TOY NEWS FOR 12/30/2013 - NECA - PROTOTYPE PICS OF UPCOMING FIGURES - PLANET OF THE APES - PACIFIC RIM - ALIEN

NECA has Tweeted out some very cool pictures over the last few days of upcoming product we can expect to see in the new year.

Starting things off is the sculpted prototype for the Cherno Alpha Jeager from Pacific Rim. This will complete the four main Jagers from the film. It's great the both NECA and the fans have supported this line to the point where we can have all these great new figures. I originally feared that We'd only get the original Gypsy Danger and Crimson Typhoon since so many new toy lines don't make it past the first wave or two. But between the film popularity among the collector community and NECA's brilliant work, the line has been insanely popular.

Next up is our first look at a figure from the original Alien film (other than the Alien itself): either Kane or Dallas in the Nostromo space suit. (Expect to definitely see both eventually.)

Of course the big question that still lingers in the air is: will we ever see a Ripley in this line? Hopefully we'll get our answer at Toy Fair in February as NECA has hinted that the possibility of this happening is greater than is was before-- which was absolutely zero.

And finally, we have the first figure being shown in the upcoming Plant of the Apes line!

This one looks like he'll be a Gorilla Warrior of some kind. When this series launches, expect to see figures from both the classic and modern films (but not a Charles Heston "Astronaut Taylor" any time soon.)

TOY NEWS FOR 11/13/2013 - ART STORM - BRAVE GOKIN - TRANSFORMERS - EXCEL SUIT (EXO-SUIT) WITH SPIKE AND DANIEL

UPDATE - 12/30/2013 - NEW OFFICIAL PICS!!!

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Here's the painted version of Art Storm's upcoming "Excel Suit" with Spike and Daniel.

We saw this suit on display at another convention over the summer, but at that point is was a simple, unpainted prototype. This new pic clearly shows is closer to what will be the production version.

While this suit looks pretty spot on to the one seen in Transformers the Movie (and season 3-4 of the cartoon series)-- and the suit even transforms into it's vehicle mode-- the scale doesn't fit in with any other Transformers line, so it's essentially a "stand alone" piece.

It would also be great is Spike and Daniel were articulated rather than static figures.

And finally, on another down note, this piece is by Art Storm, who notoriously produces products on the high, high end of the price spectrum. So this piece will not come cheap.

For me, while the suit looks great, all these factors add up to a "pass" on this piece.

More info, like price and release date, as it becomes available.

TOY NEWS FOR 12/30/2013 - BANDAI - S.H. FIGUARTS - POWER RANGERS - BLUE (TYRCERA) RANGER

...........yay. Power Rangers.

I know many collectors a generation younger than me love the Power Rangers.

For me, as someone who grew up on many Japanese import TV shows and then began watching the originals-- often un-dubbed and un-subbed-- by the time the Power Rangers hit TV, I found them completely blasphemous to a hard-core traditionalist like myself.

But, regardless of my personal feeling for the US version of the franchise, I certainly understand why younger folks have love for the show.

Coming soon with from Bandai and SH Figuarts will be the Blue Ranger (Trycera Ranger in the original Super Sentai Japanese series.)

Look for him in June for $39.99

TOY NEWS FOR 12/24/2013 - BANDAI - S.I.C. - KAMEN RIDER 2 (NIGO)

UPDATE 12/30/2013 - NEW PICS ADDED!!!

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Thankfully, SIC will be releasing new versions of both Kamen Rider 1 and 2. (I've been using the Kamen Rider: The Next movie versions for my collection. Even though I have the original versions of 1 and 2, they just don't fit in with the other hyper-stylized and detailed figures in the line.)

Of course this was a no-brainer since both KR 1 and 2 share the same exact design with just a few, slight color changes.

Expect to see the official pictures soon.

KR 2 should come in at the same price as KR1 ($50.99) and will be released in May.

TOY NEWS FOR 12/30/2013 - BANDAI - S.H. FIGUARTS - KAMEN RIDER SHIN

Kamen Rider Shin (also the name of the film in which he's featured) was released in 1992 and was a fairly major departure from the roots of the all the Kamen Rider series and films that preceded it.

Influenced by other successful films and franchises of the time, Kamen Rider Shin was dark and violent, catering more to the audience who had grown up on the show and were now adults. However, the departure from what made the Rider franchise so popular in the first place went over like a lead balloon and the film flopped.

Even though his design makes him stand out from the rest of the Kamen Riders in the show's history, I still think there's a bit of 90's nostalgia to be found in the character now that enough time has passed.

Since his original film, he has appeared in several subsequent films where the Riders over the years all gather at the end to defeat a powerful, common foe.

He'll be released in May for a Yen price of Y4,320

TOY NEWS FOR 12/30/2013 - BANDAI - S.H. FIGUARTS - KAMEN RIDER BLACK RX AND ACROBATAR

Kamen Rider Black RX is the second TV [mini] series featuring Kamen Rider Black.

Here's a quick synopsis of the show: Half a year after the downfall of Gorgom, Kotaro Minami has gotten a job of a helicopter pilot in a business owned by the Sahara family. Kotaro is later captured by the Crisis Empire and offered a place in their group. When Kotaro refused, his King Stone was shattered and he was thrown into space where the sun's radiation mutated his King Stone and he mutated into Kamen Rider BLACK RX. With his new powers, he battles the Crisis Empire and thwarts their plans to take over Earth. 

He also appeared in the US version of the show called Masked Rider (although the story wasn't quite the same as the Japanese version and was probably even worse than Saban's version of the Sentai (Power) Rangers.)


This version however is coming from Bandai and SH Figuarts, which means it's all based off of the original Japanese series.

To accompany Black RX will be his cycle, the Acrobarar (sold separately).

Prices and release dates to be forthcoming.

TOY NEWS FOR 12/26/2013 - BANDAI - S.I.C. - KAMEN RIDER SKYRIDER v2 (TAMSHII WEB EXCLUSIVE)

This version of Skyrider sure does look a lot cooler than the original-- which wasn't bad at all in it's own right. But I'm a sucker for any kind of translucent plastic on a figure, and the chest and arms on this guy are exactly that. He also comes with a second, longer scarf for his when he's "flying".

I hope this becomes available stateside through Tamshii Bluefin, because I'd love to replace my original SIC Skyrider with this one.

He'll be out in Japan in May for Y5,940