I'm a huge
Tiger & Bunny fan. I remember when I first saw this anime, and wondered where was the tiger and bunny elements in such a show. But the cool hero costumes and interesting characters made me try out the first episode, and I was reeled into the world of
Tiger & Bunny. There are few anime that I really go crazy over, and
Tiger & Bunny has been one of the rare exceptions. When the S.H. Figuarts toys came out initially, I did not purchase them due to my measly allowance years ago. But in the recent years, I've been getting more allowance, and the resurgence of
Tiger & Bunny feels made me decide to collect Wild Tiger and Barnaby Brooks Jr. Since then, I have decided to collect the full team, since I saw the Heroes coming out one after another! So here's my compiled post to review every single one of these awesome heroes!
In general, all the figures come well-painted and accurately designed, even to the tiny details. The more detailed the character (like Origami Cyclone), the more impressed I am that they captured everything. For all the figures except Wild Tiger (Top Mag ver.) the supervisor for them is
Masakazu Katsura, the character designer for
Tiger & Bunny, explaining the huge accuracy. The Top Mag ver. of Wild Tiger is supervised by
Keiichi Sato, director of
Tiger & Bunny, but does not make the figure any less accurate. Being S.H. Figuarts, all the figures boast great articulation, but some might not be as good (which I'll cover in their individual reviews). Box designs are rather similar, showing their civilian forms and a snapshot of the figure, with an open window to display the figure and the accessories. One side of the box shows the figure's name, while the other side shows the figure along with its name (as shown above). The back of the box would have pictures of the figures in trademark or cool poses, along with their name and Nickname. Their sponsors are mentioned too, along with the supervisor for the toy and some flavor text. I'm glad there is standardization of these boxes, which makes collecting them together seem cooler! You will notice that most of the reviews have similar pros since they are just as awesome, so I would mention more of things they could've been improved on. Don't get me wrong; despite these cons, all these figures are still worth it! Now, let's move on to the individual reviews!
Contents
0. Wild Tiger (Top Mag ver.)
1. Wild Tiger
2. Barnaby Brooks Jr.
3. Rock Bison
4. Sky High
5. Origami Cyclone
6. Fire Emblem
*incomplete*
7. Blue Rose
*incomplete*
8. Dragon Kid
*TBA*
9. Lunatic
*incomplete*
0. Wild Tiger (Top Mag ver.)
Pros - Accurate details and paint, good articulation
Cons - Could use more interchangeable hands
Kotetsu T. Kaburagi is my favourite character in
Tiger & Bunny. And something about his old "crap suit" costume just made me love it. I like his current suit, don't get me wrong, but this costume was awesome too. And when I got this figure, I had a great time posing him and re-enacting his poses. I've read reviews talking about how the spikes at the back of his head may scratch the paint off the body, so I ensured I kept mine safe when posing. The paint for this was good, although the shoulders of mine had a bit of bluish tint on the white. Apart from that, I love the paint job for this figure.
This figure comes with the stand, 2 pair of interchangeable hands, and 2 variations of his cape (1 normal one and 1 flowing one for action poses), and 2 interchangeable heads. I really don't know all the technical terms for the various joints, but this figure has most of them, except the waist swivel joint. I love the details on this figure; nothing is missed out. As you can see from the picture above, his sides have these visible white lines, although they don't bother me. The sponsor logo is very clear and beautifully done, and so is the face on the two heads. The normal cape will get in the way of the stand, so just a heads up on that. The cape makes the figure difficult to pose without the support of the stand, as the equilibrium would be quite screwed. I also wish he had more hands other than the clenched fists and open hands, such as his trademark thumbs up hands or those karate chop hands which I feel would suit him. That would definitely open this figure up to more poses! While his head looks fantastic, it looks a bit odd from certain side angles somehow.
Apart from the few negative points pointed out, this figure was really fun to tinker with. The flowing cape and choice of faces (either the serious teeth-gritting or the charming smiling) allows this figure to take on many action poses. The joints don't get loose easily, although the right leg of mine came out at first when I tried to loosen it a bit. This toy is a must-have for hardcore Kotetsu/Wild Tiger fans!
Paint: 9/10
Detailing: 9.5/10
Articulation: 8/10
Accessories: 7/10
Fun Factor: 8/10
1. Wild Tiger
Pros- Detailed, well-painted, numerous accessories
Cons- hands not painted, could use more hands
I apologize for the inconsistency of the photos for this figure and the Barnaby figure afterwards. I've yet to retake them properly, and am currently using iPhone photos I took some time back. So, Wild Tiger. I've read the reviews, and apparently this figure sold out really fast. I'm glad that after several years I could still snag a set, although mine is a display set, and the box got sliced open by the shop owner QAQ But the price was lowered, and I still love it anyway.
This figure comes with a few stuff: 2 extra pair of hands, 1 pair of Wild Shoot, Good Luck Mode arm, and a stand. I'm really happy that they included the Good Luck Mode, unlike subsequent Wild Tiger versions, and the details are really beautiful on this one. Articulation of this figure is good, although the shoulder pads may obstruct the bending of arms at (only a few) certain angles! Details on this figure is good, even the sponsors. What pleased me most was the detailing on the head and the base of the feet. Prior to this, I've been purchasing US toys such as Marvel Legends, and the soles of the feet were usually neglected. S.H. Figuarts really raise the bar. By removing the armor on the lower arm, you can attach the Wild Shoot, and you can switch the hands to the gripping ones to hold the handles of the Wild Shoot. I've heard of some Wild Tiger figures having a weak ball joint at the waist-leg part, which breaks very easy. Fortunately my figure is pretty solid.
Things to note would include the fact that the hands and Wild Shoot are not painted. The hands are suppose to have some silver at the tips and the top of the fingers, which are done in subsequent versions of Wild Tiger figures. Same for the Wild Shoot. The high collar design of Wild Tiger restricts head rotation, and the Good Luck Mode arm is too heavy for the figure to hold up the arm without any support. Also, being a comedic character, Wild Tiger had many well-known poses, such as the imitating of Barnaby, or the thumbs up expression. This figure lacks all these hands to do those poses, and S.H. Figuarts used this figure to learn from their mistake and give the 1 minute version 6 different pairs of hands. These are the only bad points I can point out on this figure. Overall, this is still an awesome figure, with its somewhat many accessories.
Paint: 9/10
Detailing: 8/10
Articulation: 8.5/10
Accessories: 9/10
Fun Factor: 9/10
2. Barnaby Brooks Jr.
Pros - High accuracy and detailing, awesome paint job, decent articulation
Cons - merely "decent" articulation, relatively less accessories
Like Wild Tiger, I've yet to do a proper re-shoot of this figure, so bear with my iPhone pics of this figure for now. Barnaby Brooks Jr. (he doesn't have a Hero name) is the second half of the hero duo, and so if you get Wild Tiger there's a chance you would want Bunny-chan too. The details on this figure is superb as expected, all the way down to the wings on his back. I've no qualms about paint job on mine, or maybe I'm not the kind who look at every tiny inch of the figure for paint problems. The hands are painted with details this time, unlike Wild Tiger.
This figure comes with a total of 2 sets of hands (opened and clenched), an extra arm guard with Amazon.com logo, 1 stand, and his Good Luck Mode leg. I believe that after Wild Tiger came out with somewhat numerous accessories, people would feel cheated that Barnaby has way less stuff given. To be fair, all Wild Tiger had was an extra pair of hands to go with his Wild Shoots, which Barnaby doesn't have in the anime. Of course, S.H. Figuarts could have given more hands, such as that salute gesture that makes girls go wild in the anime. Maybe out of diabolical marketing schemes, these hands are actually available in the Darkness Bunny ver. of Barnaby Brooks Jr. Anyway I digress. This figure gives the bare essentials for basic poses, which in my opinion is quite decent already. Maybe I'm just not a fussy buyer. I mean, you've such an awesome figure already, asking for more seems a bit greedy. The sponsors are nicely printed/painted(?) on the figure, probably so as not to get into any trouble :P
Like Wild Tiger, Barnaby comes with his Good Luck Mode, which is quite a solid piece if I say so myself. There is this fear when interchanging the legs though; imagine breaking the leg joint when pulling the leg out to swap. But so far Good Luck is on my side. Apparently the middle part of the GLM leg should be gold, so fussy collectors might not like this. The GLM leg makes standing a bit weird, but the weight is not so much that it would make posing kick poses difficult (unlike Wild Tiger's huge GLM arm). Articulation-wise, I'd say that S.H. Figuarts tried its best, although the legs are not flexible enough to do really epic flying kick stances. The head is also restricted by the high collar, probably more than Wild Tiger. The shoulder pads and wings at the back can move too, which is a nice touch to articulation. Like Wild Tiger, the feet are well-designed, with even the soles painted. The paint on mine got a bit scratched off though, from all the posing I did for this figure. The lack of accessories may limit the fun factor of this figure, but I believe that having both him and Wild Tiger would bring in a lot more fun!
Paint: 9/10
Detailing: 9/10
Articulation: 7.5/10
Accessories: 7.5/10
Fun Factor: 8/10
3. Rock Bison
Pros - Beautiful detailing and painting (as expected), impressive poseability for a big figure
Cons - almost no accessories, moderate articulation only
The Bull Tank of the West Coast! It's Rock Bison, Kotetsu's close friend, and hero name given by Tomoe Kaburagi! This hero is massive! The size of his box is much bigger than the boxes for the other heroes! It's quite self-explanatory since his hero suit is much bigger than the rest. This figure comes with 1 extra set of hands (usual open hands and clenched fists), 1 stand, and 2 interchangeable pipes for the back of the head.
The detailing on this figure is remarkable, as usual. I especially like how the back of the head is done, looking really detailed with all those mechanic parts. The rubber pipes are meant to be attached there, which I assume are to help Antonio breathe while in the suit. The two shoulder drills need to be attached on when you first open the box. For such a big figure, it is pretty sturdy, able to stand upright without the assistance of the stand. Speaking of the stand, it's the same kind of stand given in all the figures, so it seems a bit small for Rock Bison. Even the claw part meant to put around the waist can barely go around half his waist!
Being all big and clunky, the articulation is limited. Not that this stopped S.H. Figuarts from doing its best. The joints between the arms and main body are really good, and the legs+feet are spectacularly designed to allow posing this hulking figure. The skirting part of his armor is made to be able to adjust for wider stances, which is good. My only issue is the elbow part of his arms, which are not the usual bendable arms. It isn't too bad, although the left side of my figure tends to come out easily if i try to bend it too much. The accessories given are rather little, and if you know Rock Bison in the anime, there is not really a lot of poses for him as compared to the other heroes. This lack in fun factor is made up through the beautiful sculpting, paint job, and stability of this figure though. Unless you're a Rock Bison fan, or love
Tiger & Bunny in general, or want to collect the full set, I don't think collectors would want to purchase this figure. Me, I think it's a pretty decent figure. Can't blame Rock Bison for not having accessories, unless you expect them to give you the vehicle that constantly rockets Rock Bison into the air!
Paint: 9/10
Detailing: 9.5/10
Articulation: : 7/10
Accessories: 3/10
Fun Factor: 7/10
4. Sky High
Pros- High accuracy in terms of details, paint and sculpt, really poseable
Cons- Accessory of broken horn and alternate face feels redundant
Ah yes, the King of Heroes!Keith Goodman is like a Captain America, being a man of heart and purity, although he can be rather blur at times. Sky High has his funny moments, like when he was sad about not being able to perform his role during Barnaby's birthday surprise. Not to mention, Sky High has his trademark "Thanks, and thanks again!" pose and wind attack poses, all that can be done with this figure!
This figure comes with a total of 4 sets of hands (fists, karate chop hands, open palms, open wind attack palms), the broken interchangeable face, a small broken fragment of the horn, 2 sets of the jet pack tips (1 normal, 1 with jet streams), and 1 stand. After a lack of accessories from Rock Bison and Barnaby Brooks Jr., the huge variety of interchangeable hands proved to be a welcoming sight. The paint job is done really well, without any flaws found on my figure. The sponsors (Tamashii Nations and Ustream) are nice and sharp on Sky High.
The numerous hands provides a lot of fun for this figure, allowing you to recreate his trademark poses, salutes, and wind attacks. The figure boasts a lot of articulation, as usual. The lower half of his jacket is adjustable to allow poses that involves opening his legs. And the head is able to rotate quite a bit, the shape of the helmet not obstructing flexibility much. However, it may look a bit weird when the lower part of the jacket is opened up. The shoulders' movement is limited by the shoulder pads, although it does not limit much. Also, the torso will reveal a gap if arched back too much, which can be an eye sore, so try to avoid doing any pose that would require that. One thing to note: the jet pack might block the stand claw from grabbing the figure. And somehow the knee cap for the right leg of my figure tends to fall out easily.
The jet pack and the jet streams are a really nice addition to the figure, and I think is a good call. This helps to make Sky High seem to really be flying when you pose him, adding more fun to him. All in all, this figure has really a lot of fun factor in it, and is definitely worth its value.
Paint: 9/10
Detailing: 8/10
Articulation: 8.5/10
Accessories: 9/10
Fun Factor: 9/10
5. Origami Cyclone
Pros- Very vibrant and detailed figure, variety of accessories
Cons- sword hilts cannot stay attached to the body, relatively larger than the other figures
The Master of Appearances! Always wandering around the background and possibly the useless hero when introduced, I love how Origami Cyclone has evolved as a character, becoming a more active hero. The way he went aggressive in Tiger & Bunny: The Rising was proof, along with his accuracy at throwing darts and shurikens in the movie as compared to his poor aiming displayed at the ending of Tiger & Bunny: The Beginning. Like the anime, this figure comes with all the arsenal he carries, which makes this figure really fun to tinker with.
This figure comes with a lot stuff: 1stand, two swords with detachable hilts, 2 large shurikens (one with the clamp attached, one without), the shuriken clamp alone, 1 small normal shuriken, 2 extra pairs of interchangeable hands, and the sword holders to attach to the figure. Origami Cyclone has numerous sponsors, which are clearly indicated on him and on his huge shurikens. His hero suit is rather colourful with sponsor logos everywhere, and S.H.Figuarts nailed them right. This figure looks as vibrant and cool as the anime, despite his lack of air time. Even the figure is on his platform footwear (sorry I don't know the name), which do not affect the stability of the figure surprisingly. The paint and detailing are as beautiful as always, right down to the huge shuriken. The elaborate design of the costume is transformed well into the figure, especially impressed with the waist region with the two red straps.
This character is rather poseable, even the head with I expected to be obstructed by the helmet design. Sure, looking upwards may be difficult, but it's still good nonetheless. The body to legs part is really well-designed to accommodate for the costume design while not hindering the movement of the legs. I have not encountered any loose joints. Also, the hands provided include a clenched one, a pair for grabbing the huge shurikens, and slightly clenched ones to hold the katanas. This, with the huge variety of weapons to choose from, allows Origami Cyclone to do many cool poses. Origami Cyclone is a really cool addition to the heroes of Sternbild, the only major problem being his size. Strongly recommended for Tiger & Bunny fans!
Paint: 9/10
Detailing: 9/10
Articulation: 8/10
Accessories: 10/10
Fun Factor: 10/10
6. Fire Emblem
Pros- Really articulated, high fun factor, well detailed and painted
Cons- nothing major actually
The Bourgeois Open Flame Broil, Fire Emblem! Fire Emblem, aka Nathan Seymour, never had much character development in the series, being mostly a comedy relief character. Little was explored about him, so he didn't stand out to me as much as the rest. But wow, did The Rising movie make me totally love his character. And with that, I got to love this figure just as much.
While Rock Bison's box is the largest due to the size of his figure, Fire Emblem's package is the widest among the heroes (no dirty joke intended). This is due to the two capes that come with the figure. Fire Emblem comes with a total of 4 pairs of interchangeable hands, along with 1 hand that has a small flame on it, 2 capes (1 normal and 1 flowing/moving shape), and 1 stand (not shown in the picture). Sure, there are no accessories, but I swear that among all the Tiger & Bunny figures I have, I had the most fun fiddling with Fire Emblem, thanks to his variety of hands and capes.
The details of this figure is magnificent; not that S.H.Figuarts should be making any mistakes with it. The paint is done well on this figure, especially the cape. Even though the cape in the anime has really cool fire design that I don't expect the figure to reproduce, I love how they painted the cape. I really cannot find any faults with the paint job. Sponsors animate and FMV are present on Fire Emblem's shoulders. Articulation of this figure is pretty good, my only wish is that the elbows can bend more. Also, I wish the forearms could rotate, as they may seem to be in an awkward angle when posing. The head is not restricted by anything, allowing it to rotate in any direction you want. The feet are rather stable, despite him wearing heels, such that he can pose without the support of a stand.
As mentioned earlier, Fire Emblem comes with 2 capes. With each cape comes a different way to attach the stand. This allows you to pose Fire Emblem any way you want without the cape and stand claw posing any restriction. I was really impressed with S.H.Figuarts for putting thought into this. This figure has a large variety of hand gestures to use, be it to make some fire attack pose, feminine pose, cool pose, etc. The options are much more than the previous heroes in this series, surpassing even the King of Heroes Sky High.
Paint: 10/10
Detailing: 9/10
Articulation: : 9/10
Accessories: 9/10
Fun Factor: 9/10
7. Blue Rose
Pros - Numerous accessories, beautiful detailing
Cons - Difficult to stand, feels fragile
Superstar of the Hero World, Blue Rose! With her catchphrase, "My ice may be a little
cold, but your crime has been put completely on
hold!" After the dynamic duo, Blue Rose is the next popular character in Hero TV, and so character development is quite a lot for her. We see her find her reason to be a hero
, and also forbidden love. Being a female character, it is no surprise that she costs a bomb as compared to the male ones, and also is a Tamashii Nations exclusive. Fortunately I found a local seller with a decent price!
This figure comes with its exclusive stand, 3 other interchangeable faces, 3 more sets of hands (gun-holding, opened, pointing), empty gun holsters and 2 of her ice guns, and her attachable thorns.Being a teenage girl, she is quite petite and small compared to the figures we've been getting in this line (Dragon Kid will be even smaller!) and thus she feels rather... fragile. With Pepsi MAX being her sponsor, we can see the Pepsi logo plastered around her costume. And being a superstar, Blue Rose comes with parts to act the part of one.
Blue Rose is really detailed! Her faces are rather well-done, right down to the eyes and earrings. The Pepsi logos are rather sharp and clear as with the other figures.The interchangeable parts provides a lot of different poses for Blue Rose, be it in action or
