Toybox REVIEW: S.H. Figuarts Evil Trigger

Release Date: November 2022

RRP: 7150 yen

The Ultraman franchise has found a comfortable place in the annual Tamashii Nations event exclusives, although arguably the metallic repaints of the last couple of years have been nothing to write home about. For the 2022 event however Bandai Tamashii Nations have returned to the well of evil Ultras they originally started with back in 2018 with Ultraman Orb Dark, celebrating last year's Ultraman Trigger: Episode Z movie with the release of S.H. Figuarts Evil Trigger. Using the Ancient Sparklence, Zabil of the Ultra-Ancient Civilisation transforms into this shadowy figure, consumed by his desire to become a messianic figure for humanity.

As tends to be the case with the Tamashii Nations event exclusives, S.H. Figuarts Evil Trigger's packaging comes with a unique sleeve piece in addition to the standard box design. The 2022 version sports a white background and nice big images of the figure amongst a diorama of Option-ACT buildings, which is a section of a larger image (featuring all of the event's exclusive figures) that was used in promotion of both the event and these releases. Under the sleeve is far more familiar territory, as it's the standard windowless web exclusive box with the design layout of all New Generation Ultraman releases - this time with a rather fetching purple colour scheme. The front of the box features a nice big image of the Evil Trigger suit alongside a similarly large image of the figure, while the back shows off the figure in various poses (as well as the accessories included for Ultraman Z Original). Inside the figure and accessories are neatly laid out on a moulded plastic tray, with the accessory instructions printed on the inside flaps of the box rather than their own separate paper sheet.

As the name suggests Evil Trigger is a New Generation reinterpretation of Evil Tiga from Ultraman Tiga - taking the character's striking colour scheme and applying it to Ultraman Trigger Multi Type. The purple/red/silver is replaced with a far more sinister silver and black colouring, the various markings across Trigger's body sharpened into an almost tribal-like pattern. The gold and silver of the chest, forearms and shin guards have also been recoloured with a striking combination of gold, blood red and metallic grey. Last of all Evil Trigger's eyes are light blue rather than the usual white or light yellow. It's a really striking look which has translated brilliantly to figure form, and if anything really highlights the need for a Shinkocchou Seihou Evil Tiga (quality issues on that release be damned). There is a little bit of paint blemish on my copy's right leg but otherwise the colours and paintwork is extremely sharp, the red sections particularly standing out alongside the translucent blue of the eyes and Colour Timer. Suits like this show off just how effective recolours can be when done well.

Being the exactly the same mould as Trigger Multi Type the articulation remains unchanged, consisting of;

- Peg joint head

- Ball joint neck, torso, waist and wrists

- Swivel hinge shoulders, hips and ankles

- Double hinge elbows and knees

- Single hinge toe sections

- Thigh swivel

Though perhaps not the full package when it comes to S.H. Figuarts articulation (though admittedly bicep swivels are a rarity on Ultraman releases), the Trigger body still has all the best bits to make up a really expressive figure. As was the case with Multi Type, the shoulders have been well engineered to ensure cross-armed poses can be replicated easily and without the shoulder protector preventing clearance. The figure is perfect for all the standard Ultraman Trigger poses, but more importantly it can capture all that maniacal look the character exhumed as well.

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