Heroes: One Piece

The Heroes brandname is a common one for Plex, created in 2006 and applied to One Piece but also to several other well-known published or broadcasted series like Ultraman, Dragon Ball, Captain Tsubasa, Yuyu Hakusho and so on, leading to the creation of several Heroes figure series. The common point of them all are the following: It should be noted that regular Super Deformed rendering makes it with a 1:3 ratio and normal proportion should be between 1:6 and 1:8.
 * figures are about 4-5 cm tall,
 * their rendering is focused on character's facial expression, leading to a head/body proportion of nearly 1:2.

The very first series under the Heroes brandname was Tokusatsu Heroes (tokusatsu 特撮 designs live series using a lot of super effects like the sentai), quickly followed by Anime Heroes and Manga Heroes in 2007, and their Super (超) versions in 2008. In the middle of 2009, the brandname saw the addition of Anichara Heroes (anichara is a Japanese word issued from the contraction of the English loanwords Anime and Character) and, in 2010, of Chara-Heroes.

All of the series of the Heroes brandname sport the same English subtitle Mini Big Head Figure, despite exceptions regularly occur. They're released as sets of 12 to 24 figures, with an added secret or alpha figure. Each set also generally come out along one or several limited edition figures, produced by Tokimeki Mall under their Charazo trademark, and are variations of other figures from the set, with different colors or alternate poses.

For One Piece, Plex first came into an agreement with ZaccaPAP to produce the first Anime Heroes One Piece, subtitled Pocket Figure Series for the occasion, and then moved on to its regular association with Charazo to produce the following Anime / Anichara Heroes sets. One edition is generally composed of 24 figures, 1 secret, and 3 limited edition figures. This series is quite interesting because it features characters never or rarely picked up before.

There are 3 ways to purchase figures from this line:
 * Get hold of the regular box of 20 figures,
 * Order the special 2-box set, which come with the limited edition figures, available till those limited versions are out of order,
 * Order the 20-box set, with a discount of 20%.

～Winter Island Edition～
「アニメヒーローズ ワンピース ～冬島編～」
 * Anime Heroes One Piece ～Fuyujima Hen～


 * Content: 18 figures + 1 secret (Ace) + 1 limited edition (Walking Point Chopper)
 * Release date: August 26th 2008
 * Price: ¥4725 per box of 18 figures, ¥263 per figure
 * http://www.zaccapap.jp/36_243.html
 * http://www.plex-web.com/products/toy/lineup/onepiece/popup/4560173-82146-9.html

To obtain the limited edition figure of Chopper, you had to order 2 boxes of this set from the manufacturer (so you got a total of 36 + 1 figures). It was available at a time from the ZaccaPAP site but now this marketing operation expired, hence the "limited edition" name.

～Breaking Into Grand Line Edition～
「アニメヒーローズ ワンピースvol.1 ～グランドライン突入編～」
 * Anime Heroes One Piece Vol.1 ～Grand Line Totsunyu Hen～


 * Content: 24 figures + 1 secret (Gol D. Roger) + 3 limited edition (Going Merry bronze version)
 * Release date: April 28th 2009
 * Price: ¥5250 per box of 20 figures
 * Special feature: 3 figures (and their alternative colored versions) can be combined to make a complete Going Merry
 * http://www.zaccapap.jp/36_323.html

To obtain the 3 limited edition figures of Going Merry, you had to order 2 boxes of this set from the manufacturer (so you got a total of 40 + 3 figures).

On May 4th 2010, this set will be re-released, this time with another limited edition Going Merry by Charazo: Going Merry silver ver. These 3 figures will be produced with a quantity of only 100 issues each.
 * http://tokimekimall.jp/NASApp/prd_detail/0/1/20090393428/000001050190007/
 * http://tokimekimall.jp/NASApp/prd_detail_info2/1/20090393428/

～Arabasta Fierce Fighting Edition～
「アニキャラヒーローズ ワンピースvol.2 ～アラバスタ激闘編～」
 * Anichara Heroes One Piece Vol.2 ～Arabasta Gekitou Hen～


 * Content: 24 figures + 1 secret (Bon Kurei impersonating Luffy) + 3 limited edition (Marine boat clear blue version)
 * Release date: Early October 2009
 * Price: ¥5250 per box of 20 figures
 * Special features:
 * 3 figures (and their alternative colored versions) can be combined to make a complete Marine boat.
 * Princess Vivi and Carue can be combined to make Vivi sit on Carue.
 * http://tokimekimall.jp/NASApp/prd_detail_info2/1/20090893612/

On October 19th 2010, this set will be re-released, this time with 3 new limited edition figures, replacing the Marine boat: Ace, Vivi and Karue clear colour version.
 * http://tokimekimall.jp/NASApp/prd_detail_info2/1/20100994306/
 * http://tokimekimall.jp/NASApp/prd_detail/0/1/20100994306/000001050/

～Skypiea Edition～
「アニキャラヒーローズ ワンピースvol.3 ～空島編～」
 * Anichara Heroes One Piece Vol.3 ～Skypiea Hen～


 * Content: 24 figures + 1 secret (Flying Merry Go) + 3 limited edition (Ark Maxim clear yellow version)
 * Release date: Early February 2010
 * Price: ¥263 per figure
 * Special features:
 * 3 figures can be combined to make the Ark Maxim.
 * Gan Fall and Pierre can be combined to make Gan Fall ride on Pierre.
 * http://tokimekimall.jp/NASApp/prd_detail/0/1/20091293850/000001050190007/
 * http://tokimekimall.jp/NASApp/prd_detail_info2/1/20091293849/

～Water Seven Edition～
「アニキャラヒーローズ ワンピースvol.4 ～ウォーターセブン編+α～」
 * Anichara Heroes One Piece Vol.4 ～Water Seven Hen + α～


 * Content: 24 figures + 1 secret (Afro Luffy) + 3 limited edition (Thousand Sunny Go clear orange version)
 * Release date: May 26th 2010 if pre-ordered from Tokimeki Mall, late June 2010 in shops.
 * Price: ¥5250 per box of 20 figures, ¥10,500 for the special 2-box set and the 3 limited ed. figures, ¥84,000 for 20 boxes
 * Special features:
 * 3 figures can be combined to make the Thousand Sunny Go.
 * http://tokimekimall.jp/NASApp/prd_detail_info2/1/20100393960/

～Enies Lobby Edition～
「アニキャラヒーローズ ワンピースvol.5　～エニエス・ロビー編～」
 * Anichara Heroes One Piece Vol.5 ～Enies Lobby Hen～


 * Content: 24 figures + 1 secret (Post-Gear 3 Chibi Luffy) + 2 limited edition (Monster Chopper clear pink version)
 * Release date: August 31th 2010 if pre-ordered from Tokimeki Mall, late September 2010 for general availability.
 * Price: ¥5250 per box of 20 figures, ¥10,500 for the special 2-box set and the 3 limited ed. figures, ¥84,000 for 20 boxes
 * Special features:
 * 2 figures can be combined to make Monster Point Chopper.
 * http://tokimekimall.jp/NASApp/prd_detail_info2/1/20100794191/