[Toys] SH Figuarts: Ankh Stand Set

LAST thing I ordered off Amazon. This isn't the first Figuarts I've obtained, but uhh, incidentally it's the ONLY review I have up for one... Gotta fix that.
Right, so, this toy... Originally, it was a pre-order exclusive for the original release of Kamen Rider OOO TaToBa Combo, but had much less paint and only one hand. A month later it was released in this special set as its own piece, complete with a stand and some hands. Naturally, some who ordered TaToBa expecting an exclusive were in nerdrage. But some like me who couldn't afford an exclusive were in bliss. Ha ha. 

Anyway, let's review this little gem. Protip: It's NOT a build-a-figure!

Get to it, Bandai.

Ankh is from Kamen Rider OOO. All you need to know for the context of this review is that Ankh is a monster who lost most of his body, left with just a floating arm, and is now trying to gain cell medals (life energy, essentially) from other monsters to regain his true form. He gets around by possessing a helpless detective (pictured above.)

 ANKH IS AN ARM. Did I mention that? Well, there's not much to say because of it! However, what I WILL say is that the paint on this is gorgeous. It's all shiny and metallic and AHHH. I also like how they handled the faded colors that go from red to yellow to green, very accurate to the show design. In fact, lots of detail on here. The gold lining on the gloves, the rings (AND green fingernails?) on both the index finger and middle finger, the couple pieces of sculpted plastic cloth hanging from the elbow, and even the scaly texture on the base of the arm. It's all very well sculpted and painted, considering this is the bulk of the purchase. He's not alone, of course...

As you probably guessed from the above picture, the title, and the fact that he's supposed to be a floating arm, he comes with a display stand. One that is made up of two bars that are articulated in the middle and on both ends, meaning you get a great amount of range for him. The tip of the stand pegs into a hole on the elbow area of the arm.

As a bonus, you get these two piles of cell medals! They peg onto the stage for added display potential and look REALLY well sculpted. I mean I can't even show you with these photos, but every single medal has a specific symbol on them based around the patterns in the show. I can see Taka, Kuwagata, Sai, Lion, Cheetah, Kamakiri... It's incredible how tiny and well done the sculpting is on them. And the shine they have made me wonder if they would be diecast (spoilers: they're not, but still durable.)

Oh, I also got a little baggy that comes with a couple parts made to connect two stands together, as well as a couple pegs to fill in the area the medal piles plug into... As was pointed out to me by Chosen on TFW2005, these peg in from the bottom. They work pretty well, so my original statement about how useless they were, I take back. Eheh. Nicely!

Hey, since there's not much else I can put here, let me add pictures of all the alternate hands. You saw #1, the relaxed sorta-pointing hand. Next...

*clank*

2. Fist. Used for the ROCKET PUNCH! (If you watched the show, you know what hospital scene I'm referencing...)

"MINE!"

3. Splayed open hand. Oh Ankh, so greedy.

4. Popsicles... Yes. Popsicles. IT'S A CHARACTER TRAIT!

"Eiji! Use these."

5. Lastly, Ankh holding the OOO medals for the TaToBa Combo. This is actually fairly useless to me because not only do I not have an OOO figure, but I also do not have an Eiji figure for him to torment. But it's a nice inclusion all the same. They may not look it here, but they're actually specifically made of clear plastic that's colored in the respective colors, making them more show accurate. That's a really nice touch.

"... And just how am I supposed to drink this? Stupid girl."

So... This is a pretty entertaining set. If there's one thing I think sort of dampers the deal, it's knowing that Souchaku Henshin and Figuarts figures - unless specifically designed to for a gimmick - don't have removable arms, so you can't exactly have him possess your Riders. Also, for those waiting on the full body Ankh figure, I don't know if the arms on that are removable, so this might be the only way to have your floating arm version of him.

I mean, hey, overall this set is cool. But it really really comes down to whether or not you like Ankh enough to buy a small floating arm. Because importing prices have not been getting cheaper lately. I got this guy for about $20 and I feel like it's just worth it. I think if you're like me and you really loved what the show did with him and want to support the show in some way, this guy should be worth it, just be cautious on how much you spend knowing what you're getting out of it. Don't let your greed control you, my friends.

That said, thanks for reading, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the new year!