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“You haven’t been fighting us, you’ve been fighting for your life.”

 

When Tommy Oliver became a high school teacher, he certainly never imagined he’d be a Power Ranger again. 12 years on from his first turn as a ranger though, the Power Rangers Dino Thunder needed more than just a mentor, they needed an ally. And so the Dino Thunder Black Ranger was born! Now comatose though, Dr. O must prove he still has the Fighting Spirit. Facing off against his past, Tommy grapples with Zeo Ranger V, the White Ranger, and the Green Ranger! When 5 teenagers with attitude were chosen to defend the Earth, their skills were put to the test against the Putty Patrollers! Created by Finster, these loyal foot soldiers of Rita Repulsa and later Lord Zedd, would menace the ranger for years to come. But these clay cretins were never more powerful or deadly than during the era of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

This must-have 2-pack from Hasbro’s Lightning Collection recreates yet another brilliant one-off form with the Fighting Spirit Green Ranger. And, it will satisfy long time fans with absolutely the best rendition of the Putty ever. Repeating the quality standard that the Dragon Shield Red & Black Rangers have given us so far, the Green Ranger fills a unique hole for collectors, filling out your MMPR lineup and beginning your Dino Thunder one. The Putty meanwhile is an extremely versatile and poseable figure with one of the best head and limb sculpts in the line. With a pack loaded down with the Dragon Dagger, Sword of Darkness, alternate Putty weapon arms, extra hands, and effect parts, it’s hard to find anything to dislike here.

Check out our massive 75 image gallery of the Green Ranger & Putty after the jump by clicking “Discuss on the TokuNation Forums” at the bottom of this post. You can also read through our full in depth review there. Next time, we enter the Morphin Grid with a brand gallery from Power Rangers Beast Morphers!

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“Listen Todoyama, I’m leaving this to you.”

Like any Oni master, Zaoumaru Zaitsuhara took on an apprentice to pass along his skills, and one day his title too as well. But the young man once known as Tomizo Todoyama had other plans. Refusing to inherit his masters title, to create his own legacy, Todoyama took on the name Todoroki! It was then that Kamen Rider Zanki passed on the remainder of his knowledge, his skills, and the mighty Ongekiken Retsurai to the Oni Todoroki. But a warrior’s journey is forvere. Never far from the battlefield, and returning once again to take up the Ongekiken Retsuzan, Zanki continues the fight alongside his disciple, for as long as his body will last!

Kamen Rider Hibiki joined the S.H. Figuarts line as a Shinkocchou Seihou release for the first time over 4 years ago. Then last year, Tamashii Nations made a second addition to this world with Kamen Rider Ibuki. Earlier this year Zanki’s apprentice Kamen Rider Todoroki  joined and now finally we have Kamen Rider Zanki. Four releases in, this group of Oni Riders has shaped up to be some of best that Bandai has to offer. Zanki is another brilliant release, and if you’ve handled any of the Hibiki riders you know exactly what you’re in for. Armed with the Ongekiken Retsuzan, Zanki is ready to face the Makamou with the best Oni out there.

Check out our 80 image gallery and full length review of S.H. Figuarts Shinkocchou Seihou Kamen Rider Zanki Gallery after the jump. Just click “Discuss on the TokuNation Forums” at the bottom of this post. Next time, we can hear the thunder with another Lightning Collection Gallery!

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“Sit tight buddy, I’ll take care of this guy!”

Set to impress Angela with a pair of pearl earrings for their big date, Zack has no idea that Rita Repulsa has tricked him into taking the Pearls of Stillness! Spellbound to freeze everyone as soon as they’re worn, the Power Rangers as well as Zack’s date are stuck. Now it’s up to Zack & Tommy to face off against the Oysterizer on their own. And in a moment of need, the Green Ranger’s mighty shield can be passed to another. Wielding the Dragon Shield himself, the Black Ranger takes on the Oysterizer!

You may recall that this form was the basis of an SDCC 2014 S.H. Figuarts exclusive, which I reviewed way back when. 5 years on and we’re getting a brand new take on it with this Lightning Collection figure. The Dragon Shield Black Ranger (5 years ago known as the Armored Black Ranger) originates from the “Zyu2” era of Saban commissioned & Toei produced footage to flesh out the end of MMPR season 1. So this interesting form is exclusive to American aired footage and believe it or not, this unique power up is featured in less than 1 minute of actual screen time. That’s it! But once again we’ve been treated to a truly wonderful figure of this unique design. Armed with the Blade Blaster and Power Axe this figure will be a perfect addition to your already Mighty Morphin collection.

Check out over 60 morphinominal photos of the Dragon Shield Black Ranger after the jump by clicking “Discuss on the TokuNation Forums” at the bottom of this post. Next time we’re heading back to the world Oni with a fresh gallery from Kamen Rider Hibiki!

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Ruling over space & time is great and all, but if you have to walk everywhere it’s certainly less fun right? Cue the Ridestriker! Hailing from 2068, the Ridestriker is the personal Rider Machine of both Kamen Rider’s Zi-O & Geiz. Each has their own Ridestriker, and though they came and went infrequently in series (appearing in only 5 episodes), what’s a Rider without their Machine?

The S.H. Figuarts Ridestriker is an absolutely solid Rider Machine, and honestly it’s hard to mess one up in this line. Where this release shines is with the included accessories. Tamashii Nations has seen fit to not only bring us this versatile machine, but also to load it down with the signature weapons of the series two main protagonists. Thus filling the Zikan Girade & the Zikan Zax sized holes in many collections.  The Girade & Ax are included in both forms and we even get 5 new hands for each rider, as well as a couple optional parts to display the Ridestriker itself. This is a set that absolutely compliments any Zi-O Figuarts Collection.

Check out our 70 image gallery of the S.H. Figuarts Riderstriker & Zikan Weapons and read our review by clicking “Discuss on the TokuNation Forums” at the bottom of this post. Next time we’re back with an overdue gallery & review of Shinkocchou Seihou Kamen Rider Zanki!

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“Indeed the power of Kamen Rider Woz, is in the hands of Woz.”

Woz as we first knew him was the mysterious servant to the future demon king Sougo Tokiwa, Oma Zi-O. As the series progressed he became both friend and real ally, but when Zi-O refused his path to the overlords’ future, a divergent timeline came into being. And with it came a divergent Woz, Another Woz, White Woz! In the present day, White Woz wielded the futuring power of Kamen Rider Woz! That is until the original Black Woz, with the aid of the Time Jackers, stole this power for his own. Two Woz’s, One Rider! “Woz! WOZ!!”

Kamen Rider Woz is quite the surprise for me. Initially it was a release I was underwhelmed to be getting, in hand he’s actually wonderful. Building upon the solid engineering of the Zi-O/Geiz mold, Woz is a fantastic figure. With all the hallmarks of the mold’s articulation, with improved neck movement and shoulder pad design, Woz can pose with the best. The lavish paint apps and intricate sculpt also really make this release pop. But really it’s the inclusion of Woz’s signature weapon, the Zekan Despear that sets him apart. Able to change between it’s 3 modes, the Despear is a much needed accessory where Zi-O & Geiz did not include their weapons.

Check out our 70+ image gallery of S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider Woz and read through the full review of the figure by clicking “Discuss on the TokuNation Forums” at the bottom of this post. Next time, we’re back! Faster, stronger, smarter, evil, with our gallery of Lightning Collection Psycho Blue Ranger!

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“What’s that you usually yell about now?
Something about ‘Morphin Time,’ isn’t it?”

For 4 seasons and 2 movies, one villain has been an ever present threat to the Power Rangers. This mighty winged has waged wars on countless worlds, making his mark across the universe. But after being freed from a 10,000 year slumber, the Power Rangers of Earth became his greatest foes. For millennia, he has served at the beck and call of his empress, Rita Repulsa. And even before that, he was a loyal general in the armies of the fearsome Lord Zedd. Born on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, the shining warrior Goldar is a force for all heroes to reckon with.

A Gamestop Exclusive, Lightning Collection Goldar has easily become one of the most in demand figures in this line. As the first truly modern action figure the character has received, there was quite a bit of hype surrounding it’s release. Pairing your Goldar up with Lord Zedd or the recently released Putty, a real army is starting to take shape to take on your Power Rangers. LC Goldar is armed with his signature sword as well as a pretty lethal looking effect part to accent it, and his iconic golden wings. As a standalone figure Goldar may have a handful of issues, but as a part of your larger Power Rangers collection he’ll feel right at home.

Check out our full 60+ image gallery of Goldar after the jump by clicking “Discuss on the TokuNation Forums” at the bottom of this post. You can also read through our full review of the figure in that thread. We’ll be back soon with a look at the future in our gallery of S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider Woz!

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“You will carry on the work we began.”

The original Magna Defender, was a fierce & noble warrior. But consumed by revenge over the loss of his son, the Defender resorted to vicious tactics to combat his enemies. In a bid to undo his terrible deeds & save the Terra-Venture colony, he sacrificed his own life, resurrecting Mike Corbett in the process. Brother to Leo Corbett the Red Galaxy Ranger, Mike’s body had been a vessel for the spirit of the Defender. Given a second chance, Mike is now worthy enough to inherit a hero’s legacy. Taking up the Magna Sword and commanding the Torrozord into battle, Mike becomes the next Magna Defender!

Of the various figures announced and released for the Lightning Collection line so far, the Magna Defender is by far one of my favorites. A solidly built and designed figure, the Defender feels right at home with any 6th rangers or extra heroes you have floating around in your collection. Fans of Power Rangers Lost Galaxy & Seijuu Sentai Gingaman will be incredibly pleased with how this surprisingly dynamic figure has turned out. Armed with the Magna Sword & Magna Blaster, the Magna Defender’s legacy is ready to live on!

We’ve assembled 70+ images of this figure for your viewing pleasure, just click “Discuss on the TokuNation Forums” at the bottom of this post to see them all, and read our in depth review. We have several special cameos in this gallery. We’ll be taking a little bit of gallery break this week, but we promise we’ll be back soon with more Lightning Collection and S.H. Figuarts galleries!

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“We’re the Hokuto Three Crows!
And we’re not just gonna tell you who we are.”

In the 3-sided war for Pandora’s Box that took shape early in Kamen Rider Build, it was the surprise appearance of this trio of Hard Smashes that turned everything upside down. Accompanying the powerful new rider, Kamen Rider Grease, the Hokuto Three Crows presented an uphill battle for Build & Cross-Z. Initially these heroes of Hokuto clashed with the main cast, but it wasn’t long before the real motives of the war and their perpetrator were revealed and these beloved allies of Kazumi Sawatari gave their all for their friend.

Castle, Stag, and Owl Hard Smash echo the trifecta of classic sentai colors, and ultimately they proved themselves heroes very much worthy of that influence. These figures of the trio are Figuarts Zero’s, basically statues, but snazzy shelf display pieces none the less. With some minimal articulation worked in, each is sculpted and painted wonderfully, and scaled perfectly to match any of your Kamen Rider Build family Figuarts. Regardless of any shortcomings, of which there are some, having the Hokuto Three ready to stand shoulder to shoulder with Grease is incredibly satisfying.

We’ve attached a full 80 image gallery to this post, but you can also read through our comprehensive review of the set by clicking “Discuss on the TokuNation Forums” at the bottom of this post. Next time we’re getting back to action with some more Power Rangers Lightning Collection galleries!

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“The highest level, the most powerful body!”

To combat the immortal Kamen Rider GenM, Emu Hojo will have to max out his level! Using a gift from beyond the grave left by Kiriya Kujo, the ultimate Gashat is born. Maximum level, maximum strength, and the ability to reprogram the Bugster virus, all rolled into one. The man who’s the source of the Bugster virus itself, is destined to save humanity from it as Ex-Aid reaches his highest level, 99!

Oddly enough, Ex-Aid Level 99 is actually a repaint of GenM Level Billion. Even though the history of these two forms existing in the series & films is actually the reverse. Whatever the case for how this release came second is, it’s an undeniably good one. This mold looked incredible stylish in the evil GenM colors, but seeing it done up in Ex-Aid’s rather unique palette, is incredibly pleasing as well. Armed with the Gashacon Key Slasher and far more articulation than you realize, Ex-Aid Level 99 will be an imposing shelf presence and a fantastic foil to Level Billion.

Check out over 50 images in our gallery by clicking “Discuss on the TokuNation Forums” at the bottom of this post. We’ll be back with a gallery triple threat next week. From Kamen Rider Build, the Hokuto Three Crows!

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“I will make Emu smile again.”

Based on the memory of Kuroto Dan’s mother, the bugster Poppy was an indispensable and trustworthy ally to the Kamen Rider doctors of CR. But with her memories erased & programming rebooted, Poppy became an unwilling part of Kamen Rider Chronicle. Forced to fight Ride Players by Parad & Graphite, Poppy became a Kamen Rider! But with the help of Emu and the others, Poppy’s old memories broke through. Rejecting Chronicle, wishing only to play with her friends and help others, Poppy awakens to her true heroic spirit as Kamen Rider Poppy!

Kamen Rider Poppy was released way back in March, and we finally had the time to get down to a full review of her this week. Poppy made waves with her rider debut in show, so it’s appropriate that this ball of positive energy is a pretty great figure as well. Packed with personality and armed with the Bugvisor Zwei, Poppy can literally be your devil or your angel. Especially with the Zwei in Chainsaw Mode! While we wish an alternate head was included, it’s undeniable how stylish this figure looks, particularly as part of a wider Ex-Aid collection. Ex-Aid Level 2 & GenM Level 0 in particular will compliment her very well.

Check out our full 50 image gallery by clicking “Discuss on the TokuNation Forums” at the bottom of this post. Next time, we’re maxing out our levels with a gallery of the Maximum Mighty Gamer himself, Kamen Rider Ex-Aid Level 99!