From what I can gather, over the years, Getter Robo has had many re-incarnations. So many that I get quite lost wondering how everything may connect or even if the stories do connect. With all that being said, I will just talk about the toy I am reviewing today and not its background......

Growing up in the US makes my knowledge of the Getter Robo franchise limited. My only real knowledge of Getter Robo is Getter Robo G which was brought to us in the USA as Starvengers, Part of Jim Terry's Force Five TV series.

From what I can gather, over the years, Getter Robo has had many re-incarnations. So many that I get quite lost wondering how everything may connect or even if the stories do connect. With all that being said, I will just talk about the toy I am reviewing today and not its background.

So, sparing you any further verbal diarrhea, I present to you Aoshima's New Getter Robo (weathered version) which incidentally was provided by Aoshima's website, Hobby World Japan

Lets start off with the packaging. Aoshima always seems to hit the mark with the way they present their toys. I don't care which figure you buy from them, you can always expect great artwork or illustration of the figure within the box in a cool dynamic pose. As you can see below, New Getter Robo is not exception.

Upon opening the box, you are greeted with every chogokin collectors dream... A big chunk of metal entombed in Styrofoam. Aoshima was even kind enough to include tissue wrapping the figure. I guess the tissue paper is for those of us who may get to excited opening the box.

So, enough with the jokes, what's inside the box already!

• New Getter Robo
• One pair of weapon holding fists
• Open right hand (detailed backhand)
• Open right hand (detailed palm)
• Three pairs of back wings (1 set of small/closed, 1 set of open/down, 1 set open/extended
• Two axes

You can clearly see in the photo below, all that is mentioned above. This version of New Getter Robo is called a weathered version. This basically means that the paint has shading added to give it a more realistic appearance. Let me just say that the paint job is stunning. The figure stands approximately 7.5" tall and is comprised of almost 90% die-cast metal as well as other quality materials. The large die-cast content really gives the figure nice heft and quality feel when you hold it. Something about a toy that weighs over 1 pound (1 lb. 3 oz. to be exact) really makes you feel like your money was well spent.

You can see below that this figure has great articulation allowing it to do some cool poses with the 2 axes that are included. Clicking ratchet joints are used in combination with tight friction joints. The combination of the 2 mentioned joints enable you to pose the figure as you choose.

Here is where the toy kinda fails for me. I really wish that some caps were included for the screw holes. I think the exposed screw holes really take away from the realistic look of the figure.

Enough about the exposed screw hole shortcoming. Heck, just turn the figure around and look at it from the front. You have to admit, this New Getter Robo looks quite fierce wielding his spiked battle ax. Also note the added shading on the axes adding to the weathered look.

The detailing on this figure is really nice, look at the translucent green chest panels that reveal the mechanics underneath. Note how well the green on the face matches up with the translucent chest pieces.

Be careful, those forearm spikes are kinda sharp! You don't want to let the young-ins to get a hold of this one folks!

Moving right along, yes I am turning the figure around again. I am doing this to show the 3 sets of wings that I mentioned earlier in the review. The pictures go like this, 1 set of small/closed, 1 set of open/down, 1 set open/extended. The open extended wings are my personal favorite.

Here is something that kinda bothers me a little. Look at how odd the elbow joints appear when the arms are bent. Most Aoshima figures have this style elbow joint. I really wish Aoshima would come up with a more aesthetically pleasing joint.

Joint aesthetics aside, New Getter Robo is very well balanced figure. Just check out the photo below of him unleashing an ass whipping on CollectionDX's Nor-Easter Vegitius. No tricks, New Getter Robo is actually holding that pose!

So in conclusion, I love this toy. It is a big sturdy hunk of die-cast Chogokin goodness! Aoshima has once again produced a quality modern chogokin. The formula is simple, great materials and craftsmanship in conjunction with a uncomplicated design is always going to be a winner in my book. You can grab one of these metal beauties at Aoshima's website, Hobby World Japan.

The Battleship Arcadia was a popular cartoon series, captained by the Space Pirate Captain Harlock and ingrained in all our hearts.

The Battleship Arcadia was a popular cartoon series, captained by the Space Pirate Captain Harlock and ingrained in all our hearts. I started watching this series because at first Captain Harlock was supposed to be Kodai Susumu older brother lost in battle before the Yamato was reforged... to us USA people Derek Wildstar's older brother. That idea never was made cannon... just like a million origins for Wolverine & Sabertooth... but the cartoon does have that Starblazers feel I love and hence the reason I wanted this piece.

A review for the Arcadia TV Anime Version is already on here so I will just generally cover the chogokin and try to sell the Black version. Aoshima is a company that I enjoy buying from. You get a lot of diecast and they generally do not cost as much as other companies. The "yin" to that "yang" are often a couple of imperfections in figure or flaws in painting, but hey for around 100 USD instead of around 200+USD I can accept that. Mine had imperfect white marks on two areas near turrets (easy fix with touch up paint).

The Ship has a nice heft to it and the main fuselage is nearly all metal. Unlike other Aoshima Arcadia ships (the Blunt nose version?) that require flags and bottom fin being put on, this chogokin comes basically fully assembled out of box (I still have shell shock flashbacks to the insane Bandai Yamato assembly). The only thing you need to do is insert a dome (one solid or one clear yellow) and anchors.

A nice design not mentioned before is the turrets turn in unison and the barrels move in certain sequences depending on position.

Also a missile turret and bottom fighter flap opens, the "hanger bay door" is pretty small and useless but no big flaw to me.

The black version comes with glow-in-the-dark paint on the skulls and the front ship dagger is that cool white "glow" plastic. Charge it up, turn the room to pitch black and enjoy next to your black neo-getter, shin getter, and new getter.

The ship lights up like all the other versions (to my knowledge there are blk. ver, weathering ver., anime color ver., normal ver....are there more??). It also comes with a stand and this one has the front of the ship turn up at a more extreme angle than the others.

A very nice addition to the Black version that I believe does not come with the others is a larger version of the small fighter (not the bomber) that comes with all versions, of course it has the stand in the pictures, the fighter is all plastic but nice details...and lets not get greedy.

A nice heavy Chogokin, looks nice, and the versions I choose to have...yes, it is my favorite...and yes I loved the large fighter. It is displayed next to my Bandai SOP Yamato and eventually my insanely pricey Marmit Andromeda. Once again please read the other Acadia review for more descriptive phrases - I tried not to be redundant.

In the world of scifi fandom, there're the ship-lovers. Most folks who partake in this particular fetish get down with popular icons like the USS Enterprise from Star Trek or the Star Destroyers from Star Wars. On the more Japanese side, the Space Battleship Yamato or SDF-1 Macross are a common favorites. Me? I'll take the Gotengo over those ships any day!

I think it's natural for young folks to drift off and daydream about being the captain of a ship...

...Whether it's steering the course of a haunted pirate schooner or occupying the command chair on the bridge of a futuristic spaceship. I was no different when I was little. And, of course, ready to cash in were the special effects producers and animators of popular film and tv!

There were so many scifi movies and shows that featured fantastic capital ships in the late 70's/early 80's. You of course, had your live-action stuff on the big screen, like the Millenium Falcon, Star Destroyers, etc., from Star Wars. You had the various starships from Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, and the like. On the more Japanese side of things, you had capital ships from anime like Robotech's SDF-1 Macross and Starblazer's Argo (Space Battleship Yamato).

I gotta tell ya, though...those ships just never did it for me. Never liked Star Wars. Classic Trek and the original BSG were cool, but not because of the ship designs (for me, anyway). I loved Robotech, but more so for the epic story/characters and mecha than for the capitals. And don't even get me started on Starblazers!

Anyway, when I was growing up, I had an special affinity for Toho productions. There was just something about the live-action special effects shots in these tokusatsu films that really appealed to me--and continue to do so today! Guys in actual monster suits, realistic miniature sets, high-speed film and other camera tricks all blew my mind...far more so than the blue screen-assisted shots in your typical Western space opera.

When I first saw 1963's Atragon on Saturday morning's Creature Double-Feature, as cheesy as the movie was, I fell in love with the titular craft. It was essentially, a Pacific War super-sub...that could fly...and had a gimungous drill in the bow that allowed the vessel to burrow through...all the stuff a WWII-era ship would have to burrow through. Why not, damnit?

The film had an interesting nationalistic slant to it. The ship was built after the end of the war by Captain Hachiro Jinguji, a disenfranchised IJN officer who felt that Japan should never have surrendered to the US. He built the vessel to rebuild Japan's glory. Well, instead of doing that, exactly, he eventually mobilized it against the ancient, subterranean Mu civilization, who threatened the entire surface world. At first, he resisted--thinking, why help the rest of the world? Afterall, his ship was built for the Japanese Empire--the rest of the world be damned. But he finally came around...after the Mu attempted to destroy the dry-docked ship...and kidnapped his daughter! Whotta guy!!

The rest is your typical 60's Toho collision course for wackiness. The Atragon takes on the Mu civilization and their kaiju-god, Manda, in some fairly lack-luster sfx scenes. Still, it's hard to go wrong with movies like this.

A couple interesting bits of trivia... The ship was actually called the "Gotengo" in the original Japanese film, Kaitei Gunkan (1963). The name got all boogered up when Toho and AIP worked out the translation. Toho wanted the English movie title to be "Atragon", ostensibly a contraction of "Atlantis Dragon" (obviously, a reference to Manda and the Mu civilization's striking similarity to Atlantis). AIP ended up calling the movie AND the ship Atragon in the dubbed version.

Anyway, in 1977, a space-faring version of the craft called the Goten appeared in War In Space, though no direct correlation between the movies was ever officially made.

Finally, the opening scene in 2004's Godzilla: Final Wars features the heavily-upgraded, modern Gotengo taking on Manda in an obvious homage to the original film. Flashback scenes in Final Wars also show the original Gotengo burying Gojira in the arctic.

[Oh, a couple more non-Toho references: there apparently was a scifi anime called Super Atragon that seems pretty unrelated, despite the name and presence of a ship with a drill on its bow. Also, a tokusatsu joint called Sazer-X featured a "Commander Jinguji" who built the "Hontengo, a submarine-like aircraft armed with a massive giant drill"!]

Okay, enough with the history lesson! On with the toy!

This is Aoshima's 1/350 scale Limited Edition SGM-26 Gotengo, from their famous "Shin Seiki Gohkin" line of chogokin toys. The model comes to us from HobbyLink Japan, and I don't hesitate when I say that this might be the perfect scifi ship collectible. It's the complete antithesis of Bandai's Soul of Popinica Space Battleship Yamato. The SoP Yamato was a crumbly mess. It looked nice but it was hardly deserving of the name, "Soul". Aoshima's Atragon, by contrast, is one giant hunk of diecast with no extraneous accessories to keep track of or fiddly bits to make for a delicate display piece.

This foot-long toy is heavy, durable, and looks perfect. And it's got electronic gimmicks...but we'll get to those features later! First, just a word on the version of this toy. As I mentioned, this is the "Limited Edition". I don't actually know how "limited" it is because it seems to be just as available as the Regular Edition...and at the same price. The RE comes with two (way out-of-scale) painted PVC figures of diver-suited guys from the movie. Aoshima usually contains figures like these in their Shin Seiki Gohkin releases. The LE drops these two figures in favor of some air-brushed shading detail along the panel lines in the hull. Since I had no desire for the figures, I simply opted for the hull detail.

[Note: you can only tell that you're getting the LE by the sticker on the top of the box by the lower, left-hand corner. This sticker shows the LE's airbrushed hull, and covers up a graphic of the diver figures on the otherwise identical RE box.]

Anyway, let's start off with the packaging:

It's packaged with style and care, as usual by Aoshima. The glossy outer box graphics solidly blend classic artwork taken from the original illustrated story, photos of the prop/model used in the film, and photos of the actual toy. The back of the box very clearly shows the toy's features.

Upon opening the box, you're treated to a dense chunk of styrofoam encapsulating the toy. There's a small instruction sheet folded into a plastic bag and taped to a styrofoam lid that covers the main styro block. Three small bricks of styrofoam secure the plastic-wrapped ship in its cavity. Nekrodave was over the night I first opened the toy: those three blocks took all of my strength to pull outta there! The only other piece in the main block is the simple stand (though an additional cavity is present for the figures that come with the Regular Edition).

Once freed from its prison, the model just shines. For the record, most of the shots below were taken with about half a dozen of Kotobukiya's Mechanical Chain Bases built up into a simple but very effective diorama.

As I mentioned before, the entire primary hull is diecast. If you threw this thing like a spear, it would easily lodge itself into any large mammal's skull. Despite the perfectly-applied matte paint, it feels gloriously cold to the touch and heavy in the hand.

The airbrushed shading along the panel lines is executed brilliantly. Detail paint applications like on the forward section saw blades and the deck cannons are perfect. The plastic drill on the bow looks exactly like it did in the movie. Even the faux wood deck paneling on the crown of the vessel is painted in the perfect color. Really, from a visual execution standpoint, there's nothing to complain about.

The cannon emplacements on the bridge section rotate and elevate. Nothing mind-blowing, but definitely a nice touch that would've been missed had the articulation been left out. The material of the barrels appears to be a fairly stiff PVC. I have no fear of them breaking under normal play conditions, but they are thin and slightly flexible. So don't get too carried away!

One of the main gimmicks of this toy is the "buttoned up" mode, for lack of a better term. Essentially, for burrowing operations, the bridge tower recesses into the hull and the fins, wings, and saw blades retract. The result is a streamlined craft that actually sorta makes sense...for a giant flying submarine that can drill through mountains...

Now, what's even funnier is that I don't even recall this happening in the movie!! That's right! I know it's been a while since I've watched it (I really should've just watched the damn thing before writing the review, huh?), but I'm pretty confident I woulda remembered that!

Anyway, the entire plastic bridge section is mounted on springs, and can be pressed into the hull of the ship (what about all the decks below in the way!?). A hidden panel slides out to cover the hole. The forward wings and saw blades are mounted on simple hinges and just fold away into the hull. The aft wings are geared to move in tandem; they simply fold down as well.

My only beef with this toy is the hinge on the forward wings. They're pretty loose and the wings don't snap into either position. I know I could just shim the joints...but I figure for around $200, it woulda been nice for Aoshima to have designed detents to make the wings snap in place. It's a very minor gripe and I'm pleased to say there are no others!

Finally, my favorite feature on the toy: the electronics!

There are two switches on the keel of the ship. One activates the LEDs! Bright...and I mean *BRIGHT*...LEDs are built into the aft thruster and along the keel. I'm glad you can sorta see them while the vessel is sitting on its stand, but when you pick it up and turn off the lights, the effect is amazing!

Now, this is nothing new for Aoshima. They pulled off multi-colored LEDs for the Queen Esmeraldas Josh recently previewed. What would've been nice here woulda been soft white-colored, forward-looking LEDs near the bow to act as underwater searchlights. Or how about on the crown of the ship near the bridge section, pointed at the tower to illuminate it? That'd be sick!

Anyway, the other switch on the keel activates...you guessed it!...the drill! C'mon--you think they'd leave something like that out!? ;)

It's a two-way toggle switch, though I'm not sure why the bothered to do this. If you press it one way, the drill rotates in the normal direction, as though it's boring into something. Press it the other way, it rotates the opposite direction. All the while this is going on (regardless of direction), the forked prong-thing at the very tip gently undulates forward and back. Gently. Back and forth. But remember: it's not the size of the ship. It's the motion of the ocean.

Well anyway, describing the movement in words is kinda lame, and it's pretty much useless to try to photograph a rotating drill. So, check out my video review of the toy!

As I mentioned in the video, while this is a fantastic ship model, it's probably not for everyone. At $200, it's not a casual purchase and probably will only show up in the possession of diehard fans (like me!). The important thing about this release, I think, is what it potentially means for the future of the line. Pay attention, Space Battleship Yamato fans! Aoshima's releasing their Queen Esmeraldas, a Leiji Matsumoto design, and it promises to be just as amazing as the Gotengo. If they actually pull off producing a Yamato (another Matsumoto design) with this level of quality, all you Yamato/Starblazers fans may just have the ULTIMATE Yamato/Argo collectible on your hands!

Like I said before, I'm no Matsumoto fan, but I'm pulling for you guys!

Last but not least, I thought I'd leave you folks with a couple shots of the Atragon pitted against her nemesis...Manda!!

From "Change! Getter Robo: Sekai Saigo no Hi" (a.k.a. "Getter Robo Armageddon")

From "Change! Getter Robo: Sekai Saigo no Hi" (a.k.a. "Getter Robo Armageddon") comes Getter 1 with Full Mantle.

Getter 1 with Full Mantle is available at Anime-Export.com

Being part of the Shin Seiki Gokin line from Aoshima, you can be sure that this thing is loaded with metal. The toy weighs a ton.

This figure stands about 7” tall and made out of diecast metal and plastic.

Features include an opening cockpit, opening Getter Beam door, two Getter Tomahawks, variant open and closed hands and the large “Full Mantle” rubber cape. This version also includes a new hand with a destroyed Getter Dragon head that it can hold.

Getter 1 shares many of the same body parts as the Getter 1 (Damaged) and the Black Getter releases from Aoshima. The extending elbows and hip joints are still there allowing a great range of motion.

The back shoulder panel can be removed to reveal the intricate inner workings of Getter 1. You can also attach a large rubber cape to the back of this panel Unlike the Black Getter, this cape stays firmly in place.

To put on the full mantle, you must first remove the arms from the body, and then the head. Place the full mantle over the figure and then re-attach the head. The arms do not go back on in this mode.

One flaw worth mentioning is the neck articulation. It really can't turn much. This is due to the square shape of the bottom of the neck - when it turns it hits the shoulder shrouds and pops it off.

The full mantle looks good, but you really can’t do anything in this mode. It’s a neat accessory, but I don’t know if its worth getting if you already have a Aoshima Getter 1. If you don’t then this is a good place to start.

Getter 1 is seen here posed against Kotobukiya’s Mechanical Chain Base series of model kit display stands.

Getter 1 with Full Mantle is available at Anime-Export.com

The damaged Getter 1 replicates the final scene in the OVA and Manga, where the Getter Core is ripped out and exposed! This is a limited edition, EXCLUSIVE item from Anime-Export.

The damaged Getter 1 replicates the final scene in the OVA and Manga, where the Getter Core is ripped out and exposed! This is a limited edition, EXCLUSIVE item from Anime-Export.

Anime-Export is one of the lucky few retailers that has had the opportunity to do exclusive versions of Aoshima toys. For this release, they took the standard Getter 1 (from the new-ish Getter OVA) and decided to replicate the final scene in the series.

Here are some of the features, as described by Anime-Export (hey, why reinvent the wheel?):

"1 - For the first time an Aoshima Shin Seiki Gohkin product will be equipped with interchangeable parts. Two different left arms are included in the box, one of them is the damaged one as seen in the OVA and the manga to reproduce all the Getter poses in its final moments.

2 - Glow in the dark parts (to give the radioactive feeling): chest, Getter Core and the hole in the chest. For the hole in the chest we had to spray the glow in the dark paint instead of injecting it, we can assure you that the final result is GREAT.

3 - The Getter Core is made by a new material to allow the glow in the dark effect and needed to be partially re-sculpted. Tubes were also added.

4 - New accessories: beside the interchangeable left arm, the new Getter Core and the standard set of spare hands (six in total) a new hand to hold the Getter Core has been added, the two Getter Tomahawk are painted in a new weathering style and an exclusive bonus figure of Musashi Tomoe that is the solely Getter pilot in this final battle.

Production quantity: This item will be produced only in 1500 pieces, each one of them will have a sticker with the serial number on it (ex. 0001/1500) to certify the limited production run.

Paint: we took so long to put this item in production because of the huge paint-job required. We have been turned down two times by the factory that told us that this model was "undo-able". Finally we studied a new paint-job system and we were allowed to start the production. A normal item is usually completed after 30 to 40 paint steps, for this one over 180 were required... It was a huge task and we really hope you will appreciate it. As for now we can officially declare that there won't be any reissue, recolor or anything else after the first production run (that is common on Anime-Export products by the way) due to the huge costs required for the production.

It is a one-shot item and we consider it our masterpiece so far.. get it now!"

Getter 1 comes in a great color box with full color renderings on the front and back. The sticker denoting the number is on the front.

The paint detail on this damaged version is really nice - it looks like it has been beat to hell. In some places you can actually see brush strokes, but i really don't mind. Its clear a lot of work went into the paint on this. And it really is damaged. The head is missing one of its spikes, and the chest has the guts of Getter 1 spilling out.

Two Getter Tomahawks are included, and the hands to hold them both.

The elbows have that extending elbow gimmick that Aoshima is famous for.

From the back, there are plenty of exposed screw holes. I wish these were covered up, but it does give the toy that old school feel.

The left arm is removable, and you can replace it with a "stump" of sorts. The stump has glow paint on the tips of the wires.

To replicate the final moments of Getter 1, You need to change the right hand to an open hand, and attach the getter core to the damaged chest section.

Turn the lights out, because this thing glows!

Not only do does the Getter Core glow, but so do the eyes, chest panel, wire tips... it is really stunning in the dark.

Included with the Getter 1 is a small figurine of Musashi Tomoe, the sole pilot at the demise of Getter Robo.

I know people tend to shy away from repaints, but I assure you, this is no ordinary repaint. This is almost an entirely new toy, and definitely worth having in your chogokin collection.

The only place you can get your Damaged Getter 1 is at Anime-Export.

Get your Damaged Getter 1 directly from Anime-Export

THUNDERBIRDS...are go! Thunderbird 2 is made of die cast and high quality plastic manufactured by Aoshima. It is has nice paint works, metal stilt legs, and removable container car.

THUNDERBIRDS...are go! Thunderbird 2 is made of die cast and high quality plastic manufactured by Aoshima. It is has nice paint works, metal stilt legs, and removable container car.The weathering version comes with the mole vehicle.

TB2 is around 15 inches long top to bottom and has nice solid feel.

The outside edge of the craft is all die cast, the tail section, container and front cone are all plastic. The front cone has plastic windows and you can see little seats inside.

The vehicle has metal stilts that do not collapse or retract, they are solid metal that you put in peg holes allowing you to push out container and have that classic "Thunderbirds are go" scene.

TB2 was a long crazy arduous journey for me to find and after finally buying one (which is why I am writing this)...it was like Dickens Tale of Two Cites...it is the best of chogokin and the worst of chogokin...TB2 looks incredible...the paint, the detail are great

However, it is not a toy, it is definitely just a showpiece (similar to the Anderson Space 1999 die cast collectibles), because it really does not "do" anything. The Aoshima TB1 had moving wings, trap doors, little accessories...but TB2 has none of these attributes. The other major flaw in my estimation was when ever you push out the container (I closely followed the directions), it creates a rub mark.

I carefully own and take care of everything...I even wear gloves...so you can feel my pain when at first I thought it was green paint from the container on the silver not the silver being rubbed down to the green plastic below. Therefore, the only one thing you can really do with the vehicle is the same thing that damages the paint. You may have notice the little die cast vehicles spotted around TB2, you can actually buy the three sets, sold through Hot wheels (they are actually listed on side of TB2 box). Not all the figures are correct to scale (most are but the Tracy figures would be like 15 feet tall!!!), however, they are cool and add nice display touches.

One word of caution so you don't get annoyed, the vehicles Aoshima include with either version of TB2 have better detail (like rubber treads) than the hot wheels ones(plastic treads with wheels)...but they look the same, are die cast, and do have nice feel and articulation.

There are two versions, the weathering DX (this one) and normal version, weathering comes with the mole, regular comes with the sub, I have never seen but saw pics of regular version with a different vehicle. I got so annoyed one how little it does ( I like switching gadgets, posing, etc..) that I almost sold it... but it just looks so darn cool, I had to keep it. Mine was extremely hard to find, a toy dealer told me they were everywhere two years ago marked down to like 90 USD. Me, I paid a WHOLE lot more. I recommend you buy an extra container or two and get the Hot Wheels set, a guy on eBay is selling the 3 hot wheels sets (each set contains a different Tracy) for like 26 USD plus shipping, so those are easy to get.

Bottom line is if you want a great looking piece, large, imposing, and well crafted - track one down. If you want something that you can fiddle with, pose, use many accessories, then Thunderbird Two is NOT a go for you. Maybe get one of the all plastic versions that rise up, make sounds or something like that.

Shin Getter 2 (Anime-Export Weathered Version) improves on an already fantastic piece.

We've already covered the regular version of the Shin Seiki Gokin Shin Getter 2, but this is the Weathered Version, and in my opinion, far superior.

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The Weathered Version Shin Getter 2 is an Anime-Export exclusive. Anime-Export has an arrangement with Aoshima where they can do exclusive versions of their die-cast toys. And what is cool is that they are not just simple repaints - This toy has amazing detail.

All the parts have been weathered in some way. The gloss white finish has been replaced with a matte finish, with faded grey weathering all over the figure. Although the toy is 90% diecast, the plastic has been weathered as well.

I won't go over all the finer points of the figure itself, that was covered well in Sanjeev's review. But I will say that this is a fantastic figure. I am just blown away with how cool it is. I thought the thing would have trouble standing up but its really solid. Aoshima has included a couple stands that support the drill and the figure, but you don't actually need them.

The arms and legs have that Aoshima extending joint thing, which works really well with this release. The drill arm has a rotating spiked band, and the other arm features an articulated claw.

The toy comes with a variant drill arm that can actually fire an all plastic version of the drill. The drill arm that does not fire is a solid piece of sharp metal.

Also included is a mini figure of Hayato, the pilot of Shin Getter 2.

Shin Getter 2 (Anime-Export Weathered Version) is a really really nice piece. there's just nothing wrong with it and would be a great addition to any gokin collection. You can get yours at Anime-Export.com. It's limited to 1500 peices, so get one before they are gone.

You can get yours at Anime-Export.com.

Terminator 2 Judgment Day - 1/6 Scale T-800 made by Aoshima; and like its ventures into Thunderbirds and Getter Robo, the Chogokin is well crafted and full of die cast.

Terminator 2 Judgment Day - 1/6 Scale T-800 Is made by Aoshima, and like its ventures into Thunderbirds and Getter Robo, the Chogokin is well-crafted and full of diecast.

The Terminator figure is big, similar in size to Masterpiece Convoy/Optimus Prime by Takara. It has impressive metal content and is very heavy upon holding the figure. It has tons of pistons and joints that work and some that are just plastic for show. The figure comes with a stand that clamps onto the back of the figure to provide stability when posing (he is top heavy).

The Terminator poses pretty well but nothing too extreme; the head just tilts and arms and legs pump but no real side to side. The figure is nice and great for cool menacing looks (the red eyes of skull-like face are right on). There are only two flaws and, while annoying, okay if you pose with care. The pistons can bend if you move legs or arms too quickly (one of mine did) and at the top of the arms are the two spring-type wires...

I love this figure, the imposing stares, the large size, and the cool positions and gear type look. All the pictures are of the normal version; there is a also a weathered version that comes with different gun.

I bought from Statue Toys for 130USD not including shipping; not a cheap chogokin, but not extreme like the Fewture line. Overall a nice piece for chogokin fans or Terminator fans alike.

The Neo Getter 1 Black Version is an Anime-Export Exclusive item - they brought a toy to life that Aoshima never produced. It's a great piece of gokin, and it GLOWS IN THE DARK. Read on, with video.

It's been a few years since the original Shin Seki Gokin Neo Getter (7 years, in fact) and Aoshima is still getting mileage out of the mold. The original Black Neo getter was announced at the 2003 Tokyo Toy Show, but was never produced, much to fan's dismay.

Now Anime-Export has put out an exclusive black version in conjunction with Aoshima/Miracle House. Who are Anime-Export.com you ask? They are a retailer and wholesaler of Japanese goods based out of Japan, with a strong presence in Europe. They have a history of making exclusive versions of Aoshima toys, often times much improved over the original.

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The Black Neo Getter 1 is a fantastic toy with a few small shortcomings.

First - the positive. The paint is stunning - glossy black and gold, there is not a flaw to be had on the finish of this toy. The green insets actually glow in the dark, and they glow pretty bright.

And the metal.. oh the sweet sweet metal. This toy is almost 90% metal.

The box is an all-new exclusive black box, the cardboard is embossed and has the texture of the old Orguss boxes by Takatoku.

The toy features MOST of the accessories included with the original, such as the missile-firing back units, interchangeable hands, and the energy beam. What is NOT included is the chain fist arms, even though the spots are there in the Styrofoam.

Neo Getter also features redesigned elbows that are exclusive to this release. This version now features the elbows that are like those used in their Mazinkaiser release. You first pull the arms down and THEN bend them. They look great, but this is where the big negative comes in.

See, the arms don't like to stay on. The friction between the arm peg and the socket is not enough to support the heavy weight of the arm. I bet you could fix this easily by applying a drop of nail polish on the peg and letting it dry, but still, it is an inconvenience. Perhaps I just got a bum one?

It's also a slight bummer that there are no chain fists, but they have adjusted the price accordingly - its about $30 cheaper than the regular version.

The black Neo Getter is a limited edition item, with only 1500 being made, and is available exclusively at Anime-Export.com

Buy Neo Getter 1 Black at Anime-Export.com

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

Ah, gods bless Japanese toy makers!

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

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

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

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

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

But really...who cares?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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