Ki's Toy Log: https://www.facebook.com/ki0079.robot.workshops
How many years have I been playing with toys? As my experience deepens, I've come to understand my own preferences. Toy release schedules are also quite transparent now; every month, I know exactly which toys I'm going to buy. The joy of an unexpected find has become a rarity. More often than not, my time is spent picking up pre-orders and browsing display windows. With the wealth of online information in recent years, I don't even look at display windows much anymore.
However, this Kaiyodo REVOLTECH BATMAN BEYOND I just acquired was a complete and pleasant surprise.
My first foray into action figures was with Yamaguchi-style figures. That was over a decade ago, maybe even closer to twenty. Back then, the feel of the VF series Yamaguchi figures was fantastic, and I later bought others like Dante from DEVIL MAY CRY. However, what truly ignited my passion for toy collecting and pushed me into the "abyss" was the ROBOT Spirits line. Since then, there's been no turning back.
I honestly had no idea the REVOLTECH BATMAN BEYOND was coming out. The result was love at first sight. I bought it, unboxed it, and the hands-on experience was excellent, with no disappointments. Here is the review report:
1. Superb Design, Love at First Sight
For me, the moment I saw the box, I knew I had to have it.
The red and black color scheme is a combination I love, and coupled with the sharp, angular lines and those wings on its back, it's already captivating.
The red lines that run across the entire body are particularly special, yet the dominant color remains black. That white belt also gives it a slight Kamen Rider vibe. Looking at the design alone, the only word is "cool"; no other adjective is more fitting. As "Batman Beyond," it truly exudes a sense of the "future" and "evolution."
2. Extremely High Articulation, an Absolute Blast to Pose
As many of you may know, I absolutely love posing my figures. Testing a toy's articulation, its range of motion, and its ability to stand on one leg or do a handstand is my passion. This figure completely satisfies my need for "posing." Its range of motion is immense, which is a major characteristic of REVOLTECH toys. If you've handled some of their older works, you'll undoubtedly recognize this feature (though, of course, it comes with certain trade-offs).
The range is so vast it's almost overwhelming... Frankly, through this figure, I've realized I still need to work on my skills when it comes to posing humanoid figures.
First, let's look at the head's range of motion. There are two connection points from the head and neck to the body. The advantage here is that the head can tilt up to a very high degree, and the side-to-side tilt is also extensive, allowing for a huge variety of poses with incredible freedom. For collectors who have ever felt "limited" by a figure's articulation, this toy will absolutely unleash all your desires.
The arm articulation is also massive. Just look at the forward and backward range of the arms; posing it feels like doing yoga with the figure. Furthermore, the arms are linked with the chest armor, providing enormous mobility. With this range, poses like clasping hands or crossing arms are absolutely no problem.
However, since the figure doesn't come with any two-handed weapons, this incredible range of motion can't be perfectly utilized, which is a bit of a shame.
The waist's range of motion is also fantastic. Forward, backward, and side-to-side bends are all handled with ease. If this were the Guts (Berserker Armor) figure, I believe it could pull off the classic pose of resting his massive sword on his back while crouching on a rock without needing any swap-out parts.
The legs also have a wide range of motion, though their articulation method is a bit different from typical humanoid figures. The part at the pelvis connecting to the thigh is quite stiff but can be moved. The thigh itself is then cut on a diagonal. The advantage of this design is that it frees up the leg's range of motion, but the downside is that it takes some time for the user to get accustomed to this joint system. Adjusting poses can take a bit of effort, and you might find it tricky to get the exact pose you want.
The lower legs and ankles are also articulated, providing excellent grounding capability. The ankle has great pivot, and the front half of the foot is a separate piece, which is convenient for crouching poses. It's worth noting, however, that the feet have very little weight, making a stable crouch difficult. Using the knee for support is a reasonable solution. Personally, I wasn't overly obsessed with achieving a perfect crouching pose.
3. High Articulation in the Wings
The scaly-patterned wings plug into the back and can be positioned pointing down or up. This look is somewhat similar to Dante's Devil Trigger form from DEVIL MAY CRY.
4. Built-in Flame Effects for the Feet
This is an interesting feature. Much like Iron Man, the feet can be attached to flame effects. The orange is incredibly vibrant, perfect for creating flight poses.
5. Accessories are on the Sparse Side
The main play value of this toy is the figure itself. As for accessories, to be honest, there aren't many. First up is the Batarang, which looks just like this. It reminds me a bit of the weapon wielded by Jinlun Fawang in "The Return of the Condor Heroes," and frankly, it's quite fun to handle. It would have been even better with some effect parts.
The other weapon is the hand blade, which comes as a bonus item. I don't quite understand why such an important play accessory was relegated to a bonus. Bonus items are usually the icing on the cake, but when the base figure is already light on accessories, this probably shouldn't have been a bonus.
The hand blade is a lot of fun. It's a complete hand part that plugs directly into the wrist joint. The color is vibrant, and it feels great to handle.
Overall, for anyone looking to experience the ultimate in articulation, this figure is well worth picking up and trying out.
Ki's Toy Log: https://www.facebook.com/ki0079.robot.workshops