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Thursday, September 16, 2010

SH Figuarts x Square Enix PlayArts x S.I.C., or the Action Figure Primer Part 2


OK, so by now you’ve got about a couple or more anime action figures in your hands and you might be thinking of getting more. Let’s get into more action figure business, shall we?

We’ll be looking at SH Figuarts, Square Enix PlayArts, and S.I.C. in this installment.

Let’s start with SH Figuarts, which stands for “Simple Heroic Figuarts”, an off-shoot brand from Bandai. It is well-known for its extensive Kamen Rider lineup, though the line also includes popular anime characters from Dragon Ball, One Piece and Pretty Cure.

A typical SH Figuart figure stands at around 14 millimeters, but don’t underestimate its build based on that. SH Figuart figures are known to be sturdy and accurately articulated, rivaling Revoltech and Figma figures. Bandai kept it simple and clean with this line, with crisp detailing and paintjobs not readily seen in similar-sized figures.

Now, S.I.C., or Super Imaginative Chogokin, is the direct opposite of SH Figuarts. Though both lines are from Bandai, S.I.C. specializes in re-imagined versions of mostly Kamen Rider and other tokusatsu characters such as Kikkaider and Hakkaider. The overall theme of S.I.C. presents darker, grittier versions of the characters, which appeals to fans that prefer an alternative feel to their favorite characters.

Square Enix on the other hand has expanded their merchandise base to include action figures of their characters. Square Enix PlayArts features characters from wildly popular Square Enix games such as Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts. Lately, the line has expanded to include figures from non-Square Enix games such as Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, Halo and Devil May Cry which became known better as Square Enix PlayArts Kai.

Square Enix PlayArts are valued by collectors because of the accuracy and value-for-money as each Square Enix PlayArts figure is made from heavy stock ABS plastic and includes completes accessories for each character.

So there you have it. More action figure discussions on the next installment of The Action Figure Primer!

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Friday, September 3, 2010

"Jima-san... Sanjou!"... Oh, and Some Super Robot Taisen too...

Hey there, minna-san! Jima-san here. Yeah, I know. I haven't been posting ANYTHING lately, even though I'M the guy who's supposed to be running The HobbyBox. Anyway, life can get in the way a times, but hey, it's still all good.

Anyway... I suppose I should just start a bit light, so here's a promo video of the upcoming
Super Robot Taisen L, set to be released on the Nintendo DS. (Wai!) Yeah, it's probably not going to be released in English, but a guy can dream, ne?



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