It is not a bad toy per se, but it doesn’t excel beyond merely bringing back an old-school animation technique.

Video review included!

This toy appears courtesy from HobbyLink Japan.

Thirteen generations ago, special ancient samurai warriors called the Shinkenger were authorized by the Japanese Emperor to defend their country against the Gedoushuu monsters from the mythical Sanzu River. The Shinkenger succeeded, and the Gedoushuu were defeated. Hundreds of years later in 2009, the Gedoushuu have slowly rebuilt themselves and they are slipping through all dark crevasses once more to collect human screams to flood the Sanzu River into the world for their return. Takeru Shiba, the current samurai lord of the Shiba Clan, now summons four vassal samurai from different clans, and arms them with the magical scripture power known as mojikara to become the new Samurai Sentai Shinkenger!

In Act 1- “The Gallant Appearance of the Five Samurai”, the newest generation of Shinkenger assemble together to fight the renewed threat of the demonic Gedoushuu. The Secret Playback-katana ShinkenMaru is the standard-use sidearm for the Shinkenger. While a resilient katana on its own, it is also designed to accept Secret Discs. When a Secret Disc is attached to it, and then infused with a Shinkenger’s mojikara, the associated Disc’s power will be unlocked. Most of the Secret Discs’ powers include special one-on-one attacks, and summoning & controlling busou Origami. Each Shinkenger can also morph their ShinkenMaru at will into their personal-style weapons- Rekka Daizantou, Water Arrow, Wood Spear, Land Slicer, & Heaven Fan- depending on the Secret Disc they each have.

The speaker and On/Off switch are on the right side. The front of the grip has a red trigger that, when depressed, activates one of two sword-swinging sounds. A red LED on the left side also blinks accordingly.

Ordinarily, the ShinkenMaru is utilized with a standard Common Disc (included with the Secret Disc Belt set, sold separately). However, the toy comes with Shinken Red’s personal Secret Disc- the Shishi Disc. When attached to the katana, it allows him to perform his Kaen no Mai (“Fiery Dance”) sword technique/attack. But it also gives Shinken Red authorization to control the giant-sized Shishi Origami when he is inside of it, and the Disc-equipped ShinkenMaru is place into the cockpit’s control pedestal.

. . .

The ShinkenMaru uses a very old motion picture technique for its special gimmick, called a praxinoscope. Used before film cameras were developed in the late-1800s, a series of similar images is placed around a collection of rotating mirrors. Then, when both the images and mirrors are spun at the same speed, it creates the illusion of movement because the human eye is unable to keep track of the movements of the original images (which naturally blur as they spin), but can register the specific angle of only the reflected images. (This is similar to how the centuries-older zoetrope worked, but does not depend on the images being hidden from view altogether. The praxinoscope is considered the direct successor to the zoetrope.)

The Secret Discs are designed around being used for the praxinoscope on the ShinkenMaru. A series of eight slightly-differing ‘cels’ of animation are placed on each Secret Disc, and there are eight corresponding reflective surfaces above the handle. When the Secret Disc is slipped over the handle, it at-first appears as nothing but a hand guard. But, when you spin the rim of the Secret Disc manually, the praxinoscope activates and the cels on the guard become animated on the chrome-plated plastic above!

In the case of the Shishi Disc, the left-reflected profile of the Shishi Origami is seen running & roaring alongside flames in the background.

The ShinkenMaru has an intentionally-hidden tab above the praxinoscope to register its movement. (You can easily hear it clicking loudly when it turns!) The toy can detect two different speeds- ‘normal’ and ‘fast’- and this is tied into how the Shinkenger inject mojikara into the Secret Disc(s).

• Spinning a Secret Disc at ‘normal’ speed, and then squeezing the trigger, activates an extended sword-swinging effect.
• Spinning a Secret Disc at the ‘fast’ speed, and then squeezing the trigger, produces five different sound effects, each coinciding with the Shinkenger’s personal Origami Disc. Each sound effect is pre-programmed into the toy rather than reading it off of the Secret Disc that is attached to it. So regardless of which Disc you have on it, they will each play once in random order.
  • Kaen no Mai / “Fiery Dance” (Shishi Disc, used by Shinken Red)
  • Suiryu no Mai / “Current’s Dance” (Ryuu Disc, used by Shinken Blue)
  • Tenku no Mai / “Heavenly Dance” (Kame Disc, used by Shinken Pink)
  • Kogarashi no Mai / “Winter Winds Dance” (Kuma Disc, used by Shinken Green)
  • Tsuchikemuri no Mai / “Dust Cloud Dance” (Saru Disc, used by Shinken Yellow)

The back of the ShinkenMaru can allow it to be stored into a holder provided on the separately-sold Secret Disc Belt (not shown).

I got this toy under a false pretense. I assumed that, like past card/chip/item-reading toys, this one would be able to read whatever Secret Disc was put onto it, and then provide unique sound effects only when that one Secret Disc was attached. I was wrong. And now I am frustrated because it should have easily been able to do so! Instead, when I put the Shishi Disc on it, I can just as likely get the sound of the Saru or Ryuu Origami screeching, which is wrong according to what is seen in the series. While use of the praxinoscope was cleaver and original (as well as how you activate it, by hand rather than a motor), the entire toy is built upon this one gimmick (as perhaps it should be). Additionally, I thought that having it being able to register a change in speeds was also good. (The clicking of the sensor is annoying and loud, and thus they increased the volume of the speaker to compensate… which makes my ears rattle and ring painfully at the same time!) Really, the only reason I got this toy so that I could plug other Secret Discs from other sets I bought into it to see the animation(s) of each, rather than because it was a role-playing weapon. (I usually don’t collect the weapons and devices used in Super Sentai for personal taste-reasons, so that was a strike against it in my book as well.) The Hiden Saiseitou ShinkenMaru is merely a toy sword with some average sound effects and a single LED (why even bother!?) built into it, and then has a gimmick that only meets your expectations half-way. It is not a bad toy per se, but it doesn’t excel beyond merely bringing back an old-school animation technique.

For a repaint, it’s not that great. No special or unique details beyond the original Jetfire mold. But, those same molds are still awesome.

Multi-video review included!

The distant planet of Cybertron was the home to a race of intelligent, feeling alien robots who could change shape at will- the Transformers. For reasons no longer remembered by anyone living, a war broke out between the two factions of robots- the Autobots and the Decepticons- which eventually drained Cybertron of all its power sources, including all-important Energon. In the quest to get more Energon to sustain their fight, the Autobots created the Ark and some of them left Cybertron. But the power-hungry Decepticons were waiting for them in their great flagship, the Nemesis, and boarded the Ark to stop them. A battle between the two ships eventually brought them both crashing down onto Earth. With their leaders and greatest warriors lost, the war on Cybertron continued on to a stalemate. For over four million years, the Ark rested hidden inside a volcano located in what would eventually become Oregon, its occupants unconscious and helpless in stasis lock. Then in 1984, the volcano harboring the Ark erupted, reawakening the on-board computer system Teletraan-1. The computer, realizing that the ship and its crew were in danger, awoke the Transformers aboard the Ark, and reformatted them to change into disguises matching those of modern day Earth vehicles so that the giant robots could move among the population in secret. The surviving Decepticons, having lost their great ship millions of years earlier, also gained new disguise forms and hid themselves on Earth until they could rebuild their forces and gather enough Energon to destroy the Autobots, subvert the intrusive and annoying humans, and renew the war on Cybertron in their quest for total galactic domination.

Tread Bolt is a member of the Autobots’ Air Patrol; one of the few of their numbers capable of sustained flight. As such, this means he usually operates alone far from support, and thus needs to eliminate any Decepticon threat quickly or risk being overwhelmed. But he isn’t concerned about being detected, since his entire chassis is covered in radar-refractive armor, making him invisible to all but the most advanced enemy sensors. And his speed & aerial prowess make him a formidable opponent as well. His fellow Air Patrol bots often team together high in orbit around Earth with their rocket engines for high-speed air drops & interception missions behind Decepticon front lines, taking them by surprise. Unfortunately, in his off-time, Tread Bolt likes to practice his stealth techniques on fellow Autobots much to their chagrin, making him an honored-yet-less-favored member.

. . .

This Transformers Universe (aka Classics 2.0) figure is a repaint of the original 2006 Voyager-class Autobot Jetfire set- itself based on a character that appeared in the classic Generation One cartoon series in 1984. The first (and, thus far, only) version of Tread Bolt appeared as a Micromaster-sized (1½ - 2” tall) robot during the debuting Generation 1 era (1984-86). He was not a part of the original cartoon- re-colored or otherwise- as the first toy was an original design made after the series ended in 1986.

Vehicle Mode

(unarmored)

Robot Mode

(unarmored)

Tread Bolt’s original vehicle mode was a “sub-orbital craft”, and his color scheme was metallic blue and basic yellow, and highlights of silver. The gold “Air Defense” label across the Classics 2.0 version is a carryover from the Micromaster toy which had it in an identical position (but said "Air Patrol" instead). Unlike earlier toys from the Transformers Classics line in 2007, Tread Bolt lacks the temperature-sensitive decal which shows his allegiance- a gold Autobot logo has been printed behind his cockpit, which eventually ends up in front of his head on top of his chest.

Accessory armor

(details)

Vehicle Mode

(armored)

Robot Mode

(armored)

I got this specific set because I missed my chance to get Jetfire the first time around, being that he was so popular with Trans-fans. While the toy itself is still fantastic (I didn’t like the arms not transforming at all and just hanging off the sides), the color scheme just doesn’t work for me. Blue and black, with highlights of orange and yellow would have been fine, but it’s the brown which throws that off. For example, if there was no blue or even yellow, the brown would have worked. Starting out as a supped-up F-14 Tomcat in a livery reminiscent of the United States Navy’s Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron is fine, but then to dump a lot of dark coloring on the robot mode spoils that.

For a repaint, it’s not that great. No special or unique details beyond the original Jetfire mold. But, those same molds are still awesome. So, if you can ignore the coloring (maybe repaint it yourself so you don’t have to damage your Jetfire), then the Voyager-class Autobot Tread Bolt set will satisfy your needs.

Be sure to read the more-detailed description of Voyager-class Autobot Jetfire, reviewed by CollectionDX’s own Atom.

And now, for some special bonus material!

Think you have what it takes to fight evil from parallel universes like a Kamen Rider? Then enter to win the ultimate stunt and action training day with Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight" actors and Martial Arts Champions in Hollywood, CA. From November 7 – December 5, 2009, Bandai America Incorporated, the American Taekwondo Association (ATA) and Adness Entertainment encourage consumers to enter the “Join the Kamen Rider Revolution” National Sweepstakes online at www.bandai.com/kamenrider/sweepstakes.php. No purchase necessary to enter or win. For official rules go to www.Bandai.com/kamenrider/sweepstakes.php.

The Grand Prize includes a four-day trip for four to Los Angeles and an extreme Training Day with Kamen Rider actors and Martial Arts Champions Mike Moh and Matt Mullins at the ATA Martial Arts School, XMA World Headquarters. Prizing also includes theme park tickets and Kamen Rider toys. Ten first prize winners will also receive Kamen Rider “action packs” including toys from Bandai America Incorporated, a Kamen Rider backpack, hat and t-shirt, and martial arts sparring gear.

As part of this promotion an ATA VIP Guest Pass Certificate for one Free Private Lesson and one free month of classes is available for download online at www.bandai.com/kamenrider. With the purchase of any two Bandai America Kamen Rider toys, consumers can print out the VIP Guest Pass Certificate and bring the certificate and proof-of-purchase (UPCs or store receipt) from the toys to their local ATA School to redeem the offer.

The Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight television show airs on TheCW4Kids on Saturday mornings at 11:30 a.m.

Be sure to also check out the promo video and let your readers know about it too!

Leonardo Flores "Modcineaste", CDX writer, will be DJing a 45 min set of 1960's Japanese Group Sounds, Anime and Tokusatsu 45rpm vinyl records during the 2:00 hour at the OC Japan Street Fair on Sunday November 15 on the main stage.
Only a $2.00 entry fee for the entire fair and $5.00 for parking. Over 50 vendors will be present selling all types of Japanese items such as toys, food and clothing. Even an appearance by the famed Maids of Maid Cafe of Akihabara are scheduled!

Leonardo Flores "Modcineaste", CDX writer, will be DJing a 45 min set of 1960's Japanese Group Sounds, Anime and Tokusatsu 45rpm vinyl records during the 3:00 hour at the OC Japan Street Fair on Sunday November 15 on the main stage.

Only a $2.00 entry fee for the entire fair and $5.00 for parking. Over 50 vendors will be present selling all types of Japanese items such as toys, food and clothing. Even an appearance by the famed Maids of Maid Cafe of Akihabara are scheduled!

If you never heard what Group Sounds is here a short paragraph on the OC Japan Street Fair official website:

"When The Beatles performed in Japan during their 1966 world tour, who would have known it was going to inspire a new generation of Japanese teenage musicians and singers. The sound the youth of Japan created in 1966 was called Group Sounds. GS was an exciting combination of Japanese enka melodies, American surf and R&B music and British rock & roll. Group’s like The Spiders, The Tigers, The Golden Cups and Hitori GS singers like Jun Mayuzumi and Akiko Wada would change the sound of Japanese popular music forever and whose influences can still be heard today in J-Pop over 40 years later.
Music collector and writer Leonardo Flores will showcase and DJ his collection of rare and original 1960’s Japanese pressings of GS, anime and takusatsu 45rpm vinyl records. Do not miss out on this unique opportunity to hear the wild and youthful Group Sounds that made Japan “Swing & Groove” from 1966 to 1970. For more info you can check out at www.modcineaste.com, www.collectiondx.com, and www.nippop.com."

More info on the OC Japan Street Fair website.
Hope to see you all there!

GS with The Tigers

The AMP Suit (aka the "Iron Lady") is very cool, but the 3d webcam control gimmick is amazing. A first of its kind.

Includes HD video of the iTag system in action

Avatar is not the story of the Last Airbender. That was the cartoon. This is James Cameron's Avatar, his latest big budget extravaganza. People are anxiously awaiting this movie, due out in December 2009. Me, I have mixed feelings about it so far, from viewing the trailer. We'll see.

In anticipation of the release of the film, Mattel sent out a bunch of sample toys to us to take a look at. I had been eyeballing this powered suit so their timing was good.

The main gimmick of the Avatar line is the iTag system. The iTag system enables you to have a 3D model of the toy you bought on your computer. But it is not just any model. The iTag system uses a webcam to detect the iTag included with each Avatar toy. Once it locks on, it displays a 3D model of that toy on your screen, on top of the tag you are holding. Turn the tag and the model turns. Tap the info square and an information block appears. It is very, very cool.

To use the iTag system, you must first go to http://www.avataritag.com and download a small application. Once installed, it runs in the browser and allows you to interact with the website.

The AMP suit uses this iTag system to great effect. Just watch this video:

The iTag system is worth the price alone. But the powered suit is not bad either, and for $20 bucks you can't go wrong.

The name "AMP Suit" is short for "M-6 Amplified Mobility Suit". In the movie the AMP Suit is 13 feet tall and six feet wide, with verbally activated cockpit commands, hip mounted 30mm cannon, flamethrower and slashing knife. The toy however is only 9 inches tall, and does not shoot flames.

The box is interesting. It's heavy cardboard and an odd polygonal shape. It looks as if a toy like this would not fit inside, as the box is only 2.5 inches deep. The trick is that it's in a bunch of pieces.

To say some assembly is required is an understatement. You have to attach the cockpit cover, torso, arms, legs and cannon.

Once assembled, you've got an honest-to-goodness solid, playable TOY. It's a lot of fun.

Oh - the pilot figure is not included. I'll review him later.

The cockpit of the AMP suit looks a bit like the front of a helicopter. The clear canopy can open and close. Inside the cockpit there is no painted detail, no stickers. any 3 3/4 figure should fit in just fine as you just stick the figure in a hole - you don't bend the legs. There's nothing for the figure to hold on to, but once again, TWENTY BUCKS.

The shoulders each are on a long curved track that allows the arms to slide backwards. Unfortunately they do not "click" in any position so they have a tendency to move on their own. The shoulders are detented, ans they also have a hinge that swings out. Above the hinged elbow is a swivel joint, and the range of motion is pretty good. The hand is hard rubber and only swivels at the wrist. The hand details are a bit mushy.

The top half can swivel at the waist, but motion is restricted by the attached knife and holder. Why a giant powered suit needs a big crocodile dundee knife is beyond me, but whatever. The knife can be removed from the holder and placed in either hand, but you have to place it just so else it will fall right out.

The hips are solid detented joints, the knees are simple swivel joints. The feet bend at the ankles and then there is another joint at the toe.

The big gun that comes with the toy is actually pretty cool. First, there are rubber ammunition belts that clip into the gun and the back of the body. On the gun it looks like it can clip in two positions. While you can remove the gun from the hand, the ammunition and clip are permanently attached to the figure. The gun is nicely detailed, and big, with several places to hold onto. The main gimmick with this gun is that it is a missile launcher, but the launcher is weak and the thing only comes with ONE missile. Also, the AMP suit has a loose grip on the gun.

It may sound like I am complaining here, but I really am not. Keep in mind, this thing was $20. It's a toy, it's gonna have a few minor flaws, and kids won't care. Collectors may bitch and moan but you just know a company like Hot Toys or Aoshima will make a high-end gokin toy of this. But it is fun to play with, looks good, and the iTag gimmick is fun.

AMP Up Your Avatar Toy Collection

While clearly an effort is being put forward here to have a stronger influence of Japanese culture and history involved in “Shinkenger”, this set just doesn’t do it for me.

Video review included!

This toy appears courtesy from HobbyLink Japan.

Thirteen generations ago, special ancient samurai warriors called the Shinkenger were authorized by the Japanese Emperor to defend their country against the Gedoushuu monsters from the mythical Sanuz River. The Shinkenger succeeded, and the Gedoushuu were defeated. Hundreds of years later in 2009, the Gedoushuu have slowly rebuilt themselves and they are slipping through all dark crevasses once more to collect human screams to flood the Sanuz River into the world for their return. Takeru Shiba, the current samurai lord of the Shiba Clan, now summons four vassal samurai from different clans, and arms them with the magical scripture power known as mojikara to become the new Samurai Sentai Shinkenger!

In Act 1- “The Gallant Appearance of the Five Samurai”, Takeru gives his four vassals a Shodou Phone on the condition that they fight to the end, or leave immediately. With it, they can use the Phone Mode to keep in touch with each other, or fold it length-wise to transform it into Brush Mode. In this second form is where the Shinkenger control their power of mojikara- allowing them to create calligraphy (the art of East Asian writing) in the air, and then make it real. As with any language- particularly-so with mojikara- the correct length and sequence of the brush strokes is just as essential as what word to use to get the results they want. While the Shodou Phone is a powerful tool and henshin device, it can also work in concert with the Secret Discs under the right circumstances, such as activating an Origami’s attack power and initiating a samurai gattai (combination).

Phone Mode

The clock along the outside, set to 24-hr format, reads 20:09 (aka 8:09pm), with the joke being repeating inside above the ‘battery status’ icon in the decal display, implies the year that “Shinkenger” aired: 2009.

The clock along the outside, set to 24-hr format, reads 20:09 (aka 8:09pm), with the joke being repeating inside above the ‘battery status’ icon in the decal display, implies the year that “Shinkenger” aired: 2009.

On the keypad, only the Connect, Power, 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 0, and * keys are functional. The Disconnect, 3, 6, 9, and # keys are molded in as part of the plastic and cannot move (having been painted white with the black lettering printed on).

These are the keys’ individual sound effects when pressed:

• green Connect - ringtone (x3) in Phone Mode, activates henshin sequence in Brush Mode
• white 1, 4, 7, * - generic keypad tones (all the same)
• red PWR - Shishi Origami grows big and roars
• red 2 - Ryuu Origami grows big and roars
• red 5 - Kuma Origami grows big and roars
• red 8 - Saru Origami grows big and roars
• red 0 - Kame Origami grows big and roars

The Shodou Phone folds down the center of the Phone Mode. When this happens, an ABS brush tip will spring out of the top end. Once Brush Mode is completely formed, the henshin sequence effects will automatically activate. The green Connect button can be pushed to end this early, or it will finish off on its own after 12 seconds of waiting. After the toy is quiet once more, the Connect button can restart the henshin sequence again, though it is shorter that when it is first changed to Brush Mode. However, while holding down the Connect Button will keep the brush-stroke sound going, when released it will not continue the henshin sequence again.

Brush Mode

For convenience, the five colors above the red keys remind you which sound belongs to which Origami.

The brush tip can be pushed back in this mode, but will not lock back in place until the toy returns to Phone Mode.

I am going to be honest here: I did not care much for this toy even before I got it. So then why did I get it? Why, only so that I could demonstrate for you on CollectionDX how mojikara is used when I cover the DX-sized Origami sets, of course! (In other words, I took one for the team… You’re welcome.)

Aside from how it folds, there is no great or inspiring gimmick here. I was stunned when I found that not only did four of the keys have the exact same sound, but five out of the 15 keys weren’t even functional! One of the bigger problems, really, is that this is now the fifth regular-use cell phone changer we’ve had since they came out with the Henshin Keitai G-Phone in 2001’s “Hyakujuu Sentai GaoRanger”! Bandai, Toei, PLEX- it’s getting really old now. I mean- the arm bracelet used to be the standard Super Sentai Series henshin device, and those are being used sparingly at best now! (The earliest changers were simply LCD watches with a sound effect-or-two and a decal!) A cell phone can be an interesting henshin device because you can use the multiple keys to create variable codes and unique sound effects- which was done to amazing effect with both the Mahou Keitai MagiPhone from 2005’s “Mahou Sentai MagiRanger”, and Bouken Keitai Accellular from 2006’s 30th-Anniversary series “Gougou Sentai Boukenger”; and they both also had an extra physical feature in addition to all those codes ‘n such. (I have both of those toys, by the way, and I love 'em to death!) But here, it’s just… dead. I think of the cell phone changers as extra soundboards to be used with the purchase of other toys. Bandai could easily have incorporated a few more sounds into the four white keys rather than have them all spout the same crap. What also irks me is the continuity- if the Shinkenger were around hundreds of years ago, would they have had cell phones back then as well…? I don’t think so either. Calligraphy has been used before [as a weapon] with the Wing Pentact from 2003’s “Bakuryuu Sentai AbaRanger”, but it looked more like a feathered quill pen. While clearly an effort is being put forward here to have a stronger influence of Japanese culture and history involved in “Shinkenger” (so much so that for the first time in 18 years, there will not be a new Power Rangers adaptation in 2010), the Henshin Keitai Shodou Phone just doesn’t do it for me. Recommended for no more than the youngest crowd and completists-only.

The Shodou Phone can be stored inside of the Shodou Phone Holder (sold separately), which is a fabric & Velcro fold-over pouch that can attach to a real belt or the Hidden Disc Buckle set (sold separately).

(I will not be covering either of those toys, so I cannot demonstrate this.)

A lunchbox with a helicopter inside.

Back when I was a wee lad there were a plethora of what I consider to be "go-nowhere" toy lines that sprang up with only a handful of commercials to promote them. While many of these lines came from prominent manufacturers such as Mattel or Hasbro, they tended to be focused entirely on one gimmick. For Hot Wheels Key Force, "YOU GOT TA HAVE A KEY!"

The overall theme of Key Force was very similar to M.A.S.K. in that it featured conventional vehicles transforming into all different kinds of fighting machines. I honestly don't recall if I particularly wanted the Key Force Van, but in retrospect it is probably the best toy of the line.

The Van starts off as a very "futuristic" six-wheeled vehicle. It rolls along on very squeaky plastic wheels and features some basic paper sticker details. I like the strange paint splatter that adorns the sides. It's like a conversion van of the future.

Each Key Force vehicle came with two plastic keys. One key could be stored on the underside. Enterprising young children were encouraged to keep their duplicate keys on a fake key ring.

Let's unlock the fun!

The lock on the back of the Van releases its inner contents. This futuristic lunchbox on wheels has a helicopter inside. The main rotor is spring loaded and will unfold when the van casing opens up.

The helicopter itself is much nicer than the exterior. Despite the glaring lack of a tail rotor (then again maybe the circular vents are the rotors), it looks almost like a feasible design. I especially like the chrome engine detail and chrome air vanes. The bright orange weapons are a little gaudy. The fact that they come packaged on a parts tree is just asking for sloppy work as little hands weren't always wizened by the ways of Gunpla. Also did I forget to mention you're supposed to extend the pontoons and side guns using the key? Even as a kid I thought using the key for something like that was completely unnecessary.

The back of the helicopter features another key slot which is used to control the flip-out gun turret. Pushing the key inward unlocks the gun and twisting the key rotates the gun left or right. The rotation has never been that smooth and if it was I doubt it would stay that way with constant play.

The final key gimmick is a small bomb on the underside of the helicopter. Inserting the key into a side slot drops the bomb. It's not nearly as exciting as the commercial suggests.

Overall I can see why this line quickly died off with little notice from toy collectors. The key gimmick (pun intended) is just too bulky to allow for anything other than variations on spring loaded panels. Normally I don't go for toys with a lunchbox style of transformation, but this one has enough childlike coolness in the helicopter that I think it stands out from the rest of the line.

You need to look at the mecha here not just as more transformable mecha, but as folding and twisting and bending in the same way as the ancient Japanese paper craft, origami.

Video review included!

This toy appears courtesy from HobbyLink Japan.

Thirteen generations ago, special ancient samurai warriors called the Shinkenger were authorized by the Japanese Emperor to defend their country against the Gedoushuu monsters from the mythical Sanzu River. The Shinkenger succeeded, and the Gedoushuu were defeated. Hundreds of years later in 2009, the Gedoushuu have slowly rebuilt themselves and they are slipping through all dark crevasses once more to collect human screams to flood the Sanzu River into the world for their return. Takeru Shiba, the current samurai lord of the Shiba Clan, now summons four vassal samurai from different clans, and arms them with the magical scripture power known as mojikara to become the new Samurai Sentai Shinkenger!

Each Shinkenger posses a small “folding-spirit” known as an Origami, which have been passed down from generation to generation. Each Origami is an embodiment of its owner and will follow only his or her command. Their small size allows them to spy on Gedoushuu activity or act as distractions. Through the use of both mojikara and specifically-designed Secret Discs, a Shinkenger can command their Origami to perform special maneuvers or even grow to giant size to combat the second lives of an Ayakashi monster!

The Shishi, Ryuu, Kuma, Saru, and Kame Origami belong to the core Shinkenger team. Each has a dormant Emblem Mode, which displays the kanji symbol of the specific Shinkenger that controls them.

Shishi Origami

kanji: fire (火)

Ryuu Origami

kanji: water (水)

Kame Origami

kanji: heaven/sky (天)

Kuma Origami

kanji: wood (木)

Saru Origami

kanji: earth (土)

When instructed to, they can unfold themselves into Animal Mode, and act independently/sound like the animals they physically appear as. All are able to fly, though when grown to giant size, only the Ryuu and Kame Origami can still fly (the others become land-bound except for attacks and special maneuvers).

Shishi Origami (lion)

Ryuu Origami (dragon)

Kame Origami (turtle)

Kuma Origami (bear)

Saru Origami (monkey)

Though intelligent on their own, when the Origami grow to giant size through the use of the Henshin Keitai Shodou Phones and mojikara-

“Origami dai-henge” (great change)

kanji: big (大)

-they are boarded by their respective Shinkenger for more-direct control in battle. They can also modify their forms as needed, converting back to a larger version of their Emblem Mode for escape or special attacks.

For the toys, both the Emblem and Animal Modes are at 1/1-scale with how they appear in their smaller forms in the series. (Shrinking/enlarging mecha is rare [thus-far] in the Super Sentai Series, and so to have them in-scale is extra special. Only the living-mecha Engines from 2008’s “Engine Sentai Go-Onger” had their toys in 1/1-scale, which could later grow to gigantic proportions in the series.)

Samurai Gattai

This is what happens when a gattai is performed incorrectly- without mojikara…

kanji: unite (合)

“Shinken-Oh, united under Providence!”

Shinken-Oh’s primary weapon is the DaiShinken katana sword. (The blade is hollow PVC, the rest is ABS.)

Notice the simple-shaped Origami that appears on the blade…

The Hiden Shield (essentially a giant Secret Disc) is normally stored on its back. (This was also true for real samurai in ancient times.)

It can be placed on the side of the left arm…

…or it can be held in either hand, usually the left.

For the toy, the Hiden Shield can be removed from its base…

…and placed onto the Hiden Saiseitou ShinkenMaru. Thus, the Shield becomes the Shinkenger’s own Shield Disc- which is used to activate the Shinken-Oh’s finisher, the DaiShinken Samurai Slash.

The loss of poseability on the separate Origami is no big issue since smaller Super Sentai mecha usually get such treatment anyways. Poseability has never been a strong point in DX-sized mecha, and this one is no different. In this toy- if it moves, it is needed for a transformation only. The exceptions are the jaws of the Shishi, Ryuu, and Kuma Origami, and the shoulders of the combo. In combined form, it is only the shoulders that are dedicated to posing. What does irritate me, though, is the kanji symbols in Emblem Mode- they only appear on one side of the figure rather than both sides. While this is countered a little by the presence of smaller patterned shapes molded into the black surfaces, there is no such black surface on the back of the Shishi Origami- just a mass of folded-up parts. One thing to note that is different from the series is the golden crown on the helmet- it is closed on the toy, whereas in the series there is a gap between the two horns. I seriously doubt this was changed for safety reasons, and was more likely for stability of the plastic used. A returning flaw is really annoying- it cannot hold the full length of the grip of the DaiShinken in the right hand since it is closed on the other side of the fist. One must remember, though, that Bandai and Toei like using puns and play-on-words in their naming of items, mecha, and monsters- Origami (in this case, “folding spirit/god”) is meant to be a homonym of the word origami (“folding paper”). Thus, you need to look at the mecha here not just as more transformable mecha, but as folding and twisting and bending in the same way as the ancient Japanese paper craft. When you can see it that way, the value (or rather, the unusually-high price) of the DX Samurai Gattai Shinken-Oh becomes clearer.

The ultimate Transformers challenge.

Through the annals of Transformers toys, there has been only one toy dubbed the Ultimate Transformers Challenge. Sixshot was a legend at the playground. For a kid, a robot that turned into something was always awesome (or radical), but a robot that turned into five different vehicles was an impossible dream. To this day Sixshot has remained largely unchanged through his myriad of appearances in Transformers media. There is something about this figure that many people find prolific. Does Sixshot deliver the goods? Let's find out. One thing I must point out is I got this figure secondhand and I he did not come with his twin rifles, but the figure is perfectly fine without them.

Sixshot is a large toy. Around a foot in height, he looks and feels like a solid toy. Unlike his Autobot counterpart, Quickswitch, Sixshot is almost completely devoid on articulation. He can only rotate his arms at the shoulders, and even then you have to move his chest wings out of the way to allow his arms to rest parallel to the ground. This figures combination of colors and stoic stance make for a toy that successfully straddles the line between looking cool and being functional. That is to say the solid blocks of plastic he is comprised of work well together without the need for painted details.

The details of this figure are surprisingly good. The paper stickers are well crafted with lots of complementary colors and designs to the bare plastic.

In laser pistol mode, Sixshot is fairly sizable toy gun. The handle is more than adequate even for adult hands. This figure comes with a pair of dual flip out guns in each leg so that without the rifles, the gun mode still looks like a weapon.

Sixshot's next mode is a space fighter. Drawing heavily from what was contemporary sci-fi designs, the whole thing has a very Star Wars or Buck Rogers feel to it. Despite its blocky look, it still looks sleek enough and the small cockpit completes the effect.

As you could probably tell from his robot mode, Sixshot's familiar car-front shins allow form the front of his "armored carrier" mode. In this form, Sixshot looks right at home with the sci-fi cars that would come to dominate the late Generation 1 era of Transformers. It rolls along on a total of seven plastic wheels.

One of Sixshot's more infamous modes is the Winged wolf. Looking like one of Generation 1 Predacons, Sixshot takes the form of a mechanical beast with his robot mode limbs serving as as his wolf form's haunches. He looks somewhat fierce, but I can't shake the feeling that his big blocky feet and large form makes him kind of cuddly.

The wolf head is nicely sculpted although it doesn't appear to be very canine like. Its sort of just a generic robot animal. Still the moving jaw is a cool feature. The lower jaw forms the cockpit of Sixshot's next mode.

A shot from behind shows that Sixshot even has a small tail, which was re-purposed from the "radar dish" from armored carrier mode.

Sixshot's final mode is a tank. This is the only mode where you make use of his double jointed knees to fold his shins up and over his thighs. The wolf's jaw forms the cockpit of this mode while the dual leg guns point upward which makes the toy look like a futuristic anti-aircraft tank. I like the use of the green intakes on the front. Makes the tank look like it has a pair of nasty cowcatchers.

For the Headmasters television series, Sixshot used this extra seventh mode called "WINGWOLF" to subdue Ultra Magnus. This is one of the many examples of the Japanese series using additional transformations created by just playing around with the toy.

So is Sixshot deserving of all the love? I think so. While it is true that Sixshot ultimately does the same thing as Quickswitch in where the same limbs are used as different parts, Sixshot has just enough transformation involved with each limb and just enough extra detail that each mode feels complete and well thought out. It is true that most of his modes are cloaked heavily in that "futuristic design" mentality, but here I think it works. I am no ninja consultant, but I think Sixshot is worth a look. He was re-issued once before and he may make another appearance in the Encore line. Be vigilante, the ninja moves quickly and silently.

"Where are we going? Life, the timeless, mysterious gift, is still evolving. What wonders - or terrors - might evolution hold in store for us in the next ten thousand years? In a million? In six million? Perhaps the answer lies in this old house in this old and misty valley..."
..in this action figure...

Gwyllm Griffiths comes from the episode "The Sixth Finger", from the first season of The Outer Limits, and aired on October 14, 1963. The story concerns a dumb peasant boy who allows himself to be subjected to some evolutionary experiments that basically hurl him thousands of years into his "biological future". In other words, he doesn't actually travel through time himself, but his body undergoes the changes of the species as it advances through the generations, one of those changes being the addition of a sixth finger, for added dexterity. The entire episode is viewable online. Here is part 1:

Gwyllm Griffiths is another one of those figures that I never cared much for until I actually owned it. On the surface, it doesn't look that spectacular. It's just an egghead with an extra finger on each hand and a boring all white costume. But perhaps because of it's almost antiseptic appearance, the figures really stands out from the rest of my monster toys. Perhaps moreso than any other figure I've got, this one just screams "SCI-FI" more than horror.

As you might expect, the head sculpt is once again phenomenal. Even if they weren't set so far back into the skull, I think those eyes would show a depth rarely seen on a toy. There is some real emotion in these eyes, from sadness to arrogance and contemplation.

Unforunately, perhaps because he has just a bald head, the seam lines across the top of the cranium is a bit more noticeable here than it might be on other figures. Still, it's not a huge distraction.

The hands are unremarkable, excepting of course, the addition of the sixth finger on which the episode is named. The costume, a simple white patient's uniform, is well made and features buttons along the right side of the figures torso. These buttons appear to be old fashioned from the outside, but underneath have metal snaps. A pocket is also sewn into the left breast. The pants have no real distinguishing characteristics to speak off and the black shoes are removable. All in all, it seems to be an accurate representation of the character from the episode.

The only accessories included with this figure are two books: "Descent Of Man" by Charles Darwin and "Bach: Preludes For Piano". They are rather large so I don't bother displaying them with the figure, but he can hold them if you so desire.

The packaging matches the other releases from the line. A black and white photo adorns the front cover with pertinent episode information on the inside flap.

Although he's using the "wrong" finger, the image on the back looks rather, uh, dismissive. Who knows.. maybe customs, and hand gestures, have also changed 10,000 years in the future.