Name of Series:

Kamen Rider Imagination Part 1

 Manufacturer:

Bandai

 Date of release (estimated):

December 2004

Price (singly in ¥):

300 ¥

Sculptor:

Unknown

No. of Pieces in the series:

5

Secret (SP)/Chase:

None

Variants:

None

Size:

Around 5- 8 cm

Availability (in Singapore):

La Tendo

Other Remarks:

Since Ultraman had a successful diorama-based "Imagination" series, you will bet the equally popular live action heroes genre, the Kamen Riders would get their version as well.

ライダーきりもみシュート！(Rider's Spinning Shoot!)

To kick off the series is of course the original Kamen Rider 1 totally swept his opponent, Squid Devil (イカデビル) with his signature whirlwind spin and finished with a nice pose. To begin with Rider 1 looks quite stunning despite only in his bust state, the signature pose is clearly expressed. The villain looks much like a burnt calamari and the best feature is that belt of his. This piece is firmly held by the base which is nicely connected at several points.

新たな必殺技 (Brand New Finishing Move)

Kamen Rider finished off his deadly duel with Alicabali (may be a wrong name, I just translated loosely from the katagana name) with a brand new curtain-closer (most probably just a modified Rider Kick) which resulted in such great devastation. I do like Rider 2 despite his pose is a bit unnatural. Alicabali is another awful-looking Kamen Rider enemy and I only like that left claw. The explosion looks very much like a crusted scone been breaking into pieces and I spent quite a while to figure out how to piece it up together.

海中の戦い (Battle Within the Ocean)

My favorite piece of the set sees Rider X battling hard with the god of the sea, Neptune (or Poseidon in Greek mythology) in the latter's turf, right in the middle of the sea; however our Rider has no problem subduing his nemesis. The 2 characters looks particularly good especially the design of Neptune, love the way his body is halved into fish scales on the left, and his right half covered with bronze with cool metal chain around his right arm. The pose is really precise to indicate the struggle the pair is engaging in. Lastly simply love the way the foaming of the blue water of the ocean due to the fighting.

ファイナルベント (Final Bent)

Still puzzled by the title. What does "Final Bent" really mean? Shouldn't it be "Final Bend" instead? Well it's not for me to once more highlight the command of English of the good people in Japan. Anyway Ryuki would look the most horrendous rider in this series as his fence-like mask is done badly, seems like melting into his face; but his pose looks great and firmly situated on the base. The star of this piece has to be the robotic Dragraider and his flaming body. You can actually visualise he way his body curls around Ryuki on the base. The claws look vicious as well.

ライトニングソニック！ (Lightning Sonic)

Many would say save the best for last (well at least Vanessa Williams will), but not so in this case as you will see perhaps the most horrible piece in this set. Kamen Rider Blade as I had heard from accolades from my peers happened to be perhaps the best KR series in recent years but this piece when we see our hero executing his "Lightning Sonic" is really ugly. Blade looks ok but the pose is rigid and you can see the upper half of his body is not connecting well with the lower half. I supposed the yellow colored region is depicting lightning streaks but no where close. I do like the way part of his legs are been induced into the lightning form.