Zeo Megazord

As I mentioned in my ZAP Megazord review, the Zord Ascension Project is Hasbro’s vehicle for high-end Zord toys. But before that kicked off, they did some random figures not tied to current Power Rangers TV. This Zeo Megazord is one of them.

I have no idea why Hasbro decided to make this, but randomly saw it on their site and decided to buy it. I had the Super Zeo Megazord back in the day. Actually the last Power Rangers toy I got as a kid, and before I started collecting. My sister worked at JCPenney at the time, and got a discount on anything in the catalog. Which is how I got almost all my Power Ranger toys as a kid. Could hardly find them otherwise.

This version doesn’t transform, but is a large action figure. Points to Hasbro for doing the box in the style of the classic Zeo toys.

I’m always tickled by packaging that tells you to imagine or pretend it’s real. And that’s the one feature they kept from the original. You get all five helmets, one from each Zeo Zord that grants a different power or weapon.

Out the box, you only have to attach the wings and put on a helmet. The helmet from Zeo Zord V is the default, so that’s what I mostly use. And this Zeo Megazord is nice. Though all plastic, it feels solid and has some weight. There are some areas where more paint would help, but what’s present looks good in conjunction with all the sculpted details.

Hard to make out here, but this helmet has the symbol of each Zeo Ranger, five different shapes, on the crest.

Going around, everything is symmetrical except for the forelegs, made from Zeo Zords I & II. While up front, you see a lack of gold inside the wings. From behind, you see they only painted the outer tank treads. That and some black and gray on the back of the forelegs would have been nice. Looking at the official Japanese art too, they sculpted different details from the original on the back of the legs. Not a bad thing. Just different and something paint would really help.

Articulation is pretty good, and should be since this is a single figure. It has head rotation, ratchet/swivel shoulders, swivel biceps, double-jointed elbows, swivel wrists, a joint between the chest and abdomen that lets you tilt back or to either side, ratchet hips, ratchet thighs & knees, and ankle tilt. The legs only go sideways a bit because of the static waist piece. And there’s no waist rotation.

But what’s present and the give you get all comes together to get the job done.

Something else that’s a little different is the wings. Not that the original didn’t have them. But you never saw them in the show. It’s just some official pictures of the classic toy where they’re folded out. Glad Hasbro included them. Adds to the presence.

Like most Megazords, the main weapon is a sword, and it’s a good one. No chrome, but the blade has a metallic sheen. Same as all the gold parts. You can clearly make out the symbols in the emblem embedded in the blade.

Maybe another test is how well the toy can handle its sword. It’s mostly one-handed chops & swings on the tv shows, so this is a pleasant extra.

The head, sans helmet, doesn’t look like anything in particular to me. But the iconography of the Zords is actually inspired by things from old cultures. Zeo Zord V is a phoenix, Greek in origin but a creature that’s still frequently referenced and depicted in modern times. It’s the helmet needed for the sword. Probably why it’s the default/primary.

Zeo Zord I is supposed to look like the Moai statues on Easter Island. This one is the biggest stretch. Don’t see it at all with the helmet, but it provides a large cannon that raises and lowers. And somehow creates tornadoes.

Zeo Zord II is inspired by Dogu, Japanese statues. This, I can buy with what looks like big eyes below the knee. Again, that’s not there at all with the helmet. But it has two cannons that can rotate. Somehow aids in jumping/flying attacks.

The animals are easy to recognize. Zeo Zord IV is a bull. Think Taurus or the Minotaur, from Greek mythology. This helmet shoots lightning.

The back of this helmet is another opportunity for paint.

Zeo Zord III is the Sphinx, a lion adorned like a pharaoh and pyramid. Shoots energy blasts.

At 12-inches, it’s pretty close to the ZAP Megazord. But if Hasbro sticks to the 1:144 scale, a ZAP Zeo Megazord will be around 16-inches. Will be interesting to see.

This random Zeo Megazord (What else can you call it?) is a nice figure. I got it for $65 retail, but it’s still out there as of this review, and sometimes goes on sale big time. And if you want a Zeo Megazord, your options in 2023 are limited. A loose classic goes for $50+, boxed way higher than that. Hasbro may give it the ZAP treatment, or Bandai the Super Mini-Pla, but neither have been announced yet. Innovation Point is doing a die-cast non-transformable version that will be awesome, but probably cost $200-$300+ and a bit smaller than this.

So, for now, this one does the job.