MAZINGER Z - Soul of Chogokin 50th Anniversary GX-105 figure review

My first reaction on GX-105's arrival was one of surprise - the box is shockingly compact! Beside my GX-70 Mazinger Z packaging, it's positively diminutive both in terms of general dimensions and thickness. My second reaction was that the front box illustration is beautiful. There's something I really like about the way the front is laid out, and I particularly like the colors and pose used in the shot of Mazinger Z. The back shows the standard fare: shots of Z in various poses with the included accessories. I must confess, I pre-ordered this GX-105 more out of obligation than interest: I collect Mazinger Z figures, and a new SOC version is an automatic purchase for me (likewise, I have Garada and Doublas on pre-order). That said, I wouldn't consider myself particularly excited about its release, which seems weird to me. I ought to be over the moon at a new Mazinger, but I think I was figuring it wouldn't be too different from my GX-70. Since its release, I've seen several reviews of the new GX-105, and it does look to be an all-new sculpt. I've gotten more and more excited, and now I can't wait to check this guy out! I do expect it to have fewer accessories than previous releases, but I'm not too concerned about that at the moment, since I tend not to use many of them anyway, and I'm hoping (in the event that I DO want to use something else) that GX-70's can be subbed in here in a pinch. In any event, it's time to check this guy out...

Initial impressions: The first thing that struck me is that the crown on this Mazinger Z is enormous. Especially without the pilder docked, it is simply huge. The figure looks great, with wonderful colors and paint. The accessories? Most striking is that there is no stand included here. I have mixed reactions to this. I didn't find the enormous stands necessary but it was pretty cool to have them, and to be able to store accessories inside of them. I guess there's just not enough here to necessitate such an inclusion? This is a fairly bare-bones version. We get two sets of alternate hands - yup, only two. Closed fists and open palms. One pilder, an alternate stomach piece with the missile launcher open, 3 missiles and the scrander (which needs to be assembled). There are two gimmicks that I'm aware of. First, the forearms include little flame effects at the elbow attachment and these can be "rocket punch" fired by pushing a button. Second, the torso missiles can be launched by pressing a button. I'm not a huge fan of gimmicks like these, as I don't spend much time launching parts at anything else in my space, but so long as they look cool on the shelf I don't care. And that's it. Pretty sparse, but I'm totally fine with it because (like I said) most times the accessories end up staying in the box or stored in the stand anyway. The one part I would normally look to use would be a gripping hand and Mazinger Z's sword, but I'll see if I can get GX-70's over here to this guy if I want to...

The proportions on GX-105 differ greatly from those of GX-70. The lower legs are slightly shorter, the thighs are thicker, the diaper is less rounded, the lower torso is wider, the arms are longer and slightly thicker, and the shoulders sit wider apart. The head is also significantly larger. The overall look is more imposing and substantive, despite the height of the figure remaining about the same across both figures. I think it's more accurate to the anime, but there are times when the head just looks oversized to me.

The scrander is easy enough to attach, as is the pilder, and both look awesome once in place. I do find the articulation to be a bit more limited than in the GX-70, but I will be fine with it, as he'll end up in a basic museum pose on the shelf anyway. 

Overall, GX-105 is an update that's worthy of purchase, in my book. The proportions and overall look are better and it's just a fun figure. Even having GX-70, I don't feel like I've wasted my money in any way, and the three of them look right at home together in my display!

GX-70 and GX-105

GX-70, GX-105 and GX-73 (Great Mazinger)

PANZER WORLD GALIENT - threeZero Robo-Dou Galient (Kelvin Sau Redesign) action figure

Robo-Dou Galient arrived yesterday, and I'm super excited! I'm going to do this opening and review a little at a time over the next several days to 1) see if it's a more manageable way to get this blog going again and 2) savor the figure a bit more. So far, all I've done is checked out the outside of the packaging. It's gorgeous! The front cover illustration of Galient in action is a beautiful painting, done to look like an old oil painting on canvas. There are creases and dappling effects throughout the entire thing - it's really an amazing piece of art. The world of Panzer World Galient is an interesting intersection of medieval and futuristic, with warriors on horseback with swords facing off against enormous mecha centaur-looking things. This artwork, along with the font they've selected for the name Galient really harken back to a Medieval tapestry or something. The back boasts a more contemporary series of images: the three forms that Galient can take. Included are Strike Vehicle, Big Falcon and Panzer Falcon. I'm personally not a huge fan of the two alternate (flying) forms, as they just seem really awkward to me. Combine that with my inability to do transformations without losing my temper, and Galient will probably be remaining in its original form. Tomorrow, I'll open the window flap to check out the figure itself, and maybe pop him out of a package for a quick once-over...

Ok, I couldn't help myself. I opened the flap to take a look. Man, the concept drawing on the inside flap is gorgeous! Unfortunately, the window is really hard to see into - they've wrapped Galient's head in plastic film to keep it pristine, with the result being that it really can't be seen. In this instance, I think it probably makes more sense to just do away with the window. What's the point, if we can't see anything in there? That said, the body looks to have a great paint job. Tomorrow, the tray comes out!

Inside the box are two plastic trays, stacked atop one another. The figure, Galient Blade (sword) and 3 pairs of alternate hands are in the top tray. The tailbone armor piece and backpack are detached in the tray, and lay underneath Galient. The bottom tray holds the shield, rear cannon, assault cannon, Galient Blade (whip form), an alternate right leg cover piece with a hole for a cable, an alternate left leg cover piece with the cockpit open (and a pilot's seat inside!), a handle and an adapter piece for the shield, a cable and a handle for the assault cannon, and an alternate red "belly button" cover (the one he comes attached with is yellow). In all, it seems like a really nice assortment of accessories and they are all well-done. I honestly doubt I'll be using the whip (because I worry once I bend the wire that I won't be able to get it back into its original shape), and I probably won't use the assault cannon. That leaves the shield and rear cannon, which I can imagine using for display, along with the Galient sword. I'm not sure about the alternate leg armor pieces, but I'm inclined to think I won't be using those, either.

On to the figure itself. My immediate initial response to taking the figure out of the package was honestly one of disappointment: it feels so light to me! That's the same reaction I had to the Dancouga ROBO-DOU I acquired last year. I also had some trouble adjusting the feet and legs to allow Galient to stand in a regular museum pose. However, the figure has really been growing on me since then. Galient weighs in at 1 lb. 3.8 oz. once the tail piece and backpack are attached. For comparison's sake, that's 4.7 oz. more than my Soul of Chogokin Getter Arc, who stands about 7.5" tall, as compared to Galient's 9.75" height. It's also nearly a half pound LESS than my ROBO-DOU Shin Getter 1. And I think that's my biggest gripe; my first two figures in the line were Neon Genesis Evangelion's EVA-01 and Getter Robo's Shin Getter 1. BOTH of those figures are heavy and really feel substantial in-hand. For the asking prices at their time of release ($150 for Getter 1 and about $130 for Eva 01) I was really over the moon ecstatic. Dancouga ran over $300 and weighs 1 lb. 3.4 oz, and Galient was $200+. It's a lot more plastic than metal at a much higher price. Granted, both feature engineering for transformation (and in Dancouga's case, we are talking about 4 different forms that these vehicles can take), but still, I couldn't help but feel a bit more ripped off with these last couple of releases.

However, over the past couple of days, I've begun to appreciate what threeZero has done here. The primary quality I look for in my action figure collection is aesthetics. To me, action figures are a form of art. I want to come back over and over again to appreciate their details, paint, and overall look. If I want posing, I'll check out D Amazing. If I want critique, I'll check out Anthony's Customs. For me, most of my figures are in a standard vanilla "museum pose," with few accessories around them. Accessories are ok, but I tend to not use most of them. Light features are usually unnecessary and the batteries just don't last - I'd rather have a stellar paint job that stays "on" all the time. But I've also grown to love die-cast metal content. There's just a different feeling in-hand that really makes me feel like I've spent money on something of quality. Which brings us full-circle back to Galient and the ROBO-DOU line. Here's what I've learned: these are not chogokin. They are not meant to compete with the Soul of Chogokin line. They are their own thing, which means plastic that's been painted to look like it could be weathered metal, and metal joints, for the most part. It's more MDLX Transformers than DLX Transformers (2 other threeZero lines).

I've been comparing these to my CCS Toys figures, which I think (again) is a mistake. Those are just about perfect in my eyes. Huge, heavy, eye-poppingly painted and detailed pieces of artistic expression and creation, they are a very high bar for anything to be compared to.

So, Galient on it's own. What do I think? I think it's beautiful. With the two pieces attached to the back, and the legs (finally!) adjusted properly, it's gorgeous. The paint is impeccable. Two shades of red for the armor, muted yellow trim, flat white to offset with a black wash over the entire thing and some faint silver dry brushing at the sharp edges to add some metallic wear effects. I think the blue gem in the forehead is a separate piece. Overall, it's a terrific presentation. Matched with excellent proportions, it makes for a striking figure on the shelf.

I'm very happy with Panzer World Galient. It's got a unique real-world weathered look, an interesting design, and so much beautiful detail to take in. I really have only one major gripe with the figure: it's advertised as having working rolling wheels under the feet, and the final product just doesn't. In the anime, Galient whooshes around in battle on roller wheels under its feet. It's very reminiscent of Votoms, if one is familiar with that anime. The description of the figure for sale clearly says this figure will have real rolling wheels. Mine doesn't. They are sculpted plastic with no movement. It's not a deal-breaker by any means, but it certainly is disappointing. Otherwise, this guy is darn near perfect. Next up in the Robo-Dou line is Voltron. I'm going to lower my expectations for die-cast metal and let it be what it will be on its own merit.

 My first figures of 2023 are scheduled to arrive within the next couple of weeks. First up should be the threeZero ROBO-DOU Panzer World Galient, followed by GX-105 Mazinger Z from Bandai's Soul of Chogokin line. I'm pretty excited for both, but mostly for Galient. I was pretty disappointed by threeZero's Dancouga from last year. It has very little die-cast content, so it feels much cheaper than it's $300 plus asking price. It looks good, but I don't care for the attachment point at the ankles (which I was afraid of, even prior to getting it), so I don't mess with it very much at all. In short, I didn't feel like it got me the asking price's worth, which was a first in the ROBO-DOU line. I'm hoping that Galient is sturdier and easier to handle!

I feel like I've been waiting for Galient for forever. It's not a title I was familiar with, so I placed the pre-order solely on how cool it looked, and on how happy I was with my then-recent threeZero purchases. I did manage to watch the 14-episode show during the past year of waiting, and I was really pleasantly surprised with the entire thing, except the ending. It just seemed pretty rushed and unsatisfying as far as conclusions go. But, the ROBO-DOU figure is on its way to me, and I can honestly say I'm super excited!

The Soul of Chogokin GX-105 Mazinger Z is a little bit of a different story. I'm very familiar with the anime, having watched the Impact version several times, along with Infinity. I already have several Z figures, including the Dynamic GX-70. I think I pre-ordered this more out of obligation to the title than because I really love it, and I had some trepidation that it really won't be much different from the GX-70 version. After watching a few reviews over the past couple of weeks, since its release, I've gotten more excited. It looks like all-new tooling, and despite its lack of a plethora of accessories, I think it's going to be a neat addition to the collection. It will be fun to compare to the older version, in any case. So let the waiting continue...

Dancouga thoughts...

The first video overview of threezero's upcoming Robo-Dou Dancouga showed up online just the other day, and it raised my excitement level by a factor of 10. Threezero's Dancouga is one of my top three most anticipated figures due to be released in 2022 (the other two are threezero's Panzer World Galient Robo-Dou Galient figure, and CCSToys' Shin Getter 1). The Robo-Dou version looks magnificent! Then, just yesterday I caught a quick video showcasing yet another Dancouga release. It wasn't in English, and so it was a bit hard to tell, but this one looks like a Good Smile model kit version. The owner of the video said it included die-cast parts, but I'm doubtful after watching through the video. That said, my lone experience with Good Smile's Moderoid line did not result in a good smile for me, so I would probably pass on that one.

I never knew of Dancouga growing up. Released in 1985, I would have been just a bit too old to have watched it. It was brought to my attention last year, when BBTS put threezero's Robo-Dou version up for pre-order. Their Shin Getter 1 figure was one of my absolute favorite figures of 2021, and I'm pretty much all-in for the Robo-Dou line moving forward, so when I saw this guy, I pre-ordered it without knowing anything about the source material. I then went ahead and bought the entire series on Blu-Ray, and have been enjoying it ever since. The story-line is sophisticated enough to keep things interesting. In fact, I liked it so much that I used a handful of gift cards from the holidays to pick up this Soul of Chogokin GX-13R figure. 

It stands at a really impressive height (towering over my other Soul of Chogokin figures), has a good bit of die-cast weight to it, and looks great on the shelf. That said, I did encounter some significant problems with this fairly old release (re-release, I should say). The biggest problems for me have to do with the articulation. The joints in the knees and hips are terribly loose, to the point where he can really only stand (and precariously, at that) in a straight-legged vanilla pose. Additionally, the waist is so loose and floppy that the entire upper torso tips forwards or backwards at the slighted touch. As a result, this figure is not at all pleasurable to try to pose, despite the fact that it looks great as it is. My final issue is with the hands, which cannot close tightly. This means Dancouga cannot hold the rifle one-handed, and even the sword tends to fall out of his flaccid grip. Once the threezero version arrives, I may seriously consider transforming this version to vehicle modes (Land Cougar, Land Liger, Big Moth and Eagle) and leaving them for display that way.

The upcoming Robo-Dou version looks amazing. The sculpt is a really great take on the classic look, tweaked. I also love the weathered paint apps it looks to be getting. It seems to be about the same size as the Chogokin version, with many of the same accessories and transformation gimmicks. I will say that I don't like the way the feet (land vehicles) attach (much like the SOC version, there's a small tab that flips up and the legs of Big Moth clips onto this - it's such a small connection point). But otherwise it looks like it's going to be a real winner. And I'll just have to see what that Good Smile Dancouga was all about...

CONAN the CIMMERIAN - Mezco Toys 1/6 scale statue

I don't consider myself much of a statue collector. I love the look of many of them, but they are often too big for the space I have and too expensive for me to collect in large numbers. That said, I have accumulated a fair few over the years (I'm only referring to polystone-type statues here - I do have my fair share of plastic statues). I only just realized that ALL of them are of female characters. Or were, until just the other day, when my first male statue - Conan the Cimmerian -  arrived.

I pre-ordered Mezco's Conan the Cimmerian statue in December of 2020. I had spent much of that year reading the Robert E. Howard works of Conan and Kull, and loved them. Fast forward about 13 months, and my interest had waned a bit. I still love the stories, but had moved on to other interests, as I am wont to do. I was even seriously considering cancelling my pre-order, as my New Year's Resolution to be more selective in my purchases (recurring resolution, it seems) was weighing on my mind. I did pick up the Mezco One:12 Collective Conan figure, and was probably the only person on the planet disappointed in it (but that's a story for a different review). The only thing that kept me from cancelling this pre-order, in fact, was that the statue is sold out everywhere, and I was worried I'd regret not getting it if it turned out to be amazing. Surprise, surprise, I was suddenly and unexpectedly notified that it was ready to ship about a week ago. And, wow, was it fortunate that I declined to cancel, because this is probably the best statue I own, and sets a standard I'd wish every statue could follow...

Mezco's Conan the Cimmerian is a 1/6 scale statue from a new line., called Static Six. Their aim is to offer statues that are so full of options that they are ultimately "customizable" to tons of different looks: "Premium 1:6 scale statue featuring hyper-realistic detailing, interactive mixed-media components, interchangeable parts and accessories to create multiple display options" (from their website's description). They did indeed successfully accomplish each of these mission statement components. With this particular statue, there are 2 head portraits, a cape, a necklace, a harness, something like 6 different hands, a girdle, a loincloth, a sword/scabbard and a dagger/sheathe, all removable or interchangeable. If my math is correct, that means over a hundred different ways to display this statue! And the best part? It looks awesome no matter how you choose to display it! The sculpt is just amazing, with deep crevices, striations in the muscles, and paint work that brings all those details to life. The pose is fantastic, conveying movement, ferocity and power all at once. Everything works well together, with nothing looking out of place or hurried. Even the loincloth and cape (which could look very artificial) are made in such as way as to appear natural.

The girdle and shield, in particular, are spectacular in terms of detail, paint and realism. The metal looks like metal, the leather looks like leather and the fur looks like fur. I think it really comes down to the care that's been put into conveying texture. Even Conan's skin has texture to it. In fact, the only place on the entire statue where the texturing fails a bit, is in the snow, which comes off as too smooth and uniform to really be snow. That said, the base tells a wonderful story in and of itself: there's an enormous clawed footprint in the snow just between Conan's legs, which indicates that his upward gaze, upward angle of the twist of his torso and arm-swing, as well as the half-dozen skulls littering the landscape (nearly all of which have a bashed-in portion on them) involve a huge beast facing off with him mid-battle. That said, I do wonder why we'd have flesh-stripped skulls and bones (meaning they are old) mixed in with fresh snow, blood and a footprint? Without overthinking it, let's just say it looks awesome!

I made the mistake of overlooking that this statue was polystone when I ordered it. I had just assumed that Mezco only worked in plastic, and that this statue would be no different. Conan, however, is a polystone piece, and a heavy one at that. With the attached base (which frames the statue perfectly), the entire statue weighs in at over 9 lbs. That means he may fit in a Detolf display case, but the glass shelf will be hard-pressed to stay intact. The body parts all attach with strong magnets, and fit together snugly, with a bit of finagling. The result is an incredibly satisfying display that will, in fact, promise to be tweaked, adjusted and changed every so often, just to keep itself fresh.

I do have a couple of tiny issues with the statue that ought to be stated. First, the necklace on mine does not sit properly. There's a curve sculpted into it that doesn't quite line up with the curve of the shoulders and chest, causing it to float, rather than sit flat. I'm not sure if this is an issue with warping in the package, or if it was designed this way. I may try heating and re-shaping, but that's the one plastic piece that's given me some issues. My other issue has been with the loincloth. The top portion, at the waist, sticks up a touch higher than the sculpt underneath. When I try to seat the torso piece on top, it's pretty tough to not fold that loincloth down into the part I'm trying to attach. This results in the magnet not seating properly, and the top half of the figure being a tad wiggly. I messed with it for a while, and was finally able to seat the top and bottom halves together, but it did take some work and patience.

Overall, I'm super-impressed with Mezco's Conan the Cimmerian statue! It's gorgeous, assembles well, provides a striking shelf-presence, and offers an absolute ton of useful options. Not only that, but the price is entirely appropriate. Considering that Gaming Heads is asking somewhere around $450 for a Lara Croft Tomb Raider statue in the same scale (which, by the way, killed me collecting that line past the second statue), with much fewer options and average paint-work, the $225 I paid for Conan leaves me smiling and looking forward to more! Mezco really changed the 1:12 action figure game with their One:12 Collective line, and it looks like they are on the cusp of doing the same thing in the world of 1:6 scale statues. Sideshow, Gaming Heads and the rest had better be ready to up their game, because Mezco has just raised the bar!

My current Conan shelf...

Great Mazinger - Super Robot Chogokin Kurogane Finish Version

Just having some fun messing around and posing this little guy. It's a small figure with great die-cast content, some excellent accessories and superb pose-ability. Very enjoyable to play with, and to display. The only detraction is that his head seems a bit small-to-scale for the rest of the figure. The kurogane finish, in particular, makes for a striking look. It's matte black and roughly textured, and it works. I prefer this finish to the regular finish of my SRC Mazinger Z.

Godzilla vs. Kong - Bandai Spirits Ichibansho statue

Upon release, the Ichibansho Godzilla 2021 (Godzilla vs. Kong) retailed for about $75. It can currently still be had at some online retailers, though I don't expect that to last for much longer. At that price, this figure is an exceptional deal. Comparably-sized statues (like the Hyper Solid series) run nearly three times that much. That said, it isn't a perfect figure by any means, and really shouldn't be compared to those more expensive versions - I do it a disservice in doing so. As a stand-alone figure, it's an excellent rendition of Godzilla at an appropriate price.

Godzilla stands nearly 9" tall to the top of his head, and measures almost 18" in length from the snout to the tip of the tail. That's a pretty sizeable figure. Combine that with a weight of nearly 1.5 pounds, and you are dealing with a hefty chunk of plastic. The pose and sculpt are the real strong points of this figure. Godzilla has been captured mid-roar with his claws splayed out and a curve to the neck and upper torso that suggests a strong bit of movement, without being overpowering. The tail follows a pretty straight path out behind the fellow, rather than curling upward or sideways as many statues/figures choose to do. The result is that the figure has a pretty substantial footprint on the shelf, as well - he's a bit tough to display in that sense. On the positive side, however, is the fact that this statue looks amazing from any angle. Even when viewed from behind, Godzilla is fantastic.

The sculpt features deep, sharp work that's brought out with a tan/light brown dry brushing. It does look sandy and muddy in a way that might be off-putting for sticklers of screen-accuracy, but I appreciate how it adds a bit of realism while also emphasizing the detail work of the sculpt. In fact, I really like that the spines aren't glowing blue like they seem to be in just about every Godzilla vs. Kong figure made! The brown is most prominent on the chest and front of the torso of the figure, but does appear over the entirety of it. The mouth features some good sculpt work, and not-so-good paint work. The tongue on mine is slightly off center, and the tiny teeth are not painted individually, or crisply. In fact, this is probably the bigger of the two detractions this figure possesses. The eyes have teeny pupils that are painted better than many SH MonsterArts figures I have.

With Hyper-Solid Godzilla KOTM 2019

I mentioned the paint work of the mouth as one of two weak points for this figure. The second, and more significant one, is the sloppy and ill-fit of the seams. They are noticeable at the base of the tail (the figure comes in one piece - the tail does not need attaching) and the head, though both of those are relatively mild. There's a jarring coming together of pieces at the mouth, though, that's full of gaps and glue overspills: the jaw line is awful and the tongue is misaligned. Finally, the dorsals are attached with separate strips that run down the length of the tail, and another over the main body and back. The topmost strip on my figure hasn't been fitted properly, and sticks up prominently. There's also a good smattering of glue to be seen here and there along the join lines. In short, there's a reason this guy runs $75 instead of $220. From a short distance, he's amazing to look at and has a terrific shelf-presence. Upon closer inspection, the warts appear. Nevertheless (mostly because of the price and overall appearance), this turned out to be one of my very favorite purchases of 2021. He's number 9 on my list, to be precise, and I'm very happy to have him in my Toyseum!