Dragonball gets it’s first release in the S.H. Figuarts line with Kid Goku, and today we are taking a look at the little guy. This version of Goku is from the original anime Dragonball before the more popular Dragonball Z. During that show, it followed Goku as a kid being trained and fighting in martial arts tournaments along with characters that carried forward but became a secondary focus like Bulma, Master Roshi, Krillin, Piccolo, Tien and Yamcha. The figure is not in scale with previous Dragonball Z S.H. Figuarts figures. They decided to make them a bit bigger so that they could capture the anime look, feel, and get all that articulation in there. The upcoming Master Roshi is also out of scale with previous figures. All in all it’s a fun piece that comes with a ton of extras – multiple sets of hands, 2 extra faces, his Power Pole in holstered and extended form, two tails, the Nimbus Cloud, a Tamashii stand for it, and lastly the 4 star Dragonball.
Take a look at all this after the break with 50+ detailed images!
Tamashii Nations S.H. Figuarts Dragonball Kid Goku
Overall Thoughts:
Contained by itself, the figure is awesome. Full range of articulation. Captures the look of the original anime in the face and stance. Great set of accessories. Nimbus cloud allows him to hover above the rest of your shelf. There is really nothing to want from the figure, it hits every note. It’s a must buy for fans of the show and a great display piece.
The only negative to me, since I’ve been collecting S.H. Figuarts Dragonball figures since (almost) the beginning – it’s not in scale. Up to now, they’ve been pretty good with it. Krillin, Frieza and teen Gohan were small. Android 16, Nappa, Broly were big. It worked even if not 100% exact. Now, the kids would be super small if they were in scale. They should only be 1/2 or less of the height of Goku. If Goku is 6 inches, they should be 2.5 – 3 inches to crown of head (not including hair spikes etc). Kid Goku here is 3.75 to crown of head, 4.75 to his tallest spike. With an exaggerated head size based on the show. You can see a test animation height chart with Goku and Goten, who is similar to kid Goku age/height wise. I can see why they did this, for someone who just wants one single figure this larger form is a better sell. That being said, it really messes up group posing, group photography. We have 8+ years of figures that work together, and then boom, a couple won’t.
I much would have preferred the in-scale, smaller version. Same with the upcoming Master Roshi. And definitely for future tike Gohan(s) from early DBZ, or Trunks / Goten by themselves. I want to show the progression of these characters in-scale, growing up over 30 years like they did in the show. In relation to giving us value, just do two packs or tons of add ins to keep it at the 30-50 dollar price range. The Saibamen and Chaitzou are steps in that direction.
So bottom line, this is a review copy but I still would have bought it. It’s great figure for what it is. If they went heavy on this scale for all Dragonball era characters, I would consider dipping out or displaying them separately. And if they ever do it in the proper scale, this one is outta here. Scale matters for long running lines.
Check some key shots here, full set below!
Disclaimer: Bluefin Brands provided this figure for review purposes.
CompaniesTamashii NationsBandaiBluefin
CharactersGoku
Scale6 Inch
Sub-LineSH Figuarts