I finally got a chance to open up Taro. I have to say that I really liked his look, sort of halfway between Ultraman and Leo. Nice accessories but not too much, and a great beam effect piece. The bent chestpiece is interesting, but in execution it works really well. Finding a good pose took a while but I think he will line up nicely with his fellow Showa Ultra Heroes on my shelf.

I need to do a pictorial of him fighting my sofubi Tyrant!

As an aside, I will be retrieving my UA Ace this weekend, so the ranks of the Ultra Heroes continues to grow! With Ultraseven v.2 coming, right now the release I am waiting to see is 80, to complete the Showa Ultras. I have Gaia coming, but I am personally on the fence about getting all of the starring Ultras. Although as we continue to watch Ultraman Nexus, Nexus Junis is going to be mine sooner rather than later!

Baltan, regarding 80, seeing as he comes after Taro, if/when he is released as an Ultra-Act, he would be available for release by Bluefin, right? Would make life a little bit easier for him, I imagine. (I am comparing that to the ease with which I was able to get Leo.)

Anyway, retrieved Ace this weekend from my buddy in Rock Hill. Had not had a chance to open him yet, though I hope to rectify that situation tonight. Also made the mistake (heh) of watching Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legends The Movie as part of this weekend's daikaiju festivities. This movie will make you want to buy a LOT of Ultra merchandise. Gomora having such a large role, for instance, has me looking for his U-A, but man, he's pretty damn pricey!

Yeah the price increases for Ultra Act Gomora is insane! However, I must admit that the sculpt is pretty good.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l2...traman2024.jpg

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l2...traman2024.jpg

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l2...traman2028.jpg

To-date I have all the Ultra Act kaijus but I may give future releases a miss unless they are extremely well made. For example, I find Zetton (not yet release) to be too multi-jointed for my liking - like Red King. I'm currently using this version of Zetton. I'm not too sure what series he's from but its made by Bandai or Banpasto.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l2...traman2043.jpg

That Zetton is really nice. He always looks like he just wants to give Ultraman a great big ole hug. Of DEATH. I like using the sofubi monsters with my Ultra-Acts because for display I feel they give a nice balance of the agile Ultra Hero and the lumbering Ultra Kaiju.

I got my Brother's Mantle in the mail today... I may use the stand on Jack just because he keeps falling over and wiping out Leo with him. Not sure who gets the cape yet...

Good joke on the hug of death! LOL! Yeah, I actually prefer my Ultra Act figures to pose beside the vinyls. So much so that I have yet to open the Eleking (spelling?) and Gozam (spelling?).

I bought 6 mantles and my original plan was to give them to the ones seen wearing them in the movie where Zero makes his first appearance!

My Nexus Junis Blue came in stock last night and my AmiAmi order is now paid for, so I should be getting him and Zoffy sometime next week! I admit I hope it's Thursday/Friday because, depending on how quickly the order's shipped, I'll be in Irvine for a meeting on Wednesday.

Can't wait to get the renewal Ultraseven.


http://www.majhost.com/gallery/TCrac...n/dscn8835.jpg

http://www.majhost.com/gallery/TCrac...n/dscn8836.jpg

http://www.majhost.com/gallery/TCrac...n/dscn8837.jpg

http://www.majhost.com/gallery/TCrac...n/dscn8839.jpg

That's a badass lineup of Ultra right there, TCracker!

Thanks, Now I need to stock up some kaijus and this gives me the reason to get Ace Killer...:D

RE-creating the scene...
http://www.majhost.com/gallery/TCrac...n/dscn8841.jpg

Awesome use of the stage bases on that one!

Still waiting on Seven, but I will try to crack open Ace tonight. I just got a new shelf/cabinet for my bonus room, so that should make a good stage for my Ultra Heroes to face off with the (vinyl) army of monsters!

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3745/9...0ce61920_z.jpg
Ultra Act Ultraman Nexus Junis Blue by Ultraman23, on Flickr

I'm not an Ultra fan and I kinda want that...

Technically not jean-Bot, but he will do at the moment....

http://www.majhost.com/gallery/TCrac...n/dscn8851.jpg

Hey it's cool, Jean-Nine is on the team too :D

Can't say I can think of anyone else who would get Jean-Nine before Jeanbot! :lol Needs a teeny tiny Pigmon to really complete the team, too.

Curious to see how they'll handle Ginga in Ultra Act

He's going to need A LOT of effect parts

Jean-Bot is pretty hard to come by in my part of the world. I am still looking for him.

Welll....if that Jean-Nine/killer that was on briefly on AmiAmi had lasted another hour or so, I probably would've done just that too. I haven't gotten to Jeanbot yet, but probably soon since it's still on Amazon and August is preorder-light for me for once.

I know they have at least a couple molds that were spotted last year that they've yet to put up for preorder to get to still, but yeah I'm curious to see how soon they get to Ginga.

Speaking of effects parts, there hasn't been an Ultra-Act effects part set released so far, has there? I know there were the impact parts with Gaia V2 and Agul but I thought that was it.

No, Ultra-Acts are typically so effects-heavy that there doesn't seem to have ever been a need for separate effects sets, nor would I ever imagine one. Usually a figure includes the essential effects and the odd extra, like renewal Ultraman's kicking-up-earth bits or the aforementioned impact effects.

I know he wasn't as common as he was years back, but I'm surprised there's anywhere that Jeanbot is rare! Yet another perk of access to figures via Bluefin, I guess, he's still around several US sites and eBay sellers.

Jean-Bot was once in abundance here. I kept delaying and tell myself I can always get it later.Until the local stations showed the Ultra Mega Monster movie and then subsequently some retsuden stuffs.

The Ultraforce Zero characters got snapped up quite quickly.

They clearanced out Jean-Bot on US Amazon last December. Got mine for $28 shipped.

Yeah I get that, I guess I like the impact effects or even those kicking-up-dirt bits so much I wouldn't mind seeing a whole set for them.

Well, along those lines but not Ultra-Act specifically, Tamashii Feature's (nnngh) this year showed off several potential effects parts sets. Of course, given the subject of the show they were all shown alongside Riders but there's no reason several of them couldn't be used with Ultra-Act (the stairs and things might be weird for certain characters).

This is odd timing.

Check out this strange listing on BBTS, "Ultraman Ultra-Act Flame Accessory." http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/p...86&mode=retail

In Stock at $4.99, but no picture, and Google only produced links back to BBTS. Anyone have any idea what this could be?

As far as Ginga, maybe they'll do him like Tiga and do different releases for his different "forms?" I wouldn't care for that, personally, but seems like a possibility.

I am looking forward to those non-stair effects parts. Those should be fun.

Huh...maybe the impact parts that were included with Gaia? Only thing I can think of.

Anyways, it's pic spam time! Nexus Junis Blue and Zoffy arrived yesterday with the rest of my AmiAmi order.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ps9da7be03.jpg

Quick note on Zoffy - there's a visible gap at his right hip joint. I can maneuver the left leg to avoid a gap, but whenever I try it with the right leg, it "pops" out just enough that the gap is there no matter what. The right hip joint is also much looser so I have some fun trying to get him to stay upright in certain poses - it's the only Ultra-Act I've had that comes with any loose joints to date. It doesn't get in the way of enjoying the figure though, Zoffy's pretty sweet.

As for Nexus Junis Blue, like the original form that was released earlier this year, this version of the suit remains something I really like, though it's not quite as striking as the original form (the blue, combined with the lack of black that broke up the red and silver on the original, factor in). It's still really striking and with a lot more detail going on than you're average Ultra-Act. His silver paint is actually much more metallic, almost chrome on his head, compared to the original form.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ps3b6b9bae.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ps781982cf.jpg

No problems popping hands on and off at all, and the wrist piece you pop off for two of his effects parts pops off easily as well. His neck and head are a little stiff. I LOVE the blade and bow effects parts more than the original.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ps6462a063.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...pse6346a0c.jpg

To wrap up, shots with Zoffy and Nexus Junis. All in all, another satisfying release.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ps4a8a3448.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ps41fa16ed.jpg

I just happened to notice that BBTS listing the other day, too. Well, rechecking it by chance this afternoon revealed that it was indeed the coveted Impact Effects! I promoted the shit out of the listing on Twitter, so if you see this... EDIT: too late now, all gone!

I picked up... a number of them. Others jumped on it too.

Funny thing is I'll probably grab the Agul and his exclusive, slightly-better-painted effects at a later date anyway, but because I really love the Agul V1 design!

Ahh, thanks Baltan-seijin. I had a sneaking suspicion that's what they were but wasn't sure. I don't display my Ultra-Acts with effects parts so no big loss for me. Glad that others got a chance to pick them up though!

I swore to lay off Junis NBlue, but the difference in the blue markings are reason enough for me to pick him up.....

damn...would have wanted those...would have nice universal effect parts...

Lucked into a Jean-Killer on Mandarake, so that will be on its way! Nabbed it for just under 7000 yen shipped, so not bad. Now to work on getting Jeanbot.

Jean-Killer arrived today (it would've arrived yesterday, but the mailperson came early so I missed them while I was taking a shower in-between conference calls)! It's really making me want Jean-bot because it's really impressive. Nice and sturdy (die-cast in the feet, and I think calves too(?), helps) and a nice design. Not quite as loaded with accessories as other Ultra-Acts, but hardly "barren" by any means. The only nitpick on my end is the ball joints the hands connect to are a bit smaller so the hands are a little trickier to pop on and off, but it was still easier to do than Mirror Knight, so hardly a major drawback.

Now to resist the urge to order Jean-bot NOW...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...psff2e3334.jpg

Jeanbot is very impressive! But IMO Jeankiller is a close second too! I never expect to see this thread 'grow' until now.

I think I have most of the Showa-based Ultra Act figures including Leo and Astra but I'm not sure of getting Junis. Maybe with regards to Ultra Men from the other series, I will pick up Noa and Zagi.

Just passing along a straw poll for Ultra-act, and Bluefin Tamashii is aware of it:

http://strawpoll.me/347665/r

Ginga please :D

I also voted for Ginga. Much rather have Ultra Heroes as Ultra-Acts than Ultra Kaiju.

GET. OUT.

Setting aside the incredible unlikelihood that this poll will mean anything (due to the everpresent Showa licensing issues meaning that Ginga is the only option on this poll that makes sense from Bluefin's standpoint, and Bandai Japan won't ever see this without them), the one and only thing Ultra-Act delivers on a regular basis is more Ultras. Ginga's place is inevitable and guaranteed from the way the Spark Doll toyline seems to be doing. If you were going to consider this poll legitimate at all, there would be no point in voting for Ginga over ANY monster when the line has been so woefully short of them.

^True

Ginga will get a release no matter what, it's unavoidable.
The Kaiju on the other hand aren't that likely to get released on their own so voting for them makes more sense.

Not like that matters right now since the poll is apparently over.

Well, a silly poll not with standing, I'd still rather have more Ultra Heroes than Ultra Kaijus...

Changing topic (sort of)

How do you guys think they'll do Ginga? The guy changes colors everytime he attacks. That doesn't sound easy to replicate.