In an era where original mecha anime feels like a rare commodity, fans have been sustained by titans like "Gundam" and "Shinkalion." That all changed when BANDAI SPIRITS HOBBY and SUNRISE BEYOND announced their collaboration on the all-new series, "AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline." Since its debut in October 2021, the series has captivated audiences and spawned a diverse lineup of figures and model kits. Today, we're diving into one of the flagship releases from the Tamashii Nations brand: The Robot Spirits
In the world of "AMAIM," the Kenbu is a 10-meter class machine discovered in abandoned research ruins and assembled by the protagonist, Shiiba Amou, and the mysterious autonomous AI, "Gai." Its origins—who developed it, why it was named after a Japanese era, and why it was abandoned—remain a puzzle. What's clear, however, is that the Kenbu's performance far exceeds that of other factions' units.
It boasts incredible, human-like mobility and high-strength armor. With the assistance of the AI "Gai," the Kenbu unleashes devastating close-quarters combat capabilities, allowing a 16-year-old with no prior piloting experience to go toe-to-toe with professional soldiers. The series currently features a grounded combat style, with the Kenbu and other AMAIMs relying on melee weapons and conventional firearms rather than beam weaponry, making it a refreshingly practical lead mecha.
▼ The connection point for a Tamashii STAGE stand is cleverly hidden; just remove the two back panels to reveal the port.
But what truly sets the Kenbu apart is its radical design. Bandai once again tapped industrial designer Ken Okuyama and his firm, KEN OKUYAMA DESIGN, to helm the project. They've imbued the Kenbu and its fellow AMAIMs with a striking modern industrial aesthetic, most notably through the asymmetrical, multi-axis joints in its limbs. This design not only provides a range of motion far beyond what you'd expect from a typical robot figure but also allows it to realistically absorb the shock of landing.
▼ The Robot Spirits Kenbu includes the main figure, six optional hand parts, a Super-heated Vibrating Combat Straight Sword, a 60mm Portable Autocannon, a Dagger with Shield, and a back weapon rack.
▼ Standing at approximately 14cm tall, the figure is a faithful recreation of its anime counterpart, featuring sleek armor plating and intricately detailed joint mechanisms.
▼ The red and white armor pieces are rendered in molded plastic, while the frame and joints have a metallic particle finish that gives them a satisfying heft. Numerous details are painted, including the yellow sections, the gold hydraulic pistons on the chest, and various silver accents on the shoulders, inner arms, and lower legs. The distinctive circular patterns on the leg joints are also highlighted with black panel lining, giving the figure a premium finish right out of the box.
▼ Now for the articulation. The joints feel perfectly tight right out of the package. The neck is on a double-joint system, allowing for a wide range of forward, backward, and rotational movement.
▼ The arms feature the signature asymmetrical multi-axis joint structure, offering a surprisingly flexible range of motion.
▼ The forearm can also rotate independently, allowing for some extreme and expressive poses.
▼ With almost no armor to hinder it and a small articulated panel on top, the shoulder joint allows the arm to rotate smoothly in a full circle.
▼ As the shoulder moves back and forth, the hydraulic pistons on either side of the chest extend and retract in tandem.
▼ The torso uses a dual-axis joint system, enabling significant rotation and crunch.
▼ The hips are nearly as wide as the shoulders, and with virtually no armor getting in the way and a rear skirt that lifts high, the leg articulation is outstanding. Pulling off full splits and high kicks is no problem at all.
▼ Combined with the articulation in the ankles, instep armor, and front of the foot, you can achieve incredibly graceful deep kneeling poses or lunges.
▼ The figure strikes an awesome pose in any martial arts stance. The lines of the armor mimic a powerful human physique, making every punch and kick feel incredibly dynamic.
▼ With such an incredible range of motion throughout the body, you can even recreate the machine's folded-up "Docked Mode"!
▼ Beyond its incredible articulation, The Robot Spirits Kenbu also features a detailed opening cockpit hatch on its back. The pilot lift platform, which extends from inside the rear skirt armor to help the pilot board, is also faithfully recreated.
▼ The accessory loadout includes the Super-heated Vibrating Combat Straight Sword, 60mm Portable Autocannon, Dagger with Shield, and the back-mounted weapon rack. The uniform gunmetal color is a bit plain, and some parts have visible nub marks.
▼ After attaching the weapon rack to the back, you can stow both the autocannon and the sword.
▼ The articulated arms on the rack can swing the weapons forward, allowing the Kenbu to quickly grab them and enter a combat stance!
▼ The Dagger with Shield attaches directly to the left forearm, fitting flush against the armor and enhancing the shield's heavy, integrated look.
▼ This weapon is designed for extreme close-quarters assaults, making it a perfect match for the Kenbu's high mobility and dynamic fighting poses.
▼ The three main weapons don't interfere with each other, so you can display the Kenbu as a sword-wielding warrior or fully equipped for any combat scenario. In the series, there are other AMAIMs with the same core specifications, like the Byakuchi, Jogan, and Reiki. Perhaps we can look forward to future releases allowing for weapon swapping between units!
Conclusion:
The completed figure version, The Robot Spirits ＜SIDE AMAIM＞ Kenbu, is quite similar to the "HG 1/72 Kenbu" model kit in terms of size, sculpt, articulation, and accessory count. However, this Robot Spirits release boasts a more premium and complete paint job, and its joints feel significantly sturdier than the HG's. Most importantly, it includes the opening cockpit and pilot lift gimmicks that were omitted from the model kit, making it a much more complete package. If you'd rather skip the assembly process and jump straight into the action with a high-quality finished product, we highly recommend picking up the Robot Spirits version. Experiencing the articulation engineered by Ken Okuyama's team is truly impressive and a must-have for any mecha fan!
