Last Modified: 2015-12-07
First Posted: 2008-06-08
Back when this set came out (late 2002, along with Redhorn and Deathsaurer), it was quite a big deal, especially for clear-obsessed me. Now, with Hasbro’s holotechs, and the Genesis DVD set limiteds, it’s almost commonplace. I still love them, though. (These were never officially known as “crystal” zoids, but the name stuck.)
In celebration of Toys R Us Japan’s 15th anniversary (October 2006), Tomy released an entirely clear Gojulas! The gearbox, battery covers and even the light are all clear. Best of all, I get another clear pilot, which means another mini-micronaut! I wish the original Z-point giveaways (don’t call ’em crystal!) were this complete in their clearness. Proper pics to come (someday) are finally here. Last three are keychain LED-enhanced!
To get this guy, you had to buy each of the three Genesis DVD box sets (which each came with a clear hero liger, and cost around $300), then send the proofs of purchase off. Or wait until they hit Yahoo Japan (much cheaper!). The best part of this one (for me) is the clear pilot. I’ve wanted one of those forever! I also got some fun night/blacklight shots.
I got this when it came out in 2000, back when I was a n00b and didn’t trim stickers.
I got this from Claire over at kitty-bot. In the anime, this version of Gorhecks was part of the Peace Keeping Bureau, aka the Po-lice. Its mold was modified to allow a siren piece to go on top. It’s a nice touch.
Identical to the NJR version (RZ-070), with the addition of two new guns. The fuzors version also comes with an incredibly rubbery (yukk) anime pilot figure. Alteka from kitty-bot sent me some extra “new” guns, so I could double up the firepower! Also, I took off the “opposable thumbs” and bulky forearm armor, because I think it looks much better that way.
Soul Tiger is what Rayse Tiger should have been, all with the backpack and the tubes and such. They rewired it so that the lights are controlled by the backpack instead of the motor switch, so that means good pics of the light up action! Also, check him out under the blacklight!
The reissue no one thought would happen. The stickers were a lot higher quality than usual—very thin and nicely trimmed. That didn’t stop me from messing up the cockpit one TWICE, though. Check out my cat Dora hanging out on Gildy’s shelf.
Last 4 pics: While most people prefer the original Gilvader’s colors and horns, I really like the white/blue. Just in case anyone hasn’t seen Gildy with the old horns, here ya go.
Reissued by Wave, and nearly identical to the OJR, but much much cheaper (at least when it first came out). This one is near impossible to shoot, as you can tell. I’ll try to get the lighting up action sometime soon. Watch out for sunlight, as this one likes to turn yellow (GRRR).
I had an OJR, got tired of it (and needed money), sold it, regretted it, then got this bargain priced reissue. The original had magenta caps and blue clear bits. Earlier this week I finally summoned the energy required to do the panel lining and detailing that was so badly needed. Before, the undercarriage was just a solid lump of grey, and you couldn’t see any of the details. I also broke out the weathering markers to dirty up the armor, and hide the fact that it was starting to show sun-discoloration.
The hero of the /Zero anime, and probably Tomy’s biggest cash cow, what with all the variants and CAS (changing armor system) units that have been made. I originally amassed four ligers—one for each CAS, and one to be “stock”—but the thought of building four sets of those complex legs (with individual claws) was too much, and I sold off the extras.
(Spoiler alert! It’s not real.)
Deep within the mists of time (early 2001), there was an auction of a bunch of loose Zoids and Robo Strux kits. Most were in pretty bad shape and the only picture was of the whole lot of them just laying on the scanner. And the quality/resolution: not so good. But there was a curious item—a Reptex, but with faction-switched colors! The bidding went fast and furious (there was also a Cosmozoid in the lot) and quickly reached a price beyond my funding.
A friend of mine who was also outbid ended up contacting the winner and asking about the mystery Zoid. It turns out it was just an OJR Gator that had been left in the sun. Myth: BUSTED!
