SOUCHAKU-HENSHIN KAMEN RIDER SERIES

SH Masked Rider Ryuki Series GD-91 Masked Rider Tiger (10/2005)

  

MASKED RIDER

KUUGA

 

MASKED RIDER

AGITO

 

CLASSIC

MASKED RIDERS

 

MASKED RIDER

RYUKI

 

MASKED RIDER

FAIZ

 

MASKED RIDER

BLADE

 

MASKED RIDER

HIBIKI

 

TIGER (Taiga)

Bandai released GD-91 Masked Rider Tiger in October of 2005 as part of the Chogokin Souchaku Henshin Kamen Rider Ryuki series. Masked Rider Tiger is also refer to as Kamen Rider Taiga which is a probably a pun on his name since "taiga" means fang in Japanese. Tiger is released along with GD-92 Alternative which is also from Kamen Rider Ryuki series. Tiger is one of the 13th Riders chosen by Kanzaki to compete for the ultimate prize. His contract monster is Destwilder, a humanoid-shape armored Siberian tiger monster.

SH Kamen Rider Tiger uses the same core body as the others SH figures from Ryuki series. The body is standard 5" figure with decent articulations. The chest armor, wrists and belts are die-cast (zinc metal) while the shoulders are plastic that snap on to his chest armor. SH Tiger or Taiga has a very nice sculpt and make a decent looking representation of Kamen Rider Tiger from the TV show. SH Tiger comes with his Tiger Visor, and Advent card reader in the shape of a large battle axe and Destwilder gauntlets (call Dest-Claws) along with plastic mini Advent cards. The accessories are not reused of the one from R&M Tiger, but rather all new molds. The Visor axe is slightly bigger than R&M version and can be open to reveal card slot. The guantlets are also slightly bigger than the Destwilder's claws from R&M and come with "handle" for the figure's hands.

Bandai released R&M version of Tiger along with his companion Destwilder as R&M #8 back in 2002 (when the show was being air in Japan). The R&M figures are very similar to SH figure but the armors were molded on and not separate die-cast parts, however each R&M set comes with the companion contract monster.  Since R&M figures are the same size as SH figures, their monsters can be use with SH line. In 2005, Bandai reissue R&M figures for Hong Kong market which make them relatively easy to obtain. Also realized the potential market for the monster figure, Bandai release Souchaku Henshin EX Mirror Monster series that include two repaint monsters from R&M line along with a new never before release Contract monster. Destwilder is reissued as part of Souchaku Henshin EX-02 set with slight repaint.

Souchaku Henshin Tiger with R&M Destwilder.

 

GD-91 Souchaku Henshin Series Kamen Rider Ryuki - Masked Rider Tiger

Bandai released GD-91 Tiger in October of 2005. The retail price was 2000 Yen.

 

Unmasked Mode

Like other SH Riders figures, the human body underneath can look out of proportion and is solely intended for display with the "cloth" (Rider Armor) on. The core body is similar in style as the body used since the original Saint Seiya Cloth line, however for the 2004 SH line, Bandai have retooled the body to make it more modern. While the head still appears too small due to having to accommodate the mask, this removable "armor suit" however, is one of the aspect that drawn me to this line. The ability to "henshin" into the Rider form make these SH figures a lot like small version of Henshin Cyborg or the RAH costume hero.

Accessories

 

Tiger come with three plastic Advent card (plastic chips that you have to put stickers on) and his signature Axe weapon. Bandai also include Strike Vent claws that he gets from his contract monster Destwilder. These accessories are all new mold and not the same one that were included with the R&M set. (see below)

 

R&M Series

 

Masked Rider Tiger is also released as part of the R&M line. R&M (Rider and Monster) was the main action-figure for Ryuki back in 2002 when the TV show was being aired in Japan. The set include 5" plastic figure of Masked Rider and his companion contract monster. R&M 8 featured Kamen Rider Tiger (Taiga) and Destwilder. Destwilder is recently being reissued as part of Souchaku Henshin EX Mirror Monster Set. The EX version has new paint job.