Well it only took 28 years but I finally got a BETA fighter to add to my Robotech collection and I am happy to report it is as awesome as you we have been led to believe.

Robotech was a multi-generational animated saga that documented the “Robotech Wars” and originally aired in 1985. Robotech used three different and un-related Japanese animated series re-edited and re-purposed for American audiences at the time. The Beta Fighter shown here is from the final arc, The New Generation, also known as Mospeada in Japan.

From Robotech.com:

“The Veritech Beta Fighter was developed as a heavily armed and armored booster system for the Alpha fighter to extend its range in space, as well providing the ability to reach orbit from the surface. The fighter can operate from the Horizon dropship when joined with an Alpha fighter. Besides operating as a large fuel tank for the space Alpha-Beta combination, it allows for high thrust capabilities for an Alpha Battloid for high maneuverability in close combat, in addition to augmenting the Alpha's missile load, and carrying a formidable weapons capability when operating independently.

Without the attached Alpha fighter, the Beta fighter relies on its excessive thrust to overcome its non-aerodynamic shape in an atmosphere. Its true power comes in Battloid mode, where an impressive amount of firepower is available for heavy assault.”

Robotech and Mospeada fans have been wanting a Beta fighter for a very, very long time. Matchbox imported many of the original Japanese toys from the various shows (as well as producing original pieces) under the Robotech banner and the Gakeen-made Alpha fighters where released stateside. Disappointingly no Beta ever showed up on shelves in 1985/1986. I found out years later as an Adult collector Gakeen designed a BETA fighter and even produced a handful of test pieces but they went belly-up before they could produce it.

Flash forward to now and Toynami has made our fan-boy dreams come true with a 1/55 scale Beta to attach their previously released 1/55 scale Alpha fighters. The Blue and Red have already been reviewed by Dan and Josh and now I finally get my hands on one.

The Beta fighter or the VFB-91 (in nerdspeak) is the third release in the Beta Masterpiece Collection. Which means it comes in Toynami's book-style packaging. This allows you to take the piece out and keep the Mint-In-Box look when you store it. Just like the toy the box is huge!

The first thing you notice when you get it out of the box is the sheer size and weight of the piece. It's enormous. In Battloid mode it stands over 12 inches tall and weighs over 2 pounds.

All the arm and leg joints are ratcheted and so "click" when moved. Us toy-nerds do love us some "clickity-click."

Since the red and green Beta fighters never transformed into Battloid mode in the show, Toynami had to design original heads for these releases and they opted to design them to match their Alpha counterpart. The shape of the Alpha's 'eye" is retained but there is no head fin.

Paint detail is fantastic with no under or over-spray anywhere and the chest compartments open to reveal banks of missiles. It doesn't do much else but with a piece like this, it's more about the sheer size and presence on the shelf than gimmicks.

Guardian Mode is probably my least favorite on the Beta fighter. See the Beta fighter was not part of the original design and was thought up as an afterthought and kind of mashed together late in the design stages. And so, while it looks good in Fighter and Battloid mode, Guardian just seems a bit of an afterthought.

But with that said it holds this form just fine on the shelf. However if you pick it up and try to fly it around the room (Don't roll your eyes- we know you do it...) the weight of the lower legs makes the legs droop down as these are die cast metal where the rest is plastic.

It is not a big deal as I really won't be displaying it in this mode. Plus it's more of a nitpick then a genuine complaint.

Fighter mode is where it looks best in my opinion. I don't know why but I really like the flying brick aesthetic of the fighter. Everything locks in and sits where it is supposed too. No loose, dangling or floppy parts here.

My one complaint about Toynami's release is the landing gear. Instead of the landing ear folding into the fighter when not used you have to remove them. Yep the landing gear just plugs into the fighter when you need it. It's not a big deal but I am finding that having to keep track of parts keeps me from wanting to pick it up and fiddle with it more.

It's not a huge deal but if Toynami where taking a pole I would have voted for gear that folds into the fighter instead of part swapping.

Toynami also includes a removable pilot figure but like many tiny pilot figures the paint and sculpt detail doesn't really hold up to close inspection. It's all a bit “soft' and sloppy. From a distance it's not a problem.

So as huge and impressive the stand alone Beta fighter is, we as fans of Robotech are more interested in how well it docks to the Alpha fighter. Well I'm happy to report, it's all good.

While again this involves part swapping, it doesn't bother me as much as swapping out the landing gear. There is a white arm that cups the fighter and then slides into the beta fighter. Once in you can attach the combined form to the provided stand.

It sound like it wouldn't work it does. The fighter sits nice and tight but I wouldn't recommend doing barrel rolls with it.

You can do the same with the Alpha fighter in Battloid mode. Toynami includes a second arm to attach it int his mode. The arm cups the bottom of the crotch and leaves a hole for the nosecone to fit in. Once again you can attach this combined form to the provided stand

Again, it hold the Alpha part in well but I wouldn't recommend doing a barrel role with it.

Despite a couple of nitpicks it is a really nice piece and a fan boy's dream made real. While many know the Alpha fighters where plagued with QC issues the Beta makes it all worth while. The fit and finish is fantastic and the materials all feel top notch. Toynami has done a real nice job delivering a solid, long-desired collectible.

Get one while you still can because when these are gone they are GONE. If you where ever a Robotech or Mospeada fan you will kick yourself for missing out.

Darkness, what does it mean? Does it mean the true evil or more Legioss toys?

You know me, I like weird variants. They don't get any weirder than the Dark Legioss Pilotless Type. Right now, this is the only toy of this variant. Picture a normal heroic Legioss all bright and shiny. Now picture an evil killbot, all dark with nasty claws. Put them together and you've got the Dark Legioss Pilotless Type. This Legioss is only seen in the last episode Genesis Climber Mospeada and even then it had maybe a minute of screen time. If you've seen my review of the regular Dark Legioss you get the gist of what I like and dislike about CM's Corporation's Legioss toys. I will point out the changes made to the design in this review.

This toy easily converts to Armo-Diver mode.

It is fairly stable in this mode if a little stiff.

Here's a group shot of Armo-Divers.

In Armo-Fighter mode, more changes are apparent. The canopy has been replaced with a solid piece adorned with a simple painted sensor eye. The canopy is removable and there is a normal cockpit underneath (with no pilot of course). The leading edge root extensions (the wing like pieces on the side of the nose section) are now much more angular. The new sternum piece is also too big to allow the Pilotless Type to rest on its nose wheel. As such, this toy does not roll along like the other two.

Up close we can see the basic tampoo printing and optional missile cluster. These are plugged into screw holes underneath the intakes.

The gun can still be plugged in between the shoulders.

One good thing about the new foot pieces is that they are easier to line up in Armo-Fighter mode.

Armo-Fighter group shot.

In the end, CM's Corporation's Legioss toys are durable, fun toys but their premium price turns off the casual buyer. Despite all my reservations about the cost, I think it was worth it just to get a toy of the Pilotless Type and the normal Dark Legioss. They are easily the best of CM's Mospeada toys.

Time to review Ran...er, I mean ... Ley (or is it Ray?!). Who knows, what I do know that it is more awesome goodness from Beagle and Toynami with the 2nd release in their Mospeada line. HD Video included!

M.O.S.P.E.A.D.A stands for - Military Operation Soldier Protect Emergency Aviation Dive Auto and is from the Japanese anime series Genesis Climber Mospeada which originally aired in Japan in 1983. While Mospeada has achived a bit of a cult-like status in Japan, most collectors stateside were first introduced to this saga and it's technology as the third generation of the Robotech Saga. Robotech really helped pave the way for Japanese anime here in the States and still holds a special place in old-school collectors' hearts to this day.

Today we are taking a look at the Beagle 1/10 scale Mospeada Armor Cycle VR-052T (Ley type) from Mospeada. This particular line is a collaborative effort between Japanese toy maker, Beagle, and American toymaker, Toynami. Beagle distributes under the Genesis Climber Mospeada brand in Asia and Toynami distributes it under the Robotech brand here in the States.

These two “different” lines are the exact same toy from the exact same manufacturing plant and from the exact same production runs. The only difference between them is: the language the manual comes in, the head sculpt used, and the box they are put in. That and if you're a stateside collector, you can get the “Rand”-named and Robotech-branded box and head-sculpt for an average of $50 less than the Mospeada counterpart because you don't have to pay the international shipping.

I had thrown my lot in on the Mospeada-branded Beagle-boxed version because having had seen photos in advance, I preferred the subtler line art style of the Beagle head-sculpt, so I will continue the tradition for the rest of the series.

The box for this is identical to the first: a window on the front with the name of the piece printed across in white and original artwork featured on the back. It's an interesting hybrid between the new-school “window-box” and old-school “sealed box/original art work”. The window lets you ohh and ahh at the craftsman ship, while the artwork is meant to inspire your imagination. That is a sign the toymaker knows what a toy collecting aficionado really appreciates.

This second release's box has been trimmed a bit and sits about an inch thinner. Inside all the parts and pieces are neatly arranged and entombed in clear, vacuum-formed trays. Besides the rider and the cycle you get in the box:

• Stand
• Galant Rifle
• Galant Pistol
• 3 spare hands (2 open hands and 1 gun holding hand
• Helmeted head (with working visor)
• HBT Canister

The Ley action figure itself is fantastic! The figure stands just shy of 8 inches tall and features more than 45 points of articulation. Now when I say action figure, I mean it. This isn't a “doll” or Real Action Hero style body. This is a very well constructed, highly pose-able, tightly-jointed figure. What's a nice touch is the cloth suit that covers the limbs of a hard plastic underneath.

It looks like they left a bit more room in the cloth on the Ley release than they did on the Stick, giving the suit a slightly less fitted look (almost baggy), which I think may be intentional – Ley wasn't military so the suit wouldn't have been fitted for him. The Mospeada armored cycle he uses was one he had claimed from a crashed supply ship from one of Mars Bases' failed assault attempts to reclaim Earth from the Inbit. It's a subtle nuance and not very noticeable unless you compare the releases.

The Armored Cycle Mode is equally as fantastic. Measuring 8 inches long and 5 inches high, it is the pinnacle of toy engineering, yet remains a solid, playable motorcycle. Rolling rubber wheels and all.

This bike is almost identical to the Stick release except the front housing on the right doesn't have holes to hold the Beam Cannon and new wheel guards/wrist guards. Ley features a beam cannon mounted to the right side and a blank shield on the left.

... and of course. The real test of a great motorcycle mode is whether or not the rider can properly “ride” the bike, and I am happy to say Ley can. You can get him posed on the bike and drop the diecast metal kickstand and let it sit there. Have a moment to play? Stow the kickstand and feel free to roll the bad boy across your desk (I know you want to...).

They even designed foot-pegs for the rider to place his feet on, something only one other manufacturer has tried (CM Corp) but the small tiny scale and fiddle bits made it impractical for all but the most patient of collectors. It's much more successful on this toy.

The bike is primarily high quality ABS plastic, with the engine block and joints being made of POM. Diecast metal is only used in the “arms” that hold the wheels in place, the collarbone hinge in the frame of the bike, and the kickstand.

Transformation seems a bit daunting the first few times you do it. However if you follow the clearly illustrated manual in the order it presents things it's not as fiddly as some have reported. Once you've done it a few times it's not bad. But it is a piece that requires attention to detail for everything to sit right, but the end results are fantastic!

The one thing I did notice that was different from the initial Stick release is some of the hinge joints are much tighter, allowing you to fold them out of the way and staying where you put them.

In Armored mode, the Cyclo.... er I mean, the Mospeada looks magnificent and stands at 8 1/2 inches tall. The thigh armor connects the boots to the rest of the mecha and the shock absorbers act as pistons for the arm guards. Both actually have range of motion built into the joints to work like a “real” Mospeada.

However should you want to disconnect them to extend range of motion on the figure for posing, you can.

Last, they have included an incredibly well thought out stand. Not only does it allow you to display the piece in either Cycle mode or Armored Mode...

...they also have designed a "footlocker" into the base to store all the extra parts and pieces.

A clip is included to attach it in cycle mode, allowing for angled posing without falling off the shelves. An "arm" is included for Armored mode, allowing either standing poses or mid flight poses.

You can also forgo the stand and just use the extendable part of the arm to brace the figure in action poses without the entire base.

Which brings up a point I would like to clarify from the last review. Apparently I was not very clear when I said he can't stand by himself without the arm.

As you can see they can be posed in a neutral pose without the arm, but understand that it is very precarious. It's not that the joints can't hold it all up; they're fine. It's that the design is too back heavy.

So I do want it known they can be posed without any sort of support, but I wouldn't leave them on the shelf that way. They're guaranteed to take a header sooner or later. Besides, with the stand, it makes it easier to fly it around your office... (Don't lie, I know you do.)

So yeah, once again I am strongly praising the makers of this toy and suggesting you get one. QC gets even better (when I didn't think it was possible) and besides we all know Ley was the cooler one, he did actually “get” the girl after all... My only complaint is, again, the big screw hole in the neck. Come on Beagle, fix that in the next two releases and include a plug for the first two.

I got my Beagle 1/10th scale Mospeada Armor Cycle VR-052T - Ley Type (Damn. That's a mouthful.) from our advertiser Angolz.com and I love them for it. Be sure to check the Gallery for more pictures and I have made a shiny new HD video for your bemusement which is embedded below.

The Masterpiece Beta Fighter Vol. 2 - Red is the second Masterpiece Beta released, and is essentially the same toy as the first release, save for different colors and a different head.

The Masterpiece Beta Fighter Vol. 2 - Red is the second Masterpiece Beta released, and is essentially the same toy as the first release, save for different colors and a different head.

The box is the typical masterpiece quality. I used to have some hang-ups about these big boxes, but they are what they are. The packaging really adds to the feel of Masterpiece, and the toy really lives up to that title.

Included in the box is one red Beta Fighter and accessories, certificate of authenticity, instructions, and sticker sheet.

The box features the character Annie LaBelle prominently. Annie acts as moral support for the group of freedom fighters, but participates in little combat. I haven't watched either Mospeada or Robotech recently, but I don't remember Annie ever donning a flight suit and piloting a beta fighter.

Either way, the toy is very very cool.

First thing you notice is how heavy the toy is. The Beta fighter weighs about 2 pounds, most of that due to the heavy diecast lower legs. The Beta comes ready to play right out of the box.

The Beta fighter, despite its size, is surprisingly poseable. The knees and legs go click when they move and while the shoulders don't, they are nice and firm.

The head is new to this model, and is seen for the first time with this release. We never got to see what the heads of the red and green beta fighter looked like in the show, so all new heads were designed for this release. Each head is designed to mimmick the look of its corresponding alpha fighter. In this case, the head retains the square eye and large fin on the back.

It is worth noting that there is very visible touch-up paint on this head from the factory.

Transformation to fighter mode is simple and intuitive. Once in fighter mode you can attach diecast metal landing gear to the front and rear. The front gear actually attaches to the connecting rod that connects the beta to the alpha.

The cockpit opens and you can place the pilot figure inside.

Like chocolate and peanut butter, the alpha and the beta are made to go together. I've had my red alpha for years, and it has seen better days, but when the two of them are together they look like they were made to go together from the start.

The Beta fighter features two connecting rods. One is for fighter mode, the other for the alpha in robot mode.

In Fighter mode, the end of the rod cups the underside of the alpha creating a nice, tight connection.

In Robot mode, the toy uses a different rod to connect the two together. In this mode the nosecone and crotch fit into a special groove on the connector, making for another fantastic fit.

In either mode, the whole toy can be suspended by the included display stand. The stand has a bit of spring to it, meaning that if you move the whole fighter and stand assembly, the thing will wobble back and forth for a bit.

Like the prior release, It's amazing. If you have a red alpha, you need to get one of these.

The 1/10 Mospeada Armor Cycle VR-052F (Stick Type) from Beagle satisfies me on so many different levels as a fan of Mospeada (or Robotech for that matter) but yikes, the price! Review includes my first attempt with the HD camera.

1/10 VR-052F Mospeda Stick Type is brought us by Angolz.com

Genesis Climber Mospeada is classic anime from the 80’s. While not hugely popular like Macross it does have quite the cult following. Here in the states it was adapted into the American series Robotech as the third generation of the story.

The Mospeada is an armored cycle that transforms into powered armor for the rider, once transformed the Armored Rider is protected, able to wield heavier firepower and able to fly. The Mospeada is my personal favorite mecha design of all time, even relegating the venerable Valkyrie from Macross to the back seat in my world. So needless to say I have been watching this Beagle release develop on-line for quite some time but with a price tag running between $250 - $300 after importing to the states, it is VERY expensive. It’s so expensive only the die-hard fan of the design or series would even consider saving their pennies for it.

The clear window on the front with the words “Mospeada Armor Cycle VR-052F” are printed in white on the lower half. Original artwork decorates the back and top of the box giving it a nice old school feel. Photos of the toy are on the sides. I think original artwork gives toy packaging a classy feel and look. The box measures 12 inches tall by 14 1/2 inches long by 7 inches deep.

Included in the box is:

Display Base

The package over flows with accessory goodness, I just wish they included a non armored Stick in his Mars Base uniform (hmmm, maybe they could do an appendix series like Saint Cloth Myth?)

Closed hands, open hands and trigger fingers; Beagle has you covered. Sadly the fine folks who packaged mine up gave me two open right hands and no left hand. For $250 - $350 that should not be a remote possibility.

So while Beagle distributes the Mospeada in the Japanese market, Toynami will be releasing this in the states under the Robotech brand in their Masterpiece Collection. The only difference besides the box it comes in is the un-helmeted head. Beagle comes with the version pictured in this review which is more subtle and elegant, similar to the original line art. Toynami will be releasing their own head sculpt.

After seeing pictures of the finished sculpt I decided I liked the Japanese version more. Your mileage may vary however as the Toynami release will be $200 before shipping, so the lower cost may appeal more than head sculpts.

The supplied display base is incredibly well designed. Not only does it give a solid and stable means to display the Mospeada in flight and standing but they also include a storage locker to store all your extra parts and pieces while displaying the larger weapons on a “gun rack” on top of the storage locker.

The stand arm is movable making room to “lock” the Cycle mode to the base as well with a smaller clip designed for the purpose. This allows you to display the bike in a nice lean without fear of it falling off the shelf. Beagle really thought this piece through from big details to little ones.

Unfortunately Stick won’t stand on his own with the Ride Armor on, the design and high quality materials just add too much weight to the back, however you can just use the extending arm that attaches to the Ride Armor for the base by itself giving you a much smaller and stable support for more dynamic, ground pounding action displays. I’m not sure this was the intended design but it works well.

Honestly I tend to use the base itself in my displays because being able to display it in mid flight just flat out rocks!

The figure itself is nice! Some have made the mistake of comparing to a “doll” or Real Action Hero, it is not. It’s more akin to a Saint Cloth Myth with tighter, “clicky” joints - so it’s all action figure here.

Stick is highly articulated, holds poses beautifully and features a cloth suit that covers the exposed limbs creating a very rich look with the mixed media, something I wish more toy makers would do. The material for the cloth suit feels like it could “dry out” and crack as it ages over time. Only time will tell. Some have reported tearing in the crotch, my sample seems to have more than enough give to prevent any tearing, but it is something to keep in mind when handling your Stick (that sounded so wrong) so make sure not to over extend the range of motion when handling it and tearing shouldn’t be an issue for you.

The only complaint I have about the figure is the gaping screw hole on the side of his neck! Beagle this in inexcusable, there is no good reason you couldn't have put a plastic plug in to hide that or at the very least put the hole on the back of the neck. Correct this for future releases please.

In Cycle Mode this thing is solid and features real rubber tires that roll! That’s right, not only will the rider stay on the bike you can actually roll it around. Vroom! Vroom! Die-Cast metal content is relegated to the arms that support the wheels, the sub frame of the lower chassis, and the kickstand. the rest of the bike is ABS, PVC and POM.

Printed detail is a bit sparing though with only the MB on the feet, the 21 and MB on the sides of the rear of the cycle. They include a nice sticker sheet to add more detail to the cycle; however a lot of the stickers that go on curved surfaces are already beginning to curl off. It would be nice if they could up the "ante" on the tampo, printed detail on future releases.

The cycle actually has foot pegs for the riders’ feet, something that has been left off of most releases of this design over the years. Again Beagle paying attention to the small stuff…

So how's the transformation? Complex, but not daunting.

If you understand the Mospeada design everything is fairly intuitive and the manuals photos are clear and easy to understand. Seriously, this is one of the better transformation guides I have seen over the years. Can’t read Japanese? That won’t be an issue.

While the manual describes the transformation in 85 steps it’s more like 45ish (the manual shows you a photo after each step of what the Mospeada should look like after every part move and each photo is numbered as a step.) I know that sounds like a lot but once you know what you’re doing it’s really not that complex.

If you’re looking for a guide to transformation be sure to check out the video at the end of this review.

Sweet mother of God, its better looking than the cartoon! Beagle really struck a fantastic balance between the Mospeada’s Cycle and Armor modes and Armor mode doesn’t disappoint. The rider locks into the Armor snugly and everything locks and sits where it should. Once assembled it’s a solid toy and the proportions look fantastic.

Beagle went with slightly slimmer legs to keep proportions balanced between both Rider and Armor mode. Some have complained they look to small (particularly the feet) but that’s the trade off. I’ve already gotten used to it and you can flip the shin guards out to create the illusion of beefier feet in Amor mode. Some will nitpick over it, I’m perfectly fine with the trade off.

But wait that’s not all! Beagle manages to not only get pistons into the leg armor to attach to the boots they have working shock absorbers that connect the arm gauntlets to the rest of the Armor mode. This is something toy makers have never done before and really adds to the “realism” of the design. The mechanism is smooth as butter and moves freely when you pose the arms.

At the 1/10th scale the Mospeada stands at 8 inches tall in Armor mode and 5 inches tall and 8 inches long in Cycle Mode. At this size, it stands out nicely on the shelf and mixes very nicely with my other collectibles.

You should have bought this already. Run, don’t walk and get it now! I admit that $250 to $300 is a lot for a piece like this and I realize it is out of most collectors’ budget but if you’re a Mospeada fan then you REALLY need to save your pennies and get yourself one, you won’t regret it. It is hands down the nicest Mospeada made. If you’re looking for a simpler transformation then stick with the original Gakken release, otherwise upgrade! You can get yours at Angolz.com

The Dark Legioss is a quality toy hampered by its niche appeal and high price.

Every now and then I find myself fascinated with a rare variant mecha. For Macross it's the VT-1, for Gundam it's the GM Sniper Custom, and for Mospeada it's the Dark Legioss. In terms of screen time, the Dark Legioss is prominently featured in the last episode of Genesis Climber Mospeada (Robotech: New Generation) as part of the 3rd Invasion Force. The thing I like about the Dark Legioss is that it is the evil version of the Legioss with its dark color scheme, claws, and evil red eye. For a review of CM's Corporation's Legioss & Tread set, check out Josh's review. CM's Brave Gokin Dark Legioss is mostly the same as its standard brethren, however since this is my first Legioss toy I hope I will bring a new perspective with this review.

People familiar with the Legioss know that its most notable feature is its ability to transform for a robot into a fighter jet. The Legioss is different from its most obvious cousin, the VF-1 Valkyrie from Macross (also used in Robotech) as it is more of a robot that turns into a jet rather than a jet that turns into a robot. The Legioss has three modes: Armo-Fighter, Armor-Diver, and Armo-Soldier.

The toy comes with a few accessories that includes the Synchotron cannon, a hand to hold the cannon, two missile clusters, and three tiny Ride Armors. The extra hand simply plugs into the Synchotron cannon and then attaches to the toy's ball-jointed wrists. It is a little annoying that the toy cannot just hold the cannon with its own claws, but the extra hand keeps the weapon firmly attached to the toy so it has it's advantages. The cannon also features a removable magazine that must be detached before it can be mounted to the Armo-Fighter. The three little Ride Armors (one standing, one riding, and one collapse in box form) are a nice touch, but they are so small you will probably end up leaving them in the box.

The missile clusters are a holdover from the standard Legioss and are plugged into the screw holes underneath each chest intake. Also included is a sticker sheet filled with all the standard sci-fi jet markings you could want along with the prerequisite Mospeada decals.

Armo-Fighter mode has always been hit or miss with the various toys made over the years. This toy has a fairly mediocre Armo-Fighter mode. The most notable deviation from the typical artwork is a bulky underside and an extra long nose. As it stands, this mode emphasizes the design's toy aesthetic with its diecast landing gear, simple panel detail, and chunky look.

This toy features some limited tampo printing around the intakes which gives it a military jet feel. There are some unfortunate gaps, which can be seen in profile. One of the unexpected improvements over the standard Legioss is the Synchotron cannon. Because the cannon is mounted between the arms in Armo-Fighter mode, it keeps them pegged together which makes the Armo-Fighter mode very solid. It is certainly good enough to fly around the room while making, "swooshing" sounds.

Moving on to Armo-Diver mode, it is here we can see that this mode is the weakest of the three modes. Part of the problem comes with the toy's unusual knees that allow the shins to collapse into the thighs. Ideally, they also have enough flexibility to allow the legs to attain the necessary "chicken leg" appearance.

In reality it just looks like a robot bending over. Part of this is a fault in the original design, but the toy does not do much to improve the awkward stance of Armo-Diver mode. It's a far cry from a Macross style GERWALK.

The most playable and arguably the main mode of this toy is Armo-Soldier mode. The toy is in fact packaged in this mode, which invites you to pick and play with it immediately. The "clicky" joints in its legs and hips and the diecast shoulders make the toy feel really well built. The cockpit section is also attached via a diecast hinge. This hinge was initially very tight on my toy and I had to disassemble it in order to loosen the hinge using a pair of pliers. I actually couldn't transform the toy into any other mode before loosening this hinge. Other than that, the toy really shines in Armo-Soldier mode.

You really get the sense that the Dark Legioss is a mean looking robot with its chunky limbs and big gun. I like to say it's like a robot that went out, skinned an airplane, and now wears the hide like a cape. The toy is also covered in little panels that open up to reveal little missiles. While this is true to the original design, the execution on this toy is pretty poor overall. However, it is also a problem with the Legioss design because at the end of the day, unless those missiles are firing they look like little red dots. One thing that would have enhanced this toy would be a stand. It looks pretty good in my handmade stand, but a custom stand would probably work a lot better.

Now the biggest problem with the toy is that it costs over a hundred dollars. I hate to echo Josh's review, but the Dark Legioss costs about twice as much as it should. Mospeada itself is a low tier franchise in Japan, and the Dark Legioss is an obscure design. I imagine CM's Corporation has to set the price pretty high just to offset the toy's niche appeal. As such, I think the Dark Legioss will probably find itself in the clearance bin come the next Hobby Link Japan sale. Overall, its a pretty nice toy with an unfortunate cost.

As a bonus, here's a picture of the Dark Legioss with other 1:48 scale toys.

Many Macross, Mospeada, Southern Cross, and Robotech collectors have mixed feelings about the non Bandai and Takatoku Robotech toys produced by Matchbox, specifically its 3 3.4 scale figures and their accessories.

Many Macross, Mospeada, Southern Cross, and Robotech collectors have mixed feelings about the non Bandai and Takatoku Robotech toys produced by Matchbox, specifically its 3 3.4 scale figures and their accessories.

The more difficult figures to locate are Scott Bernard, Roy Fokker, Lunk, Rook Bartley, Mirya in black, large Miriya and Lynn Minmei. A special note must go out the Lynn Minmei figure as it is the Holy Grail of the line as only a handful were made and were extremely rare to locate even back in the 1980’s.

The Matchbox’s Scott Bernard figures is one of more difficult figures to locate and never seem to appear on pegs at the department stores. I managed to locate the figure through the Sears catalog around 1986. Sears known for having exclusive toys only available through their catalog must have got the only catch of the Scott Bernard figures. Scott was available through mail order in a set of three figures along with Rand and Corg for $15.00. Even though it was available in their catalog I was rightly concerned that the figure would be substituted for unavailability or the order cancelled all together as another company from New York The Robot Store had done to me around the same time with some of the other Robotech action figures. Two weeks later arriving at my door was a set of three Robotech figures and in that package was one Scott Bernard. There was no special packaging just an envelope in mail that had the three figures on their respected cards.

Being a huge GI Joe 3 3.4 scale figures fan, the Matchbox line had so much potential but delivered so poorly. For whatever reason a second series of figures were never produced which was unfortunate. With Scott, Lunk, Rook and Rand produced only two more figures, Lancer and Annie, needed to be produced to create the main cast of the series. And trust me at the time I dreamed about those figure releases often. It is a shame that Hasbro or Kenner did not produce this line, as I am sure they would have handled the line better.

Matchbox’s Scott Bernard represents the worst of their Robotech line with unavailbity and a lack of basic knowledge of the subject. Trying to locate all 22 of Matchbox’s Robotech 3 3.4 line of action figures is quite a daring feat due to the extreme rarity of a handful of figures not to mentioning trying to locate an original Matchbox Minmei as opposed to the recent Harmony Gold reissues from a few years back. Unless you are trying to make a run for the Matchbox Robotech series or you are a Mospeada completest, or you come across the figure for cheap at the marketplace I would pass on this one. And I am sure you already have.

Leonardo Flores “ModCineaste”

I'm not saying this isn’t a good toy – in some respects it’s a great toy. The engineering on each individual piece is marvelous. It is only in the connection of the two that the toy fails horribly. Oh yeah, and the fact that its about 300 bucks.

I’ve been kind of dreading doing this review for a number of reasons. There are so many expectations for this toy and I don’t know if I can accurately portray all that is good and bad with this without being a little biased. The fact that a Tread toy has been made sort of makes the set worth it for me, but for others, not so much.

The CM’s Brave Gokin EX-01 Legioss & Tread (Eta) (レギオスwithトレッド ブレイブ合金EX (エータ)) is the first Brave Gokin toy to get the EX designation. EX must stand for Extra Deceiving, because a Gokin toy this is not. In fact, the only metal in this toy is in the joints of the Legioss, the landing gear, and the large cradle that connects the Legioss and Tread. If you are expecting metal, you will be disappointed.

That’s not to say this isn’t a good toy – in some respects it’s a great toy. The engineering on each individual piece is marvelous. It is only in the connection of the two that the toy fails horribly.

Another point of contention with this toy is the price. At a Japanese retail price of 28,000 yen (figure about $350 USD once you factor in shipping), this thing is horribly overpriced. It’s cool but not $300 cool. So when I mention that something is really great about this toy, remember - $300 for the set, and almost no metal.

Packaging

Nothing special here with this packaging. The box features nice product shots and inside is a large clear plastic tray that holds the Legioss and Tread. There are very few accessories as most of the play value is in the units themselves. Included are a stand, gun, fists, sword, small ride armors in various modes, and a sticker sheet.

Legioss

Jump to the Legioss video >

The Legioss comes packaged in Armo-Soldier mode. It’s about 6.5 inches tall and weighs about 6 ounces. That’s pretty light, considering Toynami’s Alpha fighter weighs in at 15 ounces. Both the Toynami and CM’s Legioss are about the same size, but have drastically different proportions.

The engineering and QC are fantastic on the Legioss. Each part fits perfectly, the joints are tight, and nothing about it feels half-assed. Although the toy is light, it is extremely durable due to its use of POM plastic and diecast metal in the connecting joints. Articulation is great with some standouts being a waist joint and innovative elbow joints that allow for an amazing array of movement. One notable omission is the lack of any kind of head articulation.

The toy is molded in color with small amounts of tampo printing for the finer details. The paint is clean and sharp, with no visible over spray. Included with the toy is a sticker sheet that serves all three versions of the toy, but I think the toy looks great as-is. CM’s has also included a bunch of screw hole covers, but once again, I think it looks just fine, screw holes and all. It reminds me that it is a toy I guess, albeit an expensive one. The mold detail is crisp and clean, with etched panel lines, vents with interior detail, and few sprue marks.

One thing you may want to watch - there are two holes in the chest where the front fuselage locks into the body - those seem to be showing some stress marks

In Armo-Soldier mode, the Legioss can make use of several weapons. The EP-13 80mm 3-barrel Gatling beam gun features a moveable stock, and a removable armor clip. The hands of the Legioss have articulated trigger fingers, but there is no peg in the handle or hand to secure the gun to, making a weak connection. The Legioss also includes a sword, of all things. In episode 13 of Mospeada, Ley has a dream that he is fighting off monsters with the Legioss, brandishing a sword. I think it’s cool that CM’s included this as a sign of respect to the series.

In addition to the hand held weapons, the Legioss features two snap-on missile banks that attach to the underside of the chest, and a third, auxiliary missile bank that attaches to the left shoulder. And if the Legioss was not already armed to the teeth, it is covered with opening doors that reveal missile banks all over the figure – I count 14 of them. Not too shabby.

The Legioss is fully transformable into all three modes – Armo-Soldier, Armo-Diver, and Armo-Fighter. The Armo-Diver mode is similar to a Gerwalk mode from Macross – it sits somewhere in between fighter and soldier mode.

In fighter mode the Legioss looks good, but there are a few things that could have been done better, especially for the price. Once transformed into Armo-Fighter mode the parts just kind of sit there – there aren’t any pegs to lock parts into place. For example, it would have been great to have some kind of connector on the back of the legs to lock them together, or pegs on the bottom of the arm assemblies to attach them to the legs. As it is, you just have to put it in the position that looks best. Granted, the parts stay where they should pretty well, but it is not precise. Just look at the placement of the arms in fighter mode – things just don’t line up as well as they should.

The extra missiles and gun can all be attached to the Legioss in Fighter mode. The gun can be stored either under the wing, or in the back of the optional third missile bank. The gun slides into the back of the part by using a replacement gun clip.

The landing gear is all metal, and the wheels spin freely. Each landing gear is hidden behind a panel that is easily opened. The cockpit can also be opened, as well as a storage door on the underside for the Mospeada Ride Armor.

Tread

Jump to the Tread video >

Those of you not intimately familiar with Mospeada or Robotech: The Next Generation may not understand the big deal about the Tread. The Tread fighter (or Beta Fighter) is a support mecha that “docks” with the back of the Legioss for added firepower. Back in the day when Gakken came out with the original Legioss toy, they had planned on a Tread, but it was only released in limited numbers in Europe, and only for the smaller version of the toy. The toy has become a thing of legend, and when a specimen appears, it fetches a LOT of money. Fans have been clamoring for a Tread toy for years, and while Toynami announced theirs first, CM’s beat them to market with the first Tread toy since 1985.

The AB-01 Tread is a fantastic toy. It also fully transforms into three modes: Armo-Soldier, Armo-Bomber and Armo-Diver mode.

In Armo-Soldier mode the Tread is about 8 inches tall and weighs 10 ounces. It is extremely toy-like in its construction and articulation. In fact, I might go so far as to say the Tread is MORE articulated than the Legioss. The Tread has clicky joints all over the place, fantastic elbow joints, articulated fingers, a waist joint, and even head articulation. The toy is the same quality as the Legioss, but this time with almost no metal connector joints (the only one I can see is in the neck).

In terms of armament the Tread has 2 missile banks that open up on the chest and 2 that pop up on the shoulder, as well as cannons molded into the arms. The Tread can hold the Legioss’ gun, but the same issues occur. It’s really really great, and this makes the set for me. It ALMOST convinces me that it’s worth the money.

Transformation has an almost playskool-like simplicity. Fold up the legs, fold in the arms, and fold out the cockpit and the wings. That’s pretty much it. The wingspan in Armo-Bomber mode is a fantastic 14 inches. The cockpit can open and reveal a small pilot – a nice touch.

In Armo-Bomber mode, the Tread has no built-in landing gear, so it relies on the metal cradle to rest on. The cradle is secured to the Tread by way of 2 spring loaded ball connectors in the tail section. Unfortunately, the Tread is a little back-heavy and there is no way to connect it to the front, so it tends to tilt to the back. This is an example of one of many little things that CM’s could have done to go the extra mile. Why not also make connectors for the front to make this mode stable?

Legioss + Tread = FAIL

Jump to the FAIL video >

Here is where it all goes horribly wrong. Each toy on its own is pretty awesome, and if CM’s could have nailed the connection of the two it might, MIGHT have justified the price. But it is as if someone simply gave up when trying to engineer this. A little background information may be helpful here as I explain what went wrong. See, the Legioss was designed as a stand alone toy by Shinji Aramaki.. Gakken decided that they needed more transforming mecha in Mospeada so they had another designer, Hideki Kakinuma design the Tread, with no set means to connect them. In the show, animators relied on “Anime Magic” to make the transformation work. Unfortunately, that left today’s toymakers in the dark as to how they connected, and each maker has to come up with their own solution. Both CM’s and Toynami have come up with a connector bar solution, but CM’s is the first one we have seen in production.

Essentially, the connector bar is a solid metal cradle that attaches to the Tread in the rear and the Legioss in the front. The connection to the tread is reasonably secure aside from it being back-heavy (see above). The connection to the Legioss seems like a total afterthought.

First, you have to move the arm assemblies on the back of the fighter together, and push the tail wings down. These parts have no kind of peg or connector to keep them rigid, so they just mash together. The legs need to be splayed out to the sides so that they look like frog legs. To connect the Legioss to the metal cradle, you have to line up the hip connectors with the U-shaped connectors on the cradle. There is virtually no tension in this connection, so it just rests there. From there you have to “tuck” the Legioss in behind the front of the Tread.

Don’t let the pictures fool you – it’s a floppy mess.  Nothing really connects to anything, and if you pick it up it’s just going to separate. This is a real disappointment – shame on you CM’s. For $300 you couldn’t have figured this out? Added a couple extra clips to lock it together? It feels like you didn’t even try. How can you put so much love into one facet of the toy and completely ignore something like this?

You can also put the dock the Legioss and Tread when the Legioss is in Armo-Soldier mode, but this too suffers from the same issue. The included stand is more like a crutch to hold the unit up. While the pictures on the box show the combined unit floating up off the ground, the stand is not tall enough, nor is the toy balanced properly, to get its feet off up of the ground.

In Conclusion

Taken as individual toys, the Legioss and Tread are great. Not $300 great, but as well engineered toys they succeed. These should probably be priced around $60 each. Look at what $300 gets you for other toys – Soul of Chogokin, Fewture EX gokin – no other toy gives you so little for so much. It’s like an Otaku tax – we pay the premium to get these short run toys of obscure mecha, and even though we are disappointed, we come back for more. It’s like its some kind of sick game at the CM’s head office to see just how ridiculously priced these things can get. The upcoming CM’s Dancougar Nova will be around SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS.  Well, here is where I throw in my towel with CM’s. I’m done with toys like this. If you are going to charge me over $100 for a toy, it better be worth it. For this price I demand that the quality and detail and engineering are nothing but the best.

It just kills me that this was the price I had to pay to get a Tread toy.

So obviously I have mixed feelings about this. I don’t think it is worth it, but maybe you are a bigger Mospeada fan than me. I can still say though I would recommend this one over the Toynami version. Hell, I would recommend something my 3 year old son made out of Lego before I recommend one of those. What the hell were they thinking? But I digress…

You can get your Legioss & Tread at HobbyLink Japan if you are so inclined, but you will not be able to get the Red or Green version there. Those are going to be magazine and convention exclusives, which will undoubtedly drive up the already high price, even higher.

Good luck with that.

VIDEO

The Mospeada Trilogy

Legioss

Tread

Combination

http://www.hlj.com/product/CMS65132

This is the same review I did for the Stick Type. If you've read that, there's nothing different here. It still kind of stinks.

The VR-052T MOSPEADA Ride Armor hails from the anime series Genesis Climber Mospeada, better known as Robotech: The Next Generation here in the states. In Mospeada, the VR-052T ride armor is used by Ley. In Robotech he was renamed Rand and the Ride Armor was renamed the Cyclone.

The last transformable Mospeada Ride Armor toy was made by Gakken in 1983. I got that toy for my 10th birthday, and I still have it to this day. I love that toy and that design.

Last year, no less than FOUR companies announced that they were making new Ride Armor toys. Twenty five years with no ride armor toys then BOOM, 4 toys. These are crazy times we live in.

The first of the four companies to hit the shelves is CM’s Corporation. They released 2 versions of the Ride Armor – a Stick type and a Ley type. I got them both from HobbyLink Japan about a week ago.

I can’t remember the last time a toy filled me with such internal confusion. I want to love this toy. I really do. I just love the ride armor design, and I love CM’s toys. It sounds like a match made in heaven. Unfortunately, it seems like someone at CM’s dropped the ball here, because this toy is kind of crap.

LET’S BREAK IT DOWN SHALL WE?

Ley

The Ley figure is about the size of a Microman or GI Joe figure. This figure is actually really nicely done, with great articulation and paint detail. The translucent visor flips up and down, the arms are double jointed and pretty much everything moves where it should. The feet have the pull down action to accommodate the ride armor and they pop out just like the old Gakken toy did.

The chest and waist of the figure is painted but the arm and leg armor are just plastic. I’m not sure why these are different, but the figure would look a whole lot better if it was all the same color.

The Bike comes packaged in bike mode with only a few parts to assemble. It features nice printed-on markings, removable saddlebags with opening hatches, rubber tires. The frame is diecast metal as are the swing bars on the legs. Also included is a small stand that clips onto pegs on the bottom of the frame.

Once you begin to handle the bike, it all begins to go horribly wrong. The two parts of the front cowl never seem to line up right, and the headlights on the front have no locked in position, so they are always pointing the wrong way.

The panels on either side of the front wheel are really awkward. Lets see if I can explain this in a way that makes sense. The struts that come from under the front of the bike are supposed to clip onto the pegs on the inside of the plates. This peg is removable, so each time you try to clip it in, it pops out. The front of the panel is supposed to attach to a peg on the wheel, but the hole isn’t deep enough for it to really grip. The rear wheel armor has a similar problem.

Riding the bike

In theory, Lei should be able to ride on the bike, but it takes an extraordinary amount of patience. This is the worst part of the entire toy. The interface between the bike and the rider is just terrible.

First off, you have to swap fists on Stick so he can grab the handlebars. Then there is a small “hook” on the back of the seat that is supposed to attach to Stick’s rear, but there’s just no way its gonna work, the fit is all wrong.

Beneath the rear wheel armors there are small riding pegs that fold out and you can insert them into the holes in Stick’s feet. Not only are these pegs small and fragile, but they like to fall off for no apparent reason. If by some sheer luck you get both hands on the handlebar and both feet on the pegs, you will notice that you can’t get the Stick figure anywhere near that peg.

Oh, and as you are doing all that, you will be swearing because the other parts keep falling off. The foot pegs just come right off of the armor.

RIDE BABY RIDE

So, next is the Ride Armor. You’ll be happy to know it’s not all that bad, but still there are some glaring flaws.

Transformation is similar to the vintage Gakken toy, just made more complicated. I’m not going to go through all the steps here, you can watch the video for that. Put it this way, CM’s included some spare parts in case you break something.

Once you go through all that to get it together, its not actually half bad. The figure remains poseable and can stand on its own, but is aided by a stand of sorts. The stand is actually just a stick that plugs into the back. 6,000 yen and they couldn’t pack a real stand?

The most noticeable thing wrong with the ride armor is the giant seam right through the center of the metal. I can’t help but think there was a better way to do this. It just looks like crap.

On the good side, there are some nice touches, like the rubber tires, targeting scope, and the pop-out articulated vents on the wheels.

SIZE MATTERS, NO MATTER WHAT SHE SAYS

This thing is SMALL. Disappointingly small. When I held the box in my hand I had this feeling of dread. It felt light like a model kit. In Ride armor mode, the toy is only 12 cm (4.75in) tall. The metal content is almost laughable. Apparently, at CM’s they apply the Brave Gokin label to anything that has ANY metal in it.

I am going to have to recommend that you don’t buy this toy, unless you meet the following criteria:

1. You have a high tolerance for frustration
2. You are good at origami
3. You are a complete and utter Mospeada maniac (and even then…)
4. You plan on never taking it out of the package

It just misses the mark… sorry CM’s. Let’s hope the Legioss is better.

Much debate and speculation has surrounded this particular toy since photos of the prototype started making the rounds on line last year. With no less than 4 different versions of the Mospeada coming to collectors this year; is the Mega House release worth your very hard earned cash? Read on and I’ll let you know.

From Wikipedia:

Genesis Climber Mospeada is an anime science fiction series created by Shinji Aramaki and Hideki Kakinuma. The 25-episode television series ran from late 1983 to early 1984 in Japan. MOSPEADA stands for Military Operation Soldier Protect Emergency Aviation Dive Auto, one of the transformable motorcycle-armors the series features. The other primary mecha featured in the show is the three-form transformable fighter called the Armo-Fighter AFC-01 Legioss, which is very much similar to the VF-1 Valkyrie variable fighter in The Super Dimension Fortress Macross.

MOSPEADA - Military Operation Soldier Protect Emergency Aviation Dive Auto, is the actual name of the transformable motorcycle-armors the series features and Mega House has released the first of what is soon to be a full series of all the main characters from Genesis Climber Mospeada this particular one is the VR-052F (Stick Type) AKA “Scott Bernard's Cyclone.”

It all comes in a cardboard box decorated with 4 color art and windows on the front so the bike and the figure are both visible. While I really like the general design of the package, they should have used some classic (or at least classic style) line art instead of using an enhanced image of the toy on the front. It would have been a nice nod to the original Gakken release especially with it being the 25th anniversary of Genesis Climber Mospeada.

Included inside the box:

• Bike
• Figure
• 2 heads (1 helmet on, 1 helmet off)
• 3 pairs of hands (3 right, 3 left)
• Targeting Scope
• Beam Weapon
• Instructions
• Display Stand (1flight attachment, 1 standing attachment

A sticker sheet was not included. Apparently there is a sheet of stickers that where given away when you purchased these in-stores in Japan but those of us importing them appear to be out of luck. Not a huge deal as the Stick figure comes with all the appropriate markings you expect but I would have liked to have gotten it anyway.

The Stick figure features over 30 points of articulation, nice range of motion, excellent poseability and the joints feel nice and tight without being too stiff. There is a big gripe here though; while most of the figure is excellent Mega House decided to not add the ability to swivel below the elbows/above the gauntlets, thus you can not rotate the gauntlets to where there supposed to be. It’s not a deal breaker for me but it definitely goes into the “what where they thinking?” category. The toy features no diecast content whatsoever and is all plastic.

Paint detail is very good and I really like the overall “anime” look of the character. Some folks seem to be disappointed that the “toy” doesn’t have more of a real military paint application which is just fine by me as I really dig an animated cartoon and not a real military vehicle. With that said my Scott has what appears to be a worn panel line across the front of the chest, it's as if the bikes where put into the package before the paint was dry.

The piece is nice and solid in bike mode but the wheels are very tight and do not “roll” very easily. Included in the package is also a very subtle kickstand to help hold the bike up in an upright mode and the figure itself does sit on the bike well, its just not in the same way it is in the cartoon. No foot pegs are built in, so you can not put the feet out to the side but you can get the rider to “hug” the bike nicely.

Transformation is finicky; mainly because some of the plastic pieces stick instead of sliding smoothly and pop off when forced. To Mega Houses credit nothing breaks and can easily be popped back on. I should be able to transform my toy without having to chase parts and pieces across the carpet. As a transforming display piece it’s not bad but it’s not going to fufill any toy craving for playability.

The video below is long so it’s only for the most die hard of the curious about the ins and outs of the items. Both Stick and Ley are included.

For all my criticisms of the actual transformation, again in its final ride armor mode it looks good and feels solid. However any real, dynamic poses with this guy are impossible without the included stand mainly because he’s a bit loose in the waist with all the gear on.

The stand is very nice and holds the ride armor up very well, however the included flying stand attachment is kind of a joke; it has no tension whatsoever in the joint that swivels so holding any sort of flying pose is impossible.

As you can see from the review it’s a real mixed bag. The fit, finish and over all look of this Mega House release is excellent in both modes but getting it there and back is a bit of a pain. However if you want a more palpable toy experience I would wait and see what Beagle or Toynami bring us later this year in a larger 1/10 scale vs this 1/15th scale release. All others that like a display piece, I say go for it - just know what your getting before you buy.

Special thanks to Angolz.com for getting this out to me.