Blab Entertainment
Bandai Namco Releases Budget One Piece Gear 5 Luffy Figure Amid Poseability Concerns
If you’re hunting a pocket‑friendly way to bring Monkey D. Luffy’s latest Gear 5 power to your shelf, Bandai Namco’s new Anime Heroes action figure arrives just in time.
Priced between $19.99 and $23.99, the figure offers a low‑cost alternative to the $94 SH Figuarts version. It ships in a simple box with only the main body, a rubberized scarf that can be detached, and a loose straw‑hat affixed to the neck and back. No extra hand parts, effect pieces for Gum‑Gum Lightning or Gum‑Gum Dawn Cymbal, and no interchangeable face plates are included, and Luffy’s wide grin is fixed in the base sculpt.
For a toy at this price point, the paint job is respectable. Solid blocks of color cover the coat, scarf, hair, pants and belt, while the chest scar and facial details are crisply defined. The hair and scarf share the same rubbery material, giving the figure a soft texture. However, the scarf’s attachment is fragile; when removed, the two gaps that hold it in place can be difficult to re‑insert.
Poseability is where the figure’s limitations surface most clearly. The arms are rubberized from shoulder to fingers, and the sleeves lack shoulder joints. While the neck, waist, hips, wrists and ankles use traditional ball‑and‑socket joints, the rubberized sections cannot hold a pose once the figure is moved. In practice, the figure can stand on its own when freshly unpacked, but after any adjustment it often requires external support to maintain a stance. This makes it challenging to display dynamic poses that the Gear 5 form is known for.
Compared with the SH Figuarts release, the Anime Heroes figure is significantly cheaper—about one‑quarter of the $94 price point. The SH Figuarts version includes multiple face plates, interchangeable hand parts, and a dedicated effect piece for the Gum‑Gum Lightning attack, as well as a higher degree of articulation that lets collectors recreate signature Gear 5 stances more faithfully.
The release arrives amid a broad expansion of the One Piece franchise across media. The manga, written by Eiichiro Oda, has been serialized since 1997 and has over 600 million copies in circulation. The anime, produced by Toei Animation, began in 1999 and continues to run. A live‑action series debuted on Netflix in 2023, and a Lego‑style adaptation, Lego One Piece, is slated for a September 2026 Netflix release. In 2027, a new animated series titled The One Piece will also premiere on Netflix.
Bandai Namco’s Anime Heroes line is distributed through its own retail channels and partners such as Amazon and specialty toy stores. Viz Media handles the English‑language manga license, while the anime is available on Crunchyroll and Netflix. The figure’s availability aligns with the broader strategy of offering affordable collectibles to a wide audience.
In short, the Bandai Namco Anime Heroes Gear 5 Luffy figure delivers an inexpensive option for fans of the One Piece franchise, but it falls short in articulation and accessory detail compared to the premium SH Figuarts release. Collectors who prioritize poseability and authenticity may prefer the higher‑priced version, while casual buyers may find the budget figure satisfactory for display.
The figure remains on sale, and its release coincides with the upcoming Lego One Piece and The One Piece animated series. No further updates on additional accessories or expanded lines have been announced.
Priced between $19.99 and $23.99, the figure offers a low‑cost alternative to the $94 SH Figuarts version. It ships in a simple box with only the main body, a rubberized scarf that can be detached, and a loose straw‑hat affixed to the neck and back. No extra hand parts, effect pieces for Gum‑Gum Lightning or Gum‑Gum Dawn Cymbal, and no interchangeable face plates are included, and Luffy’s wide grin is fixed in the base sculpt.
For a toy at this price point, the paint job is respectable. Solid blocks of color cover the coat, scarf, hair, pants and belt, while the chest scar and facial details are crisply defined. The hair and scarf share the same rubbery material, giving the figure a soft texture. However, the scarf’s attachment is fragile; when removed, the two gaps that hold it in place can be difficult to re‑insert.
Poseability is where the figure’s limitations surface most clearly. The arms are rubberized from shoulder to fingers, and the sleeves lack shoulder joints. While the neck, waist, hips, wrists and ankles use traditional ball‑and‑socket joints, the rubberized sections cannot hold a pose once the figure is moved. In practice, the figure can stand on its own when freshly unpacked, but after any adjustment it often requires external support to maintain a stance. This makes it challenging to display dynamic poses that the Gear 5 form is known for.
Compared with the SH Figuarts release, the Anime Heroes figure is significantly cheaper—about one‑quarter of the $94 price point. The SH Figuarts version includes multiple face plates, interchangeable hand parts, and a dedicated effect piece for the Gum‑Gum Lightning attack, as well as a higher degree of articulation that lets collectors recreate signature Gear 5 stances more faithfully.
The release arrives amid a broad expansion of the One Piece franchise across media. The manga, written by Eiichiro Oda, has been serialized since 1997 and has over 600 million copies in circulation. The anime, produced by Toei Animation, began in 1999 and continues to run. A live‑action series debuted on Netflix in 2023, and a Lego‑style adaptation, Lego One Piece, is slated for a September 2026 Netflix release. In 2027, a new animated series titled The One Piece will also premiere on Netflix.
Bandai Namco’s Anime Heroes line is distributed through its own retail channels and partners such as Amazon and specialty toy stores. Viz Media handles the English‑language manga license, while the anime is available on Crunchyroll and Netflix. The figure’s availability aligns with the broader strategy of offering affordable collectibles to a wide audience.
In short, the Bandai Namco Anime Heroes Gear 5 Luffy figure delivers an inexpensive option for fans of the One Piece franchise, but it falls short in articulation and accessory detail compared to the premium SH Figuarts release. Collectors who prioritize poseability and authenticity may prefer the higher‑priced version, while casual buyers may find the budget figure satisfactory for display.
The figure remains on sale, and its release coincides with the upcoming Lego One Piece and The One Piece animated series. No further updates on additional accessories or expanded lines have been announced.
