Over the years, Bandai Tamashii Nations has already released many versions of Monkey D. Luffy in the S.H.Figuarts line: Romance Dawn, Raid on Onigashima, Marineford, Future Island, Gear 5… The character is obviously far from being a newcomer to the collection.
Yet the new Monkey D. Luffy -New World- / Two Years Later could well become one of the most interesting versions released so far.
And for once, the big news is not simply a different outfit or another interpretation of the character.
While some of the most noticeable developments in the S.H.Figuarts line have often been introduced through its many Dragon Ball figures, this time Bandai is debuting a new articulation system with Luffy called the Retract-Flex Joint.
As an added bonus, a separately sold Optional Parts Set takes things even further with Haki effects, new parts and several additional display options.
All of this comes with a base figure offered at a particularly attractive price.
So, after all the Luffy figures released over the years, could this finally be the ultimate Luffy S.H.Figuarts?
A new take on New World Luffy
This new One Piece S.H.Figuarts depicts Monkey D. Luffy after the two-year time skip, as he enters the New World.
Bandai presents it as Monkey D. Luffy -New World-, with an instantly recognisable appearance: open red jacket, blue shorts, yellow sash, sandals, the scar across his chest and, of course, his straw hat.
Unlike more specific versions such as Raid on Onigashima, Future Island or Gear 5, this outfit represents Luffy across a particularly broad period of his adventures.
But his appearance is not where the real innovation lies.
Bandai has mainly used this figure as an opportunity to develop a new articulation architecture.
Retract-Flex Joint: a new articulation system developed by Bandai
This Luffy figure introduces a new structure called the Retract-Flex Joint, for which Bandai has filed a patent.
The concept centres on the knee joint.
As the leg bends, a section at the back of the thigh can retract inwards, creating more room between the thigh and the calf.
On a traditional articulated figure, these two areas quickly come into contact, mechanically limiting how far the knee can bend, even when a double-jointed knee is used.
The Retract-Flex Joint is specifically designed to reduce this limitation.
The leg can therefore bend further while maintaining a more natural silhouette when the articulation is not being pushed to its limits.
A technology particularly well suited to Luffy
Choosing Luffy to debut this system makes a lot of sense.
The character regularly adopts very low stances with deeply bent legs and deliberately exaggerated movements.
Bandai has not limited the redesign to the knees either.
Waist mobility has also been revised, while several soft parts are used to prevent the clothing from restricting movement as much.
The goal is to allow much more natural crouching positions and combat poses.
For a line such as S.H.Figuarts, where one of the main attractions is precisely the ability to recreate each character’s signature poses, this development is far from insignificant.
A deliberately simple base figure that is already well equipped
The new Luffy comes with everything needed to vary his poses and expressions.
Bandai includes four pairs of interchangeable hands, three interchangeable facial expressions and an interchangeable hair set.
The idea seems fairly clear: offer an accessible base figure focused on Luffy and his newly designed articulated body, without immediately adding the cost of all the special effects.
And that is exactly where the second product announced alongside the figure comes in.
An Optional Parts Set that genuinely transforms the figure
The Monkey D. Luffy Optional Parts Set New World is not simply a box containing a few additional hands or facial expressions.
It allows collectors to recreate several of Luffy’s most characteristic abilities from this period of One Piece.
The set adds an additional facial expression, a new hairstyle, a pair of arms featuring Armament Haki, several additional wrist parts, a Gum-Gum Fire Fist / Red Hawk effect and various Conqueror’s Haki effects.
An extremely comprehensive set.
Haki completely transforms the display
On its own, the figure provides a fairly classic and versatile representation of Luffy.
The optional set, on the other hand, makes it possible to create much more spectacular poses.
The Armament Haki-covered arms already make a noticeable difference to the character’s appearance, while the large Conqueror’s Haki effects allow you to build a complete scene around him.
The Red Hawk effect adds yet another iconic display option.
A particularly attractive price
And this is probably one of the most surprising aspects of this new release.
The Monkey D. Luffy New World S.H.Figuarts is priced at EUR 28.80 at Myth Factory.
At this price, Bandai is still offering a newly designed body, an entirely new articulation technology, several facial expressions, four pairs of hands and interchangeable hair.
Many recent S.H.Figuarts releases now sit well above this price range.
Separating the more elaborate effects into an Optional Parts Set makes it possible to keep the entry price of the figure itself particularly accessible.
And that may be one of Bandai’s best decisions with this release.
Collectors who simply want an excellent articulated Luffy can buy the figure on its own.
Those looking for a much more complete version can then add the accessory set.
So, is this the ultimate Luffy S.H.Figuarts?
Of course, it is worth being cautious with the word “ultimate”.
Bandai will certainly continue to release new versions of Luffy, especially as the character still has plenty of appearances and transformations that could eventually join the line.
But this New World / Two Years Later version brings together several qualities that are rarely found in a single figure.
It recreates one of the most representative looks of post-timeskip Luffy.
It introduces a new generation of articulation with the Retract-Flex Joint.
It appears to have been specifically designed to reproduce the character’s distinctive movements.
It remains available at a particularly accessible price.
And thanks to the Optional Parts Set, it can evolve from a relatively classic representation into a much more spectacular version featuring Armament Haki, Conqueror’s Haki and Red Hawk.
The Raid on Onigashima, Marineford, Future Island and Gear 5 versions will naturally retain their appeal for representing specific periods or transformations.
But if the goal is to choose a single post-timeskip Luffy S.H.Figuarts capable of representing the character in a more general way, this new New World version certainly has a lot going for it on paper.
The Myth Factory team’s view
What we find particularly interesting about this announcement is that Bandai has not simply released yet another variation of Luffy.
The manufacturer is genuinely using this version to evolve the very design of its articulated figures with the Retract-Flex Joint.
The pricing is also an excellent surprise. At EUR 28.80, the standalone figure gives collectors access to this new technology without requiring them to immediately buy all the additional effects.
The Optional Parts Set also seems particularly well thought out, as it provides genuinely meaningful additional display possibilities rather than a handful of minor accessories.
Combined with the optional set, it could become one of the most complete and versatile Luffy figures ever released in the S.H.Figuarts line.
So, the ultimate Luffy S.H.Figuarts?
Maybe not forever — with Luffy and Bandai, it is probably best not to make that kind of promise — but certainly one of the strongest candidates so far.