Review: Why Gluu Ger? Why not!
Packaging & Extras: (3.5/5) +.5 for retail releases
This review is beginning with the Adam pilot figure that was meant to be included with preordered Battlepod figures but took an extra year to bake. Adam comes in a small (15.7 x 10 x 5 cm) un-decorated cardboard box. The first retail Seth figure also shipped in a brown box and was available as version “1” which is metallic or version “2” which has the matte finish as indicated by a sticker on the box. A small black sticker on the box indicates the figure’s name. The sticker on all Adam figures indicate that it is “Not for Sale” while all other versions are labeled “Special Version”. I believe “Special Version” simply means it’s the first run intended primarily for Kickstarter backers. There’s not a lot of packaging to judge but at least it’s efficient. Inside the box is a tray that includes the figure and:
1) Helmeted head
2) Visor
3) Neutral Expression face for use with helmet
4) An alternate expression face for use with helmet (Adam gets a grimace)
5) Skull for use with helmet
6) Jaw strap of helmet (to complete the helmeted look if you’re not using the visor)
7) Rifle with strap
8) 2 pairs of hands (gripping and fists)
There’s a silica gel pack thrown in to keep things fresh and instructions tucked in behind the tray. There are enough accessories here to add to your display/play options and nothing obvious missing.
Later releases were sold either as a 6-pack or individually. This six-pack was provided to Kickstarter pledgees that ordered the 5 figure Gluu Ger set (or 10 figure complete set) so pledgees received one more figure than expected! The six-pack is packaged in a box with custom artwork on top that opens to reveal six individual boxes within. Unlike the Adam or Seth figures, each retail Gluu-Ger comes in a finished box made of very thin but glossy cardboard with a Zentraedi logo on the front. Pilot boxes are the same down to the UPC, differentiated only by a sticker on the front letting you know what’s inside. It would have been nice if there was also a sticker on top so you would know which pilot you were removing from the six-pack container. Depending on how you store your figures, you may wish the sides also had stickers indicating the contents.
All pilots come with everything from the Adam/Seth figures as well as:
9) A micronized version of the pilot
The Ace and Bolt figures come with a micronized version of the pilot in the seated position in a baggy stapled behind the plastic tray. The spies: Rico, Konda, and Bron, are stored behind the backpack, accessed by removing the figure from the front of the tray. The spy figures are standing wearing their makeshift clothing. The inclusion of the micronized figures is a very nice bonus.
Ace, Bolt, and Konda came with two copies of the same helmeted face expression rather including an alternate expression. There is a picture on the KitzConcept website that shows Konda with what looks like a surprised or scared face so it’s possible that I have a packing QC issue on that figure and should have received an alternate expression.
Curiously, the sixth ‘bonus’ figure was not a Gluu Ger figure at all; it was a metallic version of Breetai, one of the Serau Ger figures, which I’ll discuss in the Serau Ger review. This is particularly strange since there are SEVEN Gluu Ger variants (Adam, Ace, Bolt, Seth, Rico, Konda, Bron). Since Adam seems to have been intended as the Battlepod bonus, a matte or metallic Seth seemed the obvious choice as a ‘bonus’ Gluu Ger. Since it is a bonus figure, no one will complain regardless!
The original store listing of Wave 1 of the 10th Anniversary of KitzConcept special color releases made it sound like these figures would be sold as blind-box sets where you might get one of any of the three variants but they were ultimately only available as a three figure set sold in special packaging with an outer sleeve with custom artwork (a wider version of the Serau Ger six-pack art). When you remove the sleeve, a prominent window shows off the bold take on these figures. The text on the back of the box is awkwardly cut-off. Though the listing references exclusive accessories for the first 300 buyers, the standard accessories included are slightly less than you receive in standalone Gluu Ger or Serau Ger figures. The red Gluu Ger and Serau Ger figures come with the skull behind the lowered visor but do not include the other two faces for use with the helmet nor do they include a micronized figure. Khyron is packaged with his helmet-less head installed and includes only one helmeted face option, no skull or smirk faces. Behind the tray is a baggy containing a normal Bolt head and an Ace head that looks he’s wearing make-up.
Charm & Collectability: (2.5/5)
To receive your Battlepod preorder bonus Adam figure, reach out to KitzConcept and request that they ship your pilot figure. You will have to pay for shipping and tariffs where applicable. Since the item and box are so small, I suggest you wait and bundle this item with another purchase.
If you’re worried about the weight of this figure making your battlepod tip over more easily, don’t be, it weighs only 25 grams. This figure is about 11.3 cm tall. A Zentran is typically described as 5 times the size of a human. If the average male is 1.77 meters, the average Zentran is 8.85 making the figure about 1/78 scale which is within the margin of error (at this size) of 1/72… so honestly, not bad. Unfortunately, the Zentraedi in Robotech (and SDF Macross) are usually depicted as being closer to VF-1 size. If a human male can be 2 meters tall than a Zentraedi could be 10 meters tall which might be close enough for some depictions. Indeed, later Macross sequels rounded the Zentran height to 10 meters. Unfortunately, the Zentraedi mecha canon measurements make no sense with 10 meter tall (sometimes larger based on individual bios of soldiers like Khyron and Breetai). All this is to say is that just about everyone who sees this figure next to any toy will yell “That’s way too small!” and they will be right… but KitzConcept appears to have gone off of the posted official measurements which is generally what we want toy companies to do. That said, if your display case only has battlepods and soldiers in it, they will pair very well together.
Future collectability may vary by figure. Generic soldiers, Adam, Seth, Bolt, and Ace may not be as sought after as the figures for the spies seen and named in the show. Since Rico, Konda, and Bron were in the show and this is the first action figures of those characters, I would guess they’ll be the most popular.
For the 10th Anniversary of KitzConcept, they released special color versions of three figures and teased additional ‘special color’ variants that would be released as future ‘waves’. The listing also teased that the first 300 would come with an additional accessory but it’s not clear what that was. Wave 2 was teased as a silver Rex figure with a leatherette cape and light and heavy soldiers wearing white. Battelpods in similar colors are also possible.
Sculpt, Detail, & Paint: (9/10)
I would score this figure higher but there’s bound to be one significant point of contention, the colors chosen, particularly the metallic colors of some versions. The metallic paints are attractive, but they clash with the concept of a purely military culture race. While the poor color conversions of the original show make it tough to judge, it feels like the armor should be a de-saturated pink on purple with the purple so de-saturated that it’s almost gray. It looks like KitzConcept may have already taken this feedback with some versions having matte colors. While you may disagree with the colors, there’s no denying that the paint details on the figure carry over the superb work KitzConcept did on their battlepods and VF-1 figures. There are numerous emblems and accents painted on the figure, even some very fine Zentraedi writing on the chest, and I witnessed no visible flaws. Even the faces feature fine eyebrows and eyes looking worlds better than the toys from my childhood.
Colors aside, KitzConcept clearly studied the line art very closely when creating this figure. Perhaps too closely but I’ll get to that more in the articulation section.
Design: (6/10)
As articulation is scored separately, there are three primary element to this figure’s design:
1) Hand swapping: If you look closely, you can see the peg is a separate part from the rest of the hand but they’re glued together during assembly. If the parts weren’t glued, the hands would have an additional wrist hinge. Instead, the peg has a ring that allows it to lock into the forearm while still being able to rotate 360 degrees.
2) Head swapping: The figure comes with several heads that work with the helmet. The various heads pop-off and peg into place easily. The visor on the helmet is a little trickier to remove and install due to the thinness of the pegs but it works well. Be careful with the lower edge of the visor, a separate part that emulates the visor being slid up into the helmet, as it’s a very small and thin part that could easily be lost or damaged.
3) Battlepod cockpit fit: That conversation begins with scale. The Battlepod is 1/72 scale by canon Robotech measurements or 1/60 scale by canon Macross specifications. As mentioned previously, the KitzConcept figures are about 1/78 scale if we use the smallest possible ‘average’ Zentraedi height using the ‘5 x’ human rule. If we use the 10 meter measurement, these figures are 1/88 scale (which is perfect for Hi-Metal R). If you think a Zentraedi should be about the same height as a VF-1, you’re going to need to find some 1/112 figures to display this with. All that is to say, the figures are smaller than they appeared in the show to fit into the Battlepod that is smaller than it appeared in the show.
When it’s time to put the pilot in the cockpit, you’re going to need to remove the holster from the belt, revealing a connection point that then allows you to remove the belt entirely. Store this part for later. Now scrunch the figure into the fetal position and reverse birth him into the cockpit. It’s not an easy experience but I was able to put the figure in, put his hands on the controls, and close the cockpit without any parts falling off. Does it seem like he’s too big for the cockpit? Yes. If your dream was to show your Battlepod with the front open and the pilot looking cool or menacing inside, that’s not going to happen, he will look cramped and unnatural. His head will be cocked downward but it’s easy to imagine that he’d be looking at the controls. Having the figure hidden in the cockpit isn’t as fun as all the coming out or going in poses you can do.
Durability & Build: (7.5/10)
As mentioned above, the largest area of concern is the lower frame of the visor which is a very small and delicate part. Otherwise, the toy feels very solid. The plastic is a little soft, the joints creaky, but nothing felt on the edge of snapping. I have seen some complaints that the crotch armor flap can fall off a little too easily but mine performed well, only popping off when I was struggling with a particular pose. While the paint color and sheen might not be for everyone, I had no complaints about the quality of application.
Articulation: (7.5/10)
The head is a ball joint allowing 360 rotation, excellent head cocking, and about 45 degrees of upward title and maybe 20 degrees down. Shoulders are a double ball joint with a short distance between them allowing the base of the shoulder to pivot within the torso a small amount and the arm to rotate a full 360 degrees though there’s very little ability to twist the arm at the shoulder. When starting with the hand next to the hip, the arm can be raised about 75 degrees, not quite horizontal to the ground. While the elbow joint is round, the ability to bend the elbow relies on a curve in the forearm directly below it. This means you can rotate the large elbow pad behind the arm but the arm will no longer be able to bend at the elbow. At its optimal point, the elbow can bend 90 degrees. Hands attach via peg allowing them to spin freely 360 degrees. A ball joint mid torso allows the figure to crunch forward, lean to either direction, and even rotate a full 360 degrees. The waist acts like a hinge allowing the toy to crunch deeper into the fetal position for access into the cockpit. The ball joint hips allow the legs to go about 90 degrees back before they run into the butt and do ballerina kicks that are nearly a full 180 degrees forward. While twisting the leg at the hip is very limited, the figure is capable of deep splits with the legs going about 80 degrees outward. A double-jointed knee allows the leg to bend about 120 degrees. The major shortcoming of these figures is their ankles. The ankle is covered by the boot and the foot’s natural resting position is a downward pointed toe that causes the figure to topple backward. You can place the toy on a solid surface and press firmly down on it to get the foot too lay level. The heel remains fixed while the toe adds the ability to point downward. Highly articulated feet are key to a wide variety of poses so I was surprised to see them so limited here, especially when the boot cover could have been easily flared a bit more to allow for a ball-jointed foot.
Total Score: (36/50)
While I know most people will have problems with the size of this figure, it’s the lack of a ball-jointed foot that I believe is the biggest issue. If we accept that KitzConcept used the stated dimensions instead of the depiction in the show, then the size issue is minor and likely has more to do with the design of the Battlepod and how little room is available for a pilot figure. To get the most mileage out of your figure, you won’t be hiding it entirely in the cockpit; you’ll at least want the cockpit cracked open so it’s clear the pilot is there, which makes the crazy tight fit less of an issue. If you’re not posing your Battlepod with other toys, then the scale issues go away and the pilot figure adds a lot of fun options to your display.