Build Saga- Zoids Command Wolf RMZ-003 Mission Complete! [Realize Model]

Picking up after last week’s beginning, this is the conclusion of assembling RMZ-003 Command Wolf from the Realize Model Zoids range. I did notice on the box that the full designation is RMZ-003 RZ-009 Command Wolf… but I think you get the picture.

Today’s post, we’ve completed the kit and now have the full wolf-type Zoid to enjoy.

The bulk of my work finishing the kit was assembling the legs, which wasn’t difficult, but was time-consuming. Since I usually reserve Sunday evenings for building, I actually had to finish up Monday morning after getting a late start. We’d watched Dracula: A Love Story while enjoying some Olive Garden takeout. Good movie, if a little silly in spots, but I like my Dracula a little absurd.

Like the other body parts, there were some grommet pieces to work into the insides of the legs, made of a pleasantly rubbery material that I admittedly enjoyed bending on the sprue a little too much. A couple of them were a bit tricky to fit into place, though. There was also an ankle joint on each leg that took a little extra effort to assemble. A rod from one piece had to fit through a tight opening in another that connects to the wolf’s foot. It was a snug fit, and by the last one, I was pretty much over it.

Thankfully, the white armor pieces didn’t require much cleanup, but the grey parts did. One rear leg shoulder area, in particular, separated from the sprue in a weird way, leaving a mark I couldn’t completely shave down. I think some sanding is in my future. Without decals, the Command Wolf would definitely benefit from some panel lining as well — something I may tackle later, which would also be a good time to fix that sprue scar.

There were polycaps used in the leg construction, which did my heart good. However, as I mentioned in the first post, they’re not made of that classic, satisfying polycap material. It makes sense for the construction, but man, I just wanted to squeeze them.

Once the legs were assembled, it was just a matter of attaching everything to the torso. This part was pretty straightforward, though some joints were tighter than others. That tightness does pay off, though, as it allows Command Wolf to hold just about any dramatic pose you’d want.

All that was left was attaching some hoses to the sides and placing the tiny pilots into their cockpits. The hoses will attach backward if you’re not paying attention — something I realized after they didn’t look quite right and I double-checked the instructions. The pilots are incredibly small, and each cockpit has a specific one. I ended up using a pair of bent tweezers to get them into place. Thankfully, there’s a connection point to keep them from rattling around, which is something I’ve grown used to with older Zoids.

Once fully assembled, Command Wolf is awesome. It’s packed with articulation and ready for action. The detailing is great, and I’m definitely planning to do some additional work on it in the future. This is my first Realize Model Zoid, and it definitely won’t be my last.

ToyLanta 2026!

It’s time once again for ToyLanta!

I’ll be attending the convention all weekend and, as usual, doing a daily report right here! I’ll also be hosting the annual Transformers panel with Dusty — if you’re at the show, please come by and join in! The panel will be Sunday at 2pm!

Be sure to check out my Instagram for photos from the show, and don’t forget to check back here daily for updates as the weekend unfolds!

Friday – I got a late start heading to the show for the first day thanks to traffic (ug, driving through Atlanta) arriving just before 7pm. This left me a little time to check in (Hi Brett!) and and check out the Friday preview. ToyLanta has really grown to a HUGE show, so I hardly had time to check out around 1/4th of the lower show floor before it was time to leave. Fortunately I made the most of that time and enjoyed myself greatly.

There were many cool toy companies on hand and I found myself having some great conversations. While checking out things, I ran into Jerry. Jerry is a great guy and it's always good to see him. We chatted some about Transformers Cybertron before heading about to check out more of the show. I look forward to seeing him more later. I also made a new friend Garry who was setting up one really awesome booth. He had a ton of Transformers including a plentiful amount of Blokees and a great Unicron display. Speaking of Blokees, there was SO MANY! I was in heaven... will be buying so many.

One thing that absolutely floored me was the amount of people enjoying my stickers. The Mrs had gotten me a thermal printer at Christmas and I designed a new sticker to hand out for Zone Base. Well, I brought a little over 60 (in multiple colors) in my Shin-Chan pouch to hand out and... they were gone in minutes! I saw people sticking them on their bags, their phones, everywhere! Talk about flattering.

After roaming around after the dealer preview closed for a little bit I headed home for the night. I had stopped by Kroger to pick the Mrs up a few things before heading home and parked next to an SUV completely full of trash. Well, it looked like trash. Tons of crap.. and boxes of pho. Weird. After heading home I enjoyed some pizza and TV with the Mrs before printing out more stickers for Saturday.

I printed out 120-130 more (in various colors) while the Mrs cut them out. The Shin-Chan pouch is full again! Well, it's late as I'm writing this on my phone in bed with MXC on in the background. Time to get some sleep, there's a whole weekend of Toylanta ahead of me... and I'm excited.

My haul for Friday is was a Servo from Super Human Samurai Cyber Squad/Gridman and a purle keshi of the Last Seeker that comes with a mini-comic. It was originally a BotCon 2022 exclusive, so that's neat to own. The Last Seeker had a booth with the main toy available in multiple colors. I'm deciding which one to get as it's pretty tempting in each option. Also Warlords of Wor have an excellent booth (as usual) and I've got my work cut out for me picking what I want. Decisions, decisions.

Saturday – I got to the show around 12pm starting my day not terribly long after the show's start. I ran into Mike and Judy in the parking garage as we were taking pictures of our parking locations to remember for later. The day is actually something of a blurr, so I'll just give highlights.

David Faustino was a con guest for Saturday only, leading to Bud Bundy delivering many of the convention announcements. I stuck around to see his autograph session begin with a guy dressed as Al Bundy who brought a replica of the Bundy couch for the two to sit on for a picture. Later after I had went to put my hoodie in my car, I saw the guy carrying the couch out of the convention center. Dude just brought a couch with him.

Speaking of guests, Daniel Pesnia and Anthony Marquez who were in the original Mortal Kombat games were guests at the show (among other esteemed folks). By chance I was wearing a cool Mortal Kombat t-shirt the Mrs had given me. As I walked past them, Daniel Pesnia stepped to me to tell me he liked my shirt and introduce himself. We totally shook hands and exchanged pleasantries for a bit. Johnny Cage is a very nice guy. 

I ran into Jerry again who had friends in tow whoms names I can't currently remember (sorry guys, it was cool talking with you). I also ran into Matt whom I befriended at the 2024 show and never saw last year. I'm looking forward to catching up with him tomorrow! I also chatted some with 2M3D Prints whom I had bought some cool dragons for the Mrs from in 2023.

I also met Team No Sleep 3D and bought some cute stuff for the Mrs. That was a real treat as they work in special effects for movies and TV. It was cool talking with them, especially as that was something I wanted to do as a kid. Speaking of new friends, I met Rise of the Nexus a husband and wife duo whom were showcasing their new action figure/table top game system. Really cool people whom I enjoyed speaking with.

Of course I made time to chat with Gary some more whom I met Friday. Seriously cool dude. I also enjoyed chatting with others whom were working with him at their booth, an all around great group of people. Of course I made a point to say hi to Brett, the organizer of Toylanta whenever I saw him. He's doing an excellent job with the show and has taken it to all new heights. It's really impressive just how big this convention has gotten.

As for toys I bought today, first I picked up one of the full Last Seeker in Euro G2 colors. It looks fabulous and had a hard time not getting the black version... but me and G2, it's a vibe. I also picked up a great Zombie Sci Fi guy set from Warlords of Wor with plans on getting a few more kits from him before the end of the show. Skeletron had a booth and I picked up the new Red Shadows figure that they debuted at the show.

I picked up a Blokees Shining Edition  blind box from Gary's table. I opened it with some of the cool people at the table and got a Ratchet! I'll definitely pick up a few more from him tomorrow (and open them with my new friends). Speaking of Blokees, there was SO MANY at the show.

Some dealers even selling loose assembled figures, in which I picked up a Bombshell whom I've been looking to get. That completes the Insecticons, leading to a post Ive been wanting to write here for the site. Please look forward to that soon. I also picked up a Gobots Psycho for $15 in decent shape. I've been wanting a Psycho for sometime, so this was exciting. 

I headed home shortly after the dealer room closed for the evening very, very tired. According to my Galaxy Watch I've walked almost 8,000 steps today (cons are WORK). The Mrs had a sandwich from Subway waiting for me as well as a birthday cake and presents! Monday is my birthday and she made a point to celebrate with me today as a way of making the con even more special.

I won't go every gift, but there was Transformers and He-Man toys. A new pair of ramen noodle sandals, a new pair of Hey Dudes (my favorite shoes), a case for my Atari Gamestation Go, a Godzilla sticker, some awesome Jada Godzilla figures, Zoids, and another box of color sticker paper for my sticker printer.

Those stickers were just as popular today and people were proudly representing Zone Base. That's so flattering and amazing for me personally. I don't have the biggest social media presence, but I take notice of the sites views. Several thousands of you come out each week and read my site and it's so flattering and awesome. However actually seeing people happily taking my stickers and proudly displaying them is something I never imagined. Seriously, thank you everyone. Your support means so much to me.

We've got just one more day of Toylanta 2026 left and I'm both excited for another day and sad there's just one day left. This has definitely been one for the history books. I've actually been extremely overwhelmed latley and this weekend being pure exhilaration has been amazing. Just a heads up, the Sunday report may not be published until Monday morning. The Mrs and my Mom will be having my birthday dinner Sunday evening for me when I get home from the show. Seriously, best weekend ever.

There's a guy who looks like Adam the Woo (RIP) whom I keep seeing, I'm probably creeping him out.

Sunday – Sunday started out at home with the Mrs making us breakfast before me heading out to the show. Getting there just before noon, I decided that I wanted to get selfies with friends and the various awesome people at the show. I got to work on that right away and handed put more stickers. Speaking of, if you're new to Zone Base, thanks for checking it out! I bought a Big Bad Beetleborgs Titanium Silver figure that was taped to a jet? The jet connects to the kabuto toy from the same line, so if I ever find that.

I also picked up a Geodraxus Stealth MK IV from the Warlords of Wor booth. I've been wanting a Geodraxus for some time and they tend to sell out fast. Actually, there was a pleasant amount of Glyos on the sales floor and I kind of wish I would have gotten more. There was one Zeiram figure made from Glyos I was sooo close to buying, but was a little too pricey for comfort. I also grabbed two more Shining Edition Blokees from Gary's table. I got Grimlock and Sideswipe! I'm definitely getting more Shining Edition kits in the future, though Wheels Series 02 and Defender Version series 7 are next on my Blokees buying radar. 

I did my rounds getting selfies and talking with awesome people before Dusty showed up. We chatted a while before heading to start the annual Transformers Panel. While there Dusty gifted me the new Generations Seaspray figure! Thanks Dusty! While we were preparing to start the panel, Dusty set out more repro label faction sticker sheets for guests as well as a print of Gears he had drawn that the art had been pirated for a third party toy. While we waited, Greg Berger walked in and joined us! That's right, Grimlock himself. Which made for the second time I got a Grimlock suprise that day. While Sunday panels tend to have lighter attendance, we had a great group and the panel was a great time.

Heading out, I took the Gears picture with intentions to frame it. It looks like the Mrs and I will be moving soon and I can't wait to put it on the wall of my new toy room. The con was wrapping up and I said my goodbyes to everyone. It's always sad to see it end. Fortunately Brett has recently taken over Ranger Stop and asked me to host a Transformers panel there this summer. After checking with the Mrs (we're moving this summer, so making sure it was an option was really important) I can gladly say I'll be there! 

Traffic on the way home was interesting. The opposite side of the interstate at one point had been shut down. It looked like something serious had happened, but I'm not sure what. Wow. I got home just in time for the Mrs to have my birthday dinner ready for us to eat. Mom joined us and gave me two Masters of the Universe Masterverse toys! We enjoyed dinner with birthday cake before I ended the night playing Doom before watching the 70's Tales from the Darkside movie. 

Today though, we're back to normal. It's actually my birthday today, and I plan on spending it relaxing and getting a nap or two in before work tonight. Of course there's pics for upcoming posts to take and a few household chores to do. Our first big event of the year may be over, but as always it's always robots, monsters, and misadventure here on Zone Base! Thank you all for reading. Please don't forget to share with your friends and be excellent to each other!

Cliffjumper [AMK Mini Series 2]

There's one more Transformers AMK Mini from the Series 2 case I ordered that hasn't been talked about here yet — Cliffjumper, the brash Minibot who'll run headfirst into any situation ready to kick whoever's ass he needs to... no matter how much bigger they might be... which is usually 3/4 of the time.

Cliffjumper's original toy shares a skeleton with the original Bumblebee, making for two very similar-looking characters. In more recent years, Cliffjumper toys are generally direct repaints of Bumblebee toys. Funnily enough, this kit is completely original and doesn't reuse parts from the Mini Bumblebee from Series 1. All things considered, it would have been fair for them to do so... but that's how committed Yolopark seems to be to the improved articulation in Series 2.

Despite the two being so similar, efforts have been made over the years to differentiate their shape in some media. This Cliffjumper has a slightly different torso, for example. The improved articulation really shows here thanks to his admittedly simpler design (compared to the others in the series). He almost feels like an articulation demo, really putting it on display.

I've always liked Cliffjumper's red colors and can't help but enjoy this one quite a bit. He's got his big-ass bazooka that was introduced in the first episode of the original Transformers series — the one he seemingly just pulls out of his ass. All jokes aside, this is a great representation of Cliffjumper from Yolopark's extremely solid line of models.

Ralph X Rodan [TMNT X Godzilla]

So, if anything, the slightly random nature of the TMNT X Godzilla toys is part of the magic. Clearly there was going to be a Rodan, and since Raphael wears red, they’re a match. However, as a fan, I can’t just let it be that simple. See, Raphael (cool, but rude) has that infamous fiery temper. The Rodans not only died in a volcano in their debut movie, but Fire Rodan was introduced in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, complete with the Uranium Heat Beam ability. The MonsterVerse Rodan was discovered in a volcano as well. See? Spiciness is implied… it works.

The merging of Rodan and Raphael also looks absolutely awesome. Admittedly, combining monsters and mutants is already a winning combination, but all of these designs have been great so far. I didn’t mention it in Mikey X King Ghidorah, but these figures have an excellent amount of articulation in addition to the detailed sculpting and strong coloring. Playmates makes awesome toys, and that’s on full display here.

I’ve always had a soft spot for Rodan thanks to that Shogun Warriors version I played with until it literally fell apart. And even though Michelangelo is my favorite turtle, there have been times when Raphael has taken that spot. Sometimes, when life gets hard and you’re mad at the world, you can relate.

I love how the wings are incorporated, and I really enjoy his trademark sai being enhanced with that fiery Uranium Heat Beam energy. This one really nails the concept and is sitting somewhere special in my heart.

Build Saga- Zoids Command Wolf RMZ-003 pt 1 [Realize Model]

I normally talk about models that come together pretty quickly here on the site. Even if it takes a few hours, it's pretty much done in a single session. However, I can't help but think about the Furai Model Rodimus Prime I posted about in November of last year. My normal build time is Sunday evening... and I find it a pretty great way to end the weekend. However, that Rodimus Prime took a few Sundays. I'd mention it in the Monday 'Weekly Updates', but didn't outright talk about it until I had finished the kit.

Which got me thinking — I'd like to talk more about the more intricate kits here as well... and, well, they take time to build, something I enjoy, believe it or not. It's very therapeutic. It also occurred to me, with the shift to more and more model talk on the site over the past few years (seriously, I've built them my entire life, why don't I focus more on them on a blog of all things?), that if I talk about the building process so much on a model post... why don't I make these long builds a multi-part so we can talk about the journey to the finished product? After all, each Sunday is its own story. So that's basically what we're starting here with our first Build Saga post — a look at those more intricate kits as they come along, with a goofy name... because obviously.

I've talked about Zoids here in the past, but this is going to be the first of their model kits I've covered. That's pretty exciting for me, as I've got a long history with Zoids going back to early childhood, assembling Robo Strux (what they called Zoids at the time here in the states) at the kitchen table with my older brother. I've never outgrown those memories, and it's obviously something that's shaped my life going forward. Countless times putting together things all stemming from those Robo Strux, or oddball models and toys that required assembly. Considering I program CNC machines for a living... clearly watching something come together is really fascinating to me. The last Zoids I built were some smaller Zoids Wild kits a few years ago, today's kit is much different. The newer Realize Model kits from Takara Tomy are a very neat line of models, more in line with something Bandai or Flame Toys would release. Starting with Zoids is a great idea, as they have always been models to begin with (for the most part), so it's a nice way to establish the series. It's also part of the T-Spark line, so I'm excited for whatever else finds its way into Realize Model.

Command Wolf is not the largest or most extensive kit. I'd like to think that I completed half, if not more than half of it, my first night working on it. However, there are a lot of parts on the sprues left, so I'm assuming the legs are going to be very time-consuming. Considering how heavily articulated the finished product will be, I'm anticipating spending a lot of time on them. Fortunately, the instructions are pleasantly large and nicely printed in a booklet, not the little slip of paper they sometimes can be. They're almost completely in Japanese, but clear enough that language isn't a barrier whatsoever. Mine came with two copies, and I'm not sure why, as they seem to be identical. Either it had an extra by accident, or they knew it was nice enough that you might want a pristine copy.

Command Wolf's primary colors are grey robot parts, with white making up the bulk of the wolf parts, while black and orange are sprinkled in. It's really sharp looking. However, an early challenge raised its head. Not only did I buy a new hobby knife, but I also found my long-missing one, and some other cutting tools have been acquired, meaning I've been a little extra when shaving down the excess plastic the sprues leave behind after using nippers. The hobby knives are basically little razor blades, so they make short work of removing the excess... but also... I poked my thumb with the tip of the blade while trimming. Nothing major, other than some cussing, but now I'm bleeding while handling white plastic. I really should have put some liquid skin on the wound and stopped it in its tracks, but now that we're entering spring, my skin is finally not splitting open from the cold, and I've liquid-skinned my hands all winter... I just don't want to do it anymore. Also, I didn't want to worry the Mrs., who's reasonably nervous around things like a razor blade... I mean... some idiot could just cut himself.

It wasn't serious, either. However, I didn't want to stain any of that white plastic, so extra care while handling was needed. Talk about making things difficult for yourself. It's worth noting that awesome amount of articulation the finished product will have, because the parts I got assembled were already showing a bit of that off. What was assembled was the wolf's head and neck, the torso, as well as the gun pod, some exhaust pipes, and the tail. It was pretty neat putting that head and neck together, as it can bend all over the place. Pretty impressive to notice the articulation in what's essentially a severed head. Something tells me Realize Model is going to be something really special.

The plastic quality is pretty good, on par with its contemporaries, though there are a few parts I found interesting. The polycaps that are pretty standard on Zoids seem to be a completely different material and not the pleasant rubbery little bits I associate with the brand. However, there are a few parts on one sprue made from a more rubbery material that serve various functions. For example, some balls that worked as connectors, but oddly also as a gasket. Very interesting. There also doesn't seem to be any pilot figures that I've noticed yet. The cockpits are smaller than traditional Zoids, so it's understandable, but the absence is impossible to ignore. I can't tell you how many of those Robo Strux pilots got behind the wheels of my G1 Autobots. That being said, I did have a little trouble putting the cockpit's control mechanism in place — it is especially tiny.

*I totally discovered the pilots after writing this.*

Next Sunday I plan to assemble the legs and whatever else. I want to assume that will finish the kit, but there were several more steps left in the instructions, so we'll just have to see.

Mobilize, it's Monday!

We've arrived at the beginning of Toylanta week Zone Base readers, the big toy show is here and I am excited! Of course that's this weekend and we've got a fun week ahead of us until then! It's a bonus sized week of robots, monsters, and misadventure! Please don't forget to share with the site with your friends, especially the big weekend long convention report! Thank you for reading Zone Base, and as always, be excellent to one another!

Optimus Prime Trailer Set [CT01]

I’m having a hard time putting into words just how smitten I’ve unexpectedly become with Blokees Wheels. What started as a fun sideline to the kits I’ve loved over the past few years has grown into something all its own. This Optimus Prime with Trailer kit is a fun release outside the regular blind box Wheels line and a neat set by itself.

Think of it as a special edition of the Optimus Prime from 01-Roll Out — essentially the same cab, just upgraded. The cab is the standard Optimus Prime with a Solidex body, giving it that satisfying heft. In addition to the wind deflector, there’s an alternate pair of smokestacks (originally from the Titanium Edition) that you can swap in for a more classic appearance, as opposed to the IDW-inspired design of the standard version. Another upgrade is the dual wheels for the rear section of the truck — a small difference, but one that makes a bigger impact than you’d think. For a more in-depth look at the cab’s intricacies, check out the Hologram Edition we talked about a few weeks ago. For now, I want to focus on the trailer, which really sets this set apart.

The trailer is a faithful replica of Optimus’s classic trailer and is compatible with the prior blind box editions. It opens up to reveal the classic Combat Deck mode, complete with Roller and the Combat Deck robot, which can attach to Roller as well. The trailer’s shiny silver color pops visually and pairs perfectly with Optimus’s classic colors, plus the blue of Roller and the Combat Deck robot. Assembly is easy — it’s practically a clamshell — and the dual tires on the axle are a nice touch. It also includes the stabilizers from the original toy: little legs that fold out to support the Combat Deck and provide extra stability. I don’t know why, but I really appreciate that attention to detail.

Roller assembles easily and can seat a Blokees driver figure or another Inchman. I’d love to speculate that a Diaclone driver might fit, but it’s a bit small. The Combat Deck robot can raise up on its stand or fold into a compact form. It’s got an articulated radar dish and claw arm, recreating the original toy and giving it that classic robot charm. There’s also room for about three regular Wheelies vehicles inside the trailer (without Roller), adding even more fun.

There’s a real thrill to playing around with the trailer, which admittedly is a little silly given how many variations of Optimus’s trailer I’ve owned over the years. Still, this set is neat, and the overall package makes a fantastic addition to my Blokees Wheels fleet.

Mikey X King Ghidorah [TMNT X Godzilla]

When I first learned about the TMNT X Godzilla crossover line, I about crapped my pants. Something so right, just sitting there at Target. The Mrs. picked up on that instantly and grabbed me the first wave of figures for Christmas, and we’re about to spend the next few Wednesdays taking a look at them.

It’s also been far too long since I’ve talked about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles here on the site, so this whole thing is prime subject matter. We’re going to start things off with my favorite of the turtles, Michelangelo.

I’m assuming Michelangelo was chosen to represent King Ghidorah because of his orange colors. There is a tie-in comic, which I haven’t read, but I assume it provides an in-universe reason. Either way, it looks fantastic. Mikey is almost completely colored in Ghidorah’s trademark gold, and it works incredibly well. His head sculpt blends the traditional TMNT design with elements of Ghidorah’s dragon head. Ghidorah’s other two heads can be worn as shoulder armor or held to recreate the signature three-headed dragon look we all know.

Of course, being Michelangelo, he’s got his twin nunchucks. Instead of the usual wooden ones, these are translucent energy nunchucks patterned after Ghidorah’s Gravity Beams. There are also two giant wings and Ghidorah’s twin tails to attach, completing the whole package. It’s crazy how good this thing looks — more like a designer toy than a standard action figure. This has absolutely no right to look as good as it does, and yet it somehow pulls it off anyway.

Optimus Prime [BMK Series 1]

You don't get Transformers without Optimus Prime. You just don't. He's the main character and is always going to show up in some way. In other news, water is wet. So it's not surprising that he's in the first series of Yolopark's BMK kits, and you know what? It's a nice looking Optimus Prime.

Assembly is really easy, even for a BMK kit. Calves connect at the knees, arms on the shoulders, and the head pops onto the neck. This is one of those times where it really can't get any simpler than that.

Optimus comes with his standard Ion Blaster that can be held in either hand... though it only feels natural in his right one. The right hand, not the right hand for the job... which is still the right hand...

This is obviously a simple build, but it results in a satisfying looking classic Optimus Prime and I'm thinking he'll look great in that eventual display.

Monday RX- Requiem

Good morning Zone Base readers, it's Monday and time again to start another week of robots, monsters, and misadventure! This weekend wasn't a very busy one. The Mrs and I did a little shopping at Five Below and Walmart, but mostly did some cleaning around the house. That included getting back to work on organizing my toy room, which is a much delayed project. The Mrs had gotten Pokopia, so I didn't play any Resident Evil Requiem so she could enjoy it on our Switch 2. That gave me a chance to get back into my campaign on Doom the Dark Ages, which I've been meaning to do. I've been on a level that I don't enjoy and making myself work through it begrudgingly. She made an excellent Chicken Alfredo dinner Sunday and I finally got started building the Zoids Command Wolf model I got a few weeks ago. These Realize Models are fairly involved, so I think it'll get finished next weekend.

For toys, I didn't get many. My birthday and Toylanta are around the corner, so I've been holding off a little on purchases for myself. I did get a bunch of Madballs at Five Below. Finding a Mutant Monster Ball I've been hunting for as well as apparently Five Below is selling mini Madballs for $1 each now. I picked up one of each they had available happily. Walmart thankfully is stocking Blokees Transformers Galaxy Version 08 in their Easter Basket toy displays. I picked up two and got the chase Optimus Prime (yay!) and Insecticon Shrapnel! Great pulls on two kits I'm very excited for. Shrapnel will join the Kickback from a prior series I got last year, now just to get Bombshell! These Galaxy Version Insecticons come with a mini insect mode Insecticon as well... I'm looking forward to Bombshell and one hell of a post here afterwards!

Well, it's time to get this week started. As usual I've got some stuff to do around the house and pictures to take for the site. We've got another fun week in store full of robots, monsters,and misadventure coming for your eyeballs. Thank you for reading and supporting the site. Please share it with your friends and be excellent to each other. 

Megatron [BMK Series 1]

I had been meaning to dip my toes into Yolopark’s newer BMK line of simplified model kits. Meant for younger children, these are extremely easy snap-together kits that are just right for getting them started without overwhelming them with a large part count. Snap together a handful of pieces and you’ve got a solid figure of the classic Transformers, looking like they just stepped out of the TV.

Considering I’m not exactly a younger kid and have been handling toys and models my entire life, what do these hold to make me want them? For one, they remind me a little of older garage kits. More importantly, they make for great representations of the main characters, and a long-term goal of mine is to have a decent representation of the cast on a shelf, with almost all my stuff in a more organized storage solution. Initially, I intended to use the Yolopark minis for this… but I do like the BMK kits’ size. So I’m thinking these, paired with a small acrylic Transformers logo stand, will work pretty well.

Seeing as the word “Mega” has flavored this week, Megatron seems like the ideal starting point to look at in this series. So far (in Series 1 anyway), the BMK kits seem to follow the same template: legs from the knee down, arms, head, and accessories all connect into the central torso. For the most part, they snap into place easily, though some of the heads take a bit of pressure to seat properly. The joints are tight and the plastic quality is pretty solid — maybe a little too solid. Megatron’s left arm squeaked loudly when I moved it.

Once assembled, Megatron looks great. There’s a reasonable amount of arm articulation, along with movement in the neck and feet, plus a waist swivel. While the finished product may be basic, it looks sharp, and the larger size should look good in that future display.

Dino Megazord [Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Re-Ignite]

It’s time for the Zords to combine, because we need Megazord Power! After finally acquiring all the members of the combinable Dino Megazord team, it was time to put them together and see how things worked out.

This is a large toy, so it was a bit of a wrestling match to assemble them. First, I formed the Dino Tanker, which is pretty much the Megazord sitting down and reading an imaginary newspaper.

The Tyrannosaurus folds into place easily. The lower legs fold up into the thighs, and the Sabertooth Tiger and Triceratops connect to the folded-up T-Rex’s knees. You’ll have to adjust the Sabertooth Tiger into proper position. I feel like there was a glitch in the matrix somewhere, as the Tiger has some articulation behind her front legs that I don’t recall noticing initially. The Triceratops pretty much just connects — he’s a basic toy.

The connection points have little release buttons on the backs of the knees that I found pretty novel. Considering the size of it all, locking joints are a good idea.

The Mastodon forms the back and arms of the Megazord, and the cannons for the Dino Tanker. It’s essentially the same configuration, with the positioning of the Megazord’s hands and arms being the deciding factor.

The Pterodactyl is the only really difficult member to utilize in Tank form. She rests on the tank’s back, her missile launchers connecting to the cannons to complete the weaponry. There are obvious connection points I couldn’t get her to snap into due to the Mastodon legs that form back ornamentation blocking the way. The other option is to slide her tail into a docking point between those Mastodon legs. This works and seems designed for it, but it’s not very stable. I think Pink Bird fell off a thousand times while I was putting the tank on a TV tray to get a halfway decent picture.

The joints are nice and clicky, but the combined weight makes this form feel a little unstable. I couldn’t get it to stand fully upright without the tank leaning.

Forming the Megazord, however, was a much better experience. Remove the Pterodactyl and stand the tank upright. Flip the Megazord’s hands out, remove the launchers, and connect them to the back. There’s also some shoulder armor to flip up. On mine, those parts didn’t line up perfectly and came loose a few times. Folding them back down for Mastodon mode required holding everything just right to allow clearance.

The Tyrannosaurus head folds away into the chest compartment, and the Megazord’s head remains — just fold out the horns. The Pterodactyl’s head and wings fold into themselves and connect to form the chest plate. The Mastodon head, which was the front of the Dino Tank, becomes a shield. The Power Sword, which had been sitting off to the side, can finally be held.

In this form, the team is much more stable and satisfying to handle. I’ve seen horror stories of Tyrannosaurus waists breaking, so be careful with yours. The Megazord is a big, chonky robot with nice clicky joints, and I love it.

I’ve seen others online not like it as much, so your mileage may vary. There’s also a boxed set with a slightly different deco if you want to forgo acquiring all five members separately.

Ultimately, I really like this set despite its flaws. The individual Zords are fun, if basic, and the combined Dino Megazord feels like a Shogun Warriors spiritual successor. Later this year, Playmates will be releasing a Thunder Megazord set in the same size, and I’m looking forward to that. Hopefully a Dragonzord will join the team as well.

Dino Megazord/Daizyuzin is a large and fun representation of the classic combiner meant for kids… but loved by this grown-ass man. There’s a real sense of accomplishment in completing a team like this, and I’m going to bask in it for a while.

Megatron [Wheels 01 – Roll Out]

I’ve been meaning to talk about this particular Megatron from Blokees Wheels Series 1 – Roll Out since assembling him. It’s one of the larger kits in the series, and it’s pretty damn impressive. Unfortunately, having more parts apparently means no Solidex pieces like the regular-sized kits include. That’s unfortunate, as that would have been especially nice on Megatron considering his design.

Megatron is based on his appearance in IDW’s Stormbringer comics, a design by Don Figueroa that gives the Decepticon leader a pretty cool-looking tank alt mode. Thankfully, the turret articulates with a satisfying click, which keeps it in place when posing instead of spinning freely, as is often the case with tank toys. It can also be removed to allow a driver to be placed inside.

The detailing and colors create a sharp-looking little tank that I could easily see blending into a Diaclone battle scene.

Wheels kits are generally pretty easy to assemble; however, each kit’s instructions are presented in the same format as a Defender Class, printed on the back of the mini trading card included with the kit. For a Defender, that’s not a problem, but Wheels kits have more parts, and it can sometimes be tricky to determine the correct orientation from the smaller diagrams. After assembling Megatron’s front treads, I think investing in a magnifying glass for future builds might be in order.

It’s a minor quibble that doesn’t result in a lesser product, so it’s not actually a real issue. Overall, despite how much better Solidex would have made Megatron, he has a very satisfying build process, and the final product is pretty impressive.

New Week 64

Another weekend has come and gone, leaving us with Monday and it's curse of another work week. Fortunately, we've got a fun week of robots, monsters, and misadventure here on Zone Base. I hope everyone had a great weekend, mine sure was! The Mrs and I took a trip to a slightly out of town Walmart just for the hell of it and while there I got some great deals on some clearance toys! The Walmart Exclusive capsule lines seemed to have ended with the pirate set, but that doesn't mean they stopped having exclusives all together. Various vintage style releases and last fall a great two figure homage to Transformers Cybertron for it's 20th anniversary. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get them then, but thankfully picked them up this weekend. Sideways and Excellion were favorites from the original line, so the updates were most welcome. I also picked up a Masterverse Terror Claws Skeletor. 

I definitely enjoyed my cheat meal for the week, Taco Bell! It's been far too long since I've had some despite practically eating it every day in college. Sunday, I intended to wash my car and put some new cool hubcaps on it, but a very rainy day delayed that until next weekend. However did take the time to do some household cleaning and spend some time with Resident Evil Requiem and building that Optimus Prime with trailer Wheels kit.  The Mrs made a great chicken dinner Sunday night with a tasty strawberry crumble cake. 

I'm admittedly a little late getting this update out. I had to take some stuff to donate to Goodwill and do an Amazon return at the UPS store... which had a Yu-Gi-Oh card stuck the the window like a bizarre curse... I've had nothing but great service at this location, so hopefully it's for defense of one. Daylight Savings Time also started this weekend, so I'm completely off schedule. What's completely on schedule is a Mega Week of posts here on the site. Thank you all for reading Zone Base. I really appreciate your support. If you could, please share the site with your friends and don't ever forget to be excellent to each other.

Optimus Primal (Robot & Gorilla) Defender Version 06 – Brutal Fang

When Blokees previewed Defender Version 06 – Brutal Fang, I was overjoyed. Not just because we were getting more Defender Versions (though that was definitely a factor), but because they were finally dipping into Beast Wars. And while there’s hardly anything Transformers-related that I actively dislike, Beast Wars holds a very special place in my heart. It’s almost like a beloved family member I always get excited to visit… and a little depressed to leave.

Today we’re looking at Optimus Primal from Brutal Fang — which I constantly confuse with Wild Fang, and that’s mildly frustrating.

Optimus Primal is available in a few variations in this wave. There’s the beast mode (gorilla) kit and three robot mode versions. Standard, which is what I picked up, is your typical Primal. Then there are two chase versions: Special Galaxy Type, which features a metallic deco with more show-accurate paint detail, and Special Armor Type, which builds on the Galaxy version and includes his forearm blasters, cyber-swords, and Mutant Head.

The Mutant Head gimmick on the original Beast Wars toys was either a mask or alternate head that functioned like a battle mode. Often, redecos would use the Mutant Head as the primary head sculpt. For example, Blackarachnia is a redeco of Tarantulas but uses his Mutant Head. The fact that Blokees included Mutant Heads here brings out a level of giddiness I didn’t know I still had.

Standard Optimus Primal is great on his own. Defender Versions are already pretty irresistible, but the Beast Wars designs translate especially well into this format. I’m reminded of Duel Fight Transformers Beast Wars: Beast Warriors’ Strongest Decisive Battle on the Game Boy Color. The proportions of the Beast Defender Version kits line up shockingly well with the sprites from that game.

And now I can’t stop thinking… what if more of the Beast Wars cast makes it into Defender Version?

Primal comes equipped with his back-mounted cannons. They flip over his shoulders for attack mode or angle backward to form his Prime Jets. His deco leans more toy-based than the other versions. The faceplate is painted solid in traditional Optimus fashion.

The beast mode kit represents his gorilla form and does a solid job. Interestingly, beast mode uses joints more commonly found in Galaxy Version kits for the gorilla elbows, giving him better range in a quadruped stance. I did manage to mix up the upper arm and lower thigh pieces at one point, so pay attention during assembly.

Both kits result in sturdy mini figures of the classic character in robot and beast form. Defender Version is highly articulated, so you can get a wide range of poses out of him.

It’s genuinely great to see Blokees expanding into Beast Wars, and of course I want more. The entire time I’ve been typing this, I’ve been thinking about the dinosaurs from Beast Wars Neo… and oddballs like the bat and gator Optimus vs. Megatron two-pack.

That would be just Prime.

Pterodactyl [Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Re-Ignition]

Zordon needed Five Teenagers with Attitude (which still feels like a wildly irresponsible recruitment strategy), but for the Re-Ignition Combinable Megazord, we needed five Zords with slightly larger proportions.

Closing out the team is the Pink Ranger’s Pterodactyl — a word I cannot spell correctly without spellcheck threatening to go full Skynet. From here on out, we’re calling her the Pink Bird.

Partially to troll Angry Birds searches.

Pink Bird completes the Dino Megazord/Daizyujin by forming the chest. She’s also proven to be one of the trickier Zords to find. I lucked into mine during a random Walmart trip where it was just… sitting there. A label on the back made it clear it had been an online order that got stocked instead. Even better, whatever barcode they slapped on it rang up a few dollars cheaper than retail.

Unfortunately (or maybe predictably), Pink Bird is the most basic of the five Zords. She’s essentially the chest plate with fold-out wings and a head. The head does have some articulation — you can perch her or put her in a flying pose, and the mouth opens. Included are two missile launchers that mount to the Megazord’s back but can also attach to Pink Bird’s tail. They fire pink energy blast rockets, because of course they do.

Most interestingly, Pink Bird includes the Ranger team in mini form. Playmates will be launching a blind box line featuring mini Rangers, Monsters, Zords, and Megazords in the coming months, and in a way this set quietly debuts that format by including Rangers scaled to their Zords. It’s a neat bonus and honestly something I’ve been looking forward to since it was announced.

One thing I’ve always liked about the Pterodactyl design is its slight resemblance to Windstorm from Starriors — something I’ve mentioned in a prior post about another Pink Pterodactyl release. Funnily enough, that post pops up in Google Image results when searching Windstorm, which is the kind of niche internet victory I appreciate more than I probably should.

Like most combining team toys, though, the individual mode often takes a back seat to the combined form, and Pink Bird is a prime example. On her own, she’s solid and sharp-looking, but clearly designed to become something greater.

With that, we’ve wrapped up our look at the individual Zords from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Re-Ignition — at least until the Thunder Megazord team arrives. But now it’s time to do what these were built to do.

Because we need Megazord Power.

Arcee [AMK Mini Series 2]

Returning to the Yolopark AMK Mini Series 2 kits is Arcee, one of the more famous G1 characters who famously didn’t get a proper toy until almost 20 years after her introduction. Well… that’s not completely true. There were attempts back in the day that never made it past the design stage, and a Garage Kit model that anyone around in the pre-movie era probably saw brought up in conversation way too often.

This AMK Mini, however, is one of several Arcee toys we’ve gotten in more recent years. Like the other AMK Minis, I’m really impressed with the finished product’s quality and articulation. At this point you’d think I’d be used to it… but nope. Yolopark’s models are genuinely impressive, and the Minis end up as very nice figures once completed.

Unlike the prior kits in this series, Arcee isn’t blocky and chonky. Closely following her classic appearance, she has smaller, sleeker proportions than the other bots in the line. They did a really solid job here, and I’m reminded of the Action Master Arcee that was intended to be a BotCon 1996 exclusive.

That one never made it past the mock-up stage, and part of me always goes into “what if” mode when I think about things like it. Funnily enough, it was made from modified Power Rangers Happy Meal figures. I was working at McDonald’s at the time and still remember taking a few of those home.

Articulation-wise, Arcee is excellent. Like the others in the series, she comes with open and closed hands. She’s also got two pistols, so the closed fists will probably see more use. This is a really neat little Arcee, but like Clear Hound, mine had a QC issue that’s chafing my ass a bit. I tried to pose her strategically for the post picture, but mine came with two upper left thighs and no right one. Not the end of the world… except her right leg looks wrong. I’ve written Yolopark customer service hoping for a replacement part. They’re located in Hong Kong and it’s February, so I’ll have to be patient. They’re a great company, so I’m hopeful it’ll get resolved.

Outside of that QC hiccup, this is a good Arcee. And just being honest, I dig the pink and white. Those colors just work. I’m looking forward to more Yolopark releases as I slowly dip my toes into their other size classes. Just all-around good stuff.

Monday (call a priest)

Someone didn't salt Sunday evening again because it’s Monday and we've got a new week ahead of us readers. I hope everyone had a great weekend, mine sure was! Busy, but great. Saturday the Mrs and I took my old car to a dealership and purchased a new car. We traded in my old car and I'll be using her old one as my daily driver, leaving the new one for her. She loves it and it looks to be a great new vehicle.

Afterwards we had lunch at her dad's house before stopping at a McDonald's for last chance Changeables. I got 7 that I haven't gotten yet. Kurtis the Divine, Galla, Pterabagdyl, Sizzlesaurus, D1V4, and Min-EE are joining my ranks as the promotion comes to an end. Hopefully I can score the missing members without much trouble. After getting home we ran out to Walmart for a few household things and stuff for her new car. While there I picked up Age of the Primes Wreck-Gar. We got home, watched a little TV and I passed out within minutes of eating dinner. I was wiped out. 

Sunday we made a Target run hoping to find the new Godzilla Power Rangers and Cyberworld figures. Came up empty handed, but left with collapsing crates for our car trunks. I ran into Michael's for a few supplies for future backdrops and checked out their model section... which is mostly cars with a small amount of Gundams. It's nice to have another place to purchase supplies, but they won't be replacing my dependable sources.

A stop by Publix for some work week lunches for the Mrs and we were home! After the busy week I had, some rest was needed. I finally played the copy of Resident Evil Requiem we bought Friday and really enjoyed it. Looking forward to spending more time with it and the adventures of Grace and Leon. I also ordered the Blokees Wheels Optimus Prime with trailer set, getting my Wheels collection up to date until series 2 releases. The Mrs made us tacos for dinner, which were enjoyed while assembling the Yolopark BMK series 1 kits that came in during the week. Afterwards I finished the last Wheels Series 1 kits that weren't assembled yet.

Well, I've got some errands to run (site post pictures were taken yesterday) and hopefully some episodes of Kamen Rider Zeztz to watch before work this evening. We're going to have a fun week on the site full of robots, monsters, and misadventure. Thank you all for reading. Please don't forget to share with your friends and be excellent to each other.