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.
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