Genseishin Justirisers - RISER KAGERI!

Konami Real Great Model Series - Justirisers S03 - Riser Kageri - Konami 2005

Genseishin Justirisers is the 2nd installment in the Chouseishin Series, a tokusatsu TV Franchise in Japan created by Toho in 2004 to rival Toei's Super Sentai and Kamen Rider series. This series is a big departure from its predecessor, Chouseishin Gransazer, which was notable for having twelve main heroes, by instead only having three. Each of the 3 characters has a dizzying number of themes. Riser Kageri is the token female and embodies the themes of : Virtue, Ninja, Tiger, and Wind. Riser Glen, the red male, embodies Courage, Samurai, Phoenix, and Flame. And Riser Gant, the male in black, represents Wisdom, Monk, Tortoise, and Thunder. I honestly had trouble deciphering it all visually until I was researching for this post. The symbolism in these designs is what I have grown to love most about them. Researching all the new properties that have emerged since my interest dwindled a decade ago has been a fun quarantine pasttime. (There have been a lot!) Let's check out Riser Kageri below!

The Ladies of CHOUSEISHIN GRANSAZER!

Konami Real Great Model Series - Chouseishin Gransazer - Konami 2004

In the mid-aughts, I was obsessed with Japanese tokusatsu vinyl figures. Besides some vague exposure to Power Rangers and Beetleborgs, the genre was basically unknown to me. I spent a lot of time back then browsing Japanese auction sites (for other non-action-figure hobbies of mine) when I first came across the trend of 1:12 vinyl figures. I was fascinated by these inexpensive and bountiful collectibles. Just when I had written off Japanese pop culture as only schoolgirl uniforms and cat ears I discovered this world of colorful armor and intricate design themes. The vast majority of these figures were produced by Bandai, but this amazing Chouseishin Gransazer is apparently made by Konami (I say apparently because despite the copyright stamped on the figure and the logo on the packaging, I can't find solid proof that Konami ever made toys). I especially like this group because there are a whopping twelve main characters including four females. Let's check them all out below!

Kamer Rider - TACKLE!

Soul of Soft Vinyl - Figure #36 - Kamen Rider Stronger: Tackle - Bandai 2007

There are several Tokusatsu (aka Special Effects Filming) genres that dominate the pop culture landscape in Japan. Think of Kaiju (Godzilla), Super Sentai (Power Rangers), Ultraman, Metal Heroes (Beetleborgs), and of course Kamen Rider (Masked Rider). Kamen Rider was created by Shotaro Ishinomori (Power Rangers, Cyborg 009) in 1971 and features insect-themed cyborgs riding motorcycles and fighting against their creators (terrorist cells made up of former Nazis with group names like Shocker and Black Satan). The first female rider was "Electro-Wave Human Tackle" in the fifth series, Kamen Rider Stronger from 1975. Although never officially a "Rider," she had similar cyborg origins, she rode a bike, and she had an insect-themed (Ladybug) outfit. As a typical trope for female characters in genres like this, she was a love interest for the protagonist who eventually sacrificed her life to save a man. Plus her breast armor is typically awkward. She's a great example of the time. Let's check out Tackle below!

Kikaider - BIJINDER!

Soul of Soft Vinyl - Figure #15 - Kikaider 01: Bijinder (Bijinda) - Bandai 2005

Kikaider is Japanese television franchise from 1972 created by Shotaro Ishinomori, the creator of Super Sentai (Power Rangers) and Cyborg 009. The original series deals with an android named Kikaider created by a scientist to protect his family. I first became aware of the property when Bandai's Super Imaginative Chogokin toys were showing up in specialty shops in the late 90s. Funny thing was, this specific toyline was hyper-detailed and didn't really appeal to me, but the general character designs were weird are really unique and stuck with me. A few years later this Soul of Soft Vinyl figure was released in Japan and I knew I had to have it. Bijinder was an evil android from the second TV Series (Kikaider 01) in 1973 created to destroy Kikaider. She eventually became an ally who appeared in 17 episodes and also appeared in the early 2000's anime. A typical trope of early tokusatsu is female characters with weaponized breasts. And Bijinder's lasers are no exception. Let's check her out below!

Sentai Hero Series - LADIES OF MAGIRANGER!

Sentai Hero Series - Magi Pink, Magi Blue, and Magi Mother - Bandai 2005

Power Rangers Mystic Force was the 2006 iteration of the Power Rangers franchise and marked my first real fascination with the brand. Every season of Power Rangers had a theme - most of which honestly didn't interest me in the least: ninjas, space, etc. But the Mystic Force season featured a mythology theme and I loved it. The main females were the Pink Mystic Ranger (Fairy) and Blue Mystic Ranger (Mermaid). Even their Zord forms looked like vaguely feminine humanoids. I picked up several of the Bandai USA toys, but my favorite products were the Japanese Sentai Hero Series vinyl figures (released with the 2005 Magiranger series). They beat out the rest because this line included the White Mystic Ranger (Snow) that I don't believe was ever included in the American toylines. The Sentai Hero Series is a really fin and inexpensive line to collect. While not especially well articulated, they have decent, consistent sculpts and great character selection. Let's check out the Mystic Rangers below!

Marvel Amazing Yamaguchi - SPIDER-GWEN!

Revoltech: Marvel Amazing Yamaguchi #4 - Spider-Gwen - Kaiyodo 2017

I'm always very tempted by super-articulated import action figures. The potential for posing and play often seems so limitless, but there is always a risk involved. The price point ranges anywhere from $50-90 and sometimes the hyper-articulation makes the figures feel fragile and floppy. My first high-end figure purchase was the four Knight Sabers from Bubblegum Crisis many years ago. I paid a ton for them but was ultimately very disappointed in their quality. Luckily I was able to sell them and profit, but that experience made me very wary about future purchases. This Revoltech Spider-Gwen is only the fifth such figure in my collection that I've actually opened, although I have at least five more still sealed that I'm nervous about unboxing. Spider-Gwen indeed has an intense amount of articulation. It's so much that it's difficult to display her in a static standing pose without her slumping or cocking her hips. But she's a character that is meant to be dynamic, so it's acceptable to me. Let's check her out below!

MiniForce Rangers - LUCY THE FOX!

MiniForce - Miniforce Rangers - Mystical Magic Lucy - Sonokong Toys 2015

MiniForce is a Korean animated show starring four cute chibi-type animal heroes - Volt the Squirrel (Blue), Max the Beaver (Yellow), Lucy the Fox (Pink), and Sammy the Owl (Red). When they jump into action, there is a transformation sequence when they become human-like Rangers. When their Ranger skills aren't enough, their weapons can transform into Force Weapons. When that's not enough, they dispatch their Force Cars which race to the rescue. When the cars aren't enough, each car transforms into a Force Bot (in whose heads the Rangers are tiny pilots). When the robot fighting skills aren't enough, they can unleash these unique powered up weapons - Force Flash, Force Jet, Force Ring, etc - often requiring a combination of effort. Speaking of combinations, the Force Bots pair off to combine into Sammy-Lucy-Tron and Volt-Max-Tron. And predictably, these two can combine into the ultimate Force Giantron. It's a nesting doll of Eastern genres in an 11-minute preschool show and it's amazing.

GG Bond (Pig Hero) - PHOEBE!

GG Bond (Pig Hero) - Super Cute Pets: Phoebe/Flamingo - JinJiang Toys 2017

GG Bond is a very popular animation franchise in China. It stars a young pig with superpowers named GG Bond (aka Pig Hero) and his pig friends. It's clearly aimed at children - complete with squeaky voices and morality lessons. The franchise currently has eight television seasons and four movies. I'm really not sure what season or film these particular toys are from, but it seems the characters all pilot robots that transform into "Super Cute Pets." The token female pig hero, Phoebe, pilots a bird - translated as Flamingo (but I think it's really a mis-translated "pink bird" because it looks nothing like a flamingo). The robot theme seems like a break from the typical look of the show, but I'm just learning about this now so who knows. I really dig the look of Phoebe's robot mode and I was so excited to get her. It seems like this same design may have been produced in varying levels of quality. I've seen pictures that look slightly better, and some that look slightly worse, but I'm happy with the one I got. Let's check her out!

Machine Change British Union - LING YAO!

Machine Change Union - Deformation Series - Lingyao (JQ6103) -  Jia Qi 2017

I'm so in love with the internet sometimes. In the pre-internet days, collecting was an often difficult, frustrating, and restrictive hobby. I didn't collect toys back then, but my Pez and Comic addictions were equally confined to a small bubble of local shops, regional trade shows, and the occasional reference book. I remember the day I decided to search for my favorite old toys on the internet and realized I was wading into a deep pool. That fateful first step was about 13 years ago, and honestly, since then I've often thought I had explored every inch of the toy internet. But every once in a while I stumble across a whole new unexplored facet and that old feeling rushes back. Over the Christmas holidays this year I discovered Chinese action figures. Not the type that show up on eBay, but weird quirky toys made in China for the Chinese market. I spent hours and hours discovering dozens of figures that I'm excited to review. The first figure will be this awesome pink and Purple fembot, Lingyao. Let's check her out below!

Star Wars Die-Cast - REY & CAPTAIN PHASMA!

Star Wars Mini Die-Cast Figures - Phasma #11 & Rey #14 - TakaraTomy 2016

I have a real fondness for 1:28 scale figures. They remind me of the 80s so much: DinoRiders, M.A.S.K., Starriors, Air Raider, Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors, StarCom, there's probably more but I forget. It was a unique scale at the time and I ate it all up. So fast-forward to a couple weeks ago when I was in San Franciso for work and stopped into the Super7 store (and spent wayyyy too much money). My favorite discovery were the diecast miniature Force Awakens figure from TakaraTomy. I have lots of tiny figures, and lots of diecast figures, but aside from my Eagle Force Goldie Hawk, these are my only combination of the two. So far the only females are Rey and Captain Phasma. But with so many Rogue One figures in the set, I'm sure we'll see a Jyn Erso eventually. Not to mention the matriarch Leia. I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for more now that I know they exist, but in the nature of most imported toys, I'm sure any future figures will totally sneak up on me. Let's check out Phasma and Rey below!

Ultraman - ANDRO FROL!

Ultra Hero Series - Andro Meros 4: Andro Frol (Vinyl Figure) - Bandai 2003

I'm a big fan of Japanese vinyl figures.  Between the major Japanese genres like Super Sentai, Kamen Rider, and Ultraman, there are an overwhelming number of characters with awesome designs.  If these characters were all made into the typical high-end collectible figures like Figma or SHFiguarts, they would be laughably unobtainable for me. Heck, even if they were produced as standard American-style action figures, the sheer quantity of tempting characters would have me bankrupt in no time.  That's why I love these inexpensive, simply-made vinyl figures from Bandai. Andro Frol is one of the four new characters introduced in the 1984 mini-show Ultra Super Legend: Andromelos. She is the princess of the Andro people and has many powers including: energy beams from her forehead, generation of a force field, and telekinesis. I always thought her design was really cool with her futuristic armor and little angel wings. Contrasting design elements like that always thrill me. Let's check her out below!

S.H.Figuarts - YELLOW RANGER!

S.H.Figuarts: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers - Yellow Ranger - Bandai 2013

Bandai's S.H.Figuarts line is arguably the best high-end collector action figure on the market today.  The most direct competitor is the Figma series from Max Factory, but their character selection rarely expands into Western pop culture.  Hot Toys and Play Arts Kai are amazing, but their scale and price exclude them from a lot of collections.  S.H.Figuarts, however, wins on almost all levels.  They are affordable at anywhere in the $30-60 range. Their 5-6" scale fits in nicely with most modern action figures.  And their licences are fantastic:  Sailor Moon, Super Mario Bros, Megaman, DC Injustice, and of course the Power Rangers (among others).  This Mighty Morphin Power Rangers line may be the first widely-distributed figures seen in US stores, but I've been drooling over all the different Ranger iterations for years.  Just go to eBay and search for "SHFiguarts Pink" and you'll be tempted by the variations too. But before you head down that eBay spiral, let's check out this ultra-articulated Trini below!

Korejanai Robo CATWOMAN!

Justice League X Korejanai Robo - McDonald's China Exc - Zarigani Works 2014

I've always wanted robot versions of all my favorite bat-ladies but I never thought I'd actually get one.  Granted, this isn't the cool sleek version I expected either.  Korejanai Robo is a line of "intentionally lame" toys meant to conjure the nostalgic feelings of disappointment from getting a bootleg toy on Christmas morning instead of the real deal.  Korejani Robo roughly translates into "Not this robot!"  I believe the original robots are made of wood and imported as designer toys by companies like Kotobukiya.  The DC Comics versions were released this year in both blind box format as well as McDonald's Toys in Hong Kong.  This Catwoman figure is the super exclusive figure of the bunch because she was only released as a McDonald's Online exclusive when you placed an internet order for delivery.  Also, I beleive the Joker figure is only available in the McDonald's HK locations (as opposed to the rest of the figures who you can find elsewhere in the blind box assortments).  Let's check out Robo Catwoman below!

Tetsuwan Tantei Robotack - MIMEENA!

Metal Hero Series: Tetsuwan Tantei Robotack - Mimeena - Bandai 1998

I was trying to think a good Easter review when I remembered this goofy little beauty.  Toei's Metal Heroes Series ran from 1982 through 1998 with a variety of (mostly) kid-oriented television programs.  The most popular ones for US audiences were VR Troopers from 1994 and the Big Bad Beetleborgs from 1996.  The Robotack series is the newest, but never made it to US Television.  Tetsuwan Tantei Robotack is a sequel series to B-Robo Kabutack (from which I reviewed Tentorina last year) and was the 17th and final installement of the Metal Heroes Series.  Mimeena is a bunny-themed robot who is in love with Kamerock, a turtle-themed robot and one of the two main characters.  Their relationship is a Tortoise and Hare motif.  Bandai released these figures in 1998 in Japan so they can be a bit diffiuclt to find in other countries.  But if you can hunt them down, they make great quirky additions to any fembot collection.  Let's check out Mimeena below!

Super Mario Bros TOADETTE!

Nintendo Prize Collection - Super Mario Characters 3 - Banpresto 2007

Who would have thought there could a cuter mushroom person than the main man Toad?  I think this little pink lady might be giving him a run for his money.  Toadette first appeared in 2003's Mario Kart: Double Dash as Toad's sister, or friend, or sweetheart (it's been unclear) and went on to appear in at least nine other games since (mostly in the Mario Party and Mario Kart series) as both playable and non-playable characters.  I've been seeing this figure of Toadette on eBay for years but only recently caved and bought her - I shouldn't say caved actually, because she was extremely cheap.  Now I suddenly really dig this character and am hoping to someday get figures of her in smaller scales like PopCo and K'Nex.  Banpresto is a company that we don't often see too many collectibles from here in the US (although they made my absolute favorite Godzilla toy) but in Japan they are everywhere.  The prevalence of cheaper vinyl toys is another Japanese trend that is sorely lacking in the US.. but someday we'll get on board... someday.  Let's check out Toadette below!