Drive: Type Fruits! On Stage!
Kamen Rider Drive is knocking it out of the park again with another release in it’s Tire Koukan toy line, TK-SP Kamen Rider Drive Type Fruits!
This form, based on Kamen Rider Gaim’s trademark Orange Arms & exclusive to the Drive X Gaim Full Throttle movie, takes the asymmetry of Drive’s base Type Speed and mixes it up with some very interesting samurai armor. The Type Fruits Tire included creates some new hip & shoulder armor & a kasa style hat completes the samurai look. But as a a true Gaim homage it isn’t complete without a Daidaimaru & Musou Saber for Drive to wield!
As far as movie exclusive forms go, this one is definitely one of the more interesting. And once again, our favorite youtube reviewer Baltmatrix has also contributed a video review of Drive Type Fruits. Check out the full video below!
After the jump we’ve assembled over 70 images of this fruitastic figure! So be sure to check them out and read on for a full review and breakdown of this figures features! Baltmatrix and I wil return soon with another one-teo punch of Drive action with the DX Ride Crosser & TK-07 Kamen Rider Mach!
Drive: Type Fruits! On Stage!
Finishing off a one-two punch of Kamen Rider Drive excellence this week we're back with another new Tire Koukan gallery! TK-SP Kamen Rider Drive Type Fuits!
Packaging
As always TK-SP Drive Type Fruits comes in the same kind of standard packaging that the rest of the Tire Koukan line does. Albeit with some additional fruity flare this go around. Aside from the new stock photos, and some shots of the actual suit from a film most of us will have been unable to see by now, there's nothing new to report here.
Main Figure
Drive Type Fruits is first and foremost based on the excellent TK-01 Drive Type Speed. This is essentially the same figure with a few extra bells and whistles thrown in. While the proper look of Type Fruits can't be achieved without using the included accessories, here's how it breaks down at a basic figure level, from bottom to top.
As far as anything below the waist is concerned Type Fruits is identical to Type Speed (colors aside). The orange is really striking on the legs but even more so on the torso. Where you begin to see a real difference is the newly applied label on the Drive Drive indicating the Type Fruits change, then we see the lower diagonal of the torso below the tire line. This section on Type Fruits has been colored blue to simulate the under suit of Kamen Rider Gaim, which this Type is meant to homage. This coloration carries to the left shoulder, which it should be noted has been remolded to be rounded off to accommodate the included Type Fruits Tire.
The upper diagonal of the torso is painted orange and likewise it's shoulder has been remolded to round off the edge, though this is merely for symmetry's sake as there's no armor going across that shoulder. The head and rest of the body are identical to Type Speed. While we're on it though the head looks fantastic in orange. As for the figure it's still jut as functional as Type Speed, nothing has physically changed that would impact the figures ability to move or pose whatsoever. It's still the same excellent toy we've seen before.
Accessories
Drive Type Fruits comes with one accessory that's brand new, and funnily enough teo that are straight up repacks:
1 - Type Fruits Tire/hat combo. Though packaged separately these two should definitely be counted together. The Tire portion of this accessory is pretty much a straightforward tire with some armor flaps on it. The interesting thing about it is that the port in the center can actually rotate and flip over, allowing you to put it on Drive and have the armor flaps face the hip & Shoulder Appropriately. And when in use with a vehicle like DX Tridoron you can rotate it the other way so that the flaps can tab together to make a proper tire facing outward.
The kasa-hat portion of the tire is actually rather simple. Unfortunately it doesn't have a Tire Koukan port so no crazy combos can really be made from it. Instead there are a pair of folding tabs that are used to hold this thing on Drive's helmet with friction. When folded all the way out they accommodate his spoiler. When the tabs are folded inward the connection becomes small enough to plug onto a Tire Koukan port. I find the hat to be a decent fit for Drive's helmet though it can be knocked off a little more easily than I'd like it to when used on Tridoron.
1 - Daidaimaru. Literally this is the EXACT same Daidaimaru that Arms Change Gaim Orange Arms included. No differences whatsover.
1 - Musou Saber, see the above description. 100% identical.
The figure really comes with anything it could need. My one complaint would be the lack of proper silver paint on the Daidaimaru. I know these are still mainline retail toys despite the "SP" suffix in the name. They aren't premium or anything like that but a little extra paint couldn't have hurt. Not a huge complaint though.
Final Thoughts
As yet another wonderful addition is added to the Tire Koukan line I begin to question how far these rider team-up movies can go with cross series mixed gimmick forms. The Legend Rider Arms last year were fantastic, but Gaim Drive Arms is a bit weak this year. TK-SP Drive Type Fruits however definitely appropriates a previous riders theme with it's gimmick perfectly, but that won't always be the case I imagine. For now though I'm very pleased with this figure. And if recent history proves anything, it's that movie forms of this nature rarely if ever get the Figuarts treatment from Bandai. This is likely your only way to own this Type.
More shots and additional Tire Koukans!
It's delightfully goofy and I love it immensely! The gallery shows this figure off to its full glory. I'm really quite glad I picked it up.
It's a goofy movie form but is very good at being one. The fact that the orange tire takes the TK gimmick further than normal and resembles an arms change adequately makes up for the fact that the base suit is little more than a recolour and the design works.
Orange-head technic is a wonderful thing too.
Tempted to pick this one up due to all the orange
Type Fruits Technic has got shoulder pads on his shoulder pads!
Considering I don't have a Gaim, I may get this guy if I get Chaser so I can have the best of both worlds- plus an orange hat
the tire looks a lot better on wild though kinda looks like an energy rider
I really like that orange, it's very striking. The figure looks great, but for some reason it just doesn't appeal to me enough to pick it up.
Full Thread: Tire Koukan TK-SP Kamen Rider Drive Type Fruits Gallery
Not a member yet? Join TokuNation Now!