[SPLIT LIP]

So I built Den-O this evening and it's a really great kit, however I feel it fuels this conspiracy theory I have:

I think Bandai is deliberately holding FRS back so as to not compete with Figuarts. The scale being slightly off, the articulation being slightly limited. This kit feels capable of perfection but some things just stand out as "why would they stop short of greatness? Like the ankles. They're really limited due to the design, but don't need to be. They could easily have larger joints cut into the show itself, ala figuarts, but he's got these tiny black universal joints that just don't cut it. There's lots of little limitations that, while they don't drag the kit down, they keep it from reaching the peak Bandai is so clearly capable of reaching, but they don't. Because if they did, guys like me would just quit Figuarts and go all-in on models.

I wish they had a bigger budget. The Den-gasher could've been parts separated with blue. The middle of the belt could've been translucent red with a black rim sticker rather than one whole sticker.

Ah well, still a fantastic kit, but Bandai's holding back and I wish they wouldn't.