[Den-O]

"Start our mission."

It's been almost exactly 2 years since the final episode of Kamen Rider Drive aired. Even longer since it's summer movie, Surprise Future, was released. But even this long after the fact new figures are still being released for this franchise. Just this year we've had Super Mashin Chaser, Drive Type Tridoron, Mach Chaser, Over Evolved Heart, AND Heart Type Miracle. But now that Tamashii Nations has mined releases based on the Mach/Heart V-Cinema, they're revisiting another film for today's subject. From Kamen Rider Drive Surprise Future it's S.H. Figuarts Kamen Rider Dark Drive Type Next!

When the future was in danger of being ruled by Roidmudes and an evil Krim Steinbelt, one last ditch effort was sent to the past. At least it was meant to be. Eiji Tomari was meant to travel back in time on a one way trip to find his father, Shinnosuke Tomari AKA Kamen Rider Drive, and warn him of the future to come. While the visage of Eiji indeed arrived, Shinnosuke would soon find out that his son lost his fight as the Drive of the future. Now a Roidmude posing as Eiji has engineered the destruction of Mr Belt & put Shinnosuke on the run from his allies. Seeking to unite with his past self & form the ultimate Paradox Roidmude, can even Drive or rather what's left of him, stop this monster? He is, Kamen Rider Dark Drive.

Packaging
Dark Drive comes in exactly the same style of packaging we've become accustomed to over the last 20+ releases from this franchise. It's a pretty standard theme that's carried it's way over to many other main lines for Figuarts, especially the now common slim style boxes. You really won't see much of anything different with this one either. It just looks good.

Main Figure
While this release doesn't share quite as much tooling with Type Speed as the last several Drive repaints. It is still at it's core based on that fantastic mold. So a lot of my thoughts will be based on that. The last time I took a look at this mold it was with my review of Kamen Rider Zero Drive, an ultimately underwhelming release. However this go around things are different.

Like I said, at a basic level this is the Drive Type Speed mold, just with a few more additions to the design. When you look at this figure you can see that the legs, Driver, and arms from the bicep down are essentially unchanged from the obvious paint apps. I woulf like to mention on the topic of paint apps that the new electric blue lines are very crisp on the legs & arms. But overall I feel like they aren't really electric enough if that makes sense. I just wish they were a bit brighter. The Drive Driver has one new application in the form the 'Type Next' logo on the belt readout. And we can't forget the new Shift Cars on the right hip holster: Shift Next Builder, Next Deco Traveler, & Next Hunter. Shift Cars have never been painted with incredible details in this line, but they always manage to get the job done.

Now above the waist is where we begin to see prominent changes to the design, while the arms are limited to the Next/Special Shift Car attached to the Shift Brace, there are some brand new shoulder pads. The basic articulation of the arms functions normally, however these new shoulder pads kill outward movement making it difficult to raise the arms upward. The chest is the most dynamic departure, as the suit takes it's inspiration from the Mercedes AMG rather than Type Speeds Honda NSX based design. You can even see a small stylized version of the AMG's front end just below the new Type Next Tire. As with previous Drive releases the tire can be removed, much more easily this time as well. I haven't included pictures of any Tire Koukan's since they rarely happen with anyone outside Drive Type Speed. The chest itself has the same kind of new bulky design as the shoulder and electric blue detailing, though I find it's a bit spotty in places. The general design of these parts puts me in mind of Yugande from Denji Sentai Megaranger.

The final new part of the design is Type Next's head. It's very sleek compared to Type Speed and I absolutely love the blue eyes. I think it could be a little too narrow, but only from certain angles. Otherwise this figure is a spot on representation of a great villain.

Accessories
While Dark Drive doesn't have much specific in his arsenal that's seen in the movie, he comes with the one key weapon he should have:

4 - sets of additional hands. Included are two types of open hands, one being much more expressive. A set of trigger finger hands for holding nay Break Gunner style weapon, and a final set of hands seemingly designed to hold handlebars. Though there's no real use for them with this figure.

1 - Blade Gunner. This unique weapon is a fusion of Kamen Rider Drive's Handle Sword & Mashin Chaser/Kamen Rider Chaser's Break Gunner. The grip is a solid black Break Gunner with no painted details while the blade is identical to the Handle Sword. It makes for a pretty cool looking weapon and the idea of a gunblade type of weapon always works for me.

Nothing was overlooked with this release. Dark Drive only used his Blade Gunner in the film and he's never shown to have any other weapons, so this is about as complete a release for him as you could get.

Final Thoughts
It's really great to have such a sexy design in my collection. Dark Drive, along with Gold Drive (who makes a cameo in my gallery) are two of my favorite designs from the Drive franchise. They're both just really inspired repaints of an already awesome basic design. Kamen Rider Dark Drive Type Next is the perfect villain for you Kamen Rider Drive display.