Asuka-SSL96 Taisyo (Construction Labor Version)

Review by JoshB

In the Patlabor series, the Asuka-SSL96 Taisyo is the civilian model of the Asuka MPL96 Taisyo Police labor. This labor is used in construction and other non-police duties.

I'm sure any fan of the Patlabor series has thought it would be cool to have toys of every labor in the show. Unfortunately, I don't think the fan base is that huge that it could support a whole toy line of labors. CM's corporation feels your pain, and has found a way to bring some of the lesser known labors into toy form. By releasing limited run vinyl versions of lesser labors, CM's can flush out their line without doing expensive gokins for each one.

The Asuka-SSL96 Taisyo is made out of soft vinyl and is in-scale with the other labors released by CM's. These things essentially have NO articulation. At around $50 bucks that may seem like a high price to pay, but think about it. This is a limited release toy (only 300 of this version made) made of a very obscure character. Compare it to the price point of designer vinyl. They also released two versions of the Police version. While the Construction version seems like a repaint, it is actually an entirely different sculpt.

The sculpt, paint and finish is really nice. It's such an odd design compared to the more humanoid Ingram design. The toy comes complete out of the box aside from small hands that have to be attached. The toy comes in a clear plastic bag inside of a generic box. In fact, all three versions of this toy have the same box, with only a sticker on the side denoting which version is inside.

If you are a Patlabor fan, these are a really cool addition to your collection. The limited number produced and high price point make the appeal to a limited audience, but they are cool regardless.

The best way to get your hands on one of these limited release toys is to pre-order them from HobbyLink Japan as they are announced.