The New SH Figuarts Ultraman Figure Has The Best Accessory Ever: A City To Destroy With Monster Fights

Longtime ComicsAlliance readers might recall that among my many weaknesses is an inability to resist buying high-end Japanese action figures of some of my favorite heroes, particularly the Bandai/Tamashii Nations SH Figuarts Line. They're just so great, and while the figures themselves are always awesome, with plenty of articulation and screen-accurate details, it's the accessories that really make it. Weapons, interchangeable hands, even extra faces have all convinced me to drop way too much money on action figures in the past.

But now, they've topped themselves. This summer, they're putting out a set honoring the 50th Anniversary of the Ultraman TV show, featuring a new Ultraman figure and the single best accessory ever: A tiny little city street that he can demolish while fighting with his alien opponents.

Originally created by Eiji Tsubaraya, Ultraman is rivaled only by Shotaro Ishinomori's Kamen Rider as the most prominent hero of the tokusatsu genre, and in addition to his signature Specium Beam --- something you can replicate with one of his interchangeable hands --- his big trick is growing to giant size to battle his monsters. Tsubaraya, you see, was also one of the co-creators of Godzilla, and had a lot of experience realizing that audiences were way into seeing giant dudes battle it out in suspiciously cardboard-looking cities.

For Japanese fans, the Ultraman 50th anniversary set will be available in July for a price of 8,640 yen (about $75, currently), with enemies and larger city sets that you can add on sold separately. For those of us on this side of the Pacific, though, I wouldn't worry --- you can usually grab these figures from importers, conventions, and specialty shops shortly after their release, although there's almost assuredly going to be a markup.

For more info, check out the Tamashii Nations page.