The Dragon Stars Series are mid-range articulated figures manufactured and distributed by Bandai. Their main feature is that they are released as "toys," but due to their great quality, variety, and price, many 1/12 scale collectors choose these figures. Here, you'll find everything you need to know about the collection.
The Dragon Stars Series are manufactured and distributed by Bandai for the American and European markets, meaning they are not sold in stores in Asian countries like Japan.
These figures are released as toys for a child audience, suitable for ages 4 and up according to their packaging, making them relatively easy to find in any toy store or standard retailer.
The starting price of these figures usually averages around $25, although this only applies to the regular line.
Since 2017, with the release of their first "wave" or series of 3 figures consisting of Beerus, Super Saiyan Goku, and Vegeta, the Dragon Stars Series have slightly improved the sculpting of their faces and articulation system. This is clearly visible when comparing the Goku released in 2017 to the Goku released in 2020.
Regarding the brand's evolution, it's important to explain that when it first launched, it followed a direction that changed in 2019. Let's break this down:
In its early stages, Dragon Stars were released in 'waves' or series of 3 figures at the same time, and each of these figures included a piece of another figure, which you needed to collect by purchasing 2 consecutive complete series. This BAF (Build-A-Figure) system allowed us to build 4 figures from series 1 to 7. However, with the release of wave 8, this completely changed, and the launches became more irregular. They no longer had to be 3-figure series; sometimes they were 2 or even 4.
This wasn't necessarily bad, as it led to better-quality and better-sculpted figures in later releases. Additionally, over time, they introduced 2 extra lines that would differ from the regular line in various aspects.
Today, we can classify the Dragon Stars into 4 different launch lines:
The articulation system of the Dragon Stars is quite robust and competent, with a minimum of 15 points of articulation spread across the arms, legs, and head. Unfortunately, it does not include any articulation for the torso.
The scale that Bandai is "supposedly" working with for this brand is 1/12, which corresponds to around 15 cm or 6 inches in height for an adult Goku. However, when compared to Nappa, who should be at least a head and a half taller, the scale falls short. Also, if we place the 'mini' Goku from Daima next to any adult figure, he is too tall. Conclusion: rather than 1/12 scale, these are figures of approximately 6".
The accessories in this collection are quite scarce. In the regular line, they only include 2 pairs of hands, and occasionally 3 or a ki attack. The Battle Pack line is similar, with 2 pairs of hands for each figure and a ki attack for one of the two characters. But the Power Up line is different: here, we can find up to 3 pairs of hands, various attack effects, and ki aura.
If you're looking for more mobility, better scale, and more accessories, you should opt for the S.H. Figuarts.
With this, you now know everything you need to know about the Dragon Stars Series by Bandai for Dragon Ball.