Toybox REVIEW: THE GATTAI Infinite Combining Gurren Dan Lagann

Release Date: December 2022

RRP: 24000 yen

2022 marked the 15th anniversary of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, and as one might expect the popular Gainax series received plenty of new merchandise in celebration. While a lot of these announcements were certainly nothing to scoff at (a new transforming Riobot version from Sentinel, a long overdue articulated Kamina figure from BUZZmod), it was Good Smile Company that truly thought out of the box to mark the occasion. Teaming up with the production staff behind the series (including director Hiroyuki Imaishi) they came up with THE GATTAI Infinite Combining Gurren Dan Lagann – a brand new combination that incorporates nine mecha from Team Dai Gurren. Raw raw, fight the power.

Toybox REVIEW: Nendoroid Simon

Release Date: May 2019

RRP: 5093 yen

Where the mighty Kamina goes, his bro is sure to follow. Good Smile Company continue their launch of new Gurren Lagann merchandise with the release of Nendoroid Simon, following on from Kamima's long-awaited debut in the line at the end of last year. With his release GSC have finally at the very least completed the core trio of the acclaimed Gainax series, with Nendoroid Yoko having come out all the way back in 2009. Speaking as an unashamed Nia fan Good Smile still have plenty left to do, but at the very least it's amazing to see not only the show getting some love 12 years after its release but also seeing the characters finally get figures they deserved long ago.

Toybox REVIEW: Nendoroid Kamina Review

Release Date: November 2018 

RRP: 4444 yen

Dig the wax out of your ears and listen close! The bad reputation of Team Gurren echoes far and wide in Giha Village. When they talk about its badass leader, that man of indomitable spirit, that paragon of masculinity, they're talking about him - the mighty Nendoroid Kamina! That's right, after nearly ten years since the last Gurren Lagann release Good Smile Company have finally returned to Gainax's beloved mecha series to round off the core trio of main characters - two years after the series has celebrated its tenth anniversary, but close enough. Simon will be joining the line later in 2019, but first it's time to celebrate the release of the man who first inspired him the pierce the heavens and kick logic to the curb. Kamina has finally arrived on the scene, and if he has anything to do with it you'll certainly hear about it. Just who the hell do you think he is?!

Toybox REVIEW: Myethos 1/8 Scale Nia Teppelin Wedding Dress Ver.

Release Date: March 2017

RRP: 11,800 yen

As a figure collector I’ve fallen victim to many different rabbit holes in the past – Transformers, Figma, S.H. Figuarts to name a few. But scale figures is one thing I’ve avoided for the longest time, not just due to their lack of articulation but also the price and space they command. However when Hong Kong-based company Myethos announced they would finally be releasing a 1/8 scale Gurren Lagann Nia Teppelin Wedding Dress Ver. figure (seen for many years as a garage kit at various conventions) as a mass release item, an exception had to be made. What better way to celebrate the show’s 10th anniversary than with a high-end figure of my favourite character? I may have been celebrating, but my bank account sure wasn’t.

Toybox REVIEW: Revoltech Fraulein Yoko Sailor Uniform Ver.

Although Gurren Lagann has received some pretty spectacular figures in the last few years courtesy of Sentinel and Bandai Tamashii Nations, I can't help but feel it came out at a pretty bad time for poseable figures. The only line to complete the various forms of the titular robot (as well as do some of the other Gunmen that appeared in the show) is Kaiyodo's Revoltech line, which was pretty great at the time but has now dated horribly thanks to its insistence on using its trademark revolver joints for everything. Revoltech also produced a Yoko Littner figure for their anime girls-orientated Fraulein sub line, but even that is a far cry from the likes of Figma or S.H. Figuarts. Yamato also produced their own Yoko figure a few years ago, but other than commanding a pretty high price tag there's also plenty of stories of it being a rather flimsy and breakable piece.

Anyway, nearly seven years after its original release Fraulein Yoko has made a surprising return - but this time with a twist. Limited to only 5000 pieces and bundled with the third volume of the present-day school themed Gurren Lagann Otoko Doahou! manga spinoff (which itself is an adaptation of a trilogy of previously produced drama CDs), this version of Yoko ditches her trademark bikini top and hot pants in favour of a Japanese sailor school uniform. In this universe Yoko's full name is actually Yoko Utsuwa, and is a member (and even president) of every club in Dai Gurren Academy. As well as being the gunner for Dai Gurren of course. Some things never change.

Anime REVIEW: Wish Upon the Pleiades

Not so long ago Gainax were among the kings of the anime world. Boasting the likes of Gunbuster, Nadia, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Gurren Lagann and more, you weren't likely to find an anime fan who wasn't familiar with at least one thing on their rather impressive resume. And if they weren't, then they were likely to have seen something influenced by the studio's distinct sense of spectacle. However in recent years the once legendary studio isn't quite what it used to be, with many of it's staff having moved elsewhere - be it Hideaki Anno's Studio Khara, Hiroyuki Imaishi's Studio Trigger or another studio. Since then Gainax's offerings have been slim, and what they have put out has either been met to rather mixed reception or been less than stellar. But in 2015 Gainax returned to the scene with a brand new original series, expanded from a series of shorts produced in 2011 in association with automaker Subaru. With a series of Youtube shorts, a 12-episode series and a movie project in the works, is Wish Upon the Pleiades (Houkago no Pleiades) exactly what the studio needed to return to glory?

First Impressions: Wish Upon the Pleiades

Things have been a little quiet for Gainax over the past few years. Sure the legendary anime studio have produced a string of anime adapted from various sources (Medaka Box, C3-bu and Magica Wars), but in terms of original products there hasn't been a peep out of them since Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt way back in 2010. But proving that the loss of some of their leading staff members (who've gone on to form studio Trigger) isn't the end of them, they're back with a brand new magical girl series - Wish Upon the Pleiades. Well, it isn't technically new since the show is based on a bunch of Youtube shorts the studio produced back in 2011 in association with automobile company Subaru. But hey, it's great to have you back Gainax.

Anime REVIEW: Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi

When you look at their back catalogue, it's no surprise that Gainax were once top of the anime game. From reviving the mecha genre to taking fan service to new, gravity-defying heights, Gainax shows were always stamped with a mark of quality. And one thing they seemed to do exceptionally better than everyone else was the weird. FLCL may be the benchmark for just how weird things could get, but not far behind it is Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi. Handing animation duties over to fellow juggernaut studio Madhouse, the 2002 series ran for a total of 13 episodes.

Toybox REVIEW: RIO:Bone Buster Machine No. 7

Sentinel certainly aren't a company as well known as the likes of Bandai, Max Factory/Good Smile Company or Kaiyodo, but they've certainly been causing quite a buzz with the lines they've been producing over the last year or so. Their RIOBOT and RIO:Bone lines have already had a stab at some Gainax properties with Gurren Lagann and Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt figures, but their latest release in the RIO:Bone line covers both the humanoid and the robotic. After a long delay of wondering whether she'd ever see the light of day, Buster Machine No.7 aka Nono from Aim for the Top 2 (or Diebuster if you'd prefer) is finally here!

Phat Company Gurren Lagann Yoko & Nia + Boota PSG Arrange ver. Figure Set

After preordering this in January (for a June release) and then having it pushed back a further two months, it feels like I've been waiting forever for this set to arrive. After doing a fantastic job with their various Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt sets, Phat Company have returned with another 2-pack in that style...only this one is a little different. Celebrating the 5th anniversary of Gurren Lagann (which as you all should know by now is my favourite anime series), this new set reimagines lead heroines Yoko and Nia (along with Boota) in Panty & Stocking style. These figurines were based off designs by Atsushi Nishigori - the character designer for both series.

While the Angel version Panty & Stocking figures came in fastened packaging that could be opened without damaging the box, this Gurren Lagann set has reverted to normal bubble packaging which means if you want to open them the packaging needs to be permanently damaged. The front backing card is nice and colourful, and rather reminiscent of some of the background you might find in the Nia artbook. The back is simple but really effective - we have the original art these figurines were based off of, including the colour palettes used for any artist nerds among us. 

Despite Yoko having an identical expression to the standard Panty release, both Nishigori and Phat Company have really knocked these designs out the park. Yoko feels like the most substantial figure in my collection (which includes them all bar the Galaxxxy set), not just because of the inclusion of her huge rifle but also her impressively chunky hair. The cartoonish toning on the hair looks superb, with Yoko's attire fitting in nicely with the colourful world of P&SwG.

Then we have Nia, who for obvious reasons I was excited for the most. It sucks a little bit that this is probably the best Nia figure I'll ever get without having to resort to statues, but if I never get my articulated figure of her I'm happy to call this the best. She's just a colourful bundle of joy (especially those eyes!), and the cartoony style couldn't suit her childish innocence any better. 

Finally with have Boota, who's been included as the extra piece just the Chucks/Fastener/Heaven coin of previous released. While Yoko and Nia have arguably been made cuter by their new aesthetic, Boota looks pretty darn evil. Up like a angry cat and his sunglasses in a pretty sinister shape, I would not want to mess with this little molepig.

I love all of my Phat Company figure sets, but this is something REALLY special. A brilliant anniversary item and a wonderful cross between the two closely connected franchises, my only regret is that the characters never cameoed on P&SwG in these forms. 

Anime REVIEW: Stella Women’s Academy, High School Division Class C3

When it comes to Gainax, I've become the kind of person that'll watch whatever they put out regardless of how good it is. Sure most of the staff that made it my favourite studio may have moved on to form Trigger, but it's still the place that created some of my absolute favourite anime. I'm a bit more sceptical when it comes to their manga adaptations, but after enjoying both seasons of Medaka Box I thought "Why the hell not?" Stella Women’s Academy, High School Division Class C3 (or Tokurei Sochi Dantai Stella Jo-Gakuin Kōtō-ka C3-Bu for its equally wordy title, just use C3-Bu) may not be Gainax's usual comfort zone, but it sounds like a fun ride.

The story follows the shy Yura Yamato as she transfers to the prestigious Stella Women's Academy, and struggles to make friends or fit in on her first day. She catches the attention of the school's misfit airsoft club, which goes by the name of the C3 Club (which stands for command, control and communications). After eventually being persuaded to join the club, Yura discovers both a passion and skill for airsoft and goes on to compete in various skirmishes and tournaments.

The fun times

The first episode suggested that this show was going to be great. Despite the rather cliché moe girl club premise, once it hit the airsoft fight sequences episode really began to hit its stride - detailed character and background animation, wonderful background music and (perhaps most importantly) it kept the tactics of the fights interesting for someone who has no interest in airsoft whatsoever. The next few episodes kept it going, and I really thought I had a surprise winner on my hands.

Then it began to get weird.

What was originally a show about girls having fun playing airsoft became a "girls playing airsoft show" that didn't know what the hell it wanted to be. Not only did Yura turn out to be be "the chosen one" when it came to being good at airsoft figuratively, the show tried to make it literal via the use of weird visions of Japanese warriors and ghosts of the past that didn't fit the tone of the previous three episodes that came before it. After that brief stint of weirdness came a few more charming, if a little stereotypical of the genre, episodes followed by another massive turn in style. Yura goes from this klutzy, shy girl who's good at airsoft to one of the most unlikeable protagonists I've seen in anime. There's nothing outright wrong with the main character losing sight of the fun and getting obsessed with winning, but the story remains completely focussed on Yura while presenting her in an almost completely negative light - it just doesn't work and makes for really irritating viewing.

It needs more of this...

During this time it would have been nice to learn a bit more about the other C3 -Bu members, but they're still sadly mostly relegated to the background. C3-Bu isn't a show that really has any time to dedicate to backstory which isn't a problem in itself, but it would have been nice to know the characters outside of their single characteristic. Karila's a tomboy, Yachiyo is short (in stature and temper), Honoka is the calm rational one and Rento the smiling friendly one. Each of them have their moments, but it's never once THEIR story (although you could argue Honoka's case in the final episode). The only other one's who have fleshing out are Sonora (who's insanely boring) and Rin (who is much more enjoyable despite being the cold rival). Anime shows about highschool clubs certainly usually focus on one character, but here the others feel like walking personality traits rather than characters the writers actually care about.

...and less of this.

Stella Women’s Academy, High School Division Class C3 could have been wonderful, just like it's first episodes suggested. However as it went on it just became more and more muddled on what it wanted to be, lost sight of being fun (which is ironic as that's the exact same problem the main character was facing) and just became a chore to watch. I know it wasn't their original story, but Gainax can do MUCH better than this.

First Impressions: Tokurei Sochi Dantai Stella Jo-Gakuin Kōtō-ka C3-Bu

Yay, a new Gainax anime!

Wait, Gainax doing a moe slice of life anime?

Sure it isn't their usual fare, but Tokurei Sochi Dantai Stella Jo-Gakuin Kōtō-ka C3-Bu (or Stella Women’s Academy, High School Division Class C3 if you'd prefer it's English title) may just be right at home with the studio that last brought us Medaka Box. Based on the manga series of the same name by Ikoma, C3-Bu tells the story of prestigious school Stella Women's Academy's airsofting club and the misadventures they get up to.

This first episode sees new student Yura Yamato transfer to the school before being roped into the club by members Rento, Karila, Honoka and Yachiyo. After failed attempts at persuading Yura to join with bribes of cake and sweets, they encourage her to take part in her first mock battle.

While Gainax, guns and girls sounds like a match made in heaven, I was wary of how this show might turn out. I wasn't familiar with the source material, and so there seemed every possibility that it could just be a typical Gainax fanservice fare. But I was pleasantly surprised to see that their usual brand of fanservice was practically non-existent, replaced with the usual thing you'd expected from a "cute girls doing cute things" series. Just with added firearms.

The first half of the episode proved fairly predictable - the shy new student with dreams of greatness arrives at the school, is approached by the oddball club desperate for members etc. With the exception of Yuna who hasn't really proven to be more than a basic archetype character yet, the C3-Bu club members leave a good impression - they KNOW their unusual, and revel in it. We don't know much about them yet, but each one of them looks to bring their own unique brand of craziness to the table.

It's when we hit the mock battle that the real draw of C3-Bu comes out. Smooth animation and a brilliant accompanying soundtrack (a jazz-like song is not what I'd have expected) make this scene a pleasure to watch even if you aren't paying attention to the dialogue. Throw in a few parallel sequences to the Rambo style action their imitating, and Gainax are maybe onto a winner here.

Moe isn't something I'd have originally pegged on Gainax, but they certainly have my attention.

Anime REVIEW: Little Witch Academia

The Young Animator's Training Project was set up by JAniCA (the Japanese Animators Creators Association) as a means of encouraging studios to train new young animators rather than outsourcing the work overseas. Selected studios are given a sum of money for the year, and the end product is then showcased at an animation festival. At Anime Mirai 2013 among heavy hitter studios Gonzo and Madhouse was a newcomer by the name of Trigger. Trigger was formed back in 2011 by ex-Gainax employees Hiroyuki Imaishi (director for Gurren Lagann and Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt, among others) and Masahiko Ohtsuka and their new studio first feature is an enchanting little short that goes by the name of Little Witch Academia.

You'd fit right in a Gainax production...

Akko Kagari has joined an academy for young witches to follow in the footsteps of her childhood idol Shiny Chariot. Despite having two good friends, Lotte and Sucy, Akko struggles with class, can't ride a broom and longs to explore the showman side of her magic powers. This makes her come to blows with many other of her classmates, who believe Chariot gives the wrong impression about witches.

When the class is instructed to explore a labyrinth and bring back a rare treasure, Akko stumbles upon the find of a lifetime when she discovers the Shiny Rod, a magical item once used by Chariot herself. But things take a turn for the worst when smug top student Diana releases the seal on a dragon, which constantly grows in size as it absorbs the magic used against it. Whilst finding a way to stop the dragon, Akko must tap into the magic power lying dormant inside of her.

Sucy, Lotte and a rather angry looking Akko

With only 26 minutes of running time, Little Witch Academia doesn't really have time for back story. Akko's inspiration to become a witch is dealt with quickly and effectively as the short's intro, and following that everything is pretty much what you see is what you get. The plot is fairly predictable, but this is a short that's far more about the ride. This is the first opportunity Trigger have had to strut their stuff, and they use it to the best of their ability. The character design is superb, and there are excellent contrasts between the colourful school grounds and dark, dingy labyrinth. It's only short, but you get the sense this could easily be part of a bigger world with plenty of other fantastic stories to tell.

Character types are also typical, but a lot of fun. Akko is headstrong and brave, but looked down upon due to her non magical heritage. Her "rival" is Diana, top student who in typical Mean Girls style comes with her own entourage. Lotte is the typical sidekick, not particularly interesting but a valuable asset to the main character and always willing to follow. My favourite character however was Sucy, who not only had the best design (she's the pale goth girl) but the best personality. A prankster and potion master, Sucy provides some of the best moments of the short. So while none of the characters are likely to become anyone's favourites any time soon, you'd have a hard time finding anything to dislike about any of them.

Bitch central

Of course, being set in a school full of witches there is some pretty obvious Harry Potter inspiration going on.  However Little Witch Academia doesn't stay comfortably within the realms of the boy wizard, and features plenty of reference to other mythologies and general magical folklore. It has labyrinths, minotaurs, dragons, a sorcerer's stone, potions, wands and plenty of other stereotypical magical things. Harry Potter will always be what everyone thinks of when they imagine a wizard school, but the additional of moe blobs is always welcome. And even though they're free of the Gainax label, the styles that made Gurren Lagann and Panty & Stocking so enjoyable are right here, albeit presented in a new and exciting way.

Dragons. Because everyone loves dragons.

Though it might not be as fleshed out as some might like, Little Witch Academia is a magical (teehee) short that could have easily been made into a series. With gorgeous animation, beautiful scenery and unique character designs, the staff of Trigger have taken what they learnt from their time with Gainax and proved themselves as a studio to keep an eye on in the future. And with the whole thing freely available and subbed on Youtube, you don't really have an excuse not to be checking this out.

Anime REVIEW: Medaka Box Abnormal

As anyone who watched the first season of Medaka Box will know, things were turned up a notch in the final few episodes and things seemed to move in a drastically different direction. Turns out this was just a teaser of what was to come, as the all-powerful Student Council President and her band of merry men return for a second season, this time titled Medaka Box Abnormal. Once again it ran for 12 episodes (between October and December 2012), animated by Gainax and based on the ongoing manga series of the same name.

Following her battle with Myouri Unzen, Medaka Kurokami is warned of and then subsequently invited to join the Flask Plan - a project to forcefully experiment on Normal students to turn them into Abnormals, humans with superhuman abilities. After seeking training from her perverted brother Maguro - a man whose abnormality allows him to develop the most suitable methods to bring out the greatest potential in an individual, the Student Council head underground to take down the Flask Plan - battling with a range of students with abnormalities. But when the group's leader and self-proclaimed "King of the World Oudo Miyakonojou vows to take Medaka as his bride and subsequently brainwashes her, will her friends be able to bring Medaka back?

Medaka and Zenkichi meet up with Maguro

As mentioned earlier, this is a very different beast to the first season of Medaka Box. Gone are the self-contained, light-hearted multi-story episodes with tonnes of fanservice. Instead Medaka Box Abnormal opts for full-length episodes with an ongoing story, which is high on action and adrenaline (the comedy is still there though). Whereas the first season served to establish the characters, its here we begin to learn about just who they are, their backstories and what define them. We learn that Medaka hasn't always had that cheery disposition she seems to value most of all, her estranged family members and that she isn't the only "gifted" student in Hakoniwa Academy.

Turns out Kouki is a Kamen Rider fan, who knew?

One of the biggest failings of the first season was that the focus lay squarely on Medaka, with her usually being the one that saved the day. Thankfully Abnormal fixes this by devoting just as much, if not more time to the development of her council - Zenkichi, Kouke and Mogana. The latter two were especially in need of this, as following their entry into the student council the two began to feel more like set pieces than actual characters. Kouke's battle against Shotaro Ishinomori-inspired cyborg Itami Koga is a great boost to his character and an excellent episode in itself, as is Mogana's fight against the masked Mizou Yukuhashi. While ultimately it is still Medaka's name on the title so she saves the day in the end, the series finally feels like it isn't just all about her.

Oudo Miyakonojou, the "final boss"

Medaka Box Abnormal also sees a wide cast of new characters join the fray, although only a handful are really notable (the ones being "battle of the week" types). The most important of these two are Medaka's brother and sister Maguro and Kujira (who has taken on the name Youka Naze). Naze is a particularly interesting character, presented as an antagonist and Flask Plan member rather than an aid to Medaka. The added family dynamic makes Medaka that much more likeable as a character. Oudo Miyakonojou is a great villain - arrogant but with the power to back it up. Although his real battle with Medaka is fleeting and somewhat of an anti-climax, the guy oozes personality and is perfect as the polar opposite of Medaka.

Medaka's estranged sister, Kujira/Youka Naze

Once again the series ends with an episode that's only loosely tied in the overarching plot, only this time it isn't quite as welcome. After episode 11 ends on a massive cliffhanger and Medaka comes face to face with a person from her past, the following episode chooses to introduce this character properly (Misogi Kumagawa) in an unrelated side-story. The episode itself is quite good and illustrates well just how psychotic Kumagawa is, but comes at the worst possible time...especially when there's no indication on whether the series will continue on for a third season.

While the opening credits are somewhat misleading to the contents of the show (they feature mecha, battle armour and an evil looking Medaka in what looks like a very uncomfortable costume), they still accurately depict the tone of the season. A proper ongoing plot, character expansion and heavier action make Medaka Box Abnormal far superior to its predecessor, only hiccuping in a few areas and then ending on a big cliffhanger. Fingers crossed for a season three, because it could be the best one yet.

Toybox REVIEW: Riobot R04 Gurren Lagann

Can you believe its been five years since Gurren Lagann? Well it has, and while Gainax haven't shown any plans in celebrating the anniversary of my favourite mecha series lesser known toy company Sentinel have given fans something to celebrate about. Revealed nearly a year ago to much excitement, the fourth installment in their Riobot (Riot Robot) line has finally been released. While Sentinel might not have quite the extensive resume as lines such as Kaiyodo's Revoltech and Bandai's Robot Damashii or Super Robot Chogokin, the few figures they have put out are said to be of superb quality (which is reflected in their hefty price tags). Costing a whopping 9500 yen RRP (£75/$120), Riobot Gurren Lagann has quite a lot to live up to before being compared to previous incarnations of the robot.

Much like how the packaging for RIO:Bone (Sentinel's human character line) Panty and Stocking impressed with their fantastic graphics, Gurren Lagann also has a box worthy of praise. The front features a nicely stylised Gurren Lagann image along with the name of the figure, while the spines give the box an element of class with small 5th anniversary Gurren Lagann logos and serif fonts. The top has a much larger anniversary logo, while the back has the figure in various poses without any obtrusive text in the way. Another thing to note is that it is a book-style box, with the front flap opening to reveal a window to see the figure (not that you can very well because its covered by a load of plastic wrapping) and the Team Gurren emblem. The box is HUGE, carrying both a tray with the figure and its accessories and another holding the wingpack and stand.

Onto the figure itself. Sculpted by Chemical Attack, who worked on the previous Broken Blade figures in the line, Riobot Gurren Lagann has a much more stylised look than the animation model. It's not quite as obvious as the KA version's tribal tattoos, but is still instantly noticeable. Rounded sections such as the hip guards (which have also been lengthened), lower legs and feet are much more angular, giving the design a much more real-robot feel than its super robot look in the series. All the yellow on the design has been replaced with a muted gold colour, and darker red panels compliment the traditional Gurren Lagann crimson colouring. I really like the liberties taken with the design because it isn't so intrusive that it will put off potential buyers, but is different enough that people (like me) displaying multiple versions of the robot will have an obvious bit of variety to their shelf.

At 9500 yen you might be expecting a figure closer in size to the Great Impact Gurren Lagann, but a large toy this isn't. Riobot Gurren Lagann stands at around 145mm tall, making it only 25mm taller than the Revoltech and 5mm smaller than the Ver. Ka. The size doesn't bother me too much the figure offers as much as it does in terms of articulation and accessories, but it's something to keep in mind if you're planning to drop money on it. Something that struck me much harder was how light it is - upon taking it out of the box it felt much more like a model kit in terms of weight. However unlike a model kit the Riobot is far from flimsy.

The level of articulation was what drew me into buying a third Gurren Lagann figure was this was originally announced, and I'm happy to say Sentinel sure didn't disappoint. There's the expected full range of motion in the head, shoulders, elbows (both in the elbow itself and the forearm), hips, knees, and feet, but it all feels so much more seamless than it does on a similar but cheaper figure. The shoulder pads also have a full range of motion via a ball joint (and the whole section can fully move from side to side) and while they might pop off once or twice when putting the figure into more difficult poses, they aren't a problem to pop back in without hassle.

On top of this there are the special bits of articulation that made the figure so interesting in the first place. Starting from the bottom up we have the knees, with have a very impressive level of engineering to them. when the knee bends, the whole section stretches open with the top leg panel also moving downward. It's a much more interesting method of articulation than simply "knee bends" and helps amplify the mechanical feel of the figure. The moving up to the chest we have perhaps the best gimmick of all. Via moving the head or a switch in the back of the figure (you need to remove the back panel for that though) the Gurren chest face's eyes have a full range of motion! This is a first for a Gurren Lagann figure, allowing for much more dynamic posing and a chest that isn't stuck in an "eyes facing forward" position. If you've ever owned one of those Action Man figures with the moving eyes, you'll know just how much fun a gimmick like this.

The Riobot also boasts more accessories than most other Gurren Lagann figures (well, maybe not Great Impact). Included is an alternate open mouthed face, four different hand sets (open hands, closed fists, holding fists and the obligatory "pointing to the heavens" set), three drill weapons (two smaller ones and one longer thin one), two sunglasses blades, drilled wrist pieces, wingpack and a clip to cover the hole left when you take the glasses off of the chest (I found this to be a pain to take off when applied though). When changing the hands and head there's no awkward Revoltech plugs, tiny ball joints or sockets too small to fit in - everything can be removed and replaced with no frustration whatsoever. The larger drills can be attached by replacing the forearm.

The first thing to notice about the wingpack is that its pointy, which probably should come expecting from something with four drills sticking out of the back. The top section also has two rather pointy spikes sticking out of it, and is wrapped in bubble wrap in the packaging which leads me to believe its perhaps the most fragile part of this figure. The wingpack clips to the back of Gurren Lagann via two quite small clips, which could possibly lead to it falling off if posing without the stand. But before clipping it to the figure, take note of the small level on the inside, which activates some more shifting panels - this time exposing the wingpack engine, complete with spiral energy green colouring. The wings are hinged, so are able to swing forward like they do in the show.

Finally we have the stand, which impressed me more than a stand usually would. The base section is pretty big, which means flight poses don't end up toppling like they would with Revoltech's subpar V-shaped bases.  For action poses you have a standard multi-jointed arm with plug attachment (which fits snuggly into a hole between the figure's legs), but an extra piece is included for additional support when posing in flight mode. This triangular piece clips to the arm, making sure it keeps straight and doesn't bend under the weight of the figure. For further support, there's also a separate grooved plug piece that locks in rather than move. Since Sentinel have put such a great effort into the stands, it's a little disappointing that there's nothing that makes it unique (I really liked the robot name/pilot tag on the Ka's stand) but after all the things I've been impressed with it really does feel like I'm nitpicking at this stage.

Riobot Gurren Lagann is undoubtedly one of, if not the best Gurren Lagann figures out there, but because of the pricetag I'd say it comes with a caution - it's not one for casual fans or collectors. It is an expensive figure for its size, and while the sculpt and accessory count justify it somewhat unless you're a serious Gurren Lagann fan it's hard to recommend it as the definitive figure when there are much cheaper alternatives like the newly reissued Revoltech (which may not be anywhere near as good, but it's far from a bad figure). However if you have the money for it, I can't recommend this toy enough. Its perfect in pretty much every single way. If you are planning to buy one, make sure to hit up the September restock of the figure as soon as possible, because I have a feeling once it's gone it's price is only going to go up on the after-market.