Code 3:
An unknown company to most, they took on and created and incredible line of Star Wars die cast vehicles that I had never heard of until it was too late for all but the gunship and Darth Vader's tie-fighter

Everyone constantly designs and evolves their collections, mine follows many eclectic dynamics. One aspect of my collection is that the object needs to elicit nostalgia towards a youthful passion, be a die cast "chogokin" or adult "toy" collectible, and not be a static and/or resin statue. Also, I try to refrain from a toy designed solely for children (my own bias nothing wrong with the converse). Thereby, while Star Wars universe was a repository of many positive childhood memories, it was sadly not represented in my collection.

Imagine my shock and (reserved) joy when I happen to be perusing Ebay and Amazon and I came across a large, intricate, and die cast collectible seemingly designed to my criteria.

That object was Darth Vader's Tie-Fighter, the size of a basketball, all die cast, and a not static/resin statue...all for a shocking 100 USD including shipping. By the way, to this day I can find no reason for the cheap price, the piece's quality is equivalent to my Marmit Andromeda and Fewture Mazinger (maybe someone on this site can educate me). The purchase of that collectible sent me into a research of the company and all its present and past products. Code 3 was a manufacture of high end die cast representations of everything from Slave-I to Apollo landers and now mainly focuses on fire & rescue vehicles. In 2003, Code 3 produced a line of collectible Star Wars vehicles and 3-D posters. The Code 3 produced Star Wars vehicles were: X-wing, Millennium Falcon, Slave-One, Vader's Tie-Fighter, AT-ST Walker, and Republic Gunship (plus multiple variants and signed editions/additions). They were listed at worth $450+ but sold for around 250 USD ( if a member). Of course, I was the proverbial "day late and a dollar short", if you goto Code 3 website per its out dated Star Wars catalog URL, only thing not "sold out" are fire rescue vehicles and Vader's tie fighter. Of course the vehicles I missed out on, came with tons of cool accessories, wooden box trays for extra parts, acrylic display cases, black glass platform,signed editions, etc...that the two I posses do not have.

This tedious panache of finding something too late...makes me flashback to being a young kid watching the MR. Big toy store ad on channel 56 that listed and showed many toys I loved and coveted. Finally, after I drove my poor parents crazy to take me on the long trek, the items I wanted from the ad were long sold out. (my biggest annoyance back then was the Popy DX Yamato in the ad-feel free to add your missed Mr. B toy in the comment section).

The tie fighter review will occur in the future, this review covers the only other one I could find for below its original price and/or in new condition...the republic gunship.

Code 3 creates high end collectibles and it is apparent even before examining the gunship. From the shipping box to the Styrofoam trays, Code 3 vehicles are packed in large (the Tab is for context, not "they still make that" shock), well designed, and intricate packaging.

In addition to the gunship, wand, cockpit, and clone trooper plate, the model comes with a display platform, stand, commemorative license and cloth patch.

A flaw with this setup, that most Code 3 platforms do not share (most are black glass), is the Gunship's base is covered in the same black felt as the logically covered stand(as is the tie fighter)...which collects lint and easily looks weird/off. Thankfully, the platform does have a nice pewter plate like all of the others.

The ship itself is beautiful, the first thing that must be stated, for me anyway, is the collectible is 80% die cast, HEAVY, and finely crafted.

You may know all about Code 3, but I did not and all I can say is that I am extremely impressed. It has a dedication to detail, movement, and die cast that too often Bandai, Fewture, Marmit, CM's, etc... wane or abandon on many of their items.

Notice: the rear platform with speeder bikes,

a back turret that is fully movable,

side panels that slide back and out,

and two amazingly flexible gunner pods (with trooper inside).

Even the removable (metal!!!) plate with Yoda and clone troopers fits well inside gunship

and can be placed outside (has felt bottom).

You may have noticed in the company picture that all the clone troopers in their Phase-One armor are basic white, of course the super geek in me had to customize mine. I have colored two troopers, one in weathered green (see pic in link to judge) to equal Yoda's right hand man Commander Gree (well...loyal partner...before he was beheaded after following order 66)

and red to equal a field commander on the flip side (they colored the pilots, so i figured it was necessary).

All Star Wars vehicles come with nice felt covered metal display stands that have paperweight heft and size. They hold the vehicles well (...both of mine function great) and only issue I have, is that Code 3 likes weird angles that you probably thought was my camera work.

However, if you hate the weird angle , the vehicle can rest flat on the platform (again both of my vehicles do...).

In my opinion, this craft is the weakest of the bunch (hate the prequels and grass is always greener???) and even it is an impressive and appreciated addition to my collection. The cockpit is removable (it is a disappointing plastic), the doors slide out and back, the gun pods and turret guns swivel, the wing lift pods move, and details are everywhere. Inside the cockpit, inside the cabin, and even the missile racks below each wing, no detail is left out(Bravo!!!). The whole piece has battle scaring and paint detailing that belay its price and makes it seem ready to soar through a Lucasfilm landscape.

These renderings are out of production and I gather...did not "take off"; because, Code 3 has shifted its focus, I see little discussion of them around the chogokin community, and on Ebay you can get the two I got for less than their original 250 USD price tag.

No surprise to anyone who ever read any of my reviews, I over paid for the clone trooper gunship. I best offered a seller into 146 USD including shipping (was proud of myself at the time...) and like too often in my collecting, saw three go for 117-120 USD including shipping later that week...-sigh-...story of my life. However, while it really bugs me to pay more than I had to, the object is definitely worth it.

The quality is above my most of my Fewture robots and on par with my Marmit Andromeda that cost almost three times what this one did. Finally, run, don't walk out and buy Darth Vader's tie fighter if you need a Star Wars collectible...no idea why you can get a 12" die cast collectible with stand and platform for around 90 USD including shipping ( I felt like I won the lottery or something when I received my 20 pound box the size of a 20 inch TV...and of course I paid 104 USD and have seen on Ebay go for 89 USD inc. shipping...-sigh- you see the pattern of my life).

Overall, Code 3, I hardly knew you. I love the two chogokin styled vehicles I have and lament the ones I missed out on getting in new condition (when ever I buy used, I always have issues with flaws from how they were displayed/taken care of) and/or reasonably priced(Especially Slave-I).

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.

This is a Domo-Kun toy that is different from a lot of other Domo toys flooding the market right now.

Bonus points for Domo dancing to the Xanadu song at the end of the review.

This is a Domo-Kun toy that is different from a lot of other Domo toys flooding the market right now.

I bought this guy at the NHK studio store just outside of Harajuku Japan in 2003. That's 5 years ago, before the big Domo boom in the US. There I was, thinking I was all ahead of the game....

You will notice that the fur on this domo is rougher than the newer Domo toys. This Domo is more accurate to the actual NHK spots that he originally appeared in.

The plush filling on this one is also firmer than the newer releases. This Domo can stand on his own.

I carried this guy back from Tokyo with me, and gave him to a friend, who left him here after a short stay with us. I thought, Domo, it is time for your moment in the spotlight.

http://www.jlist.com/PRODUCT/DM006SD

"It comes to life!"

I'm sure I've said it more times than you care to hear, but my favorite Universal Horror picture as a lad was The Mummy. So, which 12" Sideshow monster did I never get around to buying? Why, the Mummy naturally! Too bad too, because it ended up being one of the most expensive in the line, with prices around $150-200 not being unusual. Fortunately, I was able to get a decent deal on mine from a seller who didn't really seem to be in touch with the going rates, as he had this and The Creature (another desirable, high priced Sideshow figure) both up "Buy It Now" for $90 each. Still more than I think it's worth, but I decided to take the plunge and get it.

I found the Mummy to be a pretty disappointing figure. The sculpt of the face is fine, but the rest of the figure is just too hard to pose. It's actually wrapped in gauze from head to toe (ok, more like from neck to foot, but you get the idea) and while that is pretty cool in terms of being screen accurate, it almost completely elimates all the articulation you normally enjoy in a 12" doll. You can move the head around pretty good and raise the arms to almost 90 degrees with the body, but not much more than that. The elbows will barely move now nor will the legs. Now, I know that you barely see him in the movie and that he wouldn't be terrible dynamic in his movements anyway, but I just found it somewhat disappointing.

Granted, what you lose in articulation you gain right back with how cool those wrappings look, particularly the end pieces hanging off the right arm and trailing behind the left leg.

The accessories here are few, but nice. Just like with the 8" Mummy, you get a replica of the box containing the scroll of Thoth and the scroll of Thoth itself. However, this time around there is no stone tablet. The box is nicer than on the smaller version, with heiroglyphics added to the top lid, a row of stars around the middle of all four sides and the figures along the edges have greater depth to them, in addition to being painted gold. If I had any complaint at all with the box, it might be that it looks a bit too new.

The Scroll of Thoth is very nicely done and seems to be the exact same one that comes with the 12" Ardeth Bey. It's very different from the 8" version though, with a far greater amount of detail placed into the writing.

While the figure itself is "ok", I think this time around the box is my favorite part of the ensemble. The original poster art for The Mummy is among my favorite Universal Monster posters and it is lovingly recreated for the front lid of the box of the figure, with minor modifications of course. The back of the box has a closeup of the Mummy's face and the interior of the lid features a listing of the cast and crew of the movie.

Box Front

Box Rear

The Mummy is limited to 3,000 pieces and is a good figure, but not great. It's definitely worth having in your collection, if for no other reason than to have a complete set of 12" Sideshow monsters. But I can't really recommend paying the going rate for it. If you can, wait until you find a good deal, like I did. Or better yet, hopefully you got one for it's initial $40 price tag when it came out!

"Hideous Half Man, Half Beast Who Terrorized Millions!"

Here's another Sideshow 12" monster that I put off getting for some reason. From the 1935 motion picture classic, it's Henry Hull as the Werewolf Of London.

Similar to the 8" Invisible Man, this figure here depicts the character wearing a robe. Somehow the effect doesn't seem silly, though. In fact, I like it. I'm glad that they chose to portray the character in a different outfit than what was already used for the 8" version. The robe and the rest of the costume beneath is well constructed and I really like the color. The belt on the robe can be displayed tied or untied, depending on your own preference.

As we've come to expect from these figures, there is a full range of motion in all the limbs and torso and the sculpt of the face is perfectly in tune with the character from the movie. In fact, I think the likeness here is one of the best in the line.

The concealed limbs are molded in brown plastic so in the off chance that some of the arms become exposed, it matches the brown hair on the hands pretty well. But there's little chance of that anyway as the length of the robe's arms should be sufficient to accommodate most poses. Since I've been quick to rake them over the coals in the instances where they've gotten this wrong, I wanna make sure I give Sideshow props for getting it right here.

The Werewolf of London comes with several accessories. First, there is a test tube rack that can hold 6 removable clear plastic test tubes. Additionally, there is a flask that he can even hold ok.

Although it is not mentioned on their website, the doll also comes with a replica of the mariphasa plant, just like the smaller version did. Lastly, you also get a small pair of eyeglasses. However, I would recommend that you just leave those in the box. There is really no way to actually use them with the figure and they are extremely fragile. Mine broke nearly as soon as I got it out of the box. I was able to glue it back together ok, but since they don't do anything anyway, I wouldn't even risk bothering with them. Unlike most of the other 12" monster figures, this one doesn't come with either a base or a stand. You'll have to provide one of your own.

This figure was limited to 1500 pieces and comes in the now familiar 12" doll box that replicates the original movie poster art. As it was one of the last 12" monsters released by Sideshow, there is no corresponding black and white Silver Screen Edition, just this regular release. It's a fine figure and worthy of your collection, but prices for it seem to be going up. Released at $40 just a few years ago, you'd be lucky to get one for under $100 now.

THUNDERBIRDS...are go! Thunderbird 2 is made of die cast and high quality plastic manufactured by Aoshima. It is has nice paint works, metal stilt legs, and removable container car.

THUNDERBIRDS...are go! Thunderbird 2 is made of die cast and high quality plastic manufactured by Aoshima. It is has nice paint works, metal stilt legs, and removable container car.The weathering version comes with the mole vehicle.

TB2 is around 15 inches long top to bottom and has nice solid feel.

The outside edge of the craft is all die cast, the tail section, container and front cone are all plastic. The front cone has plastic windows and you can see little seats inside.

The vehicle has metal stilts that do not collapse or retract, they are solid metal that you put in peg holes allowing you to push out container and have that classic "Thunderbirds are go" scene.

TB2 was a long crazy arduous journey for me to find and after finally buying one (which is why I am writing this)...it was like Dickens Tale of Two Cites...it is the best of chogokin and the worst of chogokin...TB2 looks incredible...the paint, the detail are great

However, it is not a toy, it is definitely just a showpiece (similar to the Anderson Space 1999 die cast collectibles), because it really does not "do" anything. The Aoshima TB1 had moving wings, trap doors, little accessories...but TB2 has none of these attributes. The other major flaw in my estimation was when ever you push out the container (I closely followed the directions), it creates a rub mark.

I carefully own and take care of everything...I even wear gloves...so you can feel my pain when at first I thought it was green paint from the container on the silver not the silver being rubbed down to the green plastic below. Therefore, the only one thing you can really do with the vehicle is the same thing that damages the paint. You may have notice the little die cast vehicles spotted around TB2, you can actually buy the three sets, sold through Hot wheels (they are actually listed on side of TB2 box). Not all the figures are correct to scale (most are but the Tracy figures would be like 15 feet tall!!!), however, they are cool and add nice display touches.

One word of caution so you don't get annoyed, the vehicles Aoshima include with either version of TB2 have better detail (like rubber treads) than the hot wheels ones(plastic treads with wheels)...but they look the same, are die cast, and do have nice feel and articulation.

There are two versions, the weathering DX (this one) and normal version, weathering comes with the mole, regular comes with the sub, I have never seen but saw pics of regular version with a different vehicle. I got so annoyed one how little it does ( I like switching gadgets, posing, etc..) that I almost sold it... but it just looks so darn cool, I had to keep it. Mine was extremely hard to find, a toy dealer told me they were everywhere two years ago marked down to like 90 USD. Me, I paid a WHOLE lot more. I recommend you buy an extra container or two and get the Hot Wheels set, a guy on eBay is selling the 3 hot wheels sets (each set contains a different Tracy) for like 26 USD plus shipping, so those are easy to get.

Bottom line is if you want a great looking piece, large, imposing, and well crafted - track one down. If you want something that you can fiddle with, pose, use many accessories, then Thunderbird Two is NOT a go for you. Maybe get one of the all plastic versions that rise up, make sounds or something like that.

Terminator 2 Judgment Day - 1/6 Scale T-800 made by Aoshima; and like its ventures into Thunderbirds and Getter Robo, the Chogokin is well crafted and full of die cast.

Terminator 2 Judgment Day - 1/6 Scale T-800 Is made by Aoshima, and like its ventures into Thunderbirds and Getter Robo, the Chogokin is well-crafted and full of diecast.

The Terminator figure is big, similar in size to Masterpiece Convoy/Optimus Prime by Takara. It has impressive metal content and is very heavy upon holding the figure. It has tons of pistons and joints that work and some that are just plastic for show. The figure comes with a stand that clamps onto the back of the figure to provide stability when posing (he is top heavy).

The Terminator poses pretty well but nothing too extreme; the head just tilts and arms and legs pump but no real side to side. The figure is nice and great for cool menacing looks (the red eyes of skull-like face are right on). There are only two flaws and, while annoying, okay if you pose with care. The pistons can bend if you move legs or arms too quickly (one of mine did) and at the top of the arms are the two spring-type wires...

I love this figure, the imposing stares, the large size, and the cool positions and gear type look. All the pictures are of the normal version; there is a also a weathered version that comes with different gun.

I bought from Statue Toys for 130USD not including shipping; not a cheap chogokin, but not extreme like the Fewture line. Overall a nice piece for chogokin fans or Terminator fans alike.

It is the same toy as the original Japanese DX Hishou Henkei Tenkujin, but about $30 cheaper!

Includes Video review!

The secret Wind Ninja Academy near Blue Bay Harbor, CA has been attacked in an unprovoked strike by the evil Lothor and his army of space ninjas! Though the administrator Sensei Watanabe put up a gallant fight, he was unable to prevent the school from being destroyed, all of its students and teachers from being kidnapped & held within Lothor’s orbiting insect-like asteroid base, and himself from being forcibly transformed into a guinea pig! The only hope of victory and justice now lies in the hands of three less-than-average students from the Academy who were fortunate to escape capture because they skipped their lessons that day. With his son, Cameron, providing the technical expertise & know-how behind the scenes, Sensei instructs the students in how to become the Earth’s greatest defenders- the legendary Wind Power Rangers!

The illusion-creating monster Madtropolis has drained the Wind and Thunder Rangers of their powers, leaving them severely weakened and nearly defenseless. In a desperate plan, Cam- against his guinea pig father’s wishes- uses the risky Scroll of Time to travel into the past to seek out a new power. There, he encounters his father- a young man named Kanoi who is just a student in the Wind Ninja Academy himself- and his mother for the first time in his life (having died shortly after Cam was born). Both do not recognize him because he comes from the future. But Cam also learns of the existence of Kanoi’s twin brother, a dark figure named Kiya who likes to use his ninja skills to play dirty tricks on the other students. With time running out for Cam, he discovers that the amulet that his future-mother is wearing seems to contain mystical powers that someone in the future is fated to own. When Kiya tries to steal it for himself and frames Cam, the time traveler is held before the administration of the Academy. Kanoi learns of this and exposes Kiya as the real culprit, and then Kiya engages Cam in a fight for revenge. During this time, the Samurai Amulet finally expresses its hidden power, allowing Cam to get the upper hand. Seeing Kiya for what he really is, the administration banishes Kiya into space forever. But as the ex-student is being thrown into the air, he swears revenge on them all, and announces that he is changing his name to that of the ancient warrior of evil... Lothor! Returning to 2003, Cam then uses the powers of the Samurai Morpher amulet to become the Green Samurai Ranger, additionally gaining access to the agile and versatile Samurai Star Megazord.

. . .

The term “Lightning” in the name does not carry over into the series. Bandai America put it in there to imply that the Deluxe version of the Samurai Star Megazord is in a made-up class similar to the Deluxe Storm Lightning Megazord, which does appear with that name in the series. The Storm Lightning Megazord is a reduced-armored version of the Storm Megazord, and thus is thinner than expected, so by adding the term “lightning” to this toy (since it is also smaller/thinner than expected), this is an attempt to put it into a special Deluxe-class sub-category. The Deluxe Ninjakon repaint also is considered a “Lightning”-type Megazord, but it is not listed specifically. The way these three Deluxe “Lightning”-class sets were released is so that you can obtain more than one Power Sphere at a time. (That’s BA’s marketing strategists for ya...)

The Samurai Star Chopper (back) is the first real helicopter Zord to appear in a Power Rangers series, and it mixes that up with a touch of falcon. (The Aero Rescue-3 Rescuezord from “PR Lightspeed Rescue” (2000) may have been the first V-TOL-capable Zord, but it used jet engines for flight, not the rotors of a ‘copter, ‘kay?) Around and below the cockpit are a beak & eyes, and on either side are small talon-like shapes. Behind the nose section on either side are paired sets of laser cannons (nine per). Because of different TV regulations here in the US, the original Japanese footage of the Samurai Star Chopper was modified to shoot lasers, as opposed to the original's missile launchers. Above are the large rotor blades, each with an angled red tip. The rotor assembly may be thicker than need-be, but that’s because it incorporates a button & latch system within (which I’ll get into later). Stretching out behind are two long booms ending in paired turbofan engines for forward motion. Beneath the nose and turbofans are small landing wheels; the front two able to retract.

Other than the landing gear, the two red turbofans in back can spin freely, and are actually slightly tilted individually to the point that they actually spin if you blow on them! But the larger feature is the main rotor. The rotor tips are PVC and they are also jointed, so if it hits something, they’ll fold backwards a bit to prevent/reduce damage to themselves or anything else. The rotor can spin freely counter-clockwise. However, if you turn it clockwise, an internal spring mechanism inside the chassis of the Samurai Star Chopper will begin to wind up. And then when it clicks loudly, you can press the gold-painted button at the center of the rotor, and it’ll spin all by itself for a few moments!

(With mine, I’ve found that the rotor mechanism can be rather troublesome when you want to use that wind-up feature. To understand what I mean, please watch the video at the end of this review.)

The Samurai Star Megazord (back) seems a little disjointed in this form, but there are a few reasons for this. In the series, the megazord can remove the rotor from its torso, and then throw it like a giant boomerang or shuriken [aka a ‘throwing star’]. (Unlike the series, however, the Deluxe toy is not designed to grip the rotor; it’s too heavy.) The head has a black and gold visor not unlike the one on Green Ranger’s own helmet. (That giant cowlick sticking out of its forehead is strictly used as filler for when the chest armor is in place. I know it looks bad, but...what can ya do?) Without the chest armor/rotor in place, additional stars can be seen on its torso and on the shoulder armor. The arms snap at every 45º all the way around. However, because of how it transforms, the arms can also point outwards a bit, and when pointed forwards, they can also point inwards a little; mostly due to how it transforms. In the series, the gauntlet-like forearm shields can be used at melee-range for both cutting & blocking. Even though the legs always angle away from each other because of spring joints in the hips, the ankles also have joints that allow them to lock in a certain position in order to let them lay flat on the ground. (Great!) Yeah- there is a knee joint, but that’s only used for later combinations with other sets, and it only just balances when one is bent.

With the main rotor/giant shuriken/chest armor removed, you have full access to the arms’ range of motion. However, once it goes back on, you can only twist them backwards and side-to-side. (If, like me, you find this entirely unacceptable and even kinda old school, you can carefully nudge the armor one-way-or-the-other and slip an arm up one notch. However, to do this, you have to also adjust the light gray arms that connect the chest armor to that jester’s hat it has...)

Like the Deluxe Storm Power Megazord and Deluxe Thunder Power Megazord before it, each hand on the Deluxe Samurai Star Lightning Megazord can also open and close to accept most of the weapons found in Power Spheres. The hands will easily accept-

• Power Sphere #02 - Ram Hammer
• Power Sphere #09 - (not named or released in the PRNS line)
• Power Sphere #10 - Bee Spinner
• Power Sphere #12 - (not named or released in the PRNS line)

To accommodate the others that clip on, there is a tab on the outside of either forearm shield which can then accept-

• Power Sphere #06 - Lion Laser
• Power Sphere #11 - Sting Blaster

One thing that is different, though, is that since the Samurai Star Megazord is smaller than either the Storm Megazord or Thunder Megazord, it cannot deploy Power Spheres from an internal compartment. (In the series, when summoned, Power Spheres materialize out of thin air from between its hands... kinda like this.)

For those of you wondering what the differences are between the DX Samurai Star Lightning Megazord from “Power Rangers Ninja Storm” (2003), and its original Japanese counterpart- the DX Hishou Henkei Tenkujin from “Ninpuu Sentai Hurricanger” (2002)- there are few, but noticeable:

• The Tenkujin originally came with Karakuri Ball #10- Spin Bee, but it was not included in the Samurai Star Megazord. However, it is included in the Special Edition DX Storm Lighting Megazord set, and is renamed Power Sphere #10- Bee Spinner. (Power Sphere #09- Sting Blaster is also included in that set.)
• Karakuri Ball Set #03- Tri-Condor, originally sold as a separate set in Japan, is included in this set; now called the Ninja Firebird. However, the individual Balls have no names, unlike their Japanese counterparts.
• The arm-attachment joint on the back of the Megazord has not been painted silver, and retains the normal plastic’s green color.

Other than that attachment joint on the back not being painted silver, and accessory weapons aside, the Samurai Star Megazord is perfectly identical to the Tenkujin! Even though there is considerate amounts of die-cast metal in the DX Ninpuu Gattai Senpuujin (Chogokin #GD-42) and DX Ikazuchi Gattai Gouraijin (Chogokin #GD-43) but not in their PRNS-counterparts (Deluxe Storm Power Megazord and Deluxe Thunder Power Megazord, respectively), there was no die-cast metal included in the DX Tenkujin, so there is also none in the Samurai Star Megazord.

This is a toy that has a lot asked of it, so going in, you kinda expect that some sacrifices will need to be made. The torso is very short and barely large enough to accommodate the rotor-spinning feature and the limbs’ joint points; even the head is spun in half when in vehicle mode to make room. (I also thought that weird forehead projection could also have been shorter. Bleech!) Since Shurikenger (the sixth Hurricanger, aka the Green Samurai Ranger) was a lighthearted master of disguise but equally a very-skilled fighter, it would make a little bit of sense for the Tenkujin to have that pointed jester’s hat, and then have an ridiculously-huge shuriken that it could throw around. But during the Americanization process which changes a Super Sentai series into a season of Power Rangers, most of that meaning gets lost, so it ends up just looking strange here. But what is universally understood and agreed upon is that it is really annoying when you put shoulder joints on a toy, and then promptly can’t use them because that toy gets in the way of itself! It is nice, however, that it can accept a good share of the Power Sphere weapons. But, again, that chest armor just gets in the way so you can’t pose with any of them! Additionally, the hands are hard to work because of the position of those forearm shields wrapped around them. In Chopper mode, I found the joints for the two front wheels really hard to turn, almost breaking fingernails on them when they suddenly snap! But my biggest gripe is how that rotor system frequently- umm... ‘misfires’. Now whether this is a problem with the Japanese version, or just mine by chance, I don’t know. (To see what I mean by that, you’ll just have to watch the video review below to find out!) By itself it’s a little clumsy, but you can see the aesthetics trying to push their way through the toy. But its greatest value lies in when you put it together with the other Deluxe-sized Megazords in the line. Additionally, it is the same toy as the original Japanese DX Tenkujin, but about $30 cheaper! And so, I recommend getting the Deluxe Samurai Star Lighting Megazord; it is definitely worth it.

The three Power Spheres included in this set that make up the Ninja Firebird are reviewed separately here also on CollectionDX!

[Author’s Note: I will be covering the Hurricane Megazord - or rather the original Japanese version from “Hurricanger”, the Gingachouetsu Sanjin Gattai Tenrai-Senpuujin (trnslt: “Galactic-transcendental Three-god Combination Tenrai-Senpuujin”) – at a later time.]

Cute little bounty hunters - Does it get any better?

As has been shown previously, I have an unnatural love of 4-LOM. That insectoid bounty hunter who gets only .002 second of screen time but has lasted a lifetime in my heart. You can take your C-3P0, your EV-9D9 - Give me 4-LOM.

This little bugger came out as part of Medicom's Star Wars Series 1 Kubrick Line.

4-LOM even comes with a cute little blaster rifle.

Not too much else to say about this guy - what an adorable robotic death messenger!

"I DON'T WANT TO GROW ANYMORE!!!!!"

Actually, that line happened in the original "Amazing Colossal Man" movie. But I've always loved it and I love this figure from X-Plus, too..

Growing up in Massachusetts, many of us here spent our Saturday afternoons watching "Creature Double Feature", a matinee of back to back classic monster movies. I'm sure each of us has our own fond memories of specific movies, but two films really stuck in my mind. "The Amazing Colossal Man" from 1957 and it's sequel "War of the Colossal Beast" from the following year had a strange hold on me as a kid. It was easy to dismiss many of the other films as pure fantasy, and while I never believed a man could grow to such enormous size, it was the characters mental breakdown as he tried to deal with his unfortunate circumstance that I found chilling. A deterioration of the mind is far more frightening than the growth of the flesh.

Of course, in this day and age, it's harder to take the films seriously since the special effects are laughable in comparison to what we see now. But back then it must have been remarkable, considering that director Bert I. Gordon seems to have made himself a career consisting largely of films about normal creatures grown to tremendous size.

This figure is the last of the "AMC Monsterfest" line from X-Plus that I managed to snag. For some reason, I hesitated on buying it when it first came out and for awhile I didn't see one. But due to the magic of Ebay, I finally got one a couple months backs, and for less than retail, too.

The figure is pretty well done, in my opinion. I think it was a great decision to have him holding the bus above his head. A colossal man is only colossal if you've got something to show scale, after all.

There's been some dissatisfaction with the sculpt of the face, but I think it looks fine. I do think it looks better when viewed from a low angle, but it's not bad overall either.

The base is a great addition, just like it was with the previous entries, The She Creature and Marty, the 3 Eyed Mutant.

But do you notice anything? How about that ad line? "See a sixty foot giant destroyed.....IN COLOR!" Did you see any color in the trailer above? I sure didn't. The fact is, only the ending (which is given away in the tag-line, of course) is in color. Less than 1 minute. Ahhh, I'd say I miss the 1950's and it's cheap marketing gimmicks, except of course, I never lived it. I'm forced to live it vicariously through these toys. On the bright side, kids in 1958 didn't have Colossal Man toys so I guess I can't complain, can I?