Heck if I know what "GN-U" stands for, but let me tell ya, as someone who's not particularly fond of modern gokin "collectibles" of classic Japanese super robots, Yamato's "The 'GN-U' Hagane" Groizer-X is a pleasant surprise.

Groizer X is a super robot cartoon that aired in Japan before I was born. It featured your classic 70's alien invasion story involving a kidnapped scientist forced to build them the ultimate super weapon. His daughter manages to steal this "weapon" and escape with it to Japan, where she and her hero pal battle the monster of the week for the next 36 episodes.

The show was never brought to the States, yet from the first time I laid eyes on the Nakajima diecast toys of the robot, I was in love with Groizer. The design is part of robot maestro, Nagai Go's official pantheon. Much like Nagai's Getter robots, Groizer features an "impossible" transformation involving a gigantic bomber aircraft with a robot head metamorphing into a robot. What's impossible about it, of course, is that it's nothing like your typical modern Transformer. Transformers features moving parts that retain their dimensions and just rearrange themselves realistically to make a different overall shape. Nope. Groizer's bomber wings "morph" into the robot's arms, while the aft fuselage splits into the legs. Yeah. Well, if you're a fan of any of these shows, you're no stranger to suspension of disbelief; I haven't seen whole episodes of the cartoon, but I'm guessing that the transformation's one of the easiest parts of the show to swallow!

So why am I in love with this robot? Well, he's blue, he's weird-looking, and he's got a pretty groovy head with antennae. Yep, that's pretty much all I need!

Sure, the transformation is...different...but I can dig it. Besides, unlike actual Transformers, Groizer's transformation isn't really a major concern in any of the previous toys (except for Nakajima's elusive magnetic Groizer, which, as it turns out, is quite similar in spirit to the toy we're reviewing today!). The other popular Nakajima diecasts simply come static in either mode: Groizer X, the bomber, and Groizer Robo, the robot. And they're gorgeous. Their proportions are chunky, their colors are striking. Shooty missiles and fists. The toys are rugged and simple. Everything you love about old-school diecast, they have.

Now, along comes Yamato with their new GN-U line. Like I said, I have no idea what GN-U stands for, but making sense of all their offerings is stroke-inducing. Okay, so the "GN-U Hagane" line is high-end, semi-parts-swapping super robots, including this Groizer and the upcoming Danguard Ace(!). Now, this line is NOT to be confused with the "GN-U Gou" line, which is all-plastic, high-end, and heavily-parts-swapping...like Braiger. Lastly, there's the "GN-U Dou" line, which is all-PVC, non-transforming action figures, including the upcoming Braiger and Dancougar.

Anyway, those who know me know that I'm not particularly fond of modern gokin. I categorize most modern high-end super robot offerings as "collectibles", rather than as actual toys. They often come with scads of tiny, delicate accessories to recreate any scene from the cartoon, and they usually favor cartoon-accurate looks and super-poseability over imaginative play value. For the most part, they are fragile collectors' items for adults to put on shelves...and certainly not meant for children's sandboxes.

Somehow, by design or dumb luck, Yamato has crossed back over to the fun side of things with their "Groizer-X" (note the hyphen). With this toy, they've managed to create something that's simple, durable, and imaginative...and yet, satisfying to collectors, with anime-accurate sculpting, absurd poseability, and lots of detailed accessories.

But let's start from the top: the packaging:

The box is big. Probably quite a bit bigger than it really needs to be...but there's a reason for it that we'll get to later. As you can see above, the front flap of the box lifts up to reveal a window showing Groizer-X (bomber mode). When you pull everything out of the box, you get two flimsy, clear plastic trays containing the surprisingly simple toy, the instruction booklet, and full-color papercraft materials(!).

The first tray includes the main wings for Groizer's bomber mode, the aft fuselage (that you need to plug the stabilizers into), and the accessories baggies (containing, among other things, the G-Jet, G-Shark, and G-Tank). The second tray has parts for robot mode--arms, abdomen/legs, extra hands, and the stand and landing gear for bomber mode.

There's actually not a whole lot to say about the toy, itself...and I consider that a good thing. On one hand, I don't have as much time to spend playing with toys these days, but on the other, I just simply appreciate a toy that doesn't require a lot of book-keeping and busy-work to entertain me. With this toy, I can just let my imagination go with a genuinely cool, solid toy.

So, let's get started with Groizer-X, the bomber:

First off, it's worth mentioning the stand. It's a very simple affair requiring the arm to be plugged into the base. Near the top of the arm, where it connects to Groizer, there is a pivot joint that allows the bomber to be displayed at different angles. Very basic, but I like it because it's secure, it's stable, and it gets the job done.

Now...the good stuff. As you can see, the bomber looks pretty damn good:

The main wings are each one solid piece of plastic. They're well painted with a nice glossy sheen, but they're pretty light. Add to that the aft fuselage being almost all-plastic, you actually have a very lightweight toy. Initial reports of this toy clocked the diecast at only 30%. Well, that's probably true...for bomber mode. But really--what does this thing do? Is a lot of heft an actual requirement for this mode?

The stand is somewhat light ABS plastic and the pivot joint where it plugs into Groizer-X would really suffer if it were any heavier. Sure, Yamato could beef it up, but I just don't see the need...

The bomber doesn't feature too many gimmicks. One nice touch is removable landing gear. A panel pops out of the chest for the nose gear to fit into. Two panels in the aft section recess to allow the aft gear to plug into. The chassis the wheels are attached to are ball-jointed, which is a nice touch I guess. While the wheels don't actually roll, you can at least display the gear in different positions...plus, they can conform to uneven surfaces. Yeah, not a lot to write home about.

The one feature I kinda dig is the "Flying Torpedo" accessories. Yeah, I know it's been compared to sperm and other funny biological entities I can't really talk about here...but it's pretty cool. Basically, that big door on Groizer's chest opens and has an attachment rail. You get the Torpedo warhead, the whole Flying Torpedo, and an exhaust trail to which the Torpedo can attach. All of these can attach to the rail to simulate different stages of firing:

Okay, yeah, I guess it's a bit of superfluous accessory, like the ones I mentioned that normally annoy me about most modern gokin. Truth is, as fun as it was to photograph, stuff like the landing gear and Flying Torpedo bits are going right back in the box. The bomber and the stand are all I care about.

Before we leave the bomber and move onto the robot, let's just take a comparison of Yamato's Groizer-X bomber and Nakajima's bomber:

Not too shabby, but Yamato's version could definitely have benefitted from missiles or some other kind of spring-loaded shooty gimmick.

Now, on to the robot...

The "transformation" is pretty simple. There's a quick, intuitive rearranging of the chest piece that places the head properly atop the shoulders instead of severely tilted back for bomber mode. Then, you just pull out the wings and the aft fuselage and replace them with the robot arms and legs. Done.

Remember that report of 30% diecast? Forget about it. Besides the chest piece being nearly all diecast, now you have the shoulders and upper arms, and the lower legs and feet...all diecast. This is a substantial toy that really does benefit from the added heft. Unlike the bomber, Groizer Robo is all finger-candy. Sturdy, ridiculously-articulated with strong detents in most of the joints, simple...fun.

Simply gorgeous. It's tall (at just under 8 inches) and has just the right amount of weight and distribution of it. This figure is stable and isn't going to fall off your shelf, let alone disappoint your diecast addiction!

One thing I found really nice is the antennae. They're made of some sort of super-flexible, but super-tough plastic. No matter how you bend them, they're not going to snap off. Great stuff...durability is appreciated.

Gimmicks? What you see is what you get. Accessories? Well...he's got open hands. I love it!

Again, sure, I wouldn't have minded seeing shooting fists or some neat features like that. So how does the Yamato stack up against the Nakajima?

The last major thing about this toy I want to talk about is something I alluded to earlier: the box the toy comes in actually combines with the included papercraft bits to form the landing strip from Groizer's Akane-Jima island base!!

This is cool beyond words...and the irony of it all is that I haven't even assembled it! :P

Honestly, I'm probably not going to get around to it either. This is one of those things where putting together the base is half the fun. Papercraft projects, clearly reminiscent of Japan's tradition of origami, are fun and while not particularly challenging in their modern full-color, pre-printed, perforated form, still take some time to do right.

That's time I don't really have. And more to the point...where am I gonna put this thing!?

This is one huge beast! Now, back when I was a kid, I would have gone ape crap over this thing. Back in those days, I didn't get many toys, so I simply had a lot of time to appreciate the few I had. As such, something like this woulda been perfect. I would have lovingly put together the base and staged all sorts of cool sorties and and invasions!

Then again, when I was a kid, there was pretty much no way in hell my mother would've sprung for a $158 toy!!

Well, such is life. The good news is that our man, Pony has come through with his typical curmudgeon-style review (if you can read it)...complete with gorgeous pics. Please check it out here.

So that pretty much wraps it up. Good, solid toy. Simple and enjoyable. Unfortunately, at a pricetag of over $150 (though you should be able to find them closer to $140 right now in the aftermarket), it'll ultimately come down to folks' love for the character/design as the deciding factor. If it had retailed for around $100, this toy would be an absolute no-brainer.

I'll leave you with my 3-minute teaser review on Youtube:

Thanks for reading! Play hard!

Yamato Adds Transformable Motoslave with Sylia Action Figure to 1:15 Scale BGC Collection

Torrance, CA, April 17, 2008 – Yamato, renowned for its transformable Macross, Megazone and Armored Trooper Votoms action figures, continues to push the envelope of toy engineering with its 1:15 transformable Motoslave from Bubblegum Crisis (or BGC as it is known to its legion of fans).  Piloted this time by Sylia, founder of the Knight Sabers, the Motoslave is a transforming fighting machine.  And true to form, Yamato captures all the transforming action in this amazing piece which measures approximately 6.00" in motorcycle mode and 6.40" in motoroid robot mode.  This incredible package even includes a Sylia action figure with a host of interchangeable parts and multiple points of articulation.  What's more, Sylia can even be attached to the Motoslave!  Includes display base, rifle and additional interchangeable parts.

Yamato’s 1:15 Bubblegum Crisis Motoslave with Sylia action figure will be available this Summer with a suggested retail price of $74.99!  For more information on this incredible piece, as well as a host of other fine collectibles, visit us at www.YamatoToysUSA.com.

ABOUT YAMATO USA

Yamato USA is the wholly owned subsidiary of Yamato Co., Ltd with headquarters in the otaku capital of the world, the Akihabara district of Tokyo, Japan.  For nearly ten years, Yamato USA has proudly served otaku on this side of the world with a wide offering of miniature collectible figures, PVC and die-cast action figures, as well as poly-resin and PVC statues inspired by the hottest titles in Japanese anime, manga, and video game properties.  Yamato’s original collections include Story! Image! Figure! collectible miniatures and trading figures and Story! Image! Figure! EX PVC statues, as well as its newest lines, Creators’ Labo  and Sculptors’ Originals, highlighting the talents of the leading artists and sculptors working in Japan; The GN-U, a tribute to transforming super robots; and the explosive Project Dynamite.  Nor to be overlooked are Yamato’s Scopedog, Garland, and Motoslave engineering marvels from Armored Trooper Votoms,  Megazone 23, and Bubblegum Crisis, some of the most impressive collectibles you will ever own!

Yamato Adds to Its Revolution in Action Figures

Torrance, CA, April 17, 2008 – Yamato is pleased to announce the addition of super robots BAXINGAR from Galactic Gale Baxingar and DANCOUGA from Super Beast Machine God to its new revolution in action figures: The GN-U DOU (GN-U meaning “band of brave warriors”, and DOU “movement” in Japanese).

The GN-U DOU is a tribute to the super robots of Japanese anime in palm-sized form with meticulous attention given to articulation and detail. Employing a new, innovative internal frame system with over thirty points of articulation for maximum range of movement, Yamato’s GN-U DOU are capable of ultra-cool posings straight from the animes which inspired them. At the same time, the outer armor coverings express the unique look and feel of each giant robot.

And Yamato, famed for its fully transformable action figures, brings the GN-U to life as only Yamato is capable. After all, an intricate internal frame system for precise movement, as well as a detailed outer construction for exact likeness of character to please even the most ardent of action figure fans adds up to a lot of parts… an average of over 100 pieces per figure! Just another testament to Yamato’s precedence in toy engineering.

GN-U DOU: Galactic Gale Baxingar – Baxingar

Where others fear to tread, there stands the J9 team. Yamato continues its tribute to the giant robots of the J9 trilogy (Galaxy Cyclone Braiger, Galactic Whirlwind Sasuraiger) with its GN-U DOU: Baxingar from the second installment, Galactic Gale Baxingar. Six hundred years after the after the destruction of Jupiter, the solar system has fallen into state of lawlessness prompting the formation of a new J9 team. Fighting against injustice, the J9 team is equipped with cosmobikes that combine to form Baxingar. Made with safe, high quality non-phthalate PVC and ABS materials, Yamato's GN-U DOU: Baxingar measures approximately 5.00”, features over 30 points of articulation, and includes interchangeable parts and themed weaponry all packaged in collectors style window boxes. And as with all of Yamato's GN-U DOU, Baxingar employs a new, revolutionary frame system for ultra cool posings straight from the anime, while the outer coverings express the unique detail of the character.

GN-U DOU: Super Beast Machine God - Dancouga

Cast off the beast, and the man! Now, become a god! Yamato continues its tribute to the giant robots of Japanese anime with its GN-U DOU: Dancouga from Super Beast Machine God. Piloting their Cyber Beast Machines, Shinobu Fujiwara, Sara Yuki, Masato Shikibu and Ryo Shiba fight to liberate Earth from the alien Muge Zarbados Empire. As ferocious as they are on their own, combined to form Dancouga they are formidable. Drawing its power from the spiritual energy of all of the Cyber Beast pilots in unison, Dancouga it is capable of destroying - with a mere sweep of its arm - entire waves of attacking enemies. Made with safe, high quality non-phthalate PVC and ABS materials, Yamato's GN-U DOU: Dancouga measures approximately 5.00”, features over 30 points of articulation, and includes interchangeable parts and themed weaponry all packaged in collectors style window boxes. And as with all of Yamato's GN-U DOU, Dancouga employs a new, revolutionary frame system for ultra cool posings straight from the anime, while the outer coverings express the unique detail of the character.

Yamato USA and distribution partners AAA Anime, Diamond Comics, BBCW, Grosnor Distribution, and Yes Anime are now accepting preorders for Yamato’s GN-U DOU: Galactic Gale Baxingar – Baxingar and GN-U DOU: Super Beast Machine God - Dancouga . For more information, please visit Yamato USA’s website at www.YamatoToysUSA.com.

ABOUT YAMATO USA

Yamato USA is the wholly owned subsidiary of Yamato Co., Ltd with headquarters in the otaku capital of the world, the Akihabara district of Tokyo, Japan. For nearly ten years, Yamato USA has proudly served otaku on this side of the world with a wide offering of miniature collectible figures, PVC and die-cast action figures, as well as poly-resin and PVC statues inspired by the hottest titles in Japanese anime, manga, and video game properties. Yamato’s original collections include Story! Image! Figure! collectible miniatures and trading figures and Story! Image! Figure! EX PVC statues, as well as its newest lines, Creators’ Labo and Sculptors’ Originals, highlighting the talents of the leading artists and sculptors working in Japan; The GN-U, a tribute to transforming super robots; and the explosive Project Dynamite. Nor to be overlooked are Yamato’s Scopedog, Garland, and Motoslave engineering marvels from Armored Trooper Votoms, Megazone 23, and Bubblegum Crisis, some of the most impressive collectibles you will ever own!

Yamato Unveils VMF - Variable Motion Figures

Torrance, CA, April 15, 2008 – This Summer, action has a new name… Yamato is exceptionally pleased to present its latest collection, vmf (variable motion figure). vmf is a new style of large-scale action figure that strikes a perfect balance of form and function with multiple points of articulation (including an ingenious use of soft, flexible ATBC-PVC for partial articulated points); interchangeable parts; and exquisite, life-like sculpting. First in the series is everyone's favorite heroine, Motoko Kusanagi from Ghost in the Shell S.A.C. One-seventh scale, Motoko stands approximately 9.00", features 16 points of articulation, interchangeable wrists, removable jacket, and themed weaponry (Seburo M-5 / Seburo C-26A with silencer), all packaged in a collector's style window box.

Yamato USA and distribution partners AAA Anime, Diamond Comics, BBCW, Grosnor Distribution, and Yes Anime are now accepting preorders for Yamato’s vmf: Ghost in the Shell S.A.C. – Motoko Kusanagi For more information, please visit Yamato USA’s website at www.YamatoToysUSA.com.

ABOUT YAMATO USA

Yamato USA is the wholly owned subsidiary of Yamato Co., Ltd with headquarters in the otaku capital of the world, the Akihabara district of Tokyo, Japan. For nearly ten years, Yamato USA has proudly served otaku on this side of the world with a wide offering of miniature collectible figures, PVC and die-cast action figures, as well as poly-resin and PVC statues inspired by the hottest titles in Japanese anime, manga, and video game properties. Yamato’s original collections include Story! Image! Figure! collectible miniatures and trading figures and Story! Image! Figure! EX PVC statues, as well as its newest lines, Creators’ Labo and Sculptors’ Originals, highlighting the talents of the leading artists and sculptors working in Japan; The GN-U, a tribute to transforming super robots; and the explosive Project Dynamite. Nor to be overlooked are Yamato’s Scopedog, Garland, and Motoslave engineering marvels from Armored Trooper Votoms, Megazone 23, and Bubblegum Crisis, some of the most impressive collectibles you will ever own!

Yamato is pleased to announce the next two chapters in its Story! Image! Figure! EX PVC statue collection: Eggplant-sama from okama’s Food Girls and Ringo Noyamano, the Masked HENTAI from Oh! Great’s Air Gear.

STORY! IMAGE! FIGURE! EX

Yamato Announces the Next Two Chapters in Its Popular Series: Eggplant-sama & Ringo Noyamano

Torrance, CA, April 15, 2008 – Yamato is pleased to announce the next two chapters in its Story! Image! Figure! EX PVC statue collection: Eggplant-sama from okama’s Food Girls and Ringo Noyamano, the Masked HENTAI from Oh! Great’s Air Gear.

SIF EX: Food Girls – Eggplant-sama

Somehow, we don't think this is what mom had in mind when she told us to eat our vegetables... Meet Eggplant-sama from manga-ka okama's slightly naughty illustrated book Food Girls. The latest in Yamato's Story! Image! Figure! EX PVC statue collection, this little morsel is a faithful reproduction of a wonderful piece by famed sculptor Shuji Hagii (Studio Saru Bunshitsu Kasetsujo). Standing approximately 10.25", this 1/6 scale statue captures every lush detail of Eggplant-sama right down to her firm, yet supple… er, eh… eggplants... all ready to be pealed with removable top and bottom. Vegetables never looked so tasty!

SIF EX: Air Gear – Ringo Noyamano, the Masked HENTAI

Dignified, but shameless. Air Gear's Ringo Noyamano as the Masked HENTAI remembers to cover her face, but forgets her backside! And what's up with that bag??? This quirky piece of the leader of the Sleeping Forest and current Thorn King (Queen) from Oh! Great's manga Air Gear is the latest piece in Yamato's Story! Image! Figure! collection. Based on a piece by Yasuhiro Uchijima (essence.), this 9.00" PVC statue of Ringo Noyamano the Masked HENTAI faithfully captures the sculptor's unique techniques. Each part -- boots, bag, body -- have an irresistible attractiveness making for a cool, erotic figure which is destined to be one of the stand-out collectibles of the year.

Yamato USA and distribution partners AAA Anime, Diamond Comics, BBCW, Grosnor Distribution, and Yes Anime are now accepting preorders for Yamato’s SIF EX: Food Girls – Eggplant-sama and SIF EX: Air Gear – Ringo Noyamano, the Masked HENTAI. For more information, please visit Yamato USA’s website at www.YamatoToysUSA.com.

ABOUT YAMATO USA

Yamato USA is the wholly owned subsidiary of Yamato Co., Ltd with headquarters in the otaku capital of the world, the Akihabara district of Tokyo, Japan. For nearly ten years, Yamato USA has proudly served otaku on this side of the world with a wide offering of miniature collectible figures, PVC and die-cast action figures, as well as poly-resin and PVC statues inspired by the hottest titles in Japanese anime, manga, and video game properties. Yamato’s original collections include Story! Image! Figure! collectible miniatures and trading figures and Story! Image! Figure! EX PVC statues, as well as its newest lines, Creators’ Labo and Sculptors’ Originals, highlighting the talents of the leading artists and sculptors working in Japan; The GN-U, a tribute to transforming super robots; and the explosive Project Dynamite. Nor to be overlooked are Yamato’s Scopedog, Garland, and Motoslave engineering marvels from Armored Trooper Votoms, Megazone 23, and Bubblegum Crisis, some of the most impressive collectibles you will ever own!

From the weird and wonderful world of TANDEM TWIN, Yamato presents master sculptor Kouichi Yamazaki (TANDEM TWIN)'s latest incarnation: DOG BONNIE. Inspired by the Golden Retriever, the submissive Bonnie is the perfect companion to TANDEM TWIN's dominant Dog Alma (previously released) or twin Dog Annerose. Kneeling at approximately 7.00", Bonnie includes chain to create themed display with Alma/Annerose, display base and a host of accessories: two interchangeable heads, two interchangeable chest parts, eyeglasses, and mask.

TANDEM TWIN Animal Girls: Dog Bonnie

Torrance, CA, April 15, 2008 – From the weird and wonderful world of TANDEM TWIN, Yamato presents master sculptor Kouichi Yamazaki (TANDEM TWIN)'s latest incarnation: DOG BONNIE. Inspired by the Golden Retriever, the submissive Bonnie is the perfect companion to TANDEM TWIN's dominant Dog Alma (previously released) or twin Dog Annerose. Kneeling at approximately 7.00", Bonnie includes chain to create themed display with Alma/Annerose, display base and a host of accessories: two interchangeable heads, two interchangeable chest parts, eyeglasses, and mask.

Shipping August / September 2008, Yamato USA and its distribution partners AAA Anime, Diamond Comics, BBCW, Grosnor Distribution, and Yes Anime are now accepting preorders for TANDEM TWIN Animal Girls: Dog Bonnie. For more information, please visit Yamato USA’s website at www.YamatoToysUSA.com.

Note: For mature collectors only. Dog Alma sold out. Check with your local retailer for availability. Dog Annerose is available through Yamato USA’s online shop at www.YamatoToysUSA.com for the special price of $60 (regularly $72) through April 2008. Quantities are limited to 300 pieces and ship May 2008.

ABOUT YAMATO USA

Yamato USA is the wholly owned subsidiary of Yamato Co., Ltd with headquarters in the otaku capital of the world, the Akihabara district of Tokyo, Japan. For nearly ten years, Yamato USA has proudly served otaku on this side of the world with a wide offering of miniature collectible figures, PVC and die-cast action figures, as well as poly-resin and PVC statues inspired by the hottest titles in Japanese anime, manga, and video game properties. Yamato’s original collections include Story! Image! Figure! collectible miniatures and trading figures and Story! Image! Figure! EX PVC statues, as well as its newest lines, Creators’ Labo and Sculptors’ Originals, highlighting the talents of the leading artists and sculptors working in Japan; The GN-U, a tribute to transforming super robots; and the explosive Project Dynamite. Nor to be overlooked are Yamato’s Scopedog, Garland, and Motoslave engineering marvels from Armored Trooper Votoms, Megazone 23, and Bubblegum Crisis, some of the most impressive collectibles you will ever own!

Maybe Yamato's got it right this time

After giving up on the 1/48 scale, Yamato returns to Valkyrie making with an all new, redesigned 1/60 scale Strike Valkyrie.

Made out of ABS/PVC/Diecast, this valk is due June 2008 for 13,440yen.

Check out the pretty pictures...

New Poseable Action Figure from Ghost in the Shell

Yamato officially announced their first VMF figure: Motoko Kusanagi. This fully poseable figure is 9 inches tall and made out of PVC/ABS. 1/7 scale is big for an action figure, but who knows... Not sure how i feel about the shoulder joints.

Due in June 2008 for 7,800 yen.

Due out in August is Nene and Rinna

Due out in August is Nene and Rinna. Each is 1/15 scale, constructed of ABS/PVC/Die-Cast, and is 150mm tall.

Yamato’s Galaxy Cyclone Braiger is an interesting piece. If it weren’t so expensive it would be a damn fine toy. The Braiger has a lot of toy-like qualities. It’s fun, durable, and has a lot of play value. But at $168 USD you really can’t think of it as a toy at all. With Video!

Yamato’s Galaxy Cyclone Braiger is an interesting piece. If it weren’t so expensive it would be a damn fine toy. The Braiger has a lot of toy-like qualities. It’s fun, durable, and has a lot of play value. But at $168 USD you really can’t think of it as a toy at all.

The Braiger is the first entry in Yamato’s GNU-GOU line. Yamato describes the line as follows:

“Drawing upon Yamato's time-tested experience through the development of countless high-end transformable toys, the GN-U GOU is the culmination of intensive manual labor, the latest in CAD design, and the manipulation of ABS material for sharp, precise detail to fully express the image of each individual Super Robot as it appears in the original anime without sacrificing any play value. While faithfully maintaining proportions and details, the GN-U GOU maximizes playability through an ingenious method of transformation through the combination of interchangeable parts. The GN-U Gou, a perfect marriage of form and function.”

Reading Yamato’s description of the GNU-GOU line, you begin to understand what they were going for, and why the Braiger is what it is.

My Braiger, let me show it to you.

Braiger comes packaged in a large, gorgeous box. The front has a nice painted rendition of the Braiger, while the back features images of the product in action. The front flap opens up to reveal the product through a clear window.

The components of the Braiger come packed in 2 clear plastic trays. The top tray features Braiger in robot mode while the bottom has the car mode parts. Included in the package is a DVD, sticker sheet and instructions. Before you get too excited, the DVD is just a 30-second opening animation from the TV series.

Braiger in robot mode is a fun, playable toy. It just feels like it should have come out in the late 80s, during that period when metal made way to plastic. The details are incredibly sharp and although light, the Braiger is sturdy. The parts fit is excellent with one exception. There are small tabs on the inside legs that need to be removed for transformation – on one leg this tab falls out easily. If the fit on the leg were a little better, this wouldn’t be a problem. It’s minor, but it’s a noticeable flaw on an otherwise great piece. The toy is almost entirely ABS plastic, and has a similar feel to Yamato’s Scopedogs.

While in robot mode, the Braiger makes use of several weapons. The signature Brai-Cannons are attached to the back of the figure via pegs. Each cannon swings over the shoulders and extends with drop-down handles so that the Braiger can grab on and aim.

The Brai-Sword is a yellow-bladed sword that can be held in either hand, and the Brai-Spear is a 2-part Javelin. The handle can be separated and connected with a section of chain to be held in both hands.

The jet mode of Braiger is called Brai-Star. Transformation from Braiger to Brai-Star involves so much parts swapping, that its practically a LEGO set. I won’t go into the details here about how to get from one to the other – you can watch the video for that. But I will say that it’s actually very easy. The parts are very sturdy and there is very little ambiguity as to where parts go. Sure, Yamato could have made some sacrifices to make the transformation more self-contained, but the goals is to make as anime-accurate of a toy as possible without sacrificing playability. In that regards Yamato succeeded.

The Brai-Star is sturdy and large. It features landing gear that can be plugged into to ports on the underside that are concealed by rubber panels. You can shake the hell out of it and nothing falls off.

To transform from Brai-Star to Brai-Thunder, you have to use a different set of parts, adding more parts to the pile.

I really recommend you set aside a large workspace when playing with this. Due to a fantastic system of magnetic connection points and tight tolerances, the car mode is fantastic, and maybe the best of the three modes.

Braiger’s car mode is reminiscent of 70’s muscle cars, with an exposed engine and large rear tailpipes. The wheels are made out of a hard rubber that gives it a smooth ride across your floor. This mode is also fantastic – when fully assembled you would never believe that there is a robot hidden inside.

The big problem is the price. The cost is way too much for this piece. I think at this cost there should be some metal, or something that shoots. Yamato has produced larger, more intricate pieces for less money. Perhaps the reason is that there isn’t as great of a demand for Braiger, and thus they made less, raising the per-piece cost. Maybe it was the tons of tooling and molds required by all of the parts? I don’t know. But if this toy was $50 less, it would be perfect.

Price aside – it’s a great toy. If this came out when the show was popular it would have come in a big Styrofoam tray with all the parts laid out through clear windows.. It really would have fit right in with the times, but even then it would have been a DX box set, handle and all.

If part swapping annoys you, then this is not the toy for you. But I found that half the fun of this toy is the swapping, changing back and forth between all three modes. I like it, but I wish it were cheaper. Unfortunately that seems to be the trend these days, and there’s not a lot we can do. It’s not a cheap hobby.

Braiger was available from Yamato Toys USA, but they are all out. Check with our sponsors to see if someone has it in stock.