Kit Review

Straight build + Stickers

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Detail shots

Rear view with the Toryuken removed

There's also a bit of internal frame in the arms and legs.

The belt features dimensional jewel stickers.

Excellent color separation on the shoulders

The Toryuken can be mounted on the back using a joint part.

The color separation on the Toryuken is achieved with black PET stickers.

Extended dragon claw parts are also included as extras.

The folded dragon claws on the shoulders can be swapped out for the extended versions.

Extended dragon claws mounted on the arms

Replacement hands are included, though there are only 2 finger poses.

Joint part for a display stand

Only one leftover part

Wataru Ryujinmaru - Arm and leg articulation. The hip joint range of motion is a bit disappointing.

Limb articulation.
The hip joint range of motion is a bit disappointing.

The shoulders can also move forward and back, though the range isn't very wide.

Waist articulation

The decoration in front of the neck also has some degree of movement.

Wataru Ryujinmaru - Various Toryuken poses (1/7)

Wataru Ryujinmaru - Various Toryuken poses (2/7)

Wataru Ryujinmaru - Various Toryuken poses (3/7)

Wataru Ryujinmaru - Various Toryuken poses (4/7)

Wataru Ryujinmaru - Various Toryuken poses (5/7)

Various Toryuken poses

Dragon claw poses

Size comparison with the MG First 2.0.
It's about the same size as a standard MG.

Ryujinmaru from Mashin Hero Wataru has been released as an HG Amplified IMGN kit. Just from the name, you might expect it to be a Figure-rise Standard release like Digimon, but it ended up coming out as a straight HG kit. True to the "Amplified" name, it features much slimmer proportions and more refined detail than the original design.

First off, the gold-plated parts combined with gloss injection parts give it a fantastic straight build look thanks to the excellent color separation. You get a wide variety of stickers, from dimensional jewel stickers to thick PET stickers. And being a Bandai kit, the build feel is smooth and the joint strength is solid. That said, the articulation is pretty average for a kit of this design, and pulling off really dynamic poses is tough. The hip joint range of motion is surprisingly limited — especially since the lack of a skirt should theoretically make leg movement easier, but various parts end up getting in the way. As for weapons, you get the Toryuken and dragon claw parts for mounting on the forearms, and the included joint part lets you mount the Toryuken on the back.

Anyway, taking the stubby little Ryujinmaru and giving it these sleek proportions does look pretty cool — though it can feel quite a departure from the original. The articulation is a bit of a letdown, but overall the build quality is very clean. If you have fond memories of Wataru or were a fan of Ryujinmaru, this would make for a pretty special treat. :-)

Ryujinmaru | 2022.7 | ¥5,000

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.