They're doing Lion Maru now. Two releases including Tiger Joe and the Lion. I'm an eager Lion Maru collector but this is not doing it for me. Something about the face. Kind of expression less, almost as a lion rug or a latex mask... Not sure what it is. May be it'll grow on me or may be if I catch it for way less that retail.

I should add, I love the body, sword and black cape. It looks like a sturdy figure and Bear Model has been doing some outstanding job with all these Medicom releases.

Very nice! I don't think it's too bad. Is there a photo of the entire figure, and Tiger Joe? Just curious as to how it compares to the vintage figure.

Yes there is, sorry Grace, here you go.


I think the TJ looks a lot better.

i think it's the "action figure" paint applications that deter me from getting excited over these releases.

A little too detailed for my liking. The charm of the original toys lie in the crudeness of the sculpt and sometimes haphazard paint application.

Oh thank you Aldo!
Well, I do like the stripey stripes on the tiger, but I agree that it's a bit too GI-Joeish for my taste personally. Still, it is fun to see how they are newly interpreted!

It kind of looks like the talker. But I think the main problem is the 1970s bangs on it (sorta like how I look when my hair grows out and I am waiting on my wife to cut it! ). Cover up the hair over the forehead and the figure looks a lot better!

It also might be a texture thing... I'm so used to seeing these figures (vintage ones), being smooth and "shiny".

Well, I am definitely happy that they keep trying new things, but I have to agree these aren't quite there in terms of my preferred vinyl taste. It is all so subjective though. I, too, get the action figure feel from these; probably the amount of detail and the heavy paint. I think they would work much better (like this) as four inch action figures, rather than large full size vinyl toys. They are right in line with a lot of the other Medicom stuff though, like the KR villains they have done. Which is cool, just not really the same style as most of my stuff. Pity that the Medicom stuff is so expensive, kids would love these (I would think).

Abridged- totally cool toys I would play with and really enjoy, but I would have to take a pass at the usual price point.

I'm sure we're all going to forget what we don't like about them when they release Wakuranba and Musasabian.

Ahahahaaha, well said man. And indeed, I will be the first to eat my words I am sure.

Still waiting for Mr. Osashi to make a Wakuranba... wouldn't that be something!

Personally, i love Bear Model for their crudity and rough textures . . . . a lot of the recent Medicom collaborations are fine but not really for me.
That also has a lot to do with the fact they are always expensive on Mandarake

These two are OK but they look far more like Medicom than BM. I agree the Lion Maru face is a little character-less.

Maybe they would look a lot better in-hand . . . . if i could buy them at retail i would be tempted.

Yeah, I agree with Moog. Too bad those are not available (again ) to foreigners.
I love BM too and I really like the face of the Tiger. Lion Maru is OK but could have been more intricate.

Maybe Lulu will get them in a pre-order.

I agree with everything said here.
It's interesting to see the fine line these new remake toys have to walk. It's a shame they can't just use the actual molds.
I will say I've been collecting both vintage and new medicom Kamen rider lines and even though theres no contest between the two, the new ones look much better in hand than photos.