Considering that the grand total number of Marvel villains that Bandai Japan has produced since beginning making MCU SH Figuarts figures with “Iron Man 2” is zero, there hasn’t been a whole lot of expectations that we’d be seeing any villains from this year’s movies created in magnificent Figuarts form. But Avengers: Age of Ultron has been Bandai’s most successful Marvel line–by far, so Bandai is giving us something unexpected: an SH Figuarts Ultron figure has now been revealed!

Just when we all thought that Bandai Japan was calling it a day for the SH Figuarts Avengers Age of Ultron lineup with the exclusive (and expensive) Hulkbuster Iron Figuarts figure, Bandai goes and surprises us with a real treat over the weekend at the Summer Wonder Festival 2015 event: Ultron!

Far, far more heroes than villains are represented in the various S.H. Figuarts lines overall, so there’s been few people expecting Ultron to get the Figuarts treatment. Even so, with the instant sellouts abound for the Avengers Figuarts line, Bandai has decided to expand the line further than they have for any Marvel movie before, and that means a villain for the heroes to face: Ultron!

It’s a little tough to judge the actual size of this Ultron S.H. Figuarts action figure, as he was on a raised platform at a different height than any of the other figures at the Wonder Festival Summer 2015 show, but Bandai usually manages to nail the scale on their figures, so Ultron should be the proper height when he ships out (theoretically).

But while the Ultron SH Figuarts figure is loaded with articulation and superbly sculpted (because, you know–it’s an SH Figuarts figure), the figure is based off the earlier Ultron Prime design that debuted on the cover of Empire magazine. As a result, Ultron is missing many of the details seen in the actual film.

Will Bandai revise the prototype and add the extra details before this Ultron goes into production? I doubt it, but we can dream. And regardless, this is going to be an outstanding Ultron action figure.

At this time, no official specs, price or release date are known for the S.H. Figuarts Ultron figure. I’ll pay an update here and also to the Marvel Toy News Facebook Page once Bandai confirms more details regarding the release of this Ultron Figuarts figure.

Bandai Tamashii Nations does not have a U.S. distribution license for Marvel, so Ultron will not be available via Bluefin Distribution in North America. As with the rest of the line, Ultron should be available at BigBadToyStore once he goes up for sale, however.

Thoughts on the SH Figuarts Ultron, Marvel collectors? Will you be upgrading to a Bandai Ultron figure, or are you satisfied with the Hasbro Marvel Legends Ultron Build-A-Figure currently available?