Bandai | S.H. Figuarts | Kamen Rider 1 (New)

For one of my birthdays, my grandparents bought me a box set of Kamen Rider figures that featured up to the latest Rider at the time which was Kamen Rider Super 1. These were your standard 3-points of articulation plastic toys that Japan is well-known for. They were so cheaply made, but these toys gave us hours upon hours of enjoyment. I can even fondly remember sleeping over at my grandparents’ house while my brother and I created so many adventures.

As time moved on, I stopped paying attention to Kamen Rider after Super 1 because there were just far too many and most had become so far removed from the original bug motifs of the Showa Era the appeal just wasn’t there for me. In the late 90s and early 2000s Medicom would continually produce very nice representations of the classic Riders, but I just wasn’t that interested in procuring any of them. I still loved the property, no doubt because it really resonated with my childhood, but Japanese toys had started to grow really sour on me in the mid 2000s.

So when Bandai started producing their S.H. Figuarts figures, I was hesitant. They looked ok, but Japanese toy quality had really plummeted while their prices kept increasing. Bandai is also the very same company producing figures using joints of different colors, poor proportions and a whole slew of what I would consider lazy design choices in today’s marketplace. But for some reason, my curiosity got the better of me and I decided to start purchasing these figures.

Long story aside, how did Kamen Rider 1 turn out?

It’s Kamen Rider 1, or Ichigo as he’s known. He looks exactly how he should. Not just in this scale, but any scale, and I would definitely choose this figure over any other, 1/6 scale be damned. It’s just spot on and is the Kamen Rider figure I wish I had as a kid. This is the “new” version sporting the silver gloves and boots and a relatively clean color scheme. Short story is that it’s “new” because he got powered up after another failed attempt by Shocker to brainwash him. Shocker actually upgraded him BEFORE trying to fry his brain. Good job, Shocker. Even his eyes are nicely detailed as well as his Typhoon belt. He’s also nicely proportioned which is a big contrast from most Japanese toys. For the outfit? It looks just like he did on TV. The only thing that’s not pleasing is the use of a black ball-socket joint for his hands. A Bandai trait.

When it comes to the paint work, the silver that Bandai uses is just plain fantastic. It’s very vibrant and solid and doesn’t look cheap at all. Mattel could certainly use something similar. The rest of the work is spotless and clean with no problems at all.

One area these figures really shine in is articulation. They can more or less accomplish most poses despite the smaller scale. The only thing this particular figure is lacking are bicep cuts. It seems to be arbitrary as to which ones get it, but I think they didn’t use it on this figure for aesthetic reasons. What I like is that while most of the joints are quite visible, it doesn’t try to hide them which ends up prohibiting them. It’s basically saying, “we know this is a toy” but it still looks nice.

Rider 1 comes with a bunch of silver swappable hands, a Rider kick effect attachment, a different scarf attachment, and a Shocker sword. I would’ve liked some replacement wrist attachments and replacement antenna because these look like they could break and then it’s over.

My biggest concern has to do with the shelf-life of the figure. It’s a pretty durable figure, except for a few places. The first are the antenna on the head. If this figure takes a tumble off a shelf and goes head first and the antenna break, game over. They’re very fragile, and it also makes storing these figures a challenge. The second is that while the articulation is fantastic, it also retains that Japanese characteristic of limbs that easily pop off. From one stance, it’s great cause it won’t really break, but it’s bad in another because it can easily lead to loose joints. I would’ve preferred a more solid construction.

Overall, Bandai has a hit and I just hope the quality continues. I definitely enjoy collecting these and hopefully they’ll keep doing the right things and not get lazy.

Notes: I am using the new Cyclone from the Kamen Rider: The First movie.