It’s time once again for TokuNation to plume the depths of it’s newest segment, Toy Tuesdays! This time around we’re forgoing the spandex heroes and bug men in favor of the most venerable of toku hero franchise,s Ultraman! This week we spotlight the recently released Ultra-Act Ultraman Ginga!
Ginga is of course the titular hero of the Ultraman Ginga story featured in New Ultraman Retsudan! Returning soon in Ultraman Ginga S, this is the first collector’s style toy released from the first series. As a part of the long lived Ultra-Act line Ginga has had a lot to live up to, or rather he needed to live up to the quality of the more recent releases in the line. And does he ever! Ginga is by far one of the most dynamic entries in the line, this mold screams with personality.
Ginga is a little lite on the accessories, but as mentioned in our review of the figure, his most important accessory is actually all over his body. The Light Crystals mounted all over his body are fully removable, as are the head and shoulder pads, suggesting Bandai plans to release future accessory sets for Ginga’s other forms and powers! For once it seems Bandai/Tamashii Nations has really planned ahead with a new release. Depending on Ginga’s sales we could be in store for some great surprises in the future.
Click “Discuss on the TokuNation Forums” at the bottom of this post to enjoy a full 40 image gallery of this figure as well as a lengthy review. We’ll see you back here next week for another Toy Tuesdays gallery, S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider Black & Battle Hopper Renewal!
Ultralive!
TokuNation returns with a brand new Toy Tuesdays Gallery! And this time it's Ultra powered! Today we have for your viewing pleasure Ultra-Act Ultraman Ginga!
From the New Ultraman Retsudan (Ultraman Ginga) series, Ginga is a mysterious Ultra who survied the Dark Spark War with Dark Lugiel as a Spark Doll. When he came into the possession of Hikaru Raido, the Ginga Spark gave this young boy the ability to Ultralive into Ultraman Ginga! Together they, along with the guidance of a Spark Doll Ultraman Taro, fight the forces of evil and their ability to Darklive. But you're more interested in the toy today aren't you?
Packaging
Diving right into the review, Ultraman Ginga is featured in the same general type of packaging that most all retail Ultra-Acts have had for the last few years. Perhaps the only notable difference being the splashes of Ginga's blue. Otherwise it's all standard fare here.
Main Figure
Since the introduction of Ultraman Renewal to the line, Ultra-Acts have steadily increased in quality over time. Ginga is definitely at the peak of that improvement in quality. Though there are some minor issues to deal with as well.
Ginga sports a brand new sculpt for his body. Being that he's a new Ultra, no other figure released thus far share's his type. The sculpt is crisp, vibrantly detailed, and appropriately conveys the broad features of Ginga. He tends to have a much "beefier" upper body than most traditional Ultras in show, so the figure conveys this muscular look perfectly. The sculpt is also adequate enough to get some poses out of him that show real personality. The figure just sort of comes alive. More so than most Ultra-Act figures do. In all honesty the last Ultra-Act I felt had this level of built in personality was Nexus Junis (red).
Mine has just a few QC issues where parts like to fly off rather randomly, mostly the shoulder pads, but he's otherwise built fine. But do to the nature of the head design, moving it back and forth at all will likely result in popping it off the neck joint like I seem to keep doing.
The paint on this guy is gorgeous as well. Ginga definitely has a less than traditional set of silver stripes, but they were done so perfectly on the figure. And that shade of blue for his Crystals of Light is spot on. Speaking of those bits....
Accessories
Ultra-Acts generally come with all the accessories that particular figure needs. Nearly all of them include effect parts as well. But I bet you haven't noticed that Ginga is already wearing the most important accessory he has. Those crystal blue bits! If you've watched New Ultraman Retsudan/Ginga then you know that Ginga is a unique Ultra. He doesn't quite have new forms so much as powered up modes to exectue a particular attack. Each mode/form/attack changes the color of his light crystals resulting in something new. Bandai has intentionally designed the light crystals all over Ginga's body to be fully removable!
So in his standard blue crystal formation Ginga goes with his included Ginga Cross Shoot beam effect part. But the ability to remove all the crystals on his body, as well the head and shoulder pads would definitely suggest Bandai plans to release upgrade sets for this figure! I would not be surprised if (depending on Ginga's sales) we see 1 or more upgrade sets down the road with his other powers like Thunderbolt, Fireball, Sunshine, etc. Come on bandai!
But while we're on effect parts, he also includes his Ginga Saber! To utilize this you need only remove the crystal on his right forearm and plug this on. And to round out the accessories Ginga includes 2 pairs of extra hands as well as a red Color Timer to change out on his chest. And lastly an include display base adapter for hi back panel.
Needless to say Ginga is a great mold and it looks very solid among other Ultra-Acts. It definitely outclasses the older releases but it still looks great with just about any of them.
Final Thoughts
The Ultra-Act line had some rough, rough, beginnings. It took some time for the line to mature into what it is today, and the wave of recent Renewal releases has shown the line still has a ton of life and innovation left in it. Ultra-Act Ultraman Ginga definitely continues the spirit of improvement and innovation the line has come to embrace. If future releases from here continue to be off this quality, it'll be all smooth sailing.
And tune in next Tuesday for another new toy! It's our delayed (but ready now!) Toy Tuesdays look at S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider Black & Battle Hopper Renewal!
I don't have a single one of these yet, but this guy is a strong candidate for my first.
Man he looks pretty. Like Alexx I have not one to my name, but I could see myself getting him purely for the aesthetic.
My first Ultra-Act, and I couldn't be happier with him. The stand adapter is so good it annoys me that they don't do them for Figuarts.
What I've never understood is why Ultraman get's it's own spinoff line while everything else Tamashii makes is under the S.H. Figuarts banner. What was wrong with just putting them in there? Anyway, I've always wanted to get an Ultra at some point, mostly because I'm a sucker for cool-looking effect parts. This looks like a good candidate should I ever do so.
Ginga looks fantastic! If I hadn't made a vow to my wife to stop buying expensive import toys, he would be part of my Ultra-Act display!
I have yet to even buy an Ultra-Act, but this one looks to be my favorite choice if I ever do get one.
Full Thread: Toy Tuesdays: Ultra-Act Ultraman Ginga Gallery
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