toyboxdx toy blog brog: is graceful art of daily expressing japanese toy  

This month’s (long delayed) cover features a splendid shot of the Hobby Project “Geki-Gokin” Gekiganger toy as photographed by Tim Brisko.

Lovingly hand crafted in small batches (like a fine cheese), the Hobby Project Gekigangers hit the marketplace between 1997 and 1998 for limited sale at the “Wonder Fest” hobby shows in Japan.

The Gekiganger toys feature a near-solid diecast construction and a disturbing inability to remain standing, yet they manage to capture a true “Soul of Chogokin” that many feel the “official” Bandai series lacks. They were produced in four flavors: a “normal” type, featuring silver thighs and biceps; a “Nanako” type (pictured on the cover); an all-black version; and a version plated in (flake-prone) gold chrome. Prices ranged from 20,000 yen for the normal type up to 28,000 yen for the gold chrome version.

Although the toys (perhaps “executive playthings” would be a better term, considering the price) became the darling of many a foreign robot fan’s diecast collection, Hobby Project’s products met with a much cooler reception in their home country. The company shut its doors in early 2002, but they’ll always be remembered for their homegrown, garage approach to making diecasts. Here’s to hoping president Kanzen Hentaro has a few more tricks up his sleeve for the future!

I’ve known and liked Kamen Riders since I was kid growing up in Taiwan. However, aside from picture albums and a few toys, I’ve never actually watched any Kamen Rider on TV. That changed with Kamen Rider Ryuki last year. After finishing the Ryuki TV series and buying many of the Rider & Monster sets, I looked forward to the next Kamen Rider show, Kamen Rider 555 (Faiz), and its accompanying toys.

The S-RHF Faiz was the one Faiz toy that I was extremely interested in owning. I liked most of the Ryuki R&M sets and really liked the idea of having a posable Rider and his bike in a boxed set. In Faiz’s case, his bike even transformed into a robot, so as far as I’m concerned it’s even better.

The Faiz figure itself is constructed basically the same as the Riders in the Ryuki R&M sets. The only real difference in construction is the double jointed knees present on Faiz. This knee joint is similar to the chogokin Agito/Kuuga figures and allows Faiz to kneel. The big difference between Faiz and the Kamen Riders figures that came before him is the size. The Faiz figure is made to the same scale as the sofubi RH figures (or about the same as Marvel Legends figures), which means he towers over the previous Kamen Rider figures. This can be good or bad depending on how you see it. On one hand, bigger is usually better and in this case, since it’s the same size as the sofubi monsters, you can finally have your Kamen Rider fight (kind of) a monster. On the other hand, it looks out of place among the older posable Rider figures. Personally, I love the new size.

All of Faiz’s weapons are included in this set, which includes the Faiz Phone Blaster (no, it doesn’t transform), Faiz Shot, Faiz Pointer (doesn’t combine with Blaster), and Faiz Edge. The Faiz Phone Blaster, Shot, and Pointer are all oversized so it looks better when Faiz is using them. I don’t have much problems with that but the Faiz shot does lack detail for something so oversized. All of the weapons are made out of soft PVC, and this causes the Faiz Edge to warp easily. The PVC is fine for all the other weapons though.

The Autovajin is a bike that transforms into a robot. In bike mode, the Autovajin is a good looking dirt bike. It’s got some engine details and has “Smart Brain Motors” and “SB-555V” clearly printed on it. A kick stand allows it to stay upright with ease. Kamen Rider Faiz rides well on it and for a bike that transforms into a robot, it looks very sleek. The transformation is fairly involved and I would say it’s complexity is about the same as any similar sized Transformers (think Armada Red Alert or Car Robots JRX Trains). In robot mode, Autovajin is a head taller than Faiz. Although it does have joints at the hips and knees, they are actually used for the transformation and when they are bent, it’s very difficult to keep Autovajin standing. The functional joints are the swievel joints at the neck and shoulders. Even though it’s basically a brick in robot mode, Autovajin looks reasonably good and looks better than many Transformers in my opinion. There are even some diecast on the Autovajin. They are located on the shoulders and the hinge that moves the rear wheel during the transformation. I really like the Autovajin, especially in bike mode, and about the only thing I wish it had is some sort of readout between the handle bars.

As far as bad points are concerned, besides the soft Faiz Edge I’ve already mentioned, the only other one I can think of is the lack of red outline on all the “Phi” signs present on the weapons, belt, and Autovajin. As you can see in the pictures they are all just a solid yellow circle without the red outline. Other than that, I like this set even more than any of the excellent Ryuki R&M sets. In fact, for me this might even get the Toy of the Year over Dancougar and MMM Strike Gundam (I have both).

In conclusion, if you liked the Ryuki R&M sets and don’t mind the larger size of this set, I would highly recommend that you pick it up. I hope there are going to be more of these S-RHF sets released this year.

Yes, You know about the stikfa super poseable figures which are rather abstract in design, but have you heard of Bandai’s Gashapon contribution to that “micro” genre? The Beta Midgets are the alternative 1:1 scale action hero figure. I’ll be covering the Stikfa Alpha male, the Fire Fighter and the “Early Type (tr)” Midgets.

I found out about them through the Micropolis Embassy, but they are not a niche figure. They are an excellently designed for a game prize toy and are an extremely cool base for customization. I did not take many pictures of the main characters, because they are well covered at other sources such as the official Midget page (photos of v1.5 here) and MicroForever (version 1.0) , and I encourage you to patronize those sites to find out more.

I purchased the Alpha male because I love the comic, SCUD: the disposable assassin, and had to make a custom, but I ended up getting another partially for the second pistol and partially to keep one so I can play with him stock. I ended up getting the firefighter because I really enjoyed the alpha males and the new Fire Fighter accessories are really neat. It ends up to have a very good feel and real character after you get the guy into his gear.

The Beta midgets are similar to microman in that the plot is that they are from space, and adapt to the element that they first arrive in. There is Salamander, the fire Elemental (Red and White), Salamander 1.5 (Red and Orange), Undine, the Water Elemental (Dark Blue, I added a Drill arm, but he normally has two arms), Gnome, the Earth Elemental (Green with the luger pistols), and Sylph, the Air Elemental (Blue and White). They come with intellegent “Jacket-o” that attach and endow them with additional elemental powers. The Jackets are PVC armor that pegs into various 3mm and 5mm ports on their body. It’s a tad bendy, but mine have straightened out nicely and there are literally a hundred or so parts amongst the 6 jackets, so it’s lotsa fun to fiddle with.

On to the Early types. There are 3 of them. A gray one, A pearl with blue trim and a dark blue with black trim. They are the proto-Beta midgets and suposedly without personality because of their inhuman features and augmented physical attributes, but I’ve found that they are my favorites of the bunch. Action! Drama!

Disclaimer: I did paint these guys, but all I did was accentuate the detail that was already there. Plus the obligitory Non-sequitor desktop group photo of those who weren’t topical, but I love em anyways.

You loved the Metal Material Model “Strike Gundam.” Now thrill to the sequel: a Metal Material Model redux, complete with parts to make “Launcher-Strike” (click th’ purty picture) and “Sword-Strike” Gundams.

The set’s supposed hit shelves at the end of June for 8,800 yen ($75). No word as to when it’ll hit Tim Brisko’s camera and force us naysayers to buy the damn thing.

Normally, I’m not one to get all excited about PVC action figures. Least of all about Katoki Hajime’s hit-or-miss “Gundam FIX Figuration” series, which features some of the greatest detailing and flimsiest design out of any Gundam toys.

Love ’em or hate ’em, though, even the most jaded Gundam collector has to admit that series designer Katoki Hajime knows how to pick ’em. Nearly every one of the designs is a totally obscure, old-school mecha fan favorite designed to send hardcore Gundam maniacs into a heavy-breathing frenzy.

Gundam FIX Figuration #14 and #15, the latest, are no exception. #14 will be “Heavy Gundam,” an all-but-unknown orphan from the planned but abandoned “MS-X” model series. It resembles the old “Full Armor Gundam,” the very first of the FIX toys, but features a Prototype Gundam inside. I could take or leave Heavy Gundam. But a Prototype Gundam, now. For whatever reason, I’ve wanted a toy of that thing ever since I was a kid. Ah, how I’ve lusted for thy “Tootsie-roll” paint job…. Yeah, I’m a loser.

FIX #15 will be “EX-S Gundam” in “Task Force Alpha” colors, whatever that means. It looks like a slight variation of #11, “Refined EX-S,” minus the enormous, waist-mounted phallo-cannon.

Anyway, look for ’em at the end of June. 3,680 yen for Heavy; 4,500 for Ex-S.

April 7, 2003.  Today is the birthday of Astro Boy according to the manga.  In Japan, at the Tezuka Osamu Manga Museum, Atom finally will have “the moment of his birth.”  In the same month, a new animated TV series Astro Boy / Tetsuwan Atom will start a nationwide broadcast on Fuji Network System.  Let’s hope Bandai will come up with a chogokin version of Astro Boy with the right dimensions and accessories like all the other figures they have done.

Try this link to go to the Osamu Tezuka World site: http://en-f.tezuka.co.jp/home.html for more detail.

A little yellow dog once told me regarding the allure of Gunpla, “It’s not about the end result, it’s about the journey.” With the New Material Model Strike Gundam, I was impressed with both.

You start with a naked metal robot skeleton. From there you bolt on the armor. And once the armor goes on, it stays on. Once it was completed I shook it to high hell and not one piece fell off. There’s really only one word to describe this toy: solid. It kicks ass.

Proportions of the toy are good, detail is good, and enough metal from the skeleton is exposed so you can feel the cool touch of it against your cheek. Panel lines are minimal, which is a good thing in my book, but if you like them you can stare at the soles of the feet for a while.

Accessories aplenty are present, including two beam sabers with removable blades, and two jackknives that stow in little compartments in the hips. A shield, a beam rifle, and the big-ass Air Strike (no, not “Aile Strike”) backpack are all available to add as you please.

And look, BlazeEagle, Strike Gundam has a waist joint! Unfortunately, with the armor on, this is as far as it turns. Poseability kicks ass, though.

For those of you wondering how heavy this sucker is, the GX-07 Mazinger-Z weighs in at 11oz with both fists on. The main body of the Strike Gundam, fully armored, without the shield, rifle, and Air Strike (no, not “Aile Strike”) pack, is 14oz. As far as comparative size goes, this picture should speak a thousand words.

Have I mentioned that this toy kicks ass?

Downsides? Two minor ones, but they’re definitely not deal-breakers. One, I would have liked to see some titanium in it, but that’s really so I can have a toy on my shelf to point out to people and say, “that’s titanium”. Two, I miss styrofoam.

Brisko-san will be posting his purty pichers of the toy soon, and they will blow mine away, but I’m telling you that if you’re looking for a mecha toy with the class of an HCM and the heft of good old-fashioned Chogokin, this is it. We all know Dancougar will win Toy of the Year, but something tells me this has a good chance at second place.

This was 9340 yen shipped from Hobbylink Japan (order yours here) and it was worth every penny. A “powered-down” variant of the Strike Gundam is coming (order yours here), and originally I wasn’t planning on getting one, but I’m starting to falter…

Keep watching the BBS thread connected to this Rumble, I will be doing a follow-up review about a month down the road.

Here’s the Super 7 Magazine exclusive version of Gorgo. Everything from my review of the standard version applies to this one. And in case you were wondering, yes, Mama Gorgo’s paint job is supposed to echo that of the Hawaii version Bullmark Godzilla (Version K, for those of you with Super 7 #1 in your hands open to page 41).

And look, BlazeEagle, Baby Gorgo has a waist joint!