Super Change Animal DX Mechanism
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Review by The Enthusiast
Super Change Animal DX Mechanism Battery Operated is a Tomy-style robo-animal construction set. It’s resemblance to the Tomy products of the mid-eighties (i.e. Zoids) is uncanny, and I’m certain there’s a legitimate analog to this set. Please educate me if you know of the original.
The SCADXM(bo) is packaged in a Styrofoam tray with a cardboard cover.
The inside cover illustrates the primary animal modes.
All components are sturdy ABS plastic with detailed decals. Nothing here feels cheap or knocked-off. I would say the overall quality is maybe 85% of Tomy’s, which is pretty decent for a bootleg.
The core of the set is the Tobidastar, a blocky mechanized spacecraft. Included is a chrome pilot figure. Its undercarriage features motorized wheels, and two rear sockets are motorized as well. All of the included pieces snap smartly into neck, leg, and tail sockets.
The Buffastar mode approximates a water buffalo. Its hind legs are geared for wheeled movement.
The Saurustar mode looks like a Loch Ness Monster type dinosaur thing. An articulated head and flippers animate a strange looking beast.
The Gorrillastar mode is a gorilla. The head is pure Zoid-style monkey head. This mode shares the motorized hind legs with the Buffastar.
Hawkstar is the weakest of the modes, construction-wise. Its legs are shown here upside-down, because they cannot support the body’s weight when placed correctly.
Observe the proper placement.
The fun, child-oriented design of the set is very appealing. It’s well detailed throughout, with great decals, translucent parts, and chrome. Everything is very solid and playable. I would have had a ball with this as a kid, and had some fun as an adult as well. These aren’t terribly rare; maybe a couple a year come up for auction. I recommend the set if you’re a Zoids fan, particularly.
Author Information
| Posted 20 March, 2010 - 16:43 by The Enthusiast |
Comments
10 comments postedAah you beat me to it! Ah well... Did you get one of them that was on ebay maybe a year ago? Still shrink wrapped? I think someone found a case of new/old stock.
Great review, as always.
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CollectionDX Admin
nah, I just got this set recently, after watching a few slip through my fingers!
Dude! this set rocks! I want it, I have to have it, I NEED IT! Where can I find one?
-Dan
CollectionDX LLC
Vice President/Co-Owner
This was from the 1984 anime Okarawi-Boy Starzan S. The toy was originally made by Bandai.
http://www.geocities.co.jp/playtown-Dice/4403/bantaka/okawari/okawari.html
This is an awesome looking toy- I adore the hawk and buffalo modes. How much do these usually go for? You say they aren't rare, but that still doesn't make 'em necessarily cheap. Still, this is awesome.
OP to the anime of this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c25LqnFD-8A
You're the man, VZ. Thanks for the hook up! "Show me your space!" For the record, this set cost me five dollars.
If you were at a scifi convention or something,and a rep from a company was talking about a new upcoming cartoon where the main dude's plane could turn into different robot animals,and polling people on what animal modes they wanted to see,I'm pretty sure NO ONE would say water buffalo,but there it is,and it's awesome.
Things were so much better before there were focus groups. Don't get me wrong,I -like- the 82 different remakes/retellings/regurgitations of Gundam,but where's the originality?
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A master of mind control who hides inside a Ford Pickup
The buffalo mode kind of looks like it was designed to be a triceratops...
In any case, this is a pretty amazing set. Combines the manic design style of the Time Bokan serieses with modularity.