Bandai Namco has long been associated with the most popular anime series in the world, and this connection even extends to collectibles and action figures. The Anime Heroes line is one such collection, and it features action figures of some of the most iconic characters in anime history from such series as One Piece, Naruto Shippuden, and Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac. Bandai was gracious enough to share some of these figures with our team, and I had a chance to check out Monkey D. Luffy from One Piece, Kakashi Hatake from Naruto Shippuden, and Phoenix Ikki from Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac!

I started with Luffy, as he’s one of my all-time favorite characters, and I couldn’t be more impressed with the quality of his figure. The detailing in his face and clothes is impressive, especially in the expressiveness of his eyes that evokes the distinct art style of the original manga. The excellent articulation in his joints and the alternate hand options were also a pleasant surprise, as they made it possible to set him up in a variety of cool action poses. The one downside was the lack of a stand, as I struggled to get the figure to stand upright on its own.

Fans of the series can pick up the whole One Piece set, which includes:

• Monkey D. Luffy

• Roronoa Zoro

• Sanji

• Portgaz D. Ace (Presale)

• Shanks (Presale)

Next up was Kakashi Hatake, the original tutor of Naruto and Sasuke (both of whom also have figures as part of the Naruto Shippuden line). Kakashi, much like Luffy, reflects great attention to detail in the paint job as well as solid articulation in the joints for creative posing. His alternate hands also feature the series telltale Jutsu attacks, and Kakashi even comes with a ball of lightning for his signature attack, Chidori!.

The whole Naruto Shippuden series of figures includes:

• Naruto Uzumaki

• Sasuke Uchiha

• Kakashi Hatake

• Itachi Uchiha

• Minato Namikaze

• Gaara

• Naruto Uzumaki Sage Mode

• Naruto Uzumaki Sage of Six Paths Mode (Presale)

• Sakura Haruno (Presale)

The final figure I got was Phoenix Ikki from Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac, an iconic character from what many consider to be a foundational series. Ikki makes for an impressive figure with his dramatic costume and long coattails, but these elements do make him difficult to pose. As with the other figures in the Anime Heroes line, he also sports alternate hand options but doesn’t come with a stand.

The full lineup of character figures from Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac includes:

• Pegasus Seiya

• Gemini Saga

• Sagittarius Aiolos

• Phoenix Ikki

• Aries Mu

• Virgo Shaka

Each of these figures is versatile enough to work as both an action figure and a collectible, so whether you’re an avid collector or just trying to find a good gift for the anime-loving kid in your life, the Anime Heroes collection is a great option. These are some of the coolest characters in anime, and Bandai Namco’s figures do them justice. Additionally, both the One Piece and Naruto Shippuden collections are still growing, so there will be more opportunities to pick up other beloved characters in the future!

Let us know which ones you’ll be adding to your collection!