The flames make it go faster
A photo by Yogi. (Creative Commons-licensed.)
Toy review roundup
Raving Toy Maniac reviews the Mega Bloks Neo Shifter Blaze/Axx set. Excerpt: “The toy itself straddles the fence between construction toys and action figures, and it works well in both regards.” (See also.)
Toy Talk reviews the Character Doctor Who 5-inch Doctor in Blue Suit and Glasses action figure. Excerpt: “The likeness to actor David Tennant is good … ”
Artemis reviews the DC Direct Shazam Mary Marvel figure. Excerpt: “… fans of innocent, wholesome Mary probably won’t be disappointed.”
yo go re reviews the DC Direct Last Son General Zod figure. Excerpt: “… it’s 2007 – a figure that doesn’t have a balljointed neck is a complete joke.”
yo go re reviews the DC Direct Last Son Ursa figure. Excerpt: “The 5¼” x 3½” base is Superman’s S-shield, though that hardly seems right, since three quarters of this series are his enemies.”
Chong Kah Fai reviews the Bandai Gundam Fix Figuration Metal Composite Psycho Gundam from the Z Gundam series. Excerpt: “The paint job is superbly done …”
Thomas Wheeler reviews the Hasbro G.I. Joe 8-inch Flint figure. Excerpt: “… a very cool figure, with plenty of accessories …”
Toy Talk reviews the Hape International Quadrilla wooden marble-run construction system. Excerpt: “… a really impressive system and for those looking for a toy that combines traditional values with a certain degree of educational value, this really hits the spot.” (See also.)
Atom reviews the Kaiyodo Revoltech Macross VF-1A Super Valkyrie (movie version) figure. Excerpt: “… a fantastic value for the price … .” (See also.)
EVA Unit 4A reviews the Hasbro Transformers Movie Deluxe Dropkick figure. Excerpt: “… an unexpected favorite.”
Blast from the past
Tom Prankerd reviews the 1982 Popy Machine Robo Highway Robo figure. Excerpt: “Popy’s designs put much stock in simplicity, and that’s what you get here.”
Tom Prankerd reviews the 1983 Popy Machine Robo Shinkansen Robo figure. Excerpt: “The alt mode is neat and smart, and the robot mode is functional, but the toy doesn’t make much of an impression.”
Tom Prankerd reviews the 1984 Bandai Machine Robo Hot Rod Robo figure. Excerpt: “It’s pretty dumbfounding that Tonka felt the need to recolour such a great-looking figure, and pretty damning that they did such a poor job of it.”
Tom Prankerd reviews the 1985 Bandai Machine Robo Fairlady Robo figure. Excerpt: “There’s not much wrong with Fairlady Robo, it’s a sound mould and the colours aren’t bad, but the Gobots version is just that bit more imposing …”
Tom Prankerd reviews the 1985 Tonko Gobots Cy-Kill variant figure. Excerpt: “An interesting variant that nevertheless just falls short of surpassing the original.”
Tom Prankerd reviews the 1988 Bandai Machine Robo Winner Robo Buggy Winner figure. Excerpt: “… it’s one of the best looking Winner figures across two modes.”
Tom Prankerd reviews the 1988 Bandai Machine Robo Winner Robo Eagle Winner figure. Excerpt: “Eagle Winner manages to fail on most fronts …”
Tom Prankerd review the 1993 Bandai CG Robo Fire CG figure. Excerpt: “… he might not be the most original figure out there, he’s certainly a very impressive piece of work …”
Tom Prankerd reviews the 1993 Bandai CG Robo Ambulance CG figure. Excerpt: “The robot mode itself is terrific, arguably the best of the CG Robo line …”
Tom Prankerd reviews the 1993 Bandai CG Robo 4WD CG figure. Excerpt: “… unless found cheap he’s best avoided.”
Tom Prankerd reviews the 1993 Bandai CG Robo Dozer CG figure. Excerpt: “… Dozer CG conspires to be less than the sum of his parts.”
Thomas Wheeler reviews the 2006 Bandai Gundam Mobile Suit in Action Gouf Ignited (Heine Westenfluss custom) from the Gundam SEED Destiny series. Excerpt: “The level of sculpted detail, articulation, and precise painted detailing is nothing short of astounding …”
Rob Braun reviews the 2005 Bandai Master Grade Gundam RX-78-2 (ver. One Year War 0079) from the One Year War 0079 game. Excerpt: “… the Version OYW RX-78-2 Gundam is a nice reminder of the design’s importance to its legacy.”
Emote
A photo by antjeverena. (Creative Commons-licensed.)
Toy links
Super Gattai.
Most toy fans would have seen Sakio’s incredible Machine Robo Rescue fanmodes but they’re worth linking to again because of the sheer creativity, temerity and obsessivity of it all.
Attacktix Gobots Fitor custom.
A custom by Dave Van Domelen based on an Attacktix Chewbacca.
A case of mistaken identity.
See Laurent Libessart’s gallery for more awesome Transformers and Gobots illustrations.
Gobots and Machine Robo ads. [via]
They’re less flashy than Transformers ads. See the ad for the old Baikanfu DX set.
Gobots.net
A French Gobots site with English text to aid navigation. Among other things, it covers Gobots illustrations, variations, bootlegs and renovation.
One small step for Playmobil
A photo by fdecomite. (Creative Commons-licensed.)
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.
Hima-Toy reviews the Yamato The GN-U Galaxy Cyclone Braiger figure.
Mojya and silencer review the Kaiyodo Revoltech Danboard (a.k.a Danbo) figure from the Yotsuba&! manga. (See also.)
hohijii reviews the Konami Busou Shinki Ach figure. (See also.)
kuronuko yamato reviews the Bandai S.I.C Takumi Collection vol 9 Kamen Rider 1 and Kamen Rider 2 trading figures from the Kamen Rider The First movie.
sappy reviews the Bandai S.I.C. Takumi Collection Cyclone and New Cyclone bikes from the Kamen Rider the First movie.
SR../Blood Zwei reviews the MegaHouse Climax-D Momotaros Imagin and Urataros Imagin figures from the Kamen Rider Den-O series.
Taku1 reviews the Bandai HD-S Kamen Rider Den-O 1 figures. (See also.)
hirohiro reviews the Atelier-Sai Duel Maid Girl’s Weapon Shadow variant figures.
SR../Blood Zwei reviews the Yujin SR Shooting Game Historica R-9A (R-Type Final), OF-1 Daedalus (Image Fight), Medarion (Gradius 2), Vic Viper T301 (Gradius V) and Silver Hawk (Darius) trading figures from classic shoot-’em-up games.
From days of old
tetsu9118 reviews the 2005 Romando Kinnikuman Second Generations Aggressive Fighters Kevin Mask (Armor B version) mail order figure.
Transformers Baka Ichidai reviews the 2006 Takara Transformers Galaxy Force Chromia (white version) DVD exclusive figure.
Damien Sansho reviews the 2004 Hasbro Transformers Universe Nemesis Prime Target exclusive figure.
Takanishi reviews the 2004 Takara Transformers Super Link Laserwave figure.
Transfomers Baka Ichidai reviews the 2003 Takara Transformers Super Link Shockwave figure.
Matryoshka
A photo by yasmapaz. (Creative Commons-licensed.)
Toy links
Kid at play.
A charming piece of photomagic by gadgetgirl.
LMO-Japan 2007.
The Lego Military theme Offline group has some fantastic MOCs in this gallery. There are armoured fighting vehicles, nice renditions of famous mecha, comic characters and much more.
Gold-plated Saint Seiya Myth Cloth Pegasus Seiya.
Due March ’08, limited to 20,000 pieces and retailing for 15,750 yen to commemorate the success of the Myth Cloth series which has thus far shipped over 3,000,000 units in 17 countries since 2003.
Revoltech Starscream and Hot Rod.
Close-up photos.
Points of Articulation. [via]
Poe Ghostal’s new toy blog.
Yo … Joe?!
A photo by miss rogue. (Creative Commons-licensed.)
In Optimus Prime We Trust
Optimus Prime rocks.
“Genre(s): Power Metal”
Optimus Prime rocks.
“Everything was going so wrong, oh so wrong
Until you careened right at them head on,
Yes, head on
With the Matrix in your chest
Beating strong, beating strong
In astonishment we all looked on.”
Optimus Prime rocks.
“Now I’ll sing you the ballad of Optimus Prime.
He was the greatest Transformer there were of all time.
He was a big rig, a robot, and a really nice guy.
He was proof that a hero’s more than meets the eye.”