This movie reduced me to a 7 year old, and I loved every minute of it.

Let me preface this by saying that I love a lot of crappy movies. I am no means qualified to review any movie, due to the fact that I love films like Xanadu.

My first memory of anime (not that I knew it at the time) was Speed Racer. It was the first show that my parents remember me being insane over. I must have been 2 or 3 years old, and I have a vague memory of being in footie pajamas and watching it on a black and white TV.

It was probably the exposure to this show at that early of an age that imprinted my fondness for Japanese animation.

So naturally, when I heard that the Wachowski's (the creators of the Matrix trilogy) were making a live-action Speed Racer movie, I was thrilled. I love the Matrix movies (yes, ALL of them) and I could only wonder what they were going to do with my childhood hero.

What they did do was bring Speed Racer to life in a way that I never could have imagined. This movie is a fast-paced action-packed kids movie. That is not to say that adults won't like it too, but they have to be the kind of adult that has a bit of kid in them. Those going into this movie expecting high art will be disappointed. Those expecting a visual spectacle like they have dropped acid on the Shinkansen will be delighted.

For those of you not familiar, Speed Racer was the US version of Japan's Mach Go Go Go!, a story about a boy who could drive like a demon on wheels. The US version was campy and good-natured, but the car races and the gadgets and the fantastic visuals what really sold the show. The Wachowski brothers must have been huge fans, because there are so many good tributes in here that any fan of Speed Racer will be going "ooh OOH!" throughout the picture.

For me to talk about the plot here is not necessary. Speed Racer likes to drive fast. It's in his blood. His brother dies during his childhood, and now Speed is coming into his own as a legendary racer. Team Speed gets an offer from a major corporation to sponsor the team, and Speed gets a lesson in corporate evil. Oh yeah, there are also Ninjas, Monkeys, Piranhas, candy, milk, flinging poo, and heart attack-inducing racing.

What really did it for me with Speed Racer is just how fun the whole thing was. All the colors are saturated to the point of being like a world seen through a Jolly Rancher candy. This is not reality. This is a world of fancy cars and futuristic cities. There are loads of great details all over the place, but there were a few things that the Wachowski brothers did that no other comic book/anime has managed to do so far:

Dont f*ck with the Mach 5. Or the costumes.

The Mach 5, like you knew it from the show, is there. Exactly. It's not made "extreme", nor does it have flames on it. It is EXACTLY as it should look in real life. And it gets a LOT of screen time. Sure, there is a Mach 4 and a Mach 6, but those were made for a different purpose. And the same goes for the character designs and costumes. Speed, Trixie, Pops, Spridle, Chim-Chim - all look like they just stepped out of the show. And they all ACT like they came from the show. Hell, Speed jumps out of the car at the end and does this pose that only fans of the show would really get. Even the bad guys have bad 60s anime hairstyles. It's just awesome.

No corporate sponsorship

You watch movies today, and its likely you are bombarded by obvious product placement throughout the movie. This annoys me to no end. In the world of Speed Racer, billboards are everywhere, the cities are lit up like Neo Tokyo. You would think that the producers would have sold this thing to every company that wanted their soda on a billboard. Fortunately, there is none of this. There is No McDonalds. No Pepsi. No Doritos. In fact, I couldn't find a single product placement in the entire movie. Considering one of the main plot points is about how Corporations are the Devil, this shouldn't be a huge surprise, but STILL it is a welcome change from the status quo.

It should go without saying that the visual effects in Speed Racer are amazing. But you don't get a good idea really until you see it on the big screen. Yes, the movie is mostly digital, and has a very cartoony look, but that was the idea. When people get into fights, the screen slows down and motion lines fill the screen, just like in anime. The cars defy the laws of physics in tracks that just could not ever exist. The details are sharp and each race is treated with respect - each has a story with it to advance the plot. While it is eye candy, it is not JUST eye candy.

Readers of CollectionDX will probably love this movie. Kids will love this movie. People who are prone to seizures will not.

Oh yeah, and Christina Ricci is smokin' hot in it.

Go see it and have fun, and then let us know what you think!

The Helldiver is one of the supplementary mecha from the series Mobile Police Patlabor. The Helldiver is an airborne military operations labor. In short, it’s a big-ass robot that jumps put of planes.

The Helldiver is one of the supplementary mecha from the series Mobile Police Patlabor. The Helldiver is an airborne military operations labor. In short, it’s a big ass robot that jumps put of planes.

I’m gonna say right now that this is probably my favorite Revoltech figure. Both aesthetically and physically, this thing exceeds on all levels. I was excited when it arrived from HobbyLink Japan, I am even more amazed now that I have got to handle it.

Cast in green, the Helldiver looks like something that could come out of today’s military, albeit the advanced weapons program. The toy has a matte green finish with various highlights and paint details. Helldiver is loaded with over 40 points of articulation and a bunch of accessories.

Included are

• 40mm rapid-fire machine gun
• two combat knives (sheathed and unsheathed)
• an interchangeable head
• four optional hands
• display base with stand

The machine gun mounts to the outside of the arm and the hose plugs in to the back of the torso. The gun is fantastically detailed and can be plugged in on either side of the arm.

Two knives are included. One knife is the full knife and can fit in a set of the option hands. The other knife is a sheathed knife. That knife is just a handle and is not meant to be removed. It can be plugged into a hole on the back of the waist.

A variant head is included to replicate the look of the night vision visor being down.

The main cool feature of this toy, besides its fantastic looks, are the two opening “Dive Brakes” on either leg. These open via dual Revoltech joints and reveal the inner workings of the legs. What a fantastic feature!

The Revoltech Helldiver is one of the best Revoltech releases so far – I love it!

You can get yours at HobbyLink Japan.

If you have ever heard that special someone utter words like Kaiju, Chogokin, Die-Cast, High Metal, Mecha, Super Robot, Transformable, Sentai, DX, Jumbo, Tokusatsu or know what those terms mean then this is the buying guide for you.

It’s that time of the year again; the time when we deck out our Super Dimensional Fortress in blinking colorful lights, cut out of work early, use up the last of our time off and spend far more money than we probably should this month. Yep it’s the Holiday Season.

Being here, reading this article right now more than likely means, you are a fan of some form of Japanese toy (or just great toys in general) or you are a friend, relative or significant other of one. Being fans of great toys in general ourselves we know that it can be frustrating when relatives and loved ones don’t listen to the subtle hints or innuendo and insist that they get you Pink Bunny PJ’s when you really want that Red Rider BB Gun.

So in an effort to help you avoid the Pink Bunny PJ’s of Death this holiday season I gathered our writers to come up with their picks for a shopping guide to the collectibles we cover here at CollectionDX. The best of the best in the past year and half be it domestic or imported is listed below, hand picked by the writers as held to their admittedly high standards.

Everything from cheap to holy-cow-I-won-the-lottery expensive is represented so there is something here for all budgets. It is, after all, not how much you spend but the thought that truly counts. So if you have ever heard that special someone utter words like Kaiju, Chogokin, Die-Cast, High Metal, Mecha, Super Robot, Transformable, Sentai, DX, Jumbo, Tokusatsu or know what those terms mean then this is the buying guide for you.

Josh's Picks
The creator of all things CollectionDX, Josh’s knowledge of Japanese toy culture is rivaled by few. His taste in toys is vast and you never know what surprises he’ll pull out for a review.

Revoltech Line

For more pictures and details be sure to read all of our Revoltech reviews by clicking here

Hasbro G1 Starscream

Yamato 1/60 YF-19

Sanjeev's Picks
The King of Glow, Sanjeev brings impeccable taste with varied interest. “I collect what I like.” is his mantra and what he likes is quality. Sanjeev will never steer you wrong.

Hasbro's Force Action Lightsabers

Soft Garage Giant Robo

Special thanks to ToyboxDX's JB for use of his photos, to see more of his great photos click here

Fewture 1969 Great Mazinger

Nekrodave's Picks
Dave is our resident vintage Jumbo and Vinyl expert as well as a fan of classic Horror films. His reviews are always eclectic and informative.

Marmit Sky Devlier

To find out more about Kaiju Big Battel read our SDCC07 coverage here

Kaiju Eyezon

For more pictures and details be sure to read our full review by clicking here.

Soul of Chogokin Irongear

For more pictures and details be sure to read our full review by clicking here.

Brave Gokin Goshogun

For more pictures and details be sure to read our full review by clicking here.

Gigabyte Great Mazinger

1/3500 Space Battleship Yamato

Eva's Picks
Super Sentai and Lego expert and all around Transformer fan. As Josh says, “He’s a walking encyclopedia of knowledge.

Deluxe-class Decepticon Dropkick

For more details and pictures be sure to read the full review by clicking here.

LEGO Exo-Force Aero Booster

Super Sentai Robot Toy History

Adam's Picks
Then there is me, Adam. I’m a jack of all trades and master of none. Like Sanjeev I collect what I like, sometimes it’s domestic sometimes it’s imported. But I’m all about my “toys” being playable first and a collectible second.

Transformers Classic Jetfire

For more pictures and details be sure to read our full review by clicking here.

CM's Brave Gokin Mospeada's

For more pictures be sure to click here.

Attakus Millennium Falcon and Death Star Hall Set

For more pictures and details be sure to read our full Toyfair 07 article by clicking here.

So where can you buy all this fine product? By using any of the sponsors to the right of the page. We have dealt personally with each and they are all attentive retailers with reasonable prices and by using the links to the right you indirectly help to support us.

No matter what you get under the tree this holiday season whether it is made of metal, fires missles or glows in the dark just be careful with it because you can most certainly do worse than shooting your eye out...

I’d like to remind you that the holiday’s are about spending time with friends and family and not the stuff that comes under the tree so no matter how you celebrate this season, from us and ours to you and yours we wish you the best this holiday season.

So here is a little story about how CollectionDX really started whether Josh admits it or not. :)

So here is a little story about how CollectionDX really started whether Josh admits it or not. The story about the first Japanese toy I got from Macross, the first toy that cost over $100, the toy I brought over the Pacific Ocean, the toy that survived a house fire, the toy that I nonchalantly gave away a few years later and how it came back to me.

May, 1986. Honolulu, Hawaii. I am 13 years old and about to graduate from Junior High and at the beginning of the summer we are moving to Massachusetts. There was a small hobby/toy shop that opened near my school and I had become friendly with the owner.

I would stop in day after day to chat and stare at the Valkyries he had for sale with their prices keeping them firmly out of my reach. Then one day the Hikaru Strike Valkyrie from the movie disappeared from the shelf. Now I would never get it!

Turns out, Mom bought it and gave it to me as a graduation gift. I was overjoyed and loved it. Shortly after that I obtained a few more Valkyries. A few months later we crossed the Pacific Ocean and my growing collection of Macross and Mospeda toys came with me.

I started High School and as time went on the Valkyries ended up packed back up and in storage. After finishing High School we moved into a new house and the items remained in storage up in the attic until a few months later when we had a fire and lost just about everything we owned.

A terrible experience for sure, but no one was hurt. When we went back to see what could be salvaged it turned out the Fire Department had gutted the attic during the call and threw most of what was up there out the window three stories down.

In the pile where most of my Japanese toys: Alpha Fighter, Cyclone, various Valkyries, ect. ect. The boxes where trashed but most of the toys where undamaged. My favorite one however, the Hikaru Strike Valkyrie was a bit smoke damaged and most of the armor missing. I salvaged what I could and they kicked around the next few years on the shelf or in the corner.

Flash forward a few more years, Josh and I meet, became friends and ultimately end up living together as roommates. At the time I felt I had “outgrown” my “toys” and I started selling them for stupid low prices to the local comic shop but gave Josh the Hikaru. He was touched and made it a center piece in his collection for a while. Which I argue led to the massive collection he has today.

And thus was born CollectionDX, indirectly. Time marched on and Josh got more into following the Japanese toy scene which blew up to the near legendary status he has now.

Upon a recent visit, I was pointing out the Hikaru Valkyrie to my significant other and Josh reached into the big glass cabinet and gave it back to me saying it was time it returned to me, making me promise to not Ebay it.

But how did all this change my life? Well thanks to Josh’s encouragement I am here writing for CollectionDX now which in turn led to my other online projects, which has all been incredibly rewarding creatively, all because I gave Josh my favorite toy. Hikaru now represents the creative spirit of my endeavors and stands proudly next to my other recent Macross score (thanks to Sanjeev) and will remain there till I pass it on in my will.

Have a toy with some real personal history? Please feel free to share it in the comments section.

The 80’s where a great decade of movies; Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Flash Gordon, Tron and The Black Hole come to mind to name just a few. After some discussion Josh and I decided to try a series of articles talking about some of our favorite movies of that era. So to get the ball rolling here is my retrospective on Flash Gordon the 1980 film.

I was eight years old when Flash Gordon was released on December 5th 1980, the 80’s where a great decade for Science Fiction movies; Star Wars, Flash Gordon, Tron, The Black Hole, Blade Runner, Aliens, The Terminator, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn come to mind to name just a few.

My Father is /was the kind of Dad that took us to the movies all the time. We saw every major and a lot of minor Sci-Fi and Action-Adventure films on the big screen weekend after weekend, but I had never seen my Dad truly “geek out” until the trailer played for Flash Gordon in our local theater.

The Queen music surged and thumped as neon cutouts of Alex Raymond’s illustrations zoomed by between scenes from the movie. Names like Prince Barin, Prince Vultan, Doctor Zarkov, Ming The Merciless, Dale Arden and of course Flash Gordon zoomed by. My Dad was bouncing in his seat with excitement and so was I! It looked exciting and colorful, and if my Dad was excited I figured I should be too.

It turns out my Dad grew up “geeking out” over the Buster Crabbe Saturday matinées of Flash Gordon when he was around my age. It was his Star Wars. For those that do not know here is a quick breakdown of the history of Flash Gordon.

From Wikipedia: "Flash Gordon is a fictional character, the hero of a science fiction comic strip originally drawn by Alex Raymond, first published on January 7, 1934. The strip was created to compete with the already established Buck Rogers adventure strip.

In May of 1980 my world was rocked by the revelation that Darth Vader was Luke’s father and in December I was introduced to Flash Gordon. Perhaps introduced is not the right word, it was more like an initiation into secret esoteric mysteries that leave you profoundly changed forever. Melodramatic I know but it really means that much to me.

It was just enough over the top that it was impossible not to fall into the film and get caught up in Flash’s adventure to save the Earth. It was pure good against pure evil and it was bright, colorful and bold; and it was a lot of fun. That is the key thing to understand when approaching this film is that it was inspired by/is homage to the 1930’s comic strip, thus the colorful, bold comic strip/book look of the film.

When the film was over it left my already active imagination in overdrive, the characters, the design, the color, the music all got into your head and you couldn’t let it go. My Father and I went to go see it in the theaters about 6 times, something we had only ever done with the best of films like Star Wars or Indiana Jones. Thus Flash Gordon inexorably fused with my DNA and is still a huge part of me deep down inside to this day. It is one of those “bonding” experiences with my dad I still cherish to this day.

So is it just nostalgia on my part due to the bond with my Dad or does this film really holds up after 27 years? In this man’s opinion, I think it does. In preparing this article I have seen the film no less than 30 times in the past month and it just doesn’t get old and still manages to put a smile on my face every time. Granted the optical effects are dated; you can see wires occasionally, matte lines are easily seen at points and models really do look like models but despite those limitations it still manages to succeed in transporting me to another world for the adventure of a lifetime.

The Director Mike Hodges says in interviews that he was constantly referencing the original Alex Raymond strips when composing his shots and making color/design and story choices. It was that comic strips sense of purity and innocence that helped him set the tone for the film, keeping in mind that the original was created before man had walked on the moon.

Flash is a noble hero and Ming a cruel villain. Flash is very much a fish out of water with his sense of honor and good moral character in the world of Mongo’s cruel tyranny. It is his “humanity” and goodness and always doing the “right thing” that ultimately unites the warring factions of Mongo to overthrow Ming for a better world. It is a very simple and straightforward formula really but it takes you on such a big, bold adventure in such a vividly imagined universe it’s hard not to be taken in by its pure sense of fun and adventure.

THE MERCHANDISE

And here is where the heartbreak hits for the 8 year old kid in me. There where never any toys from the line. In hindsight I understand why, the film was a commercial flop when it came out in the States (though still considered one of the top grossing films of all time in the UK). But it still sucked as a kid and as a fan that there where no little plastic incarnations of my new favorite heroes. What was available is as follows (special thanks to Jason Lenzi from BifBangPow! for being an invaluable resource for this section of the article):

• Photo Storybook
• Movie Program
• Whitman comics adaptation, 3 single issues and a hardback compilation
• Some buttons and puffy stickers
• Lonestar in the UK made a die cast cap gun, in a box, which was a re-use of an old mold they had, but it's white with blue and red highlights and the Flash Gordon logo sticker on it. The box has images of Ming and Flash from the European poster.
• Weetabix cereal in the UK did sets of photo cards, and then you had to send away for the mini album to paste them in. Thanks to Jason Lenzi for the pics below.



• The paperback novelization.
• And of course, the Queen soundtrack, which was preceded by the 7" single 'Flash', in a blue sleeve with the Flash Gordon logo on it.

Skip ahead 26 years later, Josh and I run across BifBangPow! at Toyfair 2007 and their prototypes for a series of 7 inch tall Flash Gordon figures sculpted by Alex Ross, Ming Plush Doll and Bobble heads. Now personally I am not a bobble head kind of guy but I know there are a lot of collectors who are, but you can count me in on those 7 inch Alex Ross designed figures and that plush doll. C’mon who doesn’t need a cute, cuddly Ming? Bobble heads are out now and the 7 inch figures and plush Ming are due in October. You can order any and all Flash Gordon toys here.

If you have ever remotely enjoyed the film I ask (actually I’m begging, seriously I am on my knees as I type this) that you go buy those Flash and Ming figures because the guys making them are pretty darn cool and I have it on very good authority that if they sell well there will be more characters added to the lineup and I want a Hawkman Rocket Cycle. The 8 year old kid in me NEEDS a Hawkman Rocket Cycle so please help a brother out… pre-order.

Time is short as the figures are a limited run so when they are gone they are gone. As Klytus would say, "You have until the sands..."

"...run up."

I thank you for taking this stroll down memory lane with me. If you have never seen the film and you’re the type that can enjoy a good yarn whether it was made yesterday or 27 years ago check it out and if you are a fan of the film know that it is back out on DVD (though the UK release actually has better special features).

Seen the film? Love or hate it let us know what you think in the comments section.
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So I went to my local theater to see Transformers this weekend. What did I think? Did I leave grinning from ear to ear, eager to see it again or has Michael Bay really done something unspeakable to a cherished childhood icon? SLIGHT SPOILER: WARNING IS GIVEN IN ADVANCE.

This movie kicks f&$@ing a$$! Go see it now! Get up from in front of your computer and go now. What are you waiting for? Why are you still here? Run…

Seriously though, it is everything I could hope for in a live action robot movie and exceeded my expectations as an adaptation of the Transformers. That’s right, exceeded. I went in not expecting much and was really surprised. As a matter of fact, Michael Bay has actually succeeded in getting me far more emotionally involved with these characters than I ever was with the original cartoon.

I have generally enjoyed Michael Bay’s movies over the years (with the exception of Pearl Harbor… sorry Michael.) but sometimes those have been nothing more than mindless fun with spectacular action pieces. Transformers just moved him in to a whole new level of story telling. He’s honed his style and lets it serve the story instead of feeling forced or “stylized.”

It has everything in just the right doses. Action? Check. Drama? Check. Comedy? Check. Giant robots? Check. Metallic mayhem? Check. You get the point. It hits all the points you expect from a big summer blockbuster but does it with style and quality.

Fans where divided when pictures starting hitting the web of the robot design; some liked them, but most where dead set against them. I was more ambivalent until I started to see them in motion, then I really started to like them. When I finally got to see them in all there glory on the big screen I fell in love with them. They really do a) look better in motion on the big screen and b) you really do forget you’re watching CG. It is ILM’s best work to date. The robots are imbued with so much character and life you really do forget they're not on the set.

The voice actors are wonderfully cast as the robots, especially Peter Cullen. Now more than ever I really am glad I shook his hand and got a picture with him. Because Optimus Prime is now in the same category as Flash Gordon or Luke Skywalker and I feel like I met a Hero ( with a capital H). When I had the chance to meet him, he mentioned he thought Michael Bay really helped him bring humanity and soul to the part. He did, it’s there in aces all over the screen. The rest of the robots, the Autobots in particular really have distinct characters that stand out. There’s no missing who is who. I was particularly fond of Iron Hide.

SLIGHT SPOILER: Roll past next three pics to miss next paragraph….

As for Bumble Bee not having a voice, it works amazingly well and provides for some of the funnier moments in the film as Bumble Bee uses the radio to communicate with Sam.

SPOILER ENDS.

Which brings me to the human actors in the movie; everyone is well cast and really sells the computer generated robots. Shia LeBeouf(Sam) really shines here. He’s natural and believable as a teenager faced with this larger than life situation. Megan Fox(Mikaela) is of course insanely hot but still manages to not feel like dead weight in the movie. Kevin Dunn and Julie White as the parents of Sam provide some very funny moments in the movie. The entire cast is well chosen.

There a handful of films that had a huge impact on me growing up and I vividly remember the cinematic experience for each, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars, The Matrix, and Flash Gordon in no particular order to name a few. No matter what you may think of those films, they all set out to do the same thing. They create whole new worlds. They created a new mythology. They told stories about heroes, myth and legend. In my opinion there are no better tales to tell. Transformers has just been added to that lexicon, to skip out on it is to miss out on cultural history. There will now be a NEW generation of fans, bigger than it ever was, who years from now will say “Remember the first time you saw Transformers?”

For those of you that are the old honor guard that hate the changes and feel as if your childhood has been ruined; you need to grow up and stop being cry babies. They did well. It all works, much more so than a 22 minute daily toy commercial. If you can’t see that; then you are perpetually living in the past and that is not a good thing. Be happy that there is a new generation of kids that will know and love these characters while we adults enjoy a great tale as well.

They took the best parts of the mythology, simplified it just a bit (to make it easier to understand for non nerds) and left it wide open to bring in many more favorites as these films continue. Yeah it was a big, loud crazy adventure but at its heart it really is a story about the human spirit overcoming great evil and about how one person can make a difference.

So go see it! Just relax, sit back and enjoy. Just make sure to grab a BIG bucket of Popcorn, I promise it will be gone before the movie is over.

Have you seen the film? Please tell us what YOU thought in the comment section. COMMENTS MAY HAVE SPOILERS PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK.

It's hard to believe, but Popy actually sold chogokin in plastic bags.

Back when I was looking to buy a ST Dairugger XV, I stumbled upon these images of a ST Dairugger, stuffed into a bag with a flattened mangled box.

I hadn't seen another until Kim Castro sent me these great images of a PB-04 Volt Crewzer in a bag:

Note that all the accessories seem to be there, just loose in the bag. Apparently these were used as prizes for games at fairs and carnivals in Japan, and maybe even Europe. We'd appreciate any information on these if you have it.

Thanks to Kim Castro for the Volt Crewzer images. Visit Kim's website at www.kimcastro.com.

This is a comparison of the Power Rangers Mystic Force Mystic Morpher BANDAI #25101 and it's Japanese counterpart, the Magiranger Magiphone made by BANDAI Japan.

Both morphers use 2 AAA batteries, which are not included. The Japanese morpher is slightly larger than the US version.

You start out with the morpher folded up like a clamshell and you open it up to Cell Phone Mode. The US version uses a release button to open, while the Japanese version is opened manually.

From Cell Phone Mode, it can be unfolded further to Wand Mode. (US version opens manually, while the Japanese version uses a release button to open.) In Wand Mode, a spring-loaded clear plastic tip extends to become the tip of the wand.

LIGHTS - The US version has a single red light under a Phoenix emblem on the Cell Phone andwhen it lights up, it looks like the heart of the Phoenix is glowing. It's a neat effect that is lacking in the Japanese version, but because the red light is in the Cell Phone section of the morpher, the tip of the wand doesn't glow.

The Japanese version has a red light in the Wand section that contains the clear tip. It looks like acamera phone lens on the Cell Phone. The clear plastic tip conducts the light like a fiber optic, so the tip glows too.

SOUNDS - Both morphers have keypads with 13 keys (0-9; ENTER; icon for telephone with handset off the receiver; icon for telephone with handset on the receiver.) and both morphersspeak in their respective language. The US version has actual white buttons, while the Japanese version uses soft-touch "bubbles".

Pressing the numeric keys produces a sound that can be one of 4 different tones. The tones seem to be randomly generated, so pressing the same key may give you the same tone or you might get a different tone. The morpher stores in memory the last 4digitspressed. If more than 4 digits are pressed, the oldest digit is replaced with the most recent.

You select up to 4 digits and then press ENTER. Each digit corresponds to a list of names. A sound is heard, followed by the name that corresponds to the digits you entered, followed by a differentsound. For example in the US version, if you pressed 5-6-8-0 + ENTER, you will hear a sound followed by a voice saying, "Prifior, Unos, Tryn, Nermax", followed by a different sound. Entering certain combinations of numbers will produce "special sounds". For example, entering 1-2-4 will produce a Cycle Sound after the names are spoken. The US instruction sheet has a list of 9 Special Sounds, while the Japanese box seems to show 8 Special Sounds.

The Japanese version comes with 5 small cardboard squares that have emblems representing the Blue, Yellow, Pink and Green Rangers and the symbol for the Rangers as a group. The morpher already comes with the Phoenix emblem of Magi Red built into it, so the Red Ranger emblem is not needed. You can slip the cardboard emblem under a piece of clear plastic on the morpher, thus customizing the morpher to the ranger of your choice. This feature is missing on the US version.

The US version comes with a clear plastic belt clip. The Japanese version does not.

I was very impressed with the US version. This is one of the few US Morphers that I would actually recommend! While there aren't any lights in the Wand section, it's not such a great loss and the light under the Phoenix emblem looks very nice. The sound volume is not as loud in the US version, but the clarity of the voice is excellent. Very, very clear pronunciation. BANDAI did a great job in bringing the Magiphone to the US audience.

This piece has been a real exercise in frustration for me. For awhile I'd wanted a nice Aura Battler Dunbine toy but wasn't a big fan of the vintage diecast designs.

This piece has been a real exercise in frustration for me. For awhile I'd wanted a nice Aura Battler Dunbine toy but wasn't a big fan of the vintage diecast designs. I'd seen Bandai's MG kit in pictures but didn't want to risk spending the money on it since I was not experienced in model building. Well, after successfully completing 3 or 4 MG Gundam kits and being given a gift card that I needed to spend, I figured I'd take the plunge and pick this up.

Probably the biggest problem with the constuction of it for me was that a few of the pieces that needed to be screwed together were very small so that it was difficult to keep a good firm grip on them with one hand while applying the needed pressure to sink the screw in all the way with the other. I've always hated screw drivers anyway so this really started to annoy me and I really should have stopped rather than work in that mood. I didn't and ended up breaking a couple of integral pieces. But I really wanted to finish it so I bought another one, this time out of my own pocket, and set about completing it. The second time around I made sure to work in small, anger-free sessions and really take my time with it. I was able to complete it without further incident.

The completed model is extremely nice looking but not without it's flaws. The biggest problem, literallly, is the back. It's too heavy for the rest of the model and makes it extremely difficult to pose. The side of the box shows an "action pose" which as far as I can tell is completely impossible.

I like the internal detail and had no problem with the rubber parts, but the hand which is designed to hold the sword is just awful. Rather than have a fist that can actually grip the sword like the Gundam kits do, this hand is in two pieces and would really need to be glued together. Otherwise it comes apart at the slightest touch. I haven't glued mine so I really don't know how easily the sword could be added or removed once that is done, but frankly it seems like just an awful idea from the start. Furthermore, the index finger on the hand the holds the sword is pointing for some reason. Doesn't make any sense to me.

Dunbine stands 8" tall. The cockpit opens to reveal the pilot, Show Zama and the sword can be stored in it's sheath on the back. Most of the pieces are molded in the appropriate color (though it has a more lavender-ish hue than the blue in the anime). You simply have to add two stickers for the markings on the head. Overall, it's a nice looking model and I suppose I'm happy to have it, but in the end it really just leaves you wanting more.

Sometime last year there was a sudden appearance of large bootleg toys originating in Taiwan calling themselves Jumbo Machinders.

Sometime last year there was a sudden appearance of large bootleg toys originating in Taiwan calling themselves Jumbo Machinders. Three robots were included in the set-Mazinger Z, Great Mazinger and UFO Robo Grendizer. Before reviewing the toys themselves, let's look at the packaging.

Each toy is sold in a bag with a colorful header card. The header cards may be the most interesting thing about them. The say made in China, by a company called "Boby" ("Popy? Never heard of 'em") which is written in Japanese on the lower right hand corner. The upper right hand corner says "Jumbo Machinder Power Punch Model" in English, even though no power punch feature is included. Below that it says "Jumbo Machinder" misspelled in Japanese. Lastly each card says "Grendizer" on the front, regardless of which robot you are actually buying.

As for the toys themselves, they all share the same generic body slightly modified to suit each robot. The red ornamentation on the chest of Mazinger Z is a separate piece of molded plastic and he features his name on a sticker on his waist. The silver on the legs, arms and waist are also just stickers. Mazinger Z's head is a pretty well done mold and the paint job is more than passable with just some slight overspray on the Hover Pilder, which is fixed in place. Probably the worst part of the toys is the tops of the fists. The mold here is very flat, which is a shame because the fingers on it my be the best part of the body.

The toy is made of both hard plastic and polyethylene and stands at 18", not the 20" that it is often listed as. Still, these things cost less than $10 and are a great way to add some sizable toys to your collection for short money.