The blind box toy series "TAMASHII NATIONS BOX," released by the TAMASHII NATIONS collectors division of Japan's BANDAI SPIRITS, is set to release its latest product this month (February), themed after the tokusatsu series "Kamen Rider": "Kamen Rider ARTlized - Let's Go! Rider Kick!!" After our previous review of the Ultraman blind box toys, we here at the Toy People editorial team are excited to once again dive into the charm of Kamen Rider with all you fellow toy fans.
The creator of the SD (Super Deformed) style characters that took the '80s and '90s by storm, including SD Ultraman, SD Gundam, SD Kamen Rider, and SD Godzilla, Japanese illustrator Koji Yokoi sees his artistic charm revived in 3D form for the modern era! This "Kamen Rider ARTlized - Let's Go! Rider Kick!!" collection is based on new illustrations supervised by Koji Yokoi, designed with cute and endearing chibi proportions. Infused with modern production techniques and approached from an artistic perspective, each character's dynamic pose and vibrant colors are meticulously crafted, creating Kamen Riders in mid-flight kick at a height of 9 cm, complete with a translucent blue base to recreate the heat of battle!
"TAMASHII NATIONS BOX Kamen Rider ARTlized - Let's Go! Rider Kick!!" features a lineup of 7 figures in total, consisting of 6 standard figures + 1 secret figure (randomly inserted), spanning various generations of Kamen Rider. This includes the beloved Showa-era favorite of many old-school toy fans, "Kamen Rider New 1"; from the Heisei era, "Kamen Rider Kuuga Mighty Form," "Kamen Rider Kuuga Rising Mighty," and "Kamen Rider Faiz"; the first of the Reiwa era, "Kamen Rider Zero-One Rising Hopper"; and the latest series that began airing in September 2023, "Kamen Rider Gotchard SteamHopper." So, let's waste no time and take a look at this lineup of adorable Riders!
▼ The outer packaging features a black and light blue color scheme, with the large TAMASHII NATIONS BOX series logo on the front. The top highlights the newest Kamen Rider, Gotchard. Unlike the previous Ultraman series which had 8 figures, this master case contains 6 individual boxes.
▼ The back and top both display a full lineup of all the characters.
▼ The side design is the same as before, with a simple black base and the TAMASHII NATIONS BOX text, exuding a premium feel.
▼ Let's open it up and take a look at each individual box!
▼ It's worth noting that in addition to the Kamen Rider lineup, the side of the small box also includes the "insertion rates," which were not on the outer box. Kamen Rider Faiz has a 13.7% rate, while the other Riders are at 16.7%. The secret figure has a 2.8% rate.
▼ The contents include the SD Kamen Rider figure itself, a base, a character card, and a small card introducing TAMASHII NATIONS and the Kamen Rider toy series.
● Kamen Rider New 1
First up is New 1, whose head features a beautiful metallic sheen. The red compound eyes, which reveal intricate sculpting, are also gorgeous. In addition to the meticulously detailed belt, the dynamically flowing scarf adds a sense of speed to the cool posture of "Skill No. 1"!
▼ The specially enlarged right foot in this series is a design choice that truly enhances the sense of presence in the kick.
▼ New 1 is the only Rider in this set that requires assembly of extra antenna parts. The antennae are left/right specific, so be careful not to install them incorrectly.
● Kamen Rider Kuuga Mighty Form
Next is Kuuga's original and most memorable form, the fire-element-wielding Mighty Form. The golden horns on the head become even more eye-catching in this chibi form. Details on the belt, the Linto script engraved on the Arcle, and the "Seal" Linto script on the sole of the foot are all sculpted, though the color application in these areas is not as precise.
● Kamen Rider Kuuga Rising Mighty
The biggest differences between Kuuga's Mighty Form and Rising Mighty are the armor on the right leg and the design of the belt. You can see that the Rising Mighty belt is predominantly gold. However, the belt, which originally had vibrant colors, is presented here as a solid gold piece. It would have been more perfect if the central green part could have been recreated.
▼ Mighty Form and Rising Mighty executing a powerful kick together.
● Kamen Rider Faiz
Next up is Kamen Rider Faiz, with his characteristic "Φ"-shaped head and headlight-like compound eyes fully emphasized! The silver armor and the bright red Photon Blood flowing through his body are major visual highlights. The detail on the sole pattern is also excellent, and the mechanical structure of the transformation belt and the Faiz Pointer in kick mode are rendered with a good degree of detail.
● Kamen Rider Zero-One Rising Hopper
Zero-One Rising Hopper's striking fluorescent green armor and his signature hand gesture when executing the Rising Impact finishing kick are faithfully recreated.
● Kamen Rider Gotchard SteamHopper
Finally, we have the fifth Reiwa series Rider, Kamen Rider Gotchard SteamHopper. In addition to the contrasting orange and blue color scheme, the figure is accented with silver and black. Combined with the sharpness of the head sculpt, the colors on the sole, and the overall richness of the sculpted detail, this Rider delivers an outstanding visual performance.
Unlike the Ultraman series we reviewed last time, which used PVC and ABS to create various effect parts for the bases, this time the blue, impact-effect bases are all of a uniform design, allowing the entire lineup of Kamen Riders performing their Rider Kicks to be displayed neatly together! A closer look reveals the Ishimori Pro, TV Asahi, Toei, etc., copyrights printed on the bottom.
Let's go! Passionate Riders!
TAMASHII NATIONS BOX Kamen Rider ARTlized - Let's Go! Rider Kick!! -
Pre-painted ABS & PVC complete products, approximately 90mm in height; Popular selection of 6 types + 1 secret type (randomly inserted)
Suggested Retail Price: NT$349/box; Available from February 23, 2024, at select 7-ELEVEN stores. Store Locator: https://lihi.cc/bjlKA
TAMASHII NATIONS BOX "Kamen Rider ARTlized - Let's Go! Rider Kick!!" Giveaway Event
We will be randomly giving away one figure from this unboxing of TAMASHII NATIONS BOX "Kamen Rider ARTlized - Let's Go! Rider Kick!!" to each of "3 lucky fans"!
How to Enter:
1. Comment: Tell us your thoughts after reading this unboxing report!
2. 'Like' this unboxing report's Facebook post + 'Like' the Toy People Facebook page.
3. Fill out the 'Form'. Complete the steps above to enter the drawing. (Remember to fill out the form)
※Event Period: Ends March 1st at 11:59 PM. Winners will be announced in the comments of the unboxing report's Facebook post approximately one week after the deadline. ※Contact information collected for this event will be used solely for the purpose of this Toy People website giveaway. Please participate with confidence.