Even though this display set is being released under the “Rebuild of Evangelion” banner in 2009, it is more-or-less identical to the one seen in the earlier TV series & sequel films.

Video review included!

This item appears here courtesy of Aoshima.

In 2015, Earth is under attack from mysterious, powerful beings called Angels. Their origins and goals are unknown, but the focus of their attacks are on the post-apocalyptic, high-tech metropolis of Tokyo-3- a city designed to be a hidden fortress for the secret headquarters of the United Nations special organization NERV. What makes the Angels such an imposing threat is their ability to project and manipulate AT Fields- natural, invisible, omni-directional defensive shields which cannot be penetrated by any physical attack or weapon, including the most powerful N2 bomb. Learning of the Angels’ existence years earlier, NERV constructed a small group of advanced biomechanical robots called Evangelions to fight the Angels. However, only 14 year old children are capable of merging their minds on a near-spiritual level with the 700’-tall armored humanoids. Shinji Ikari is only one of a select handful who has been able to accomplish this. ...But he does not care. He has been push aside and ignored ever since his father abandoned him when he was four years old. And he does not care if he dies or lives, or if humanity dies or lives. Together with two female pilots in their own EVA Units- the confident, confusing redhead Asuka Langley Shikinami; and the curiously silent, red-eyed, blue-haired Rei Ayanami- the abandoned son of NERV’s Supreme-Commander must face his inner demons and find the courage to go on protecting humanity while fighting to preserve what little is left of his own!

A full twelve years after its debut in 1995, the anime series “Neon Genesis Evangelion” has remained a staple in Japan as one of the most dramatic and controversial; its fan-base ever vigilant for debate, answers, and new material. 26 episodes for the original series ended with pains after behind-the-scenes difficulties forced it in a different-than-planned direction, and so two films- “Evangelion: Death and Rebirth” and “The End of Evangelion” (both 1997)- sought to fix the deflated final episodes, but succeeded only in adding fuel to the fire. And so, in 2006, Studio Khara- founded by Evangelion’s creator, Hideaki Anno- took on the challenge of refreshing the work that had been started by Studio Gainax over a decade earlier, and bringing it to full blossom on the big screen. No longer restricted by a limited TV budget, the four films collectively known as “Rebuild of Evangelion” cover the length of the entire series- inviting new viewers, pleasing previous fans, and expanding & trimming all 26 episodes into four bite-sized chunks. Additionally, acting as a type of reboot for the franchise, “Rebuild of Evangelion” seeks to rewrite the ending of the original series and further expand what was not possible before- including new special effects-sequences, more-detailed scenes, and generally grow from both the mistakes of its namesake & long-standing fan input.

. . .

The Entry Plug is the control center for the pilot of an Evangelion. They are inserted diagonally under an armored section on the back, directly between the shoulders and lock deep into the upper torso. Each one is a hardened cylinder over 60’ (20m) long and about 10’ (2.3m) in diameter, and only allows for one occupant at a time. When piloting an EVA, the Children are completely immersed in, and breath, the LCL manufactured at NERV Headquarters in Tokyo-3. This liquid serves two functions: to protect the Children against high-G forces when maneuvering, and provide a clearer mental & spiritual Synchronization between EVA and pilot. Within the confined space of the Entry Plug is a sled-like dark gray pilot’s seat with two joysticks that allow the Children to manipulate the EVA’s arms and hands more deftly than they could with their standard A10 nerve receptor headsets. Around the pilot’s seat is a full 360° projection of the outside environment transmitted from both cameras and the EVA’s own eyes. On the wrap-around screen, any number of heads-up display (HUD) operational & tactical information and visual communication channels can be shown. (Under natural lighting, LCL is light orange-toned, but when the projection is on, it becomes clear.)

As the survival of the Children is paramount to the defense of the world, Entry Plugs also act as escape pods. At the back end of each Entry Plug is a set of small solid-fuel rocket motors which are designed blast it hundreds of feet into the air away from an incapacitated EVA. Once clear of the combat zone, a white cap above the rockets separates, and a set of parachutes deploy to bring it slowly to the ground, and then rescue teams are dispatched for recovery. While a long sliding door across the top of an Entry Plug is usually used to enter & exit it, a small emergency exit hatch also exists forward of the pilot’s seat which has a fold-out manual handle.

This is the Entry Plug which is placed inside of Evangelion Unit-01, and is piloted by Shinji Ikari. Even though this display set is being released under the “Rebuild of Evangelion” banner in 2009, it is more-or-less identical to the one seen in the earlier TV series & sequel films. Other than the two-part display stand, it requires no assembly. For the special lighting effect, three AAA batteries (not included) are required. (There are no sound effects in this display set, only lights.)

Exterior

The Entry Plug is 20¼” (51.5cm) long and 2 3/16” (5.5cm) in diameter... which makes this thing huge, and it really helps give you an idea of how big the EVAs are! (Not to mention how little space there is inside...) As a static display piece, its base white coloring with smaller red, gold, black, orange, and gray highlights may not gain much attention compared to its physical size, but the bland coloring does lend it credit for not being a toy-like gimmick- this is a practical function-before-form emergency vehicle and should not draw unwanted attention to itself as much as possible except to dispatched human teams.

For surface details, it’s nothing particularly elaborate. Perhaps the most intricate you’re gonna get is the small non-functioning emergency hatch on the left side, the red effects activation button at the back, and some vent-like holes along the front. Though it will obviously never emit smoke or light-up, the rocket vents along the back are shallow (as they should be) but have no hole(s) for the propellant to appear from, and I thought this was the only sticking point on the whole set. Printed details include the large identifying “EVA-01” across the upper left side, very tiny lettering on the emergency hatch, and a panel across the main hatch. To Aoshima’s credit, there are no visible seam lines or screws anywhere on this set except along the colored bands!

Interior

To access the cockpit, the main access hatch needs to be removed. The hatch has a thin metal strip running along the underside, and is held in place magnetically at both the front and back. (Be aware that the hatch does not snap or lock into place, so it will fall off if the Entry Plug is turned upside-down!) The walls of the cockpit section- unlike in all of the animated versions- is mirror-silver ABS plastic rather than light brown or dark orange; this specifically to emphasize the light-up feature. The curvy sled-like 6” (15cm)-long pilot’s seat is fixed to the inside and cannot be removed.

As in all of its on-screen appearances, the main hatch slides backwards across the top of the Entry Plug when access is needed to the inside. As when fixing the hatch to cover the hole, an additional magnet rests inside the rocket nozzle section on the top to which the cover can be placed. (I decided that it is fair for Aoshima to use a magnetic set-up rather than a mechanical one which may have been difficult to organize & execute without potential QA complaints from customers. It may not be anime-accurate in that regard, but it’s close enough.)

Unit-01’s Entry Plug seat is different from all of the others in one way: it has a lap belt-like extension coming from the central panel which cross over Shinji’s hips. To recreate this, a small removable piece fits into a hole between the slots for Shinji’s legs. Then, when the figure is placed inside, the lap-belt fits over his legs the same was.

Figure and Display Stand

It would have been unreasonable to produce an Entry Plug of this size and not include a figure of the Children. Thus a 2” (5.5cm) vinyl representation of Shinji Ikari reclined in his standard blue-&-white Plug Suit appears here. (I think the final size of the set was really dictated by how big the figure inside would be. I mean, if the set were half this size, he wouldn’t have even been an inch long!) The non-poseable figure is pose laying in a seated position with his arms reaching out for the control joysticks. (Ironically, when placed inside, his hands only barely touch said joysticks! Manufacturing error? I don’t know, but it's funny.) For its size, the figure is appropriately detailed and proportionate (though I will say his feet are angled downward kinda painfully).

As mentioned earlier, the display stand is made of three ABS plastic parts- a clear support arm, cradle, and a transparent-orange base which is meant to emulate the octagonal appearance of an AT Field being hit. (Ch-- c’mon... what Evangelion single-figure or bust hasn’t used an imitated AT Field for its base!? Oh, well- can’t argue with tradition, I suppose.) Along the inside of the cradle are two small raised circles which fit with two indents along the bottom of the Entry Plug. When put on display, the Entry Plug will sit comfortably in the cradle, but be aware that it does not snap into place; if you bump it in just a way, it will slide out or fall over! However, if not disturbed, the Entry Plug is carefully balance and will sit soundly in place.

Light-up Feature

While the elaborate light show and images that the Children see inside the Entry Plug cannot be recreated, some of the general lighting can be. Inside the cockpit section are four LEDs- two of them are clear, and the other two are orange. (The clear ones are just for the sake of showing off the interior of this display piece, while the orange represents the LCL liquid that the pilots breath and are surrounded by at all times.) These are placed alternately at the front and back of the inside. When the red activation button along the back cap of the Entry Plug is pressed once, the clear LEDs inside will slowly turn on. Then, after about 15 seconds, they will dim slowly, and the orange LEDs will switch on automatically. The set will then switch back and fourth in this manner until you press the red activation button again. (Thinking that it may turn itself off after a short time, I let it run to see what would happen. After twelve minutes, it kept on going, so I’m assuming that it will go forever until the batteries run out.)

Also, be aware that when you try to turn it off, it will not immediately go out; instead it will wait for the current coloring cycle to finish and then power down, so don’t be impatient!

This is unquestionably a collector’s piece. Why do I say that? Well, other than its size and the built-in LEDs this is an important if unglamorous component of an Evangelion Unit that, until now, was never represented physically any larger than one-and-a-half inches long! They would come in a model or poseable figure or glimpsed in a static display, and would be very simple, very tiny, and would often get lost. (Hell- they give ya three of ‘em in Bandai’s Soul of Chogokin sets because they would literally spring out of their sockets!) And so to get a large and accurately-detailed representation of the EVA’s cockpit & escape pod is a welcome addition. Perhaps the only negative side to these is their size, and maybe that there’s no scenery on the walls inside (though the latter can be explained away in favor of reflectivity for the LEDs). This is definitely a piece for the absolute-hardcore EVA fan out there. And while priced just-shy of $90, it is because we have never had a larger-sized representation of them that makes it worth it, and I find the internal sculpts to be of sufficient quality as well. And so, I recommend getting the EVA-01 Entry Plug set; it is very much worth it.

The exterior of Unit-00’s Entry Plug in the “Rebuild of Evangelion” movies is slightly different from how it appears in the earlier TV series & sequel movies, though its functions & interior remain the same.

Video review included!

This item appears here courtesy of Aoshima.

In 2015, Earth is under attack from mysterious, powerful beings called Angels. Their origins and goals are unknown, but the focus of their attacks are on the post-apocalyptic, high-tech metropolis of Tokyo-3- a city designed to be a hidden fortress for the secret headquarters of the United Nations special organization NERV. What makes the Angels such an imposing threat is their ability to project and manipulate AT Fields- natural, invisible, omni-directional defensive shields which cannot be penetrated by any physical attack or weapon, including the most powerful N2 bomb. Learning of the Angels’ existence years earlier, NERV constructed a small group of advanced biomechanical robots called Evangelions to fight the Angels. However, only 14 year old children are capable of merging their minds on a near-spiritual level with the 700’-tall armored humanoids. Shinji Ikari is only one of a select handful who has been able to accomplish this. ...But he does not care. He has been push aside and ignored ever since his father abandoned him when he was four years old. And he does not care if he dies or lives, or if humanity dies or lives. Together with two female pilots in their own EVA Units- the confident, confusing redhead Asuka Langley Shikinami; and the curiously silent, red-eyed, blue-haired Rei Ayanami- the abandoned son of NERV’s Supreme-Commander must face his inner demons and find the courage to go on protecting humanity while fighting to preserve what little is left of his own!

A full twelve years after its debut in 1995, the anime series “Neon Genesis Evangelion” has remained a staple in Japan as one of the most dramatic and controversial; its fan-base ever vigilant for debate, answers, and new material. 26 episodes for the original series ended with pains after behind-the-scenes difficulties forced it in a different-than-planned direction, and so two films- “Evangelion: Death and Rebirth” and “The End of Evangelion” (both 1997)- sought to fix the deflated final episodes, but succeeded only in adding fuel to the fire. And so, in 2006, Studio Khara- founded by Evangelion’s creator, Hideaki Anno- took on the challenge of refreshing the work that had been started by Studio Gainax over a decade earlier, and bringing it to full blossom on the big screen. No longer restricted by a limited TV budget, the four films collectively known as “Rebuild of Evangelion” cover the length of the entire series- inviting new viewers, pleasing previous fans, and expanding & trimming all 26 episodes into four bite-sized chunks. Additionally, acting as a type of reboot for the franchise, “Rebuild of Evangelion” seeks to rewrite the ending of the original series and further expand what was not possible before- including new special effects-sequences, more-detailed scenes, and generally grow from both the mistakes of its namesake & long-standing fan input.

. . .

The Entry Plug is the control center for the pilot of an Evangelion. They are inserted diagonally under an armored section on the back, directly between the shoulders and lock deep into the upper torso. Each one is a hardened cylinder over 60’ (20m) long and about 10’ (2.3m) in diameter, and only allows for one occupant at a time. When piloting an EVA, the Children are completely immersed in, and breath, the LCL manufactured at NERV Headquarters in Tokyo-3. This liquid serves two functions: to protect the Children against high-G forces when maneuvering, and provide a clearer mental & spiritual Synchronization between EVA and pilot. Within the confined space of the Entry Plug is a sled-like dark gray pilot’s seat with two joysticks that allow the Children to manipulate the EVA’s arms and hands more deftly than they could with their standard A10 nerve receptor headsets. Around the pilot’s seat is a full 360° projection of the outside environment transmitted from both cameras and the EVA’s own eyes. On the wrap-around screen, any number of heads-up display (HUD) operational & tactical information and visual communication channels can be shown. (Under natural lighting, LCL is light orange-toned, but when the projection is on, it becomes clear.)

As the survival of the Children is paramount to the defense of the world, Entry Plugs also act as escape pods. At the back end of each Entry Plug is a set of small solid-fuel rocket motors which are designed blast it hundreds of feet into the air away from an incapacitated EVA. Once clear of the combat zone, a white cap above the rockets separates, and a set of parachutes deploy to bring it slowly to the ground, and then rescue teams are dispatched for recovery. While a long sliding door across the top of an Entry Plug is usually used to enter & exit it, a small emergency exit hatch also exists forward of the pilot’s seat which has a fold-out manual handle.

This is the Entry Plug which is placed inside of Evangelion Unit-00, and is piloted by Rei Ayanami. The exterior of Unit-00’s Entry Plug in the “Rebuild of Evangelion” movies is slightly different from how it appears in the earlier TV series & sequel movies, though its functions & interior remain the same. Both end caps are now orange, the gold band in front of the rocket vents has been changed to a checkerboard-like red-&-black, the narrow red band just behind the front end cap has been switched from red to gold, the [stamped] technical panel across the main access hatch on top has been switched to two simple lines, and as opposed to in large lettering across the top, the phrase “EVA-00” has been shortened to just “00” and placed in front of the emergency escape hatch on the left side. Other than the three-part display stand, it requires no assembly. For the special lighting effect, three AAA batteries (not included) are required. (There are no sound effects in this display set, only lights.)

Exterior

The Entry Plug is 20¼” (51.5cm) long and 2 3/16” (5.5cm) in diameter... which makes this thing huge, and it really helps give you an idea of how big the EVAs are! (Not to mention how little space there is inside...) As a static display piece, its base white coloring with smaller red, gold, black, orange, and gray highlights may not gain much attention compared to its physical size, but the bland coloring does lend it credit for not being a toy-like gimmick- this is a practical function-before-form emergency vehicle and should not draw unwanted attention to itself as much as possible except to dispatched human teams.

For surface details, it’s nothing particularly elaborate. Perhaps the most intricate you’re gonna get is the small non-functioning emergency hatch on the left side, the red effects activation button at the back, and some vent-like holes along the front. Though it will obviously never emit smoke or light-up, the rocket vents along the back are shallow (as they should be) but have no hole(s) for the propellant to appear from, and I thought this was the only sticking point on the whole set. Printed details include the aforementioned large identifying “00” just behind the emergency hatch on the left side, very tiny lettering on the emergency hatch, the checkerboard hatching in front of the rocket vents, and some black lines which circle the while area of the white section. To Aoshima’s credit, there are no visible seam lines or screws anywhere on this set except along the colored bands!

Interior

To access the cockpit, the main access hatch needs to be removed. The hatch has a thin metal strip running along the underside, and is held in place magnetically at both the front and back. (Be aware that the hatch does not snap or lock into place, so it will fall off if the Entry Plug is turned upside-down!) The walls of the cockpit section- unlike in all of the animated versions- is mirror-silver ABS plastic rather than light brown or dark orange; this specifically to emphasize the light-up feature. The curvy sled-like 6” (15cm)-long pilot’s seat is fixed to the inside and cannot be removed.

As in all of its on-screen appearances, the main hatch slides backwards across the top of the Entry Plug when access is needed to the inside. As when fixing the hatch to cover the hole, an additional magnet rests inside the rocket nozzle section on the top to which the cover can be placed. (I decided that it is fair for Aoshima to use a magnetic set-up rather than a mechanical one which may have been difficult to organize & execute without potential QA complaints from customers. It may not be anime-accurate in that regard, but it’s close enough.)

Figure and Display Stand

It would have been unreasonable to produce an Entry Plug of this size and not include a figure of the Children. Thus a 2 1/8” (5.35cm) PVC representation of Rei Ayanami reclined in her standard white-&-midnight blue Plug Suit appears here. (I think the final size of the set was really dictated by how big the figure inside would be. I mean, if the set were half this size, she wouldn’t have even been an inch long!) The non-poseable figure is set with her hands on the seat to either side, and her legs are bent as if she intends to get up For its size, the figure is appropriately detailed and proportionate (though I will say her feet are angled downward kinda painfully).

Though Rei is in a casual position, the figure does not rest very comfortably in the seat, and will shift around very easily. Set on a flat surface or angled on the display stand, either way she still moves around, so- emphasizing the need not to bump the Entry Plug when it’s on display! If it were not for the ‘lap-belt’ attachment piece across the Shinji figure’s legs on the EVA-01 Entry Plug set, I would have had the same issue there as well.

As mentioned earlier, the display stand is made of three ABS plastic parts- a clear support arm, cradle, and a transparent-orange base which is meant to emulate the octagonal appearance of an AT Field being hit. (Ch-- c’mon... what Evangelion single-figure or bust hasn’t used an imitated AT Field for its base!? Oh, well- can’t argue with tradition, I suppose.) Along the inside of the cradle are two small raised circles which fit with two indents along the bottom of the Entry Plug. When put on display, the Entry Plug will sit comfortably in the cradle, but be aware that it does not snap into place; if you bump it in just a way, it will slide out or fall over! However, if not disturbed, the Entry Plug is carefully balance and will sit soundly in place.

Light-up Feature

While the elaborate light show and images that the Children see inside the Entry Plug cannot be recreated, some of the general lighting can be. Inside the cockpit section are four LEDs- two of them are clear, and the other two are orange. (The clear ones are just for the sake of showing off the interior of this display piece, while the orange represents the LCL liquid that the pilots breath and are surrounded by at all times.) These are placed alternately at the front and back of the inside. When the red activation button along the back cap of the Entry Plug is pressed once, the clear LEDs inside will slowly turn on. Then, after about 15 seconds, they will dim slowly, and the orange LEDs will switch on automatically. The set will then switch back and fourth in this manner until you press the red activation button again. (Thinking that it may turn itself off after a short time, I let it run to see what would happen. After twelve minutes, it kept on going, so I’m assuming that it will go forever until the batteries run out.)

Also, be aware that when you try to turn it off, it will not immediately go out; instead it will wait for the current coloring cycle to finish and then power down, so don’t be impatient!

This is unquestionably a collector’s piece. Why do I say that? Well, other than its size and the built-in LEDs this is an important if unglamorous component of an Evangelion Unit that, until now, was never represented physically any larger than one-and-a-half inches long! They would come in a model or poseable figure or glimpsed in a static display, and would be very simple, very tiny, and would often get lost. (Hell- they give ya three of ‘em in Bandai’s Soul of Chogokin sets because they would literally spring out of their sockets!) And so to get a large and accurately-detailed representation of the EVA’s cockpit & escape pod is a welcome addition. Perhaps the only negative side to these is their size, and maybe that there’s no scenery on the walls inside (though the latter can be explained away in favor of reflectivity for the LEDs). This is definitely a piece for the absolute-hardcore EVA fan out there. And while priced just-shy of $90, it is because we have never had a larger-sized representation of them that makes it worth it, and I find the internal sculpts to be of sufficient quality as well. And so, I recommend getting the EVA-00 Entry Plug set; it is very much worth it.

Kotobukiya and Fine Molds working together on a Star Wars kit should go together like peanut butter and chocolate. Does the Crosssection 3-D X-Wing Set deliver on that potential? Well, you have to read on for that answer...

The 1/35th scale Crosssection 3-D X-Wing Set is a joint endeavor from Kotobukiya and Fine Molds. It should be a match made in heaven, like two tastes that taste great together (like peanut butter and chocolate!) But unlike peanut and chocolate, which can generally be had for less than $1.00, this level of quality and detail comes at price. A $250.00 price to be exact. That's right, let me type it out again for you... I T 'S $ 2 5 0 . 0 0 D O L L A R S !

Kotobukiya makes some seriously beautiful collectibles. From fixed posed statues to model kits and a little bit of everything in between, Kotobukiya continually turn out what any discerning collector would consider “museum quality” pieces.

Fine Molds has a long and tried history of making what many modelers consider to be the best Star Wars model kits in the industry. Exquisite attention to detail is something Fine Molds model kits has been known for in the industry for years.

Together they planned out this X-Wing set and then Fine Molds did the initial sculpting and prototyping. Kotobukiya took that prototype and had their artists plan the paint design and handled production, packaging and distribution.

What they ended up with is a full diorama of Yavin Base from Episode 4: A New Hope as it looked before Luke took off for the Battle of Yavin; complete with X-Wing, ground crew, and hanger accessories. The kit is a “snap-fit” type requiring no glue or tools as well as coming pre-painted in high detail.

If you don't know what an X-Wing is than you have zero street-cred as a geek and are beyond any help we here at CDX Headquarters may be able to provide to you. For those that must get completely immersed in the fictional back story of the Incom T-65 X-Wing Starfighter click here. Need to completely understand what the Battle of Yavin is and dissect the minute details of it? Click here .

So let's just say it now... If you are not a Star Wars fan, this set is not for you. If you are a Star Wars fan but couldn't care less about the X-Wing this set is not for you. However if you love the X-Wing and it's place in Sci-fi history then this may very well be the piece for you. What you get for such a high price tag is an exquisitely detailed representation of one of the most famous sci-fi vehicle in film history.

The box for this set is beautiful and HUGE! That's a 32” LCD in the background of these photos for scale. Kotobukiya puts a lot of thought into their finished pieces so it makes a lot of sense they put the same level of care and attention into the packaging as well.

The box is a long, heavy-gauge cardboard “suitcase”with a handle on top decorated with both images of the final piece and cross section illustrations.

The X-Wing comes disassembled and broken up into 6 individual packaged “kits”.

Each kit includes a section of the X-Wing, a piece of the hanger floor and a few pieces of the ground crew/equipment.

Putting it all together is no where near as daunting a task as I had anticipated.

I haven't attempted to put together a “model” in well over 16 years so I was a little overwhelmed by the prospect of putting it all together. But I was assured I was overestimating the modelness of it.

But when they say “snap-fit” they mean it. Absolutely no glue is needed at any point.

Assembly was very straightforward with the included instructions and all told it took about 20 minutes to put together and complete.

Some of the smaller accessories (such as Proton Torpedoes) come on those plastic model trees. While I had borrowed a pair of modeling clippers it turned out I did not need it.

Removing these pieces ended up being as simple as a twist, with no spurs or bits left on the part. A testament to just how well designed and manufactured this item really is.

Everything is painted flawlessly recreating a battle worn look of Red 5. This is about the most detailed piece I think I have ever owned. No detail is spared. There are parts that are painted with detail that once assembled you never see.

Finished X-Wing measures over 12 inches long and is not only a beautifully detailed replica of the Luke Skywalker's X-Wing but for something that's more akin to an elaborate model kit I am pleasantly surprised how solid and toy like it is when you pick it up.

The S-Foils (Wings) do spread open for attack mode and they include parts to swap out the landing gear but they do not include any means for displaying it in flight. There even appears to be a place to attach a stand in the underside panel. Perhaps there's a standard after market stand that will fit this?

Be prepared to make some space to display this bad boy. The Yavin hanger is a square base that measures 15 inches by 15 inches. That's huge!

In addition to the fighter and base you get a full compliment of ground crew, making it possible to recreate the Yavin base just as it appeared in the film.

Now as awesome as this finished piece is, it gets better! Being a cross section concept, you can remove most of the external panels to reveal the inner structure of the fighter. Again Kotobukiya spares no detail here.

Whew. This is a stunning piece. Any die-hard fan of Star Wars would love to have this in their collection. It's a stunning, unique and highly detailed display. However $250.00 bucks is a lot of money and not in everyones budget. If you just absolutely love the X-Wing and it's place in Sci-fi history it's worth giving a look, just make sure you have room to show this off. If your thinking about getting one act fast as I am sure this set is close to selling out everywhere and you will kick yourself for not giving it a try.

Mechanical Chain Bases are an amazing low-cost solution for diorama building. Now you don't need customizing skills to have great backgrounds for your toys.

As a kid I was equally entranced by the box art as I was the toy, and I always wished I could make those cool dioramas on the box front. I always wished I had the skill or the means to do something like the Robotech Factory model kits. (Repackaged 1/100 ARII Macross Factory Kits)

Well, Kotobukiya has come to the rescue.

Mechanical Chain Bases are part of their Modeling Support Gear line. These kits consist of guns, hands, swords and other parts to augment your already built and customized kits. These parts go to no specific robot - you just add them to something you already own.

These bases are very cool AND affordable. At about $10 each, there's no reason why every collection shouldn't have a few.

Each base set contains a floor panel, a wall panel and various accessories. The floor and wall panel are the same in each set - its the various accessories that change between each. Some come with cranes, boxes, vehicles, people... There are tons of little parts that make each set unique.

Parts are molded in solid grey and come attached to a sprue. Some assembly is required, but glue and paint are not needed.

There is no right way to build your base. The choice is up to you.

The real fun comes into play when you have several bases. You can combine them to make even larger displays for larger toys.

The included figures seem to be around 1/100 scale, and are cool, but require some assembly. Getting those little arms on is a total pain in the butt. I just went with whatever figures came with the toys I had where appropriate.

As you can see, the bases look great with toys in a wide variety of scales. I had a ton of fun shooting these photos, but be careful - if you are not used to shooting against a diorama, you really have to work with the lighting to get it just right.

I picked a good time to start getting interested in statues...

After a few 12" dolls and a 16" vinyl robot, now Amok Time brings us their first fixed pose statue. And so far I'd say it's my favorite entry in their short existence as a toy maker. This statue is a sure fire winner for monster collectors and Vincent Price fans. It depicts Vincent Price in the guise of a vicious member of the Spanish Inquisition, as he prepares to torture a victim, during the classic 1961 movie The Pit and the Pendulum. This was a great role for Price and one of the best Edgar Allan Poe inspired films that he collaborated on with Roger Corman and A.I.P.

The statue comes packaged safely in a large 2-part styrofoam tray. Unfortunately, this makes the box a bit bigger (16.25"x12.75"x9.5") than I was expecting for a 12" piece, but it's a necessary evil. The box itself is a beautiful presentation showing the statue in closeup on the front and back and in a wide shot on each side. The back also features an image of the original theatrical one sheet poster, in addition to information about the item and it's makers.

BOX FRONT

BOX BACK

BOX SIDE

The statue is limited to only 500 numbered pieces, with mine being number 458. Also, it has the approval of the Vincent Price estate. And why wouldn't it? It's a gorgeous piece and the sculpt is an amazing likeness of the man.

In addition to just looking amazing, this statue also has a couple of unique features that I'd like to touch on. First, it actually incorporates magnets into the design! Both hands need to be attached when you take it out of the box but they simply pop right on (and off later if need be) because there are magnets in the wrists and in the sleeves. This was a really great idea. In fact, in hindsight, I wish it had been included in the Saucer-Men statue from Ultratumba so that you could swap out the alternate hands instead of having to pick which one to glue in. Oh well, maybe next time.

The next thing that I really like about this one is that the cauldron of burning coals actually lights up red! This is a great effect and looks really nice in person. It was a bit hard for me to show it properly both in pictures as well as in the video review, but take my word for it, the effect is superb.

The effect requires 2 AA batteries but those are included in the package. The on/off switch is simply on the back side of the base, out of view, but easily accessible.

Overall, I have absolutely zero complaints with this item, which is rare. There's almost always something that could have been done just a little bit better, but I can't think of anything to improve on this one. Maybe a higher production run so that no one misses out? To be on the safe side, go get yours at Amoktime.com before they sell out!

It's been hard to make up my mind about this one. It's got a lot going for it, but I just feel it could have been more...

Frankenstein's Laboratory was the last diorama I picked up this year and I am torn on whether or not I like it. The stone walled background again offers a nice gothic visual and the laboratory equipment is really appealing, too. But the sculpts of both the monster and his bride leave me disappointed. The facial features are sort of bland and they look too romantic for my tastes. Is this a decoration for Halloween or Valentine's Day, huh?

I like the "wooden" floor inlaid into the "stone", creating a nice layered effect. And the chained mechanism behind the bride looks interesting, although I'm not sure what it is supposed to do. I know one thing it does not do though and that is actually turn, which was pretty disappointing. I know this is only for display, but when you wrap a chain around a set of wheels..... well, it begs to be turned.

Of course, like each of the previous dioramas, this one features a light up gimmick. And here is where it really shines (no pun intended). All of the scientific apparatus behind the characters light up in some way. The effect is really great.

Still, no matter how much I like that, I just feel like something is missing from this piece overall. Something like....an operating table? Eh, probably not enough room for that.

Anyway, I wasn't about to buy two of these dioramas and not get the third. Despite it's shortcomings, I'm glad I have this. It did however cost slightly more than the Creature's Lair and Dracula's Domain, with a price tag of $14.99 instead of $12.99. I guess the extra cost is either for the extra monster or for the more intricate laboratory equipment. Still way better than $55, though!

"Welcome to my house...come freely, go safely and leave something of the happiness you bring..."

Dracula's Domain was actually the first of this series that I was able to locate and by all accounts seems to be the most prevalent. I think this is probably my second favorite of the three available, behind The Creature's Lair, but ahead of Frankenstein's Laboratory. It now carries the same $12.99 price tag as the Creature's Lair, marked down at TJ Maxx and Home Goods stores.

The faux stone masonry looks fantastic and really pulls off the old world gothic look quite well. It's the sort of scenery that just invites the addition of a gargoyle or two along the sides, but I'm glad that they didn't go that route. It would've been too obvious and cliche. Instead, there are some cobwebs molded into the bottom sides of the entrance and in the background. Nice idea, but I look forward to letting this thing sit for a long time and letting some real spiders spin some real webs on it!

Where this piece fails for me is in the sculpt of both Dracula and his victim. The sculpt of both characters does not quite live up to the quality of the rest of the piece. The generic look of each character doesn't bother me so much as the fact that it looks more like Dracula is rescuing a damsel in distress or carrying a Bride over the threshold of their new home more than he looks like an evil creature of the night looking to drain the blood from the living. Furthermore, notice anything odd? For some reason, Dracula is wearing a cross! A CROSS!!!

Where this one has the Creature's Lair beat is with the lights. The bulbs are still visible on the floor, but when lit up, it is easier here to imagine that they are just fallen torches or some other form of fire. Plus the red gives it a more hellish appearance overall and looks quite nice shining against the stone background.

So, this one definitely has it's pluses and minuses. If you're a monster fanatic, by all means you'll want to grab it, if for no other reason than it's so cheap right now. But all others will likely pass.

Y'know, maybe I could appreciate the girly figure reviews more if they were constantly being menaced by classic monsters! I mean, it's tradition.

Perhaps the single coolest thing about being a monster collector is that, for all intents and purposes, we have our own holiday! As a result, every year new things are released in all manner of genre that collectors can sink their teeth into, sometimes even literally in the case of Halloween candy and things like that. Halloween decorations of all kinds offer the monster enthusiast many different options to help enhance their displays. Can you imagine if every year there was some sort of super robot holiday?!

In 2006, Department 56 released a series of Halloween decorations featuring some classic Universal Monsters. These small dioramas were beautifully crafted and included a light up feature, but carried a price tag of approximately $55 each, which put off many potential buyers. Fortunately, these recently turned up at a greatly discounted price at TJ Maxx and Home Goods department stores. This diorama, entitled "The Creature's Lair", now carried a price tag of only $12.99!

Over the course of about 5 days the week before last, I went to roughly a half dozen of these stores and was only able to locate one "Creature's Lair", which would suggest that it was more popular than the others in the series (those being "Frankenstein's Laboratory" and "Dracula's Domain"). It is plain to see why, too. Not only is the Creature generally a more popular character, but the craftsmanship that went into this piece is clearly superior to the others, at least in terms of the presentation of the main character, which is of course the most important thing.

At approximately 6" high, 9" long and 6.5" deep, this miniature scene is beautifully sculpted and painted. The cave walls appear as true rock and there is a clear plastic covering on the sand that magnificently gives the illusion of a pool of water at the feet of the Creature.

Any complaint about the sculpt of the piece would be that the damsel in distress doesn't look exactly like Julie Adams, but it's not bad. It might also have been a licensing issue. And that's not to say she doesn't look good, anyway..

Hubba, hubba...

Protruding from the back is a cord into which you can plug in a power source, containing two separately sold C batteries. Each piece in the series uses the same part so you can swap them out if you like.

With the power cord attached and the "ON" switch activated, the lights add an eerie luminescence to the scene, particularly as it reflects off of the "water". I think it would have been nicer if you could have activated the lights via a concealed switch actually on the display, such a s fake "rock", much like on the Destroy All Monsters Battlezone Godzilla

My biggest gripe with this? Well, the bulbs for the lights are not well concealed at all. It looks like the Gill Man has had some wiring done in his cave! One enterprising collector had the excellent idea of adding some plastic aquarium plants to help cover them up and I think I'll be doing just that at some point.

Still, I can't complain too much. I'm getting monster memorabilia released in the middle of the summer and at a fantastic price. I couldn't recommend this at $55, but for $13 it was a no-brainer for me.