Review- Bandai Legacy Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Black/Gold Megazord

It's been a long while! The motivation to write is at valley low as it is much easier to just snap some photos of my toys and share it over Instagram. I have been procrastinating about this post as there is just so much sentimental value to the toy I am reviewing today. Many years ago, when I was about 7 years old, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was introduced to Singapore and it took the young boys by storm. It was a near-religious experience as we would sit infront of the television every Saturday morning in anticipation for the latest episode of MMPR. Back then, I have not even heard of Super Sentai and the English series was fascinating as you see teenagers with attitude morphining into super heroes and summoning giant robots to battle the equally colossal monsters.   

I won't go into the details of the prized toys from the series but the most representative of the series have to be the Megazord. Most boys enjoyed the Dinozords as you have the elements of robots and dinosaurs (sure-win formula!) and your favorite super heroes get to pilot them. The Megazord toy was an instant hit as you get a set of five Dinozords that has some articulation individually and they combine together to form the tank and Megazord mode!  

Here is the part where I get way personal. As my family was poor, my father saved and bought me the Megazord after my good performance in the End-of-Year examination. You must understand the pursuit of academic excellence is a big thing in Singapore. My father saw it as a form of encouragement to motivate me to do well and I could still remember the euphoria I felt when I carried the Megazord to the counter for payment. You must also imagine my disappointment when I opened the box and looked into the styrofoam tray. Yup, you need to apply stickers on the Dinozords! Of course I was too young to do it and my father stayed up that night to paste the stickers so I could play with the set the next day. 

I still remembered walking past the aisle in the same departmental store a few weeks after getting the Megaord. The Black/Gold version was released then and I knew I couldn't afford it. I was also extremely contented with my set. Today, I no longer have my set with the original colors, but we are able to get our hands on the Legacy edition!  

Pterodactyl      
            

Sabertooth       
            

Triceratops      
          

Mastadon    
            

Tyrannosaur

 

Tank Mode!        
    

Megazord!

When I was young, I have always thought this is an evil counterpart to the original Megazord. The Black/Gold color scheme does make the Megazord look like an evil nemesis of the original Megazord. The aesthetic is cool-looking and does not evoke the kiddy feel from the original colors. The articulation is limited but there is a hefty weight to this figure. The company did not scrimp on the diecast parts and I like the solid beefy feel to the toy. 

Comparison with the 1993 edition

Here is the thing. If you have the 1993 edition or remembered owning/handling one, you will immediately notice the differences in size and proportion of the zords. While the 1993 edition is bigger, it has an almost clumsy feel to it. The Legacy edition has a better shape as the individual limbs are less chunky and has a better proportion in its overall look.  

The biggest difference comes in when you are adding the Dragonzord and Titanus to the Megazord. The 1993 edition has no diecast parts and it is designed to have the Dragonzord and Titanus combined with it. The 1993 Ultrazord is extremely stable and there is little to no stress on each component. On the other hand, the diecast parts are the downfall of the Legacy line when you add the Dragonzord and Titanus. The combination becomes shaky at best and the diecast parts stresses each component of the zords that many reviewers felt the design of the Legacy Ultrazord is almost like an afterthought. Classic example that too much of something good, like diecast parts, can become something bad.  

Overall, the Legacy line is of good quality and it is certainly targeted at adult collectors. I cannot imagine the horror of dropping the Legacy Megazord on my own feet. It would certainly warrant a trip to the hospital.  Now that I have a home of my own. I have the 1993 Dragonzord and 1993 Black/Gold Megazord on display too. :)  

They look well together!