S.H.Figuarts Son Goku (DAIMA) Review: The Storm, the Calm and a Childhood Hero

When we were kids, in the late 1980s and early 1990s, nobody spoke louder in our imaginations than Goku.

From Armenia to the United States, children who discovered Dragon Ball dreamed of the same impossible transformation. We clenched our fists, held our breath and cried out as though the sky itself might answer. Somewhere inside us, we believed anger could awaken a hidden power — that if we shouted loudly enough, our hair might turn gold and the world around us would tremble.

We wanted to become Super Saiyans.

Years passed. The playgrounds grew quiet, the children grew older, and perhaps we began to understand something the screaming had drowned out: the storm may command attention, but calm has its own kind of strength.

That is what I think about when I return to Goku today. Not because Dragon Ball DAIMA has abandoned the spectacle of battle — far from it — but because there is something strangely comforting about meeting an old hero again, changed in appearance yet unmistakably himself.

Enter the S.H.Figuarts Son Goku (DAIMA).

A figure small enough to sit on a desk, carrying a memory large enough to fill a childhood. This time, I’m not trying to turn into Goku. I’m looking at how well Bandai has managed to turn that memory into something I can hold.

The figure behind the nostalgia

This is the S.H.Figuarts SON GOKU -DAIMA- figure based on Goku’s adult-sized appearance in Dragon Ball DAIMA, not the smaller Son Goku (Mini) -DAIMA- release and not a Super Saiyan variant. The distinction matters: different DAIMA Goku figures have different bodies, heights and accessories. The familiar adult Goku design is part of the appeal here. It feels like meeting a childhood hero after both of you have grown older.

Bandai introduced this figure with a newly developed sculpt for the anime’s character design. The Japanese release was 19 April 2025, with an original Japanese suggested retail price of ¥4,400 including tax. That is historical Japanese MSRP, not a current Philippine price or a claim about what a local seller should charge.

Verified specifications and box contents

The following are manufacturer specifications, not measurements from our own figure.

Bandai describes softer material around the chest and hanging sections of the gi, intended to let Goku bring his arms together for a Kamehameha pose. Its product page also describes a mechanism around the backs of the knees that aims to preserve the look of the uniform as the legs move. These are manufacturer design details. I like the movement in my first hands-on experience, although long-term joint resistance, paint consistency and fit of the interchangeable parts still need a closer inspection.

I’m interested in more than whether the sculpt looks like Goku from one flattering angle. A good action figure should remain convincing when you move it, change the expression, and attempt the poses that made the character memorable in the first place.

Why DAIMA’s Goku matters

Dragon Ball DAIMA began airing in Japan on 11 October 2024, with original concept, story and character designs by Akira Toriyama. The premise sends Goku and his companions, transformed into smaller versions of themselves, into the Demon Realm. Beneath the spectacle, it returns to a very old Dragon Ball pleasure: a journey into somewhere strange, with old friends and new trouble waiting around the next corner.

This release represents the adult-sized Son Goku -DAIMA- design, rather than the Mini figure associated with much of the adventure. For me, the appeal is not only nostalgia for the battles. It is the way Goku keeps carrying a sense of wonder into another story. The years have passed for the audience, but he still looks ready to ask what lies beyond the next hill.

Story context: Dragon Ball Official Site — DAIMA’s 2024 premiere and premise.

No Turtle, no King Kai, no Whis — Goku’s unusually plain gi

One of the first things that caught my attention was what wasn’t on Goku’s outfit. No Turtle Hermit (Kame) symbol, no King Kai emblem, and certainly no Whis signature. Throughout Dragon Ball, the marks on Goku’s gi have often reminded us of his training and the people who helped shape him. Roshi, King Kai and eventually Whis were not just names in the story; you could see their influence in what Goku wore.

Here we have the familiar orange and blue without any of those insignias. It is a very plain-looking figure. I’m not saying it reproduces the outfit from Goku’s battle with Piccolo Jr. exactly, but it brings back some of that earlier Dragon Ball feeling for me: a martial artist relying on his own hands, feet and training rather than a spectacular transformation. That is what I see when I look at this version.

The absence of logos keeps the sculpt clean, but it also means there is less visual personality than on some of the other Goku releases. Depending on your taste, that simplicity is either part of its charm or one more reason the figure feels a little basic.

Unboxing and first look — a good box, but limited extras

Before the first pose, there is a quieter pleasure: opening the box, seeing the face of a character you have known for decades, and noticing how much of that memory survives in a small piece of plastic. The official contents list gives us a useful starting point, and the actual presentation is good: I like the box. The figure itself is straightforward and the extras are limited, so the unboxing is more about finally seeing Goku in hand than discovering a mountain of accessories.

What the photos show: the front and back of the box, the full accessory tray, the default face and hair sculpt, the three alternate expressions, the windswept hair/head piece, the gi replacement piece, and each set of left and right hands. Close-up photographs should show the eyes, skin tone, hairline, orange-and-blue outfit, seams and paint edges without hiding imperfections.

Bandai lists the alternate faces as grinning, shouting and teeth-clenched. The variety gives Goku a little more expression than his plain gi does, but I still want to test the faceplate pegs for repeated swapping and durability. My first impression of the box is positive, although paint consistency, long-term joint wear and the fit of all replacement parts still deserve closer testing.

For clarity, Bandai identifies the interchangeable hand options as standing/guard, open, and Kamehameha, and the additional outfit piece is designed for action poses. These are useful basics, but the standard adult DAIMA package is not a special-effects bundle. If you want a visible Kamehameha blast or a flying display, those extras are not in this box. Reference: Tamashii Nations’ official product listing.

One buying detail worth noting now: the manufacturer’s standard box-contents list does not include a display stand, a separate Kamehameha energy-effect piece or a Power Pole. Do not assume a seller’s promotional photograph means those extras are inside this particular release.

A correction about the alternate hair: this is not a hairstyle representing some form between base Goku and Super Saiyan. It is a windswept action hair/head option suited to a Kamehameha pose, with Goku’s hair swept by the movement and energy of the attack. Bandai itself describes the part as flowing hair. It is an expressive posing option, not a new transformation.

Articulation and posing — the strongest part of my first impressions

The interesting engineering here is not simply the number of joints. Bandai says the softer gi sections around the chest and hanging outfit are meant to make close-arm poses easier, especially when Goku brings his hands together for a Kamehameha. The company also highlights the design behind the knees, where the sculpt is intended to look like folded fabric while the legs bend.

Having handled the figure, I actually like the movements. This is the part I appreciate most: posing Goku is enjoyable, and the articulation gives the otherwise plain-looking sculpt some life. However, a good first impression is not the same as a full joint-by-joint stress test. The real questions are whether the shoulders can come forward without ugly gaps, whether the torso bends without stressing the outfit, whether the ankles can hold a wide stance, and whether the windswept hair changes balance. None of those answers should be guessed.

How it feels in hand: I enjoyed the range of movement during my first handling, particularly for turning what could be a very plain Goku into something with more character. Bandai has paid attention to the gi around the chest and knees, so posing is a bigger reason to consider this figure than the accessories. I’ll reserve final judgment on long-term joint resistance and repeated parts-swapping until I have spent more time with it.

A flying pose would require appropriate support; Bandai’s product page depicts a separately sold Tamashii Stage. I will not count an unsupported flying pose as a test of the figure’s balance.

Pros and cons — after my first hands-on look

What I like

• Distinct DAIMA design: a new sculpt of adult Goku rather than simply a different face on an older release.
• Expressive options: three alternate faces, alternate windswept hair/head styling, and three hand types per side provide several ways to change the mood of a pose.
• Thoughtful outfit engineering on paper: soft gi sections and the knee-area design are specifically intended to help dynamic posing without sacrificing the silhouette.
• Accessible display size: the official 145 mm height should make it easy to fit into a shelf or desk collection; actual stability still needs testing.

What holds it back

• No energy effect or display stand listed: collectors hoping to stage a complete flying Kamehameha scene should budget for compatible accessories separately.
• No Power Pole in the standard contents list: check the exact release and seller photographs rather than assuming every DAIMA Goku includes the same extras.
• Small replaceable parts: the faces, hands and hair are useful, but I need to assess their fit and how convenient they are to swap before calling them a strength in everyday use.
• Local value is unproven: the ¥4,400 Japanese launch price is not a Philippine street price. Whether the figure is worth buying depends on the actual asking price and the condition of the item.

My initial hands-on take: the movement is genuinely enjoyable and the box is well presented. On the other hand, the gi is very plain and the accessory selection feels limited for a character with so many iconic attacks and expressions. The extra hair is useful for Kamehameha staging, but it is not another transformation and there is no separate energy blast in the standard package. I still want closer checks of paint quality, long-term joint resistance, balance and the fit of every swap part before calling this a fully tested review.

My early verdict — decent, but not spectacular

There is something lovely about the idea of a small Goku on a shelf. We once imagined power as a storm, all shouting and lightning. Now a well-made figure can offer a quieter kind of pleasure: a familiar face, a remembered story, and a moment of calm between the work of ordinary days.

My first-hand impressions of the S.H.Figuarts Son Goku -DAIMA- are mixed but positive. The clean sculpt and good articulation make posing it fun, while the plain gi and limited accessories keep the overall package from feeling special. I still need to check how the joints hold up after repeated posing, how the paint looks up close, whether the replacement parts are secure, and whether the price I actually paid makes sense. Until then, this is an initial hands-on assessment, not a completed long-term test.

Buying advice: This review is based on my first-hand unboxing and initial posing experience, with original images of the packaging, figure and accessories. I still want to evaluate long-term joint resistance and repeat part swaps before commenting on durability. Compare current asking prices and confirm the box says S.H.Figuarts SON GOKU -DAIMA- — adult-sized, not Goku (Mini).

Official sources checked

Tamashii Nations — S.H.Figuarts Son Goku -DAIMA- official product page (height, materials, contents, original Japanese MSRP and release date); Dragon Ball Official Site — figure announcement (interchangeable expressions, outfit and articulation design); Dragon Ball Official Site — DAIMA anime background (premiere and story premise). Manufacturer photos and descriptions are not substitutes for our own testing.