Kamen Rider W Driver (Korean Version)
 

I'm looking to buy a Kamen Rider W Driver and saw that there are tons of the Korean versions online for sale. Does anyone know the difference between the Japanese version other than the packaging?

It has a different man voicing the Memory, but they sound very close. Everything else about them is the same.

Original voice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtMJ8...layer_embedded

Korean voice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ItGIaOHNxM

Thanks. I forgot to check youtube for any reviews. I have a a few of the Japanese memories(DX Sound Capsule Gaia Memory EX Complete Selection 2) so I'm sure the original voice with those memories will remain.

My Korean Double Driver arrived this week. Here is a quick demo again of the sounds. I have some Japanese capsule memories on order that will hopefully arrive in the next few weeks (I don't have any experience with Hong Kong post, but I'll assume it's similar to SAL). Once they come in, I'll do a proper comparison.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/R6bvLCmlklE[/youtube]

Ok, I posted a better video with a comparison to my capsule memories. If you have other memories, or plan on getting some, I think this is a good route to go to get an affordable Double Driver.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oM4leDG3L0

They're not really that different, except Heat. More and more I think I'll be just fine getting the Korean releases of the Metal Shaft and Gadget memories.

I may buy this in the future, I love how the two Heat memories sound like thier argueing with each other.

Nice review, PurdueAV2003! I've always wanted a Double Driver, but it was never within my capabilities to buy one. I'm somewhat considering the Korean versions. Do you know if the plastic quality is the same?

I hope you continue to do more reviews, PurdueAV2003!

The Korean toys have pretty much the same built as the Japanese original. The plastic quality feel on them isn't any different.

My Double Driver came in today and it worked with my "DX Sound Capsule Gaia Memory EX Complete Selection 2" set.

are there capsule memories with the light feature? how difficult would it be to swap sound chips?

Hey, anyone who watches the CS Toys Live Show, Mr. S stated that the Double Driver will be re-issued by Bandai of Japan for about 6500 yen with ALL SIX of the Double Gaia Memories.

Additionally, the DecaDriver will be reissued at 4800 yen with 10 additional cards and all the cards will be plastic.

Really? WTF? I would totally buy that, just to get the Metal Memory I need, because I am a sucker.

Huh, about how much would that translate to in American currency? The Double Driver. If that's around 90, then i'm tempted to save up for that.

Google says $85 and change.

I got 3 of the DecaDrivers from Hong Kong waiting in cutoms right now. I'll post pics when they come in. From what I see there is a slight change in the box with some Japanese text replaced with English.

I ordered 2 extra by mistake. I'll sell them to board members first. Den-O have first dibs on one of them since he asked last month, but the other one is open to anyone. They will cost $60 each plus cost of shipping.

http://i614.photobucket.com/albums/t...cade_Belt2.jpg

http://i614.photobucket.com/albums/t...ade_Belt_2.jpg

Ooh. Very tempted by a Decadriver reissue.

This news of the Reissue Drivers is awesome, I just know I'll have to pass on them though, neither would fit in my spending budget unless I cut out pretty much everything I want that's out and it's hard to justify spending around $100 for a noise making belt.

The reason the Korean W Driver has localized sounds is because turns out they decided to localize the show itself(primarily the character names only). Most of the time Kamen Rider shows were hardly localized (names of characters and locations, etc...) in Korea, and it basically meant getting the original henshin belts with a cheaper price tag and translated packaging. Here is a list of the belts that have been released in Korea(note that Korea did not air Kuuga, Agito, Hibiki):

V Buckle from Ryuki(localized: none)
All belts from Faiz(localized: none)
All belts from Blade(localized: none)
All belts and zectors from Kabuto(localized: none)
All belts from Den-o(localized: K-taros and Denkamen sword)
Ixa Belt, Sagarc Belt from Kiva (localized: Kivat belt, Dark Kivat belt)
Decade henshin items(localized: none)
All belts from W(localized: All Gaia Memories are localized)

One thing to know is that rider and sentai aired in Korea is as follows:
January ~ June is Kamen Rider Season
July ~ December is Super Sentai Season

Sentai aired in Korea:
Abaranger(Power Ranger Dino Thunder)
Dekaranger(Power Ranger SPD)
Magiranger(Power Ranger Magic Force)
Boukenger(Power Ranger Treasure Force)
Gekiranger(Power Ranger Wild Spirit)
Go-onger(Power Ranger Engine Force)
Goseiger(Power Ranger Miracle Force)

Kamen Rider aired in Korea:
Ryuki(Gahmyeon Rider Dragun. Gahmyeon is the korean word for mask/kamen)
Faiz(Gahmyeon Rider Faiz)
Blade(Gahmyeon Rider Blade)
Kabuto(Gahmyeon Rider Gabuto)
Den-o(Gahmyeon Rider Den-o)
Kiva(Gahmyeon Rider Kiva)
Decade(Gahmyeon Rider Decade)
W(Gahmyeon Rider Double)

I am not sure how it will play out this year regarding Gokaiger because not all super sentai has been released in Korea under the Power Ranger franchise and certain shows (particularly Flashman, Bioman, Maskman) have been known to Koreans in their respective titles since early 1990's. The only solution for getting Gokaiger in Korea is if the localization team there justifies it in a way that makes sense (i.e. it is a parallel world), then it could go smooth.

I'll probably pick up the reissue driver to get the DX memories. I can convert my Korean driver to a Lost Driver, then!

With Decade and W having driver re-releases, I can see the scramble for people looking for cards and Gaia memories.

The 3rd Rider Wars

Small note.

The Korean versions of the DecaDriver cards have the Kamen Rider names in Korean under the pictures of the Riders.

Forgot about that. Thanx for pointing that out. :)

I wonder, with the re-releases imminent, would you guys still recommend the Korean version?