Restoration - KO Oversize Shadow Dagwon (Brave/Yuusha Series)

Gotten this oversize KO Shadow Dagwon set (and comes with some fire-able missiles!) some time ago... very happy then, as I missed out buying a mini Kabaya-style (snap assembly) version of it while I was in Thailand for my reservist some years ago (still kicking myself in the butts whenever I think of it)...



...and after some touching up, the figures are quite playable, and decided to give a super quick review here...




Dag Shadow
A triple changer, Dag Shadow is oversized to roughly same height as Thunder Baron (robot mode). The colours are quite similar to the real one, but the stickers are modified too cheesy, so I took out most of the stickers, which I slightly regretted as now the gestalt mode looks a bit plain... The beast mode has a hollow back and hollow hind legs exposed, weird but still ok. Articulation is only the front limbs swivel, and the head and neck do allow some poses when swiveled. Mouth cannot open though. Wings can flap.


Jet mode - There is a slight gap at the back of the jet, but too lazy to fix it. Sigh, should not have removed the wings' stickers... Anyway, I mis-transformed: the robot arms should be folded more backwards so that they won't be seen from front. No landing gears/wheels, so the canopy droop down when placed on a surface. The main wings look small in jet mode but big in gestalt mode.


Robot mode - The front canopy is plugged onto the back (at the side of the beast's neck), and now it acts as a sheath containing a yellow sword. Swiveling articulation possible for the head, shoulders, elbows and feet. Other than these, he is basically a big block, but very nice aesthetically. The ninja "stockings" are gone in this KO version, thank goodness... But still can't understand why the big elephant symbol on his chest... * Edit: Ok, so it is supposed to be a dragon head...




Guard Hawk
This KO has the wings purple-chromed! The neck of the hawk looks hollow if you push the gestalt head to hide, so I flipped the gestalt head (facing a side) to fill in the gap. Very bad stability, but could also be the looser leg joints for my set... Wings can spread out and flap. Neck has swivel articulation. Do not open the beak too much, else the robot face will be revealed.


Robot mode - Very funny body proportions. He is quite stable due to the long back heel. Articulation is swiveling on his shoulders, hips, knees, and feet. Overall, the weakest of the robot modes, in my opinion, mainly due to the big head and funny body proportions.



Guard Tiger, Guard Wolf
I will review these 2 together, as they are similar with only slight remold differences. There is actually a KO gestalt that has the limbs based on this mold, and I happen to own one ... Hahahaha... Seriously, The pure beasts modes are good, but they are made to carry the big backpack-cannon which might make them look un-beastly...


Beast mode - As mentioned earlier, the beast mode looks very nice. There is only swivel articulation at the joints connecting limbs to body (no knee joints whatsoever for beast mode). Oh, the mouth can open and close. The robot arms are exposed badly (see the white portions in the front legs?)... Same for Guard Wolf.


Robot mode - He comes with a small handgun which I can't figure out a good place to store on the gestalt in combined mode, so might just have to keep them in the bag of miscellaneous. Waist can turn, double-jointed knees but must pull him all the way up to get a good height. The shoulders rotate with elbows swivel. However, when the backpack-cannon is attached to the back, the shoulders are almost locked, leaving only elbows articulation. The cannon can rotate higher if desired. Same for Guard Wolf.


Guard Wolf's pictures here...





Shadow Dagwon
This figure measures 30cm from tip of head to feet! Huge gestalt... The small head is somehow blocked by the dragon/beast head though... He is basically a improved G1-ish gestalt : head can turn 360 degrees, shoulders rotate and arms can move sideways, biceps rotate, elbows bend, fists swivel up/down; but with static legs. Very very nice aesthetically looking gestalt, mainly the jet wings give him a broad upper body look, with a small waist. Arms and legs are chunky, unlike some G1 gestalts with small limbs and slim look (Superion, I am looking at you, hahaha!) The main feature has got to be the big wings that spread behind him, very reminiscence of G1 Predaking, which is also 1 of my favorite gestalt. Yeah, the chest needs some stickers, to break the monotonous blue colour...


The canopy is now stored on his buttock... yeah, right, disgusting...




Overall, I like this oversized KO gestalt VERY VERY VERY MUCH! Hahaha.... So what's next on the restore list? Hmmm... KO shampoo-bottle-plastic Guard Diver!

Some Updates - KO Slipstream, (Authentic) Thunder Baron and Etc...

Was restoring my KO Oversize Shadow Dagwon, and wanted to touch up using a new (brand name is "Uni") violet colour paint-pen... and then realised this is of a darker purple than my other (brand is "Zig") purple, or rather, lavender colour paint-pen... So decided to repaint my KO slipstream for the painted parts to get a closer tone to the original plastic colour... End result - Not exactly very close but better than the previous purple... And quite pleased with the result... Pity my camera could not bring out purple colour properly...



Stickered up my Thunder Baron last night.. Usually these days I don't like to have stickers on my TFs but this one looks "naked"... So, like the KO G1 Mirage, I have to put the stickers on... and now Thunder Baron looks like Thunder Baron finally...



Took a picture of my commemorative Blaster and his KO Kabaya counterpart... My commemorative Blaster has to press the button hard to open the door, but can open, nevertheless... And my little nephew have a fun time playing with this TF and his cassettes soldiers...



Also have restore my Takara TFA Prowl's left hand (he got 2 right arms instead)... But when want to take picture, then realised I had store him in the deep back in the cupboard... and lazy to take him out... hahaha...

Anyway, seems KOToys is winding up their business, and now might just sell the cheaper chinese KOs instead of the bootleg versions... Sigh, though I have not buy from this place for quite some time already, this is nevertheless my 1st place where I purchase my KOs online...

Side-Tracked: Recent Haul of KOs and Such (120) - KO Oversize Henkei Sling, (Authentic?) Ultraman Brothers

Was TF-hunting around Marine Parade area this morning, but it is either no good stuff or lousy price... In the end, managed to picked up these stuff in Parkway Parade...


KO Oversize Henkei Sling
... or Classics minicon Thunderwing, if you prefered... roughly scout size... Gotten in "Comics Connection"... the front canopy (where the fist is near to) is now remolded to flip out using a ball joint, but the motion is too limited to have a proper pose... Think there is also some slight remold in the details... Anyway, the Korean packaging doesn't help, its still the cheap chinese KO... But good enough for me, hahaha!!!!! I love KOs!!!! Hahaha... To be fair, the joints are still not too loose... Intend to make him some proper fists...




Ultraman Brothers
Yeah!!! Very happy when I saw these figures at Action Toyz, finally can get for my 4 year old nephew... Was looking for these figures in a shop selling DVDs at Genting not long ago but was told by the staff that they have ran out of stock... So surprise to find these here at at a (relatively) cheap price too! However, could not find the UltraSeven figure, but should be thankful to found the others... in fact, I bought an extra (original) Ultraman for myself to display... Not sure if these are authentic or bootlegs, as the back of packaging (see last picture) says the company making them ("Ruishi") is given rights by "Chaiyo Productions Co. Ltd", and in front of the packaging shows a copyright sign and Tsuburaya... Anyway, these are fun figures. Press the legs together and the top torso spins... and spins like crazy they do!!!! Hahahaha... Little nephew will be happy... but will give him slowly... hahaha...

(Original) Ultraman


Ultraman Ace


Ultraman Jack


Ultraman Taro


Ultraman Zoffy



Back of the packaging...

Restoration - WST Slag

Yeap, restoration time! This time is the WST Slag, which unlike the original size counterpart, has teeny-weeny removable fists to attach to the front dinosaur legs to become arms in robot mode...



So to avoid the vulnerable fists to disappear and go missing, I decided to make them slidable in and out, like the original counterpart... Crude, but workable! Hahaha...




Robot mode!!!! Nope, no stickers, at most will be making and giving him the eyes-stickers and an Autobot symbol...

Side-Tracked: Recent Haul of TFs (119) - TFA Takara Prowl, DOTM Deluxe Topspin

Went to TRU Forum, Paragon, OG PP, and CSC on Sunday... Sigh.... As usual, not very exciting... In the end, settle for these 2 in CSC, at 2 for $30... And WHAT THE HELL?! Prowl has 2 right arms (and thus fists)!!!! What the... ??!!!!.... sigh... Nevemind, will repair it....

Restoration - KO G1 Mirage, KO (Slightly) Oversize Alternators Rodimus

KO G1 Mirage
Bought a "Fuitty-Tutty" KO G1 Mirage in September last year, so happy... except the weird colours get too uncomfortable, day by day... so decided to repaint it to near to original colours...


So after painting... still needs something... yes, stickers... Oh, please look with eyes half-closed... Painting is horrible, as usual, I know...


Used some Mirage pictures from the internet and edited using MS Word, and printed out the stickers ... Looks good after sticker-ing!...




Stupid blue paint still not fully dried after 4 days... Nevermind, I can wait... hahaha...



KO (Slightly) Oversize Alternators Rodimus
A very nice piece, can't really understand why I don't quite like it in when I bought it... Joints are relatively tight, and is slightly oversized than the original figure (seen somewhere in the internet, can't remember which though...) Some simplifications in the removal of visor, back of robot (car roof) is molded as 1 piece, back of car (with license plate) is to be removed when transforming into robot mode, missing the original gun... not sure if there is any more, since I don't have the original...


Car mode... looks good...




Back of the car... Since it will be very troublesome to make the linkages to connect the back pieces to the robot legs, I decided to make the back of car to become a rifle...


...Rifle barrel and handle can be swiveled out...



Also make the back piece to be foldable into 2 pieces, not very good as there are still protruding parts to prevent the end piece to collapse fully down... anyway, too lazy to redo...


Now Alternators Rodimus has a big rifle to wield...





What to restore next? Hmmm... Should be making sliding fists for my WST Slag... I think...

Edit: Nope, have not began on WST Slag, because have been busy repairing my KO Galaxy Convoy (aka KO Cybertron Optimus Prime), sigh... wanted to just repair the loose legs, then 1 old "wing" joint broke again.. and when I tried to repair it, it crumbles... yes, literally crumbles.. very weak plastic.. in fact, 1 breakage came after another while I was repairing... even till now there is still the 2nd wing joint that broke as I was attempting to put in OP's "backpack" for his super mode... sigh..may do tomorrow, too tired...

Anyway, saw on some TF website there are already KOs of RTS Legends Trailbreaker and Generations Deluxe Warpath, but I just couldn't find in TaoBao... sigh... well, never-mind, see if got any luck to find some legit ones in CSC on Sunday... if going, that is...