Macross/Yamato-ish Mini Voltronish Vehicle Set

[Alpha OTS]

I forget what the Japanese names for these figures are. I'm not a Power Rangers fan. I don't watch the show, Japanese, Domestic or otherwise. I just like Voltron-ish robots with gimmicks which sets A thru D were in spades. The problem is that I wish I was as happy with these sets as I was sets A thru D. Why? Well, they took away what I loved about the previous sets: interchangeable pegging that let you peg vehicles together in ways that were or weren't originally intended. Sets F & G have a totally different sized pegging system that isn't at all compatible with the previous sets, but they are compatible with each other. Problem is that apart from the arms there's nothing else you can swap between the two that I've found so far. Combined robot modes are about 5" to 6" tall, just like previous Transmax sets.

Set G's the definite winner over the two. I get a definite Macross/Yamato vibe from the combined vehicle mode. What really does it is the "bridge" near the rear thrusters and the thrusters themselves, which while probably not thrusters because the vehicle has giant wheels for locomotion, look an awful lot like the Macross's thrusters anyway. The flat portions that become the upper thighs, although small, kind of resemble the deck of an aircraft carrier. The ship's armed to the hilt too. Robot mode is really nice with an effectively menacing color scheme. The upcoming repaint that's advertised on the back of the package is in all colors of the rainbow, so this is definitely the better color scheme. Articulation is ok. Thankfully the pegging for the arms and legs allows for a tiny bit of ball joint type motion so it allows for some dynamic poses that a strict 90 degree wouldn't have. There are no elbow or knee joints, unfortunately, but there is wrist rotation.

There's two negatives in Set G. First there's far more soft plastic than I would have liked. Three of the Five vehicles that make up this zord are made out of it. The second thing is that two of the five vehicles don't look like vehicles. Well, one of them does, kind of, but for some reason there's a huge gaping hole in the center of it which really blows the vehicle look. The other "vehicle" is essentially the legs and torso of the bot mode, and doesn't look like much of anything, especially with the pegging system being way too obvious when the other vehicles are detached.

Set F reminds me of that giant stone head Mr. Burns gave to the Simpsons as a gift. "Marge, what does it do?" "Homer, whatever it does, it's doing it right now." I think the Japanese normal sized version's gimmick was that it auto-transformed, which isn't going to happen on a 6" tall partforming replica. The only articulation is in the arms which rotate up and down and in the "wrists" which allow the front of the car arms to look more like fists. Unfortunately the cars only have a single peg attachment and can only ever be the arm they're molded to be. It looks ok in the combined mode despite the lack of any decent articulation. The other good point is that the three vehicles it forms looks decent with the body/firetruck being the weakest of the three, but not near as weak as the body vehicle in Set G.

I know I've sounded kind of negative throughout this little rant. These really are decent for their size and for $8 a set. I'm just really dissappointed that they changed the pegging system as I was really looking forward to adding more lego Voltron parts to Sets A thru D.

[Graham]

Interchangeable pegging..........LOL!

I was just reading a Savage Love column about pegging. Whatever turns you on I guess.

Graham