08.27.07
Matchbox Officer Pod (Glaug)
REVIEW(Updated): What’s that Grell?
Packaging & Extras: (3/5)
The packaging is your standard 1980s Robotech fare that is easily bent up and torn. Inside a cardboard insert keeps the toy from too much damage. The toy comes partially disassembled with instructions and decals for the user to complete it. Inserts do their job. There’s pretty much no extras present but on a toy like this I’m not sure what could have been provided anyway.
Charm & Collectibilty: (3.5/5)
There’s no fervor being generated by this toy but fans of Robotech and Macross tend to really appreciate it. The reissue in the Exosquad line didn’t help its collectibility at all but the original will always be a bit more in demand.
Sculpt, Detail, and Paint: (7/10)
For a Matchbox toy this thing has a lot of very nice detail. The contours, like everything else Matchbox did, are certainly more cartoony than they are lineart but for what it is it isn’t bad at all. This toy is a good representation although it does leave plenty of room for improvement.
Design: (8/10)
The cockpit opens as it does in the show but it doesn’t appear to fit the action figure it should. It seems as though the smaller action figure would fit inside rather than the larger ones that the show would dictate. Since there isn’t any transformation here the design is necessarily simple and efficient. More could have been done but most of that has to do with articulation and will be dealt with there.
Durability & Build: (7/10)
This is a very big toy made of very flimsy plastic in several areas. All the attachable pieces can be broken. The turret over the unit’s head, the hand guns, and the antenna are all potential weaknesses for anyone who is going to be playing with these toys. That said, everything is certainly sturdy enough where collectors won’t need to worry about accidentally breaking something. I did notice a few factory paint smears around the feet.
Articulation: (7/10)
Overall, the articulation of this toy is pretty darn good. There are a few areas that could have been improved upon. The hips could have been adjusted to allow the toy to achieve a wide stance. Obviously, if a wide stance is going to happen than ankles should be incorporated to allow the feet to still plant firmly against the ground. A twisting section near the knee would have also been an improvement.
Total Score: (35.5/50)
For a vintage toy this isn’t a half bad score. The toy can be made to do a number of cool poses and its scale allows it to be displayed alongside a number of different Valkyrie (Veritech) toys. If Matchbox could do this well this long ago, it makes you wonder how great this toy could be made by a more dedicated manufacturer today.
NOTE: This review has been updated
Original Post Date: May 25, 2006
