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Thursday, February 23, 2017

S.H. Figuarts Shinken Pink & Shinken Yellow (2011)


The score below will be for Mako and Kotoha, as I never ended up opening Kaoru before selling her. However, there’s still some things I can mention that warrant bringing her up as a talking point. There’s a glaring problem with the Shinkenger ladies, given that they were the first female Sentai Figuarts produced. I’m usually fine with skirts to the point that I tolerate them hindering articulation. I can normally forgo dynamic poses as long as Bandai is actually producing the female figures.

However, these are Figuarts; I cannot judge them the same as I would BoA figures or vinyl figures. I have to hold them accountable for their articulation, because that’s part of their M.O. If you want to have these utilize their full range of motion, you have to rip them in half and install broken-up skirt pieces to allow that. I find it excessive and a little unsettling, to be completely honest. The final result is really ugly, to boot. Later Figuarts ladies made a much better compromise. In line with this, know that Shinken Pinks are known for having insanely tight hips that can break if you force them too quickly.

If you’re going in on the entire team, and you can live with the women standing mostly upright, these at least do look absolutely stellar with their intact skirts. I’ll list Mako and Kotoha’s accessories below the cut, but Kaoru’s merit mention now: she includes everything Takeru does, except for Shishi Origami. That’s a bit baffling, along with the fact that her Rekka Daizantou is exactly the same, instead of being in Oozutsu Mode, given that Takeru’s doesn’t transform.

2 is the Norm, but Having Three Every Time Would Be A-OK With Me out of 5

A lot of people hate the shoulders, and while they are weird to work with, and can create gaps if you aren’t conscientious about the near-floating cover pieces, I was never overly annoyed by them. 
Given the overall quality of the figures, they’re FINE.

Mako and Kotoha’s Accessories:
  • Shinkenmarus
  • Shodophones in Brush mode
  • Their Origami in Emblem and Live modes
  • Their signature weapons:
    • Heaven Fan
    • Land Slicer
  • Godawful broken-up skirt pieces
  • 5 million hands apiece.

Kaoru’s:
  • Shinkenmaru
  • Shodophone in Brush mode
  • Rekka Daizantou
  • Godawful broken-up skirt pieces
  • One more hand than Takeru
I really can't understand why she doesn't have Shishi. Those pieces are so minuscule to begin with! It doesn't help that in my conception of Shinkenger, she's more associated with Shishi than Takeru. Not that I expected Takeru to come with a scaled Ushi Origami. Mainly because that doesn't exist as a thing. I almost wish it did, so Takeru and Sosuke could have simultaneously pulled him and Kishamoth out of their posteriors in the crossover 😂 Go watch Gran Prix 40 and you'll see what I mean~

Really, though, they couldn't give Kaoru those two additional pieces? I wouldn't have found it overly strange if they had forewent the hand for holding Emblem mode, since that may have required a new molding. Do female Figuarts have smaller ball pegs on their wrists, and consequently smaller hands? I never thought to check, but it's definitely possible...

Still, not including Shishi was a damn weird choice.

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