[Den-O]

Dai Dai Dai, Dai, Dai Shogun!

It's time for us take a look at the final retail release in Bandai Of Japan's magnificent Arms Change toy line! The mighty ultimate form of Gaim has finally been released, AC13 Kamen Rider Gaim Kiwami Arms!

Below are over 50 images of this figure, but be sure to check out a video review on our front page by good friend baltmatrix!

*Post #2 contains additional images!

So let's lock on, or rather open, and dive into the review!

Packaging
AC13 is a unique release in this line. Rather than being a standard figure with a set of arms intended to used with it, you have a figure with a dummy set of arms meant to be "cast off" from it. So there isn't a nice tiny fruit to pack in here but rather a full set of additional armor molded in a single position. As such the packaging for Kiwami is about twice the width of standard AC boxes.

Main Figure
This form put a lot of fans off at first. The more muted color choices and deviation from Gaim's previous forms seemed to put people off. But thankfully seeing it in action in show really helped convey the level of badass this form represents. The figure really accomplishes this as well.

When you take Kiwami Arms Gaim out of the box he's more or less all set to go in his basic form. Nothing needs to be attached or removed to represent this final combo. Looking at just this basic figure Bandai made sure to sculpt in plenty of detail since it's a primarily gray base body. Though according to the show it should be a more vibrant silvery/white. It shares minor elements with previous AC bodies but is mostly a creation all it's own. The chest emblem is actually really nicely done as well. It appears to be a single decal set into the chest with a clear shield over it. While not as shiny or awesome as the real thing, on a budget toy like this it gets the effect across just fine. The chest showcases Ichigo, Melon, Banana, Grape, Suika, & Orange.

This version of Gaim also has a really nice rainbow colored visor inside his helmet. Of course this piece can be taken out of Kiwami and given to other AC figures as it fits the standard size of all their visor/faceplates. Removing it from Gaim let's you swap other AC arms onto him. But you'll also need to remove the neck/shoulder guard to expose the universal AC clips on the shoulders. Oh and the cape needs to be removed too. Yay for show accuracy from that one episode where he used it like a Matador! This allows you to put any Arms you choose onto Gaim. In the gallery below we've put every single Arms on him currently available. Aside from Blood Orange Arms & Durian Arms whose figures are in transit to me currently.

As you can see this figure pulls of the look of most arms quite well. Much like Zangetsu & Shin Zangetsu, Kiwami Arms has a very basic color scheme making it compatible with almost anything. However due to the way the new chest is designed on Kiwami it sticks out a bit further than the other more flat AC figures. So the chest pieces for certain arms can't actually rest flat against his chest. Mango is the worst one for this issue followed closely by Lemon Energy. Either way the ability to use these Arms with Kiwami Arms helped bring this whole line and the gimmick full circle, even if this ability won't be demonstrated in the show.

Accessories
As mentioned before Kiwami Arms Gaim includes a very unique accessory. A full set of "dummy Kachidoki Arms! This is included of course to help replicate the "cast off" style transformation from Kachidoki to Kiwami Arms. In show Gaim uses the Kiwami Key to literally open the Kachidoki Lock on his belt. In doing so the armor shoots off and the suit changes color in the process. Now there's simply no way to have a toy version of that suit that's one color before a transformation and another color after. So the toy makes a compromise.

The included Kachidoki armor, or rather "Crappydoki" as named by friend of the site Monkie Ranger, is cast in a translucent orange. This armor is pegged together via the back piece which has peg holes on the top and bottom to attach the torso and skirt armor to. Using this armor on Kiwami allows you to create a sort of mid transformation state just before the armor shoots off to create Kiwami Arms. And to help with that the armor is actually spring loaded. By turning a dial on the back of the Kachidoki you can shoot off the two forward sections. The back piece needs to be pulled off as it's physically connected to Kiwami Arms' cape.

Again this armor is just a stand in piece to convey a gimmick. It's not meant to be a great Kachidoki Arms figure. If you want that then go by the real one like you're supposed to. The gimmick of this set of armor is literally to be a stand in for a set of magical CG armor about a second before it shoots off of a guy into the air and he goes into super badass mode. So I think it's hard to complain that this is a bad toy or a bad feature. If you don't like it you clearly aren't getting what it represents nor the primary point of the toy. If you want a proper Kachidoki Arms you should probably buy Kachidoki. This armor does exactly what it's supposed to here. And while it can be used on other Arms Change toys it isn't nearly as secure since it locks onto Kiwami via the cape peg and would have nowhere to do so on other figures.

Also included with Kiwami Arms are both version of the DJ Gun! The standard DJ Gun form and the combined form created with the Musou Saber, Taiken Mode. Now both of these are cast in the wrong colors, predominantly white with some orange. The reasoning for this is that the figures main body and weapons are likely cast on the same runner at the factory. While they are a bit inaccurate both in color and size they work just fine. just like the ones included with Kachidoki Arms itself you get two versions. Though Taiken Mode here is literally one molded together combined piece rather than separate Gun & Musou Saber.

Final Thoughts
Kamen Rider Gaim's Arms Change line has been one of the most refreshing ventures ever for Bandai of Japan. This line has sold exponentially better than any previous mass retail rider gimmick line vaulting sales numbers for Kamen Rider toys through the roof. The humble beginnings of AC01 Gaim Orange Arms have been built upon release after release. And though the line isn't over exactly, there are still several Premium Bandai releases in the pipeline, AC13 Kiwami Arms Gaim feels like a fitting end to the retail line.

Kiwami brings the lines gimmick full circle in a way the show never quite has. Despite fans thoughts on the way this toys personal gimmick has been executed I've found it to be just about perfect. Does the included armor look great? No. But it isn't supposed to either. For what Kiwami Arms is I'm extremely pleased. I welcome it to my Gaim shelf happily and eagerly await an S.H. Fiaguarts of ot somewhere down the road.

Be sure to hit up our frontpage as well to check out a video review of this wonderful new figure by baltmatrix!