Dragun
Review by NekroDave
I've finally "completed" my jumbo Shogun Warriors collection.
I say "completed" in quotation marks because of course there are still variations out there that I should probably get someday, but for the time being, I just wanted one version of each character available in the Shogun Warriors line. And some may find it odd that Dragun would be the last one I would get since he is among the most common and popular ones out there, but I was waiting for just the right specimen, at just the right price.
So, why did I need a particular specimen? Well, it's been awhile since I was cranking out jumbo reviews on a regular basis, but you may remember that I do have the original Popy version. And by all accounts, the first version Shogun Dragun was the exact same toy simply in a different box. So I figured that if I'm going to have more than one toy of the same character, I would like them to be as different as possible. To that end, I decided that I would not buy a Shogun Dragun until I saw a complete, box "lightning legs" version at a decent price.
As you can see, this version replaces the traditional "V" stickers on the legs with some silver lightning bolts.
Why?
Who knows? But this is usually the version that is the least popular so every time I'd say I specifically wanted this version to a friend, they would often wonder what the heck was wrong with me. But variety is important to me. So here are all of my jumbo Getter Dragons.
I'm really glad I held out for that version because when I got it, I noticed some things about it that I didn't know before. For instance, did you notice that the Popy version is shorter than the Mattel version? Why would that be if the only different is the leg stickers? Well, upon closer inspection, I noticed that the feet on the Mattel version are actually modified feet from a Great Mazinger!
I'd never seen this reported anywhere else and it makes me wonder what other barely noticeable differences there are among the various versions that can't be seen without having all of them in one place!
One other difference that WAS known is of course the fact that the spinning sawblades from the Popy version were removed from this version. Also, the star shooter accessory was added to the Mattel version. The first version Mattel one has a strap but this one has the more common clip on version.
My specimen came with 12 stars and three axes.
So, other than pointing out those differences and just adding this toy to our database, there really isn't much more I feel like I can add.
(And yes, I know I haven't reviewed the Shogun Warriors Goldorak. I have it and will do it... later. )
Comments
7 comments postedThis review made me have to look at mine close up. I have the Lightning version as well. Mine however, DOES have the Spin Saw Blades in the forearms. The feet and lower legs are the same as your version.
This was one of my all time favorite Shoguns when I was a 7 year old!!!
Grandzinga....
Your contribution to the scholarship of Jumbos is impressive. Great work! I think CDX should re-run your Jumbo reviews, as they are the most comprehensive English coverage I've seen, particularly in regards to rare Maz enemies. And your attention to South American variants is unmatched in any language.
Wow, thanks! But all those reviews are easily accessible from the front page. No need to re-run them. :)
"This must be settled the way nature intended....with a vicious, bloody fight!"
Onyx Blackman
Principal, Flatpoint High
@The Enthusiast
The oldest English-language Jumbo site that I can recall is Sean Bonner's Jumboland. It's from the primordial days of the internet, but it's still got some great info:
http://www.sixsite.com/jumboland/index_credits.html
Apologies if links like this aren't allowed. Since it's a "dead" site, I thought it might be okay.
I was never lucky enough to have any of the Jumbos as a kid. I did have the smaller, 5" or so diecast version of Dragun, and I loved it. I'm hoping it's still up on my parents' attic. In the meantime, I'm hoping to get the Revoltech version. Anyway, great review, and a fine specimen!
Also note that the upper arms are different as well. I wonder why they substituted the feet and upper arms on the Mattels?
Grandzinga....
Yeah, that's right. I forgot to mention that. I did notice it because when I recently got a Venezuelan Great Mazinger and Dragun, the Great Mazinger arm was broken. In trying to find a replacement, the seller noticed that it was the same as the Dragun. Unfortunately, although they were the same sculpt, the colors didn't match quite right. But anyway, yeah, somewhere along the way, Mattel replaced the Popy Dragun shoulders with Great Mazinger's, and then Nacoral and Famosa followed suit.
"This must be settled the way nature intended....with a vicious, bloody fight!"
Onyx Blackman
Principal, Flatpoint High