Robotman reborn.

Though Microman birthed the transforming robot explosion of the eighties, it was also a casualty of that explosion. After a decade of innovation, Microman died a quiet death in 1984, never achieving the sort of international devotion enjoyed by the bowdlerized Transformers, Micronauts notwithstanding.

After lying fallow for another fifteen years, Takara resurrected and re-booted the property for the new millennium. Takara meant business, introducing three different toy lines (Replica, LED, and Magne Powers), a Manga series, an anime, and generous amounts of ancillary product. Takara typically excels at reinterpreting its older toys for a new audience. Would this massive gamble work? Ehhhhh.

Reaction to the re-boot was tepid. A new generation of kids with no recollection of the original collectively shrugged. Adult collectors were turned off by the dramatic deviations from classic Microman. The ambitious multi-media blitz limped along without generating any real enthusiasm. The millennial Microman quietly expired.

What about the toys? Exquisite, if sometimes flawed.

Robotman Dean was introduced at the tail end of the Magne Powers series. Magne Powers toys incorporated magnetic gimmicks, including magnets in the limbs of the figures as well as interchangeable parts for larger robot and monster building. These toys were like the older magnemo Micronauts on steroids, the magnetic ball construction technique was taken to wild heights.

Dean is packaged in one of my favorite boxes of all time, die-cut with an inner metallic gold sleeve. You can tell that Takara was going all out here.

On the inside: not so much. Dean’s components are twist-tied to cheap corrugated cardboard. There’s no way to store him after you’ve removed the pieces other than to just shove him in an empty box. The later Korean releases of the combiners use a white plastic tray.

The limbs and torso go together intuitively. Dean in his combined form:

In the tradition of the first Robotman, Dean has a cockpit in his chest.

You can see the pilot’s head through a clear window. Also notice that Dean’s chrome face is covered with a clear shield.

Circular metal plates provide connection points for microman figures.

In keeping with the interchangeable ethos of Microman, each limb can be reconfigured (not transformed), into a vehicle or weapon.

Further, each of these can be further broken down and reconfigured into anything you can imagine. The sheer quantity of parts is impressive. Everything breaks down into tiny, detailed pieces. Even parts which could be duplicated, like the feet, are different.

Many parts have metal balls and magnets. Furthermore, these parts are compatible with the rest of the Magne Powers toys, providing nearly endless possibilities.

As a building toy, Dean is very successful. As a figure, he’s a mixed bag. While the magnetic connections are detailed with detented sockets, the whole bot feels ramshackle.

There’s an awful lot going on. Pieces frequently fall off. But Dean is so ambitious, and so nearly great, that I forgive his short-comings and just appreciate the work that went into him.

Many of the Magne Powers combiners were later released by Sonokong and are easily obtained. Dean, for whatever reason, was not, which is a shame because he’s the coolest one.

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This Soul of Chogokin was an exclusive release for the Autumn 2009 Tamashii Nations Expo.

Video Review Included!

This Soul of Chogokin was an exclusive release for the Autumn 2009 Tamashii Nations Expo.

If you are looking for Tamashii nations exclusives, check out Anime-Export.com

It shares the same body as the GX-45 Mazinger Z, so I am not going to go over again how great it is. If you don't have one, pick it up. it's great.

But if you do have one, and you want another, slightly more evil version, this is the one for you.

Released in limited numbers at the Autumn 2009 Tamashii Expo, the GX-45A Mazinger Z Atami Night version is a darker take on the classic hero.

I have not yet seen the new Mazinger TV series, and I should be flogged for it. I have no idea if this version of Mazinger appears in the show or not.

The box is rather bland and nondescript. Thus is the nature of these "night" versions. It does the job, and it makes it less toy-lke.

The deal with this one is that you have a completely different finish than the other version. This time you get a metallic black finish with shiny chrome limbs.

Maz's head is darker, with red eyes and red highlighting on the grill. The Hover Pilder is the same, aside from a darker red metallic coloring. It still fits loosely on the head.

This version comes with an alternate head, one that is half Mazinger, Half Koji Kabuto. I can see this emulating one of those anime split-screen effects, but like I said, I haven't seen it yet.

The only other difference is the translucent chest plates. These are really spectacular.

The other accessories included are the standard set of open and closed hands, arm launching attachments and launching arms.

Not included with this set is the scrander wing.

The stand is the same as the GX-45.

It's a really great looking figure, and I think a repaint that you should pursue. However, being a convention exclusive makes it hard to come by. Fortunately Anime-Export.com seems to get their hands on Tamashii Nations exclusives in record time. Yes you will have to pay a premium for them, but in this case, I think it is worth having.

Even with all the modern gokin being released, this remains one of the best modern gokin in my collection. It just really captures the essence of the original toy without trying to replicate every stupid little gimmick of the show.

Hard to believe it was eleven years ago that this toy was released. It was in the second coming of gokin, the late 90s, that Bandai subsidiary UniFive threw their hat into the diecast ring with their first offering, the SG-01 Shingokin Mekabuton.

This lovable little beetle comes from the show Time Bokan which aired in 1975 and spun off a ton of shows like Yatterman and Ippatsuman. It's actually a large mecha driven by the protagonists of the series.

Until this point, if you wanted a Mekabuton, the only version you could get was a vintage Grip Mekabuton or a Takatoku Z-Gokin Mekabuton, and that would set you back a pretty penny.

The UniFive version brought modern (at the time) toy engineering with vintage funk. To this day it remains a classic, although, how it compares to the CM's version remains to be seen.

The toy is essential gokin. it's heavy as hell, its got zero consideration for anime accuracy. It's metallic blue.

Mekabuton resembles a Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle. As such, it has the trademark horn on the front. The horn is articulated at the tip and at the base. When you move it at the base there is the cool sound of a metal-on-metal click. The whole rest of the head is metal as well.

The shell on the back is solid heavy metal as well. The wings fold up and out, but be careful when putting them back, the paint where the wings meet the body can chip easily.

Underneath the wings reveals the chrome engine and ladybug drone. The drone is removable and is fastened with a magnet.

If you slide the center chrome panel you activate the wings - those unfortunately are plastic but they do pop out with some force.

The last major gimmick is in the undercarriage. Slide the small lever near the underside of the head and a trap door opens to reveal another small vehicle - this time a small submarine called Strider Machine.

Even with all the modern gokin being released, this remains one of the best modern gokin in my collection. It just really captures the essence of the original toy without trying to replicate every stupid little gimmick of the show.

Pick one up, you won't regret it.

The last thing you or anybody else thought they needed was yet ANOTHER Mazinger Z figure. If you have been a Japanese toy collector for any amount of time you no doubt have a few in your collection already. Mazinger is an iconic figure, setting the template for super robots that exist to this day. But how many do you really need?

One more, apparently.

Includes HD video review

I was dreaming when I wrote this, so forgive me if I go astray...

The last thing you or anybody else thought they needed was yet ANOTHER Mazinger Z figure. If you have been a Japanese toy collector for any amount of time you no doubt have a few in your collection already. Mazinger is an iconic figure, setting the template for super robots that exist to this day. But how many do you really need?

One more, apparently.

Mazinger Z should need no introduction, but this version warrants a bit of backstory.

In 2009, Dynamic produced a new Mazinger series called Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z Hen, or "True Mazinger Shock! Z Chapter". In Japan it was promoted as Mazinger Z on TV. The show is a re-telling of the classic Mazinger story, with some subtle differences in design and story. It is not a sequel to to either Mazinger Z or Mazinkaiser - this is something different.

Coincidentally, the premiere of this show coincides with the 35th anniversary of the release of the first Mazinger Z Chogokin toy.

So, in commeration of the two events, Bandai decided to release a new Soul of Chogokin Mazinger Z.

Now, you may wonder why do you need another Mazinger SOC? You've already got the GX-01, GX-01R, GX-07, GX-07I and GX-07E. We'll, here's why.

It's been 10 years since that first SOC came out, and toy design has evolved a lot in that short span of time. Bandai has learned a lot, and what collectors want has changed as well. With the advent of Revoltech and Figma, collectors now demand extreme articulation in addition to the typical SOC workmanship.

The new Mazinger Z Chogokin was revealed at the 2009 Tamashii Expo and it laid bare all of Bandai's hard work. This new Mazinger was more articluate, more anime-accurate, and more metal, albeit smaller than its brethren.

This is the one you wanted to have 10 years ago. This is the one you need now.

HD Video Review

Enough Exposition! Lets Dance!

With the anniversary comes a redesign, and the Soul of Chogokin Box is no exception. The Box bears little resemblance to the first SOC, with only the logo and numbering system to relate the two. This package has shiny foil lettering and an awesome, old-school cutaway diagram of Mazinger on the side.

Inside the box is a mixture of old and new. Mazinger Z himself is secured in a styrofoam sarcophagus, the only material to pack a Chogokin in. Unfortunately, the accessory trays are clear vacu-formed plastic.

Preconceived notions about the overabundance of Mazingers aside, this is one great SOC. It has a very satisfying feel to it. It's very heavy and glossy, with an automotive like finish. The toy is mostly metal, with plastic in the head forearms and hands. That's it. It is truly Super Alloy.

The main draw of this Chogokin is the new improved articulation. As you can see in this cutaway, The joint structure in this toy is radically different than those before.

Starting at the head, you now have ball joints at both the neck and the base of the head, allowing Mazinger to move in almost any direction. There is a small plastic hover pilder that can plug into the head. This Pilder is now hard ABS plastic with a transparent window and articulated wings. The connection with the Hover Pilder and the Head is a little weak, one of the few flaws with the toy.

The torso is three parts, with an upper chest ball joint, swivel waist, and solid metal hips. The hips feature an extending mechanism that allows for a greater range of motion in the leg area.

The legs are all metal. The unpainted metal ball joints at the hips look great and solid. These then have a swivel pin joint into the upper thigh which can also pull out a few milliliters, although I don't know if its supposed to. From there the upper thighs are diecast with slightly weathered paint applications.

The lower legs are also metal, and these are equipped with collapsible back panels that allow Mazinger to really bend at the knees. Its a great engineering job for a fantastic effect.

The feet are on ball joints and those too can extend to provide a greater range of motion. The bottom of the feet have great detail molded into them.

Back up to the arms, they are attached to the body by a clicky ball and swivel joint. The upper arms are metal and feature cavities to plug the lower arm sections into.

For the lower arms, you have the choice of two options. Normal or Rocket Punch. The normal arms have an elbow joint that end with a magnet. The elbow joints are interesting due to a panel that separates midway through bending the arm. This does not give any more movement than the standard SOC arm joint, but it does look neat.

The Rocket Punch arms consist of two launchers and two forearms. The launchers have magnet ends to attach to the upper arms and have a small trigger. Simply click the arms into the lanucher and press the button to fire. The trigger is really small so it is hard to get this to fire every time. Once you do fire, they have a fair amount of force, and will travel a few feet.

Both the regular and launching arms can be outfitted with any of the four variant hands. The hands pop on and off balls at the end of the arms easily.

But what would Mazinger Z be without his Jet Scrander?

In the past, The Jet Scrander was made so that the wings could be placed in different positions for different modes. While this was a neat gimmick, the wings were pretty ugly. This new version manages to combine style and function.

There is some assembly involved with the Scrander, namely the tail fin and the wings. The wings are designed in such a way that to change modes (flying or... not flying) all you have to do is remove and swap the wings. Now it looks great in both modes. But don't forget to move the yellow jet sections forward or backwards depending on the mode.

The whole assembly attaches to the figure by the belt, which wraps around the waist and attaches in the front. A small peg in the back fits into the hole on the back of Mazinger.

When not in use, the Jet Scrander can be stored on the display stand using a special attachment.

In addition, the stand can be re-configured with a different attachment to display Mazinger Z in flight mode.

The stand itself is pretty basic, with the engraved nameplate, options for storage, and grooves for the feet. The only letdown is that there is no place to store the additional stand parts when not in use (unless I didn't look carefully enough).

Now that I have handled this, I can say YES it is very cool and worth getting. Get this one and sell the others, because this is the one you need.

PRO

• New engineering, extreme poseability
• Great Jet Scrander with dual purpose stand
• Better sculpt
• More detailed Hover Pilder
• Loads of metal

CONS

• Slightly smaller than other Mazinger SOC releases
• Hover Pilder connection to head is loose
• Odd dual elbow joint seems to serve no purpose
• No place for stand accessories
• Yet another Mazinger

Its also worth noting that this is the first official wide release of a Bandai Tamashii product through Toynami. It seems plans to make these be released through the Masterpiece line with Masterpiece packaging have been abandoned. This toy is released in the same package as the Japanese Market release.

The Fold Booster & Fast Pack set completes the Yamato 1/60 YF-19

HD Video review included!

If you get the YF-19 Valkyrie, you kind of need to get the Fold Booster & Fast Pack, it just seems incomplete without it. Yamato sold the fold and fast set as a stand alone set (as reviewed here) or they also sold a combined set.

The set, which runs about $50, includes the fast packs, cockpit parts, an additional pilot, and of course the fold booster, with stand.

So lets start with the Fast packs. FAST is actually an acronym for Fuel and Sensor Tactical. These are add-on armor packs that can enhance the Valkyrie's range or firepower.

The YF-19 FAST packs consist of shoulder and leg armor. The shoulder armor (while small) act as supplemental fuel tanks. In fighter mode, the tanks are grey aerodynamic blocks behind the center section. The parts feature a flip out connector that connects to the back of the shoulder blocks, while a flip down spacer moves the legs lower.

The leg packs are supposed to feature extra banks of micro missiles but don't open. You just have to assume they do. Each large FAST pack adheres to the side of the fighter with MAGNETS! The magnets, while not super strong, are strong enough to stay attached.

Fighter mode with the YF-19 is already a tricky thing to manage, and with the addition of the FAST packs it just gets worse. You click one thing in and another pops out and after a few minutes of this you are ready to throw it against the wall. If you are anything like me, you will just lose your mind.

Fortunately, in Battroid and Gerwalk mode, the FAST packs stay on just fine, so its likely that this is the mode you will want to display the toy in.

The next addition is with the cockpit. Included in the set is an additional seat and co pilot, one scientist by the name of Yang Neumann. You must remove the existing cockpit and kibble around it to replace this seat.

While all these things are well and good, the real reason you want this set is the Fold Booster. The booster enables the YF-19 to do a space "fold" to cover long distances in a short amount of time.

The fold booster consists of the booster itself, 2 connector parts, and a base (for storage when not in use).

The beauty of the fold booster is that it lights up. Yep - electronics. 3 LR44 watch batteries (not included) are needed to power the lightshow. Once installed, turn on the switch and the lights pulse and dance in patterns replicating its fold journey. It's really quite stunning.

The Fold booster attaches to the YF-19 by its two connector parts which snap in the body and around the shield. The fold booster is unusable in the other modes, hence the stand. It is worth noting that the YF-21 comes with parts so it too can use the same fold booster.

Could this set have been done better? Sure. But the cool light up fast pack, the extra pilot, and even the packs themselves (when in Battroid mode) are worth the money. If you haven't gotten a YF-19, go for the combo pack, as I hear the Valkyrie has had small improvements. Otherwise, this pack is neat.

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.

Yamato knocks one out of the park with the under-loved third wheel of the Macross Plus trinity!

The 1/60 VF-11B with FAST Packs is available from HobbyLink Japan.

Macross Plus debuted in 1994, and brought the Macross franchise into the modern vernacular, with stellar CGI, gorgeous animation, sleek designs, a killer soundtrack, and what is still one of the most popular Macross stories. The main-character mecha of Macross Plus were the experimental prototypes YF-19 Excalibur and YF-21, competing for the role of UN Spacy’s next standard-production variable fighter, to replace the aging VF-11B Thunderbolt, some thirty years after the first VF-1 Valkyries were put into service. The VF-11B is a ‘grunt’ variable fighter, designed to fulfill a variety of roles without excelling at any one.

The 1/72 VF-11B was among Yamato’s first Macross toys, when Yamato first started to produce perfect-variable Macross toys way back in 2001, with the infamous easily-broken hip-bar and vacuformed heat-shield that had to be held in place with double-sided tape. The FAST Pack release fixed the hip-bar, and added tabs to the heat-shield which could be tucked under the canopy instead of using tape.

Thankfully, Yamato has come a long way since 2001 in toy making, especially in regards to their Macross perfect-variable fighter releases. The 1/60 VF-11B with FAST Packs is the latest release from Yamato, completing the holy trinity of Macross Plus valks in Yamato’s new standard 1/60 scale. The new Thunderbolt toy is a marvel of modern engineering, with Yamato getting pretty much everything right, proving that when they bang their heads together hard enough, Yamato can pump out a really fine toy.

Starting with the packaging, the actual box is thankfully much smaller than that of the other 1/60 Macross Plus releases. I’ve read that it is closer in size to the box of the new 1/60 VF-1 version 2, but I do not own one of those yet to confirm… the box is shy of a foot square, and around 4 inches deep. The box features Yamato’s now signature crazy photo-shopped toy images, with a front box flap revealing detail shots of all three modes and a clear window allowing the actual toy in fighter mode to be seen in its clear vacuformed tray, with the various accessories arranged around the toy.

Comparing to the 1/60 YF-19, and other large 1/60 releases, the box feels to be a bit higher in quality, with a slightly heavier grade cardboard and tighter fit than on previous Yamato boxes.
When we remove the toy from the box, the complete contents are:

- 1x VF-11B Thunderbolt, in fighter mode including removable anti-projectile shield, removable intake covers, and removable Marty & Beck Mk11 Ejection Seat
- 2x Super Part dorsal missile launcher-equipped boosters
- 2x Leg-mount FAST Packs
- 1x 30 mm Gunpod with retractable anti-armor bayonet and removable ammunition clip
- 1x Gummy pilot figure
- 2x Yamato-stand attachment parts (One for fighter/GERWALK mode, and the other for Battroid mode
- Instruction Manual, Sticker sheet, special notice sheet

The first important thing to do once the toy is removed from the box is to scope out the special notice, showing that there are two pieces of soft packaging foam underneath the removable canopy ejection seat that need to be removed. There was a great debate upon the toy’s release due to some owners not looking at this notice or being able to read Japanese, and assuming the foam was in place to make up for an engineering shortcoming in the mounting of the removable cockpit. This turned out to not be the case, and the foam is simply present to prevent any potential damage to the cockpit area during transit… a nice inclusion on Yamato’s part, showcasing their emphasis on providing a high-end well-engineered toy experience.

The sticker sheet looks crisper than on some of Yamato’s previous releases, and the film looks thinner than on that of the 1/48 VF-1 line, but I still did not apply any stickers, as eventually I plan on printing a decal sheet for each of my valks and panel-lining and weathering them a bit. The instruction manual is in Yamato’s standard well-photographed black and white, with a line-drawing in the front for sticker application, and an impressive number of pages walking the buyer through transformation from fighter mode to GERWALK mode, and then on to Battroid mode, with a section at the end for the special features of the toy.

Now that the toy is freed from its cardboard and plastic prison and devoid of any packing foam (I used a tweezers to get the two pieces of foam out), we can get to know it. The gunpod mounts in between the arms under the ventral end of the fuselage, and fits solidly. The intake covers can be removed for fighter mode, and both lock in solidly and still come off easily enough using a fingernail. The fighter mode overall has a fantastic tight finish, and can be barrel-rolled and zoomed around no problem. Looking at the underside of the fighter, there is a small slider under the cockpit on the nose of the plane. This slider moves an angled piece of plastic inside the front of the plane, which supports the removable cockpit in fighter mode, as the cockpit can then retract or depress into the nose of the plane for Battroid mode. Fighter mode features die-cast retractable landing gear, which brings us to one of my only two real complaints on this toy: the landing gear are near impossible to deploy without some kind of tool, and I have already both broken a fingernail and scratched the paint on one of the gear struts trying to get them out. I ended up using a piece of silverware to get the landing gear out for this review, and do not plan on deploying them again. The fit of the gear doors is very good, especially considering the awkward shape of the gear doors on the VF-11; the tires are rubber, and the wheels roll, and to accommodate the small profile of the landing gear bays on the legs, and leg gear rotates on the strut.

Now is as good of a time as any to discuss the FAST Packs and Super Part boosters, as I’ll be taking them on and off for the remainder of the review to showcase all three modes. The dorsal boosters mount via clips that fit into the intake and exhaust detail on the top of the fighter, much like they do on the old 1/72 Yamato toy, but the leg FAST Packs are now mounted via magnets, a trend started with the 1/60 VF-0 line. On the VF-0s, the magnet fit was not always perfect, and the FAST Packs could be knocked off easily, but on the VF-11B, the fit is spot on, and the leg armor is not going to be accidentally knocked off ever when mounted on the legs. It is worth noting that the VF-11B’s tail fins retract when mounting the FAST Packs, but on this toy, they can be left deployed if so desired.

Transformation to GERWALK mode is straightforward, and gives us our first look over the single biggest improvement over the old 1/72 toy: the shoulders. The old toy had these big ugly hinges on the wing-roots and this terrible sliding pin design to get the shoulders from retracted in fighter mode to deployed in GERWALK and Battroid mode. The new toy adds in a few extra parts and steps to prevent any unsightliness in the design. The tips of the wing roots have a hinge to allow the shoulders to move past without having to make the wing roots slide out of the way, and the shoulders feature a two-point hinge with an oddly shaped bar that allows the shoulders to get where they need to be and still be articulated and attractive. Discussing the shoulders brings us to my second minor issue on the toy.

The armor flap that covers the shoulder bar is held on by a plastic pin-hinge, and they pop off easily if you hit them wrong during transformation, which seems to happen to me most of the time. These parts should really have had metal pins going all the way through them to hold them on, as it would suck if one of them got lost when it pinged off. I will probably drill these out and add my own metal pin, as I am fairly ham-handed and seem to knock them off most of the time, but they do fit right back on without any fuss. GERWALK mode also features a couple of folding and sliding panels that fill in some of the gaps that would otherwise be present. A large panel slides out of the front of the wing struts to cover the gap between the front of the fuselage and the wing struts, and two small panels fold out around the head to cover some of the gaps in the back of the fuselage. The fit of these parts is perfect, and they really add that bit of extra detail to the toy.

GERWALK mode is fantastically poseable, featuring the extendable knees of all the recent Yamato releases and very well articulated ankles. The articulated hands are a drastic improvement over the first chicken-hands of the 1/48 VF-1, eliminating the separately articulated pinkie, allowing for a rock solid grip on the gunpod and much less ugliness. New Macross fans joining us after the debut of Macross Frontier will be happy to note that the VF-11B can achieve the ‘nose in the dirt’ GERWALK pose seen so often in that anime, something noticeably lacking in Bandai’s recent DX Chogokin VF-25 toy’s GERWALK mode.

Transformation to Battroid mode is where some of the engineering magic of this toy really comes to light, especially in the design of the heat-shield, something that was basically considered anime-magic impossible until now. When transforming to Battroid mode, the cockpit is depressed, and the bottom panel of the heat-shield is exposed. The bottom piece must be pulled up into position, and must be pulled until it is felt to firmly click, and then it is rock solid. When the front half of the forward fuselage is bent down, the larger top section of the heat-shield is exposed, and the engineering Yamato is capable of is really visible. The heat-shield is mounted on a multiply hinged bar, allowing it to retract most of the way into the rear portion of the neck of the fighter while still being able to slide forward into position where the canopy of the fighter previously was, including a panel that folds into position to cover the gap in the top of the neck needed for all this sliding magic.

The rest of the Battroid folds neatly into position without any trouble spots, and locks in solidly thanks to some clever catches on the back of the torso. Two sensor units slide out from the top of the fuselage to sit next to the shoulder hinge bars.

Articulation in Battroid mode is among the best Yamato has ever produced, if not the best. All of the joints are rock solid, something Yamato has had trouble with in the past, and nothing feels even remotely breakable. The hip-bar is die-cast, and extends to allow extra clearance and articulation instead of having the socket mount for the hips extend out from the hip itself, as on the 1/60 YF-19 (my single biggest complaint on that toy, as it is prone to falling out). The elbows feature just under 90 degree bending, a minor failing of the toy after the double-jointed elbows of the 1/60 VF-1 v.2. The forearms have a bit of rotation to them, allowing some great poses with the shield blocking shots.

In Battroid mode, the gunpod’s foldout bayonet can be used to great effect, and the Battroid can also be posed reloading the gunpod with the removable clip panel on the top of the gun. The one thing missing from the gunpod that the old 1/72 toy had is an extendable stock, but that’s really minor. The knee armor is movable like on the 1/48 VF-1 line, and the shoulder design makes for some phenomenal articulation there. Even with the Super Parts mounted, the toy has fantastic balance, and is really fun to play with.

I am really pleased with this toy, as Yamato has proven that they can indeed deliver on their promises of durable well-engineered toys. The VF-11B hits on all the right parts, and is definitely among the best toys Yamato has produced. Yamato made sure to use all the right materials in all the right places, with phenomenal use of die-cast in all the high-stress places. My only two complaints are the hard to use landing gear and easily dislodged shoulder armor parts, but those are minor in comparison to the kinds of problems some Yamato releases have suffered from. The toy is not cheap, but really, if this higher price means the toy will be flawlessly engineered instead of almost good, I’ll take it.

I’ve seen some complaints about the lack of tampo-printed markings, but really, I’d still rather the toy was well made than be festooned with markings. The toy has an immaculately clean and crisp paint job, with no over-sprays at all. I’d recommend the VF-11B to any and all Macross fans, even if they’ve been burned by Yamato in the past. It’s really that good.

What I like about this toy is that it packs in so much play value into a tiny little funky vehicle.

Here's a weird one for you.

The Magicar comes from an obscure show called Fifth Grade Third Division Magic Class (5年3組魔法組 - go-nen san-kumi mahougumi ) or Fifth Grade Magic Class for short. The short-lived show ran from December 1976 to October 1977 on TV Asahi.

Check out this trippy intro:

I really have no idea what this show is about, but it looks like a mix between Mister Rogers Neighborhood and Robocon.

It seems that Magicar is the main ride of the Queen of the Witches, who somehow ends up teaching a class in school, and the kids and her go off on all sorts of wacky adventures. I'd love to see the show, if anyone has it.

The Magicar was released in 1977 as part of the Popynica line of diecast vehicle toys. The toy consists of two main sections.

What I like about this toy is that it packs in so much play value into a tiny little funky vehicle.

The top section seats all the kids from the magic class and the bulk of it is diecast metal.

There is a small propeller in the middle, and if you push down on it, a red missile fires from the front.

Underneath the propeller is a metal wheel. The idea is that you take the included piece of string, thread it under the wheel, and then your Magicar can zoom across the room!

Awesome!

The lower part of the ship features three multi colored towers that each has metal wheels on the bottom and spinning propellers on top. Hold on to the bottom and give the top a good twist and the two halves separate.

Look what's inside! A Compass! And over thirty years later, it still works great.

The box is typical Popy - gorgeous. The bottom has an extra special tip for the kids from the notorious Susumu Abe, a noted child educator at the time. Anyone care to translate?

The magicar is a pretty common piece from a relatively unknown show, and can be had easily for about 3,000 - 4,000 yen (as of 2009).

I really enjoyed this set much more than I thought I would, largely due to the crazy articulation in T-28. He was on my desk for about a week prior to this review and I had a blast trying all kinds of poses with him. And, if you get the set with both, you can re-enact some awesome battle scenes.

This is my Tetsujin 28.

I never watched Gigantor as a kid. I don't know how it escaped my notice, but it was before my time. So, as a result, I don't have really any nostalgia for the old pot-bellied T28, as cool as it is. I can appreciate the design and they have made some great toys of it, but it's not my Tetsujin 28.

No, the first Tetsujin I remember was that massive Godaikin Tetsujin. Originally released by Popy as the SG-01 Chokinzoku Tetsujin 28, the Godaikin Tetsujin taunted me from the toy aisles. Actually, it taunted my by hardly ever being around. I remember seeing it maybe once or twice in stores, and those memories are hazy at best.

Regardless - I've always loved this version of Tetsujin 28 best. His design comes from the 1980 version Tetsujin 28 which actually did air in the states in the 90s.

"Tetsujin Ni-Ju Hachi-GO!"

In 2009, Bandai released two different versions of th GX-44 Soul of Chogokin Tetsujin 28. The basic set was the GX-44 which just included the Tetsujin 28. What I will be reviewing here today is the GX-44S set which includes both Tetsujin 28 and Black Ox. You can only get Black Ox with this set.

Tetsijin 28 VS Black Ox is available at BetaToys.com

The box is your standard SOC fare, with both figures packed securely in a styrofoam tray. A plastic tray contains the accessories, and a cardboard box contains the stands.

Both figures are pretty much ready to go right out of the package. Which is good, because these things are meant to be played with.

Tetsujin 28

T28 is reasonably tall at 18cm tall and is mostly metal. I'd say the only thing not metal here is the head, and hands. It's heavy for sure.

The first thing you will notice about T28 is the articulation. Specifically, how insanely articulated he is. This is the new gold standard for chogokin articulation. The head is on a ball joint but at the neck so it just looks fantastic from any angle.

Shoulders are ball joints, elbows are double joints, hands are removable. The torso has a joint mid-chest as well as at the waist.

The legs at first appear to have limited articulation, but what you have to do is pull them down a bit. The first thing that clicks out is the bottom of the crotch, and then if you keep pulling, the legs slide down a little. This little bit of room goes a long way for added movement.

The legs have a spectacular knee joint where the back panels on the lower legs fold in to allow for the leg to bend much more than normal. The feet are on ball joints, and these too can be pulled down to allow for a greater range of motion.

It appears that the T28 was the test of the new articulation we are going to see in the upcoming Mazinger Z. It has the same elbows, chest joint and collapsing leg joints. I thought I didn't need another Mazinger, but if that's as cool as T28, I'm sold.

There aren't many gimmicks with T28 but there are a few accessories worth mentioning.

Tetsujin 28 can fly by replacing the head with an alternate head that can look up when flying, replacing the hands, and adding on the rocket backpack. The backpack is held in place with a magnet, and pushing down on it activates spring loaded wings.

Also included are two miniature figurines of the boy Shotaro, his vehicle the clipper, a small helper robot called Zero Hachi (08) and a large control briefcase called the Vision Controller.

The Vision Controller can open up and it unfolds automatically. The handle can fold out or be stowed away flat against the case.

The Tetsujin alone is a great buy and well worth the money. But is it worth getting the Black Ox set?

The first thing you notice about Black Ox is the lack of diecast in the lower legs. The rest of the figure has just as much metal as T28, but you can't help but feel a little let down with the metal content. You also don't get the cool folding panels on the back of the legs like you do with T28.

That being said - I still think Black Ox is pretty cool. He is the same size as Tetsujin 28, has the same build, but is a completely unique toy. He even has the cool double jointed elbows.

Aside from variant hands - Black Ox only has two gimmicks. On the regular head, the mouth can open and close. With the alternate head, you have the option of displaying it with or without its faceplate.

Each robot has a display stand with plugs for all their respective parts. Its the same stand, with different nameplates and a different front insert.

So yeah, in conclusion I really enjoyed this set much more than I thought I would, largely due to the crazy articulation in T-28. He was on my desk for about a week prior to this review and I had a blast trying all kinds of poses with him. And, if you get the set with both, you can re-enact some awesome battle scenes.

Tetsijin 28 VS Black Ox is available at BetaToys.com

On a side note, this review is the first shot with my new Olympus SP-590UZ. I had to pick up a new camera at Yodobashi in Tokyo when the old Olympus C-8080 Wide Zoom got a fuzzy spot in the middle of the lens that I can't get out. So far I like the camera, but I am still getting used to it. Let me know what you think of the shots, and if you notice any difference.