S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider Drive Type Dead Heat Gallery

Kamen Rider Drive has just entered the Dead Zone with yet another new figure, S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider Drive Type Dead Heat!

Packaging
Business as usual slim style box for the Drive line. See the following galleries for the exact same box type; Drive, Mashin Chaser, Mach & Type Wild. Nothing new to report here.

Main Figure
This is going to be a fairly easy review actually. Drive Type Dead Heat is LITERALLY just a reuse of parts from S.H. Figuarts Drive Type Speed & Mach with a new head and tire. If you own either of these figures you'll have a great understanding of how good this release is. The primary body components are those of Kamen Rider Mach. Lower torso down to feet (minus the Drive Driver) as well as both arms (except the new shift car & Brace) come from Mach. As was the case with Mach himself, Type Dead Heat has excellent leg/hip articulation which allows him to get in some great poses. Likewise Mach's great arms are present even down to his shoulder Advent Signal, here known as the Dead Heat Advent. Luckily this part can easily angle up since it's directly attached to the shoulder pad. And this ones a little different than mach's normal Signals as it's painted like a temperature gauge. The toy can't replicate how the gauge goes wild as Drive approaches his berserker breaking point. But it looks quite nice. It can also be replaced with other Signal's by virtue of it's assembly.

The upper torso of the figure is entirely that of Drive Type Speed. They only difference here is the new Dead Heat Tire which is itself basically the Type Speed Tire. This torso is entirely compatible with any and all Type Speed like tires as well, AKA Shadow, Flare, & Spike. So not only can you recreate the in show use of Type Dead Heat Flare but you can also create new combos with compatible tires. Of course Type Wild Tires are not compatible with this release in the same way that the reverse does not work for Type Wild itself.

The new head, Dead Heat Shift Car on the Drive Brace, as well as the new Dead heat Mr Belt read out are the other primary new components here. The Dead Heat Shift Car is painted quite nicely but doesn't have the flip out Shift Bike portion like the DX. Though this is understandable at this scale. The new head is sort of combo of Drive & Mach's designs. It's mainly Drive's head facing forward but on the lower back of his head is Mach's V-Helm & antennae. These antennae make it a little hard to pose the head for fear of breaking them but otherwise it's a very unique head sculpt. Also watch out for the red spoiler bar section, it comes off rather easily but will snap back in place just as easily.

Accessories
Drive Type Dead Heat is very much in the same class as Type Speed for accessories, not much. Though much like Type Speed a bonus item was offered. Though only at a specific physical store chain. Here's the breakdown:

3 - sets of additional hands. Standard stuff, this one comes with holding things hands that would be compatible with the Handle Ken or Door Juu as well as a pair of open hands.

1 - Dead Zone/Berserk Dead Heat Tire. The "cracked" tire meant to represent Drive's loss of control, initially from his first real confrontation with Heart.

1 - Shift Car Highway Effect Sheet. This item was a special Aeon Store Exclusive available only at physical Aeon shops in Japan. While supplies lasted it was included with any purchase of Drive Type Dead Heat. This piece is just a clear sheet with a version of the Shift Car Highway printed on it and it comes with a small clip to be used on a Tamashii Stage that can hold it. The clip is frankly garbage, something that wasn't designed for this use but is being packaged that way. It barely holds the sheet in place and actually is so tight it causes some minor damage to the edges when used. Wish there had been a better system for this one but oh well. It does look really nice and there's a slot cut out in the center for a rider figuart to stand and well, "play" with the Shift Cars or even Signal Bikes!

So kind of a sparse selection but if you were lucky enough to score the store exclusive bonus I think you'll be satisfied.

Final Thoughts
Overall this figure is just a great re-presentation of two previously released and great toys. S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider Drive Type Dead Heat is another excellent release in the Kamen Rider Drive figuarts subline. The upcoming Mach Dead Heat will of course be the same toy with a new head but I believe I'll still be all in on it. This line has been really rewarding so far in ways I hadn't quite imagined. Please Bandai continue to bring this level of quality to rider figuarts. Nice Drive!

Part 2 with Tire Koukans & the Highway Effect Sheet!

I have to say it:
Bump the price by $5, include a second second head. It makes so much sense, but . . . fucking Bandai.

I'm not a very big fan of Type Dead Heat, but I will say this: Type Speed and Mach sure were pretty good figures. Maybe one of these days I'll pop off Drive's torso and stick it on Mach, that'll be....fun...

Still miffed that this wasn't just both Dead Heats, honestly.

They don't even really need to have a whole 'nother head. Just make the Mach parts of the helmet able to swing down. But no.

I pass on this to get Mach's version.

Of all the things they could've included as a bonus they choose a plastic highway? I agree with Kickback. Mach is a buy, this is an overlook.

i regret buying this; i should have gotten the Mach version

So any reason (that isn't "more money") that thet didn't include another head and wrist (for shift brace) in this? I quite like it's design but I'll stick with the TK figure.

I agree, toss the extra head and a Zenrin Shooter in here and you've got a complete package. I'd still have bought 2 mind you, so I suppose for me it's no more or less convenient. But it would have been smart for them to do so.
Mach obviously made that form his own more than Drive ever did. But I find I like the Drive version much more.
The Highway sheet is a bonus exclusive to one chain of stores in Japan. It's a limited type of bonus like the Helheim Forest cracks from last year, which were actually at the same retail chain. I have no problem with this being that limited as it isn't essential to own. But I wanted it

How did you get that store exclusive? I still want the blade effects that
They made for that store