11.03.08
CMs 1/18 vs Mega House 1/15 Yellow VR-41 Ride Armors
Showdown: Two different Yellows… and I’m not talking about gender
Packaging & Extras: TIE
I was tempted to give this one to Mega House by the tiniest of margins like I did with the Stig and Ray (Ley) toys. This time it was because the Mega House toy comes with a Gallant while the CMs toy comes instead with Stig’s larger gun. Sure, it’s a shame that the Gallant can’t be whittled down to its core hand gun size but it’s still a better weapon choice. The CMs does come with storage cases which are nice additions to the bike but the Mega House comes with an extra set of missiles so you can make it look like Yellow is unloading his chest armaments. Both toys come with a kickstand, helmet-less head, and a display stand. If that were all I’d give the slight edge to Mega House again but CMs spruced things up by also including helmet-less Stig and Ray (Ley) heads. Sure, that only matters if you also own Stig & Ley toys but it’s nice to see CMs address why they lost in this category on their original effort.
Charm & Collectability: CMs
Just like the Stig and Ray (Ley) toys, the CMs is the pretty clear winner here. They’re produced in smaller quantities, feature diecast, are closer to perfect transformation, and have a built in CMs fanbase.
Sculpt, Detail, and Paint: CMs
While I gave the CMs the victory here by a hair last time, I think they’re pretty clear victors this time around. There are three points where Mega House is better: 1) the ankles on the rider figure are better on the MH figure, 2) the blade tips on the MH aren’t exposed at all times, 3) the MH helmet-less head looks a bit better. This time the CMs color choice is close enough to the MH that it’s not nearly as distracting. So what does CMs do better? First, the MH helmeted head is pretty hideous, a bit too skinny, and wouldn’t work as a logical helmet (as seen above). Second, the neck is still way too long as you can see above (although, the second picture below shows how nicely the helmet-less head conceals the giant neck). Third, the proportions are pretty much all better on the CMs toy also. Check out the MH toy’s massive chest and huge extension away from the back in the picture below in comparison to the tighter looking CMs toy. Also note how the gauntlet on the CMs toy covers the forearm entirely but ends a bit prematurely on the MH.
Design: Mega House
This is a really tough one but I have to give it to Mega House for featuring the missile bays within the chest. The CMs toy is still a bit over-designed for its own good which causes some issues (especially in bike mode). The Mega House is much simpler and more fun for the novice to pick up and play with. It doesn’t really matter but the Mega House also has a better kickstand.
Durability & Build: Mega House
The Mega House comes apart and goes back together… and that’s what it was designed to do. This toy also feels more solid than the previous versions and is less prone to exploding into tiny pieces for you to find and put back together again. While some reports have circulated about the elbow joints being a little on the loose side straight out of the box, there doesn’t seem to be anything in particular too prone to breaking from normal handling. The CMs toy is also improved over its Stig and Ray (Ley) counterparts. Gone (YES!) are the easily broken windscreens and the plastic swing-arm locks. The windscreen is now reinforced and can be handled and should never be already broken by the time you get the toy, the swing-arm locks are now made of metal. The only thing you have to be worried about now are the tiny little tabs on the toy and since it’s still very fiddily in bike mode that can be a concern.
Articulation: TIE
Mega House has stepped things up by including an additional swivel in the arms… but it’s one that was already present on the CMs toy. The CMs toy still stands better on its own and the display “twig” is still more adaptable than the stand provided with the MH toy. The MH figure may feature some pretty unsightly hips but they do help it achieve a more natural riding posture.
Overall: CMs (with a caveat)
With the original showdown, I initially awarded the crown to CMs and then changed it a few weeks later to favor Mega House (hey, it’s my blog, I get to do what I want). I changed my mind in that review because the original CMs toys were just too fragile to ever recommend to anyone. I’m happy that CMs has gotten to a place where I no longer feel like that’s the case. Here’s the thing though, while both toys have improved nicely from their first editions, the CMs toy is still the same size and can still be very frustrating (especially in bike mode). As such, if you felt the Mega House was an easy winner the first time around then the changes made probably won’t make you want to jump ship and start buying the CMs Ride Armors. If the only Ride Armor you want to buy is Yellow’s VR-41, and you don’t want to wait for the Beagle version, then here’s what I think you should do: If you prefer your Ride Armors in Bike mode then buy the Mega House. If you prefer your Ride Armors in Armor mode (and you don’t mind the lack of chest missiles), then buy the CMs toy. Read more on either toy by clicking here for the CMs VR-41 or here for the Mega House VR-41.
fifbeat said,
November 3, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Thanks for the review. MH all the way for me. =) You know, if CM’s were the same size, the plastics weren’t so shiny/bright, and if the head sculpts were better, I’d say otherwise. Mainly, the size thing for sure.
Dennis said,
November 7, 2008 at 2:35 pm
I have stopped collecting CMS version and concentrate on Megahouse. Like you, I prefer the design and durability of Megahouse. I bought two of Megahouse’s Yellow cyclone. Cheers!
Eric said,
November 11, 2008 at 5:00 pm
You know I originally was leaning towards the MH versions, the more I looked at the bikes and the size ratio, the more I gradually switched to the CM’s. Yellow’s bike is the clencher for me; that front end on the MH version is just too big and broad, I like the nice slope that the CM’s has. But most of all I like the fact that every CM’s has come with “saddlebags” where as only Ray’s MH bike did. It also doesn’t hurt that I like my import toys tiny and fidgety! Great comparison review though, Thanks!