Transformers Masterpiece MPG Raiden
MPG-06S Special Box Set
The special box is huge!! Spans roughly 27 x 16 x 5 inches in dimension. Comes with a white outer shipper box.
Here it is next to a AA battery for a sense of scale.
Main box
A lot of filler cardboard.
Display stands (located under the cardboard fillers)
Lol… I tried linking them up, but it was so long, I couldn’t fit it to my table. It’s also somewhat pointless. As their train tracks don’t allow for the “linked up” trains to chug along since the respective tracks don’t all have the same track “width”. Shouki and Yukikaze follow the standard gauge, while the rest of the team uses the metre gauge. Sheesh.
I’m really happy that Takara decided to release a special boxset that provides armatures for all six Trainbots to allow them to be posed in their “flying trains” mode. Otherwise, one would have to buy MP Tracks 6 more times just to pull this off.
There are two types of display arms included. The two larger ones are meant for the bullet trains (and Raiden).
Transform! Trainbots team!
It took 20 months, but we finally got the whole team together.
Individual Trainbot stats:
Shouki – roughly 7 inches and 272 Grams
Getsuei – roughly 7 inches and 191 Grams
Yukikaze – roughly 7 inches and 215 Grams
Suiken – roughly 7.5 inches (with the cannon) and 197 Grams
Seizan – roughly 8 inches (with the cannon) and 200 Grams
Kaen – roughly 6.5 inches and 175 Grams
Raiden is formed by:
Shouki – Chest
Kaen – Center torso
Seizan – Right arm
Getsuei – Right leg
Suiken – Left arm
Yukikaze – Left leg
Raiden
The combined form of all six Trainbots, Raiden prides himself on always being on time to save the day and never hesitates to take on challenges from the Decepticon gestalts, even the mighty Predaking!
Fully combined, Raiden stands roughly 11 inches tall, more or less the height of a Combiner Wars gestalt.
Be warned, the figure is very top-heavy and tends to fall over if not properly posed. I recommend using the display armature to help him stay upright over long periods of time.
The figure features an opening hand with individually moving digits.
Seizan and Suiken’s backpacks are added onto the sides of Raiden’s feet. I know it’s meant to homage the odd-looking fins of the vintage toy, but it looks kinda dumb to be honest. I would’ve preferred if they became actual weapons, as opposed to whatever.. this is…
FATAL FLAW ALERT!!
Be mindful of this section, it’s supposed to clip and hold the shoulder assembly together. Unfortunately, it’s a big miss and the end result is the shoulders tend to droop badly on Raiden.
You can equip the Train Bazooka that came with Suiken.
Seizan’s Koken (Light Sword) can be equipped on Raiden as well. This weapon appeared in episode 15 of the Headmasters cartoon.
The gift set also comes with a bonus chromed version of the Koken for Raiden.
I forgot to take a photo (mainly because I was really struggling with handling this combiner from falling apart), but Raiden can also use the Light Saber weapon that came with Kaen as well.
Individual review galleries:
Overall, honestly, the combined form is very disappointing. The combined proportions look terrible and the combined size place it roughly only in scale with most Combiner Wars gestalts (not even Titan Devastator sized). A far, far cry from what should have been a Masterpiece Class sized combiner. Actually… the entire toy is a big combined mess! While the individual Trainbots get a passing grade, the combined figure struggles to hold itself together. One of the worst combining toys I’ve ever handled, really. It tops even Bandai’s Aquarion.
This is one of those situations where the individual bots are better than the whole. I think I’ll probably pick up the Moon Studios Radiatron down the road for a proper MP Raiden. As is, this guy will probably be bumped down to CHUGs grouping. Sorry, Takara Tomy, but this combiner really, really needed a lot more fine-tuning.
Gold
