[Den-O]

Follow the sun! TokuNation has indeed caught the sun with this gallery from Taiyou Sentai Sun Vulcan! In this installment we're taking a look at the team leader of Sun Vulcan, S.H. Figuarts Vul Eagle! And so begins yet another new subline of Sentai Figuarts!

Worthy of mention is the fact that this figure can represent either of the two Vul Eagles! Vul Eagle I Ryusuke Oowashi, OR Vul Eagle II Takayuki Hiba. Vul Eagle I was planned to be written out of the show from the start because of actor Ryusuke Kawasaki's intentionally limited contract. His singing career was huge at the time. Plans were in place to replace the actor & character thus Vul Eagle I exited the show, and Vul Eagle II entered! Vul Eagle II, Takayuki Hiba, wore exactly the same costume the original did. But the differentiating factor between the 2 was that Vul Eagle II's Vulcan Stick could transform into a Katana! Read on to see how this figure allows you to display either version!

Packaging
As I mentioned before, Vul Eagle is the first release in the Sun Vulcan line of S.H. Figuarts. As such this is a brand new basic figure and packaging. The box itself really strives for that appropriate Showa feel. And it does it very well. I don't know if it's the darker muted colors, the awesome Sun graphic that stretches from the box across the bubble, or what. But this box knocks it out of the park. Oddly it opens on the top or bottom flaps and doesn't open to the slide like a majority of S.H. Figuarts.

Main Figure
S.H. Figuarts Vul Eagle is by far one of my favorite sentai Figuarts. I dare say it's the nicest one I own even. This figure is solid on every level. For starters the sculpt is magical. For a suit that really looked baggy in the show, they've carried some of that over here but streamlined it so it doesn't look cheesy at all. Honestly the Figuart makes the suit look 30 years more recenet than it is. But where this thing is completely knocked out of the park is the headsculpt. The beautiful profile, the gorgeously done Eagle crest. It's perfection. Oh and the emblem on his belt, just absolutely nailed it.

This figure also happens to feature wonderful articulation! It's pretty standard stuff for non-armored figures such as this one, but Vul Eagle can move in all the right ways to get the job done. I've yet to discover any real flaws with my Vul Eagle either, and I own 2 of him. The paint is crisp, the joints tight (albeit a slightly too tight in the hips) and the parts are formed properly. I haven't had a figuart this issue free in a long time.

It should be noted that yes, Vul Eagle is about the same height as S.H. Figuarts Akaranger. It would seem at first glance that these Showa sentai figures are a bit taller than their Heisei counterparts. But honestly when I've got them all lined up together the differences aren't as apparent. Where Akaranger felt large bulky and towering because of his sculpt, Vul Eagle is much less so. Though he clearly stands above his sentai brothers and sisters a little bit, he's not the sore thumb in the crowd that is Akaranger.

Accessories
Vul Eagle is a near perfect figuart for me, and the accessories help contribute to that as well. The nice thing about them is that one of them can even let you display Vul Eagle II!

5.5 - Additional hand sets. Seriously this is Gokaiger figuarts levels of extra hands. I LOVE it. You can get so much out of the selection here.

1 - Vulcan Stick (retracted mode). The Vulcan Stick is the signature sidearm of all 3 members of Sun Vulcan. It's packaged in the standard "retracted" mode which is how it always looks while in the hip holster. Though it separates above the handle to use another included part.

1 - Vulcan Stick Blade. The Vulcan Stick itself separates just above the handle for 2 reasons. One, to let you swap out the default end for the Blade. The second is that it let's you slide the handle up through the bottom of a holding weapon fist and then reattach it. Ensuring you don't have to bend the fingers out to try an cram the handle in their.

1 - Katana. Now THIS is what makes the figure for me. A simple bonus inclusion one might initially look over. Until you realize that it's inclusion allows you to display either of the TWO different versions of this hero! Vul Eagle I & Vul Eagle II are separated by one trait. The ability of Vul Eagle II's Vulcan Stick to transform into this very Katana! For that reason alone I purchased 2 S.H. Figuarts Vul Eagles, with the intent of being able to display both of these heroes side by side!

Final Thoughts
As sentai figuarts go this is absolutely one of my favorites. S.H. Figuarts Vul Eagle includes every relevant accessory he possibly could (aside from a Vulcan Ball which may most likely come with his teammates). It even includes the accessory necessary to optionally display it as either Vul Eagle I or Vul Eagle II. The sculpt is gorgeous, the QC top tier, and the personality of the figure is boisterous. This is THE Figuart more sentai Figuarts should strive to be like. Bring on Vul Shark & Vul Panther Bandai!