In the ever-evolving landscape of Japanese pop culture, where the boundaries between the bizarre and the brilliant often blur, Bandai’s recent toy creation stands as a proud, towering testament to this unique blend. Meet the S.J.H.U. Project Shin Universe Robo: a giant robot that smashes together four of Japan’s most iconic heroes into one unholy mecha creation. Shin director Hideaki Anno’s auteur takes on these legendary franchises.

Standing at a proud 24 centimeters, the Shin Universe Robo is a work of madness and meticulous engineering. Each section of the robot pays tribute to its source material with a fan’s eye for detail. Godzilla forms the mecha’s chunky torso and legs. Ultraman supplies the right arm and leg. Evangelion Unit-01 contributes the left limbs. And capping it all off is Kamen Rider himself, forming the head while riding atop his Cyclone motorcycle. It shouldn’t work at all. It sounds like a toy idea scribbled by an overstimulated third grader. But thanks to Bandai’s impressive craftsmanship, it somehow holds together, both structurally and thematically.

The Arsenal of an Anime Fever Dream

Powered by the Shin Japan Heroes Universe

And yes, it comes with weapons. The Spacium Beam Sword fuses straight from Evangelion, which somehow makes the whole thing feel even more canonically confusing. Could it beat a Megazord in a fight? Possibly. But only if the Megazord was distracted trying to figure out why Godzilla has robot knees and Kamen Rider is now the head of the class.

The real-world origin of this monstrosity can be traced back to the Shin Japan Heroes Universe (S.J.H.U.), a cross-company collaboration involving Toho, Khara, Tsuburaya Productions, and Toei. The idea was to take four of Japan’s most beloved franchises—Godzilla, Evangelion, Ultraman, and Kamen Rider—and let Hideaki Anno run wild with reboots and reimaginings. While each of the new “Shin” movies stands alone, the S.J.H.U. serves as a shared brand platform for wild ideas, merch explosions, and fever-dream crossover projects like this one. Think of it as the Avengers Initiative but with more rubber monsters.

Four Icons, One Frankenstein Robot

Fans Weigh In: Brilliant or Busted?

To promote the Shin Universe Robo, Bandai even went the extra mile and made a live-action promo video directed by tokusatsu veteran Hiroshi Butsuda. Best known for his work on Super Sentai and Kamen Rider shows, Butsuda brought out the kaiju suits and the miniature cities to shoot an epic battle sequence featuring a full-sized Shin Universe Robo suit in action. It’s loud, chaotic, and absolutely glorious. The whole thing plays like a tribute to Japan’s practical-effects tradition, blending old-school tokusatsu spectacle with modern crossover energy.

Still, it wouldn’t be a modern Bandai figure without some fan complaints. Some early buyers noted that the robot has a few stability issues, particularly thanks to those big Godzilla feet, which can throw the whole thing off balance. Others say the articulation is a little stiff, and combining all four figures into the full mecha form can take a bit of patience and practice. Yet, even with these nitpicks, there’s something so fundamentally weird and wonderful about the concept that collectors can’t help but love it.

A Price Tag Worthy of a Pop Culture Mash-Up

A Glorious Mess We Can’t Help But Love

At ¥23,100 (roughly $159 USD), the Shin Universe Robo is priced as a collectible, and it’s easy to see why. You’re not just buying a toy. You’re buying the idea of what happens when Japan’s biggest pop culture icons merge into something gloriously nonsensical. It’s the kind of thing that could only come from Japan and only make sense in a world where Hideaki Anno is allowed to run the show with no brakes.

Flawed? Maybe. Over-the-top? Definitely. But the Shin Universe Robo is still one of the boldest and strangest pieces of mecha design to ever roll off the Bandai assembly line. In a culture that’s constantly remixing the past, this is one remix that goes all in.