Medicom RAH-DX 1/6 Kamen Rider Amazon & Late Version (仮面ライダーアマゾン)

 

Kamen Rider Amazon (仮面ライダーアマゾン, Kamen Raidā Amazon, "Masked Rider Amazon" in English) is a Japanese tokusatsu drama and the fourth installment of the Kamen Rider Series. Debuting as the forth entry of the Showa Era, the series aired from October 19, 1974 to March 29, 1975 on NET and the Mainichi Broadcasting System. With 24 episodes produced and aired, it is the shortest Kamen Rider series ever.

Today Kamen Rider Amazon is considered to be a cult classic due to its violence, which attributed to its short run. A modern-day re-imagination titled Kamen Rider Amazons was released in 2016.

Bought this figure 15years ago (Feb 2006) via eBay from a Hong Kong seller I think. That is during the height of my fever for high quality Kamen Riders figures and I was on a quest  to collect all Showa era Kamen Riders and if possible, all it's incarnations and the human representative. Paid $275 for this and imagine this, 15yrs ago, this is top top dollar for a 1/6 figure. But nothing can stop me mwahaha!

Well to be fair, Medicom is about  the one and only company that will make these figures as there is really little international resonance for these characters. Thailand has probably the biggest fanbase outside of Japan. I grew up playing Kamen Riders with my brother and cousins. I am "No.4, Riderman" While my cousins are No.1 and No.2. Brother is Rider X... wonder why nobody took up V3? Adolescent days and that cemented my affiliation with this franchise. An object to churn my memories. Something tangible to touch, to hold, to fiddle, to connect back  to days of  yore. Priceless!

Now talking about fiddling with a 1/6 scale Medicom figure is almost like stepping into a minefield. It is notorious for their paper fragile body. The worse experience I've got is the leg came off lose freshly opened from the box (Shocker Soldier Captain). It was brand new!!

Now trying to make a pose with a 15yr old Medicom figure is almost like committing hara-kiri. Well I just need to be really, and I mean seriously really really careful. What I did was to hold the joint with one hand and try to move the limbs with another, in really minutely at a time. It was all just a masquerade actually because no matter what, it will break due to the age. End of the day, I am but only trying my freaking luck. Today, I got lucky. Medicom god is with me and the pictures showed the pose achieved.

The set came with another accessory in what it is about the belt buckle roller thingy split into separate piece suspended by a silver string on both ends. It has specific pair of hands to handle that "weapon". Did not use it for this shoot.

I did mentioned that my quest was to collect all versions of every Showa era Kamen Riders. Here is the "late version" I got 3yrs later (Aug 2009) via a friend who has a air stewardess girlfriend who helped to get from Japan. Paid a handsome sum of $280 but that was the only way to get this figure, which was only available via exclusive mailaway and supposedly only to an address in Japan. No overseas. Very coveted.

Not really sure about the back story on how this "late version" comes about but personally, I prefer the initial version with a brighter egg-yoke yellow chest piece. Matched up better with the green outfit.

Again wading into the minefield with these poses. It doesn't look much but if you own a Medicom 1/6 figure, you will know the peril I've experienced. Once again, Medicom god is still in the vicinity and decided to bestow me further luck.

I noticed toy pictures in the internet pays little (or no) attention to a back view. I feel it is important to holistically show every aspect of the figure. Figure designers do spent time and effort designing the behind of a figure. In appreciation, here is a back view of Amazon. Looking at the "fin" thing behind, can I say that Amazon is actually a horned lizard? Seriously I don't know... anyway....

Safely wipping away the cold sweat and the Amazon pair ease back into their original museum pose getting ready for another day when they will jump out again for another posing party.

I have also studied the design and make of this figure. Even if there is a replacement body, it is impossible to slip it into the suit. Zipper behind the suit seem to have been "sealed off" by the rubber fin. Once the body broke, it is the end of the road for these figures.

threezero seem to be the only likely company that could be tackle this genre but that is also by a very far stretch. If these were to be upgraded one more time, with better sturdier bodies, I'd be going in again for another set for sure. They were my childhood memories after all.