I received my KO version of the Fansproject Protector Armor set today - ordered it from a new website to me, Toymoda.com, and the price was very good, the quality is perfectly fine - while I don't have the original set, I know good quality from bad. Speaking of bad quality, please excuse the photos. First off, the set comes in a KO of the Parallax box with the main part of the trailer in a clamshell bubble and the accessories in a joined blister pack under the bubble. The set comes with a KO of what appears to be the Shadow Scyther comic/instructions - the transfer isn't great, but clear enough to act as a vague guide. The accessories include a four part red version of the Shadow Scythe, with silver accents. This is a very nice piece, and a happy surprise as I was not originally expecting this, but found out later from the description of the KO set from another website. The accessories also include the little Targetmaster guy in all black with a red face, the gun extension, the front spoiler and two spoiler add-on fins, and two other things... 001 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! 002 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! I have no honest idea what the other two pieces are - they have two posts and are in black with white paint. They look like they might be add-on fists, but they don't work that way. So for now I'm ignoring them. Trailer: 003 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! The scythe, scout car, Classics Rodimus gun with extension, and targetmaster: 004 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! I had very little problem disassembling the trailor and clipping on the armor, everything went on with little problem - the arms, chest and head fit nice and snug. The leg armor fits pretty well once you clip it on just so, I had no problem with the leg armor staying closed. It kind of wants to fall off a bit, but once you hook the Rodimus leg onto the little tab on the inside part of the leg extension, it's just fine. The spoiler fins in yellow match my Classics Rodimus just fine. It all holds together nice and the hands can hold the Scythe and the Targetmaster, but for some reason they can't hold the original Rodimus gun with the extension - I wonder why? No matter, the extension fits into the trailer and the gun fits on the back as his rocket pack. 005 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! Two handed Scythe: 007 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! The rest of the trailer is left to form a Rodimus Prime style battle station with twin guns, a seat for the Targetmaster, and the scout car as a base. It's not too bad, looks okay and works as a place to put the extra pieces. It's kind of a cheat, but so was the City Commander's huge gun. 006 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! The quality of the plastic feels very good, not brittle or weak - the paint apps are not bad at all, though I suspect some are missing or different. The Protector head looks good with a decent face, usually the main trouble spot in a KO product. I would say that this KO feels more in line with the KO Battle Tanker set - high quality, maybe a couple of ticks lower than the original product, but nothing wrong with the fit, finish, durability or playability. It's easily better than the KO DIA Commander, which is a nice set but has some fit issues in the shoulders particularly. I am thoroughly pleased with the combination of my Classics Rodimus with this add-on set, it really does increase the poseability, weapons and play value, and turns him into a good version of Rodimus Prime. He's still for sale on several sites, so if you're considering getting this guy, I recommend him. Tim "toy geek"
Huh, just found the little flip-out handle on the gun extension that allows him to hold the combined gun in armor mode. That's there too. As are the little teeny handles on the sides of the gun emplacement. Both are not too obvious, but there just the same. Tim
Great review. I think the black and white hand pieces are the "handshake" parts that were included with the original Protector for use with Classics Prime. Would you recommend toymoda.com? I'm looking around at these KOs and am considering buying from them.
Handshake pieces! Makes sense now. I'll never use them, but it's nice that they were included. Thanks for the tip. Toymoda.com was pretty good as far as ordering KO product direct from China. The price was certainly good, no problem paying by PayPal, reasonable shipping charge $20 for EMS. I bought mine in early Sept., and waited for a little while. Meantime, the site stopped working for me - not sure if it was my computer or an outage, but I've ordered direct from China before so I know patience is required. Around the 8th of Oct. I got the site back up, and emailed the contact - Keith at Toymoda was very quick to get back to me with the tracking information I could not access readily (China Post's website is not too easy for English-speaking folks), and he advised my order was in the USA going through Customs. I got my post office notice on the 10th, picked up my order on the 11th. Typical of China orders it was fully enclosed in a fabric envelope I had to cut through, the item was in a shoebox for protection. The box itself was not mint, there was a puncture in the front and one side was a bit squashed. I don't know if that was what I bought or it happened in transit. Of course, this is a KO, so it's not like having a mint box is that big a deal - If I was paying $100 plus for this item, I'd be annoyed. The contents were all perfectly fine, and I'm happy with my purchase and with the site. I'd use them again, and may well do so. I imagine he'd be one of the sites getting that KO Giant set. Tim "toy geek"
Thanks for all the info. It's going to be either this site or Chimungmung when I buy my protector, so all the information you gave is great in helping make my decision.
I think it should - it's pretty much the same exact color as the original release, and I know there are some photos of the original with the BiS Rodimus. Tim
Tried to look into this site to check their stuff. According to my internet this site does not exist. Would you happen to have a link?
I had the same problem off and on after I first ordered, I don't know why it sometimes has trouble with certain browsers. Here's a link right to the Protector KO: TOYMODA.COM - ROBOT IN STOCK Tim "toy geek"
Just ordered this set off ebay for $40 with $15 shipping. Pretty cheap, hope its at least half as good as you say. I was pretty dissapointed by the Ko City Commander Armor, glad the fitting for this set is better
