Type Zero

Towards the end of the Patlabor TV series, the AV-98 Ingram is being phased out and is on the verge of being replaced with the Unit Zero, the latest Patrol Labor from Shinohara Industries.

In the first Patlabor Movie, a virus has infiltrated the operating system of the Type Zero. Noa Izumi and her AV-98 Ingram (Alphonse) have to fight against the beserk Type Zero to save the life of the pilot still inside.

The Type Zero is in sharp contrast to the previous Ingram labors. Where the Ingrams had smooth organic lines, the Type Zero has sharp hard lines. It is meant to be a new Labor for a new era, and it shows.

Courtesy of HobbyLink Japan we have the new Revoltech Type Zero.

The Revoltech AV-XO Type Zero is one of the latest releases from Kaiyodo and Organic hobby. Just like the labor is a different style of Labor, this toy is a different style of Revoltech. There actually aren’t a lot of Revoltech joints in this toy, which is kind of a disappointment. There are only eight Revoltech joints on this figure (nine if you count the double neck joint as two). The rest of the joints are the old monoshaft style joints. Some key articulation points, like the shoulders and hip joints, are monoshaft instead of Revoltech.

Joint limitations aside, the Type Zero looks damn cool. It has an evil look to it, with sharp modern styling. The Type Zero comes with a bunch of accessories, including:

• Shield
• 2 variant hands
• Variant head
• Extendable arm
• Stand

The Shield attaches to the right arm, and there is a small Revoltech joint that acts as a connection joint. The shield can also be rotated in this position.

The hands are easily interchangeable. Two sets of hands are included, one with hands at rest, and another with fingers splayed out. The fingers are exceptionally long, but that’s the way it is in the anime. Included is a long extension that goes between the right hand and wrist – it mimmicks the look of the extending hand gimmick that previous labors lacked.

The variant head looks like the normal head with parts of the faceplate removed. I’m not sure what the significance of this is, as I haven’t seen the movie yet, but I will update as I do. This Revoltech uses a dual joint system in the neck, allowing for a greater range of motion for the head. I hope Kaiyodo continues to use this joint method.

Overall I I think it is a great addition to the Revoltech line despite the limited number of Revoltech joints. It is a must for any Patlabor fan.

Revoltech No.22 Type Zero is available now from HobbyLink Japan