S.I.C. Kamen Rider Drive Type Speed Gallery

"Drive: Type Speed!"

Normally I tend to limit myself to one scale of collecting for a particular show. I stick to 1/12 stuff, most often S.H. Figuarts. or gimmick and vintage figures around that scale. But every once in a while a show or figure grabs me enough that I do want to own it in a different size or line. Today's example of my weakness is brought to you by Kamen Rider Drive! I've never been huge into collecting S.I.C. figures, but S.I.C. Kamen Rider Drive Type Speed may finally be changing my tastes a little. Check out a full gallery & review below!

Packaging
As with most all modern S.I.C.'s, Drive Type Speed comes in a really elaborate and detailed window style box. The front actually looks like a stylized version of his helmet which I really dig. Obviously S.I.C.'s are fairly large, clocking in around 8", so this box is quite a bit bigger than an average figuart. And there are some fantastic stock photos on the exterior. They don't quite do this figure justice. Also the cardboard insert for the box is a fantastic reflective chrome with Drive's "R" emblem on it. It works great as a photo backdrop!

Main Figure
One thing I'll always give the S.I.C. toyline, details are key. And that's almost entirely thanks to the amazing man behind the line, Takeyuki Takeya. A brilliant artist with a mind for elaborate details and the meshing of organic and technological detailing. This release is doubly impressive because Takeya himself designed all the Roidmudes for Kamen Rider Drive. It was the first Kamen Rider Series to feature villains to be entirely designed by him. Though the riders themselves were not. S.I.C. Drive however, as with practically every other S.I.C. figure, was. This is Takeya taking a crack at Drive with his own unique style of detail and flourish. And it has been wonderfully executed. Though there are some minor caveats.

The way the ball joints operate in the feet really irks me. They're on hinges but the ball also rotates 360, so it's very easy to get them off center, then Drive's feet won't sit flat at the same angle. The double jointed knees are astounding though. The entire calve can rest on the back of the thigh. That's just crazy. The hips can actually rotate out much further than I would have assumed too, those pipes on the thighs don't get in the way too much for outward movement, but they aren't exactly perfect either. They do pop off easily due to their design. And actually the hips can pull down a decent amount out of the waist so forward and back movement is remarkably good. This Drive can sit properly as though there were a Tridoron scaled to him. However he cant really get down on one knee to kneel, which is sort of my benchmark for figure posability.

The upper body really only has one big thing that bugs me. And that's how loosely the Drive Driver sits on the belt itself. It's quite easy to pop off, the belt is pretty loose around the waist already, which normally I like because it frees up movement. But in this case it makes it easier to knock the driver off, that coupled with the soft plastic of the belt is obviously a great recipe for losing small parts. The lower torso also moves quite freely and is made of a soft plastic, though sometimes you can see straight through a hole in the waist because of the way it moves. The upper torso has some of the best asymmetrical detailing I've ever seen, I really love it. Taking Drive's tire sash to a new level. The way the ridges on the lower right & upper left corner of the chest compliment each other is gorgeous. And I love the added detail of a neck collar around the right side of Drive's head. It really drives (pun!) home the 'bisected by a tire idea' of his design. It's as though he was a totally normal rider then this thing just smashed it's way into the design and the suit just accommodated. This is why I love Takeya's work.

The arms have some pretty standard movement, which is to say the shoulder pads keep them from doing much and the elbows can do about a 90 degree angle. The wrists don't have a ton of clearance because of how they sit flush with the wrist pads but you can get some use out of them. And lastly the head. Wow that just gorgeous brilliant detailed head. This take on the design easily looks like it could have fit in with the Roidmudes of the series. It's heroic, but it looks so, sinister? I love it. And it actually has plenty of room to move. Bravo on this design.

This figure just rocks it at every level. It's just a gorgeous re-design of a suit that I already loved immensely. S.I.C. Kamen Rider Drive Type Speed gets the best of both worlds in it's first outing with this line. Hopefully S.I.C. Mashin Chaser & Heart can live up to this standard as well!

Accessories
As with most S.I.C.'s Drive is loaded up!

1 - Handle Sword. This version of the handle sword is quite the detailed departure from the figuart. As with everything else about this figure it takes the car aesthetic to the extreme. I love it. It can accept Shift Cars in a similar fashion to the S.H. Figuarts release.

1 - Door Gun. While the Door Gun may not look as radically different as the normal version it's still a great looking weapon that compliments Drive's new deep details very well. It can accept Shift Cars in a similar fashion to the S.H. Figuarts release and has an opening door as well.

1 - Max Flare Tire. This giant hunk of plastic can replace the standard Type Speed tire in much the same way as the figuart. It comes apart in sections to snap over the chest. In the case of this one the flame effects are molded onto the tire so they aren't removable. They are also totally awesome.

1 - Max Flare belt read out. This replaces Mr. Belt's standard face. It works basically just like the SHF, take the driver off and replace the plate.

3 - sets of hands. 1 open pair, 1 set for holding the gun, 1 set for holding the sword. I am a bit disappointed that he doesn't have a pair of relaxed open hands, but oh well.

6 - Shift Cars. That's 1 each of Midnight Shadow, Funky Spike, Speed, Max Flare, Wild, & Technic.

4 - Flipped Shift Cars. Same thing, 1 of each of the above for use with the Drive Brace. No Funky Spike or Midnight Shadow though.

1 - set of flame effects. And these aren't just some extra effect parts like we've seen with a few figuarts recently. These are full on replacements for components of Drive's body. Each flame is attached to a panel or has a plug to fill out a panel space, replacing a section on Drive's body. I've demonstrated what you remove and how it looks step by step in the photos below. And wow, the effect is impressive. This figure is big bulky and sexy with those effects attached. It is however even more limited in movement with these parts attached. They do pop off easily as well.

Final Thoughts
As I said before I don't typically purchase S.I.C.'s. A few odd purchases aside, (Akumaizer 3) this is a line & scale that mostly doesn't work for me. But I really enjoyed Kamen Rider Drive as it aired and still have a fondness for it. I buy every figuart release from it and will continue to do so. So I really wanted to give S.I.C. Kamen Rider Drive Type Speed a fair shake as well. While It's an undoubtedly quality figure I'm still not quite sure I want to jump down the rabbit hole on these. All I need is (figuarts) Drive.

Part 2
- Handle Sword
- Door Gun
- Max Flare & Flame Effects

I have such a love/hate relationship with Takeya's work. I don't care for his aesthetic - particularly in the face/mask - when applied to most Rider designs, but many of the details are wonderfully clever. I thought the rank-and-file Roidmude designs on Drive were just fantastic, maybe the best Rider minion designs I've seen. (I ALMOST love the designs on Heart, Brain, etc., but the elf shoes kinda kill it for me.)

They're sort of the definition of overdesigned, I suppose. As a whole, they tend to make me wince, but looking at them piece-by-piece, I'm in love. As toys, the features on SIC are often bogglingly fantastic.

I'll admit, Driver is definitely a design which in theory should look spectacular in S.I.C. form, but it just looks rather plain to me.

I’m a hug fan if the S.I.C line but I don’t think this one translates well, the flames are cool though

Helmet doesn't look as nice as the original but goddamn is the rest of that great. Makes me wish I dropped some cash when it was on sale

Hate this figure so much

SIC isn't really my style, and Drive continues that. It looks impressive, but not appealing. If that makes any sense.

I'm usually okay with most SIC designs, but this one has always bugged me. Drive's design is so sleek and clean and this is just a bit too much.

I always loved the SIC design. They just seem more.....raw?