The Rabbit Haul

Not too long ago, Sen-Ti-Nel released Gurren Lagann in their RIOBOT line. Gurren Lagann is a mecha from the titular Gainax anime – Gurren Lagann. Here is the review.

Gurre

Figure: I think the first impression that people get, once the figure is in their hands, is that Gurren Lagann is surprisingly light; it feels very delicate – like a model kit. There is absolutely no die-cast in this figure. People will then notice Sen-Ti-Nel’s immaculate attention to detail. Gurren Lagann is beautiful despite taking a stylistic design with the mecha. The paint scheme is crisp, as the color choices are solid. The next thing that people notice is the unique engineering of the articulation points. Not only do the traditional body parts move, there are also deliberate functions that hide joints as well. If the knee is bent, a thigh panel will slide over the kneecap – brilliant. If you want to further tighten the legs and have Gurren Lagan kneel, the shin can also crumple in to do this; I always want this in my action figures. Another example of this is with the elbows; if the elbows are bent, a separate panel falls to conceal the joint-work. What’s even crazier is that Gurren Lagann’s torso-face is surprisingly emotable (for a face on a figure’s torso). Not only does the mouth open and close, the pupils move too. Oh, did I mention that the side skirts can move around freely? Before I run out of breath and claim that Gurren Lagann has the best articulation I’ve ever seen… I do have three minor points of contention: 1) the arms can’t cross, 2) there’s no toe-bend, and 3) the neck doesn’t tilt upwards enough. These are really minor complaints, but they are legit. Lastly, I thought that the figure was stronger than it felt, but I found out the hard way that it is actually pretty fragile. I don’t know how it happened, but the flaming skulls pop off the shoulders every time I stare at them. I also think that the face could have been sculpted better.

Accessories: Despite being packaged in a giant box, there aren’t as many accessories as you would think. First, there are eight hands, that are nicely sculpted with paint work on them, as well as an alternate screaming head – standard fare. Next, there’s a pair of alternate wrist guards that have drills on them. Along with these items are three arm drills: two of them are the same size and the third is a longer thin one. The torso sunglasses can be removed, so that Gurren Lagann can toss one of two (or both) sunglass boomerangs. Finally, there’s a set of wings that clips to the figure’s back panel, and it’s articulated through the roof; this thing is amazing and even has a thruster that extends out. That’s it for the main accessories… to me, the real star of the show is the figure stand. It isn’t very different from what we’ve seen in the past except for the clear glossy piece of plastic that acts as a reflective surface. Though it’s extremely modular and versatile, the glass-like surface seals the high-end package.

Overall: Though the price may seem steep for most people, I find it appropriate for the level of craftsmanship shown with this product. Both the figure is awesome and the accessories are great. Besides a Giga Drill and a transformable head, what more can you realistically expect for a figure of this price range? Though I can’t find what Gurren Lagann’s actual height is supposed to be, it won’t feel out of scale with most Super Robot Chogokin figures either. If you can find one at an affordable price, you’re really not going to be disappointed with this purchase.

Buy It:  Amazon |  BigBadToyStore

CookSux

CookSux owns, curates, and is the head writer of The Rabbit Haul. CookSux also co-hosts The Andy and Harrison Show featuring Harrison and Andy, a podcast that can be found on iTunes. CookSux is a mod at TFW2005 and TokuNation... jeeze, what doesn't he do?

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