14 Apr 2016

King of Braves Gaogaigar HyoRyu and EnRyu

I am very pleased to show two new acquisitions, two bits I’ve been trying to hunt down for ages for my Brave collection.

Released in 1997 for the final series of Brave TV shows; King of Braves Gaogaigar, we have two great looking robots; HyoRyu and EnRyu.

Although not many figures were released in the final year of Brave, and given that it’s arguably the most popular of all of the series, with several licensed releases of Gaogaigar released by several different companies, these guys have been some of the HARDEST figures I have ever hunted for. Harder to find than most mainline Transformer release (but nothing like some of those early Diaclone figures!). It’s easier to find a Big Powered boxset, Darkwings, Grandus, than it is to find these, and trust me, I have hunted for them on Yahoo Auctions, various ebay sites, lots of dedicated giant robot forums, and even on foot looking around Hong Kong. It’s a testament to Transformers how easy even the rare figures can be to find, as everyone knows what they’ve got now. Not so with some of the Brave figures.

They’re not particularly expensive though, when I finally found them, the guy accepted a reduced Buy It Now offer for the two, and the only annoying part of the transaction was that he would not ship to the UK, so I had to send these to a very good mate in the US who is very patient and doesn’t mind me taking the mickey with proxy shipping. Thanks Kev.

Now bear with me with these, as I don’t watch the TV show, and I don’t understand Japanese, and I don’t actually know that much about the world of Brave itself. I just love the Brave toyline for one reason; they were made by Takara, and you can see the influence of some of those early G1 designers in these figures. I often look at these figures as a parallel universe where the Takara designers kept working on the G1 aesthetic with a heavy emphasis on fun and chunky toys with Giant Robo combination play patterns, while the Hasbro guys went their own way with Beast Wars. Essentially, this is what they are, but with zero official Transformers crossover, as these were designed for Sunrise, a famous animation studio who work with legendary mecha designer Kunio Okawara.

In their own way, Brave figures contribute, borrow from, and add to the world of Transformers, sometimes in ways people don’t expect.

EnRyu

G1 Inferno, EnRyu, and Maketoys Hellfire.

In the bright, primary colour of red, with an obvious firetruck mode and a huge ladder to go with it, it’s obvious to see the Inferno parallels with this guy. In all honesty, he feels more like Fire Convoy from Car Robots, or maybe Galaxy Convoy. Above, I show him with G1 Inferno and Maketoys Hellfire, just for a bit of context on the size of these toys. His elemental powers are reflected in the head on his forehead symbol.

*Updated with show info from the Wiki in italics*

GGG Super-AI Vehicle Machine, model number GBR-3. His vehicle form is a fire truck, and he attacks with a handgun and an infrequently used chest-mounted flamethrower, the “Chest Warmer.” EnRyu also carries a Mirror Coating-equipped shield on his left arm, which is capable of returning attacks if it can fully absorb them. After the initial Primeval attack, EnRyu is retrofitted with the ability to fire Ul-Tech beams in place of heat from his handgun. When first charged with “THE POWER”, EnRyu instead fires bolts of the mysterious energy from his handgun. There is a running gag focusing on EnRyu’s inability to land correctly after aerial deployment – although he actually lands properly in vehicle mode once and later as the pilot of Liner Gao, suggesting it is his construction (or the weight of his Mirror Shield) that throws him off. He eventually gets used to it, and in FINAL he manages to save a falling elevator car while crashing.

His name means “Fire Dragon”.

Has a hot, headstrong, brash personality. Even though they are twins with the same AI and the same training, the brothers have opposing personalities and sometimes argue. HyoRyu suggests in a passing remark at one point that EnRyu’s hotness is a result of his overloading heater (to which EnRyu retorts that HyoRyu’s cooling systems have cooled his heart as well).

HyoRyu

HyoRyu is the blue one, and visually borrows quite a lot from Grapple with his crane mold, a slight retweak of EnRyu as with their Transformer predecessors. The blue works well, and has inspired me to attempt a G2 Grapple with the blue colourscheme at some point. Notice the ice detailing on his head as well.

*Updated*

GGG Super-AI Vehicle Machine, model number GBR-2. His vehicle form is a mobile crane, and he attacks with a rifle and a freezing ray, and a Chest Thriller that blows our freezing winds (which he often uses to put out flames). After the initial Primeval attack, HyoRyu is retrofitted with the ability to fire Ul-Tech beams in place of cold from his rifle and gun if he wishes. When first charged with “THE POWER”, HyoRyu fires bolts of the mysterious energy from his weapons.

His name means “Ice Dragon”.

Has a calm, collected, calculating (all compared to EnRyu) personality.

In robot mode, these guys are simple enough. The emphasis for this toyline was similar to the TV show, it’s a constant battle of one-up-manship leading towards the Ultimate Perfect-Mode Combination Super Robot, a format that Car Robots / Robots in Disguise (2000) followed. If you’re looking for super detailed, multi-articulation from your robots, then these aren’t the guys for you. However, Bandai have released non-transforming PVC versions of most of the characters from King of Braves, so you might find something more action figurey for you yet!

Obviously, these guys share the same base mold (as do their brothers Furyu & Rairyu, but more about them another day!), but with subtle differences such as mirror heads, and differing alt. mode kibble like the fire-ladder and crane, which can be held as weapons or stored on their backs, but it’s a bit clunky. Better to put them to one side and forget about them for individual modes.

They can store their handguns in their legs, and these guns actually double as the hands for the combined mode. This is a great feature, but while they can be stored I wouldn’t recommend it, as getting them out again can be a pain. Given that the combined mode head and breast plate cannot be stored, it sort of defeats the purpose.

Wait, did you say combined mode?

Duh! It’s Brave.

ChoRyuJin

The combined mode of HyoRyu and EnRyu!

These guys basically split down the middle and stand on end, and then join with the other one to form a very unique looking combined form.

Again, you can store the ladder and crane on the hips, almost like a sword scabbard (as seen on the excellent Duke Fire), but alas, with no sword, they just make the figure insanely deep and limit display options, so I leave them out.

*Updated*
The Symmetrical-Docked form of HyoRyu and EnRyu, formed when their “SympaRate”, a measure of their synchronization and unity of purpose, reaches 100%. ChoRyuJin is a defensive specialist with his Mirror-Coating Chestplate (which he uses at the risk of his life) and ability to use the Eraser Head tool. He also possesses HyoRyu and EnRyu’s Gun, Rifle, and Tonfa attacks, usually used in “Double” form (firing from both sides at once). He can also fire all of his projectile weapons at once for a full-burst-style attack. After the initial Primeval attack, ChoRyuJin is retrofitted with the ability to fire Ul-Tech beams in place of heat or cold, which appear similar to most beam weapons in anime.

In technical specifications (and finally shown in FINAL), he also has the desperate final attack “Super Nova” – in which HyoRyu and EnRyu turn their respective dials to “Infinite” and simultaneously blast the enemy with their Chest attacks. Due to the placement of the chest plates on ChoRyuJin, he could not actually use this attack while Symmetrical-Docked, but it may imply that HyoRyu and EnRyu must have a similarly high SympaRate.

Transformers fans might find this combined form concept slightly familiar looking. It was one used in Transformers Animated for the combined mode of Jetstorm and Jetfire; Safeguard.

A lot of people would argue that while the show pulled it off, the toys didn’t manage to execute the look as cleanly as they might. One of the few disappointments of the TF:Animated line.

It just goes to show that even the most obscure of combining gimmicks, from a more obscure TV show with no real ties outside of a toy licensee, can go on to have impact over a decade later in the TF fandom. And that’s why I love this hobby, every single moment adds something to the overall tapestry of the brand. Mecha informs Transformers, Transformers inform Brave, inform Giant Robo Mecha, inform Transformers. It all comes full circle.

Thanks for reading!

Click here to see their brothers FuRyu and RaiRyu in a more recent article.

13 Apr 2016

Hot Toys Vision

Hot Toys Vision has landed at Kapow Toys, so we thought we would give you awesome people a look at him.

He is a figure that I wasn’t sure I wanted but in hand, he is simply stunning. With one of the most life like heads sculpts i have seen so far.

This Guy is in stock now and is available with free shipping!!! Get your HERE!

12 Apr 2016

“Me no play game, Me just take Throne!” FANSPROJECT LER-04 SEVERO DX

FANSPROJECT – LOST EXO REALM – LER-04 SEVERO DX

With some lovely pictures thanks to kodimus Prime

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This beast of a Grimlock is still available the pre-order HERE!

06 Apr 2016

As found at Botcon…

I have a small wants list for Botcon, I try to keep my options open though as you never know what might turn up.

Case in point: thirty minutes after arriving at the Botcon hotel in Kentucky, I find these…

G2 Dead-End

G2 Wildrider

G2 Streetwise

G2 Groove

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Megamus, who regularly hosts the Megatoyfan Parts Party at Botcon (room 1578 for those of you at Botcon) has these four UNRELEASED G2 figures available for sale. For the sum of $2,500 each.

Sadly, as incomplete sets, I feel buying these would commit me to hunting down and completing both sets, and given the rarity of G2 Motormaster and Hot-Spot, that could take a lifetime and a house deposit. I hope these end up in an amazing collection.

Amazing figures to see and hold in person, and in a fandom where the term “grail” gets thrown around a lot, these are true grails.

Thanks to Megamus for allowing me the chance to have a look at these extremely rare figures and to take photos. You can check out his Transformers for Your Listening Pleasure Podcast here.

02 Apr 2016

“If the colour bleeds, we can kill it!” – Predator Jets

Today, we continue our look at those obscure Euro-era Transformers from 1992. You should all remember the look at Turbomasters we had last week, and this week we look at their counterparts; the Euro exclusive Predator Jets (who were released in Japan as the Jet Corp, and leaked through to Canada in the Euro packaging).

Like the Turbomasters, the Predator Jets also featured a missile firing gimmick, although the missiles store on the body as bombs, they launcher itself wasn’t part of the transformation and they reused the same generic launcher for each jet.

Rear box artwork – beautiful.

However, that wasn’t the only gimmick for the Predator Jets, they also had the Mega-visor gimmick, which was such a prominent feature that in some parts of Europe the figures were marketed as Scope Masters, which at least fits with the Masters suffix so popular with the brand. The Scope Master gimmick is a curious one, whereby any of the four Predator Jets can ~~powerlink~~ be clumsily forced into the missile attachment of Stalker or rear-end of Skyquake (that actually sounds worse than powerlink!), upon which a unique image is revealed of the Predators targeting one of the Turbomasters (including the never released and rarely seen potential leader; Hyperdrive). Stalker and Skyquake come with stock images as well, so you can squint awkwardly through their view-finders even without a Predator Jet attached and see an image. Stalker’s stock image is pretty cool, a blueprint of Rotorstorm’s helicopter mode with non-so-subtle “hidden” messages to Marvel, Takara, and Hideaki Yoke (Takara lead-designer and Transformers Godfather).

Unlike the Turbomasters and their cameo appearances here and there, the Predator Jets featured fairly prominently in the Last Stand of the Wreckers miniseries, and this has done a fair amount to add to their characters, and furthering interest in this sub-group. Some of them even managed to survive the carnage of the series!

Catalogue artwork

I know I say this often with the early nineties toys, but these are some of my favourites of all time, so without further discussion, lets look at the toys!

Falcon

Falcon is the first Predator Jet I ever got, and actually the only one I had as a kid, and he is a firm favourite Transformer for me from any time period, not just the early nineties. Great light-piping really sets this guy off, and gives him a lot of personality. Released in Japan unchanged as Shadow Jet, alongside Scorch as Fire Road. At some point in the past, I got excited with my G2 labels and slapped one on him, despite the fact that this is guy is firmly G1, predating the G2 logos introduced with Axelerators and Skyscorchers.

He transforms into a Stealth Bomber, a Lockheed F117A Nighthawk to be particular, which in 1992 was pretty much the most awesome plane of all time (especially if you owned Jungle Strike on the Megadrive / Genesis). His colours are simple throughout, with a fun and instinctive transformation. Exactly what I look for in a toy.

Talon

Talon is the advance fighter for the Predators, which probably means he flies a bit quicker than the rest, maybe? he sometimes goes by the names Griffe, Demon, Bomber, or Moon Jet in Japan. A very colourful chap with a fantastic headsculpt, like his team-mates his green cockpit and light piping very much fit the era.

He transforms into F-15 Eagle fighter jet, which to me would have been the obvious choice for the character name, freeing up Talon for another character, but alas, ’twas not to be. His megavisor viewscreen shows ThunderClash, and a few hidden tributes including one to Takio Ejima, who apparently created all of the European toys in that gulf between US G1 ending and Beast Wars. This makes him a personal God of mine.
You’d hope the really cool bird naming pattern would continue, right? Unfortunately not…

Skydive

The third member of the team recycles a name from the Aerialbots, so in personal head-canon – which is pretty much Furman penned at this point – they are instant rivals, like Swoop and Divebomb. Skydive adds very little to the Decepticon ranks by being ANOTHER cold, calm and calculated scientist. Yawn. Also known as Hyena (could be a very cool name, if used to create a character personality too) or Pyton in Europe, and goes by Dark Jet in his Japanese Operation Combination two-pack, part of the Destron Jet Corps.

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Skydive is very, very purple. He’s also very ambitious as his Megavisor shows him going for a full frontal attack against all four Turbomaster cars, and damn, he must be low to the ground too!! Thankfully, it’s nothing his Northrop YF-23 Fighter Jet can’t handle this (I can’t verify that, I just take it as fact, but it sounds Macross-y, so therefore he is cool).

Snare

Okay, it’s a trap for birds. Not quite the same thing.

Saving my least favourite of the four until last. he makes a cool looking robot, with a great colour scheme, but his transformation is TOO simple, you literally stand him up and crack the cockpit forward. Usually with these guys the transformation breaks up the plane a little more, but I guess he isn’t really any different to the rest, it just feels less involved. He’s still a great toy, and these guys work best as a set anyway! Goes by the unimaginative Trap in France, and keeps the naming system consistent in Japan with the name Flare Jet.

The landing gears on these guys are great, it’s a small detail, but they can be often over-looked on jet Transformers, but they always help, especially with ones carrying honking great missiles, or with Megavisors strapped underneath them. Snare works well with his reverse wing configuration offering something new to his alt. mode which separates him from his team members a bit, but I can’t help but feel his shoulders and arms are a lot more visible than his team-mates, which somewhat ruins the lines of his Grumman X29 fighter jet alt. mode.

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As with the Turbomaster cars, the Predator Jets were the four Decepticon figures not recycled for Machine Wars, this is largely thought to be because the missiles included would not pass US safety tests. A real shame for the US who missed out on these molds altogether, but also a real shame for all of us Transformer fans as we’ve never, ever had these figures re-released in any other paint deco, whereas the larger Predators were released not only as Machine Wars, but also for the Universe toyline as King Atlas and Soundwave (with missiles and launcher removed – it wasn’t that hard to figure out, was it Hasbro?).

As well as zero reissues or recolourings, these guys have had zero re-imaginings, no TFCC, no sub service, no e-hobby, heck; not even a hint of a third party update. C’mon guys, sort it out! At this point I’d even take Combiner Wars Aerialbot repaints (with Skyquake as the central body, and Turbomasters with Thunderclash as the core, which is halfway doable thanks to Venksta’s custom parts).

So, in conclusion; yeah, I love these guys. While I love the name Predators, do I secretly want to adopt the name Scope Masters? I do. Predator Scope Masters, maybe? Lets try that for a bit.

Thanks for reading!

-Siddly Kibbly Hazard