 |
Super Imaginative Chogokin - Masked Rider Faiz (Vol 28) |
| Series | Super Imaginative Chogokin |
|
| Title | Masked Rider Faiz (Vol 28) | |
| Release Date | April 2005 | |
| Manufacturer | Bandai | |
| Suggested Price (JPY) | 3,500 | |
| Scale | 1/10 | |
| Height (cm) |
Faiz: 18.0 cm (approx. head height) Wolf Orphenochs: 17.2 cm (approx. head height) |
|
| No. of Parts | 1 figure + 28 parts + 1 instruction sheet | |
| My Rating | Very Good |
Related Items:
Story
Kamen Rider Faiz (555 or Phi) is a fictional suit of
high-tech power armor seen in the Japanese
television series Kamen Rider 555 (2003 - 2004). It
is the first of the Rider Gears seen in the series
and the second set of Kamen Rider Gear developed by
the Smart Brain Corporation to protect the Orphenoch
King. The Faiz Gear had less power than the original
Delta Gear, but had a much greater functionality.
Its primary wearer is identified as Takumi Inui
(Wolf Orphenoch).
The story revolves around Smart Brain Corporation, the world's most powerful corporation. They are trying to take over the world using Orphenochs (modified humans whom evolve to the next stage in human evolution) to covertly kill off the world's human population. In their pursuits, they develop various high-tech equipments and among them come 3 suits of power suits, called the Rider Gears (Delta, Faiz, and Kaixa). The Rider Gears were developed to find and protect the Orphenoch King, who could fix the minor genetic defect within the Orphenochs that causes genetic structure break down with prolonged use of their powers.
The Rider Gears are stolen by Hanagata (Goat Orphenoch and former President of Smart Brain Corporation), who sends them to his "children", the Ryuseiji, so they can stop the Orphenochs from achieving their goal. Unfortunately, the Rider Gears, to be worn by Orphenochs, humans are unable to wear them without a dear price.
A young loner, Inui Takumi, is unwillingly drawn into the war between the Orphenochs and humans; becoming Kamen Rider Faiz, to save the life of Sonada Mari (one of the Ryuseiji). The Smart Brain Corporation begins targeting him in an attempt to retrieve the Faiz Gear…
Packaging
As always, Bandai's SIC figures are fabulous
renditions of the characters they represent, with
exquisite detail and bountiful options. The figure
is packaged in a windowed color box. The contents
include 2 plastic trays, upper and lower tray. The
upper tray holds the Faiz action figure along with
10 other parts (mostly Faiz accessories) whereas the
lower holds another 18 parts (additional parts to
convert Faiz to Wolf Orphenochs).
 |
 |
| Kamen Rider Faiz | Takumi Inui as Wolf Orphenochs |
Figure
Although the story is completely unrelated, Kamen
Rider Faiz is the subsequent series following Kamen
Rider Ryuki. In Ryuki, the design of Rider suit is
in a modern armored knight theme. Some fans might
think it deviates too much from the original Kamen
Rider “Insectoid” design. As in the Kamen Rider 555
series, the design of Rider Gears can be said falls
back to the conventional “Bug” design and plus using
a mechanical or robotic theme on it.
Figure sculpting is awesome and does not deviate from the lean and agile image of Faiz and the proportions is identical as seen in the TV series. This Bandai’s SIC rendition of Faiz comes with a crazy amount of details with a very mechanical feel. It is also commendable that Bandai has re-sculpt Faiz ugly CD-like visor to be smaller and complement well to its body proportion.
The figure articulations are in either double-ball joints or hinged-ball joints. In overall, it can be said better or at least on par to the previously released Kamen Rider Ryuki’s figure. Bandai’s effort in hiding the figure joints is also noticeable.
The figure comes with a pair of standard fist and additional 4 extra hands (1 pair for grip and another pair for open hands).
 |
 |
 |
| [5][5][5][ENTER] ... "Standing By!" | [1][0][3][ENTER] "Single Mode" | [1][0][6][ENTER] "Burst Mode" |
 |
 |
 |
| "Ready" | "Exceed Charge" ... Crimson Smasher! |
 |
 |
| [5][2][3][2][ENTER]... "Faiz Shot Exceed Charge" | |
 |
 |
| When Mission Memory is attached to the left handle of the Autovajin, it transformed into Faiz Edge | |
Faiz Gears
The previous Kamen Rider Ryuki is base on “Vent”
cards concept. Faiz is on a different design
concept. As seen on TV, it comes with tons gadgets
that can slot here and there to bring out additional
killing attacks. In this SIC figures, Faiz
accessories is faithfully reproduced.
For a start, the package comes with a briefcase, marked with the Smart Brain company logo and it can be open to reveal compartments to store his gears. The briefcase stores his Faiz Pointer (digital torch), Faiz Phone, Faiz Shot (Digital Camera transformable to a knuckle-duster), Faiz Driver (henshin belt) and a triangular sniper extension for upgraded version of Phone Blaster mode.
The key item will be the Faiz phone, the Faiz Driver activator and input command device. It is a clamp shell phone that flips open and twist another 45 degree sideway, transformed into Phone Blaster. A triangular plastic piece provided as support for the Faiz Pointer attaching to it. The “Mission Memory” card feature is also reproduced here. Instead of a metal card slotted out from the phone cover, only the tiny logo is removed from it and can attached to various gadgets for an instant “Exceed Charge” mode. Gadgets that support “Mission Memory” include Faiz Pointer and Faiz Shot (I am still looking for the slot on Faiz Edge). Note that the removal of the logo from the phone is not shown in the manual. It is a tiny piece and care has to be taken as not to lose it.
Both Faiz Pointer (disguise as a digital torch) and Faiz Shot (disguise as a digital camera device) can attach to either side of his belt. In addition, Faiz pointer can be attached to lower right leg for an “Exceed Charge” Crimson Smasher (a.k.a. rider kick) or put onto the phone blaster giving it a sniper scope.
The last weapon is his Faiz Edge, a beam like sword transformed from his motorcycle (Autovajin) left handle. The handle is faithfully reproduced and it looks exactly like the real thing with the metal blade removed. The blade comes with metallic red paint on one side to represent a Jedi like light saber.
 |
 |
| Faiz Gears stored in Smart Brain Briefcase | Faiz weapons and accesories |
Wolf Orphenochs
It is said that Rider Gears can only safely be worn
by an Orphenochs and with a good educated guess,
Takumi Inui as Faiz primary user, is an Orphenochs
too. He is a Wolf Orphenochs to be exact.
In this SIC release, the figure can be converted from the black Faiz figure to a white Wolf Orphenochs. It is a nice to have feature but then the converted figure is no less awesome than the initial Faiz figure itself. The details are equally impressive with massive metal claws and spikes decorated all over its body.
This figure comes with a default pair of fist hands but an additional pair is provided in claw pose.
In my opinion, the downside of this feature is that the transformation took a too drastic amount of parts to be swapped. I have to break the figure in almost every joints and I am worried that too frequent amount of transformation will loosen the joints.
 |
 |
 |
| Faiz converted to Wolf Orphenochs | ||
Conclusion
Before I watch the TV series, I do not like the Faiz
design. I think it is ugly with a big mono-eye in
yellow, thus earning him a nickname “CD Player”.
Later, I begin to appreciate its cool gears design
with his confidence and sometimes-cocky fighting
style.
Moreover, this volume of SIC released by Bandai has effectively erase all things that I hate about its design and instantly make me a Faiz fan. What I am trying to say is that this SIC release is a really much better rendition of Kamen Rider Faiz than the one as seen on TV. This is a recommended item that worth a second consideration for those who dislike Faiz.
I did not manage to get the initial release of this figure. I bought this package during its reissue release locally at Low Yat Plaza.
 |
Document Date : 2006-03-15 |
Responses to this page: