Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Wrapping Up 2025: Monkey D. Luffy (Future Island Egghead) from S.H. Figuarts: One Piece by Bandai/ Tamashi Nations

 

   Since I just reviewed the S.H. Figuarts Tony Tony Chopper (Future Island Egghead) this past weekend, today I'll check out one of his fellow Straw Hat crewmates: Monkey D. Luffy (Future Island Egghead). I've reviewed a couple Luffy's previously this year but this one is quite different, featuring Luffy in his futuristic red coat from the most recently completed arc in the anime. As I've mentioned previously, I'm not there yet in watching through the series but I'm going to slip ahead and jump in there or in the Wano County arc when my wife finally decides to tackle it. S.H. Figuarts is currently focusing on releases from early in the show (this year saw releases of first appearance versions of Zoro, Shanks, and Ace with upcoming early versions of Usopp, Chopper, Mihawk, and Sanji), the Future Island/ Egghead arc (Chopper, Luffy, and Jewelry Bonney), and upcoming releases from the Marineford Arc (Luffy and Boa Hancock so far). It'll be interesting to see how they round out these rosters in the next year with the show seemingly becoming more popular, especially with the second season of the live action One Piece Netflix series coming. For now, though, let's enjoy this slick version of Luffy. Join me after the break...




The Facts:

Height: 5 7/8ths inches

Articulation: Balljointed ankle, balljointed boot, hinged knees, hinged rear short cuffs, balljointed thighs, balljointed hips with lateral H-hinges, balljointed waist, balljointed mid-torso, double hinged shoulders with swivels, bicep swivels, hinged elbows, double swivel/hinge wrists, balljointed neck, and a barbell jointed head. 

Accessories: 2 swappable faceplates, 6 swappable hands, front hair piece, hair neckpiece, and straw hat.

Non-Scalper Price: $30 to $35 dollars

Year of Release: 2025



The Positives:

* This is a really cool look for Luffy. I love the design of the Egghead/ Future Island costumes for the Straw Hats as it gives them somewhat of a superhero vibe with the large, chunk boots sort of unifying them. You'd think that a large coat like this would be a hindrance for a super articulated figure like an S.H. Figuarts Luffy but you'd be wrong! This is an incredible well designed figure. The coat is actually made from multiple pieces, still looking like a unified piece of material but allowing for plenty of movement. The bright red is eye-catching and the yellow stripes and whit details help to add some contrast. The stripes and white details, like the shoulder "straps" on Luffy's chest, are actually raised elements of the sculpt. The coat itself has a matte finish while the boots are quite shiny, which seems to make sense considering they are different materials. 



* For the past few years, the different Luffy portraits have been interchangeable between releases (with each different character coming with a new Luffy faceplate). That continues here and you can swap the faceplates on this Luffy with any of the others like the Romance Dawn or the Raid on Onigashima versions). This Luffy only has two faceplates, which does seem a bit light, but they're both solid inclusions. The first features Luffy with a grin, but not a really happy, joyful grin. This grin looks a bit wicked, like Luffy's getting ready for a rumble and he's thrilled about it. The cocked eyebrows sitting low just give it away. 




* The second faceplate depicts a much happier Luffy. Just surprised and gleeful, really. To swap the faceplates, you actually pop off the front half of Luffy's hair and then just remove the faceplate. Then just do it backwards. Pretty simple if you just take your time. 







* Luffy's hair is still a bit of a wild mess. There's even a separate piece of hair that fits over the barbell joint for his head that allows the hair to hang down without interfering with motion. It's not new for the Luffy figures (the Romance Dawn version had it, too) but I'm pretty impressed with it. Luffy's also sporting an earpiece on his right ear. It adds a cool tech detail that we don't usually see associated with the Straw Hats and makes this really feel even more unique. Just be careful as the antenna is quite thin. 





* Luffy has a label on the left bicep of his sleeve which says "VEGA" since that's his favorite Street Fighter 2 character. Weird, huh? You'd think he'd like Dhalsim.

   Actually, it's related to Dr. Vegapunk, the lead scientist of the Special Science Group (SSG) as he presumably designed the suits. it's a clean print and I like how the edge of the patch extends over the bicep just a bit; I think it makes it look more natural.




* Here's a closer look at the coat. First, let me point out that the SSG letters are sculpted elements rather than just paint. Second, let me point out the flexible panels on the coat. The front and rear flaps rest under the sides of the coat and allow leg movement while keeping the coat looking normal during neutral stances. There's even a bit of extra material (it's very durable, not something pleathery or rubbery that feels like it will disintegrate over time).





* Here's a look at the back so we can see the back panels of the really well designed coat as well as the number 163 (also sculpted). There are a ton of theories about the 163 that I'm not even going to pretend I understand at this point, so I'll leave that up to those more adept at Japanese and mathematics. You can also see the hood, something all of the SSG Straw Hat costumes seem to have. Yes, even Sanji in his Hawaiian shirt has a hood.







* Here's a look at Luffy's cool boots with thrusters on the bottom. The details on the bottom look great, the boots are nice and shiny, and they actually have some nice articulation with a balljointed "ankle" and a balljoint where Luffy's calves go into the boots.





* Luffy's shorts are fully sculpted underneath the coat. They look a bit thinner than the shorts of the other S.H. Figuarts Luffys, so I'm guessing they're a new sculpt to not interfere with the coat. They do have the hinged... cuffs, I guess, on the back of the shorts. Yes, the back of the white cuffs of Luffy's shorts actually are hinged so you can get more knee bend, though they come back down when you want a more neutral look. Will you see these much/ at all with this figure? No, probably not. They're still included, though, which is great.



* The articulation is excellent. If there's a character who needs to be able to move wild and freely, it's Luffy. He could give Spider-Man a run for his money when it comes to wild poses. Despite wearing a large coat, Luffy can still move. No, not as well as the standard Luffy's, but I'm impressed with the engineering here. The arms are impressively engineered with amazing shoulder motion, everything feels smooth and stays in place, and the design of things like the boots and the bottom of the coat show a lot of thought by Tamashi Nations when designing this figure.





* Six swappable hands are included. If you're gentle and firm with removing them, paying attention to the angle of the wrist joint and peg, you should be fine swapping them about. There is a pair of fists, a pair of open palms in a bit of a grappling position, and a pair of flat hands with fingers spread. It's not a crazy mixture of unique poses but it does give you some variety. 







* Luffy's beloved straw hat is included here, though he can wear it over his neck and hanging down his back rather than on top of his head. We've seen this sculpt before though the paint is a bit brighter this time around. 






The Negatives:



* The string on the hat almost seems like it's not long enough to hang properly. On the package and promo images, the hood and collar look a bit different, better designed to also allow the hat to drape over. I'm not sure what happened but the hat doesn't look as good from the front on the figure itself. 




   Luffy is an impressive figure with great articulation. Seriously, Tamashi Nations did an excellent job with ensuring that Luffy can still move while wearing a costume that seems somewhat restrictive. The paint, sculpt, and design are all excellent. Luffy comes in at a pretty low price point for S.H. Figuarts, too ($30 to $35), so it's a great way to try the line. He's not loaded with extras, though; just two faceplates and six hands. I just wish the collar and straw hat worked in tandem a bit better, like in the promos and packaging. Still, Luffy is a Great and a 1/2 figure and well worth picking up for fans of the character and this costume. 


Looking for more of Monkey D. Luffy, the man destined to become king of the pirates? Then check out my reviews of the S.H. Figuarts Monkey D. Luffy (The Raid on Onigashima) and the Monkey D. Luffy (Romance Dawn) Gum-Gum Option Parts Set, and the Megahouse Variable Action Heroes Monkey D. Luffy Ver. 1.5)

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