Beaten-up Beetras
Once upon a time this was a shining beacon of hope to the oppressed. A mighty machine bristling with firepower, dispensing justice and sowing fear among evil-doers. A power to be reckoned with.
These days, it’s mostly armless.
This was a bootleg of a Beetras toy called Beet-Gadol. Transformers fans would know the mould better as the Deluxe Insecticon Barrage.
Beet-Gadol was designed by Aramaki Shinji and produced by Takatoku, the same company that produced the Macross figure that would be resold as Jetfire by Hasbro.
Bootleg or original, Beet-Gadol was a pretty good toy for its time. An interesting insect mode, good robot mode and a very involving transformation considering its size. One of my favourite toys back in the day.
Toy links
Custom Killzone Helghast figure. [via]
Another fantastic creation by Jin Saotome.
i-SOBOT: armed and dangerous. [via]
Okay, maybe not that dangerous.
Saint Shinki Andromeda Juvisy.
Tanekohaaaan!!! reveals the Busou Shinki figure Seed Juvisy has found her seventh sense.
Optimus Prime pumpkin.
Awesome.
Animate your toys.
A demonstration of Stop Motion Pro software.
Among the flowers.
Another nice doll photo from cleric chan.
Ladies, are you down with OP?
Barricade: Are you LadiesMan217?
Optimus Prime: Son, I’m for the ladies 24 x 7.
In Optimus Prime We Trust
Zombie Optimus Prime.
A phenomenal custom by TheTransTorture based on the Alternators Optimus Prime.
Zombie Optimus Prime.
From season 3 of the original show.
Trick or treat.
Nice mask, Prime.
Voice of Optimus Prime.
An interview with Peter Cullen.
Convoy cosplay.
Wonder Festival 2007.
Toy links
Erik Kjerland’s Action Figure Comics.
“I use Stikfas, Shockini, and Xevoz action figures, Sculpey III, MegaBlok and Playmobil accessories, HirstArts CastleMolds, moss, rocks, stones, sticks, dirt, floral products, flock, and whatever else I can get my hands on to make the characters, equipment, sets and decorations.”
Baikanfu.
Dick Po has a fantastic pictorial of the vintage Machine Robo toy. Bandai will release a modern take as part of its Soul of Chogokin line in November.
Ken Tanaka’s new toys.
About “Ken”.
Action figure feng shui.
That may constitute child abuse. In reverse.
“Buzz! You’re flying!”
A nice digirama by licarly featuring everybody’s favourite Space Ranger.
Frank Varela interviewed.
He designs packaging for Mattel.
Toy review roundup
John Muir does a retro review of the 1978 Milton Bradley Star Bird Avenger toy. Excerpt: “The ship was truly state of the art for the time, because if you had two Star Birds they could electronically duel with each other.” (See also.)
Thomas Wheeler reviews the Hasbro G.I. Joe Sigma Six Snake Eyes Ninja Tracker ATV. Excerpt: “The file card also does a nice job of answering a question in the back of my mind, which was — What the heck is a ninja doing driving an ATV?”
Matthew Kessen reviews the Hasbro Marvel Legends Fantastic Four Series Doctor Doom figure. Excerpt: “This is Doom as he should look.”
Jerry Reed reviews the NECA Resident Evil 10th Anniversary Licker, Crimson Head Zombie, Hunter and Tyrant figures. Excerpt: “They manage to nicely balance the fine line between being effective monster figures and being just downright repulsive and sick.”
yo go re reviews the 2000 Vital Toys Columbia, Frank N Further and Riff Raff figures from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Excerpt: “Vital Toys’ Rocky Horror Picture Show figures are pretty terrible. Even more terrible than the show itself!”
Monkey Boy reviews the Hot Toys Alien Warrior from Aliens. Excerpt: “Any figure that costs this much deserves to be handled with extreme care, but right out the package this guy had more issues than 99% of the $10 toys I usually buy.”
Dan Wakerhauser reviews the Marvel Toys Legendary Comic Book Heroes series 1 figures. Excerpt: “… these are really well done figures and a line that should be well worth supporting.”
Michael Crawford reviews the McFarlane Toys Spawn 32 Adventure of Spawn Tremor, Raven Spawn, Agent 8 and Creech figures. Excerpt: “… if you’re like me and love any animated style, these will be some of your favorite Spawn figures in years.”
Sanjeev reviews the 1991 Robot House/Biliken The Mummy tin figure. Excerpt: “Billiken–perhaps more famous for their high-quality, realistic vinyl tokusatsu kits and figures–are NO slackers when it comes to tin. And that quality clearly shows in these toys.”
Toy links
Masterpiece Ultra Magnus powered up. [via]
Marc De Repentigny’s custom kit transforms a Masterpiece Optimus Prime or Ultra Magnus figure into a fully armoured Masterpiece G1 Ultra Magnus. The armour parts also transform into a car carrier trailer. The Buy It Now price was a mere 540 dollars. (More.)
Legostyle. [via]
Izzo has created some incredible Lego mecha and dragons. Visit his his Brickshelf gallery.
Death Note.
Hock’s classy digirama featuring the Medicom Yagami Light and Amane Misa figures.
Death Note, too.
Stanley has some nice photos of the Medicom figures of Yagami Light and L.
Buster Tank.
A kitbash by Nathaniel S. Barrera. Be sure to check out his heavily armed Strike and the Zaku diorama as well.
Faiz moves.
Rally customised a 1/6 scale vinyl Kamen Rider Faiz figure to make it posable.
Takara Tomy Heli-Q. [via]
It’s claimed to be the world’s smallest remote controlled toy helicopter.
Upcoming Yattaman merchandise.
Takara Tomy is expecting USD100 million in sales from the Yattaman franchise.
Strike a pose 20/52
“OMG! SPOILERS!!!1”
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.
Gamu reviews the Bandai Saint Seiya Myth Cloth Chrysaor Krishna figure.
Gamu also reviews the Bandai Soul of Chogokin Spec XS-05 Dragonar-1 from Opening Silhouette figure.
Mojya reviews the Bandai S.I.C Kamen Rider Kuuga Rising Form limited edition figure.
Ken Murasame reviews the Kaiyodo Revoltech Shin Getter 1 figure.
SR../Blood Zwei reviews the CM’s Corporation Mecha Action Series Raiking figure from the Gaiking: Legend of Daiku-Maryu series.
Ebi reviews the Bandai DX Den Kamen Sword roleplay item from the Kamen Rider Den-O series.
FTS reviews the Bandai Key Bots Neo Core Monster Black Atlas figure.
kirisawa reviews the Playmates R.E.V.s Rumblefist figure. He notes it’s Microman-sized in vehicle mode but the seat is too wide.
Hinatatiki reviews the Bandai BB Senshi 290 Destiny Gundam kit.
Kuronuko Yamato reviews the Bandai HGIF Gundam 00 Characters gashapon figures.
Mondo reviews the 2002 Bandai Mobile Suit Gundam Mobile Suits in Action Acguy and Zock set.
C-Zone:A reviews the 2004 Bandai Souchaku Henshin Kamen Rider G4 set from the Kamen Rider Agito Project G4 movie.
Esuyu reviews the 2005 Takara Transformers Binaltech Asterisk Sunstreaker meets Junko set.
Transformers Baka Ichidai reviews the 1998 Takara Beast Wars II Scuba and 2004 Takara Beast Wars Returns Motorcycle Drone figures.
Blogroll updated
Added Scaled-up Lego Bricks and Lego Model of the Day to the blogroll.