When a toy is marked down by nearly $40, are you getting a great deal or a piece of garbage?

Read the review, and watch the video, to find out....

The Manticore Megazord was released in 2006 and comes from the show "Power Rangers Mystic Force". I decided to take the plunge and pick one up when seeing on clearance at Toys R Us, marked down from $49.99, all the way to $10.98. I figured that at those savings it was worth a look. But unfortunately the reason it was on sale was simply that it's not a very good toy.

The Manticore Megazord is the result of the combination of a Phoenix Zord and a Lion Zord. Taken on their own, each Zord is really pretty boring and neither has much individual play value.

Phoenix Zord

Lion Zord

It is only when they are combined do they start to get even a little bit interesting. The Phoenix Zord is able to sort of "dock" with the Lion Zord and connect to it's back via three magnets.

Believe it or not, I actually prefer displaying the toy in this fashion instead of in Megazord mode. That does not bode well for any toy when it's main attraction is not shelf worthy.

Now, when you want to transform to Megazord mode, the toy features a battery operated "Auto-Morph Action". Basically, this means it transforms by itself. To do this, you have to turn the wings of the Phoenix Zord down so that it can stand upright, allowing the Lion Zord to roll along the ground until they connect. When they do, the tail of the Phoenix Zord will compress a small button on the Lion Zord, alerting it to stop rolling and start transforming.

Phoenix Zord prepared for docking

One of the biggest problems with this feature is how difficult it actually is to get the two toys to line up properly. Bandai included a thin cardboard placemat that you can use a starting reference point, but even with it's help, the transformation does not always work. Of course, that doesn't stop the toy from continuing to roll along, knocking over the Phoenix Zord and running into it on the ground and basically being a pain in the neck.

So, it's difficult to do. But even when it works, the robot does not completely transform. You still have to rotate the Lion Zord's paws into order to reveal the robots fists. And then you have to remove the Phoenix Zord's tail and transform it into a weapon.

Of course, perhaps the most visually obvious downfall of this gimmick is how badly the Manticore Megazod ends up looking because of it. Everything beneath the waist is just one big lump of plastic, with no articulation or play value whatsoever. Frankly, it just looks AWFUL. So the main featured gimmick barely works, doesn't work completely and makes the toy look terrible. Great. Just great.

I know I would give up an action feature in favor of a nicer looking design and some poseability. The only thing on the Megazord that can be posed is the arms. They move up and down and side to side (a little).

The completed weapon is pretty stupid, too. The robot really can't even hold it. Instead, it holds a small handle that is connected to it and the bottom rests on his right foot, often falling out of the hole it's meant for anyway. The weapon does spin around when the Manticore Megazord rolls forward.

When finally completed, the Manticore Megazord has a big space in between it's head and chest. There is a small black panel that you can use to fill in this space, but when it's in place, you are unable to transform it back into the separate Zords. So I just leave it down. You barely notice the emptiness from the front anyway. The lion head can also be pulled out and placed onto the separately sold Titan Megazord to form the "Ultimate Titan Mode".

The black panel on the inside front rotates up

So, what exactly does this toy have going for it? Well, it's colors are sort of unique for a robot. And....uhhhmm... that's about it. Unless you are just a total Power Ranger or Sentai completist, I can't recommend that you buy this one. Even for the $11 I paid. $11 will get you a large cheese pizza in most places. And if I could swap this thing for a large cheese pizza right now, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

(Thanks to Eva_Unit 4A", for reminding me of a couple of features I forgot about!)

If I had the choice to get only one Raideen set, I would get the DX set. I just love the classic look of the white limbs, and the God Face Mountain is like getting a whole additional toy.

We’ve already discussed the previous SOC Raideen set in great detail in another review, so here we are just going to discuss the differences between the two sets. The Raideen figure itself is essentially the same as in the other set, with the exception of the arms and legs being white instead of chrome. This is how Raideen appears in the show, and also how the first edition chogokin was decorated.

The box here in this set is a monster, maybe the biggest SOC box to date. Inside is a Styrofoam container for Raideen, multiple plastic trays, and a large box. The included manual has more pages than the standard manual, and features additional concept artwork for Raideen.

All the previous accessories are there, and the DX set includes a bunch of additional accessories from the show.

Gogun Sword looks like a bow but is instead a large, double bladed chrome sword that fits on the left arm

Jet Boomerang is similar to the God Boomerang, but has extra details, and does not close. It too adheres to the right wrist by a magnet.

God Block Big Spin is a big shield that looks like a surfboard. This shield is permanently attached to the wrist ring and can spin 360 degrees. Unlike the other wrist accessories, this one is firmly attached.

Energy Cutter is a beam of energy that comes out of the base of the God Breaker shield.

The God Bird mode of Raideen gets a few extra parts as well

Head Cutter is a solid, non transforming head for the God Bird that has extra detailing in the back – this head is meant to “launch” at an enemy vehicle, although for the toy it just plugs in. It has better proportions (in my opinion) than the original head.

Body Cutter is a large blade that takes the place of the head of the God Bird.

Probably the biggest reason one might get this set is for the included God Face Mountain. This mammoth monument holds a large golden statue of Raideen, which is revealed when you pull out a tab on the base. The head is solid plastic and requires some assembly. The stone statue is about 9 inches tall.

The Gold Raideen statue is a fixed-pose plastic statue. The only movable part is a small door in the waist that opens to accept the Sparker superbike. It is these accessories that allow one to re-enact Akira Hibiki’s “Fade In!” move when he wants to activate Raideen.

The Sparker (or Supercar) is a microscopic vinyl motorcycle that includes an even smaller Akira figure in riding position. This thing could ride an ant, it is so small. The cycle attaches to a black plate that can be stored in either the statue or on the display base.

This leads me to my one gripe about this set – the base. While all the original accessories have a place on the base, the new accessories do not.

If I had the choice to get only one Raideen set, I would get the DX set. I just love the classic look of the white limbs, and the God Face Mountain is like getting a whole additional toy.

You can get your DX Raideen Fade in Set at BetaToys.com

You can get your DX Raideen Fade in Set at BetaToys.com

Raideen is a good toy, but somehow I think I was hoping for something different. I guess that can’t be helped when you wait for something for so long.

If you need an introduction to Raideen, you probably shouldn’t be reading this site. He’s pretty much one of the first transforming robots, and one of the original batch of super robots from the 70s. He’s one of my favorite characters – you could say I have a slight Raideen obsession.

Since the dawn of the Soul of Chogokin line, I have wanted a SOC Raideen. I have always wondered how they would pull it off, and looked for clues in the other super robots released in the line to date.

Well, it is finally here. It’s a good toy, but somehow I think i was hoping for something different. I guess that can’t be helped when you wait for something for so long.

Jump to Video

The GX-41 Soul of Chogokin Raideen the Brave was released in two versions. In this review we are talking about the standard set, but there is also a GX-41S DX Raideen Fade-in Set that I will be reviewing separately. Both sets are available at BetaToys.com.

The packaging was kind of sub-par in my opinion. I don’t much care for the gold-theme packaging, and I was hoping for a return to retro look after the awesome Godmars box. Inside the box you will find the body of Raideen in a Styrofoam tray, while the rest of the accessories are in clear molded plastic trays. Also included is a nice color manual that has some history about the evolution of the character, should you be able to read Japanese.

One good thing is that there isn’t much assembly required to get Raideen ready to play. You just need to attach the head, fists, and what we will call the leg guards. There are two different sets of leg guards to choose from, but we will get into that later.

The Raideen figure itself, sans accessories, is really nice. The head features moveable panels that close in bird mode, as well as moveable yellow horns. The face can be replaced with an angrier face that has a moveable mouth. Getting the faces swapped can be tough if you have fat fingers – just move the side panels out as far as you can to get in there. They go out farther than you think. Head articulation is not great, but that’s more of a limitation of the character than anything. You can pull the neck up a little to get a wider range of motion.

The shoulders are metal, and have nice solid joints. The shoulder pads are plastic and just clip into the shoulders, so they can pop off during transformation. The arms are metal down to the elbow, and then at the end the fists can pop onto a peg at the end. The lower arm can slide up over the elbow for transformation, but can also dislocate and come off if twisted in an odd angle.

Raideen has a waist joint in the middle of the red area of the torso. It’s an interesting joint because you actually have to pull it up before rotating it. You do end up getting a small amount of tilting motion here as well. The top of the torso features a missile firing gimmick at the peak of the red area. Press the panel on the left side of the torso to launch the center portion, and then replace it with a bird missile or other accessory, such as the “God Voice” assembly.

The legs attach at the hips with nice solid chrome joints, and feature a pull down connector to enable transformation into bird mode. The legs have inset red diamonds made out of plastic – not painted. The knees are nice and clicky and the lower legs offer collapsible panels in the back to allow for transformation. The front leg guards can be swapped between solid guards and ones with extendable toe sections.

Finally, the feet jets are diecast metal, and are hinged on a ball joint.

Accessories

Raideen comes with a ton of accessories, some good, some not so good. The main problem areas are any accessory that needs to be attached to the arms.

To swap out an arm accessory, it is necessary to remove the fist, then the red ring around the wrist. Each arm accessory comes with its own ring to secure it to the arm. The thing is, each ring is only held on by a tiny peg (or in one case, a magnet). The things just do not stay on. Medicom made the same mistake years ago on their Miracle Action Figure version. Why aren’t these solid pieces, or more sturdy? This is just plain lazy on Bandai’s part. This really only applies to the shield items – the bow arm attachments for the other arm are much sturdier.

On the right arm, you have your choice of three accessories:

God Block is the round shield, and you can replace the tip with either a long or short spike

God Breaker is the slim red part with the long spike on the end.

God Boomerang is actually attached by a magnet, and is meant to be grabbed by one of the extra hands. The sides of the weapon can be opened to give it a boomerang look.

On the left arm, you have the option of the small closed bow, or the large articulated bow. This bow is hinged at the handle, and the sections can slide forward and backward. Using the variant pointing hands, Raideen can hold the God Gogun arrows as if preparing to fire. There are two different arrows, each with a metal shaft.

Transformation

Transformation from Raideen to God Bird is not perfect, but I don’t think it ever will be. Included with the set is a separate wing assembly that plugs into the figures back once a panel is removed. The wings are folded up in an intricate origami pattern. You can display the figure with wings on, but it looks odd.

To begin the transformation, close the head panels, and push up the lower arms. Bend both legs up so that the bar in the waist comes out, and bend down and collapse the legs.

Fold out the wing assemblies around the arms so that they are covered, and then turn down the shoulder pads. This area can be a bit fidgety, and once you get one section in place it seems another pops off. This action would have benefited from some clips or something, but I fear Bandai is more concerned with accuracy than playability.

On the back of the figure, swing out the beak assembly and place over the tip of the head of the figure, then pull the head out so it fits snugly in the beak. Finally, push the upper horns in, and then unfold the bird claws below the figure.

Bird mode looks great. Once you get it together, it looks pretty solid. It can’t stand on its own in this mode so there is a panel that attaches to the underside that can slide into an extra part of the stand. Be careful though, there is a small blue tab where the front of the panel connects to Raideen – I broke mine off. It doesn’t effect anything, but still…..

The Stand

For such a complex SOC, the base is very simple. The underside of the base has storage for the leg guards that are secured in place by a bracket. The top side has spaces for the 5 arm attachments, 3 extra hands, 2 arrows, missile, extra face, and Brugar (or Blugar, Broogar whatever)

The Brugar is a small plastic ship that has wing sections that tilt down and has a removable spit fighter.

Raideen can stand on the base in robot mode, or in God Bird Mode. There is no place to store the wing assembly on the base so you have to display it on the figure or in the box.

When I first handled Raideen, I will admit that I was a little disappointed. However, The toy has grown on me a lot since then, and I especially love the DX set, which I will review next. Both sets are available at Betatoys.com, so if you like what you see, order one before they are gone.

GX-41 Soul of Chogokin Raideen the Brave at Betatoys.com

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.

Well, I am happy to say that those production issues have been worked out and the latest release from Yamato, the Garland - Factory Color Version is perfect right out of the box.

The Garland is a high powered motorcycle (Maneuver-Craft Mode) that transforms into a combat robot (Slave Mode) that is given to Shogo Yahagi in the OVA series Megazone 23. This leads to our Protagonist discovering a dark secret about the world he lives in and the piece of technology he now possess. But I’m not here to spoil the series for you if you haven’t seen it. If you must know all the details without watching the series you can read the Wikipedia entry here.

I am however, here to tell you about Yamato’s latest release to their 1/15th scale Megazone 23 line of collectibles, the Garland - Factory Color Version. By the way that’s Two-Three not Twenty-Three lest the fanboy’s lynch you.

This is the fourth entry in the series of Garlands produced by Yamato. The first release was the Red version that is seen through out most of the series (you can read the full review of that release written by Josh here .) followed by a Complete Box Set: Megazone 23 which featured a Metallic Red Garland, Military Issue Garland and then the Factory Color Version.

The Factory Color Version is an original color scheme that doesn’t actually appear in the film. Despite that, I must say this is a beautiful looking color scheme that really seems to suit the design. It looks very much like it could have been in the series.

The Garland is molded in the silver with the red trim painted on in fine detail. Paint detail is nice and tight with no over spray or missed spots. Included with the standard accessories from the first release is a racing helmet for Shogo and a sticker sheet to decorate your Garland any way you see fit (notice the Skull Squadron and Valkyrie intake markings.)

Standard Accessories are:

• Shogo Yahagi figure
• Regular head
• Bandana/Headset
• Visor/Headset
• Shoulder Pads
• Gun

In robot mode (Slave Mode) this guy looks real good and is highly poseable. The toy holds poses very well and despite repeated handling and posing everything remains nice and tight. This is a seriously good looking mecha in either mode.

Now I must say I have been a fan of this mecha since I first got a look at the line-art for it back in the late 80’s. I don’t know why but I am a sucker for a transforming motorcycle, be it the Garland or a Mospeada (both designed by the very talented Shinji Aramaki .) I think that Yamato did an excellent job in translating this from cartoon into a transforming reality. It makes me smile actually.

The first release of the Garland did have some production issues. Early releases had problems with the die-cast swing bars for the arms being too tight and breaking for some. The other issue (which got me with my Garland) was the plastic used in the shoulder area would crack after a few transformations. To their credit Yamato USA was diligent in exchanging this product and not only exchanged my Garland immediately also sent me improved shoulders when they where available.

Well, I am happy to say that those production issues have been worked out and the latest release is perfect right out of the box. I have transformed this well over two dozen times and no sign of trouble. I will say Yamato does go out of its way to correct issues when they come up, a sign of a truly customer service oriented company.

The Garland and its accessories come packed in the near legendary Yamato Window Box with it’s contents neatly arranged and easily viewable by lifting the lid.

Yamato brings an excellent level of detail and engineering to this toy and it despite some problems with earlier releases this latest offering is indeed a solid toy and a fine collectible at the same time. If you like the mecha design I can unabashedly tell you to drop the cash for it as it will look spectacular in your collection and you will love picking it up and transforming it.

Here's the full video review:

And here is the full transformation:

You can get yours at Yamato USA

Tuner car transformer with magnetic connections!

Magscinder is one of three Magna Formers, a new line from Mega Bloks. The idea with these toys is that they are cars that turn into robots. Nothing revolutionary there, right?

Well, these are a bit different than your average transformer.

The body of the car is actually a shell made of several pieces, held together by strong magnetic connection points. The parts connect to a core block.

This block unfolds and becomes the core of the robot. On its own, this core robot is a very cool articulated figure. Construction is solid, and like any Mega Brands toy, you can take it apart and put it together in various ways.

Once you change the core into a robot, you can then re-attach the body parts all over the robot as you see fit. There is no “right” way to place the panels on the robot – the only limit is your imagination. For the most part, the connections are strong. Of course, the wilder your ideas, the more tenuous the connection.

I really like the styling of these toys. The tuner car aesthetic is really well done, with great paint and details. The car looks like a solid car and the pieces fit well. The wheels have rubber tires and spin freely.

My son enjoyed the challenge of putting the parts on the car like a puzzle. At 5 years old, he is able to put it together quickly. He also enjoyed the robot mode, but what he really dug was something I’m sure the manufacturer did not have in mind.

Nathan’s favorite thing to do with the Magna Formers was to smash them together and watch the parts fly. In car mode, we would get on the floor and have high speed crashes. Whoever’s car sustained the most damage was the winner. In robot mode, we would crash the figures into each other, body parts flying across the room. The best part of all is that these toys can take it. Not only do they look great, they are tough as nails.

My only complaint about these toys would be the variety. Each figure is essentially the same, albeit with a different paint job. The core robot on all three models is exactly the same except for color. The body shells are actually different, but the differences are so subtle that you hardly notice. Should they continue with the line, let’s hope they mix up the designs a little.

Which way is the right way? You decide!

Hyperion is one of three Magna Formers, a new line from Mega Bloks. The idea with these toys is that they are cars that turn into robots. Nothing revolutionary there, right?

Well, these are a bit different than your average transformer.

The body of the car is actually a shell made of several pieces, held together by strong magnetic connection points. The parts connect to a core block.

This block unfolds and becomes the core of the robot. On its own, this core robot is a very cool articulated figure. Construction is solid, and like any Mega Brands toy, you can take it apart and put it together in various ways.

Once you change the core into a robot, you can then re-attach the body parts all over the robot as you see fit. There is no “right” way to place the panels on the robot – the only limit is your imagination. For the most part, the connections are strong. Of course, the wilder your ideas, the more tenuous the connection.

I really like the styling of these toys. The tuner car aesthetic is really well done, with great paint and details. The car looks like a solid car and the pieces fit well. The wheels have rubber tires and spin freely.

My son enjoyed the challenge of putting the parts on the car like a puzzle. At 5 years old, he is able to put it together quickly. He also enjoyed the robot mode, but what he really dug was something I’m sure the manufacturer did not have in mind.

Nathan’s favorite thing to do with the Magna Formers was to smash them together and watch the parts fly. In car mode, we would get on the floor and have high speed crashes. Whoever’s car sustained the most damage was the winner. In robot mode, we would crash the figures into each other, body parts flying across the room. The best part of all is that these toys can take it. Not only do they look great, they are tough as nails.

My only complaint about these toys would be the variety. Each figure is essentially the same, albeit with a different paint job. The core robot on all three models is exactly the same except for color. The body shells are actually different, but the differences are so subtle that you hardly notice. Should they continue with the line, let’s hope they mix up the designs a little.

These are a bit different than your average transformer.

Tribetat is one of three Magna Formers, a new line from Mega Bloks. The idea with these toys is that they are cars that turn into robots. Nothing revolutionary there, right?

Well, these are a bit different than your average transformer.

The body of the car is actually a shell made of several pieces, held together by strong magnetic connection points. The parts connect to a core block.

This block unfolds and becomes the core of the robot. On its own, this core robot is a very cool articulated figure. Construction is solid, and like any Mega Brands toy, you can take it apart and put it together in various ways.

Once you change the core into a robot, you can then re-attach the body parts all over the robot as you see fit. There is no “right” way to place the panels on the robot – the only limit is your imagination. For the most part, the connections are strong. Of course, the wilder your ideas, the more tenuous the connection.

I really like the styling of these toys. The tuner car aesthetic is really well done, with great paint and details. The car looks like a solid car and the pieces fit well. The wheels have rubber tires and spin freely.

My son enjoyed the challenge of putting the parts on the car like a puzzle. At 5 years old, he is able to put it together quickly. He also enjoyed the robot mode, but what he really dug was something I’m sure the manufacturer did not have in mind.

Nathan’s favorite thing to do with the Magna Formers was to smash them together and watch the parts fly. In car mode, we would get on the floor and have high speed crashes. Whoever’s car sustained the most damage was the winner. In robot mode, we would crash the figures into each other, body parts flying across the room. The best part of all is that these toys can take it. Not only do they look great, they are tough as nails.

My only complaint about these toys would be the variety. Each figure is essentially the same, albeit with a different paint job. The core robot on all three models is exactly the same except for color. The body shells are actually different, but the differences are so subtle that you hardly notice. Should they continue with the line, let’s hope they mix up the designs a little.

Machine Blaster was your standard "ancient civilization attacks the surface world, with a crazy professor making giant robots out of their advanced technology that are somehow superior to the civilization they came from" anime.

Boss Palder comes from the anime series Blocker Gundan Corps Machine Blaster ( ブロッカー軍団ＩＶマシーンブラスター) which ran on Fuji TV from 1976-1977.

The show was your standard "ancient civilization attacks the surface world, with a crazy professor making giant robots out of their advanced technology that are somehow superior to the civilization they came from" anime. Professor Yuri created the four Machine Blocker robots to battle the Mogul invasion.

Like any super robot show of the 70s, Machine Blaster was largely created to sell toys, and many different companies got the license. Along with Takemi, Marushin and Bullmark also produced Machine Blaster Toys.

Takemi created all four Blocker robots as part of their Bigger Gokin (ビッガー合金) line. These toys were large funky chunks of metal, and were competitors to Popy’s GA line of chogokin.

Bigger Gokin Machine Blaster Boss Palder Blocker IV (ビッガー合金 マシーンブラスター ボスパルダー ブロッカーフォー) is one of the easiest to find out of the four, but should not be overlooked due to its availability. Consider it the gateway drug to Takemi diecasts.

Boss Palder comes secured in a Styrofoam tray that is wrapped snugly in a beautiful box. Also included is a nice product catalog. Included with the toy is 4 fists, missiles, 2 clubs attached with a chain, and hat.

The hat is actually a ship called Freedom IV that can magnetically attach to the head. I love how it is reminiscent of a cowboy hat. I wonder what was with the Japanese fascination with US cowboy culture during the 70s. All those tassels on the jackets… but I digress.

Each arm has a trigger that enables you to fire the fists, clubs or missiles. The launcher has a hair trigger, and I had to go through three of these until I found one that would not shoot off spontaneously. The fists are nothing more than red dull claws, and they can also hold the clubs.

The black clubs are what sold me on this toy. Each club is connected by a metal chain. Takemi loved to use chains and springs, and I love them for it. Chains instantly make a toy so much better.

The missiles can be shot out of the arms, but they also fit into the chest missile launchers. Flip the black door on the chest down and insert the missiles, push the button on the back to fire.

This toy doesn’t have the sharp lines that a Popy or Takara toy would, but instead has more charm. It feels like it was made by old ladies in a cabin in Japan, and probably was. The large amount of metal and the bitchin’ design is why I originally purchased this piece, but I really love the innocence or naiveté of the design. It comes from a different time, a time I wish some companies would get back to.

The Soul of Chogokin King Joe (超合金魂 キングジョー) is the 37th release in the SOC line and it comes today courtesy of betaToys.com

The Soul of Chogokin King Joe (超合金魂 キングジョー) is the 37th release in the SOC line and it comes today courtesy of betaToys.com

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King Joe was released May 26 2007, and retailed for ￥8,190. He was one of the classic villains from the tv show Ultraseven (ウルトラセブン), which aired from 1967 - 1968. King Joe first appears in the episode "The Ultra-Garrison Goes West part 1" which aired originally on 1/7/68.

King Joe also appeared in the 1999 OVT Ultra Seven Series, using the same character designs with modern special effects.

If you are an Ultraseven or Tokuatsu fan, this chogokin King Joe is a must buy. Fans who are not familiar with the series may regard King Joe as an oddity or a curiosity, but I urge you to check it out. King Joe is a fun toy.

The toy consists of 4 separate parts that combine to form the mighty robot. Each part has a flying mode in addition to being a component of the combined King Joe. Prior to this review, I didn't know that King Joe could come apart!

You can display King Joe in either Robot mode or as the individual parts. Each individual part is supported by a clear stand, which can be stored in the base when not in use.

The leg section of King Joe has the most complicated transformation of the set, and features the most metal. It is almost all diecast. Transformation is simple; just open the leg panels at the rear, rotate the legs, and close. The antenna get turned around and placed in the body. Each antenna is actually held in place by a spring, to prevent breaking. Included is an alternate set of antenna, but I don't know what their purpose is. They seem essentially the same.

The next part is the lower torso of King Joe. In flight mode, you just pull out two antenna from the top. Thats it. No metal in this one.