Preview: Hot Toys Kerberos Panzer Jäger: Protect Gear 1/6th scale Collectible Figure

Following the release of the incredible Samurai Predator Collectible Figure, the first ever collaboration with legendary artist Mr. Takayuki Takeya (竹谷隆之)*, Hot Toys is thrilled to join hands with Mr. Takeya again to bring you a collectible figure of the Protect Gear from Kerberos Panzer Jäger (ケルベロス 鋼鉄の猟犬) which is part of the classic Japanese franchise - Kerberos Saga**. Over the past few years, Hot Toys’ Production Director and Chief Painter, Mr. JC. Hong (홍진철), had been working closely with Mr. Takeya and his team to create the high quality articulated collectible figure.

The Kerberos Panzer Jäger: 1/6th scale Protect Gear Collectible Figure is the latest addition in the Hot Toys’ Artist Collection. It is based on the radio drama by Mr. Mamoru Oshii (押井守) in 2006 called Kerberos Panzer Jäger and the story is set in Germany during World War II before the events of the original Kerberos timeline.

The collectible figure features newly sculpted and uniquely painted black full body armor, a head with the iconic mask and light up function, an interchangeable head sculpt with face of a Panzer Company trooper, detailed weapons and accessories, and a specially designed debris diorama base.

The Kerberos Saga is a military sci-fi franchise originally created in the late 80s by Japanese writer and filmmaker, Mr. Mamoru Oshii, who has also directed the popular anime sci-fi film - Ghost in the Shell. One of the most iconic elements in the Kerberos Saga is the full body armor called Protect Gear that the characters wear and its amazingly cool design has even inspired many adaptations in video games and movies.

Takara Kerberos Tetsorou Kai Preview

Takara's next 1/6 scale 12-inch Kerberos Panzer Cop figure is Tetsorou Kai. This figure is looking mighty fine!! He is supposed to be a millitary officer from the Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) as opposed to police. Kai has fantastic armor as can be expected from Takara and will have cool accessories including stick grenades attached to his leg armor, a luger pistol and the PzB 39 anti-tank rifle.




Panzerbüchse PzB 39 anti-tank rifle. Panzerbüchse is the German term for anti-tank rifle used in World War II. Literally it means 'tank rifle'.

Check out this link for all the Kerberos Panzer Cops in my collection

Red Spectacles by Medicom, 2007

Another type of counter-terrorism trooper (see previous post), a totally different take from the modern forces. The Kerberos Panzer Cops were formed and tasked to handle all terrorist type activities in a fictional Japan that has become a totalitarian state after Germany won World War II and conquered the world (Thank GOD that didn't happen!). The Kerberos Panzer Cops are equipped with German military equipment, vehicles and weapons. The Protect-Gear is the full body armour used by Kerberos Panzer Cop Anti-Vicious Crime Division units.

This 1/6 scale 12" Kerberos Protect Gear Panzer Cop by Medicom is based on a 1987 Japanese feature film directed by Mamoru Oshii called "The Red Spectacles (紅い眼鏡)". It is the Kerberos saga's first movie and last episode in Oshii's Orwellian, dystopian Watchdog of Hell feature trilogy. Medicom has finally come full circle after having released Kerberos "Straydog" Panzer Cop (full review here) and "Jinroh: The Wolf Brigade" figure (review here)

I wasn't willing to get this figure at the original asking price because it just wasn't justifiable when compared to Takara's magnificent GenX Core Kerberos Protect Gear Chuichi Koshiramaru. However, I was able to find this figure recently at a much lower price so I just couldn't say no.

Medicom's Red Spectacles' box has that Frank Miller Sin City art effect of rain splatter on impact, using only black and white. Would've been nice to have the red eyes staring out from under the helmet.

Medicom Red Spectacles fully armored black-clad figure out of box

His Maschinengewehr 34 or MG34 is one molded piece except for the belt feed cover which can be lifted up to feed the ammo. No other moving parts :( This is actually an improvement over their earlier MGs but still poor compared to Takara's and Dragon's Straydog Kerberos Protect Gear Panzer Cop. Medicom's Red Spectacles Panzer Cop also has his Mauser C96 pistol, three spare gloved hands and two ammo belts, one short and the other long.

Part of the beauty of the Kerberos Protect Gear Panzer Cop - his fully covered face with gasmask and tubes, German Stahlhelm helmet and red eyes, black uniform and full body armor. The designation "panzer" (from pancier, body armour) is a German term, hence the World War II Panzer tanks.

Koichi Todome is a central figure in the Kerberos saga. In the trilogy, he is the Kerberos officer who led the "Kerberos Riot" movement when the Japanese government ordered the organization's dissolution. At the end of the siege, he escaped via helicopter and exiled himself with the promise to his men that he would return and free them later with the help of a newly created Kerberos force. Together with Soichiro Toribe and Midori Washio he forms the "Devil's Trio". [source: wiki]

One of the unique things about this particular version is the calculator embedded onto his chest armor. Not sure what it is for except to crunch the number of kills perhaps.

Medicom Red Spectacles Kerberos Protect Gear Panzer Cop now fully loaded and ready to strike fear into terrorists.

One of the hands is molded to hold his Mauser C96 pistol

His nice backpack which holds his ammo belts for his MG34, his radio and oxygen tank

Close-up of his backpack

The Mauser C96 pistol is kept in his left gauntlet/forearm armor

Koichi Todome brings up the heavy artillery

Another view of his stored Mauser

The famous Kerberos emblem, a reference to Hades' three-headed watchdog of hell in the Greek mythology. This fictitious creature is better known in western countries under its Latin form, Cerberus, which is the character's name in the Roman mythology.

Yutaka Izubuchi's (who created the Protect-Gear armor used in the Kerberos saga) mecha design signature "Buchi-ana", the five dots logo is featured on the helmet. Note the left side details of his backpack.

The right side of his backpack houses his radio for communications. The central pack is for his ammunition. Below that should be the oxygen tank which is linked to his mask by oxygen hoses.

His other sidearm, the Walter P38 pistol holstered on his right side. This is one molded piece and non-removable :(

Another fine addition to the Kerberos 1/6 line of 12" Protect Gear Panzer Cops (Group pictures here)

Kerberos Panzer Cops Group Pictures

Now for some scale comparisons. From left to right - Medicom Jin-roh Wolf Brigade Kerberos, Dragon Straydog Kerberos and Medicom Straydog Kerberos. Suprisingly, Jin-Roh Kerberos isn't as short as the other Medicom figures (even though they are all supposed to be 1/6, Medicom's are always a tad shorter - I can understand it if they were supposed to represent asians and we are not built like Vikings but even their non-asian figures are short; case in point - Medicom Star Wars figures. What irks me is that even on the same scale, their Darth Vader is puny standing next to the stormtroopers and to make matters worse, the Medicom Clonetrooper is as tall and bigger than Vader... come on, Medicom, WAKE UP!!)

Takara Kerberos joins the fray

A closer look at the pair of Straydog Kerberos (Dragon's on the right)

Takara Kerberos duo of Midori Washio and Chuichi Koshiramaru - the BEST Protect Gear Panzer Cops by far!

Takara's releasing two more Protect Gear figures with different headsculpts because in one of the movies, Midori Washio, Koichi Todome and Soichiro Toribe are a trio of Panzer Cops who work as one, a metaphor for the three heads of the Cerberus, with each character completing and backing up his comrades with his own abilities although the term is also used within the saga as a generic term to designate all Panzer Cops in Protect Gear. I had hoped that Takara would at least give us some new design or at least different accessories because these look like re-releases with different headsculpts. Everyone knows Kerberos looks BEST with the gas mask and helmet on - nice to have a face behind the mask but who really cares what the face looks like! Takara is turning into those money grabbing corporations who churn out more of the same and expect us to pay a bomb for them - what happened to economies of scale i.e. produce more, overall cost reduced hence reduced price. Just give us the extra heads for us to customise if we so choose, not make us fork out hard earned cash for more of the same.

Kerberos Protect Gear Chuichi Koshiramaru by Takara

Just when you thought Takara has made the best Kerberos ever, they upped the ante and raised the bar another notch, leaving Medicom far far behind. In 2006, they released their GenX Core Kerberos Protect Gear Panzer Cop Chuichi Koshiramaru and made many collectors go weak at the knees with the superb quality of their product.

The box design gives you a glimpse of the type of quality to expect. Review of this spectacular figure here and here!


Kerberos Protect Gear Panzer Cop Chuichi Koshiramaru by Takara - check out the details

From whichever angle, he's a magnificent figure

No crappy MG34 or no pathetic ammo belt here, everything's of the highest quality

The ammo belt feed is linked from the drum to the machine gun and the radio is separated from the drum - that makes more sense. All items can be detached as well.


There is also a spare barrel that you can attach to the drum and it stays secured till it's needed

Another view of the ammo drum and backpack radio. You can even make out a spare canister just below the backpack

His Mauser C96 semi-automatic pistol in its holster on the side

The five dots logo on the helmet, Yutaka Izubuchi's (who created the Protect-Gear armour used in the Kerberos saga) mecha design signature.

Eat this, Medicom!! Their 2007 release, Red Spectacles Kerberos Panzer Cop was a real letdown and another crap production - another one piece moulded plastic without details. The gas mask tubes and other parts of the "armour" did not have sufficient details as they weren't etched enough - very shoddy work indeed!

Check out Kerberos Panzer Cops Group Pictures