Fyana (Uoodo Ver.) is amu st-buy if you have the 1/12 Brutishdog.

Fyana is a character in the series Armored Trooper Votoms. She is a biologically engineered human bred for combat. She is dubbed a PS - a "Perfect Soldier". Early in the series Chirico finds her in stasis and he his imprinted on her psyche - thus entwining the destinies of the two together.

This figure is the companion piece to the 1/12 Chirico figure that Yamato released in 2006. it is in scale with the 1/12 Brutishdog toy and can fit inside of the cockpit.

As far as articulation goes, Fyana is loaded. Lots of great joints and stuff, but at the cost of the smooth lines. Around the pelvis area you can actually see right through the figure if you look at it a certain way. The high-heels make her hard to stand on her own.

Fyana includes a ton of accessories including a swappable "sleeping" face:

Helmet with visor up:

Helmet with visor down:

Other accessories include a gun and several variant hands.

In addition to Fyana and her accessories, Yamato included some new accessories for Chirico Cuvie. In typical Yamato style, they realized a few things could have been done better with Chirico, so they added parts in to make amends.

First off is a new lower torso. This new torso is longer and has an additional joint, making Chirico more poseable.

Another welcome addition are two new heads for Chirico. The first head just gives you a better sculpt with a longer neck. the second head is a revised helmet that features a translucent visor - something the previous figure as lacking. Unfortunately, my toy came with the googles missing. Yay for QC!

So, its cool that they gave the extra parts, but disappointing in that the extra parts had parts missing. Ah well.

This is one of two versions of Fyana released. Both have the same accessories, but one has a pink suit (Uoodo) and the other has a purple suit (Space War).

Out of left field comes a surprising Scopedog variant (or 2 if you count the extra headgear) of an obscure Armored Trooper.

The Strong Bacchus (also called the “Strong Box”) is a custom version of the Scopedog made for the Battling Arena. It’s first and only appearance is in the Uuodo City (1st story arc) Battling Arena.

I’m (pleasantly) surprised to see this Scopedog variant in the 1/12 toy line. It gets very brief screen time and aside from some gashapon there have been no toys produced of this model. Normally we see toy companies throw out simple repaints to make the most from the expensive molds they already have created. That’s partly true in this case, but hey, it’s VOTOMS. That’s what the theme of the show’s mechs is; replaceable military hardware (think modern tanks) rather than signature super mechs (think Gundam).

This Scopedog variant sports more differences in the toy than I even realized existed in the design based on the brief screen time it had. The chest/cockpit is tapered on the sides with no stepping bar on the front.

There are also vents on the side of the chest that differ from the Scopedog. The feet don’t have the usual turn pick either. The forearms are a totally different design. All of this is subtle at first, but if you take a look it’s all rather evident. This attention to detail makes this a must have for any Votoms fan.

The Strong Bacchus is built using the newer design for the Scopedog body with tighter joints, and much better ankles for holding dynamic poses. Like all the 1/12 VOTOMS from Yamato the back pack pegs are present and all accessory packs will work with any of the models.

If all that isn’t enough to make you want this even if you already own the 1/12 Scopedog how about the Purple Bear accessories? The Strong Bacchus also comes with an additional visor and antennae to create the Purple Bear ATM-09-SSC (2 “eyes” visor), another barely seen Scopedog variant from the original TV series. Can a Marshydog be far behind? Now here’s to hoping for a Standing Tortoise body to start those variants rolling in.

News from a Yamato representative states that a Fyana action figure will be available in June (July US), and a generic soldier action figure will be available in August (September US) to warm the seats of all the Armored Trooper variants coming out. There’s also a new accessory pack schedule for September (October US) in the form of a Red Shoulder Custom pack.

No further details yet, but I would imagine this will come with the shoulder mounted missile box, left forearm rifle, and the waist mounted rocket launcher and gatling gun. Now here’s to hoping for a Standing Tortoise body to start those variants rolling in.

Yamato is at it again with another huge Scopedog variant and a news tease.

The Brutishdog is a unique custom version of the Scopedog. It is first seen in the Uuodo City (1st story arc) Battling Arena. It is seen through most of the series, and is the personal mech of Fyana / The Phantom Lady.

The changes made from the basic Scopedog include a gatling gun right arm with Iron Claw (metal bit), dual gliding wheels on the heel, and an ammo back pack with a spring loaded “Pez like” ammo dispenser.

Like all the 1/12 VOTOMS from Yamato the back pack pegs are present and all accessory packs will work with any of the models. The Brutishdog is built using the newer design for the Scopedog body with tighter joints, and much better ankles for holding dynamic poses.

News from a Yamato representative states that a Fyana action figure will be available in June (July US), and a generic soldier action figure will be available in August (September US) to warm the seats of all the Armored Trooper variants coming out. There’s also a new accessory pack schedule for September (October US) in the form of a Red Shoulder Custom pack. No further details yet, but I would imagine this will come with the shoulder mounted missile box, left forearm rifle, and the waist mounted rocket launcher and gatling gun. Now here’s to hoping for a Standing Tortoise body to start those variants rolling in.

This toy is pure mecha goodness. It is made of sturdy diecast and plastic. It’s not one of these fragile expensive display pieces; it is definitely something designed to be played with.

The Revival Dual Model Brutishdog (リバイバル・デュアルモデル　ブルーティッシュドッグ) is a reissue of the original Takara Brutish Dog dual model released in the 80s. It is not a straight reissue though, as Takara has made some improvements over the original toy.

The Brutishdog ATM-09-GC comes from the 1983 animated series Armored Trooper Votoms. In the beginning of the series, Scopedog pilot Chrico Cuvie faces off against a PS (perfect soldier) named Fyana, who she pilots the Brutishdog in a battle against Chirico. While they are pitted against each other in the beginning of the series, their relationship would change drastically as time progresses.

The dual model series is always spoken in the same breath as the Takatoku Valkyries and the Takara Dougram toys – they are the epitome of quality mecha toys from the 80s. For some reason though, I was never really that into VOTOMS, so I had never picked one up. It wasn’t until I saw the Votoms series that I really had any interest in the toys. I saw this RDM Brutishdog on clearance at HLJ so I figured I would give it a shot. I am glad I did.

This toy is pure mecha goodness. It is made of sturdy diecast and plastic. It’s not one of these fragile expensive display pieces; it is definitely something designed to be played with.

Starting at the head, the Brutishdog has an opening cockpit, rotating head, moveable visor and a three position scope. The antenna on the side is soft plastic so it does not break. Inside the cockpit is a seat for the pilot with articulated controls and an opening hatch near the feet. Inside the head there is some communications array detailing that must be assembled.

The arms have a lot of articulation, and feature stiff joints. The shoulders feature small chain links on each side. On the right arm you have a heavy gatling gun that clicks when you move it, and an articulated Iron Claw. You can insert ammunition magazines into the arm, or store them in a slot in the backpack. The left arm has an arm punch feature and you can swap the fist for an open hand.

The legs are reasonably articulated and are actually removable from the body at the hip. This is helpful for when you are applying stickers. The lower legs feature joints that allow the Brutishdog to achieve Down Form. Down Form enables the pilot to easily enter the mecha. The feet have moveable armor that you need to attach. The wheels on the feet are moveable as well.

Also included are small figurines of the pilot Fyana in both standing and sitting positions as well as a Chirico Cuvie figure.

The packaging for this toy is incredible. The box has a full color illustration by the main mecha designer for Votoms, Kunio Ohkawara. The back has photos of the toy with some great engrish descriptions of the toy, with such fantastic phrases as “Extremely Gimmick!”

Inside the box you get a poster, manual, sticker sheet, a box for the accessories and a box for the Brutishdog. Some of the smaller parts come one a sprue and need to be detached and assembled.

While some of the other RDM figures got new accessories, this one got new paint. On the original Dual Model, the knees were unpainted metal. Here, they are painted the proper color.

Some people reported loose joints, and bent antenna on their Brutishdogs, I have had no such problems. Your mileage may vary.

I really like this toy a lot, and I can’t wait to add the other Revival Dual Models to my collection.

Chirico comes in a small generic black box with only a sticker to denote this figure from the other three in the series. The contents of the package includes one orange rubber suited 1/12 action figure with knee and arm pads and wristlets, one spruce of parts, 2x rubber belts, 2x shoulder pads, one rubber hose, a neck collar ring and photocopied instructions.

In 1985 Bandai released a brilliant series of fully poseable, 1/ 12 scale, 30-point articulation futuristic combat action figures called Spiral Zone. The line was only manufactured for a couple of years with only twelve products released in total. Even compared to the highly detailed action figures available today, Spiral Zone figures still hold up very well.

I do speak for many SZ collectors that I would wish Bandai would revive this line again.

So I was pleased to hear in 1999 toy manufacture Yutaka released a new "Spiral Zone" Figure, Chirico Cuvie of Votoms fame. Keeping with the high-end aura of the original SZ figures it retailed for $40.00. As it wasn't a priority I held off buying the figure for a few years until the importer of the line in USA dropped the price to $9.99. Twenty years after I bought my last SZ figure I was about to get another. But how similar are the Bandai SZ figures to the Yutaka figures.

Chirico Cuvie of Votoms fame

Chirico comes in a small generic black box with only a sticker to denote this figure from the other three in the series. The contents of the package includes one orange rubber suited 1/12 action figure with knee and arm pads and wristlets, one spruce of parts, 2x rubber belts, 2x shoulder pads, one rubber hose, a neck collar ring and photocopied instructions.

One item I was disappointed in was the figure's uniform, which was made a sticky orange rubber. Original Bandai SZ figures included one piece clothe suits in their sets. Chirico's rubber suit is molded in four parts: the pants, the shirt and both the left and right arms. Although the rubber suit does looks sharp on Chirico I never like rubber as main feature of toys as over the years it usually easily breaks apart or becomes very sticky and attracts dust. It also takes a bit time to remove the outfit because it sticks to the figure. The three other figures in this line all have cloth outfits why this one was rubber I don't know.

One feature I was happy with is figure comes with his cool helmet and pouch belt kit. But this is where I feel that the designers at Yutaka lost focus. Bandai SZ figures were like small model kits, they came with spruce of armor, belts and gun parts but after one was assembled it can be played with then taken apart to be stored back into the package. Yutaka chooses to have all the belts, oxygen tank, shoulder pads and other small parts glued to the figure's orange rubber outfit. The neck collar ring part badly designed as the hole suit is larger than the neck collar ring. I chose not to glue the parts on and will use a couple rubber bands to keep the Items on for display.

Although I had to go online to correctly assemble Chirico's helmet, it looks great when assembled. To put the helmet on you simply remove the sculpted Chirico head and replace it with the helmet head. His gun looks great and has the typical trigger finger hole on the gun as with all SZ figures. Painting is required for both the helmet and gun.

Another Item I was completely impressed with is the Head sculpt. It's well done and is one of my favorites in both lines and it's great to see such an iconic character such as Chirico as SZ figure. But keep in mind that the Bandai SZ bodies and Yutaka bodies are different. SZ bodies are made from a different type of plastic than the Yutaka figure. Although both have the same features Yutaka figure are more simplified versions of Bandai figures, mostly in the bust area, waist and shoulders. Both have the famous trigger finger and the hands separate at the wrist for "gloved" hands.

Side to side: On the left is the Yutaka SZ type body, On the right is the original 1980's Hyper Boxer Bandai Spiral Zone Figure.

I'm split on this one. I'm just glad I didn't pay $40.00 for it because it's just not a $40.00 quality figure. I wish Yutaka had manufactured the Chirico's equipment differently, with snap on belts and equipment. As is it's a huge design let down. But At $9.99 buying another and gluing the parts on wouldn't be a great loss.

On the positive it's great to see somebody finally revive the line. Chirico Cuvie was a great subject to manufacture. Yamato has released an amazing Chirico figure in the same scale for their Scopedog figure but I really love the Spiral zone charm the Yutaka figure has. It is also a great way to get parts for a broken or missing Bandai SZ figure or use the figure for one of the four Bandai SZ uniform sets that were manufactured in the 1980's. It has been more that a few years since they released any new Yutaka SZ figures but I hope Yutaka continues the line.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVED the first Yamato Scopedog. I still think it is an amazing toy, but there were a few things that could have been done better. Yamato went back to the drawing board and made all kinds of subtle changes to the Scopedog, resulting in what you see here - the far superior Scopedog Ver. 2 Red Shoulder.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVED the first Yamato Scopedog. I still think it is an amazing toy, but there were a few things that could have been done better. The fine folks at Yamato went back to the drawing board and made all kinds of subtle changes to the Scopedog, resulting in what you see here - Scopedog Ver. 2 Red Shoulder. Realizing that just a new version would not sell a lot of these, Yamato has also included a set of clear armor that enables you to show off the inner details of the toy.

Every little annoyance with the Version 1 Scopedog is now fixed. It is Just about PERFECT.

For those of you unfamiliar with VOTOMS, let me explain what a Scopedog is. In the series, wars are fought largely by soldiers wearing armored suits. There are all different kinds of suits depending on what environment you are in. They come in different shapes and sizes, but in the series are only known as ATs or Armored Troopers. The Scopedog is the main AT favored by the Gilgamesh army. There are a few different types of Scopedog in the army, but this particular Scopedog is a Red Shoulder. The Red Shoulders were a particularly deadly fighting group that painted their right shoulder armor red to reflect the bloody acts they committed. The main character of VOTOMS, Chirico Cuvie, was once a Red Shoulder.

The Scopedog features the same range of motion and gimmicks as the first version, so you can read about that here. It is still very articulated, and features the opening cockpit, down-form, and punching fists.

In this review,  I am going to concentrate on what has changed, and why this version is the ultimate Scopedog to date.

The Mold

The toy seems to be the same mold as the first, with a few small changes. First, the green is just a shade darker. Unless you have 2 side by side, you won't notice it. The connection point at the waist has been changed. In the original version, the Scopedog would separate if you turned it a bit at the waist. Now, the tabs that enable the separation are turned 90 degrees, so you can pose the Scopedog without the top and bottom halves separating.

The Head

The head is pretty much the same, but I noticed that the antenna doesn’t fly off when you touch it any more.

The Arms

With Clear Armor

The joints in the arms have been tightened up considerably. They are almost too hard to move. These aren't falling off anytime soon. Well done.

The Legs

Where the legs connect to the hip is a bit tighter, but the legs still do come off. This is a good thing though, as you need to remove the legs to swap the armor with the clear parts. The feet have probably the biggest improvement, as they are very stable. The toes now have detented joints, as opposed to the weak toes in version 1.

Other improvements

In the past, when you separated the top and bottom halves of the Scopedog, a small panel would fall off of the back. This panel now stays in place. Also, the hands seem easier to swap than before.

Clear Armor

Yamato added a great incentive to get this set by including the clear armor. You can swap a considerable portion of the armor plating with a frosted clear version. Most of the arms and leg armor can be replaced easily. The legs do have to be removed to swap the armor on the upper thigh.

Red Shoulder

This is the first official Red Shoulder version released by Yamato to the US market. There was a limited version released to Toys R Us in Japan, but that version did not make it over here. In this case, the Red Shoulder is on the correct shoulder for it to be a member of the Gilgamesh Army Red Shoulder Squadron. The shoulders are removable, so you could put them on either shoulder if you wish. The red here is now a metallic deep red, as opposed to the orange-ish red of the previous version.

Decals

The Scopedog comes with all the decals to make it a Red Shoulder, as well as markings for any number of other Scopedogs. The sticker guide isn't that great, so I looked up images on the net for proper sticker placement. The toy looks so much better with decals applied. I regret not putting stickers on my Version 1.

Weapons

The Scopedog comes with the same rifle as before, and also includes several spare ammo packs and ammo clips. Both the clips and packs can be stored on the Scopedogs waist skirt.

Is it worth it?

Hell yes it is worth it. If you have the previous Scopedog, get this one as well. If you only want one, sell the old one and get this one. It is as good as it gets. Yamato did a fantastic job improving this thing. You won’t be disappointed. It is also worth noting that the upcoming Yamato Space Scopedog and Strong Bracchus should also have these improvements. For more information about VOTOMS, make sure to check out Roger Harkavy’s VOTOMS article in issue 13 of Super7 Magazine.

Yamato blurred the lines with its Chirico figure.

I'd first like to thank Yamato for making what turned out to be a really pleasant surprise that I never knew I wanted. Confused? Then read on.

I'll first tell you that I love the old Takara Votoms mech toys, and the part of my collection that is displayed consists of mainly Japanese robot toys. I made a conscious effort about 18 months ago to pack away certain types of toys. I wanted my collection to look good as a display, and not a random smattering of different genres. So into storage went the Star Wars, superhero, and videogame character toys. Now the shelves are nothing but Japanese robots, and many people have said the display looks much better.

Now you may be wondering "Why is he telling me all this when he should be writing a review of a character toy?". Good question. Here's the answer; Yamato blurred the lines with its Chirico figure. At first I thought I could easily pass on the pilot and just buy the Scopedog. I mean, it is the robots I'm interested in right? True, but the months of pictures before both products came out gave me plenty of time to mull over this conundrum. I eventually came to the conclusion that I'd feel like I "missed out" if I had the Scopedog without Chirico, so I went ahead and ordered it. I got it about a month after the Scopedog, and I have to say, displaying the 'Dog that first day without its pilot just didn't feel right.

From the Yamato Usa website:

A companion piece to the amazing 1/12 scale Scopedog, the Chirico Cuvie action figure is a must have all on its own. Cuvie features an impressive 20 points of articulation, including a special double jointed hip allowing the figure to be seated in the Scopedog's cockpit. Cuvie also comes with a set of 16 accessories including flight helmet, gun and 6 sets of extra hands! Window boxed, Cuvie is sure to gain the notice of action figure collectors and fans of the Armored Troopers Votoms anime!

The box is a nice window box with a bookflap cover. The toy is secured to a plastic tray, held in place by the dreaded twist-ties.

The toy stands about 5.25" tall and is made out of a soft plastic, the same stuff as most Kaiyodo figures. It's insanely poseable, but initially freeing up the joints can be a harrowing experience. You feel like you're going to break it, but once the stuck joint frees, it's fine. This was only a real problem with the legs and the double joint system. Chirico has a swappable head - you can switch from normal head to helmet with breather mechanism. His gun can also fit in to a holster on the belt. Parts swap with ease.

Finally when Chirico arrived I first took photos of him in different poses with different hands, and other options. The magic then happened the first time I put him in the cockpit. I knew I had made the right choice. Chirico made the Scopedog come alive, and I can't recommend enough that you pick one up if you already have a 'Dog sans pilot. Those of you that have beheld the magic first hand know what I'm talking about. Months of magazine and internet pictures can't compare to seeing this in person.

Now, going back to the first paragraph and knowing that my (displayed) collection consists of only Japanese robots, I'd say I'd even buy this figure to display alone.

The full name of this toy is the ATM-09-ST Scopedog, from the series Armored Trooper Votoms. It's about 12" inches tall, 2.5 pounds, and is jam-packed full of features.

But first let me tell you about what this particular Scopedog is, and how I came to possess it. The normal production Scopedog does not have the red shoulder shown here. Yamato released a series of Red Shoulder Scopedogs for sale at Toys R Us in Japan. However, that version had the red shoulder on the right side, where this toy has it on the left side. So, what's the story? Well, when we visited Yamato USA's showroom for the New York Toy Fair in 2005, they gave us these Scopedogs as gifts. These are apparently production samples: Red Shoulder versions in the normal box, and there were only 12 produced like this. Why is the red shoulder on the opposite side? Roger Harkavy explains:

In the show, the Red Shoulder Squadron are the elite corps of the Gilgameth army, the baddest of the bad. They paint the right shoulder of their Armored Troopers red to signify the bloody missions they're sent on.

Chirico Cuvie is an ex-Red Shoulder, and in the initial episodes of the TV series he's trying to lay low in a town called Uuodo. He hooks up with a group of rogues who find out about his AT pilot background and push him into Battling, an arena sport where ATs fight each other for big bucks.

While preparing for one battle, Vanilla, one of the rogues, paints the left shoulder of Chirico's Scopedog red, saying something like, "If they think you're a Red Shoulder, you'll really freak them out!" Chirico responds to the effect of, "Well, it's the wrong shade of red, and it's supposed to be the _right_ shoulder." This shocks the group, and they start to realize that there's a lot more to Chirico than they assumed.

So right = correct, left = wrong. If you're representing a true Red Shoulder, the right shoulder needs to be red, however if you're depicting the one that Vanilla was dressing up to impress, you need to make the same mistake he did and paint the left shoulder red.

I should note that the shoulder is just a regular version painted red, and can be popped off and put onto the other arm. Other than that, there's no real difference between this Scopedog and and the regular version.

Now onto the review.

The first thing you notice about the 'dog is its size - its enormous. It towers over any previous Votoms toy, and makes your SOC?s look like babies. It's fully poseable, and each joint clicks as you put it into a pose.

The Head

The head can be removed, and the visor raised. The scope can rotate and swivel along the visor. Be aware that the small caps on the side of the head often shake loose during shipping. With the visor raised, you can see the pilot inside (sold separately)

The Body

The cockpit of the Scopedog is really amazing. You access the cockpit by lifting up on the head assembly. Two hydraulic shafts hold it open for you, but be careful not to overextend these shafts or the metal pins slide out. Don't worry; these are easy to put back in. There is also a second door where the feet rest that opens. The cockpit itself is fully detailed, and ready for Chirico Cuvie to jump right in. The steering assembly moves back and forth with a fluid motion. The back of the body has 2 connection points for future armor packs, as well as a removable lower panel that reveals inner mechanisms. The waist joint swivels 360 degrees, but be careful - There are tabs at the 45 degree point that allow the chest and waist to separate! If you are not aware of them, you could unexpectedly loose your lower half during play. The waist features moveable skirt panels, and the side panels allow for interchangeable weapon packs. You can have magazine clip holders with removable clips or ammunition packs on.

The Arms

The arms are as articulated as you want them to be. The biceps feature removable panels, although there is no detailing beneath them. The forearms feature a spring action that you activate by placing one of the ammo clips into a hole in the arm. You can change between 2 different sets of fists, although replacing them isn't easy. I'd recommend removing the entire arm from the body before changing them, because the shoulder joint cannot hold the weight of the toy. The figure will come crashing to the floor, leaving you holding the arm. I learned the hard way. The trigger finger is removable for easy weapon mounting.

The Legs

The legs are secured to the body by a die cast connection joint - the most significant piece of metal in the toy. The legs will come off if you try an extreme pose, but I'd rather they come off than break off. The upper and lower legs feature removable panels with mechanical detail inside. On the side of the feet are spike assemblies that can lower to replicate the mechanism used to anchor the Scopedog into the ground when firing a heavy weapon. These assemblies are removable as well. The foot is jointed in several places, and has wheels on the bottom. The legs also contain a mechanism to create a "down mode", where the Scopedog's cockpit becomes flush with the ground.

The Gun

The Scopedog's main weapon is its GAT-22 rifle, which is a great toy on its own. It separates into three sections: Butt, body and barrel, and features a three position trigger switch and a moveable handle. The ammo packs that are stored on the hip can be stored on the gun as well.

The Rest

The box is enormous, and features a cover flap that opens to reveal a window that shows the toy in all its glory. It features a full color manual with original line art by the designer, Kunio Ohkawara, as well as a sticker sheet.

Is it worth it?

Hell yes. When I first saw the Scopedog, I was under whelmed by the apparent lack of detail. But the pictures on the web did not do it justice. Once I saw it in person, it won me over. The toy is detailed for sure, but most of the detail is molded in. Every rivet and latch from the original line art is represented. You will have hours of fun just exploring it, finding something new each time. If I were to complain about anything, is that the toy is a little floppy. You really have to find a level surface, or do something to reinforce the joints, because unless it is posed just right, it's going to fall over. I've heard mixed reports of some Scopedogs having this problem, and others not. It doesn't really affect my enjoyment of the toy much. I would have also liked to have seen sturdier shoulder and hip joints, so that the arms and legs don't come off as easily. But like I said before, I'd rather they fall off than break off. I'd recommend it to any mecha fan, or anyone who is a fan of a great toy. The price is a bit discouraging at first, but trust me, it's worth every penny.

The full name of this toy is "ATM-09-ST Red Shoulder Custom SCOPEDOG (Damage Type)". It also comes in a normal, un-damaged version.

The description, courtesy of Diamond Comics:

"Armored Trooper: Votoms follows Chirico Cuvie, an elite warrior caught up in a centuries-spanning conflict of mechanized warfare. Hounded by a shadowy Secret Society driven to create the perfect killer, he seeks only to answer the riddle of his past, and the outcome of his ultimate Destiny.

Much like Kaiyodo's popular Fist of the North Star figure line, this Scopedog toy, intricately sculpted by veteran designer Katsuhisa Yamaguchi, measures a full 5" in height and is available in Regular or Battle-Damaged variants, each boasting incredible articulation for a multitude of action poses. Offered in its original Japanese blister card packaging, this figure includes additional features as extra hands, various weapons, and a sleek display stand. Available in February, 2002."

The Votoms Scopedog is a piloted mechanical suit. There was no pilot included with this set. What you do get is a bazooka, rifle, ammo packs, variant hands, and a stand. The package is beautiful, and re-sealable. If Kaiyodo spent as much on their toys as they do on the packaging, this would be a quality product. But Kaiyodo lets us down again. The articulation is limited to the poses THEY want you to do. The toy just can't stand up without looking strange. If you try to get him into one of the poses on the box, pieces start falling off. The peg on the base is too small to fit into the hole in Scopedog's foot.

The toy is made of PCV and hard ABS plastic, with metal content in the joints, and in the springs on the leg flaps.