Masked Rider 1

Review by Jmann

Kamen Rider was one of the first tokusatsu shows to grace the televisions of Japan in 1971, and in doing so it became one of the most highly regarded show in Japanese history. Taking the original Kamen Rider and turning him into a high quality action figure almost seemed like a no-brainer, despite earlier efforts that were less than stellar. Bandai has stepped up their game to create one of the best interpretations of this legendary character that I’ve ever seen.

Masked Rider 1 is often referred to as Ichigo, which is Japanese for “Number One”, and I will refer to him as such for the remainder of the review. Ichigo is modeled after the original Masked Rider design and is ripe with Japanese Showa Era flair. His helmet is almost absurdly round, he has no frills, and consists of only 4 colors; yet somehow it comes together so beautifully that I wouldn’t have it any other way. He comes complete with a gorgeous matte black finish that really highlights the brightness of the silver.

Needless to say, this figure’s sculpting is magnificent, and there doesn’t seem to be anything that I would want to be different (articulation notwithstanding, but more on that later). His simple design is complemented by molded creases and wrinkles, and really gives this figure a life of his own.

His accessory count is crazy good. He comes 4 and a half sets of hands, including clenched fists, holding-things hands, calm splayed hands, karate chop hands, and one hand for doing his signature pose. He comes with 2 scarves that are removable, and can be replaced by attaching them to a tiny ball joint on the base of the scarf.

This allows you to achieve many dynamic poses since the scarf is technically articulated. Surprisingly, Ichigo also comes with the Shocker Sword. This was only used once (to my knowledge) when Ichigo grabs it from an enemy and proceeds to spank them at fencing. Anyway, the last accessory is really an effect part. It’s a swirling energy kick thing that attaches to Ichigo’s foot.

Ichigo’s articulation is really nice. He has a ball-jointed head, double-ball jointed swiveling shoulder joints, double-jointed elbows and knees, a waist swivel, ball-jointed swiveling wrists, swiveling ball-joints attached to a hinge on the hips, ball-jointed feet, toe articulation, and one of the best chest swivels I’ve ever seen in a toy. My only gripe is the lack of a bicep swivel. This really hinders some of the articulation, and can make getting him into certain poses a chore. This was done to preserve the lines going down his arm, but it still makes me long for more.

S.H. Figuarts New Masked Rider 1 is an excellent figure, and is definitely worth your time if you are even a passing Kamen Rider fan. His price point, build quality, and accessory count is more than enough to satisfy anyone looking for a sleek bugman to add to their collection.