08.17.09
Beagle 1/10 Mospeada VR-52F Ride Armor (Toynami MPC Cyclone vol 1)
Review(updated): Have you considered getting a second job?
Packaging & Extras: (4.5/5)
From what I understand, and this is not an attempt to be funny, Beagle hired some talent from Yamato for the creation of the packaging for their Ride Armor toys. The result was a box that feels just like a Yamato product right down to the cardboard insert with instructions and decals smuggled beneath it. The box is huge, easily dwarfing all previous Ride Armor toys. A box of this size should have a collector’s style lid to cover the large window that reveals the toy inside. Having that big window with no lid to cover it will probably lead to some accidental box destructions. Toynami did better here and I would give them a perfect 5/5. The box is large but not nearly as large as the Beagle as evidenced by the comparison pictures below (Please excuse my banged up box, I got it cheap). The extras provided are fantastic. You get: a pack of HBT cells, Gallant, sniper-custom Gallant with strap, heavy gun (and attachment for bike), head with helmet (adjustable visor), various fixed-pose hands, and a display stand that can show the toy off in any mode and stores all of these accessories. I should note that I’ve been a little let down by the fixed pose hands. The hand that holds the gun doesn’t grip the gun tightly enough and I seemed to constantly be looking for hands that did not exist. On a down note for the Toynami, the plaque on the display stand was not updated for Robotech purposes and reveals Mospeada details.
Charm & Collectability: (4/5)
Ride Armor toys are a unique beast and they tend to become collectibles although it took a long while for the 1/8 Gakken Ride Armor to get there. In my first post I made for these toys shortly after release I wrote: “We’re truly lucky to see another company take a stab at a deluxe Ride Armor toy again; the story goes that the man at Gakken responsible for the development of the 1/8 toy was demoted after its poor market performance.” Since then the Beagle/Toynami lines performed so poorly that the man at Beagle responsible for this product suffered a very similar fate to that original Gakken employee. The exorbitant price attached to this figure (approximately $270US retail at the moment, less at Overdrive, the Toynami version will sell at $199) assures us that many people will want it and few will own it. Toynami originally intended to release 10K of this toy but then slashed that number to 3K when the economy plunged. Beagle and Toynami both drastically reduced the number they intended to create and in the end the product did not prove viable ending this line after just two models. The Toynami is differentiated from the Beagle with a different head sculpt (Beagle is on left, Toynami right in the picture below but do note the lighting for the pics was different, the complexions are more similar than that picture would lead you to believe) and with a serial number being stamped on the toy itself. Check out this Japanese blog for more comparison shots of the Beagle and Toynami versions: Yacolog. That site also has many GREAT pictures, check the various pages, 1,2,3.
Sculpt, Detail, & Paint: (9.5/10)
Phenomenal. There are only three minor issues that keep this toy from getting a perfect score. First, there isn’t quite as much tampo printing as there could have been. Second, the boots/feet aren’t quite big enough when comparing the toy to the line art which makes the toy look a tad uneven in armor mode (although it looks better in bike mode). Third, the waist armor on the Stig figure has been shrunk (for articulation purposes). The Gakken 1/8 bike isn’t as long as the Beagle 1/10 bike but I’m guessing the Gakken is a bit under-sized to assist with its armor mode. Beyond that everything here is gravy. There is a crazy amount of detail from the handles to the foot pegs. This toy is just plain sexy including the use of colored transluscent plastic instead of paint for areas like the tail light. The tires are also thin rubber tires sturdy enough to support the vehicle, it’s very impressive.
Design: (8.5/10)
This is a transformable motorcycle with a functioning suspension. I don’t think you’re realizing how cool that is while you’re reading it. The transformation is nearly perfect although it seems to me the figure’s head must be removed and put back on which seems like a pretty big strike against an otherwise utterly amazing transformation. The transformation is a little too amazing, expect to spend a FULL HOUR transforming this toy the first time you go through the motions. Any experience you have transforming Gakken or CMs products will not be much of a benefit here. The full integration of the kickstand and foot pegs is brilliant. The targeting scope isn’t quite handled as masterfully but it still is pretty impressive. The scope is stored in the armor but it must be removed and reattached to go from lying down to its active position. I found it may be best just to store the scope with the other extras when not in use as it can shake down around the shoulder area and make transformation/articulation more difficult. Otherwise, the way everything twists, contorts, and comes back together forming a flexible enough power suit will leave you impressed. The use of cloth is a nice touch but it could have been better implemented as it needs to be tamped down occasionally. A more rubbery but tighter material would have been ideal. Another change that would have been nice would have been an optional extension of the boot to make posing the toy without the stand more stable. Note that I’m scoring the toy really strong here but if you hate long and elaborate transformations you may feel this score should be much different.
Durability & Build: (8/10)
This toy has a few problems hampering it here. Obviously anything this complex lends itself easily to being broken in transformation. Transformation does require a strong hand though and I was quite surprised at how well everything handled the abuse. Many of the parts are simple ball joints which means excessive transformation will likely lead to a sloppy and difficult toy but it also means that parts that are over stressed from mistransformation may just pop off instead of breaking. It’s too soon to say what the long term score will be here, and I will update it later, but I’ve read from a number of people who have transformed this toy several times and have yet to see any catastrophic failures. That said, there are some common build complaints. First, the helmeted head almost universally features a ball that is too small for the neck cavity and thus doesn’t keep its position. You can tighten the hell out of the neck screw to fix this (which I don’t at all recommend) or you could apply a tiny square of clear tape to the bottom of the ball as demonstrated below. There’s a somewhat fluid feeling to the toy through out and it’d be nice to see much of that tightened up on future releases. While the windscreen area holds its position well enough it’s also floppy enough where a little jostling may move it out of form. One of the flaps on my Stig’s boots was also loose enough where it took a lot of massaging to get it to look just right (I’m probably one of the few people who would care). Beagle/Toynami did make the Ray/Rand volume 2 toys a bit stiffer and used a better fabric that didn’t come apart at the seams quite so easily.
Articulation: (9/10)
The only thing this toy lacks in bike mode is the ability to slightly angle the front wheel. The rider figure is perfect and can assume many natural-looking riding/maneuvering positions. Armor mode is not as great. To extend the range of motion in the arms you may want to unhook the gauntlet supports as demonstrated below (although you can obtain a pretty good range with them still attached but you run the risk of throwing the chest out of alignment). The biggest issue in armor mode, as is so common these days, is balance. The relatively small feet don’t help anything but all the joints are stiff and maneuverable enough that with a lot of patience you can pose the toy without the help of the stand. Of course utilizing the stand (and if you’re not going to be hovering around the toy at all times, use the stand) allows for wondefully dynamic poses although the figure will still be hindered a bit by the full suit of armor (just as you would expect pretty much anything wearing armor to have its range of movement limited). It was harder than I had hoped to get a convincing look of Stig firing his missiles while looking through his scope but that’s mostly due to the limitations of the tiny scope.
Total Score: (43.5/50)
This is easily the best Ride Armor toy ever made so it will be up to you to determine whether or not it’s worth the high price of entry. For those of you waiting for a Fuke/Rook or Yellow version, you can stop waiting, it’s not going to come out barring any miracles. While this might be a sturdy and durable product it’s definitely an adult collector’s item so if you’re looking for something to play with in a recklesss fashion definitely stick with the Mega House offerings. If you’re curious as to why Toynami is making their changes (other than the new packaging and plaque) I would have to assume it’s largely so that they can sell their versions as numbered limited editions. It doesn’t work very well to sell a toy in one market as limited when it could potentially be reproduced exactly in another market. Honestly, I think Toynami is just giving themselves a headache since high end toys like this are made in such limited quantities it seems unlikely people will buy it because of the number. It’s a shame really that neither Mega House nor CMs have really gotten their acts together on the smaller and cheaper Ride Armor toys as this Beagle will now leave many fans left with the decision to potentially buy one of two subpar products or one ridiculously priced but excellent product. Now that I have a Beagle, my view of both the CMs and Mega House products has dropped. Having said all that, the Beagle wasn’t perfect but it was a really promising first toy in the line. It’s a shame the line will never be complete, I know many of us were looking forward to owning all of them.
NOTE: January 26, 2009 – This review has been updated, additional pics were added
NOTE: August 17, 2009 – Thirs review has been updated, content and Toynami specific pictures were added.
Original post date: January 23, 2009
micronian said,
January 23, 2009 at 6:36 am
NOTE: I need to get out of town for the weekend so I didn’t have a chance to finish editing a few pics for this post. I will update this post on Monday when I return with more pictures (if you have any special requests, let me know). There’s a lot here so let me know if you see any mistakes/typos so I can fix them when I do the update on Monday.
troy said,
January 23, 2009 at 7:19 am
Very honest review,you,re right about it becoming a sloppy and dificult toy with transformation-ultimatly a display piece.
I noticed you didn,t mention the cloth attachment to the shoulder (or lack of)
thanx
AcroRay said,
January 23, 2009 at 8:25 am
Wow. Just… wow.
These are dark days for collectors’ wallets!
fifbeat said,
January 23, 2009 at 9:14 am
Once again! Great job! =)
Darrin Geisinger said,
January 23, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Great review with the short time you had.
Quick thoughts (although I have only pre-ordered the Toynami version – waiting)
1. The throat screw hole seems unacceptable in a toy of this cost. If this is a high priced display piece I do not want them all looking like they have throat cancer.
2. As you suggested I think a spandex, more clingy material would have been much better. It bunches and wrinkles and makes the figure look too doll-like.
3. I don’t like the crotch guard. It needs a slim piece that goes around to the back. In your great comparison pic I liked all other offerings better in this area. Privates need protection in combat, and it would look better.
4. I wish Toynami would use a darker red and more clingy fabric, less bright white plastic and a few other tweaks, but I suppose these are set in stone already.
Love the Gallant strapped on the back in rider mode – looks awesome! Can’t wait to see the rest of your pics.
Darrin Geisinger said,
January 23, 2009 at 2:15 pm
– Also, Yacolog details covering the armor inside crotch screw to prevent scratching, you might want to detail that here as well – thanks.
simonbelmont said,
January 24, 2009 at 1:14 am
Great review. I just got this toy and I must say I am really impressed. I do agree with Darrin Geisinger’s first point about the screw on his neck. I could have been placed in the back….maybe there’s a way to cover it up.
Other than that, suck it up gentlemen, this toy is delicious. Skip out on a few nights at the bar and you’re set!!!
MisterRyno said,
January 25, 2009 at 9:40 pm
EXCELLENT review!!! But honestly…..I did not expect anything less. I sooooo want to get a Beagle or maybe even a Toynami version. I just cannot see spending that amount of dough on one. Especially since I am trying to collect the v.2 1/60 VF-1 line. THANKS for the great review mate.
N I N J A
micronian said,
January 27, 2009 at 7:31 am
Post has been updated with several new pics. Darrin, I wasn’t quite sure which screw was outlined as being a potential scratching problem in the yacolog post, did I just skim too quickly past the pic? I saw a few complaints from people who had a hard time extending the boosters from the wheels for the first time, some had to use tools, I too had a very difficult time but managed to pop it free without any tools.
Vostok 7 said,
January 27, 2009 at 8:43 am
Here’s the Yacolog post about the screw:
http://wildcats.pupui.jp/mt/archives/2009/01/sneak_review_pa_5.html
Vostok 7
vladykins said,
January 27, 2009 at 2:01 pm
DAMN YOU! Here I had convinced myself not to spend money on this, but now I want one. Love the pict of the Beagle running over the CMS and Megahouse offerings. And Pepsi Max is delicious- got addicted to it on trips to Europe years ago and was glad when it finally came to the states.
Darrin Geisinger said,
January 27, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Here’s the link for the screw scratching issue:
http://wildcats.pupui.jp/mt/archives/2009/01/sneak_review_pa_5.html
WOW – did he replace the chest lights on his Gakken with translucent plastic? That mod looks great.
Loved your pic of the Beagle plowing over the CMs and MH. But again the fabric, especially around the knee, looks terrible. Is the stitching messed up there too? I see white along the seam.
We’ll be seeing people replace this fabric with something better I suppose. There’s a million-to-one chance Toynami may before they release their version. My mother-in-law sews but the embarrassment of asking for her help may outweigh the benefit.
micronian said,
January 27, 2009 at 8:36 pm
Corrected the picture with the Mega House and CMs being trampled to correct the scales. Also updated the title of this post to correct the model type (sorry if I broke any links out there).
Thanks guys for posting the link to Yacolog, great comparison pics there also.
The fabric isn’t really messed up on the seams per se but a little white does show through on some of the stitches (much less noticeable in person than it is in pictures). The knees being bent as far as possible makes managing the fabric a bit more difficult, I’m sure some people handy with the various materials out there will come up with better solutions.
fifbeat said,
January 27, 2009 at 9:58 pm
Do you have a picture of all versions of this toy in full armor mode. Kind of like Beagle%20VR-52%204.jpg, but fully equipped.
micronian said,
January 30, 2009 at 2:22 am
Yes ftfbeat, I do… I have lots more comparison pics. Some day I’ll do a separate post to compare them all like I did with the VF-1 toys.
SDFcommander said,
January 31, 2009 at 5:57 am
micronian,
Nice review as always!
I have the Toynami one on pre-order and now more than ever I can’t wait to get it.
I love the look of the book style case for the Toynami.
Regarding the screw hole in the neck. Do you need to loosen it for anything?
I was thinking of taking a little of the styrofoam from the packing, cutting it into a little circle sticking it in the hole and painting it the same color as the rest of the neck.
If I don’t need access to the hole, I”l just glue it in place.
With all the thought and detail they obviously put in the toy, it is odd that the would not give the same thought to the screw hole or at least cover it.
Bluto said,
February 1, 2009 at 1:37 am
And still no word on the MPC version.
Thanks for yet another quality post. I have a feeling some of us still-waiting Toynami customers will give up and import the Beagle.
micronian said,
February 1, 2009 at 3:03 am
At this point, if you’re okay with the darker visor and different head sculpt, and you live in the USofA, there’s not much of a reason to seek out the Beagle. From what I understand the Toynami will be shipping very soon and can be had for $50+ less than I paid for my Beagle.
SDF-Commander, you can easily plug that hole in the neck in a number of ways. I like your idea of inserting a bit of painted styrofoam. I’m sure there are a great many ways you can reduce the impact of the neck hole and many of them wouldn’t require permanent alteration of the toy.
Subcommand said,
February 2, 2009 at 4:36 am
Micronesian,
Thanks man. I can’t wait to get mine. In the mean time please keep those updates coming and thanks for posting about this and the other AMAZING stuff in your collection.
Until I get my hands on my own MPC Cyclone, I’m living vicariously through you and your collection
Darrin Geisinger said,
February 25, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Can I say that just folding out the foot stands had me saying “wow”? The mechanism for the footstands is impressive for gosh-sakes!
The Galant rifle; the awesome strap with metal rings, the thumb power up switch – the detail is awesome. The way the materials feel in your hand! The plastics feel and look great, very low shine.
The neck screw-hole did not bother me as much as I thought it would.
BADS; front missile launchers flop out of place, windshield going cookoo if I breath while holding it, wish they could have made small yellow plastic lights (like the turn signals) to go into the boot lights. They would have had to make a small depression for it but it would have looked much better than the yellow paint and covered the seam there.
And face sculpts? Who cares with this dark face shield! It looks so great with it down I will likely never display it otherwise.
Hiriyu said,
February 26, 2009 at 8:07 am
A couple of things you may want to note for your next update, Jenius:
I have the Toynami version, and it says in the packaging that it is actually limited to 3000 units, rather than 10K.
Also, from your review – “Obviously the plaque on the Toynami display stand will reference Robotech rather than Genesis Climber Mospeada”
The Toynami actually uses the same plaque on the stand. What’s also kind of interesting (but not really, hehe) is that the manual for the Toynami uses all of the same pictures as the regular Beagle, even down to the pictures of the extra head. They also left some Japanese text in random spots in the instructions.
I love this toy, and am happy to report that the helmeted head is nice and tight, not at all floppy.
alpha bravo said,
March 25, 2009 at 8:11 pm
Do the chest compartments open up to reveal the missiles inside?
I haven’t seen any pics here or on the links that has them opening.
That’s one aspect that looks better on the megahouse. Other than that
this looks pretty impressive. Even at $200 a pop I want a full set!
micronian said,
March 27, 2009 at 7:02 am
I’m afraid you’re getting your ride armors all mixed up. Scott’s/Stick’s doesn’t have missiles in the chest compartments, all he has is a targeting scope that synchs with the missiles on his gauntlets. It was Yellow who has the missiles inside his armor’s chest pieces (as evidenced by the Mega House toy and I’m sure will also be the case on the Beagle). There was one piece of art, I believe done by Paladium, that shows a Scott ride armor with chest missiles but it looks awkward, it’s not canon, and the missiles launch straight up instead of being angled forward.
Martín Belizan said,
August 18, 2009 at 10:13 pm
Hello!, i already buy the cyclone (toynami version) but don’t have the limited edition number on the ride!
Martín Belizan said,
August 19, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Sorry, my mistake was, last night reviewed the toy, and has the numbers, never saw it before,
Heli said,
August 20, 2009 at 6:24 pm
I finally got one of these (Toynami version) and I noticed something in the review:
“The hand that holds the gun doesn’t grip the gun tightly enough…”
In your pics, you’re using the Gallant-holding hand on the gun. There’s a different hand for the larger rifle that has the trigger finger curled, and it seems to do a fine job holding the gun.
Brad said,
April 10, 2010 at 5:36 pm
Why pay that much for something that is not very good. I don’t care for it. I thought that the original concept was. Much nicer. It had that bulk to it that would’ve looked great with a gakken collection. When fans look at the animation they can notice that mecha bulk that looks and just kicks ass. This toy looks like a doll in cheap plastic with throat cancer.
Mospeada junkie said,
July 20, 2010 at 6:45 pm
I hope to one day have one of these Beagle figures (don`t care which LOL).
Currently got around 20x CM Corps 1/18th ones, so could have bought one or more before LOL
Gotta love the 1/18th CM Corps ones but these Hell Yea are truely the pinnicle of Mospeada goodness.