Henkei Gatsutai Big Fighter OA

Review by JoshB

This is one of those "ohmygodwhatisthatihavetohaveit" purchases that come along every so often. It is rare that i find something that I have never come across before, and whenever I do I usually am compelled to pick it up. More often than not this lately seems to be bootlegs and off-brand toys.

What you are looking at is the Henkei Gatsutai Big Fighter OA  (変形合体ビツグフアイターOA), made by a company called "Long". I haven't been able to find out anything about the maker other than they  have made a few bootlegs and a few original designs.

The Big Fighter is one of those original designs. It's decidedly odd and clunky, with hints to the toys we like while still feeling alien - like a Transformers toy from an alternate earth.

The box is great - bright with lots of copy and fantastic illustrations which look nothing like the toy. In fact they are of ANOTHER toy by Long - United Megatank.

Inside the toy rests in a sturdy styrofoam tray.

As the toy is a combiner, we will start with it's individual parts.

The first vehicle is known as BX-1, and it features a chrome nose and a missile firing gimmick on the roof. It has a vaguely Gatchaman appearance with the bird-like front end. It's all made out of sturdy, thick ABS plastic.

The missile launcher on this vehicle is actually removable and can be attached to the rear of the other vehicle.

The vehicle rolls around and shoots missiles. What else do you want?

The second vehicle is appropriately named BX-2. it's longer and more truck-like. It too has a chromed missile launcher and two movable guns.

You can combine both to make a long vehicle called "United Megatank". The connection is secure and it all holds together very well.

Take them apart, move a few parts around and recombine into Henkei Gatsutai Big Fighter OA!

Wow, what an awkward looking robot. it's just sort of ugly.

The head leads you to believe that they know something about Mecha design, but then you look at the rest and realize that they must have copied it from somewhere.

It's crazy in its own cool way. I don't hate it. It's nicely built and has a unique design.

It's got some junk in the trunk that makes it rather back heavy.

Carrying all that kibble around makes a robot tired, so the designers at Long thought it would be great to give him a "sit down" mode. It's a neat addition, but sort of useless.