drifand Posted February 16, 2004 Posted February 16, 2004 The trick to having a better cat mode is that the head should be sized and shaped sleeker than previous versions. The Toynami prototype shows they intend to add sideways articulation to the cat's necks, which is a good start. But the heads don't look fierce - and I think it's a combination of the relatively scrawny bodies which emphasizes the 'cartoony' head proportions, plus the lack of menacing looking EYES. Compare the shape of the eyes from the older toys and I think you'll see what I mean. Perhaps Toynami could consider swappable heads for the 2 arm-lions? Small, sleek head for the cat mode and beefier ones for the combined mode... Quote
EXO Posted February 16, 2004 Posted February 16, 2004 It's not about where the details on the old toys are. The old Golion set was great for it's time. The point is, if you are to release an update of a classic toy, you're expected to turn up the notch, especialy if you're going to tag on a label like "Masterpiece". Quote
Opus Posted February 16, 2004 Posted February 16, 2004 haha... FATRON!!! That's funny. It's been so long since I've seen the show that I'd forgotten just how "off" the toys were. Quote
Max Jenius Posted February 16, 2004 Posted February 16, 2004 It's not about where the details on the old toys are. The old Golion set was great for it's time. The point is, if you are to release an update of a classic toy, you're expected to turn up the notch, especialy if you're going to tag on a label like "Masterpiece". Well, to me, they did kick it up a notch when they made Voltron go on a diet... I think the Toynami one looks like it stepped right out of the show. I wonder how they're going to get his weapons in there with all the safetly laws around.... Man, that old sword was brutal! Die cast! Man, you could sharpened that thing into somethin deadly..... er. Quote
Beware of Blast Posted February 16, 2004 Posted February 16, 2004 It's not about where the details on the old toys are. The old Golion set was great for it's time. The point is, if you are to release an update of a classic toy, you're expected to turn up the notch, especialy if you're going to tag on a label like "Masterpiece". Well, to me, they did kick it up a notch when they made Voltron go on a diet... I think the Toynami one looks like it stepped right out of the show. I wonder how they're going to get his weapons in there with all the safetly laws around.... Man, that old sword was brutal! Die cast! Man, you could sharpened that thing into somethin deadly..... er. The old Golion/Voltron design in old anime never looked consistent anyway, so Toynami's take on it, falls within that inconsitency. It is interesting to see what Toynami has come up for Voltron now - what with all the better articulation and all, but as usual, Toynami's price is killing it imo. Hopefully the end product will be greatly improved, from aesthetic details, to everything a Voltron should have to match the asking price. Quote
Uxi Posted February 16, 2004 Posted February 16, 2004 And this just screams lion to you? Yeah compared to: Looks to me like Toynami wins. Though they definately need beefier upper legs, they beat the older version on everything else as much as the MPC beats the Chunky Monkey on articulation and sculpt accuracy. Neither is in Yamato territory yet, but still a definate improvement IMO. Quote
Max Jenius Posted February 16, 2004 Posted February 16, 2004 It's not about where the details on the old toys are. The old Golion set was great for it's time. The point is, if you are to release an update of a classic toy, you're expected to turn up the notch, especialy if you're going to tag on a label like "Masterpiece". Well, to me, they did kick it up a notch when they made Voltron go on a diet... I think the Toynami one looks like it stepped right out of the show. I wonder how they're going to get his weapons in there with all the safetly laws around.... Man, that old sword was brutal! Die cast! Man, you could sharpened that thing into somethin deadly..... er. The old Golion/Voltron design in old anime never looked consistent anyway, so Toynami's take on it, falls within that inconsitency. It is interesting to see what Toynami has come up for Voltron now - what with all the better articulation and all, but as usual, Toynami's price is killing it imo. Hopefully the end product will be greatly improved, from aesthetic details, to everything a Voltron should have to match the asking price. Obviously. If I wanted to beat someone to death, I'd go with the old school one. But if I want it to look cool, I'll go with the Toynami. Quote
Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0 Posted February 16, 2004 Posted February 16, 2004 i honestly would buy it if its not 80$. I got my trendmasters one for 30 nad its got diecast and a bunch of accessories...hopefully toynami makes a bunch of waeposns that came with go lion godaikin and also pilots with cockpits that open. HJopefujlly. It does look good and the balll joints really help the look,...however like with all things toynami the price will make or break...since this is porbably the only edition made....hopefully they dont freak it up like the MPC VF-1J rick. Quote
MSW Posted February 16, 2004 Posted February 16, 2004 Drifand is right about the lion head sculpt needing to be better... Here is a little photoshopped "resculpt" of the Toynami red lion...the original is to the left, while my "improved" version is to the right... I moved the front body section back to expose a bit more of the neck, which also in a way "fattens" the body up a bit...this would be super easy to do on the toy as the front body section (the red area with the front legs and number 2 on the back) just needs to slide back a bit in lion mode exposeing more of the lion neck and covering a bit of the robot mode elbow joint...this sorta "bulks" the body up a bit, move the front/rear legs a bit closer together, and yet still allows some poseability due to the only partialy covered elbow joint...simple enough...second thing I did was to bring the top of the lion's head down so it is almost level with the nose area, thus makeing the eyes not so tall and giveing it a bit more of that fierce cat look...the lion head is still a bit to large porportionaly with the body but not much can be done about that without the robot "hands" becomeing too small...overall it's somewhat subtle but a definete improvement I think. here is the image with the "resculpt" on the right: Quote
Etrigan Posted February 16, 2004 Posted February 16, 2004 I like them. Wouldn't buy them. But I like them. Quote
soze Posted February 16, 2004 Posted February 16, 2004 (edited) I would like it much better if the lion faces weren't so cartoony looking. Makes it look kinda cheap. It's too simple for my taste better proportioned or not. I wouldn't want the thing to mirror exactly the way it was in the cartoon... I'd want the thing to look much better than what it was in the cartoon. Cartoon was old...gotta update the look instead of mirroring what it was back then. Take a look at the Bandai S.O.C. line. Stuff is based off old cartoons... but the sculpts look much cooler in proportion to Toynami's effort at making a Voltron based off the old Voltron cartoon. Edited February 16, 2004 by soze Quote
Apollo Leader Posted February 16, 2004 Posted February 16, 2004 I wasn't much into Voltron/Golion back in the day, but I think Toynami's redition is okay. Guess we'll have to see what the final price is... Quote
JB0 Posted February 16, 2004 Posted February 16, 2004 I see 2 major problems with Toynami's version as it's being shown... 1: A notable lack of detail. The toyus are incredibly flat. There's almost nothing there. 2: Chrome. Or rather, the lack of it. That gray plastic is a lousy substitute. I hope there's more detail in the future. Quote
Blaine23 Posted February 16, 2004 Posted February 16, 2004 From the link below it looks like they well be boxed together. I hope the MSRP is reasonable.http://69.93.35.18/photo/1/showgallery.php?cat=967&password= I wouldn't be so sure about that. That box (or boxes) isn't official... it's likely just a prop to show what the boxes will look like when the toy is actually produced... that way they can show off the art, etc. I find it very unlikely they would go to the trouble to label one big box as Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3. I'd expect 3 releases here. And I'd pray they weren't trying to get $80 per box. That's a $240 Voltron. For that cash, he'd better come with a bumpin' sound system. Another thing I'm shocked by... no LED? On Voltron, it might actually make some kinda sense. Quote
JB0 Posted February 16, 2004 Posted February 16, 2004 Another thing I'm shocked by... no LED? On Voltron, it might actually make some kinda sense. Yah. Flashing eyes on the lions would be both awesome AND canon. Quote
Phyrox Posted February 16, 2004 Posted February 16, 2004 (edited) It seems to me that a lot of the complaints about this Voltron are not relevant to the extremely early stage of prototype we are seeing. It looks to me that the individual lions they are showing don't even combine (look at "black's" head...I don't think the human-Voltron head is hidden in there). It seems like this is just a mock-up to get fans excited about the future release, which should look roughly like this, but not exactly. I could be wrong, but that's what it looks like to me. Proportions may be the same, but it doesn't seem like you can comment on details, chrome, posability, etc at this point. edit- I should mention that I'm not a Toynami or Voltron fanboy. I have a Toynami VF-1 for the sole purpose of being scaled to the upcomming Legioss/Alpha, and haven't liked Voltron since I was in 2-3rd grade. Edited February 16, 2004 by Phyrox Quote
Stampeed Valkyrie Posted February 19, 2004 Posted February 19, 2004 Yep I'm dragging up an old topic...oh well Anyway I just got to see pictures of what Toynami is planning on releasing and calling Voltron. I like it, it has a new style to it that is different from my Bandai/Matchbox and even Trendmasters releases. I think its cool that they decided to redesign it, and if they keep the price acceptable I probably will pick one up. Voltron has the same back in the day old Skool goodness to me as my 1/55s. To see someone redo it and not just reissue like Trendmasters did peaks my interest, and its worth checking out. Rob Quote
rocco_77 Posted February 19, 2004 Posted February 19, 2004 I think this Voltron looks PRETTY GOOD. Not great... I really thought the original was simply kick ass... I would love to have a reissue, but I don't know about Toynami's rendition here. If the production sample looks better I may consider it. It would be a cool piece of the past to have on display. Quote
baronv Posted February 19, 2004 Posted February 19, 2004 I agree on what's up with all the hate on the Voltron Masterpiece. I mean, come on people, the original version of Voltron was clunky at best (I have it). And for those who hate the look of the lions, take your Voltron apart and look at them, they are way out of proportion and when combined it is very inarticulate. At least the Masterpiece looks like it's cartoon counterpart. Watch the series gain, Voltron is suppose to be sleek looking, not beefed up. The only downside I see to the MPC version is the flat looking paint job and the expected high cost of the toy. Otherwise I like the look of the combined piece, I mean how many of you keep your Voltron in lion form vs. combinded form? Quote
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