Excalibur MK-VI

ExoSquad/Robotech

ExoSquad Robotech Line, 1995

　

The Excalibur, known as the Tomahawk (or the Archer for the Battletech fans out there), is a little-seen non-transformable mecha in the Robotech franchise. While it saw very little attention from the Robotech toyline in the mid-80s, it was resurrected when Playmates optioned the designs to expand their Exo-Squad line.

Background

Within Robotech, the Excalibur is part of a mecha series known as the Destroids. They’re giant mecha with tremendous firepower, but without the ability to transform like their more famous and more recognizable brethren, the Veritech fighters. Destroids play a pretty small role n the Robotech animated series, usually making only token appearances that last for a few seconds at best. Nevertheless, their fandom grew by leaps and bounds with the release of the Robotech RPG by Palladium books. Since then, many an anime and mecha fan have wanted to have more than just the flimsy imported Japanese models to play with.

It’s not entirely clear how or why Robotech and Exo-Squad crossed paths. As none of the Destroids (or anything involving Robotech) appear in the Exo-Squad show, there’s no narrative explanation for how they are related. Going off of the general premises, the two stories take place in different universes with different timelines and different technologies. The only real explanation of how the Robotech toys ended up being produced with the Exo-Squad logo is, quite simply, Playmates wanted to release more figures. The fans are generally pretty okay with this because the end result was that we got some cool Destroids to play with.

　

Appearance – 2 out of 5

The Excalibur, like the other Destroids in the collection, is pretty unremarkable. A total of four colors was used to paint the figure and in places were great detail was required, the paintjob falls a bit short upon inspection. There isn’t a whole lot of texture to the figure, but there’s enough to do the job. Where the figure does stand out is that this is a picture-perfect representation of the mecha shown in the show, the RPG, and in the occasional comic book.

Construction – 2 out of 5

The Excalibur is just this shy of being cheap. The plastic is relatively sturdy, but not too weighty. The joints are very simple, while rivets and seams in the plastic are quite obvious if you look. The joints do not have uniform strength, which is frustrating because that means one arm may stay in position while the other will fall unless held up.

Movement – 3 out of 5

It’s a little tricky to score this figure’s movement. On the one hand, the joints have pretty simple and limited ranges of motion. On the other hand, so did the mecha that the figure represents. With the exception of the missing knee joints, this toy is capable of no movement that the inspiration itself was not. And while the lack of knee joints would be a big deal, the inclusion of toe joints pretty much off-sets it.

Extras – 1 out of 5

There is nothing extra to this toy. No guns light up, no missiles fire, nothing. The closest thing to an extra is the missile pods that open to reveal tooth-like missiles that cannot fire or be removed (these opening missile pods are a feature shared with only one other Destroid figure in the line). This is incredibly disappointing because the Robotech universe is replete with little additions that could be thrown in. The usual things like missiles and light-up guns aside, there’s always miniature vehicles like planes or tanks. While it might be somewhat sacrilegious to some to suggest crossing over into the realm of Battletech (which "borrowed" many mecha designs from Robotech), an option might be to have interchangeable weaponry and armaments.

Packaging – 2 out of 5

The packaging for this toy was absolutely nothing remarkable. The figure was covered with plastic and that’s it. The backboard of the packaging was not unique to each figure and offered only the most basic of explanation of the story of Robotech, Exo-Squad, or how they were connected. The only thing that saved the packaging from being completely uninspired was the color scheme (unique to toy packaging at the time) and the fact that the figure was protected from damage.

　

Overall – 2 out of 5

It seems a shame to give this toy such a low grade because it is a lot of fun to play with. Part of that may be the Robotech fan in me talking, but part of it is the simple pleasure of having an honest-to-goodness mecha toy released to US audiences. This isn’t a vehicle for a figure to ride in, it isn’t a sentient robot character, it’s a mech. And part of me is overjoyed just to see that kind of presence on the toy shelves. But at the end of the day, the Excalibur property is simply too rich to deserve such a second-rate figure. There’s too much that could have been done with this figure that wasn’t. Which is a real shame.

Alex DeLeon and Wraith E-Frame

ExoSquad: Mecha’s Unsung Hero

Playmates ExoSquad Series One, 1993

In a genre overrun with the newest Transformers, Robotech, and Gundam series, it’s easy to overlook some of the less-successful franchises that still managed to produce some beautiful work. One such example is the ExoSquad series which delivered some truly fantastic toys to go along with their excellent, though sadly often forgotten, animated series.

Background

The ExoSquad Franchise has generally been little more than a footnote in the annals of animation and mecha history. The story is about a war between planets and between humans and their artificially-created offshoot, the Neo-Sapiens. The story is set in the future when Venus and Mars have been colonized with the help of powered suits called E-Frames.

The story of ExoSquad drew heavily from classic sci-fi, including the works Issac Asmov, Ray Bradbury, and Robert Heinlein. While it certainly had its share of stylistic and near-superheroic qualities, this series was far more rooted in real and believable science than many other shows on at this time. Sadly, ExoSquad didn’t survive past two seasons and has more or less disappeared from the collective consciousness. All that remains is the first season available on DVD and a few very fine toys that managed to do just about everything right.

Appearance – 3 out of 5

The E-Frames and the figures they came packaged with were pretty standard fare for toys of the day. The 3" figures were about as mobile as the ubiquitous 3.5" GI Joe figures they were clearly patterned after, but they were just a little less detailed and more stylized (read: cartoony). The E-Frames themselves were colorful and had some noteworthy detail, but nothing to truly distinguish them when standing next to another toy robot.

Construction – 2 out of 5

Like their appearance, the E-Frames and their figures were just on this side of cheaply made. The plastic didn’t look as sturdy as it turned out to be and the figures’ paintjobs often left something to be desired. Bolts, screws, and seams were quite visible on all the toys.

It’s worth noting that the E-Frames had handles that were absent from the show (as the vehicles were completely enclosed in the show). Getting the character to hold these handles is quite a chore and is one of the major drawbacks of their design.

Movement – 3 out of 5

While the human characters were fairly mobile and flexible, the E-Frames were a little on the stiff side. This would be more of a problem except that the figures could easily fit into the E-Frames and its mobility was completely unaffected. The E-Frames, rather than have strictly linear joints for the shoulders, actually have ball joints, allowing them a greater level of flexibility. This trait really makes them stand out against many of their peers.

Extras – 4 out of 5

The ExoSquad toys really are remarkable because of what they came with. Rather than just a figure or a vehicle, you got both, as well as two weapons (a pistol-sized weapon and a rifle-sized weapon), along with the assorted missiles for the mech. This really was a fantastic deal because you were for all intents and purposes getting an entire playset with each figure. On top of that, most figures had one or more little features (Alec DeLeon's Wraith E-Frame had a rotating communication disc, a detachable data terminal, and ammo belt). All these little extras added up quickly to make these some engaging toys.

Packaging – 4 out of 5

The packaging for the ExoSquad toys were unique to each figure (making finding in the toy store which figures were available all the easier), with not only the individual’s face and E-Frame on the front, but also a character bio and mecha statistics on the back, as well as an overview of the story. Inside, you had a bio card, stickers, and a guide to the toy. The package itself was also a solid rectangle with a lifting flap that revealed the figure inside. This really was some of the best toy packaging that’s been produced.

Overall – 3 out of 5

If the packaging had just come with some kind of diorama, or if they’d used just a bit sturdier of plastic in the construction, this toy would have ranked noticeably higher. As is, it sets atop the middle ranks, just barely missing out on the next step to greatness. These toys were really fantastic and they set a good bar for future toys to live up to (which few did). So until the action-figure-packaged-with-a-mech industry picks up the clues, we’ll have to just remember fondly of the days when these toys graced the shelves.

Robocop (Robocop 3 toy line)

Cyberpunk’s Last Hoorah

Unknown Robocop toy line, 199X

　

Part man, part machine, and all cop, Robocop is an iconic figure in the cyberpunk genre. It’s a story of struggle for one's personal identity and integrity in the face of an increasingly impersonal and disposable world.

Background

The Robocop franchise has enjoyed sporadically great success, but typically fell to the wayside about as quickly as it appeared. This was certainly the case with this toy line that came out some time after the release of the third movie. There had been Robocop toys before, but they were more exaggerated as they were based off the cartoon television series rather than the live-action movies. While Robocop 3 was the lightest fare of the three theatrical movies, the darker tone was still represented in these action figures by means of their greater detail, greater realism, and higher quality materials.

The story of Robocop is that of Alex Murphy, an honest cop, who is killed in the line of duty. He’s then turned into a cyborg police officer, but stripped of his identity and elements of his humanity. Aside from the trilogy of movies, there have been several television series (including the aforementioned cartoon series) and a few straight-to-video films. A reboot is rumored to be in the works, but where the franchise has really survived is in the realm of comic books where its popularity has waxed and waned but never really fallen away. These toys are clearly meant to appeal to fans of the comics and the movies as much as the younger fans.

　

Appearance – 3 out of 5

The appearances of these toys are unremarkably good. They have a nice texture and definitely resemble the character, but there is nothing outstanding about any of them. The color schemes are good and simple, the accessories look the part, and the figure itself is a good representation of the character from the movies. Unfortunately, their appearance is a bit generic, which makes telling the different figures apart a little difficult.

Construction – 4 out of 5

While the toys aren’t anything to write home about appearance-wise, they are solidly made. Action figures typically aren’t the sturdiest of toys, but these prove to be the exception. A very high quality plastic was used and it gives the figures some heft, making them feel very solid. These toys are noticeably heavier than many of their peers, allowing the to stand up to the proverbial – and sometimes literal – beating that comes from frequent play.

One distinct characteristic of note is that the toys, having very simple sound effects, come with batteries. The batteries are generic watch batteries and the slot for them is closed with a screw. This is a godsend. You don’t have to worry about the port coming open during play and the batteries are easily replaced. This kind of forethought makes for a good toy.

Movement – 2 out of 5

If there’s anywhere that these toys fail, it’s in movement. The toys have four joints total – shoulders and hips. There are no elbow or knee joints. The shoulders and hip joints move along a single axis, making the figure almost incapable of taking any pose. Replicating movements or postures from the movies or the cartoons are pretty much out of the question.

It’s worth nothing that each figure can remove both forearms to allow the equipping of a gunpod accessory that comes with one of the figures. Unfortunately, there’s an obvious lack of versatility to this as there’s only one weapon that can be changed out and it’s only available with one figure. This makes this hand-removing feature more of an oddity than anything else.

Extras – 3 out of 5

Each action figure comes with Robocop’s signature gun (a modified Beretta) and a different set of accessories: a jet back and stabilizing arm guards, a recharging station, or a collection of several additional guns. Not only that, but each figure has a button on the central chest that activates a sound effect corresponding to the accessories (gunfire for the guns, a computer processing sound for the recharging station, and a take-off sound effect for the jetpack). The accessories are all completely interchangeable and it’s possible (read: extremely likely) that you would use all the accessories on just one Robocop action figure.

Since its pretty clear that the action figures are meant to be interchangeable in using the accessories, it’s a bit disappointing that the accessories weren’t better designed with each other in mind. For example, Robocop can’t stand in the recharging station while wearing the jetpack. That’s not a big deal and makes sense, but it would have been nice for the recharging station to have some kind of harness to hold the jetpack while Robocop’s recharging. Likewise, one of the action figures comes with four guns and it’d be nice if the recharging station had a place to hang those guns. This lack of compatibility is all that keeps this rating from bumping up to 4 out of 5.

Packaging – 2 out of 5

There was nothing special about the packaging for these toys. The back information was pretty much identical and the front cover was just about the same: a hand-drawn image of Robocop using whatever accessories came with the particular action figure pretty much made up the front. There wasn’t even a particularly good explanation of the character, the world, or the story.

　

Overall – 3 out of 5

These action figures are beautiful illustrations of getting some things very right and some things quite wrong. The construction value of this toy is clearly very high and the accessories are all rather nice. Unfortunately, since the accessories don’t work together and the toy is almost immobile it’s so stiff, there’s really only so much you can do with these.

Jetfire (Classics line)

Possibly The Perfect Toy

Hasbro’s Transformers Classic series, 2006

　

A jet that transforms into a robot, Jetfire is a recurring character in the long-running Transformers series. His defection to the Autobots from the Decepticons is usually an integral part of his character identity. This particular toy is a re-imagining of the original transformable jet issued in 1985.

Background

To celebrate Habro’s Twentieth Anniversary, they began their Transformers Classics toy line as a way to connect the original line of toys with modern audiences. This meant that all the classic characters were going to receive facelifts and even a few full-scale overhauls. The Transformers had already gone through several incarnations since the close of the original toy line (colloquially referred to as Generation One, or G-1), but the Classics line was meant as both a re-imagining of, and a tribute to, the original series.

Jetfire has been a fan favorite in the Transformers since the first incarnation in 1985. Redrawn and named Skyfire in the animated series (allegedly due to unconfirmed legal issues stemming from use of a Valkryie toy mold from Robotech – a rival cartoon at that time), his tale is one that usually brings a little bit more reality to the story of transforming alien robots. He was saved in the original series by an old friend and Decepticon named Starscream. He joined with their group but quickly found his beliefs conflicting with their goals of conquest. By the end of the episode, he defected to the Autobots. This tale of defection in order to preserve one’s morals is echoed in most of his later incarnations, up to the 2009 live-action film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

　

Appearance – 5 out of 5

This toy is simply beautiful. It does a fantastic job of harkening back to the original 1985 toy, while at the same time being its own original work. It’s so detailed that even rubbing your fingers over it reveals every crevice and jut, but not in a manner that is visually distracting. What’s especially noteworthy is just how fantastic this toy looks and feels like the original Jetfire toy. It even transforms in a fashion similar to the original toy – evoking a sense of tactile nostalgia – but at the same, the transformation is different enough to preserve its sense of uniqueness.

Construction – 4 out of 5

Habro has a deserved reputation for making quality toys and Jetfire is no exception. The plastic used feels solid and sturdy, but not overly heavy. The joints don’t feel taxed under the weight of the limbs, but there is still some heft to this toy. All the detachable pieces come off with ease, but don’t fall off and when a limb is moved in any direction, it stays there.

Movement – 5 out of 5

The original Transformers, for all their accolades, were not the best toys ever. Many of the figures couldn’t actually move all that much beyond the transformation from vehicle to robot and back. Anything above the ability to move the arms was actually pretty remarkable. The correction of this problem in the Classics toy line is easily one of the biggest selling points. Jetfire is incredibly easy to pose in a wide variety of positions. Each joint is very flexible and easy to move, yet still sturdy so that the toy doesn’t fall under its own weight. The body moves very easily and it can flow from jet mode to human mode without any trouble.

Extras – 4 out of 5

The toy comes with a detachable backpack, two detachable arm rockets, a laser weapon (that separates into two for dual-wielding), and even a detachable helmet (allowing the toy to resemble both the character from the animated series AND the original toy at the same time). The arm rockets fire missiles (with about two or three feet range, making them strong enough to fly nicely but not strong enough to put out somebody’s eye) and the backpack has spring-mounted gunpods that can be angled in the robot mode. This means the already fun-to-play-with jet has a plethora of additions that provides a whole new level of playability.

Packaging – 3 out of 5

The packaging that Jetfire comes in is pretty average. There’s no built-in diorama, though the packaging graphics are pretty nice. There’s a brief character bio that includes the usual Transformers statistics (ranking things like speed, power, and rank, on a scale of one through ten), but there’s little else of note. Inside, you’re treated to a rather frustrating maze of twisty-ties that keep the toy securely in place, and instructions on transformation. In other words, the usual fare.

　

Overall – 5 out of 5

This really is an excellent toy, one of the best I’ve ever seen. It’s well-made and sturdy, it’s easy to play with and comes with a lot of little extras, it’s very detailed, and it invokes the memory of its earlier incarnations while still being unique in its own right. Classics Jetfire is probably one of the best toys Hasbro has ever made, and that is really saying something.

Pre-Kick-off Kick-off

Good morning! Welcome to Tools of the Imagination, a weekly toy blog where I, Robert V Aldrich, will be reviewing various toys, action figures, figurines, and other tools of...wait for it...the imagination.

The purpose of this blog is really to share my love of toys. I will confess that I am something of a crazy fanboy - what with all the Transformers, Power Rangers, Evangelion, and a multitude of other toys that I own - but there is a deeper meaning behind all the little plastic figures that take up so much space in my home and in my life. I see them as an inspiration and a reminder. They are an inspiration to me as I navigate my own artistic works, and they are a reminder of all the fantastic stories that have come before me, who have laid the groundwork for the worlds to which I wish to contribute.

For those of you who are new to my work, I'm a novelist and serialist whose work appears all around the Internet, but is localized at TeachTheSky.com. However, I'm currently on literary hiatus until October of 2010, pursuing other projects such as this one. I have a long history with anime, video games, comic books, and many other realms within all things Geek. But one area I've never been able to fully explore is that of toys. With this website, however, I hope to remedy that.

This blog will update every Wednesday with a new toy review, discussing each in-depth and critically, evaluating factors such as construction, playability, and so on. Between updates, there will be sporadic little bits here and there about the toy industry, about being a collector, and other such topics of interest. I hope this will be a grand journey and I hope you'll join me for it.

- Have fun and keep playing