Shinji Aramaki directed the series and likely designed this transforming Mecha from the anime Viper's Creed!

SHE is at it again with their super-expensive resin kit version of a mecha from a show called Viper's Creed.

Never seen Viper's Creed, but it looks cool, and its directed by Shinki Aramaki. You know, the guy behind some other transforming motorcycles, like the Garland from Megazone 23. He probably was the mechanical designer behind this, but I am not 100% sure. But odds are...

Anyway, like most SHE stuff, its made out of resin, insanely detailed and complicated, and very expensive. The whole thing will run you about 47,000 yen or about 473.41 USD. For that you get 6.5 inches of mecha wheeled fury.

Maneuver-Blade (Saiki Ver.) from Studio Half-Eye is due late June 2009.

Like many mecha fanboys, my jaw hit the floor when photographs began circulating of Studio Halfeye’s perfect transformation Getter. This toy was a revolution in henkei design, a beyond-intricate origami exercise executed in resin and screws, produced in a small shop, and largely the work of one man, Hajime Takashima.

A few caveats:

1. I know very little about Gravion, and have no particular affection for the character or its design.
2. This piece is an older, “entry-level” SHE product, so its quality may vary significantly from the company’s more substantial and current releases.
3. Information about SHE’s products in English is rare, so I may be wrong about some of the particulars.
4. This thing fills me with rage. I will try not to let it slip into the review, but I can’t promise anything.

Like many mecha fanboys, my jaw hit the floor when photographs began circulating of Studio Halfeye’s perfect transformation Getter. This toy was a revolution in henkei design, a beyond-intricate origami exercise executed in resin and screws, produced in a small shop, and largely the work of one man, Hajime Takashima.

More designs have followed, each an apparent wonder of engineering and innovation. The characters are (often) obscure, the photographs breathtaking. Unfortunately, these toys are laughably expensive. The cheap offerings are $80-$200, and a Perfect Change Dancouga Nova will run you $800. And again, we’re talking resin and screws, and small.

God Gravion is one of the "cheap" offerings, a "compact" model intended to appeal to people like me, curious fans who can’t afford the more substantial bots.

Reviewing this piece is really an exercise in futility. I can’t call it a toy. It’s more of a high-end collectible model which resembles a toy, but is somehow junkier than a toy. Josh often likens strange toys to folk art, and I guess that’s as good a descriptor for this as anything. Really expensive folk art. I feel like my usual frames of reference for comparison are useless.

Gravion comes packaged in an anonymous, clear plastic box (7.5" x 10" x 2.5") with photographs and text on the back. Inside, the individual pieces (the Gran Kaiser core figure and four ships), rest in a plastic vacu-formed tray. The box art unfolds to display color photographic instructions, very clear and well designed.

Accessories are packed in small ziplock bags- extra fists, a couple of swords. I believe the purple swords are of a limited edition.

Everything is cast in colored resin, which is surprisingly plasticky and solid. The dark gray resin sparkles slightly. There’s no gumminess or sliminess, and the edges are crisp. Paint apps have been used to add details. While painting has been done by hand, it’s fairly precise, although the wash used on the thigh panel lines looks like a second-rate gun-pla job.

The Gran Kaiser figure is similar in scale to Microman or G.I. Joes, 3.75” tall. It is only adequately articulated. The neck can swivel. The shoulders rotate, the arms can flap and swivel. The thighs are on ball joints, but are limited by the skirt. The knees and ankles bend. It all adds up to surprisingly limited movement. But the figure isn’t the draw here, the God Gravion formation is.

God Gravion

Two identical boxy ships, the G-Attacker and G-Striker, form the boots for god mode. You fold up the wings, slightly retract the cockpit, and fold out a bracket/clip piece from underneath which will lock into Gran Kaiser’s calves.

The G-Driller ship separates into two arm pieces, with the drill bits rotating into the body, the fists out.

The delta shaped G-Shadow unfolds with slick origami action (the best engineering in the whole piece) into a chest/backpack for Gravion.

To prepare the figure, you remove his hands, fold up his arms into his shoulder armor, remove a piece from the back of his head (which has fallen off by this time anyway), and fold back his feet into his calves.

Assembling all of this into God Gravion is not as easy as you might imagine. The arms plug and rotate into the shoulders, but one of mine is fitted so loosely that it barely stays in, and then only in one position. The boots lock onto the calves, but it takes some work and tightening of screws to make it hold. The chest/back attachment just rests on the shoulders, and a new headpiece swivels off of the back and plugs onto the smaller head. If you tip the figure upside-down, or just look at it wrong, it easily falls off. The final figure stands at just under 5 inches.

What next? Not much, really. You do not "pose" God Gravion so much as gently manipulate all of the pieces to look acceptable and then gingerly remove your hands, hoping that it doesn’t fall apart (it usually does).

I feel deeply unsatisfied with God Gravion. Even though I paid a fraction of the retail price, the fact that this was supposed to cost 180 bucks still bothers me. The abstract intellectual appreciation of the product just isn’t worth it. At least on this model, the engineering and design are just average. There is zero play value to this piece, nothing about it is fun.

GG is a good-looking robot, though, and at least photographs well, providing you can get the whole mess to hold together long enough to activate the shutter. After taking these photos, I feel immense sympathy for SHE’s photographer. I imagine he’s a very patient man.

Another affordable release from studio Half-Eye.

Yeah, right.

The Studio Half-Eye Dangaioh looks pretty complicated. Perfect Change and Transformation. Not so perfect price. Its late eighties mecha excess in all its glory.

Due 12/08 for 79,800 yen. Pase 1 is sold out, phase 2 due 01/09

Long in development Dino Geist (from Ex-Kaiser) gets a release date!

Nejiryu Dino geist, 170mm tall, 28,000 yen, due 11/08

From Studio Half Eye comes the uber-expensive Perfect Docking Balking + Serpent.

SHE makes some really beautiful stuff, but they are really expensive. At 4,100 yen (Around $400 USD), this toy is not cheap. At around 7 inches tall, thats about $57 an inch.

The Perfect Docking CV Balking + Serpent is due Feb 08.

Studio Half-Eye re-works their classic Simple Change Getter 1. Still expensive.

We all marvel at the complicated designs that Studio Half-Eye makes, but then we cry at the cost. The Simple Change series is meant to make their designs a little more affordable. Unfortunately, affordable to them is still around $100 for a tiny figure made out of resin.

Simple Change Getter-1 Ver. 2.0 is due December for 9,500 yen. The toy is transfromable from Getter 1 to the three distinct getter machines with "Perfect" transformation.

Studio Half-Eye's Dancouga Nova looks great, but that greatness comes with a cost.

Studio Half-Eye is known for it's intricate transforming robots, cast out of resin, and usually limited in number. They are almost like origami in toy form. Personally, they are not my thing, but people seem to love them. That love however, comes with a cost.

The perfect Transformation Dancouga Nova fully transforms from its individual units as well as the larger robot. This whole package will set you back an insane 84,000 yen. Thats about $730.00 usd. SEVEN HUNDRED AND THIRTY DOLLARS.

Odds are Bandai will make a SOC of this, so you might as well wait for that.

Thr return of the Tentacle Monsters, plus Perfect Change Gaiking, tons of Kaiju and a new Aoshima Diecast

Studio Half Eye Perfect Change Gaiking

Perfect Docking CV Gaiking Sky Set - 150mm high, due September to Late Fall. 29,400¥

Perfect Docking CV Gaiking Face Open Version - 150mm high, due September to Late Fall. 29,400¥ - LIMITED TO 50

Super Soul Series Dancouga Nova from Romando

All plastic, 20cm tall, 5,000¥ due September

Inju Sanrantai

We finally have a name to those tentacle monsters - Inju Sanrantai. This figure is made by Toys Works and is 1/8 scale (10cm x 25cm) made out of PVC. Due late November for 3,800¥, available in Hot Pink and dark violet versions. Toy Works makes it a point to mention that the girl figure is not included.

Gamilus High-speed Aircraft Carrier

From B-Club comes this 1/2100 scale unassembled resin kit of this vehicle from Space Cruiser Yamato. Due October for 7,800¥. 80mm long

Tyrant (New Production Version)

Also from B-Club is a 200mm tall Soft Vinyl Tyrant from Ultraman. Due October for 5,400¥.

TRANSFORMERS Music Label Sound Wave

comes in 2 versions (Blue and Black), due mid december for 10,000¥ by TakaraTomy. Plays MP3's!

New Yamanaya Vinyls!

Iron 2nd from Mirrorman - Late October 5,500¥ 22cm tall

Cool Senjin (Yellow) from Ultraseven - Late October 5,500¥ 23cm tall

Neronga (Gray) - Late October 5,500¥ 19cm tall

Aoshima Shin Getter 2 Gokin!

From Aoshima / Miracle House it's Choshingokin Shin Getter 2! expect this to retail for 13,440¥

Sofubi Asuka (OVA Color)

OVA color version of the Mobile Suit Patlabor mecha. Retails for around 5,000¥

New items from Cm's corp, Bandai, Happinet, Studio Half-Eye and more!

Hyper Hero Dynamite Gokin Collection Super Robot Series 02 Mazinger Z Jet Scrandar Ver.

from Happinet - made of ABS/PVC/Diecast. Due September 2007 for 10,000

King Ghidorah 1964

Unassembled, unpainted polystone model kit in 1/250 scale. Manufactured by M-Arts, due mid-September for 25,000

Dancouga Nova

Sneak peek at the studio half-eye Dancouga Nova

Master Grade RX-78-2 Gundam (One Year War TV Color Version)

Sunrise Mechanical Action Series Raiking

From CM's corp - 180mm tall PVC and ABS action figure - due mid October for 6,000¥

New Patlabor Vinyls from CM's Corp.

2 versions of the Taisho mecha (Work version and Police version) 5,000¥ each, due September.

VF-1J Macross Revoltech

from Kaiyodo, due in September, 1,995¥. This opens the door for a flood of Macross Revoltech stuff.

GX-39 Baikanfu

Prototype image of the GX-39 Soul of Chogokin Baikanfu. Due Novermber for 18,000¥