Hello all
the toy i am gonna review today is
Bandai's new kamen rider toy line,
TAF series 01, kamen rider kuuga.
got this one with den-o since it got released together.
so... what's TAF
it stands for Twist Action !!!!form
used leather suit to hide the mechanical joints and replicate the looks just ilke the show. Also the wire frame body allows it to move "freely"
Kuuga is is TAF 01 and Den-O is TAF02. the release dates are same but kuuga got made first. so kuuga is like prototype and you can definitely see that. there are a lot of things lacking.
Let's check
1. unappealing packaging
2. backside. when it got announced last year, those 3 pics were the only sample pics shown (den-o had about 7). I should've known at this point that those poses are the only poses that actually looks natural.
3. accessaries.one extra set of hand.................... ARE YOU F***ing SERIOUS BANDAI???? you want me to pay 4200 yen for this crap??? well, i knew it had so little, but looking at it for real... wow. At least they should've included "thumb up" hand
4. front. proportion... head and hands are kinda big. poaint job is ok, except the arm. I understand that the red part on the arms are not glossy (since it was like that in the show) but the red is so light. looks more like pink. That, I don't like.
5. back
6. Side
7. articulation. about same as den-o
8. same as den-o maybe little more than that because kuuga doesn't have much thing on the legs, but it looks weird where it bends
9. look at the eyes. it's clear and the bumpy thing is inside of the head, it's separate thing. it doesn't move with the head, so when i rotate the head, you can see a middle line on the bumpy part.
just random pictures
first, trans!formation sequence. from kuuga to kuuga (that's not trans!formation!!)
get the blt out
henshin 変身
Rider Kick... i mean mighty kick
from front.
and land
creepy pics
it bends in such a weird way.
scary
comparing with Den-o
comparing the legs
den-o has a lot of stuff on the legs and that prevents the legs to bend weird. Bandai knew that kuuga's legs are messed up. So for TAF 03 Ryuki, on its thighs, it added some armors that not from the show.
comparing the hands
kuuga's hands are so big
theater
hey, come here for sec
Den-O: what is it?
Kuuga: i am senpai, so you better do as I say. get me some drink will ya?
Den-O: what the hell do I need to obey a cripple like you?...
wth, I can actually do Sharpshooter with an action figure. COOL
then, let's try...
KINIKKU BU... I mean DEN-O BUSTER!!!!
score
Proportion/Detail 3/5
Proportion so-so. hiding the joints looks good. piant job on the arms are bit annoying but other than that, ok. leather suit works(no cracking). but what is up with the screwed up legs.
Articulation 2.5/5
Very disappointed, it does bend more than den-o but but not by much. t+0.5 for freaky legs
durability / firmness 3/5
I was worried about the wireframe snapping. but unless it's bent back and forth repeatetively, i think it's fine.
when bent to the max, it doesn't stay there, it's because of the air pocket and leather suit. the wire is not strong enough to resist the force.
cost / accesssaries 1/5
It's freaking 4200 yen!!?? for just the figure and one more pair of hands.
even less soft vinyl is used for armors compared to den-o but it costs the same. I want THUMB UP HAND. DAMN YOU BANDAI!!!
Overall 2.5/5
the legs are so weird, no poses look good. the legs feel like an old toy called Stretch Arm Strong.