Artstorm/ Fewture Models Pose+ Metal Series Gaogaigar
The box is surprisingly really big! Measures 19.5 x 14 x 5.25 inches in dimension.
Get ready to unpack a LOT of plastic sheets on this thing! I was seriously stunned at how much plastic cover they used into wrapping the toy. I thought I would never be done peeling it all off.
TRANSFORMATION NOTES
It is STRONGLY recommended that you check out the Pose+ Youtube channel on how to combine Gaogaigar as the transformation is vastly different from the animation designs. It can get hairy if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Transforming Galeon’s tail can be tricky, but this is how it’s supposed to look when properly returned into Gaigar’s crotch.
The set comes with a 1:1 scaled “Key to Victory” accessory. This is meant to function as a spudger tool to pick away at the tiny crevices to open up some of the tighter panels.
Use it! For you are the true Key to Victory! 😉
The Drill Gao’s connection mechanism is on two thin horizontal bars. Be careful not to break them.
Some parts forming required for the Stealth Gao.
Unlike the animation transformation, the fists require opening covers and flipping the turbines around to get the fists out.
Liner Gao now has a cool pop up gimmick when you fold down the lower panels.
Gaigar’s legs have a very specific orientation when combining with the Drill Gaos now, the legs here are painted, too, so be careful.
Transforming the Drill Gao is also very different from we normally see on the show, so be mindful of how you proceed.
Personally, I prefer removing Gaigar’s face plate when I slide the helmet over the head, just to make sure nothing bad happens to Gaigar’s (painted?) face.
Optional “bigger and finger are articulated” hands are included for better play.
IMPORTANT NOTE!
When removing Gaigar from the Drill Gaos, be VERY careful. There isn’t much wiggle room and there is a very real chance you will scratch the paint on the legs if you’re not careful. I wish there was some sort of proper ejection mechanism or something for this section.
Galeon
Galeon, the space mechanoid lion that made this whole story possible. A sentient, non-speaking machine that carried the young baby Mamoru and the blueprints to give Earth scientist the technology to build the King of Braves Gaogaigar to fight against the arriving Zonder invasion.
The set comes with a “Will Knife” accessory that Galeon can use as a jaw blade. This is a concept accessory as it never happened in the Anime.
FUSION!
Gaigar
The fused form of series’ protagonist, Cyborg Shishio Guy, and the space lion Galeon. Guy operates the humanoid machine as an extension of himself and his cybernetic components. Gaigar forms the core unit of Gaogaigar.
The set comes with spare hands for Gaigar. Unfortunately, the design of the connection is a bit awkward and I find the hands tend to fall off way too easily.
You can also equip the Will Knife weapon on Gaigar. Again, this never happened in the Anime. But still, a cool concept idea from Artstorm/ Fewture Models.
Gaigar also comes with an optional “oh” face plate.
Claw Arm! In the Anime, Gaigar lacks any real weapons and relies only on hand-to-hand combat. He is only real attack is the Gaigar Claw Arm, where he deploys Galeon’s claw while in robot mode.
GAO MACHINES!
Stealth Gao
I love the detailed sculpt workings on the Stealth Gao.
Liner Gao
Drill Gao
By using this optional attachment, the Liner Gao can be clipped onto the Stealth Gao for pick up.
To attach the Drill Gao components to Gaigar, you will have to use this set of attachments.
The attachment can be a bit tricky to get oriented to, as you have to assemble halves of it over Gaigar’s forearms. You will also have to unplug Gaogaigar’s feet from the Drill Gao to do the connection (remember to look for the release button).
The same attachment for Liner Gao can also be used to prop up the Stealth Gao combined with Gaigar.
I do wish the GGG pedestal was bigger though. It can hardly balance the Stealth Gao as it is.
Gaigar combined with Drill and Stealth Gao.
FINAL FUSION!!
It’s incredibly cool of Artstorm/ Fewture Models to include a HUGE cardboard backdrop simulating the Final Fusion Electromagnetic Tornado.
GAOGAIGAR!!!
GBR-01 (G-Stone-driven Brave Robot -01) Gaogaigar. A fusion of all 3 Gao Machines with Gaigar, greatly increasing the mechanoid unit’s offensive and defensive capabilities. It was created with the sole purpose of protecting Earth from the coming Zonder invasion.
“At last, the true hero we’ve been waiting for has been born. And his name is the King of Braves, Gaogaigar.”
Gaogaigar’s original Anime design was created by famous artist Kunio Okawara, the first person to be officially credited in the Anime industry as a mechanical designer. His iconic creations include design work on famous mecha we all love, such as Mechander Robo, Daitarn 3, Gundam (almost all of them?!!), Trider G7, Dragonar, plus all of the Brave Saga series. Whoa…
Each of the fingers on the optional hands are articulated. Nice!
Gaogaigar’s attacks Broken Phantom!
Using this attachment piece, you can place the “launched” arm onto the pedestal.
Plasma Hold!
Drill Knee!
Protect Shade!
To set up the Protect Shade, you will have to plug in these pins into Gaogaigar’s left forearm first. It’s not quite your conventional take on the Protect Shade like in the Anime.
It’s not Anime accurate, as the shade is supposed to be pink, not green. But you do get some nice visual G-Stone etching going on here.
Dividing Driver!
The Dividing Driver design here has been massively reworked. Personally, I’m not quite liking it over the original concept though.
The Driver actually plugs into Gaogaigar’s Protect Shade sockets and not just his left wrist.
HELL AND HEAVEN!
Gemu Giru Gan Go Gufo….
The Hell and Heaven chant is actually Latin and translates into “2 Powers into 1”.
Following his battle with Repli-Mamoru in Gaogaigar Final, Guy would learn the full chant and add the word “Vitas” (meaning “life”) to the chant in his battles in OVA series.
Remember to open the vents on the Stealth Gao for Hell and Heaven.
You’re also supposed to pull the wings to the sides to reveal this extra conceptual detail work on the wings.
Optional fixed “gathered” hands are included with the set.
(Extracts the enemy Zonder core).
Hrrrn!!
Comparison with the Bandai Soul of Chogokin Gaogaigar.
The Good
-The weigh in:
–Gaigar – 8.75 inches and 400 Grams
–Stealth Gao – 179 Grams
–Liner Gao – 112 Grams
–Drill Gao – 308 Grams
–Gaogaigar – 10.25 inches and 1000 Grams.
-Diecast parts include:
–Gaigar
—Torso
—Elbows
—Legs
—Knees
—Feet
–Stealth Gao
—Struts for the “mane” chest pieces.
–Liner Gao
—Gaogaigar’s “biceps”
–Drill Gao
—Gaogaigar’s lower legs
—Gaogaigar’s feet
—Sections of the Drill Gao’s tank tread system.
–Vertical bar for the display stand.
-The Key to Victory spudger tool is pretty darn clever! I love it!
-Will Knife accessory for Gaigar is a nice bonus, even if it isn’t canonical.
-SOLID diecast knees! Thank you Artstorm/ Fewture Models!
-Ab crunch joint for Gaigar. Nice touch.
-Amazing Electromagnetic Tornado backdrop for Final Fusion!
-Beautiful highlighted conceptual details really add more character to the design.
-Amazing sculpt work!
-Highly poseable in combined form.
-LOTS of ratchet joints!!! Makes the toy seriously fun to mess with.
-Poseable digits on the fingers!
-Moving wing flaps on the Stealth Gao.
The Bad
-Seriously, way too much plastic sheet usage here, Pose. I love the fact that they’re trying to prevent paint friction rubs while in transit, but dang…
-Puny GGG pedestal for the flight stand.
-Due to their connection design, Gaigar’s hands fall off way too easily.
-Pose+ reworked Gaogaigar to make him look chunkier and menacing, but in some angles, his head can also look buried in his torso. I’m not sure how I feel about this.
-The fingers on GGG seem too small. I wish they were chunky like how it was done with Soul of Chogokin.
-Drill Gao treads don’t roll.
-As much as I like some of the aesthetic choices to GGG, I can’t say the revamped Leg design is one of them.
-The transformation process takes a LOT of liberties. I personally prefer the old leg transformation from the Anime.
-Transformation isn’t perfect, some parts swapping is required (Stealth Gao underside).
-No firing mechanism for Broken Phantom (Cm’s Corp managed to work it in).
-No proper display base to place this awesome thing on.
-Drill Gao connectors to each other looks awkward.
-The manual is a bit tricky to follow with regards to the transformation, best to watch the official Youtube guide (see URL above).
The Ugly
Disengaging the Drill Gaos from Gaigar can leave scratch marks on Gaigar’s calves’ paint finish if you’re not careful. I wish they designed this to be simpler, they already redesigned the whole thing, yet they made it less practical?
Also, this screw hole cover fell out from the heel and I can’t get it to pop back in properly, without glue. Hmm…
I think the crazy price for this set could also be considered a solid buzzkill here.
Overall, an amazing piece from Artstorm/ Fewture Models Pose+ line. The combined toy has the solid ratchets that we’ve come to expect with Pose+ releases. The paint is outstanding, the sculpt is beyond excellent and the top-notch diecast knees are perfect (those of you who have had breakages occur with their CM’s Corp GGG toys’ knee joints know what I’m talking about).
There are some negatives here though, nothing major or deal-breaking, but depending on how big a fan you are of Anime-accurate aesthetics, this release may not appeal to you. Me, personally, I love some parts of it, but not all of it. I’m not too crazy about the redesigned legs, both in looks and transformation. I’m also not a fan of the redesigned Dividing Driver. I also would’ve liked the option to raise Gaogaigar’s head if possible so it doesn’t look too buried into the chunky torso in some angles.
Admittedly though, at the end of the day, given the VERY steep price for this figure, I don’t think I can commit to getting their entire Gaogaigar series line up if they do proceed with it (they already teased Goldy Marg, Stealth Gao II and Choryujin). Especially since Bandai also seems to be rolling out the rest of the GGG gang (and even GGG Final mecha?) in the Soul of Chogokin line. If I had to choose just one to represent the GGG crew in modern rendition, then I would most likely go with the SOC, both for economical and character completion reasons.
Gold
