SSSS.DYNAZENON THE GATTAI Gridman Universe & Big Goldburn
Thank goodness this one didn't have shipping issues like the last Goldburn set. In fact, I got an email a week out saying exactly when it would ship, and it arrived before the tracking number could even update. That's pretty good service if you ask me, especially compared to last time.
Oh, and I really enjoyed the crossover film. It basically gave us everything you'd want from this type of thing; catching up with the characters post-series, lots of fun character moments between the casts, previous villains playing heroic roles, every single possible robot combination you might want, just a lot of fun overall.
The Good: Gridman Universe is a decent upgrade to its previous incarnations. While it looses a bit of posability, it has ratcheted shoulders to help support the weight of the larger arms. The hands are also easier to swap, and they fixed the issue with the chest gem by giving it a release button on the back of the figure.
Big Goldburn is a bit of a brick, but has a few articulated areas. He's got arms, fingers and toes, wings, a bit of neck and tail, and a mouth (though its on the same joint as the neck, so it clashes). Also, when you spin the shoulders, the internals and tips spin in the opposite direction.
And Rouge Kaiser Gridman is very cool. It feels a lot more solid than its Gridknight counterpart, with the tail also serving to tripod the unit if need be (though it doesn't need it).
The Bad: While Gridman's new shoulders do help hold everything up better than its predecessors, I do find it to be a little under-powered. They hold a pose well, but if you start moving the figure, they will shift around. There are some weird transformation ideas that feel like they're there for longevity's sake, but they do seem and feel a bit odd at first. And this may just be a thing with international shipments, but the instructions seem to imply the chest piece is supposed to come with batteries (it is illustrated with a pulltab), but in practice has none. It required 3 LR44s, but it's important to note that those batteries have multiple names and can vary by brand, so have your phone out while shopping in-store for them.
Overall, while I can try and nitpick this kit, it's a fantastic addition to both the DX Gridman and The Gattai lines. It does a great job trying to adjust to the failings of its predecessors, and gives me high hopes for the Full Power Gridman V2 releasing later this year. I've got my nose to the ground trying to track down Full Power Gridknight (since I missed the preorder window on that one), so hopefully we'll get to talk about that one soon, too.
