Tomopop Review: S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider Kaixa by Bandai

4:00 PM on 11.06.2011   |   Andres Cerrato

As you have come to expect from me, I'm a giant fan of Kamen Rider. While I haven't been able to go through the entirety of Kamen Rider 555 (Faiz), my favorite rider and design from the series is Kamen Rider Kaixa. As Bandai has been increasing its stable of releases, I was pretty excited at the prospect of owning a S.H. Figuarts Kaixa.

Given my own personal hype, this figure had a lot to live up to. Hit the jump to find out if S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider Kaixa exceeds the charges I've laid on it.

Figure Name: S.H. Figuarts Masked (Kamen Rider) Kaixa
Figure Maker: Bandai
Retail Value: ¥3,300, US$39.99
Available at: Big Bad Toy Store

Kaixa's packaging follows the same box style that was used for Faiz and all Figuarts. Nice window packaging, shot of the Rider and a nice black, purple, and yellow scheme. Packaging to me stands out, but I get rather bored talking of it, so let's see what's inside.

As you can tell by the assortment, Kaixa has quite a bit to him. While a lot of it is alternate parts, it's nice that we're given this much. S.H. Figuarts tend not to skimp on the accessories, thankfully Kaixa continues that tradition. He has three pairs of hands plus an additional right hand. As far as weapons, he comes packed with the Kaixa Shot, Pointer, Phone and the X-shaped Blaygun. This is going to lead to quite the bit of posing fun for me.

The suit itself is pretty much replicated exactly as it appeared in the show. The only caveat that I have is that the yellow paint in the chest has bleed out from where it's supposed to be. It's something that can be corrected with a Micron pen, but it's annoying that it has to be done in the first place, especially given how Figuarts have risen in price over the past year.

An up-close shot details where that yellow bleeding stands out. However, you can also see they did an excellent job everywhere else. Kaixa's head sculpt is outstanding, made all the better by those compound eyes. However, some have complained that the eyes aren't violet enough and just a tad too blue. Personally, I'm fine with it and there's no denying how good a job they did on the eyes.

What really makes Figuarts amazing is their posing which is acheived by their joints. The knees and elbows are both double jointed. The ratcheting ankle joint is back in this release for Kaixa. It's important to note as several releases as of late have been featuring ball/socket joints, which aren't as stable as these joints. The hip and leg joints are quite good as well, allowing for the leg to extend out and bend. It's the joints and their stability which always lead me to love these figures and Kaixa doesn't disappoint in the slightest.

As you can see here, Kaixa can definitely get into a lot of posing possibilities. The range of motion is incredible and it actually holds. I currently have Kaixa on my shelf in this position and it's held this position for two weeks. I can't say enough about how well S.H. Figuarts can handle so many poses and actually hold them in place.

Weapons are fun, as here's Kaixa using the Kaixa Pointer to punch Faix in the face. The seamline in his helmet is rather noticeable, and I wish they would have put the seam down the middle. However, that would be quite difficult given his face design, so I'm okay with this line existing.

Why use just use the Blaygun when your cellphone is also a gun? Double-wielding is fun too.

Hell, why not have the gun become a sword as well? Kaixa is all about practicality. I can only begin to describe how much I wish I had a cellphone that was a gun and a gun that was also a sword.

All things considered, S.H. Figuarts Kaixa is a great figure. Even with some issues regarding yellow paint in his chest as well as the concern over his "not as violet as I want" eyes, the benefits far, far outweigh any of the negatives. If you're a fan of Kamen Rider 555 or just think that Kaixa looks good, you won't be disappointed with this figure.