Well, I know that Bandai's Sentai are not our "typical" Transformers per se, but since I've received those great toys last week, I tought I could share a few comments/short reviews of the latest "Zords" of the next and latest installment of the Sentai Series in Japan: Jyuken Sentai GekiRangers! First in the row is GekiTouja!!

GekiTouja is the amalgam of tree wild(and big!) cats: GekiTiger, GekiCheetah and GekiJaguar. GekiTiger is obviously the biggest of the trio, forming the main torso while in combined giant robot mode. As always, the high quality of Bandai products is there: very sturdy and shiny plastic, top notch paint job, clicking joints, and so on. I'm always impressed with the japanese versions of Megazords.





GekiTiger can open its jaws and the head can rotate up and down. You can clearly see the batteries compartment on its back,wich detracts a little bit from the figure. The front paws does also rotate so that they be fully grounded for stability. The stance is very feline and he looks really mean! All four legs can rotate on a 360 degrees axis and the forelegs can also spread out. The tail is one of the tree elements that, when combined, form the main weapon of Geki Touja. In a typical Sentai fashion, Geki Tiger, leader of this wild squad, is mainly red, with details in black and silver. Length (from snout to tip of the tail): 11"; Height: about 5".



GekiCheetah, on its part, is impressive mostly because is anatomically accurate...even for a "mechanical beast". Threres no confusion here: with its almost royal stance, yet swift design, yellow-orange "fur", green eyes..this is one beautiful cat. He looks like he's on the verge of delivering a lightning fast hit-and-run attack. I like it a lot. I love how they blended the typical cheetah spots on the figure: subtle but very nice. No special gimmicks here except for the fact that the lower jaw opens; the forelegs can rotate a la GekiTiger with one point of articulation on each foreleg "knee". Again, those articulation points are anatomically correct. The head can rotate upward. As with the tiger, Cheetah's tail is part of GekiTouja main weapon. Length(snout to tip of tail): 8.5"; Height(top of the head): 4.5".



Finally, we have GekiJaguar. Just like GekiCheetah, the most noticeable feature of this figure is that it is instantly recognizable for what is is advertised to be. In this case a very nice jaguar. This cat's stance is more horizontal, given the impression of being bulkier and meaner than Cheetah. The darker shade of blue, with touches of black details here and there, gives this cat a very nocturnal vibe. Definitely a night cat here! The addition of a "night vision" visor that can be flipped is a very fun touch. In character, one might says. Same articulation points as the cheetah, plus the neck can move upward: Jaguar can than spots helpless victims hidden in nearby threes. Its tail is the third part of GekiTouja's weapon. Lenght: 9.5"; height: about 4".




Transforming the tree wild cats into the GekiTouja behemoth is very simple, as with most Sentai Zords. Still, the transformation remains fun and reminiscent of Transformers G1 Combiners. The result is nothing short than amazing. Standing at a little more than 11.5", GekiTouja is a sight to behold. I really love how Bandai's designers integrated the robot head here: with the tiger's lower jaw fully opened, you just flip down Touja's face using a black peg on Tiger's head. Very cool. The colors are spectacular and the absence of a pink Ranger here(hence a possible pink spot on the robot) greatly helps IMO(absolutely no offense intended towards our female audience here).  

Touja has a few points of articulation: shoulders rotates; wrists rotate; hips rotate; waist rotates; head can move up and down(wich is cool). Despite its obvious limitations, you still can pull some interesting poses out of him. What Touja lacks in articulation, he certainly gets in looks and playability. There's a not-too-subtle Voltron vibe to him. The cats tails are now forming Touja's weapon: a giant curvy staff. By inserting 2 AA batteries in the back compartment, you can activate the motorized action feature: by pressing the front grey button on Touja's waist, the upper torso will spins on a 360 degrees axis. The rotation speed is not overwhelming: just fast enough to be credible. The meaning of this gimmick takes its justification when the robot arms are lifted upward, lined up with the shoulders, pointing his deadly fists and claws outward. While the torso rotates, the orange fists will light up with red lights, delivering an extra "energy attack". The presence of the staff in the right hand can also means major rotating & bashing action, whiping nearby aliens fool enough to close this giant.  



By pressing a red button on the back, you will activate pretty much the same gimmick except that this time, its the lower part of the robot, waist down w/legs, that will spins. I guess this part of the gimmick emulates one of the Mighty Zord Special Attack one could see on the tv show. Having a giant robot dropping from the sky directly on your head , with its legs spinning wildly to add to your doom, is not an ideal situation to be in, I suppose. 

While Touja's motorized and lights gimmicks are not overly spectacular or anything, they still adds fun factor to the toy. It brings back the fact that those items are, before anything, toys. There is place here for imagination in a very naive, yet playful way. That's why I still love Sentai Zords I think: they're simple, sturdy and very fun to play with.

Overall appreciation:
I'm very-very happy with my GekiTouja. The fact that it can also combines with other animal-zords(see other reviews below) is a big plus. All by himself, Touja is a very nice looking, sturdy, and fun set.

Pros: Look and design; astonishing quality of fabrication; gimmicks, absolutely beautiful packaging.
Cons: Articulation-wise, he's not your typical Beast Wars champion, but still has enough to be more than a brick.

 

The main beast is a tiger? I thought it was a bear.

I like cat-bots, I like some sentai mecha...but this?

No. I think this thing looks really bland. Theres not enough hard edges, it's too rounded.
And the face folding out of the beast's mouth isn't so much Golion/Voltron homage as it is a rip-off. (along with the feet being the beast heads)


EDIT: And why would a robot need night vision goggles?

 

And now: Geki Elephant!




Geki Elephant is basically an "add-on" figure that can combine with larger Zords(like GekiTouja and GekiFire). GekiElephant is a very nice and sturdy figure, like all Zords toys. Articulation is not a selling point here, by any means. Though the four legs can rotate, it avails little possibility for any "dynamic"posing...well, it's an elephant after all, so...  

The ears can flip backward and the trunk is flexible. The tail can also move up and down but just barely. It's a nice and big animal. I like the colors and the red eyes gives a bad-temper look to this beast. Length(from tip of the trunk to tail):about
8"; height: 5".

Gimmick wise(outside the fact it can combine with either GekiTouja/GekiFire) GekiElephant can propel a large ball using a gimmick built in its trunk. There's a spring-loaded mecanism that,when you push the trunk back, locks it in place. Then, by pressing a button on the elephant's head, the trunk springs forward, pushing the ball. Once again, this gimmick is obviously there to simulate a special attack performed by GekiElephant in the tv show. The ball will roll slowly but surely and one can have fun for quite a time with that neat little gimmick.

But the real deal with GekiElephant is upcoming: its ability to become a very menacing add-on armor for larger Geki Zords. First, you will have to dismantle the pachyderm in several components. Then, those newly created pieces will take place on the shoulders, head and hand of your favorite Geki Giant. The result is astonishing. It's to the point that I have the feeling of having an entirely new figure.



The newly created helmet(lower part of GekiElephant's head) is just cool with the tusks on each side of the helmet. The Elephant's body, now transformed in two huge shoulder pads, adds bulk and power to GekiTouja. The elephant's head with trunk is now a strange, yet powerful looking hand-weapon. Somekind of a giant morning star without spike, if you will. A mega-clubbering weapon for sure! Everything here holds perfectly in place.



Overall, the main reason to grab a GekiElephant is surely for its Combining feature. Otherwise, it's still a neat toy but not enough to shine on its own.

Pros: nice design and colors; very sturdy; fantastic Add-On armor feature, nice packaging.
Cons: weaker a stand-alone figure, lack of articulation, trunk gimmick is cool but could has been more powerful.

Next: GekiBat!!

 

Worst. Zord. Ever. Not liking it at all.

Just as bad as those last dino ones, those were awful as well. They haven't done animal zords nicely in awhile.

 

The elephant does not help the look. At all.

Then again, at least it breaks up the red/orange.

 

Despite GekiTigers "backpack" even though it's for the batteries, his translucent hands and the formation of his hind paws in GekiTouja formation.

Also, I don't like the fact that GekiTouja, Elephant, Bat and Shark cannot all gattai together successfully... and wolf? Don't get me started being merely a leg replacement.

Yeah, Ultimate Daibouken has me spoiled...  

 

Looks pretty sweet, really hope that the US version dosent suck.

I always hate the 3-person teams because the red one is ussually the main body and the other two get stuck as a foot or a arm. UGH

 

It will.

Something will have to be neutered.

Bandai will probably make the few edges softer, The motors spin slower, & not include the one cool "zord" that everyone wants.

 

Here's some pictures of GekiBat: I will post a short review later this evening. I will also post a review with pics of GekiFire tonight or tomorrow morning. 

It seems that not everyone is sharing my...er...enthusiasm about this new line of Sentai.   Wich is ok: I post on these boards to have feedback from other fans and that's great to have some! 

 

I share your enthusiasm! They did went off this year, but we do have a lot. I can't wait for the SaiDaiOh, GekiChopper's mecha and GekiWolf and RinLion/Chameleon.

RinLion and Chameleon is what I want SO bad, but I heard Chameleon was tiny.

All must remember, zord for Power Rangers, Mecha for Sentai. Totally different series, totally different terms.

SO LUCKY TO just one Gekiranger zord, I just have GouGou Aider/Police. Lucky awesome for you.

 

Zords? WTF. They are NOT Zords.

 

Why not?

 

'cause they haven't been "morphin' dorked" by BoA yet. they have yet to be turned into KWALITY. look at what they did to poor daibouken... T_T

 

Your (mis)use of "tree" and "three" confuses me.

 

Actually there are some of us who do but we post our collection pictures in ToyArk!  In fact I did one on this particular Zord a few months back. I like the main mecha because I like "big cats". I've yet to get any of the "add-on parts" because they look er, abit "off" to me! LOL!

 

Because it's not? There are no "Zords" in Jyuken Sentai Gekiranger, nor were there any in Boukenger, Magiranger, Dekaranger....and on and on.

 

I must be in the minority here because I really like these. But my standards are somewhat lowered by the atrocity that is Dual Drive Megazord.



Interestingly, in the Gekiranger show all the Backup Mecha (onward from Elephant) are named after important figures in martial arts films.