Sengoku Yoyos recently sent me a Tengu to review, and to my surprise, also included a Shingen in the box. I immediately set to playing with my brand-new Tengu and left the Shingen off to the side because it looked a bit boring to me. The shape was very unassuming, and the engraving was not very eye-catching. Eventually I strung it up so I could prep for this review.

I was caught completely by surprise by this throw.

Made from 7175 aluminum, which allows for thinner machining in the body, the Shingen focuses as much weight as possible on the rims. The addition of stainless steel inner rings further increases the rim weight, making for an extremely stable yo-yo. The unassuming V shape of the yo-yo makes a bit more sense, pushing most of the material to the edges of the throw.

The Shingen is a powerhouse. It’s smooth, quiet, stable, and incredibly capable. It may not look like much, but under the unassuming veneer is a yo-yo that screams performance. Not only that, but the 7175 aluminum is incredibly durable, making it extremely ding-resistant, meaning you can spend more time being a bit more daring with the Shingen without worrying about damaging it.

The Sengoku Shingen has quickly risen to my top 5 yo-yos of all time. I’m glad I took the time to put it through its paces.