Release Date: December 2025 RRP:  7150 yen With both S.H. Figuarts Shinkocchou Seihou Kamen Rider 1 and Kamen Rider 2 getting new "Legendary Showa Masked Rider Edition" re-releases, Bandai Tamashii Nations were wise to bring back another iconic figure from the original 1971 series . The Shocker Combatman went through many evolutions over the course of the series, but the final "Bone" version is arguably considered the most recognisable - having gone on to reappear in later shows and just become part of the franchise iconography as a whole. The S.H. Figuarts Shocker Combatman (Evil Showa Kaijin Edition) figure is the third version (of this variant) of the evil organisation's expendable henchmen to be released in the line - following on from the first edition in 2013 and then a second in 2018 .

Release Date: February 2008 RRP: 2420 yen In 2008 Bandai Tamashii Nations introduced a whole new line of Kamen Rider action figures - S.H. Figuarts , the spiritual successor to their previous Souchaku Henshin line. Originally the "S.H" in the name even stood for "Souchaku Henshin", but since then Bandai have also said it stands for " S imple style and H eroic Action - the motto which has accompanied the line since its very beginning. With S.H. Figuarts now having stretched far beyond Kamen Rider also all include a number of other tokusatsu, anime and Western properties, it's a little strange to think that it all began with figures from  Kamen Rider: The Next . The 2007 sequel to Kamen Rider: The First had been released in Japanese cinemas just a few months prior, and so Figuarts launched onto the scene with a double bill of releases - S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider V3 (THE NEXT) and also the film's version of Kamen Rider 1 . Either could feasibly be conside...

Release Date: June 2008 RRP: 2420 yen With fewer and fewer Kamen Riders left to bring out in the S.H. Figuarts line, a lot of collectors are turning their attention towards who will be the next character Bandai Tamashii Nations RE make – be it as part of the regular line or the Shinkocchou Seihou range. But while it's fair to say most titular series Riders have a pretty good chance of getting a new figure, not all of the really old releases are likely to be on the cards – the S.H. Figuarts Shocker Rider (THE NEXT) being one such example. The mass-produced foot soldiers of the evil organisation in 2007's Kamen Rider: The Next , the Shocker Rider was the fourth release in the S.H. Figuarts line all the way back in 2008 – following on of course from Kamen Rider V3 as well as The Next versions of Riders 1 and 2.

With Super Sentai and Kamen Rider celebrating their 40th and 45th anniversaries this year, Toei have dubbed 2016 as “ Super Hero Year ” with very good reason. But while the former franchise might seem like it’s been slacking a bit on the celebration front, the same can’t be said for Kamen Rider . In addition to the Amazon Prime exclusive Kamen Rider Amazons series, a legendary hero has also made his return to the fold. Kamen Rider 1 sees Hiroshi Fujioka reprise his role as Takeshi Hongo/Kamen Rider 1 , crossing over with the cast of Kamen Rider Ghost in a feature-length celebration. Fujioka himself was actively involved in the development of the film, writing it alongside prolific tokusatsu veteran Toshiki Inoue . While both Rider 1 and Fujioka have made various reappearances over the years, this film sees him once again in the leading role – complete with a brand new look to go with it.

Who’s that guy!  Super Hero Taisen GP may not be a particularly good film, but it will undoubtedly go down in infamy for bringing one lost piece of Kamen Rider  history to the silver screen. After initially appearing in a 1972 manga story battling against General Black , Kamen Rider 3 made the leap to the onscreen Rider universe in 2015 when he was reimagined as Shocker ’s timeline changing ultimate weapon. This version of the character was F-1 racer Kyoichiro Kuroi , who defeated Riders 1 and 2 to alter the timeline. Forever burdened with guilt from his victory over the heroes, with the help of Kamen Rider Drive Kuroi eventually turned to the side of justice – helping defeat Shocker before fading out of existence. Kamen Rider 3’s return to the franchise was suitably hyped prior to the release of GP , and his significance is also marked by the fact that Bandai Tamashii Nations actually made his S.H. Figuarts a mass release item. While not the first movie exclu...

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.

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.