S.H. Figuarts Masked Rider Faiz Review

I've been a fan of Masked Riders since I saw Masked Rider Black kick monsters in the face when I was a kid. There have been tons of Riders since then, each of them more, shall we say, flamboyant, than the last. But when HERO TV premiered Masked Rider Faiz, that's when I was really hooked.

There was something about his design that clicked for me...it wasn't as busy as, say, Hibiki or Blade, and the tech he used was pretty much down-to-earth. He used a cellphone to transform, for goodness sakes! Also, the hero wasn't some wangsty, mysterious pretty boy. He was scuffy dude who didn't even want anything to do with being a Masked Rider, but he takes the burden anyway, if it means protecting the dreams of others. Because that's what true heroes do.

And so when news came out that Bandai is making an S.H. Figuarts of my favorite Masked Rider, I didn't think twice. When he got to our shores, I snapped him up immediately, hence the review of S.H. Figuarts Masked Rider Faiz I'll be doing today!

Masked Rider Faiz's box is undeniably his, his name emblazoned in red over an all-black box unlike other Figuarts' silver boxes. It really stands out, and it fits the character well. This is a box I'll be taking care of for years.

Out of the box, Masked Rider Faiz lies snug sandwiched in clear plastic. Bandai obviously didn't skimp on accessories, as you can see that almost every weapon and doodad Faiz used in the series is included.

Faiz looks awesome once you get him in your hands. Everything about Faiz is recreated in amazing detail, from the grooves in his eyes to the tiny Rider Gear belt around his waist. Paint apps are clean all around, though my Faiz had some scuffed plastic, and faded metallic paint where the red should be. A red Pentel pen should fix that up, but I really shouldn't have to do that. Still, it's a minor annoyance.

Bandai used a new, beefier body for Faiz, which I like. As Masked Rider Kabuto helpfully demonstrates for us, Faiz looks bulky and better proportioned when put beside someone like Kabuto, who uses one of the leaner bodies in S.H. Figuarts. Some people might have a beef with that, but I love how Faiz looks like a person actually wearing armor.

Accessory fans will go nuts over this guy. Faiz has tons of them! He's got a miniature version of his Faiz Phone, which he can use to activate his other weapons, or to simply call his girlfriend and say he'll be home late.

He also has a Phone Blaster, which is simply his cellphone bent slightly to resemble a handgun. A Phone Blaster with a Faiz Pointer attached is included. Now that's what I call going the extra mile for fans...I don't even remember the Pointer being used that way!

Speaking of which, he also has a separate Faiz Pointer that you can peg onto his lower right leg. In the series, he used it to pinpoint an enemy when he's doing his Rider Kicks, making him the first Rider to have horrible aim.

There's also a Faiz Shot, said to be a digicam in the show, which doubles as brass knuckles for his Rider Punch. Now, I don't know what the heck a Kamen Rider needs a digicam for, but for punching people in the face, it works just as well.

Finally, there's the Faiz Edge, his laser sword. The detail on this baby is amazing, and its perfect for beating up scrawny Riders.

To top it all off, the front of Faiz's Rider Gear can be swapped out with separate pieces that signify whether he's got the Faiz Phone on or not. It's a very welcome touch that shows how much Bandai strives for accuracy in their figures.

As you can see, articulation is standard S.H. Figuarts. He can pull off pretty much any Rider-y move you want him to do, and he'll look great doing it. His joints have a great range of motion, though his chest armor restricts how much he can bend down. Despite the fears that Faiz's feet won't be die-cast since he's a new sculpt, it was a welcome surprise that his feet are indeed die-cast, which helps stabilize him a bit.

Considering how much I got him for, Masked Rider Faiz is a steal. Tons of accessories, extra hands, and a great looking figure...what more could you possibly ask for? Masked Rider Faiz is a welcome addition to S.H. Figuarts and is probably Bandai's best Figuarts figure yet. I'm glad my favorite Rider got made, and even more glad to have gotten my hands on him before Christmas!

Hope you found this review helpful! Comments and suggestions? Hit the comment box below and let me know! Thanks for reading!