Review: Kotobukiya Bass.EXE

For Kotobukiya’s various Mega Man lines—and most Mega Man toy lines in general—it’s rare to see characters beyond the main cast get made. Lately, though, Kotobukiya seems to have taken that criticism to heart. They are trying to venture off the beaten path with kits like the upcoming Sigma, the surprise announcement of Roll.EXE, or with today's subject: the Cyberworld's God of Destruction, Bass.EXE. Was Kotobukiya able to deliver on this fan-favorite rouge Program? Join me after the break as we discuss everything about this kit!

Review Sample provided by HobbyLink Japan. Go check 'em out!

"Battle is my Forte."

Bass.EXE has one of my favorite designs in the entirety of the Mega Man franchise, so the news of him getting a Kotobukiya kit was incredibly exciting to me. I'm happy to say that they basically knocked it out of the park with this one in the looks department. 

While the kit isn’t flawless, it’s got it where it counts. The black plastic has a nice sheen, and the purple and yellow parts really pop against the darker suit. The blue used for the gems is bright and vibrant, making them instantly eye-catching.

The cloak is cleverly sculpted to give the impression of extra detail without any paint. Some collectors have wished for a soft-goods cloak, but does this kit really need it? The plastic cloak features multiple points of articulation, allowing for dynamic poses while staying lightweight.

Personally, I’m not a fan of soft goods on toys—the style clash tends to stand out—but having the option could’ve been a nice touch. Maybe a third-party will step in for fans who prefer that look.

When the cloak covers the shoulder, the armor can be swapped out for a front cloak piece that pegs neatly into place. It’s a smart solution that works for both cloak styles.

Dark Arm Blade

Like all the previous Mega Man series kits, Bass.EXE comes with a variety of weapons and accessories, though they are done a bit differently this time around. Rather than the entire arm swapping out for one of the two Bass Busters, the hand portion comes off to be replaced with the Buster barrel. It’s an ingenious solution that gives you more options while leaving fewer unused pieces sitting around.

The Dark Arm Blade is handled the same way, with a separate grey wrist part and a peg to hold the blade. It’s honestly something I never would have thought of, but it works perfectly with Bass.EXE’s design.

And for those wanting to flex their sense and skill, you can breathe a sigh of relief—the arms can still be swapped out with MegaMan.EXE and Roll.EXE’s weapons at any time.

Bass Buster

Roll Arrow

Bass.EXE's cloak can easily be removed if you happen to prefer how he looks without it. The cloak has a neck part built into it, so removing it requires a replacement neck. Switching neck parts is a breeze, so there is absolutely no need for worry when swapping, just be careful to not misplace a part while changing!

Accessorize!

Aside from the removeable cloak, Bass.EXE comes with several more accessories: three faces, neutral, yelling, and side smirking, four sets of hands, two Buster barrels, and the Dark Arm Blade. One curious inclusion is the pair of hands with the peg in them. According to the instructions, these hands are supposed to go unused. This is a normal practice for kits that reuse runners from older kits, but this kit is all brand-new material. So why would they deliberately include parts that were meant to go unused? To me, this looks like the Darkness Overload attack and feels like a clue toward the future release of Bass XX. Kotobukiya loves their recolor kits, and this design would be a perfect choice, don't you think?

Ignore how bad the quick & dirty recolor was, it still gets the idea across, right?

That covers everything there is to say about Bass.EXE. Overall, it is an outstanding kit that captures the heart of the character perfectly. With so many display options, this kit will keep any fan happy for years to come. Who will come next in the Battle Network line? It would have to be ProtoMan.EXE, right? Guess we'll see when we see...

Pick up Bass.EXE and several other kits today from HobbyLink Japan!

• Bass.EXE
• Pile Drive Mega Man
• Scramble Thunder Mega Man
• Roll.EXE
• Mega Man X MAX Armor Re-Issue
• Axl
• Mega Man X MAX Armor Triad Thunder Ver.