Japanese toy review roundup
The following reviews are in Japanese but they include a generous amount of photos so they’re well worth checking out.
(Please do not hotlink images on these sites.)
Ryu-Oh reviews the Kaiyodo Assemble Borg Jarknoid Yeeg figure.
Taoo reviews the Kaiyodo Assemble Borg Jarknoid XO figure. (See also.)
Tom reviews the Volks A3 Mecha Action Figure Series Muv-Luv Alternative YF-22 N22YX figure.
Gamu reviews the Volks Super Robot Wars Original Generation Full Action Figure Astelion Dengeki Hobby Magazine mail-order exclusive figure.
Mojya and SR../Blood Zwei review the Banpresto Kiba Musha Den Musha Go-nin Shuu: Mizu no Maki Hi no Maki Musha Gundam and Musha Double Zeta prize toys.
K3 reviews the Bandai Final Form Ride Kamen Rider Diend figure from Kamen Rider Decade. (See also.)
Yuki Bune and K3 review the Bandai Final Form Ride Kiva Arrow figure from Kamen Rider Decade. (See also.)
Ebi reviews the Bandai Final Form Ride Faiz Blaster figure from Kamen Rider Decade. (See also.)
Maruo reviews the Bandai Final Form Ride Series Hibiki Ongekiko figure from Kamen Rider Decade. (See also.)
Yo reviews the Bandai S.I.C. Kiwami Tamashii Kamen Rider Hibiki figure. (See also.)
Alfes reviews the Takara Tomy Transformers Henkei C-21 Smokescreen figure. (See also.)
Alfes reviews the Takara Tomy Transformers Henkei C-20 Alert figure. (See also.)
Red reviews the Hasbro Transformers Animated Deluxe class Lockdown figure. (See also.)
Gamu reviews the Hasbro Transformers Animated Deluxe class Jazz figure. (See also.)
Itsuki reviews the Hasbro Transformers Animated Voyager Cybertron Mode Megatron figure. (See also.)
Tettsun reviews the CM’s Corporation Brave Gohkin Kuwagattan toy from Time Bokan. (See also.)
Nekonekokoara reviews the Hasbro Star Wars The Clone Wars Plo Koon figure. (See also.)
Nekonekokoara reviews the Hasbro Star Wars The Legacy Collection Commander Gree figure from Revenge of the Sith. (See also.)
Gamu reviews the Yamato GN-U Dou Macross Plus VF-11B Super Pack accessory set.
G.S.R. reviews the Bandai Kamen Rider Decade Kit 2 Machine Decader candy kit. (See also.)
Retro reviews
Itsuki reviews the Studio Half Eye Saishou Henkei King Exkaiser set.
Lemu reviews the Kotobukiya Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Play Arts Cloud and Fenrir set.
Yo reviews the Bandai Digital Monsters D-Real Beelzebumon (Blast Mode) figure.
Ramuna (part 2, part 3, part 4) reviews the Bandai Soul of Chogokin GX-06 Getter Robo set.
Damien Sancho reviews the CM’s Corporation Brave Gohkin Sankan-Oh figure from the Ippatsuman series. (See also.)
F2 reviews the Konami Busou Shinki Panzer Murmeltier figure. (See also.)
Transformers Baka Ichidai reviews the Takara Transformers D-331 Hellbat figure from Transformers Victory.
Transformers Baka Ichidai reviews the Takara Transformers D-332 Jarugar figure from Transformers Victory.
Transformers Baka Ichidai reviews the Takara Transformers Beast Wars C-2 Whiteclaw figure.
Alfes reviews the Hasbro Transformers Movie Voyager class Robo-Vision Optimus Prime Target exclusive figure. (See also.)
Alfes reviews the Hasbro Transformers Movie Voyager Class Autobot Ratchet Best Buy exclusive figure.
Alfes reviews the Hasbro Transformers Voyager class Ironhide figure.
Alfes reviews the Hasbro Transformers Movie Premium Series Voyager Class Ironhide figure. (See also.)
Alfes reviews the Hasbro Transformers Allspark Power Voyager class Offroad Ironhide figure.
Toy links
Thor the Destroyer.
“I have always loved Thor in the Destroyer armor and wanted to have a go at making one myself.”
Antron (ver. Glyos).
Be sure to check out Matt Doughty’s Glyos interpretations of IG-88, Samus and Acroyear as well. (Incidentally, Buildman is back in stock.)
Mr. Megaform.
Mr. Assemble gets a cool exo-suit courtesy of this Assemble Borg fanmode by Messiah. (Click on the photo for a better look.)
Barrels Warrior V.
A fine Assemble Borg fanmode by Stratos. (Click on the photo for a better look.)
Yellow, yellow …
Neutron X dyed the 40th Anniversary clear G.I. Joe figure.
So say we all!
“… rehash of Firespray’s Colonial Propaganda Poster, a parody based on this poster available from QMx …” (See also.)
Toy review roundup
Artemis reviews the DC Direct Justice League International Ice figure. Excerpt: “… a dull, regrettable action figure.”
Poe Ghostal reviews the Mattel DC Universe Classics Hawkgirl figure. Excerpt: “It really bugs me when a flying character’s figure can’t look up …”
Poe Ghostal reviews the Mattel DC Universe Classics Parademon (red version) figure. Excerpt: “… Mattel: stop putting accessories in figures’ hands in-package.”
Poe Ghostal reviews the Mattel DC Universe Classics Mr. Terrific figure. Excerpt: “… a terrific sculpt …”
Poe Ghostal reviews the Mattel DC Universe Classics Gentleman Ghost figure. Excerpt: “Mattel deserves credit for not going the easy route and just making the whole figure molded in white.” (See also.)
yo go re reviews the Mattel DC Universe Classics Ares figure. Excerpt: “This isn’t some perfectly flat costume painted onto the same generic body as every other perfectly flat costume (cf. pretty much any DCU figure chosen at random), this is an actual sculpture.” (See also.)
Thomas Wheeler reviews the Mattel DC Universe Classics Wonder Woman figure. Excerpt: “Really incredibly impressive.” (See also.)
Darren Cilenti reviews the Hasbro Transformers Universe G1 Series Legends class Bumblebee figure. Excerpt: “It’s Bumblebee to the ground, and clearly based on Bumblebee as we saw in the cartoon …” (See also.)
Darren Cilenti reviews the Hasbro Transformers Universe Animated Series Legends class Prowl figure. Excerpt: “A very ambitious character to attempt at Legends size. Amazingly, they pulled it off.”
Artemis reviews the Lego Bionicle Phantoka 8697 Toa Ignika set. Excerpt: “… you’re just left with a bit of a feeling of ‘That’s it?'”
Retro reviews
Wes reviews the Playmates Universal Studios Monsters Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Leo as The Wolfman figure. Excerpt: “I’m not even the biggest fan of werewolves, but I can’t deny the appeal of one that also happens to be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.”
Tom Prankerd reviews the Bandai High Complete Model (HCM) MS-14C Gelgoog Cannon 1/144 -scale figure. Excerpt: “… it isn’t a particularly well-designed figure.”
Toy links
Republic Recon Walker.
A custom Star Wars vehicle by Roberto Panza.
Buzz-Off.
cerebus gave the 2002 figure a grittier paintjob.
Chimera.
Assemble Borg fanmodes are turning monstrous with the release of the Jarknoids. (Click on the photo for a better look.)
Ichthyosaurus.
Another fine entry in Mr. P’s Assemblesaurus series of Assemble Borg fanmodes. (Click on the photo for a better look.)
Raiders of the ice planet.
A diorama by Wai Fong Fung.
Hippo.
A fantastic shot by 091.
Happiness.
“… one more chance to smile in the light.”
Think small.
“Based on Barbara Kruger’s work”
Japanese toy review roundup
The following reviews are in Japanese but they include a generous amount of photos so they’re well worth checking out.
(Please do not hotlink images on these sites.)
Tom reviews the Volks A3 Mecha Action Figure Series Muv-Luv Alternative YF-23 Black Widow II PAV-1 “Spider” figure.
Asakusa and Ryu-Oh review the Kaiyodo Assemble Borg Jarknoid XO figure.
Mojya reviews the Bandai DX Chogokin GE-43 VF-25S Messiah Ozma Custom 1/60-scale figure from Macross Frontier. (See also.)
Mondo reviews the Bandai Movie Realization Batman and Bat-pod set from The Dark Knight. (See also.)
Gamu reviews the Bandai Soul of Chogokin (SOC) GX-24N Tetsujin 28 (naked version) Tamashii Nation 2009 exclusive figure. (See also.)
G.S.R. and Gangu Shiro review the Bandai Final Form Ride Den-O Momotaros figure from Kamen Rider Decade. (See also.)
Alfes reviews the Bandai Final Form Ride Kamen Rider Diend figure from Kamen Rider Decade. (See also.)
Yuki Bune reviews the Bandai Final Form Ride Agito Tornador figure from Kamen Rider Decade. (See also.)
K3 reviews the Bandai Final Form Ride Faiz Blaster figure from Kamen Rider Decade. (See also.)
Alfes reviews the Hasbro Transformers Universe Deluxe class Generation 1 series Smokescreen figure. (See also.)
Damien Sancho (part 2) reviews the Hasbro Transformers Animated Deluxe class Optimus Prime (battle-damaged version) and Blackarachnia figures from tbe Wal-Mart exclusive The Revenge of Blackarachnia set.
Gamu reviews the Hasbro Transformers Animated Leader class Megatron figure. (See also.)
Itsuki reviews the Hasbro Transformers Animated Voyager class Blitzwing figure. (See also.)
Ebi (part 2, part 3) reviews the Bandai Shinkenger Samurai Gattai Series Tora Origami toy. (See also.)
Shishioh and Yo review the Max Factory Figma Hiiragi Kagami (cosplay version) figure from the Lucky Star OVA. (See also.)
Maruo reviews the Bandai Gakuengattai Moebine Ninjutsubu Kamitsuki Kyouko & Fuma Viper trading figure. (See also.)
Gun0826 reviews the Hasbro Marvel Universe Iron Man (classic version) figure.
Esuyu (part 2, part 3) reviews the Bandai Minipla Shinkenger Samurai Gattai DaiTenkuu Kabuto Origami, Kajiki Origami and Tora Origami candy kits. (See also.)
Retro reviews
Damien Sancho reviews the Bandai Movie Realization Spider-Man and Black Spider-Man set.
Toyhunter reviews the Bandai Jagun Fighters Rugi figure.
Transformers Baka Ichidai reviews the Bandai Dinozone DE-9 Nightwing figure.
Itsuki reviews the Takara Brave of Legend Da-Garn Great Da-Garn GX set.
Red reviews the Takara Transformers C-03 Wheeljack figure.
Transformers Baka Ichidai reviews the Takara Transformers C-308 Doubleclouder set from Transformers: Super-God Masterforce.
Alfes reviews the Takara Transformers Galaxy Force GC-01 Galaxy Convoy figure.
Alfes reviews the Hasbro Transformers Allspark Power Ultra class Wingblade Toys ‘R’ Us exclusive figure.
Misodrill reviews the Hot Wheels Speed Racer Deluxe Racer X Race Car and Racer X set.
Toy links
Devastator.
A typically stunning Transformers custom by Michael Accardi. (See also.)
G.I. Megaman.
“Good spirited and calling himself ‘Rock’ this new recruit appeared to be a normal human…that is until his first mission where he warped in on a beam of light and his arm turned into a cannon capable of blowing a hole through a Cobra Rattler.” (See also.)
Drenom.
A Stikfas custom by meadeslemicah. (There are work-in-progress photos here.)
Magcube.
Koshihara Hitoshi comes up with some novel uses for spherical magnets.
The problem with poor quality control.
If only the peg had fit better … (Be sure to view the rest of cradea2’s cool gallery.)
Mike.
By Mark.
Battle of the franchises.
A photo by Adam Lam.
Craig Stevens’ Lego sculptures.
“Well, there are certainly no limits when it comes to Lego.”
Fanmode interview: Bryan Wilkinson (part 1)
Long-time Micronauts and Microman fan, Bryan “MicroBry” Wilkinson, is one of the select few who’ve made the transition from toy fan to toy designer. His website was one of the earliest to draw attention to Transformers’ (then) little-known origins, and he was given the opportunity to work on Palisades’ Micronauts revival in 2002. As Transformers celebrates its 25th. anniversary and Microman celebrates its 35th., we thought it only appropriate to ask him about Micronauts, Microman, Transformers, fandom, and making the transition from consumer to creator.
(Due to its length, the interview will be presented in several parts.)
Who is MicroBry?
I’m a toy collector (and occasional toy designer) in love with 10 cm, 3¾ inch or 1/18th scale toys using sci-fi themes, focused mostly on Microman and Micronauts.
I grew up in the 70’s with the Micronauts toyline and comics. Living in the culturally diverse San Francisco Bay Area allowed me to meet Japanese-American kids who knew the “secret origins” of the toyline (along with the shows I enjoyed such as Battle of the Planets and Starblazers) and they piqued my interest in Japanese toys and anime. As I grew older, Mego Corporation went bankrupt and the Micronauts toyline evaporated, so I began to seek out the original Japanese Microman series along with more Japanese anime.
Later the first Micronauts and Microman websites started to appear and a small internet community of fans began to connect together. I found one circle of Japanese collectors and artists (“MicroGeneration“) that were starting to make their own Microman-inspired garage kits. Since I knew a little bit of Japanese by then, I took a gamble and introduced myself to them and became involved tangentially. When I did so, I called myself “MicroBry” to introduce myself, as I wanted to express that I was a foreign Microman fan. The nickname has stuck with me ever since.
Photo copyright © Bryan Wilkinson. Used with permission.
(T-shirt design by Eric Wilkinson.)
How did you discover Micronauts?
It was the commercials in Mego’s first advertising blitz that caught my attention, probably before I even saw Star Wars. I would have been about seven at the time.
Micronauts debuted at Toy Fair in late 1976. In fact it was because Mego was negotiating with Takara for the series (which Takara had been producing since 1974 as Microman in Japan) that the representative from Fox assumed that Mego would not be interested in a second space-themed toyline and went to Kenner with the Star Wars property instead.
Mego, learning about this state of affairs later, pushed the Micronauts commercials out around the same time as Star Wars’ release–well before Kenner had any product ready themselves–to ride the new wave of sci-fi enthusiasm. They even did a commercial aimed at parents that promoted Micronauts as more an “educational toy” (like a mix of Capsela and Lego).
Read more
Toy links
Toa of Earth.
“Onua always reminded me of a mole. So I remade him into a more mole like robot.”
The Jarknoids have landed.
Ryu-Oh has two more digirama starring Jarknoid XO in his review of the figure. (Click on the photo for a better look.)
I have the power.
The true Master of the Universe.
Dude, get a room.
A photo by Roderique. (View large.)
This enmity will outlast death.
Skeleflex in action courtesy of Luke Walton.
Toy review roundup
Michael Crawford reviews the Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars Militaries of Star Wars Republic Clone Trooper (212th Attack Battalion: Utapau version) Sideshow exclusive 1/6-scale figure. Excerpt: “… this is easily the lamest exclusive ever produced by Sideshow.”
yo go re reviews the Hasbro Star Wars 30th Anniversary Collection Battle-Damaged Darth Vader figure from Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Excerpt: “The attachable armor isn’t the greatest example ever, but the toy is still fun, and there’s never been a Vader like it before.” (See also.)
Corey Tincher reviews the Mattel DC Universe Classics Parademon (green and yellow version) figure. Excerpt: “… a surprisingly great figure …”
Poe Ghostal reviews the Mattel DC Universe Classics Dr. Fate figure. Excerpt: “… one of the best examples so far of a DCUC update to a Super Powers figure.”
Darren Cilenti reviews the Hasbro Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Scout class Knock Out figure. Excerpt: “A great scout …”
Darren Cilenti reviews the Hasbro Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Scout class Dead End figure. Excerpt: “The colour scheme provides a weak but deliberate tribute to his G1 namesake while his poseability is impressive.”
yo go re reviews the Hasbro Marvel Universe Transformers Crossovers Thor figure. Excerpt: “Thor isn’t just a good Marvel TF, he’s a good Transformer, period.” (See also.)
Brent Johnston reviews the Hasbro Transformers Universe Classic Deluxe class Ironhide figure. Excerpt: “… a great update of the figure that had little-to-no features in the 1980s.” (See also.)
Shocka reviews the Mattel Masters of the Universe Classics Skeletor Mattycollector exclusive figure. Excerpt: “Matty Collector is a horrible failure, a complete mess that is catering more to scalpers than to actual fans who want to buy these toys.” (See also.)
Thomas Wheeler reviews the Hasbro Marvel Legends Red Hulk Series Union Jack Target exclusive figure. Excerpt: “… an excellent figure in a superb format.” (See also.)
Artemis reviews the Playmates Toys Star Trek U.S.S. Enterprise toy. Excerpt: “… bright and loud, but from a collector’s point of view, it’s a bit lacking.” (See also.)
Toy links
D.E.R.S.U.
A very cool custom by CNK01. (Be sure to see the Deep Bullet submarine as well.)
Cobra-a-a-a!
Chad Ghost’s custom puts Cobra Commander’s standard Battle Armor to shame.
Kuja.
somakun used a Kingdom Hearts 2 Axel figure as the base for this Final Fantasy Dissidia-inspired custom.
The man who beat the man.
“My version of Manny ‘Pac-Man’ Pacquiao. The Filipino boxing ring icon, pound for pound king, champion of different weight divisions and recently, an ambassador of peace in the Philippines.”
Man-E-Faces.
“I did a cross between the 80’s and 2000 versions of him.”
Space, the Final Frontier.
“I went and saw the film again, and realized just how many details were missing from the toy. So I went and added some more lighting. Still not movie accurate, but a bit closer.”
Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.
It’s a bot, it’s a Prime …
Refreshes the parts other beers cannot reach.
The refreshing beer robots cannot reach.
“Welcome back, Laserbeak.”
A fine photo by frog DNA. (See also.)
Alt mode, Second Life.
Asriel Aquino’s Optimus Prime avatar.