It's that time of the year again! Before we usher in 2019 it's time to look back at all the purchases I've made this year and pick out my ten favourites. This year's offerings are a little different that before in that it also features I few things I haven't reviewed on the site (either because I just never got around to it or it's a relatively recent release and it's on the backlog), but like before I've tried to make it as varied as possible so it isn't just a list of ten Figuarts. It's also worth noting that these are my favourite toys of 2018, so not necessarily the best ones I've bought. So while there may be ones that didn't make the cut I've perhaps rated higher, they don't necessarily have as much emotional significance to me as the ones I've listed here. While most of my purchases for the year have arrived and been inspected to see if they'd make the list (including the ones I haven't put up reviews for...

Release Date: November 2018 RRP: 7344 yen Sometimes Bandai Tamashii Nations' S.H. Figuarts release patterns can be fairly predictable, but by now collectors are fairly used to them throwing a curveball and just come up with a release that you'd never see coming. Recognising that Kuroto Dan/Kamen Rider Genm  was by far and large the most popular thing (all thanks to Tetsuya Iwanga's larger than life performance) about Kamen Rider Ex-Aid was one thing, but I don't think anyone was ready for just how much love Bandai were going to give him. Web exclusive figures, event exclusive figures, numerous "display only" figures that may or may not be stuck in development hell and even r epaints that came out months before the suit they were originally based on . But even more surprising than that is not just one, but   TWO figures of the man himself in his civilian guise - both of which almost instantly sold out their initial Tamashii web exclusive runs and we...

Release Date: September 2018 RRP: 5940 yen When Bandai kicked off the Super Mini-Pla line a few years ago one of the key things they expressed interest in was deeper exploration of the Super Sentai franchise. Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger was an obvious place to start given its iconic status globally, but where do you go from there? Well it seems Bandai aren't sticking to any set pattern, first revisiting the pre- Zyuranger years with Chojuu Sentai Liveman's Live Robo and Live Boxer and now fast-forwarding to 1994 and Ninja Sentai Kakuranger . As well as being especially popular due to their appearance in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers season 3, the Kakuranger mecha are undoubtedly some of the most popular Super Sentai has to offer. So it's no surprise really to see Bandai appease fans by dropping the whole set all at once, with Super Mini-Pla Muteki Shogun (known to Power Rangers fans as the Shogun Megazord ) leading the charge as a mass release item.

Release Date: October 2018 RRP: 5184 yen SSSS.Gridman may be the Studio Trigger anime of 2018 that everyone remembers, but earlier in the year they co-produced a show that anime fans were far more divided on – and in some cases most people would rather forget. Nevertheless Darling in the Franxx was still a thing that happened, and between being a highly publicised series and featuring mecha designs from Shigeto Koyama ( Star Driver , Captain Earth ), merchandise was pretty much a given. And it was Bandai Tamashii Nations that turned out to surprise fans, not only announcing the Franxx mecha for their Robot Damashii (Spirits) line but also human pilots in the S.H. Figuarts . Though it's looking less and less likely that Bandai will be completing the main cast in either line, at the main bases have been covered with the Robot Damashii Strelizia figure.

It was only eight years ago that fans were looking forward to a brand new era for Power Rangers , as the franchise returned home to Saban Brands following its nine year stay at Disney . Following Disney's declining interest in promoting the series fans were positive about how its return to Saban would revitalise the brand, and in many ways it did. The Power Rangers brand became more globally recognised than it had been in a long time, and in 2017 we even got an (albeit poorly performing) feature film. But fast forward to 2018 and after four series stretched out to last two years each, a poorly received anniversary season and some questionable writing, fans are ready to say goodbye to Saban once more and looking towards a brighter fusion as Hasbro take over. The " Neo Saban " era bowed out with the release of Power Rangers Ninja Steel in 2017, which as per the other shows in this era returned for its second half the following year as Power Rangers Ninja Super Steel ...

Release Date: November 2018 RRP: 5940 yen When S.H. Figuarts Ultraman Belial Atrocious was released earlier this year as part of the line's Ultraman Geed range, it seemed a given that the Fusion Rise form of the evil Ultra's eternal rival wouldn't be too far behind. Fast forward a few months and Ultraman Zero has finally arrived in the S.H. Figuarts line, calling upon the powers of New Generation Ultras Ultraman Ginga, Ultraman Victory, Ultraman X and Ultraman Orb to become Ultraman Zero Beyond.   Like all of the  Ultraman Geed figures outside of the initial Ultraman Geed Primative release, Ultraman Zero Beyond is a Tamashii web exclusive release.

Release Date: November 2018 RRP: 6296 yen Whereas Good Smile Company 's Nendoroid line has been fairly flexible about what Pokémon characters it releases (ranging across all generations of games, trainer characters, gym leaders and even the odd anime release), the Figma line has been a little more restricted. So far there's only been two  Pokémon figures made, both of which were trainer figures and came from both the first and last of the main game series. However for their third release Max Factory are bucking the trend a little bit, sticking with  Pokémon Sun and Moon but moving outside of playable characters with Figma Lillie ! The mysterious girl who lives with Professor Kukui, Lillie's connection with her Cosmog 'Nebby' is what kicks off the game's storyline, bringing both her and the player into contact with the Aether Foundation , the Ultra Beasts and Lillie's mother Lusamine . This release is based on her "Lively Lillie...