Type-Zero comments

Revoltech is slowly building up steam on the local scene. The local specialty shop has always been a few weeks (if not a whole month) late with getting in the latest releases but they're doing better and have even been ordering in multiple boxes of each. Yesterday afternoon I finally got my grubby paws on one of my all-time favourite mecha: the Shinohara Heavy Industries "Type-Zero" from the Patlabor movie.

I have mixed feeling about this toy however. My first 3-dimensional encounter with this mecha was back when the movie first came out (well, not really, but close to anyway): it was a Bandai model kit in the vein of their 1/100 scale Gundam kits, except it was labeled as 1/60 because Patlabor mecha are intended to be much smaller machines. Well, I like to think I did a pretty good job on it. But the limitations of the kit were obvious... for once thing, you couldn't built it in just any action pose a large number of the joints were either impractical or were simply fixed in a straight position.

Anyway, so now I finally have a multi-jointed Type-Zero... but it doesn't quite work the same way as Kaiyodo's "Ingram" pieces. The first obvious tweak is that the sculpt has a "T-crotch" instead of a "V-crotch." That means you can't easily spread-eagle the legs. Maybe it's my imagination, but it seemed the Ingram model could achieve more dynamic poses... And I'm a little disappointed with the head which by nature of its sculpt and the typical Revoltech neck-joint makes for a very awkward look: his head doesn't really turn, but sort of tilts... as if asking me a question. It's hard to explain.

On the plus column, the shield is lovely and is able to handle the "anime-magic" by being somewhat adjustable (it's attached via yet another Revoltech joint). And it does come with brand new hands sculpted just for this piece (including extras for "attack" mode, etc). Very nice.

...just wish that picture turned out a little better: the angle makes him like a bit like a midget! :)