Mecha Baltan

Mecha Baltan comes from the 1983 series "Ultra Super Legend: Andro Melos". While not technically an ultra-series, it did feature an a host of re-imagined Ultra Kaiju as villains, and cameo appearances from Ultraseven and Zoffy. So it kind of is an ultra show, kind of isn't. It got its start in Terebi-kun and later got a series of live action vignettes.

The toy is your typical ultra-kaiju toy. Soft vinyl, about 16cm tall, with limited poseability. In addition to the shoulders and waist, the arms can rotate at the forearms.

One thing worth noting is that this figure is molded in metallic vinyl, with metallic paint, making for a beautiful figure.

There was a time in Super Sentai where six components was a rare thing to see- something that only appeared on special occasions, and usually only in the latter half of a series since it was the most powerful of combinations; supplanted only by super-rare seven-component gattai. But nowadays, you see these limb-swapping-friendly six-part gattai at the drop of a hat- this one only ten episodes in.

Video review included!

In one of the eleven dimensions, Machine World is a planet populated by Engines- giant sentient living machines with individual personalities and capabilities. They succeed in driving the destructive Ban KiZoku Gaiarc clan off their world during one of their largest planet-wide races. Unfortunately, the Gaiarc decide to move on into the dimension where Earth is since it seems to be an easier target for them to conquer in order to turn it into the ideal world of unchecked pollution and waste which they favor. Several Engines cross the dimensional barrier to pursue them, but they will begin to suffer fatal rusting if they exist in the atmosphere of the Human World for more than ten minutes at a time! To protect against this, they separate themselves into two halves- inanimate Engine Casts which are smaller versions of their physical bodies, and Engine Souls which contain their life energy and personality. Therefore, they and their smaller rust-resistant assistant Bomper chose five young humans to fight the Gaiarc in their place, and restore them to their larger forms whenever they are needed. Together they form the Flame-god Taskforce Go-On Rangers!

Sets required for this combination:

DX Engine Gattai Engine-Oh

Engine Gattai Series #1- Engine Birca

Engine Gattai Series #2- Engine Gunpherd

Engine Gattai Series #3- Engine Carrigator

See the Engine-Oh G6's debut on YouTube here!

For some time now since the Go-Onger gained an ally in the powerful and legendary Engine Carrigator, the intelligent and resourceful Ren (Go-On Blue) has become aware that Gaiarc may soon be sending more powerful Banki monsters against them. To counteract this, he begins to work with Bomper secretly in their off-time to modify the six Engines. Meanwhile, in Grand Prix 10- “Starting Alright”, the Gaiarc Ministers had use of information sent to them by the former Lens Banki regarding all of the Go-Onger’s known attacks and weapons. And so they collaborate together to create the special hybrid-pollution Kagami Banki, which can both mirror and repel all of their attacks. By the time the mirror-inspired Kagami Banki first attacks, Ren has already completed modifications to Speedor, Buson, and Bear RV, but needs Hanto (Go-On Green) and Gunpei (Go-On Black) to help him accelerate the modifications to the other three Engines. In the meantime, Engine-Oh (with only Go-On Red and Yellow piloting) will engage Kagami Banki even though he can match them move for move. With time approaching the ten-minute mark when Engine-Oh will begin to fatally rust and need to separate, the other three Go-Onger, Birca, Gunpherd, and Carrigator arrive to lighten the load. Then using Carrigator’s special ability to combine, the six Engines merge together to form Engine-Oh G6.

G6 Formation! Engine Gattai!

Though surprised that his current knowledge of their attacks isn’t working here, Kagami Banki tries to copy this new formation, but Engine-Oh G6 shatters the replicating mirror on the monster’s chest, rendering him defenseless. Together in their shared cockpit for the first time inside the head, the Go-Onger change their control columns into Handle Blasters, insert new Blaster Souls into them, and then use the combined power of all six Engines to destroy Kagami Banki with the G6 Grand Prix.

“Engine-Oh G6: Tune up!”

Engine–Oh G6 (back) is the first super combination in “Go-Onger”, massing six Engines at once. There was a time in Super Sentai where six components was a rare thing to see- something that only appeared on special occasions, and usually only in the latter half of a series since it was the most powerful of combinations; supplanted only by super-rare seven-component gattai. But nowadays, you see these limb-swapping-friendly six-part gattai at the drop of a hat- this one only ten episodes in. But I digress... As I mentioned in an earlier review, we didn’t seen Birca and Gunpherd in the same Engine-Oh combination until now. (Yeah, you can combine them in toy form, but they haven’t done it yet in the series; supposedly Carrigator’s presence in this combo allows this.) Both shoulders are in their Engine busou form now so that Birca and Gunpherd can attach at the same time. A new face for Engine-Oh G6 appears in the form of a broad mask, with four new gold-painted exhaust pipes on either side- the same part is used for Engine Gattai Gunbir-Oh ’s helmet. The biggest change, however, are the huge, long feet, composed of the two halves of Carrigator. The use of the clips on the bottom of the DX Engine Gattai Engine-Oh’s feet now becomes apparent, as does the reason why the panels on Carrigator’s back open up. Recall that I mentioned a very small wheel under Carrigator that didn’t seem to serve any use? Here it and a fold-over clip on the other foot form a pair of small heels, but they are there just to prevent Engine-Oh G6 from rolling all over the place with those 15 wheels under there. The only other thing I can point out is that the V Shield is removed from Engine-Oh G6’s back; why, I don’t know since it’s not in the way. (The Go-On Sword remains stored in the left leg.)

Poseability is in the shoulders and those twisting elbow joints that I gush over so much; nothing better than what Engine-Oh usually has. Of course, since Engine-Oh’s head can’t turn, Engine-Oh G6’s head can’t either. Oh, and Carrigator’s head can still open and close. And, of course, all six Engine Souls and their activations buttons can still be accessed.

Ehh... not much to add here. I know the DX Engine line of toys is supposed to be simple, but this seems to push it. It’s just another limb-swap. My biggest problem is with those huge, Sideshow Bob-inspired feet. In the show, obviously, they have to be shorter for the guy in the stunt suit to walk around in, but it’s just plain ridiculous here! I suppose rolling around on skates is supposed to be a feature, but I don’t find it all that interesting. I think that Carrigator could have been redesigned to somehow wrap around Engine-Oh’s legs as bit while preserving his head from being hidden or disassembled. I obviously can’t say go out and get the Engine Gattai Engine-Oh G6 because all of its parts are sold separately, but I think that the separate components and their different combinations are better than this. Like I said with the Engine-Oh, it doesn’t drop the 32-year-old Super Sentai mecha bar, but this combination doesn’t raise it much, if at all, either.

Though Gunbir-Oh displays no particularly abilities greater than those of Engine-Oh, its weapons are more aggressive, and it allows a second Engine gattai to take the battlefield at the same time.

Video review included!

In one of the eleven dimensions, Machine World is a planet populated by Engines- giant sentient living machines with individual personalities and capabilities. They succeed in driving the destructive Ban KiZoku Gaiarc clan off their world during one of their largest planet-wide races. Unfortunately, the Gaiarc decide to move on into the dimension where Earth is since it seems to be an easier target for them to conquer in order to turn it into the ideal world of unchecked pollution and waste which they favor. Several Engines cross the dimensional barrier to pursue them, but they will begin to suffer fatal rusting if they exist in the atmosphere of the Human World for more than ten minutes at a time! To protect against this, they separate themselves into two halves- inanimate Engine Casts which are smaller versions of their physical bodies, and Engine Souls which contain their life energy and personality. Therefore, they and their smaller rust-resistant assistant Bomper chose five young humans to fight the Gaiarc in their place, and restore them to their larger forms whenever they are needed. Together they form the Flame-god Taskforce Go-On Rangers!

Sets required for this combination:

Engine Gattai Series #1- Engine Birca

Engine Gattai Series #2- Engine Gunpherd

Engine Gattai Series #3- Engine Carrigator

See the Gunbir-Oh's debut on YouTube here!

In Grand Prix 07- “Partner Amigo”, Bombe Banki has grown to giant size, and just shot Engine-Oh with a powerful beam which is rapidly rusting the Engines! As he closes on the three helpless Go-Onger and their decaying Engine Casts, the newly-arrived Gian race Engine Carrigator arrives after making friends with Go-On Green and Black, with their own Engines Birca and Gunpherd riding atop his back. The three split up and engage a swarm of Bandou Moth fighters. Quickly defeating the massed grasshopper-like mecha, Go-On Black is impressed at what a powerful ally Carrigator is turning out to be.

[Carrigator]- “It is time to become one!”
[Birca]- “It can’t be… we can be like Speedor-tachi?”
[Gunpherd]- “Can we combine?”
[Carrigator]- “We can!”
[Birca]- “Speaking of which, I learned this in school, al dente... Long ago, it was said the Gian race had the ability to combine with all Engines.”
[Go-On Green]- “Let’s try it!”
[Go-On Black]- “Carrigator, show me your soul!”

Engine Gattai!

Though Gunbir-Oh displays no particularly abilities greater than those of Engine-Oh, its weapons are more aggressive, and it allows a second Engine gattai to take the battlefield at the same time. It now uses two Engines on its arms, allowing it access to both the Gunpherd Gun and Bircutter Slash attacks, in addition to the new Bircutter Storm typhoon-like attack. The only downside may be that it cannot grip anything, but using its left arm allows it to deflect bladed weapons and then dish out its own cuts. And for its finisher, it has the energized Gunbir Grand Prix- the left and right arms slash, followed by the chest lifting up and then all three Engine’s energetic souls shoot out at the same time to demolish the target.

Gunbir-Oh: Tune Up!

Engine Gattai Gunbir-Oh (back) has unusual features, though not nearly as wacky as the DX Engine Gattai Engine-Oh first presented. The head is similar in that it has gold[-painted] exhaust pipes for its crown, but then has red eyes with a more traditional blank silver mouth plate. However, Carrigator’s front set of six wheels rest on either side of his head; even though it cannot turn. His torso is a rectangular block, and is accented by having Carrigator’s head cover the whole front side; a small gold-painted “V” sitting on top of the chest. (I don’t know why that “V” is there, but it reminds me a bit of the one on Engine-Oh’s V Shield for some reason...) Surprisingly for a combo mecha this big, the shoulders are rather plain small orange-and-black rectangular blocks. Engines Gunpherd and Birca- the right and left arms, respectively- are in their Engine Busou forms identical to when they form Engine-Oh Gunpherd and Engine-Oh Birca. The legs are where things get interesting. As opposed to more mecha-like boots, a different approach was made, and they have something of a three-point high heel foot, taking up more than half of the lower legs! Very different. (I don’t know why it has those painted green stripes along the front of each foot.)

This time, also unlike Engine-Oh, you can look at it from different angles without groaning about the Gunbir-Oh only looking good from one angle.

. . .

As far as weapons go, you don’t have any hand-held weapons to deal with. Instead, you have Gunpherd and Birca which you can use the same as you always do with Engine-Oh; which means that you get to keep those great elbow-twisting joints. As to Gunbir-Oh’s range of motion, it brings a few nice changes to the table. During the process of changing it, you suddenly realize that this toy has very versatile shoulder joints. Not only do you get the standard 45°-increments forward & backwards, but you can actually make the arms snap out 45°- and 90°-increments as well! Adding in the two rotating elbow joints and you can get those arms into some very dynamic poses [for a DX Super Sentai mecha]! Now, unfortunately, if you want to recreate the Gunbir Grand Prix finisher, you’re kinda on your own for this- while Carrigator’s head can pivot up freely, it doesn’t snap to the 90° position that it does in the series, so you have to hold it up. The legs do not move, and snap into those slightly-angled positions while changing Gunbir-Oh.

All three Engines Souls are still fully accessible in this form as far as their activation buttons go. However, inserting or removing them while it is transformed like this is in no way easy. Since Carrigator’s is in his mouth, and that is pointed downwards here, if you open him up the cartridge just dumps onto the floor. And with Gunpherd and Birca, you have to disconnect them since their access doors also are also their elbow connection joints. Ironically, Carrigator’s is the only one of the three where you can still see its bright red LED light when it activates in this form; it shines out through Gunbir-Oh’s chest/Carrigator’s head.

I’ve already given my recommendations and opinions on the three individual Engines, so I’ll not rehash that here. Though the lower legs have those three-point feet which seem rather out-of-place on a Super Sentai mecha, it does give the mecha an interesting if misplaced appearance. The combination of the colors & decorations used across the three Engines is sufficient, though I kinda disagree with Gunpherd being all black which kinda makes you not notice him as easily in the gattai. If I sung praises about the elbow joints on Birca and Gunpherd, I am absolutely thrilled with the shoulders on this guy! You heard it here first: “I couldn’t have asked for anything better” regarding their simple design and yet amazing functionality. Could the head have been able to turn side-to-side? I don’t see why not. I actually find fewer problems with this combination than I do the Engine-Oh as far as overall shape, functionality, and transformation. It’s not quite as simple as its predecessor either, so that was a bonus point there. And it looks a bit more coherent than a totem pole-arrangement of the Engines’ faces too. If only Gunpherd had had a little more functionality to his transformation, or an additional feature of some kind… But, separate from my opinions of its separate components, the Engine Gattai Gunbir-Oh is definitely worth shooting for!

. . .

…but hold on a moment-! Carrigator has one last role to fulfill before I’m done with him.

In Grand Prix 09, just moments before he expires, the teleporting camera-themed Lens Banki transmits photos of his battle between Gunbir-Oh and the revitalized Engine-Oh to the Gaiarc ministers, revealing all of the techniques used against him before his destruction. With this insight, the ministers cooperate in Grand Prix 10 to create a special monster that is a hybrid of all three of their specialties- polluted earth, water, and air- a mirror monster called Kagami Banki which can replicate and counter any attack used by the Go-Onger. Knowing since they were joined by Carrigator that more-powerful enemies would come soon, Ren begins to work with Bomper to modify the Engines…

Engine Gattai Series #3- Engine Carrigator is the final component required to make a new combination which also utilizes all four DX sets released thus far. And so, go on to the final page to read the review on the Engine Gattai Engine-Oh G6!

Carrigator has the persona of a samurai or higher-class citizen, but has the intentionally-exaggerated, -melodic, and well-recognized speech patterns of classic Japanese kabuki theater, so he ends up with quite an accent whenever he speaks.

Video review included!

This toy appears courtesy from HobbyLink Japan.

Three 1.5 volt (LR44) batteries are required to operate electronic light-&-sound feature within the Engine Soul, and should be replaced by a responsible adult.

Adequate batteries have already been installed in the Engine Soul by the manufacturer and do not need to be immediately replaced. However, to activate the feature, you must first manually remove the small white tag from the back of the cartridge before it can work; this is a one-time issue. Nothing other than the Engine Soul on this toy requires batteries.

In one of the eleven dimensions, Machine World is a planet populated by Engines- giant sentient living machines with individual personalities and capabilities. They succeed in driving the destructive Ban KiZoku Gaiarc clan off their world during one of their largest planet-wide races. Unfortunately, the Gaiarc decide to move on into the dimension where Earth is since it seems to be an easier target for them to conquer in order to turn it into the ideal world of unchecked pollution and waste which they favor. Three Engines cross the dimensional barrier to pursue them, but they will begin to suffer fatal rusting if they exist in the atmosphere of the Human World for more than ten minutes at a time! To protect against this, they separate themselves into two halves- inanimate Engine Casts which are smaller versions of their physical bodies, and Engine Souls which contain their life energy and personality. Therefore, they and their smaller rust-resistant assistant Bomper chose three young humans to fight the Gaiarc in their place, and restore them to their larger forms whenever they are needed. Together they form the Flame-god Taskforce Go-On Rangers!

. . .

Bomper was helping the five Go-Onger track down two underground signals appearing to have Gaiarc signatures. As they entered the vicinity of the famous Tokyo Tower, they see it suddenly rust and collapse! Springing into action to rescue injured bystanders, they surmise that even for a new building like the Tower to suddenly rust like this is quite improbable because of its modern construction techniques and materials; the Gaiarc creatures- which have now split apart from each other- must have done it. Gunpei (Go-On Black) and Hanto (Go-On Green) go south, while Sousuke (Go-On Red), Renn (Go-On Blue), and Saki (Go-On Yellow) go north. As the former two reach the quiet lake, Hanto jokes about a monster being under the water and throws a stone in. Ironically, he is right- a giant orange and black monster does suddenly raise up out of the lake! Surprised that the creature is already giant, they call for the Engine Attaché Case containing their Engine Casts, Birca and Gunpherd. As the two Engines engage the monster, the other three Go-Onger find the other Gaiarc monster- the gas cylinder-themed Bombe Banki- and challenge him. As Go-On Green and Go-On Black fight, it is revealed that their own opponent is actually a giant Engine from the mythical Gian Clan, Carrigator! The orange-and-black Engine quickly overpowers both Gunpherd and Birca, and then demands to know why they attacked him. They try to apologize for mistaking him for a Gaiarc monster, but he defends his honor. Seeing the other two Engines as weak for allowing humans inside them, Carrigator begins to recognize a special power within them which he seems to lack despite his own strength and endurance. He decides that he wants a part of this special power and aligns himself with them, giving his Engine Soul to Go-On Black.

Engine Number 6 – Carrigator (back) While he does not have a dedicated human partner like the previous five do, his Engine Soul and Engine Cast are protected by Gunpei Ishihara (Go-On Black). He is represented as a combination of a long nose semi-truck car carrier and an alligator. He is an honorable and prideful Engine, recognizing how Gunpherd and Birca were able to accept humans inside of them in order to gain power. But Carrigator is also a rather simple-minded Engine- not immediately identifying himself to the Go-Onger or recognizing them by saying that he was pursuing Bombe Banki underground as opposed to aiding him; and thus the Gaiarc ministers were able to indirectly use him to distract the Go-Onger from their real plans. But his physical strength and powerful jaws are weapons not to be underestimated, as is his ability to carry other Engines on his back over long distances. As a life form from Machine World, he ends most of his sentences with the last two syllables of his name, “Geh-ta geh-ta!” Carrigator- as a member of the mysterious Gian Clan- can initiate powerful combinations on his own, and so he serves as the head, torso, and legs of the Engine Gattai Gunbir-Oh.

Now, unlike both Engine Birca and Engine Gunpherd, here is an Engine that fits in with the vehicles-merged-with-animals theme of the series! His entire body is by far the largest one seen yet (15in / approx. 38cm), almost twice as long as Engine Buson from the DX Engine Gattai Engine-Oh! His head is quite long and flat, but along the top there are the ridges, snout, and eyes of an alligator; all cleverly incorporated into the appearance of a semi-truck. (See the little green windshield on top between his eyes?) However, the animal motif does not end entirely with the head- aside from his length, a pair of painted orange stripes runs in a crocked fashion across both sides like very poorly-implied scales, culminating in the stylized orange “6” on the back end. Even the back ramp- usually seen extended- is stored in a lowered position as part of his ‘tail’ end. Along the top of his whole body are various segmented panels, which represent the raised grating deck of a real car carrier trailer.

Aside from putting the provided Engine Soul into him (see below), Carrigator rolls about quite well with his 14 small black wheels. (There actually an even smaller wheel mid-body underneath where Gunbir-Oh’s helmet is stored. Why, I don’t know; it strikes me as unnecessary.) Additionally, Carrigator’s entire head can freely twist about 45° to either side! But if you don’t want to mess with his head turning, you can push backwards on it about 1.6cm to lock it in place; a function of later transformations. As mentioned earlier, Carrigator- just like in the series- can haul around Birca and Gunpherd on his back. They just sit loosely on the platforms i.e. don’t turn them over or they fall off. According to the instructions, all five of the smaller separately-sold Chogokin Engine vehicles (think Hot Wheels™-sized die-cast versions of the first five Engines, none of which I will be covering) can also sit loosely at the same time on Carrigator’s orange platforms since they are each at least half the size of the smallest DX Engine, Bear RV.

In addition to future accessory DX Engine sets, the common ‘collecting’ gimmick is the battery-powered Engine Soul cartridge. These serve as a replacement in all of the toys for a dedicated light-and-sound effect. Each Engine Soul shares an identical shape (2½” x 1¾” x 9/16”, or 2.57cm x 4.5cm x 1.5cm), has a single bright red LED light (which can project over 6ft / 2m in a dark room!), a large decal which identifies it, and they all have some generic sounds. Because of this, any Engine Soul (or Change Soul, which I won’t get into here) can be fitted into any properly-fitted toy that can accept one. But, the gimmick is that each Engine Soul has a unique set of sound effects...

The Engine Gattai Series #3 set comes with Carrigator’s Engine Soul. It is uniquely identified by its orange ABS casing, the stylized “6”, and the phrases “ES” & “06” on the front decal. While each of the Engines in the “Go-Onger” line can accept an Engine Soul, only Carrigator’s is provided; however, it will work equally in all of them since, again, all Engine Soul cartridges are the same size. The storage compartment is located in his mouth. To access it, simply lift the top of his head up, and stick it in. (Opening Carrigator’s mouth actually reveals some additional techy details inside right on top of the Engine Soul compartment, such as implied teeth and a long narrow tongue!) The bright red LED light from the Engine Soul shines through a hole in the top of Carrigator’s head, just in front of the green cockpit windscreen.

Carrigator’s Engine Soul has four unique effects- all performed by the same seiyu from the series, Ky?sei Tsukui. (He returns for a fifth time to Super Sentai here, but is best known for more-numerous anime and OVA performances, and he also did a one-time voice in 2007’s “Kamen Rider Den-O”.) He says, in Japanese:

• Oh, Carr-ee-geh-ta!
• Geh-ta geh-ta
• Pardon me for biting [“Kamitsuki gomen”]
• Unlimited strength [“Goriki museigen”]

Carrigator has the persona of a samurai or higher-class citizen, but has the intentionally-exaggerated, -melodic, and well-recognized speech patterns of classic Japanese kabuki theater, so he ends up with quite an accent whenever he speaks.

The phrases will always play in that order, each preceded by the same sound of a diesel engine running followed by hydraulic brakes hissing. Now, if you place Carrigator’s Engine Soul into any other DX Engine set, it’ll say the same things, but it’ll obviously be inaccurate since that’s not the right Engine for it to go with.

Like Birca and Gunpherd before him, access to Carrigator’s alternate/generic sound effects can be accessed in both his regular mode and transformed mode:

• Oh, Go-On!
• Geh-ta geh-ta

This time, however, instead of a diesel engine rumbling, you hear the sound of metal clash twice followed closely by muffled glass shattering first. But it is still Carrigator speaking.

As with Birca and Gunpherd, if you press both of Carrigator's sound-activating buttons at the same time, most of these phrases will be repeated (though now preceded by the crackle of a radio), and a single new phrase will also sound which can only be found in this way:

• What a coincidence that we meet here, my enemy. Be prepared for the end of your life here. [“Kokodeattga Hyakunenme”] (a line from a classic poem)

(I found the translations for the three long phrases in, ironically, another review, so I’m completely dependent on what they said he says; if they’re wrong, please let me know immediately so I can remove them. And you can certainly help me by watching the video review below!)

The activation buttons for Carrigator are the small black fuel tanks on either side of his head directly below his eyes

The Power Rangers’ version of Engine Carrigator has not appeared yet, so comparisons are impossible. If I were to take a shot in the dark, I’d say the front- and back-most orange lines on his body are left the plain black plastic, the green lines along his ‘tail’ are also left un-painted, the silver lines under both platforms are removed, and the black Go-Onger logo from his nose. I’d also venture that all Engine Soul cartridges (whatever those will be called) will be either modified to have fewer-or-no electronics, or completely eliminated from the line. There’s no PVC or die-cast metal, so that’s not a problem. (No metal in a car-shaped vehicle? Who’d‘ve thunk it?) I doubt any plastic coloring will be changed, but there may be very minor paint changes.

As a stand-alone, this set is rather fun. The personality expressed in the series by the character certainly carries over into the toy. And it is a good blend of car carrier and alligator; it may not have feet & legs, but the flattened appearance of the body, and clever merging of the control cabin and his animal head are good enough for me. I also really like that you can turn the cab/head side-to-side as opposed to having it fixed-forward. One odd thing that struck me, though, is that Engine Soul compartment- if you open his mouth to imitate him talking, the Engine Soul pops out and presses back in each time, triggering the activation sound. I think a small latch of some kind could have been used here so that you didn’t have to worry about that. I would also have liked some sort of clip mechanism to keep Birca and Gunpherd fixed to his back as opposed to slipping side-to-side so easily; they just sit on thin ridges, and their underbellies rest on top of the platform rotation joints. But, that the two smaller Engines can even fit on there is really awesome. Even if it weren’t for its combining capabilities, I would still recommend getting Engine Carrigator.

. . .

…but wait-! The story’s not over yet!

The Gaiarc ministers’ original plan was to rust the Engines using Bombe Banki so that they (and thus the Go-Onger) would become powerless. Unfortunately, Carrigator got in the way and started chasing him down through the underground tunnels. With Birca and Gunpherd distracted by the proud and ignorant Gian Clan Engine, Bombe Banki grew to giant size, and Engine-Oh was summoned. Though Bombe Banki wasn’t a particularly brave Gaiarc monster, he could still instantly rust things. Faking running away, he suddenly turned and shot a red beam at Engine-Oh. Rust quickly covered the three Engines, and they broke apart and shrank back down to injured Engine Casts! With Sousuke, Ren, and Saki cradling their disabled partners’ Casts in their hands, Bombe Banki closed distance…

But then they all turn, hearing a rumbling growing closer...

Engine Gattai Series #3- Engine Carrigator is the final component required to make a new combination which also utilized both Engine Birca and Engine Gunpherd. And so, please proceed to the next page to read the review on the Engine Gattai Gunbir-Oh!

The look of Kamen Rider ZO foreshadows the popular SIC line that would come many years later.

Kamen Rider ZO (仮面ライダーＺＯ) comse from the less-popular movie of the same name, 1993's Kamen Rider ZO. There just doesn't seem to be a lot of love for this rider, as evidenced by the overall lack of merchandise and it's low-key place in the rider panthenon. The rider has a grasshopper-like appearance, looking more insectoid overall than some of the previous riders.

The look of Kamen Rider ZO foreshadows the popular SIC line that would come many years later.

This toy is your typical Rider Hero series vinyl. Its about 6" tall, and features articulation at the arms and waist. Originally this figure would have come window boxed, but sadly, the box was thrown away years ago by some young Japanese child.

King Saurus's full name literally translates to "Ancient monster meteor kick zaurus King III"

King Saurus the third (or III)(キングザウルス三世) is an Ultra Kaiju - meaning he is a Kaiju (monster) from the Ultraman series of TV shows. In particular, King Saurus is first seen in the 1971 series "Return of Ultraman" (帰ってきたウルトラマン).

King Zaurus's full name literally translates to "Ancient monster meteor kick zaurus King III" (古代怪獣キングザウルス三世). He first appeared in Episode 4 of Return of Ultraman, dated 1971/4/23.

There have been many reissues of this toy over the years. This first release came out in 1989, followed by 1991, 1995 and 1998, Reisses can be marked by different colored vinyl. The original is in grey, followed by a purple-ish release.

As a special bonus...

I tried to find video of King Saurus III in action, but instead i came across this.

Daicon Film's Return of Ultraman, from 1983, an Ultraman parody film written/directed/starring Hidaeki Anno (you know, that Evangelion guy). It's pure otaku goodness. Long, but worth it.

This is going to be one of those reviews that isn't so much of a review, rather a placeholder to say that this toy exists.

This is going to be one of those reviews that isn't so much of a review, rather a placeholder to say that this toy exists. I got this toy in a big box of toys that had been obviously played with by a Japanese kid sometime in the early 90s. With each piece there is kind of a feeling of history - these were toys that a child played with - possibly loved.

Kamen Rider BLACK RX (仮面ライダーＢＬＡＣＫ　ＲＸ) comes from the show of the same name, which aired on Japanese television from 1988 - 1989. The notable thing about this show, as far as the US is concerned, is that SABAN imported this series as Masked Rider in the USA. Unfortunately, the show was a flop.

This is just one in a series of low-cost toys bandai issues in the Rider Hero series. Each toy has similar packaging and proportions, making for a nice collection if you get a lot of them. Articulation is limited to the shoulders and waist.

This toy obviously has a lot of play wear, and the antenna are broken off, but that's the price you pay for play.

The first Kaiju of Bemustar was made by Popy and later imported to the US as part of Mattel's "Godzilla's Gang" series. In 1983 the character was re-sculpted and released as part of the Ultra Kaiju series from Bandai.

Bemustar (or Bemstar) first appeard in the 1971 series "Return of Ultraman" (otherwise known as Ultraman Jack) but has made appearances in other ultra series since.

The first Kaiju of Bemustar was made by Popy and later imported to the US as part of Mattel's "Godzilla's Gang" series. In 1983 the character was re-sculpted and released as part of the Ultra Kaiju series from Bandai.

The figure is about 5 inches tall and is cast in Soft Vinyl, with various color sprays. The figure was sold with a tag and a hanger.

Bemustar has articulation at the shoulders - thats it.

Part 2 of my Aoshima double-header...straight from HobbyLink Japan, comes the sharp Maser Cannon from the 1966 film, War of the Gargantuas. Note that this is NOT the pricier remote-controlled version Aoshima released later (after I preordered this one! *grumble-grumble*).

Ah, gods bless Japanese toy makers!

They sure know how to give us nostalgic collectors exactly what we want! And here's one of those things that, on one hand, I've ALWAYS wanted...and yet, on the other hand, never knew I wanted. I've seen pretty much every Godzilla movie--numerous times--as well as many other tokusatsu flicks from Toho and other studios. The stars of these shows were absolutely the kaiju. No doubt about it. The thing is, the humans did end up putting up a half-decent fight in many of these movies!

It would sometimes occur to me just how cool the futuristic weapons the humans quickly brought to bear were. Of course, these weapons would generally fare miserably against the monster of the week, but hey, they were cool nonetheless. Seeing these tiny, intricate models of tanks, jet fighters, mobile artillery, whatever, was really cool...even if only for a few seconds before they tossed, stepped on, or incinerated by the monster!

Well, those of you feeling me on this are in luck! Straight from HobbyLink Japan, we have the latest from toy-maker, Aoshima: the Type 66 Maser Cannon from 1966's War of the Gargantuas. Oh yeah, bring it!!

Finally, a high-end collectible of one of the most powerful land-based weapons featured in many Toho films. I know, this particular maser weapon is technically the one from War of the Gargantuas, but c'mon! How many times have you seen Godzilla and pals getting tormented by these lil suckers whenever they wandered too close to the National Diet Building or Tokyo Tower???

This toy is apparently part of the Shin Seiki Gokin line, but honestly, I'm not sure how anything qualifies for the title. We have diecast super robots, plastic transforming robot toys, high-end completed models of sci-fi spaceships...and stuff like this. I guess that since Aoshima puts out a lot of toys and models--of mostly real-world things--they just shove every high-end sci-fi product under the "Shin Seiki Gokin" heading.

But really...who cares?

This toy is pretty damn cool...and that's all that matters.

It's pretty much complete right out of the box. And, oh, what a box it is. The glossy graphics on the box are lovely--especially the vehicle's schematics on the back. And also as usual for Aoshima, the toy comes housed in a great styrofoam tray. Unlike Shin Getter 2, the individual parts don't come bagged in clear plastic; instead, each part was wrapped in thin tissue/wrapping paper for protection prior to being placed in the tray.

Once you free the components, it takes just a couple moments to install the required 2 AA batteries into the tractor (the forward vehicle that totes this beast around) and connect the wiring from the tractor to the maser trailer. The on/off switch is actually on the bottom of the maser portion of the vehicle, towards the rear end.

Now, when you flick the switch, the magic happens: a tiny white bulb in the emitter dish lights up AND multiple bulbs begin to strobe in the neck connecting the dish to the rotating housing. The pulsating effect is pretty killer!

Honestly, I would have liked to have seen Aoshima build some kind of sound effect into this electronic rig. Sure, the light-up gimmick makes this toy...by far...but an authentic sound effect from the movie would have made this a perfect 10. Still, I'm just happy to have something like this to battle my glowies in the dark! ;)

There are no other gimmicks besides the light-up feature. The gorgeous details and pristine paint job--which are obvious from the pictures--speak for themselves. The only "articulation" to speak of is the blue dome-shaped housing that rotates 180 degrees (90 to the left/90 to the right), the neck that elevates while the dish angles downward to remain pointed horizontal, and of course, the maser, itself, that is attached to the tractor on a pivot joint--perfect for dragging this thing valiantly across your rug...only to face certain doom against one of your fire-breathing kaiju toys!

Well, that's about it. Not much else to say about this toy. Again, to make this toy a perfect 10, I'd add some sort of sound effect from the movies to go with the light-up feature. Also, while I love the real rubber treads on the tractor, I would have opted for transparent plastic for the windows--a nice touch like that would have complemented the other details used throughout on this toy. The remote-controlled version Aoshima recently released features pretty much the exact same design. Essentially, for about $50US more, you get a controller (remote, not radio...i.e., there's a wire that can be removed for display). This allows the tractor to move left, right, forward, and reverse, and you get to control the maser cannon's turning and elevation angle. Might be worth flipping this to check that out!

Lastly, I'll leave you with this...a silly video of me fooling around with my toys and my Best of Godzilla cd! Enjoy and, again, grab yours from HLJ!

"SEVEN! SEVEN! SEVEN!
SEVEN! SEVEN! SEVEN! ..."

Strangely, Ultra Seven is actually the second Ultraman.

The original line of Masudaya talking vinyls contained at least 4 different Ultraman characters, but when the line was resurrected in the late 1990s, only one, Ultra Seven, saw production. Evidently, Ultra Seven is considered the most popular of the Ultramen (at least, according to Wikipedia), so I suppose it would make sense in that context.

This figure is the tallest of the 6 talkers that I have, punching in at about 15.5" tall. This is just a hair too tall to stand on the shelf with the rest of the gang so I've had to have him standing ever so slightly hunched forward. Now that's the only way he'll stand at all. I supposed a little work with the hair dryer would probably fix that, but until I need to, I'm not gonna bother.

I like having this figure because otherwise I actually have surprisingly few Ultraman toys in my collection. Besides the Jumbo Ultraman Leo and the Ultraman Ace that came with M1's Hipporito-seijin, this is my only Japanese Ultraman toy. (I've also got some of those 20" Ultra bootlegs from Thailand, but those are in storage and never really seen.)

Otherwise, it's not that great a toy. The body is cast in red vinyl with white and silver paint application and the head seems to have been cast in silver with gold, blue and black highlights. The head seems too big to me and the arms too small. The talk box is in the back and you pull the string to make him speak.

Maybe I'm being a little hard on it though. I remember when I bought it, I placed the order almost entirely because I wanted to combine shipping with a few other things that were advertised as in stock, but really weren't. I ended up buying it anyway, but felt sort of annoyed.

I tend to think talkers look better in a group. If you like the Ultra characters or talkers and you see this at a great price, by all means grab it. But in and of itself, it's not too amazing.