Bandai Super Imaginative Chogokin line began in 1998 at the height of toys collecting mania. The line was originally design as super details statue figures (similar to US Spawn by McFarlane Toys) with high-end paint job and even die-cast "chogokin" ornament parts. The figures were all sculpted from the reimagined designs of the old 1970's characters created by Mr. Ishinomori. The series debuted with Kikaida characters and then followed with other 70's favorites - Kamen Riders, Robot Detective K and Inazuma. While these were very nice figures, I never had much interested in the statue type action-figures.
The series seem to change direction with the release of Vol.11 Sidecar & Kikaida in 2001. Bandai have decided to add the much needed articulations to the S.I.C series. Also with Vol.13, Bandai began to break with the format and released Masked Rider Kuuga which was a recent modern Rider character, in S.I.C style with changeable armors. The new direction proved to be successful and S.I.C series had became sort of a deluxe collectible line for Masked Rider series.
