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Legioss & Tread

Comments

25 comments posted
It's a shame, because in

It's a shame, because in pictures it looks so beautiful.

I think CM's corp has such a great potential, and they need to start, as you said, going the extra mile if they want to start competing with the big boys like Bandai. I mean, I have the Brave Gokin Griffon, and it is just a wonderful figure, and I see all this potential, then I see this review and the Ride Armor review, and it looks like they might gain a reputation for inconsistency and mediocrity rather than just making all around good toys.

GogDog's picture
Posted by GogDog on 17 April, 2008 - 00:21
Yay for giant man-paws!

Well-! Quite an impression you've made here, Josh.

I've never had money burning my pockets. But even if they were, I would not spend $300 on this! I like my toys solid, well crafted, with reasonable features and range of motion. I don't like loose toys; frustrates the sh*t outta me. And as I've learned in the last year-or-so, if it's too small, that's a strike against it in my mind as well. (Ex: if it's smaller or weighs less than a quarter, I don't wanna hear about it.)

I know nothing about either "MOSPEADA" or the Robotech equivalent. I also know that I will always favor any VF-1 type Valkyrie over a Legioss, so that's $150 wasted right there. The only- the only -reason I would shoot for this set is that bad-ass-lookin' Tread (I thought it was "Tlead"?) and then that it can hook up with a properly-scaled Legioss. In other words, I want a Tread only; and if it just-so happens to be able to link up with a Legioss later on, then yahoo.

As a set, is it over-priced? Oh, yeah! I'm not gettin' this one.

Thanks for the great video review(s), Josh. Though I do have to wonder about that little MTV moment there at the end. But I suppose it's better than disco Asuka-chan...
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CollectionDX Staff

EVA_Unit_4A's picture
Posted by EVA_Unit_4A on 17 April, 2008 - 00:39
Ya know what? I am

Ya know what? I am jealous! Yes.

And rather envious as well. All yous CDX founders are all together over on the East Coast and are all buddy-buddy, and then there's just little-ole me over here on the West all by me onesome-self. I don't really like that. No.
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CollectionDX Staff

EVA_Unit_4A's picture
Posted by EVA_Unit_4A on 17 April, 2008 - 15:56
I'm here in So Cal, and I've

I'm here in So Cal, and I've been doing this here since the days of Pony Toy-Go-Round.

Besides, humidity and snow will slowly destroy their toys, the dry heat of the desert preserves ours like the pyramids.

duke togo's picture
Posted by duke togo on 17 April, 2008 - 16:15
Well, then the Pacific

Well, then the Pacific Northwest, is the best of both those worlds. Not too hot (lest you're east of the Cascade Mtns.), not too cold (repeat:), and humidity is no problem.
I'll tell ya, though- the rubber bands on my first Lego Bionicle sets from 2001 all broke down by the following spring... and they wouldn't replace them. Why they rotted so easily, I don't understanmd since most of them had no tensile strength being applied while sitting on the shelves.

And as for age, note I said "CDX founders", not "anime collecting old-timers" or some-such.
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CollectionDX Staff

EVA_Unit_4A's picture
Posted by EVA_Unit_4A on 17 April, 2008 - 21:55
Pony Toy Go Round

Those were the days! I still have all my catalog mailers from them! I'm glad I'm not the only person who remembers the place ( read my Spiral Zone Sentinel Bear review)

Cheers
Leonardo

We'll fight them on the Beaches!

Showapop's picture
Posted by Showapop on 12 May, 2008 - 18:24
Lonely soldier boy...

Haahahhaa...I just caught the end of the third vid! CLASSIC!!

--
Sanjeev

Sanjeev's picture
Posted by Sanjeev on 21 April, 2008 - 14:06
I pre-ordered mine back in

I pre-ordered mine back in November, before Toyfair and the Toynami reveal. Owning a few Toynami pieces and following the "progress" of their Beta for years, I made the decision that I was sticking with this for the Tread. This was also when the US Dollar was around 118 yen. Unfortunately the place I ordered from doesn't take that into account and went with the current yen at the time of shipping, 98 yen, ouch.

It's got issues, it's over-priced, but given the alternatives it's the only choice available for the foreseeable future. I gave up waiting on Toynami, and their QC issues are worse than ever if you've been following the Aoshima Legioss debacle. I've got my Toynami one pre-ordered for what it's worth, but if you've been wanting a Tread/Beta toy since 1984, buying this is almost a reflex action, and I think CM's knew that going in.

CM's has made me angry and ecstatic at the same time with this. I don't know how I feel about that, but now I'm very concerned what they are planning with my favorite toy of all time, the Mugen Calibur from Dorvack. They are making one this year and the price is still unknown. Will it be $200? Will I buy it anyway? Will it have odd design choices? Who knows.

duke togo's picture
Posted by duke togo on 17 April, 2008 - 12:03
Thank you Josh for your

Thank you Josh for your wonderful reviews! You have saved me $300. I understand for those love this bot that this is still a small price for nostalgia but $300 will buy me some vintage gokin or multiple SOCs. I will wait and see what the Toynami looks like but if it is anything like my Legioss I will pass.

Now I would be interested if CM would release them separately depending on the price. But not as a set.

Dooquie's picture
Posted by Dooquie on 17 April, 2008 - 12:26
I doubt it. CM's knew going

I doubt it. CM's knew going in that the Tread is the draw of this set. It's been a holy grail of toys for decades. If they made them separate they'd be stuck with a load of Legioss. What would they be priced, $160 each? The combo is always cheaper, otherwise what's the point.

duke togo's picture
Posted by duke togo on 17 April, 2008 - 17:23
The Mospeada theme is the

The Mospeada theme is the only song worth dancing to anyway.

duke togo's picture
Posted by duke togo on 17 April, 2008 - 12:33
Oh snap

Oh snap

GogDog's picture
Posted by GogDog on 17 April, 2008 - 20:58
The shitty combination

The s****y combination aspect sort of reminds me of that Getter Robo set where you actually transform and combine the planes. The sad (for toy collectors,at least) fact is that because this is anime,none of this s**t had to actually work in real life. That's going to result in a questionable combination for the toys,no matter how you design it. Still,it wouldn't have been THAT hard to put a couple more pegs in there. It's sad when Hasbro's $19.99 Transformers you can buy at the local Kmart work better than a THREE HUNDRED DOLLAR "collector figure".

kidnicky's picture
Posted by kidnicky on 17 April, 2008 - 13:10
Mmm! I agree

Mmm! I agree completely!
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CollectionDX Staff

EVA_Unit_4A's picture
Posted by EVA_Unit_4A on 17 April, 2008 - 15:22
Design choices were limited

Design choices were limited by adherence to line art and/or costs. We'll never know the reasons but it is obvious they just gave up at some point and figured it's just going to be on a shelf anyway so it doesn't matter that it just rests on the stand. You can't please everyone and for every guy that keeps it in a case there's one that "swooshes" it around like he's 8 again.

Remember that Hasbro's $20 figure is mass-produced in the hundreds of thousands, made of crappy plastic and shipped via slow boat from China. It's like comparing a Ferrari to a Hyundai. And believe me Ferraris aren't without flaws considering their cost.

I made the argument before that the price is largely due to the limited run, QC, and expensive materials. I'd estimate that no more than 10,000 of these were produced and I wouldn't be surprised if it was much less.

Up until now, POM plastic in toys has been used in some key joint areas where even metal was too fragile. (Yamato Valkyries two main hinges are POM) This appears to be made almost entirely of POM. I've seen many a comment how crappy the plastic looks, "like model kit plastic". It's deceiving since POM is strong like metal but still looks like styrene. I'd guess the materials are a large part of the cost, it's just that most assume it's the same ABS that everything else is made of so the price seems way too high.

I know most people don't follow plastics and their use in manufacture, so it's a hard sell for CM's to try to educate people about some new plastic being the reason it's so costly. Maybe they should try to do what Popy did in the 70's with "Chogokin Super Alloy", aka zinc. Maybe that's what "Brave Gokin EX" is. A commercial of it being thrown against a wall and the house falling down or something.

Could it be cheaper? Yes. I'm sure CM's knew that interest was high so they inflated the price a bit. But I bet the unit cost for CM's is around $160-$200. I've seen these wholesale for no less than $200, so that says something about their costs if you remember your economics.

Just to add, the Iota (green one) is available through CM's directly. You can go through a broker like celga or something to get it, and the Zeta (red one) is being sold normally after all.

My guess is you're going to see many of these for sale on auction from disillusioned buyers, so either cash in on someone else's misfortune or wait and laugh at us saps when it goes on clearance at HLJ for 70% off like the Ingram.

duke togo's picture
Posted by duke togo on 17 April, 2008 - 17:07
excellent review

Your review was entertaining and informative at the same time. I appreciate the insight and historical perspective that you bring to these things.

Wicker808's picture
Posted by Wicker808 on 17 April, 2008 - 16:30
Hey Josh, it's pronounced

Hey Josh, it's pronounced "Leggy-oss" :>

-Andrew

Destroy All Podcasts DX's picture
Posted by Destroy All Pod... on 18 April, 2008 - 14:36
300

300 bucks... I bet this thing will sell at 400$ at my country... greatly overprice if I might say...

by the way, does the Cm's Ingram really that bad. I'm planing to get mine since HLJ discounted the item.

Berserk's picture
Posted by Berserk on 20 April, 2008 - 20:16
the ingrams are great - and

the ingrams are great - and a steal at that price. Get it!

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CollectionDX Admin

JoshB's picture
Posted by JoshB on 21 April, 2008 - 19:46
Severely disappointed

The Toynami Alpha is perhaps what the Brave Gohkin EX line should have been. TA's had real heft to it due to much much higher diecast content and feels like a quality product - notwitstanding some QC issues but overall it is superior.

The BGEX is like a kids' toy - the Legioss Chest panel is nothing more than a cover - there is no more compartment there, has "hollow" knee joints which looks really bad, proportions are bad mecha wise and all the plastic just hurts it - feels like a $20 toy.

I had a look again at the Toynami the other day and rues how many crap products have been produced in the Mospeada line - first was the CM's Cyclone which was absolutely bad - followed by the Megahouse Cyclone - which fell apart if you so much sniff at it (literally) and now this.

I just get the feeling that CM's put in the diecast landing gear and joints etc to justify the "Gohkin" part otherwise the fans would feel completely cheated!

primetimex's picture
Posted by primetimex on 4 May, 2008 - 18:22
good news

the best of times and the worst or times, well the only good thing about the economy...is holding out and get deals on overpriced toys, this toy is marked down 110USD at angloz.com right now

AJProDie-Cast's picture
Posted by AJProDie-Cast on 3 January, 2009 - 23:55
Well, I certainly

Well, I certainly appreciated your insight of the "plastic issue". However, the bottomline is at $300 this toy is a piece of overpriced crap. Now at $110 it would be a great consideration.

POM is a bit more expensive than your average plastic, however at $300, I would expect alot more and some metal to go along with it.

Production cost is no way around 100 to 110. Matter of Fact, given the design and the flaw of the connection between the two pieces. I can guarantee you that the two units were designed by two separate person. Anyone will some knowledge and skill in art and design would probably designed it better.

The COGS on this unit is around $50 tops. Sold to distributors for around $90 to $110. Distributor than sold it to online stores or retailors for around $170 to $200. To consumer around $250 to $280.

Why HLJ sells it a bit higher price than angolz? maybe was due to location as HK is closer to China then Japan and shipping cost is lower.

Battousai's picture
Posted by Battousai on 11 May, 2009 - 09:26
I stand corrected on the

I stand corrected on the $110 price as Angolz was selling it at that price range.

Have anyone heard of the re-issue of this with updated connection piece? anyway to tell which is which?

Battousai's picture
Posted by Battousai on 28 October, 2009 - 08:19