Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Photobucket Problem
I know images are down here & everywhere else I post them. It'll be sorted out before long. Apologies!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Toy Terminology Volume 1
Toy collectors have developed a special vocabulary for their purchasing endeavors; to a degree that most "normal" people could not understand.
I'm going to use this space to discuss some of the terms that con-collectors might have trouble with in the hopes of bridging the gab towards understanding.
Our first entry-
M.I.S.B.
An abbreviation- meaning "Mint In Sealed Box." Other variations occur but this is the most common.
The process of M.I.S.B. involves collecting entirely for the purpose of keeping items in box for purposes of display or perhaps as an investment.
The idea of toys as investment is not entirely sound (current production numbers being what they are, depreciation on modern items will be minimal and generally not worth the effort) but if items are kept mint then potential resale value will be greater than that of an identical "opened" toy.
While I can see some of the appeal behind this process, I do not participate in it. Toys are meant to be played with. Free the plastic prisoners!!!
I'm going to use this space to discuss some of the terms that con-collectors might have trouble with in the hopes of bridging the gab towards understanding.
Our first entry-
M.I.S.B.
An abbreviation- meaning "Mint In Sealed Box." Other variations occur but this is the most common.
The process of M.I.S.B. involves collecting entirely for the purpose of keeping items in box for purposes of display or perhaps as an investment.
The idea of toys as investment is not entirely sound (current production numbers being what they are, depreciation on modern items will be minimal and generally not worth the effort) but if items are kept mint then potential resale value will be greater than that of an identical "opened" toy.
While I can see some of the appeal behind this process, I do not participate in it. Toys are meant to be played with. Free the plastic prisoners!!!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Annual Dose Of Awesome 7/17/10
Time for another Annual Dose Of Awesome!
Today's Feature:
GATCHAMAN!
A history lesson-
Science Ninja Team Gatchaman is the animated precursor to the modern "Super Sentai" franchinse- featuring a team of five teenagers (with attitudes) capable of transforming into powerful costumed warriors of justice.
The long-running series has been adapted for American audiences no less than three times: first as "Battle of the Planets," later as "G-Force" and finally known as "Eagle Riders." But the American adaptations are kind of a mess; bits cut and pasted from throughout the origin series & other details omitted because of "content concerns." Nevertheless, Gatchaman is an important part of the Sentai lineup and deserves respect.
The video here is a teaser for an apparently upcoming film adaptation of the Gatcha-verse. The movie is the brain-child of Imagi Animation, the studio known for 2007's "TMNT" relaunch and 2009's "Astro Boy" revision- both of which were acceptably entertaining films.
However, negative financial results after the release of "Astro Boy" lead to Imagi reportedly closing its doors earlier this year. The Gatchaman project was presumed abandoned until this new teaser began circulating along with new reports that Imagi had received an alternate source of financing to complete the work. Gatchaman is scheduled to be released sometime in 2011 if all goes well and I for one can't wait for it! Everyone keep your fingers crossed for the eventual release of this super-heroic film!!!
Today's Feature:
GATCHAMAN!
A history lesson-
Science Ninja Team Gatchaman is the animated precursor to the modern "Super Sentai" franchinse- featuring a team of five teenagers (with attitudes) capable of transforming into powerful costumed warriors of justice.
The long-running series has been adapted for American audiences no less than three times: first as "Battle of the Planets," later as "G-Force" and finally known as "Eagle Riders." But the American adaptations are kind of a mess; bits cut and pasted from throughout the origin series & other details omitted because of "content concerns." Nevertheless, Gatchaman is an important part of the Sentai lineup and deserves respect.
The video here is a teaser for an apparently upcoming film adaptation of the Gatcha-verse. The movie is the brain-child of Imagi Animation, the studio known for 2007's "TMNT" relaunch and 2009's "Astro Boy" revision- both of which were acceptably entertaining films.
However, negative financial results after the release of "Astro Boy" lead to Imagi reportedly closing its doors earlier this year. The Gatchaman project was presumed abandoned until this new teaser began circulating along with new reports that Imagi had received an alternate source of financing to complete the work. Gatchaman is scheduled to be released sometime in 2011 if all goes well and I for one can't wait for it! Everyone keep your fingers crossed for the eventual release of this super-heroic film!!!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Kyoryu Sentai ZYURANGER Mecha Review
Zyuranger started off as just another entry in the ongoing Super Sentai franchise (by then in its 16th year) and ended up with a place in the history books.
A group of American producers led by one Haim Saban decided that this sort of thing just might fly with American audiences-assuming they could splice in some of their own homemade footage around the battle sequences. It was a shot in the dark but it got incredible results- the show was an overnight runaway success. And the rest is history!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/Paladin4221/MegazordZordModes.jpg
These are the first five Guardian Beasts- Mammoth, Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, SaberTiger and Pteranodon. By themselves they're somewhat boring but the real fun is just ahead!
These 5 are also the source of the series' primary anachronism: The literal translation of this title is "Dinosaur Squadron" but only 2 of these creatures can honestly be called "dinosaurs."
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/Paladin4221/MegazordBattleMode.jpg
The Guardian Beasts first combine into this form, BeastTank DinoTanker. It has a few powerful attacks but is mainly used only as an intermediate stage.
THIS is the Beasts' main combination, DaiZyuJin! An elegant fusion of all five powers. Its blocky and virtually inarticulate but damned if it doesn't send everyone who reads this on a happy trip down memory lane.
Now, ZyuRanger was actually the first series to firmly establish another tradition: that of adding new members to the core team of Rangers. And this was accomplished with-
Burai, and his powerful companion the Dragon Caesar! Summoned & controlled by the tune of a flute, Caesar came to life and rose out of Tokyo Bay with explosive force in a clear homage to his proud kaiju ancestors.
Though they started off as enemies, Green Ranger & Caesar eventually joined the others. This (to no one's surprise) allows for new, more powerful combinations!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/Paladin4221/DragonzordBattleMode.jpg
Goruryuujin, a combination of Dragon Caesar & some of the other Guardian Beasts. Occasionally the Tyrannosaurus would fight alongside this configuration but Pteranodon was still left out in the cold. The "Dragon Antler" drill-spear is his primary weapon; the toy form can't really wield it to resemble its televised counterpart.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/Paladin4221/MegaDragonzord.jpg
This alternative configuration was also used a few times- Zyutei DaiZyuJin! It uses energy attacks to dispose of enemies (something else that doesn't translate well in toylines).
God-King Brachion, the most powerful of the Guardian Beasts. So strong that he doesn't need a pilot like the others. He first appeared as a way to test the Zyuranger's worthiness. Once they met his approval, Brachion helped them in several battles.
As a side note- the US toy producers were apparently VERY fond of this mold (which they called Titanus). So much, in fact, that it was reincarnated for another Ranger toyline two years later. And then corpse-raped into a god-awful remold three years after that.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/Paladin4221/TitanusTankerMode.jpg
Brachion's alternative form, affectionately known as "King Tanker." Merely a stepping stone for his true purpose-
he's the foundation of [b]ULTIMATE DAIZYUJIN!!![/b] The perfect formation of Beast-God, crushing its enemies in a hail of energy.
While the overall design of these toys is considered "inferior" to modern standards, I cannot help but look back on these three with unbridled fondness. Nostalgia's a great thing sometimes.
A group of American producers led by one Haim Saban decided that this sort of thing just might fly with American audiences-assuming they could splice in some of their own homemade footage around the battle sequences. It was a shot in the dark but it got incredible results- the show was an overnight runaway success. And the rest is history!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/Paladin4221/MegazordZordModes.jpg
These are the first five Guardian Beasts- Mammoth, Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, SaberTiger and Pteranodon. By themselves they're somewhat boring but the real fun is just ahead!
These 5 are also the source of the series' primary anachronism: The literal translation of this title is "Dinosaur Squadron" but only 2 of these creatures can honestly be called "dinosaurs."
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/Paladin4221/MegazordBattleMode.jpg
The Guardian Beasts first combine into this form, BeastTank DinoTanker. It has a few powerful attacks but is mainly used only as an intermediate stage.
THIS is the Beasts' main combination, DaiZyuJin! An elegant fusion of all five powers. Its blocky and virtually inarticulate but damned if it doesn't send everyone who reads this on a happy trip down memory lane.
Now, ZyuRanger was actually the first series to firmly establish another tradition: that of adding new members to the core team of Rangers. And this was accomplished with-
Burai, and his powerful companion the Dragon Caesar! Summoned & controlled by the tune of a flute, Caesar came to life and rose out of Tokyo Bay with explosive force in a clear homage to his proud kaiju ancestors.
Though they started off as enemies, Green Ranger & Caesar eventually joined the others. This (to no one's surprise) allows for new, more powerful combinations!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/Paladin4221/DragonzordBattleMode.jpg
Goruryuujin, a combination of Dragon Caesar & some of the other Guardian Beasts. Occasionally the Tyrannosaurus would fight alongside this configuration but Pteranodon was still left out in the cold. The "Dragon Antler" drill-spear is his primary weapon; the toy form can't really wield it to resemble its televised counterpart.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/Paladin4221/MegaDragonzord.jpg
This alternative configuration was also used a few times- Zyutei DaiZyuJin! It uses energy attacks to dispose of enemies (something else that doesn't translate well in toylines).
God-King Brachion, the most powerful of the Guardian Beasts. So strong that he doesn't need a pilot like the others. He first appeared as a way to test the Zyuranger's worthiness. Once they met his approval, Brachion helped them in several battles.
As a side note- the US toy producers were apparently VERY fond of this mold (which they called Titanus). So much, in fact, that it was reincarnated for another Ranger toyline two years later. And then corpse-raped into a god-awful remold three years after that.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/Paladin4221/TitanusTankerMode.jpg
Brachion's alternative form, affectionately known as "King Tanker." Merely a stepping stone for his true purpose-
he's the foundation of [b]ULTIMATE DAIZYUJIN!!![/b] The perfect formation of Beast-God, crushing its enemies in a hail of energy.
While the overall design of these toys is considered "inferior" to modern standards, I cannot help but look back on these three with unbridled fondness. Nostalgia's a great thing sometimes.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Annual Dose of Awesome- 7/12/10
Time for a new feature!
The Annual Dose Of Awesome is a section I shall be using to write about some cool things that deserve more appreciation. Could be anything that catches my fancy so stay tuned to read more!
My first entry for ADOA-
The Rocketeer!
One of my favorite childhood movies; the story of an ace pilot who recovers a jetpack & uses it to fight off Nazis.
The film is one of several under-appreciated works by the Disney corporation; it features a generally likable cast with great designs and a pretty good story.
You can find the film in bargain bins across the country now & I strongly recommend it.
Until next time!
The Annual Dose Of Awesome is a section I shall be using to write about some cool things that deserve more appreciation. Could be anything that catches my fancy so stay tuned to read more!
My first entry for ADOA-
The Rocketeer!
One of my favorite childhood movies; the story of an ace pilot who recovers a jetpack & uses it to fight off Nazis.
The film is one of several under-appreciated works by the Disney corporation; it features a generally likable cast with great designs and a pretty good story.
You can find the film in bargain bins across the country now & I strongly recommend it.
Until next time!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Transformers Animated BLACKOUT Review & Pics
The Transformers: Animated toyline is one of my favorites in recent memory, but even I cannot argue that it has had relatively poor handling since the beginning. Even now with just a handful of molds left to be distributed Hasbro appears to be unable (or unwilling) to find a venue for them.
Fortunately Takara/Tomy has picked up the slack with their adaptation of the Animated series, giving the obsessive fans like me one more chance to fill the holes in our collections.
[i]Blackout[/i] is one such example, originally introduced very briefly in the show's third season & scheduled for a toy release that would add some much-needed muscle to the Decepticon forces.
Blackout in Vehicle Mode is an attack helicopter. We can ignore the fact that the character never took on an Earth-based form in the series because-yet again- Animated has chosen to incorporate another element of the Transformers multiverse, specifically Michael Bay's Movie-verse. And in that regard Blackout as a chopper makes perfect sense.
The vehicle design is pretty good with a rather impressive arsenal- six gatling guns plus a few missile launchers. As with most helicopter-transformers the rotors occasionally have trouble staying attached.
Blackout in Robot Mode is a solid fighting force, bulky and heavily armed. Articulation is very good-full movement in arms, legs and waist. He also sports minor articulation in the fingers, which I like. It disappoints me that we couldn't get rotating wrists but IMO that's not a deal-breaker.
A couple people have made some derogatory remarks about Blackout's face, namely comments along the lines of "Robot Wilford Brimley." I'm not sure I see the resemblance but its still funny.
This is arguably Blackout's signature weapon; his Vehicle Mode's tail rotor becomes a disc-launcher. Nice change of pace from the regular swords or cannons but it does disappoint me that the tail rotor can't fit anywhere else in Robot Mode.
Overall I'm pretty satisfied with Blackout (though as a lifelong Animated Addict that cannot be a surprise). He's a solidly-designed mold with a large amount of play value. Everything I could want from a Transformer toy!
Fortunately Takara/Tomy has picked up the slack with their adaptation of the Animated series, giving the obsessive fans like me one more chance to fill the holes in our collections.
[i]Blackout[/i] is one such example, originally introduced very briefly in the show's third season & scheduled for a toy release that would add some much-needed muscle to the Decepticon forces.
Blackout in Vehicle Mode is an attack helicopter. We can ignore the fact that the character never took on an Earth-based form in the series because-yet again- Animated has chosen to incorporate another element of the Transformers multiverse, specifically Michael Bay's Movie-verse. And in that regard Blackout as a chopper makes perfect sense.
The vehicle design is pretty good with a rather impressive arsenal- six gatling guns plus a few missile launchers. As with most helicopter-transformers the rotors occasionally have trouble staying attached.
Blackout in Robot Mode is a solid fighting force, bulky and heavily armed. Articulation is very good-full movement in arms, legs and waist. He also sports minor articulation in the fingers, which I like. It disappoints me that we couldn't get rotating wrists but IMO that's not a deal-breaker.
A couple people have made some derogatory remarks about Blackout's face, namely comments along the lines of "Robot Wilford Brimley." I'm not sure I see the resemblance but its still funny.
This is arguably Blackout's signature weapon; his Vehicle Mode's tail rotor becomes a disc-launcher. Nice change of pace from the regular swords or cannons but it does disappoint me that the tail rotor can't fit anywhere else in Robot Mode.
Overall I'm pretty satisfied with Blackout (though as a lifelong Animated Addict that cannot be a surprise). He's a solidly-designed mold with a large amount of play value. Everything I could want from a Transformer toy!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Transformers Animated LOCKDOWN Review & Pics
My other big obsession (beyond Super Sentai) is Transformers, so I'm taking a moment to share one of my favorites with everyone!
[quote]Bounty Hunters? We don't need that scum![/quote]
Original characters-having no previous name usage and/or no previous counterpart- are a tricky matter in Transformers, which is why people were skeptical at the first mention of this "Lockdown" fellow. But once Hasbro began comparing him to everyone's favorite armor-clad clone, opinions towards Lockdown suddenly became overwhelmingly favorable- and then rose even higher upon the announcement that veteran actor Lance Henriksen would be providing his voice.
Lockdown's Vehicle Mode is a muscle car. Some sources describe it as a hybrid of 1980's Corvette and 1960's Cougar. Black, spiky, intimidating- all trademark Decepticon vehicle features are present here.
In Robot Mode, Lockdown is huge. I don't just mean "sorta tall for a Deluxe" huge. He's fuckin' TALL. He can stand eye-to-eye- with Ultras.
He's not just tall because of freakishly big limbs or anything. His legs are kinda long, but everything is properly proportioned.
Unfortunately, Lockdown (or at least my copy) suffers from undoubtedly the worst case of product quality control that I've ever seen. Immediately upon opening mine, I noticed that both hands were badly damaged, with the left one being almost completely broken off.
Aside from this defect, Lockdown appears to be a decent toy. His primary weapon, a giant metal hook with a mounted EMP generator trophy, can be mounted onto either arm. I can put mine on the left to cover the damaged part, but the gimmick which deploys the EMP cannons only activates on the RIGHT arm for some strange reason.
Articulation is fairly decent. He does actually have knees; they just don't show up too well in pics.
I'd say Lockdown's a fine toy if you can manage to avoid the little "quality control" problem.
[quote]Bounty Hunters? We don't need that scum![/quote]
Original characters-having no previous name usage and/or no previous counterpart- are a tricky matter in Transformers, which is why people were skeptical at the first mention of this "Lockdown" fellow. But once Hasbro began comparing him to everyone's favorite armor-clad clone, opinions towards Lockdown suddenly became overwhelmingly favorable- and then rose even higher upon the announcement that veteran actor Lance Henriksen would be providing his voice.
Lockdown's Vehicle Mode is a muscle car. Some sources describe it as a hybrid of 1980's Corvette and 1960's Cougar. Black, spiky, intimidating- all trademark Decepticon vehicle features are present here.
In Robot Mode, Lockdown is huge. I don't just mean "sorta tall for a Deluxe" huge. He's fuckin' TALL. He can stand eye-to-eye- with Ultras.
He's not just tall because of freakishly big limbs or anything. His legs are kinda long, but everything is properly proportioned.
Unfortunately, Lockdown (or at least my copy) suffers from undoubtedly the worst case of product quality control that I've ever seen. Immediately upon opening mine, I noticed that both hands were badly damaged, with the left one being almost completely broken off.
Aside from this defect, Lockdown appears to be a decent toy. His primary weapon, a giant metal hook with a mounted EMP generator trophy, can be mounted onto either arm. I can put mine on the left to cover the damaged part, but the gimmick which deploys the EMP cannons only activates on the RIGHT arm for some strange reason.
Articulation is fairly decent. He does actually have knees; they just don't show up too well in pics.
I'd say Lockdown's a fine toy if you can manage to avoid the little "quality control" problem.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
The Super Sentai Formula
Since I'm an obsessive Super Sentai fan I thought I would take a moment to analyze & explain things relating to this legendary franchise.
First off, the name "Sentai" literally translates to "Task Force" or "Team." At the core, that's what each series is about- a team of heroes.
Now, the actual number on the team can vary- in most cases we'll see a group of five but other times a Sentai series will begin with only three members.
The trademark colors of Super Sentai Ranger heroes are Red, Blue, Yellow, Green or Black (the two are generally interchangeable) and Pink or White (likewise interchangeable). Each color generally reflects a specific character trait- Red is always the leader, Blue is usually the calm one, Pink is always "the girl," Green is always the quirky one, and so on.
Moving on from characters we focus on the central idea of every Super Sentai: The Gimmick. Every Sentai show has a central plot idea that plays a key role in the visual designs and storytelling elements. Gimmicks can be anything from kung-fu to Japanese culture to dinosaurs.
Once the gimmick is in place we then move onto Morphers (no, that name doesn't appear in the original but the overall description fits): the devices that allow this team to transform into their "Ranger" forms- the brightly colored "Not Spandex" we all know & love. Each Morpher is usually related to the Gimmick in question for a particular series.
Of course, we can't have a team of Heroes without villains! And each Super Sentai has at least one team of villains, direct counterparts of the Super Sentai team's objectives. Generally villains also come with an endless supply of faceless grunts that the Ranger team will regularly encounter to fill time between fighting the newest villain- (in a style known as the "Monster-Of-The-Week" format).
As the show plays out, we'll usually see the thing I love most: GIANT ROBOTS! When a show first starts we'll have at least one "Megazord"- a fusion of multiple battle-craft known as Zords controlled by each Ranger. This leads to the other staple of Super Sentai-suit-motion; fights filmed between actors in suits on small-scale sets (somewhat similar to Godzilla movies).
As the series plays out the initial Megazord may eventually become inefficient or under-powered against opponents. This leads us into another important element: the Power-Ups! Along the way each team (or team-member) will receive new abilities, weapons or Zords to symbolize their growth as a team or person. This element has become more obvious in recent years as part of the efforts to increase merchandising for the shows.
At some point during a Super Sentai show we will generally confront the "Newcomer"- another Ranger playing a part in the development of the years' team. The Newcomer can take several forms: an eager rookie happy to be part of the group, an antagonist-turned-hero, or an indifferent third-party perspective are the three most common character tropes for New Rangers. The Newcomer will generally bring along their own new Megazord, adding even more power to the Super Sentai Team's arsenal.
Later on we will frequently see the villains gain more powers too, forcing the expanded Ranger teams to find one more boost in power (generally in the form of one additional Zord even bigger than all the others) forming an "UltraZord" to lead them to the final victory over evil.
There are minor variations but each Super Sentai will generally play out like this. After 34 seasons, I think its safe to call this a "winning formula."
In the coming weeks I'll use this blog to analyze the various Super Sentai series in greater detail.
Until next time!
Tensou Sentai Goseiger THUS FAR
One of my biggest nerdly obsessions is Super Sentai, the long running Japanese franchise that gave us the Power Rangers phenomenon.
In the coming days/weeks I'll be using this blog to post reviews of a majority of past Super Sentai series but I want to do the most recent entry in this series first to get it out of the way.
So, Let's Descend!
The 34th installment in Super Sentai is the story of angels that protect humanity. Well, not really angels- more like mutants (ie- humans who have "evolved differently" and have powers). The so-called Gosei Angels exist in a secret dimension which is connected to Earth through a point known as "Heavenly Tower" that they use to access our planet and fulfill their apparently self-appointed mission to protect humanity. All goes well until one day an alien force known as the Warstar attacks Earth, destroying the tower of heaven. Now, humanity's only hope for survival is five Goseigers, angels-in-training who were unwittingly left behind on Earth before the attack.
The Gosei Angels all belong to three different clans which each have different powers and lifestyle customs-
*Gosei Black & Yellow are siblings Agri & Moune of the Landick Clan. By nature, they are bold, orderly and prideful-preferring direct attacks against the enemies.
*Gosei Bluem Hyde, is a representative of the Seaick Clan- favoring a calm, reflective approach to life with superb attention to detail.
*Gosei Pink (Eri) and her childhood friend Gosei Red (Alata) come from the Skyick Clan, possessing an optimistic and generally carefree attitude to life.
These Goseiger are aided in the battle against WarStar by Datas, a robotic arcade machine built by other Gosei Angels, who can communicate briefly with the leader of Gosei World (currently known as Master Head).
...OK, that's enough plot exposition.
My reaction to Goseiger thus far is a resounding "MEH." The series has fantastic designs and a pretty engaging plot but from what I've seen it just doesn't work. The cast of heroes are almost completely unlikeable and the villains get virtually no character development. And good designs and/or fight scenes don't matter in the least if I can't bring myself to give a crap about who's fighting in them!
It just feels like Goseiger is an exceptionally weak entry in the Super Sentai franchise. However, we are only about 20 episodes in (most entries run for close to 50 episodes) and I'm still willing to stick with it in the hope that it gets better.
That's my opinion thus far.
In the coming days/weeks I'll be using this blog to post reviews of a majority of past Super Sentai series but I want to do the most recent entry in this series first to get it out of the way.
So, Let's Descend!
The 34th installment in Super Sentai is the story of angels that protect humanity. Well, not really angels- more like mutants (ie- humans who have "evolved differently" and have powers). The so-called Gosei Angels exist in a secret dimension which is connected to Earth through a point known as "Heavenly Tower" that they use to access our planet and fulfill their apparently self-appointed mission to protect humanity. All goes well until one day an alien force known as the Warstar attacks Earth, destroying the tower of heaven. Now, humanity's only hope for survival is five Goseigers, angels-in-training who were unwittingly left behind on Earth before the attack.
The Gosei Angels all belong to three different clans which each have different powers and lifestyle customs-
*Gosei Black & Yellow are siblings Agri & Moune of the Landick Clan. By nature, they are bold, orderly and prideful-preferring direct attacks against the enemies.
*Gosei Bluem Hyde, is a representative of the Seaick Clan- favoring a calm, reflective approach to life with superb attention to detail.
*Gosei Pink (Eri) and her childhood friend Gosei Red (Alata) come from the Skyick Clan, possessing an optimistic and generally carefree attitude to life.
These Goseiger are aided in the battle against WarStar by Datas, a robotic arcade machine built by other Gosei Angels, who can communicate briefly with the leader of Gosei World (currently known as Master Head).
...OK, that's enough plot exposition.
My reaction to Goseiger thus far is a resounding "MEH." The series has fantastic designs and a pretty engaging plot but from what I've seen it just doesn't work. The cast of heroes are almost completely unlikeable and the villains get virtually no character development. And good designs and/or fight scenes don't matter in the least if I can't bring myself to give a crap about who's fighting in them!
It just feels like Goseiger is an exceptionally weak entry in the Super Sentai franchise. However, we are only about 20 episodes in (most entries run for close to 50 episodes) and I'm still willing to stick with it in the hope that it gets better.
That's my opinion thus far.
Armor Plus Teknoman Review & Pics
Do you remember the first anime you ever saw?
I do. It was a Sunday in '95; I was randomly channel-surfing when I came to UPN of all places and found an amusing little show called [B]TEKNOMAN.[/B] My impressionable young mind immediately latched upon it as the greatest thing evar. I watched it religiously each week until suddenly it was off the air for no apparent reason.
Many years later when I learned how to use the Internet, I found the show once more and after watching the entirety of it I still found the series to be pretty damn good. I regretted that there appeared to be no decent merchandise relating to this series (aside from a couple overpriced model kits).
Several years after that I found the Armor Plus line, and (after picking my jaw up off the floor) purchased one of their new Tekkaman figures.
The Armor Plus line works by having a simple "center" figure like this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/Paladin4221/tek1.jpg
and then adding the rest of the parts around it. Generally the remaining Armor parts are metal while the center figure is plastic; this allows for a greater level of stability & detail than with typical figure releases.
The end result of the assembly process?
The hero I remember so well, Tekkaman/Teknoman Blade, aka "D-Boy," aka [I]Slade[/I] in the early years for some stupid reason. An armored space hero taking on legions of vicious SpiderCrabs & other warriors with similar armament.
The Armor Plus system works perfectly here; Blade is heavy without being fragile or unstable. And the articulation is just tremendous; every joint possible rotates- arms, shoulders, wrists, head, waist, feet, knees...perfect assembly.
Blade comes with multiple fists to be used in certain circumstances. This configuration is my preferred setup- one closed fist on the left arm, one open (weapon-holding) fist on the right arm. These fists represent the biggest flaw in this figure: the ball-joint that connects them is quite small and as a result the fists don't always stay attached well. And because of the way the armor metal slides onto the arm frame, it can be frustrating to put the fists back in place.
This is Blade's trademark weapon, a pointy double-edged spear. In the series it can separate into two smaller spears but the Armor Plus weapons aren't quite that sophisticated; instead they give you one large staff and two smaller points which can be wielded separately.
Finally, there is the Teknoman's ultimate weapon:
The power of Voltekka (Tekno-Bolt) energy! Two cannons unfold from Blade's shoulders and obliterate enemies. The cannons are also remarkably stable; opening & closing with no restriction on the movement and no difficulty.
Armor Plus Teknoman (and I'm sticking to the US name here because that's the name that remains ingrained in my memory) may be the most amazing figure I have ever purchased. Its like having a Holy Grail brought right to my hands after 15 years. Amazing detail, fantastic amounts of play value and all-around brilliant construct. Highly Recommended!
I do. It was a Sunday in '95; I was randomly channel-surfing when I came to UPN of all places and found an amusing little show called [B]TEKNOMAN.[/B] My impressionable young mind immediately latched upon it as the greatest thing evar. I watched it religiously each week until suddenly it was off the air for no apparent reason.
Many years later when I learned how to use the Internet, I found the show once more and after watching the entirety of it I still found the series to be pretty damn good. I regretted that there appeared to be no decent merchandise relating to this series (aside from a couple overpriced model kits).
Several years after that I found the Armor Plus line, and (after picking my jaw up off the floor) purchased one of their new Tekkaman figures.
The Armor Plus line works by having a simple "center" figure like this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v631/Paladin4221/tek1.jpg
and then adding the rest of the parts around it. Generally the remaining Armor parts are metal while the center figure is plastic; this allows for a greater level of stability & detail than with typical figure releases.
The end result of the assembly process?
The hero I remember so well, Tekkaman/Teknoman Blade, aka "D-Boy," aka [I]Slade[/I] in the early years for some stupid reason. An armored space hero taking on legions of vicious SpiderCrabs & other warriors with similar armament.
The Armor Plus system works perfectly here; Blade is heavy without being fragile or unstable. And the articulation is just tremendous; every joint possible rotates- arms, shoulders, wrists, head, waist, feet, knees...perfect assembly.
Blade comes with multiple fists to be used in certain circumstances. This configuration is my preferred setup- one closed fist on the left arm, one open (weapon-holding) fist on the right arm. These fists represent the biggest flaw in this figure: the ball-joint that connects them is quite small and as a result the fists don't always stay attached well. And because of the way the armor metal slides onto the arm frame, it can be frustrating to put the fists back in place.
This is Blade's trademark weapon, a pointy double-edged spear. In the series it can separate into two smaller spears but the Armor Plus weapons aren't quite that sophisticated; instead they give you one large staff and two smaller points which can be wielded separately.
Finally, there is the Teknoman's ultimate weapon:
The power of Voltekka (Tekno-Bolt) energy! Two cannons unfold from Blade's shoulders and obliterate enemies. The cannons are also remarkably stable; opening & closing with no restriction on the movement and no difficulty.
Armor Plus Teknoman (and I'm sticking to the US name here because that's the name that remains ingrained in my memory) may be the most amazing figure I have ever purchased. Its like having a Holy Grail brought right to my hands after 15 years. Amazing detail, fantastic amounts of play value and all-around brilliant construct. Highly Recommended!
WELCOME!
Hello anyone/everyone reading this!
I'm Paladin (close enough to my real name for now) and this is my blog.
I'm a lifelong nerd with a penchant for toy collecting; this is where I'll be posting reviews of just about anything I buy along with photos for anyone interested.
At times I may branch out and give my opinions on other subjects too.
So stick around! I'll try to make things entertaining.
I'm Paladin (close enough to my real name for now) and this is my blog.
I'm a lifelong nerd with a penchant for toy collecting; this is where I'll be posting reviews of just about anything I buy along with photos for anyone interested.
At times I may branch out and give my opinions on other subjects too.
So stick around! I'll try to make things entertaining.
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