01.12.10

CMs Upgraded Brave Gohkin 1/48 Legioss & Tread (Eta)

Posted in 1/48, Alpha/Legioss, CMs, MOSPEADA/RT New Gen, Tread/Tlead/Beta at 7:39 am by micronian

Observations & Critique: Lipstick on a Pig

I’m pretty sure that CMs was just stuck with some backstock so they made some upgrade parts to clear out the inventory.  The original toy and packaging is unchanged, in fact the upgrade parts aren’t even in the box, they’re just an extra box provided with your purchase of the original Legioss/Tread.  The improved parts are pictured below and, from left to right top to bottom consist of: magazine for large gun, two fixed posed trigger hands, new chest intakes with more line art accurate openings, replacement missiles for the Tread’s chest (A), scope for standard gun, replacement missiles for the Tread’s chest (B), replacement chest cover for Tread (A), Legioss/Tread connection cradle, replacement chest cover for the Tread (B), and Big Friggin’ Gun.  Not included are instructions on how to upgrade the toy.

I suppose these upgrade parts are more collectable than the original version of the toy.  Very few stores elected to carry these upgrade parts so they’ve been fairly hard to come across.  In fact, the one store owner I spoke to about these parts indicated that he felt they were somewhat insulting to purchasers of the original toy.  I think most people would prefer the upgraded toy to the original though so take that for what it’s worth.

Interestingly enough, the upgrade parts don’t have the Mars Base icon so it seems to me they were made to be generic.  The upgraded intakes for the Legioss toy are a huge but superficial improvement.  The upgrade chest area for the Tread is more functional and seems to help create a bit more room for the Legioss’ arms in combined fighter mode.  No, the BFG inlcuded is not from the original series, it’s from this piece of art that CMs was clearly trying to emulate (see last pic in this review).

The originally designed linkage for these toys left a lot to be desired.  The major draw for many people to this release will be the improved connection.  As you can see in the picture below… the connection isn’t that miraculously improved.  The provided black cradle attaches to the connecting boom in such a way that it locks the Tread in place.  The Tread being locked really assists in shimmying the Legioss closer to it and keeping the arms in a fairly elevated position which does help also.  Sure, the side view shown here doesn’t look all that great but I felt there was a marked improvement… but still a long way off from the Toynami connection.  The fixed posed gun-gripping hands also now manage a death grip on their weapons so no more problems with the toy dropping the gun every time you bump it.

Installation of the upgrade parts is very straight forward.  Starting with the Tread, simply install the four screws under the chest cavity.  The chest bay missiles and door are locked in place by pressure so they easily swap out.  The Legioss intakes require the removal of three screws, two to open the chest area and a third to remove the intake from it’s housing. These toys are incredibly well built and I didn’t feel at all concerned at any point that I was on the verge of breaking the toy.

There’s no improvement in articulation over the original toy.  Please check out the original reviews.

So, is it worth junking your original release and picking up one with upgrade parts?  Judging by the value these toys demand on the secondary market, you’d have to suffer a huge loss to sell the one you have even if you could find an upgrade version at a reasonable price.  Sure, I did it, but I bleed HBT (and if you don’t get the reference, then don’t buy this toy).

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