on from the retro carded Doctor Doom released in 2020. So in celebration of these figures and my love for the cartoon, I'm kicking off a little set of reviews I like to call Fantastic February - starting off with the genius scientist who can stretch like elastic, Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic. 

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: S.H. Figuarts Spider-Man (Toei TV Series)

Release Date: August 2020

RRP: 7150 yen

While comic-based versions of Spider-Man seem to be off limits (whether it’s by choice or license) to Bandai Tamashii Nations, between the Marvel Cinematic Universe and PlayStation game series they’re still hardly short of options. However there was one important version of Spider-Man missing from the S.H. Figuarts range, and given how deeply the line is rooted in tokusatsu it was certainly the most glaring omission of them all. But wait no further, as the “emissary of hell” aka the Spider-Man of Toei’s 1978 television series has finally arrived. Given his powers by a dying alien from the planet Spider, motorcyclist Takuya Yamashiro battles against the Iron Cross Army with his giant robot Leopardon. As a show that paved the way for one of the key tropes of the Super Sentai franchise, Spider-Man is a tentpole of tokusatsu history. 

Toybox REVIEW: Marvel Legends Deluxe 'Age of Apocalypse' Apocalypse

Release Date: August 2020

RRP: $29.99/£29.99

Alternate universe stories are one of my favourite concepts in science fiction, so when it comes to the X-Men it shouldn’t be any surprise to hear that Age of Apocalypse is by far my favourite thing to come out of the franchise. An epic event depicting a universe where Apocalypse successfully wages war on humankind and takes control of the Earth, the 1995-96 story remains the gold standard for AUs in comics. I’m no Marvel Legends collector, but when Hasbro announced a wave of Age of Apocalypse figures my interest was piqued - and there was no way I could resist the deluxe Marvel Legends Age of Apocalypse Apocalypse figure. Separate from the main wave, this special release is a reworking of the 2018 build-a-figure, reimagining the despotic mutant En Sabur Nur in his alternate universe form.

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

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 Marvel Legends wave, this version of Widow and Taskmaster are currently the only characters released on the Bandai side of things.

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

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: Marvel Legends Doctor Doom

Release Date: January 2020

RRP: $19.99/£19.99

Despite being Marvel's first family, the Fantastic Four haven't had much luck in the modern age. Three middling to terrible films, a lessened presence in the grand scheme of Marvel Comics and a Marvel Legends figure wave exclusive solely to Walgreens stores (and thus, more difficult for worldwide collectors to find). But the times are changing, and with a new ongoing Fantastic Four comic series since 2018 the team are finally once again getting the respect they deserve. In fact, Hasbro's 2020 string of Marvel Legends figures has kicked off with a mass-retail wave of Fantastic Four figures featuring a Super Skrull Build-A-Figure. Among the assortment are all four members of the team and (She Hulk), but no wave would be complete without their greatest enemy - Doctor Doom. Consider one of, if not the greatest villain in the Marvel Universe, the King of Latveria has been long desired by collector's in Hasbro's premier collector line.

Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Nebula

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

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]

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]

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.