Figure Stands

If you've been amassing SH Figuarts figures like I have, you know they don't come with any display bases or stands unlike the other major figure makers.  As such, you're probably wondering which ones will prominently display your plastic pride in all their glory.  I've asked myself the same question and of course have watched some review videos, but I didn't find many or any of them properly addressed the design, quality or longer-term use of certain figure stands.  As part of the "you want what??" theme of pointing out the less obvious, I'll discuss some of the finer details you may be wondering about.

Tamashii Stage Act 5 for Mechas (Bandai)

If you're thinking of propping up your action figures with this stand, let me talk you out of it because the Tamashii Stage Act 5 won't hold up over time.  I believe it was made to handle the lighter weight of 1/144 and 1/100 scale Gundam plastic model kits, action figures weigh more on average.  The arm that attaches to the base contains a spring loaded ratchet and is reasonably thick making you believe the arm is capable of supporting a figure's weight.  That assumption quickly gets disproved upon closer inspection of the elbow joint:  it's just a short stubby peg that the upper arm friction fits over top of even though the arm itself was design to accept a longer peg.  The short peg makes for very little contact surface, and under too much static weight or force when moving this joint, the upper arm cracks at this point and loosens.  The result is a loose upper arm that falls off pretty easily.  The length of the upper arm is way too long for the connection, causing additional leverage and stress on the joint.  This happened on at least one of mine.  I believe the clear plastic also cracks too easily under light to moderate pressure and the size of the connection holes aren't appropriate.  Sure these are relatively cheap, there are 3 stands per pack at 1000-1400 Yen ($10-$14 USD), but for figures a more suitable option is the Stage 4 for Humanoids.

Tamashii Stage Act 4 for Humanoids (Bandai)

I have never owned one of these but will soon.  I haven't found much detail yet on the actual joints and connections but will report back once I do.  Compared to the Act 5, the Act 4's arm joints are the nut-and-bolt design and the base is rectangular instead of hexagonal.  It is hard to say from the limited photos how sturdy the joints are, or if the connection points are as poorly done as on the Stage 5. 

Multi Stand (Obitsu)

The Obitsu Multi Stand is a flexible kit that requires some easy assembly but supports a range of figure sizes and allows the stand to be configured in many different ways thanks to the multitude of arms and three claw sizes.  They are also made in Japan.  Now you might be thinking these things are a steal at about $3 a pop, less than a pack of Bandai Tamashii Stage Act stands.  Well I guess you get what you pay for to some degree because I find the connection fit to be inconsistent.  The claw arms don't always fit onto the pegs tightly and they tend to spin, not precise mechanical tolerances.  The arms themselves are long and gangly and holding a moderately heavy figure like Revoltech Ultron off the ground causes them to noticeably bend if there is any angle in the joints, not to mention the joint screws need to be tightened if they haven't already slipped under load.  There isn't a short arm for propping figures a short distance from the lower arm.  Also, no one mentions it, but these things are not light.  The weight probably makes up for the lack of size of the base, you'd think it would add stability.  That might be true if the stand is perfectly upright, but because the are no short arms, some aerial action poses are going to extend beyond the base and become unbalanced.  I would almost prefer a larger but lighter base for stability instead.  This also adds to the shipping cost for some carriers.  These stands were really meant to hold a figure upright touching the ground, aerial poses aren't really recommended.

Tamashii Stage Ring Corner (Bandai)

Are you getting the feeling Bandai is the only game in town for action figure bases?  Kind of sad but it's mostly true.  Anyways, they have another less generic option in the form of a wrestling ring for their line of Kinikuman wrestling figures.  Each kit comes with a ring corner and enough parts for two arms.  Why I bring this one up is because of the arm design.  This is probably as good as it gets right now.  On the surface it's similar to the Stage Act 4, but the subtle differences make it a much better stand.  It features a double-hinged base joint with each hinge perpendicular to the other allowing more options when you're trying to fine tune that one perfect pose.  Also, the upper arm is considerably shorter for better balance and less torquing, and happens to fold down to hold 6-inch figures perfectly near the base post, i.e. the claw aligns with the figure's waist area heightwise with the upper arm folded down.  And the best part is the upper arm and joint are a single molded piece, no more worries of pegs and holes breaking!  This is the same system used on Bandai's Body-Kun/Chan Deluxe figure kits that aren't easy to find at all.  Fortunately I know from personal experience that this arm design works pretty well.  If you're buying the Stage Ring Corner just for the stands, it's a bit expensive at ~ 2000 Yen for non-wrestling scenes, though you don't need to install the ring posts and ropes if you don't want the wrestling look.  If money isn't a concern, the arms will fit onto other Bandai bases.