By Ray H.

In the last edition of Speedlines we looked at SOC. This week we turn our attention to SIC. SIC stands for Bandai's "Super Imaginative Chogokin" line, this line consist of twisted renditions of classic Sentai Superstars from Kamen Rider and Kikaider. The SIC line focuses on lots of detail, almost resin kit quality, while articulation takes a bit of a back seat. To keep the toys interesting Bandai does serve up each volume with interchangeable parts, bizarre accessories, and "hidden" compartments on the characters. Plus since that keen word Chogokin is in there, these toys also have Die-Cast metal parts.

Kikaider originally aired back in 1972, Kikaider was a mechanical man created to battle the evil androids. When Kikaider wasn't fighting he turned into his guitar playing Human form Jiro. The SIC Kikaider's toys,are more monstrous versions of the characters than most of the other Kikaider toys out there that go for the "campy" old school appeal. Bandai makes a couple of different versions of Kikaider, along with someothers from the cast like Bijinder, Inazuman, and good ol' brain bowl himself Hakaider. Neat features on these are the accessories, like a Guitar for Kikaider, and a big evil Brain in a jar for Hakaider. The "hidden" compartments, on the Kikaider 01 toy you can remove the "brain dome" and on others you can remove or flip open chest pieces to reveal inner workings. Inazuman's particularly cool because he has all this neat semi transparent snap on bug armor that goes on him. Attention to gruesome detail also makes this line stand out, the bases for the toys often feature dismembered limbs, and defeated opponents beaten and buried into the ground.

You might recognize Kamen Rider, Fox used to show Masked Rider a few years back, but besides the fight scenes the shows are completely different. The original Kamen Rider TV series started in 1971, and was about a young Scientist named Hongou Takeshi, who was captured by a secret organization and transformed into half man half grasshopper weapon of destruction, who turned good. Bandai's SIC Kamen Rider toys, capture the beastly side of Kamen Rider. These toys feature gruesome removable chest and rib cages, and even a "heart" to remove. On Kamen Rider 1 theirs a transparent spare chest piece so you can look at all the SICk stuff (couldn't help the bad pun, sorry). Once again the stands add a very eerie effect to these toys, with planted bodies in the ground, these figures scream intensity. So far Bandai has been putting out some of the various early Kamen Riders, like 1, 2, and V3 and coming soon Bandai will release a KR4: Rider Man.

Most of the SIC toys are about 7-8 inches tall, and retail for about $33 each in Japan. If you're a fan of Sentai, McFarlanes Movie Maniacs, or just demented looking toys in general start looking for the SIC line.

You can purchase SIC toys on-line at Hobby Link Japan and JustBe Toys.