[Den-O]

Soda!

Premium Bandai is at it again with yet another web shop release in the ever growing Arms Change line! Today we're taking a look at the ACPB03 Arms Change Kamen Riders Sigurd & Marika 2-pack!

This 2-pack rounds out the release of the 4 New Generation/Energy Riders and also leaves us with just one TV series rider left, the upcoming Knuckle. For now though let's focus on this awesome two pack!

** At over 100 images this gallery will be spread across the first 3 posts of this thread. Scroll below for a review with images after

And seriously, check out Baltmatrix's fantastic video review of this set too!!

Packaging
This two-pack is the first of it's kind for the Arms Change line. Though we've had sets with multiple extra Arms before and even a couple vehicle/rider sets this is the first outright 2-rider pack with included Arms. Sigurd & Marika are very much packaged in your standard AC box, albeit stretched out to accommodate the pair. The only real difference here is that like the other Premium AC releases this is a windowless box. More and more a way of signifying the difference between Bandai's retail figure and web exclusive product.

With such a large box it's plastered with a few more stock shots than we'd normally get so not only are Sigurd & Marika pictured but Duke & Shin Zangetsu as well!

Figures: Sigurd
Kamen Rider Sigurd is a NICE figure. As all Arms Changes tend to he features many of the same stock body parts. Sigurd specifically has a lot of flat surfaces and seems a bit less detailed than the other energy riders, but that's because he has appropriately molded "fur" on his limbs! Where the actual in show suit was frocked with fur on the forearms and shins the figure has opted for sculpted ind details to simulate the effect. The eventual S.H. Figuart will likely do the same. Either way these details look really nice.

Sigurd is also quite green. Which surprises most people as this color was never especially apparent in the show but indeed he is supposed to be a lite green. The one thing I've realized with this on the toy is that while I love the shade of green, it appears to be the same color that glow in the dark plastics generally are but the figure doesn't glow. Now there's no earthly reason it should glow either, but the material it's made from does a good job of fooling you. The Genesis Drive has been remolded for Sigurd's release to have a Cherry Energy Lockseed equipped as well.

It should be noted that the QC on Sigurd is pretty excellent. Nice tight joints abound including some lovely finger joints that make holding just about anything a breeze.

Accessories/Arms: Sigurd
Included with Sigurd is the trademark weapon of the Engery Riders, everybody's favorite handy dandy Sonic Arrow! There's not much to say about this weapon that hasn't been said in my previous Jinba Gaim, Shin Zangetsu, & Duke galleries already. The handle is a bit too thick making it hard to hold, but the strong finger joints on Sigurd mean that isn't an issue.

The included Cherry Energy Arms is where the real party's at. A brand new mold these arms simply rock. Perfectly replicating the awesome asymmetrical transformation of the in show arms, these look great. The colors are vibrant and the design is intelligent. The included Cher Headpiece is also lavishly painted. Had this been a retail release you can bet the back of the headpiece wouldn't have been fully painted but this thing looks gorgeous, and the visor is a nice deep (cherry) red.

The giant shoulder pad you get on the right side would seem to hinder articulation wouldn't it? It does not. It's on a really nice hinged joint that just moves up and out of the way. Again intelligently designed. Since the two cherries slide over one another and the green stem folds in on itself as well I daresay Sigurd is the one AC with the most solid transformation in toy form. Frankly he has the least unsightly kibble of any AC rider's arms. On the topic of arms below you can check out images of Sigurd in EVERY other Arms Change!

The finished product with Kamen Rider Sigurd decked out in his Cherry Energy Arms makes for one great toy. This probably one of if not my favorite Arms Change figure.

Figure: Marika
Kamen Rider Marika as you might imagine is a bit of an outlier in this line, she's a woman! Silly jokes aside Marika is the only female rider in the series (unless you count Jam's host) and the only female in the toyline. So she has has unique molding to set her apart from the male figures. Initially it had been assumed she could be made from Ryugen to cut costs and while she may share some tooling with Micchy, she deviates from the base body pleasantly. Unlike Sigurd, Marika has far more painted details on her base body too. She features the same kind of detaling common on Duke really.

The colors on Marika are bright and vibrant as well. She really does pop when you look at her on the shelf. She and Bravo will really be the standouts in your display, and that isn't a bad thing. The sculpting is likewise solid like most AC figures and Marika's Genesis Driver has be re-sculpted much like Sigurd's, this time to accommodate the Peach Energy Lockseed. The articulation is also standard fare for an AC, aside from the skirt pieces like Ryugen nothing really limits her movement. As with Sigurd Marika's QC is top notch, nice tight joints.

Accessories/Arm: Marika
Just like Sigurd, included with Marika is the trademark weapon of the Engery Riders, the Sonic Arrow. Again nothing new to say about this weapon that hasn't been said in my previous Jinba Gaim, Shin Zangetsu, & Duke galleries already. The handle is a bit too thick making it hard to hold for a lot of figures, but the strong finger joints on Marika mean that isn't an issue.

The included Peach Energy Arms is also a brand new mold with a great asymmetrical transformation. Though not as complex as Cherry, Peach is still really great. There's quite a bit more metallic pearlescent paint used on this one actually. And the design really lends itself much more to the basic archer motif of the Energy Riders than the other 3 Energy Arms. Marika really looks the part when equipped.

The Momoc Headpiece that Peach Energy Comes with is again very much like Sigurds. A fantastic amount of paint has been applied to really sell it. Though the colors of it don't really make me think of a peach. It feels much more like one of the odd vegetables from Super Mario 2. Especially with the green trim along the back underside. Marika's shoulder pad does a fantastic job of not hindering articulation either. It folds up and out of the to allow for nice dynamic poses.

As with Sigurd I've included images below of EVERY possible Arms change you can make thanks to this figure.

Final Thoughts!
Premium Bandai has stepped up their game with every premium Arms Change release. Bujin gaim was a great repaint, Bravo was a glorious new figure, and this two pack is the full package. Arms Change ACPB03 Sigurd & Marika is yet another fine addition to this toyline. Rounding out the Energy Riders is bitter sweet. It's awesome to finally have them all, and it sucks there aren't more of them. After this we're down to only 4 upcoming AC releases we know of. Knuckle, Mars & Kamuro, Ryugen Yomi, & Gaim Drive Arms. We'll be here every step of the way to do galleries of each figure & set as they come out!

Lock on!