It was that bad? Not sure if I dodged a bullet or not.

As for the tubes, this is how they work:
https://thumbs2.imgbox.com/9d/18/gerdz40J_t.jpg

Thanks. I needed to pop the head off to get it to work.

Can confirm. My SHF Sevenger is a wobbly mess.

Is this new version actually upgraded? Like redesigned internally?

Again, can't answer without owning one, but this one can balance with the earthquake test.
https://thumbs2.imgbox.com/6b/ba/JweHArvg_t.jpg

Is there anything other than the tube (and of course different accessories) that makes him visually different from regular, non-space Sevenger?

The new release is more silver than grey and the gunmetal parts were originally black.
https://thumbs2.imgbox.com/58/46/4WdFUpaO_t.jpg

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LkevN0ZyyD0

Around 7:30 he is comparing the two figures. He says “Ashi ga guragura da ne” which translates to “the legs are unstable” then he lets go of OG sevenger and it falls over. So this is video confirmation right there. Also if I got the japanese wrong, oops! All i do is watch tokusatsu or jdramas. I don’t actually know the language.

Also my personal experience is that the OG sevenger was drunk as heck and could not stand at all. New Sevenger sobered up and got his act together. He can now hold a pose.

Oh and in addition to missing the rocket punch accessory, the new sevenger does not have the open palm splayed out hand (see the picture below). I still prefer the new version, though. I bought both and put the old one back in the box when I got the new one.

EDIT: They both feel oddly heavy too. I don’t know why the trash can like body of Sevenger needs to be so heavy, but it is what it is.

Thanks for the side by side! The new one looks better to me, lack of rocket punch aside.

Yeah I can confirm Sevenger got some weight in its body compared to other figures his size.

Yeah, especially compared to King Joe Storage Custom, Sevenger is super heavy and the Storage King Joe is light. I was so thrown off when I took King Joe out the box. I was expecting a figure as heavy as Sevenger, but he was light and hollow feeling.