Dino soldier review

Manufacturer:   BANDAI
Code:           DZ-8
Name:           DinoStyras
Video:          Episode 3
Yen:            3980


Not yet released in America under Dinozaurs.
Purchased from ActionAce.com for $35 (sale, free shipping promo)


FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
     Beautiful gold plated ceratops skull with decent gold plastic.
Nice translucent green "flesh" along with the gold "bones".
But his fore-legs are floppy! There is a reason, however.

US RELEASE:
     If/when it hits the US, it should be at the DinoTyranno /
Giganodragon / Dinobrachio price point of $18-20.  However, DZ-8
contains the 3rd video tape.

TOY SPECS:
Arms (animal fore-legs) are plain floppy.
It's the sword-swinging gimic.  The sword plugs into the belly.
You can control the sword via a switch on a ball joint out the back.
Just have the hands grab the hilt and turn the switch in back
back-and-forth to swish the sword.  Not a great range of motion
and there is no position to lock the sword into any one place.
However, it's a nice feature and he's got a SWEET sword!
They should have done the sword in chrome gold but no doubt some
kids will hurt themselves if the sword isn't that bendy plastic.

Almost all dinozaurs have tails in robot modes and this is no different.
Leg joints are sufficently stiff and can hold him up without the tail.
But it's nice to have when you want some action poses.
It might be a first but the leg joints deliver as much range-of-motion
as most Beast Wars toys.  This is a definite plus since other
Dinozone/Dinozaur toys lack sufficient range.


COMPLETE DINO-BROTHER TEAM:
'Ceratops combiner team
DZ-8	DinoStyras	\3980	torso,legs	includes VIDEO
DZ-9	DinoKamosu	\980	arm
DZ-10	DinoCentros	\980	arm
SET-1	Combined DZ-8,9,10			includes VIDEO


GESTALT MODE:
Some shifting around, more than just plugging the two little ones
into the arm sockets.
Turn Styras around, lower the skull, turn the horns upwards over his
shoulder, have each floppy arm grab the horn, and turn the feet
(from 3 toed foot to boot).  Then Styras is ready to be connected
to his brothers.


VIDEO:
Not bad.  More involving than the first ones.  The smaller brothers
are revived first and get whomped on by Shadow-dinos.  GiganoDragon
revives the center module and they combine.  They all have nice
huge swords (that they carry on their back in dinosaur form).
Most of the rest of the Dino Solidiers regroup and the video ends
with a face-off of Dino soldiers and Death Eaters.
About 20 min running time.


RECOMMENDATION:
I decided to get the original Dinozone videos so I wanted DZ-8 (or the set).
I think I will pass on the little guys until they come to America.
They will only be $5 each then.  Otherwise, I'd pay about $12 each
to get them now.


Markatron