Mospeada Ride Armor VR-052F (Stick Type)

MOSPEADA – Military Operation Soldier Protect Emergency Aviation Dive Auto, is the actual name of the transformable motorcycle-armors the series features and Mega House has released the first of what is soon to be a full series of all the main characters from Genesis Climber Mospeada this particular one is the VR-052F (Stick Type) AKA “Scott Bernard’s Cyclone.”

It all comes in a cardboard box decorated with 4 color art and windows on the front so the bike and the figure are both visible. While I really like the general design of the package, they should have used some classic (or at least classic style) line art instead of using an enhanced image of the toy on the front. It would have been a nice nod to the original Gakken release especially with it being the 25th anniversary of Genesis Climber Mospeada.

Included inside the box:

• Bike
• Figure
• 2 heads (1 helmet on, 1 helmet off)
• 3 pairs of hands (3 right, 3 left)
• Targeting Scope
• Beam Weapon
• Instructions
• Display Stand (1 flight attachment, 1 standing attachment

A sticker sheet was not included. Apparently, there is a sheet of stickers that were given away when you purchased these in-stores in Japan but those of us importing them appear to be out of luck. Not a huge deal as the Stick figure comes with all the appropriate markings you expect but I would have liked to have gotten it anyway.

The Stick figure features over 30 points of articulation, nice range of motion, excellent poseability and the joints feel nice and tight without being too stiff. There is a big gripe here though; while most of the figure is excellent Mega House decided to not add the ability to swivel below the elbows/above the gauntlets, thus you can not rotate the gauntlets to where they’re supposed to be. It’s not a deal breaker for me but it definitely goes into the “what were they thinking?” category. The toy features no diecast content whatsoever and is all plastic.

Paint detail is very good and I really like the overall “anime” look of the character. Some folks seem to be disappointed that the “toy” doesn’t have more of a real military paint application which is just fine by me as I really dig an animated cartoon and not a real military vehicle. With that said my Scott has what appears to be a worn panel line across the front of the chest, it’s as if the bikes were put into the package before the paint was dry.

The piece is nice and solid in bike mode but the wheels are very tight and do not “roll” very easily. Included in the package is also a very subtle kickstand to help hold the bike up in an upright mode and the figure itself does sit on the bike well, its just not in the same way it is in the cartoon. No foot pegs are built in, so you can not put the feet out to the side but you can get the rider to “hug” the bike nicely.

Transformation is finicky; mainly because some of the plastic pieces stick instead of sliding smoothly and pop off when forced. To Mega Houses credit nothing breaks and can easily be popped back on. I should be able to transform my toy without having to chase parts and pieces across the carpet. As a transforming display piece, it’s not bad but it’s not going to fulfill any toy craving for playability.

The video below is long so it’s only for the most die-hard of the curious about the ins and outs of the items. Both Stick and Ley are included.

For all my criticisms of the actual transformation, again in its final ride armor mode it looks good and feels solid. However any real, dynamic poses with this guy are impossible without the included stand mainly because he’s a bit loose in the waist with all the gear on.

The stand is very nice and holds the ride armor up very well, however the included flying stand attachment is kind of a joke; it has no tension whatsoever in the joint that swivels so holding any sort of flying pose is impossible.

As you can see from the review it’s a real mixed bag. The fit, finish and overall look of this Mega House release is excellent in both modes but getting it there and back is a bit of a pain. However if you want a more palpable toy experience I would wait and see what Beagle or Toynami bring us later this year in a larger 1/10 scale vs this 1/15th scale release. All others that like a display piece, I say go for it – just know what you’re getting before you buy.