Bleach Ichigo and Renji Anime Heroes are good starter characters

You may have noticed them while walking around the electronics or toys section at Target or Walmart: Bandai Namco Anime Heroes picture line. These are more affordable and limited editions of iconic characters that cost much less than the SH Figuarts options. They may be a bit basic, but they are more than functional. After looking at Bleach Anime Heroes characters Ichigo and Renji, I would even say they are good initial choices for younger fans or someone interested in character collecting, but not sure if they would want to spend more $40 for one person or not.

Siliconera’s photo

For starters, there is a decent range of movements for both Ichigo and Renji, as they are $20 figures and not more expensive figurines. They have ankle, knee, wrist, elbow, shoulder, and neck joints, and they can rotate slightly at the waist. Each one comes with a spare pair of hands. There is a surprising amount of detail with their hair spikes and an attempt has been made to recreate the tattoos on Renji’s forehead and neck. (I’m really surprised that one even shows up at the hairline.) Each character also comes with their Zanpakuto.

The paintwork on both figures isn’t bad either! There’s no definition around their mouths, which means their expressions are a bit out of place. But both of their faces are beautifully drawn. Ichigo’s eyebrows are very visible, which can be difficult to see when using orange. And as I mentioned before, Renji’s tattoo is there. Their costume is a bit plain, as it is based on their previous appearances. But even then, I’ve seen a lot of action figures that can get sloppy even with basic outfits, so it’s nice to see the care here. There are also fairly standard sizes, about 6 inches tall. Thus, they will be taller than the Good Smile Company figma, but the same height as a character from the completed Megami Device/Frame Arms Girl/Sousai Shojo Teien model set.

However, if you collect a wide variety of characters, especially the more advanced ones, you will notice some obvious problems with the Anime Heroes series and Bleach Especially Ichigo and Renji. One of the points of engagement is the ankle, and the combination of their position and hakama means that either of me can’t stand without assistance. (Ichigo will always lean forward, while Renji will step back.) There’s no stand and it’s too unwieldy so it’s better to ignore that joint altogether. While the upper body build quality is fine, despite the joints, the plastic used for the hakama is much cheaper.

They are also much harder to pose than the more expensive characters, as you might expect. While articulated, their range of motion is limited. This is especially true in the elbows and knees. But the worst problem I found involved Ichigo’s Zangetsu. Due to the plastic ribbon at the end and the stiffness of the closed handles, it was nearly impossible to pry them open so he could use it. Basically, I had to thread it over both wrists, fake the ribbon first, and then thread it in. That is a challenge. Now he is keeping it forever. That’s just the way it goes.

Siliconera’s photo

Even so, The Bleach Anime Heroes characters Ichigo and Renji are good starters. Like if you’re not sure you want to pay $80 for SHOCKET The Thousand Year Blood War version among them, these are good to pick up and put on the shelf. They work well for display and you can still make some interesting poses out of them.

The Bleach Ichigo and Renji’s Anime Heroes characters are available at major retailers for $19.99.