Review: Takara-Tomy Beast Saga Eledram Burst Action Figure

If you loved Eledram, you'll like Eledram Burst. The elephant Beast Saga toy was redecorated and blind-packed for a pretty fair price, and odds are you didn't buy one.
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Review: Takara-Tomy Beast Saga Aljaylo Burst Action Figure

They're here, they're clear, and people didn't get used to it. Aljaylo Burst is part of the third and final series of blind-boxed figures from this line, and he came at three per shipping case of 24 figures. He's a lot like regular Aljaylo, minus paint and opacity. The weapons and plastic form are virtually identical.
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Review: Takara-Tomy Beast Saga Bunikis Action Figure

The 1980s and 1990s were packed with toys remembered fondly by today's adults thanks to a large amount of marketing and a ton of print. Things like Bunikis and Beast Saga are probably going to be remembered by a few Japanese kids and American toy bloggers - nobody else seems to have much memory of this line already. I was hoping for a huge line that eclipsed the original Battle Beasts. While we got a few awesome figures, it fizzled out quickly - but hey, we got a rabbit!
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Review: Takara-Tomy Beast Saga Buffam Action Figure

I can't believe it, but Buffam has been sitting on the edge of my photo studio waiting for me to review him for over two years. I bought the entire figure line - blind boxes and all - because man, was I excited about Battle Beasts. Diamond Select's new line petered out after a wave, the Armorvor has had only one beast head added since its introduction, and Beast Saga died in about a year. It didn't get ported to the USA, and it didn't really achieve much of an impact - it's doomed to obscurity, so it's time to write about this bull.
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Review: Takara-Tomy Beast Saga Super Win Deck Impact Set Action Figure Set

I waited forever to order the Super Win Deck Impact Set in hopes of getting it cheaper, which did not work out too well for me - prices on Amazon got real cheap after I sprang for it off eBay, so ultimately if you can get it under $20 delivered you basically should. The idea here is that these are "Burst" versions - just like the blind-box clears - but the trading card says, in English, "Black Ver." on each one. So you've got Killer Shark Burst, Aldyle Burst, and Olrich Burst cast in clear, smokey plastic armor with blue, green, and purple plastic respectively.
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Beast Saga: Massive Multipack Price Drops

I recently picked up the last 2-inch figure set for my Beast Saga collection, and just a few days later noticed it for sale even cheaper - prices seem to be dropping like rocks on this line, with some items like the amazing 6-pack for under $20.  If you've been wanting to experience this Battle Beasts revival for yourself, there's never been a better time.  Prices might get cheaper, but this certainly isn't bad.

Singles are still hovering around $9-$12, so if you missed your Kangaroo because your favorite importer just never happened to get it, it's a good time to finish that set up too.

Review: Takara-Tomy Beast Saga Rynas Burst Action Figure

Familiarity breeds contempt - if you want a line to get some long-term love, martyr it. Rynas Burst was a clear, almost completely unpainted redeco from Beast Saga, a toy line which I foolishly assumed would be brought over to the USA by Hasbro as they did with Beyblade. I still imported pretty much the whole line, mostly because I was so high on vintage Battle Beasts and filled with optimism for the Minimates that I simply had to have everything - and now I don't feel that way. Because this line burned out quickly I actually kind of miss it, even the clear repaints which I was actually starting to get sick of after the third series. Two more unpainted series were planned, and were mercifully axed before it was too late.
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Review: Takara-Tomy Beast Saga Wonderriver Action Figure

Upon first glance Wonderriver could just as easily be a jokey custom figure as it is the real deal. After the Admiral Turtle, also known as Tarlock, it seemed that Takara-Tomy was going to allow these figures to go beyond the template of "animal in armor" set by the original Battle Beasts toys. Personally, I wish they did a lot more of this - the animal faces were fairly realistic, so giving them hats or other real-world equipment helps to add a little personality. The 1980s figures had those robotic eyes and bizarre coloring, while this wonder retriever seems content to wear a sensible set of armored scrubs. With what I assume are the T-Virus and antidote on the shoulders.
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Review: Takara-Tomy Beast Saga Moreek Action Figure

Part of the Sky Kingdom, the non-bird Moreek was one of the better designs in this line. The original Battle Beasts Blitzkrieg had a hook for a hand and a cybernetic eye, making this one look a little better for wear. Moreek has cybernetic goggles of some sort, purple armor, and a face that would be right at home in Snake Mountain with Skeletor's evil warriors. The big leathery wings look great, and he has deco on the interiors of his ears as well as his teeth. Takara-Tomy should be commended on a nice job here.
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Review: Takara-Tomy Beast Saga Dacker Action Figure

When I first saw this Beast Saga figure, I didn't know his name. I thought Dacker might be a platypus, but now that I have it in my hands I think it's a regular duck. There was a little yellow duck in Battle Beasts too, but this one is a lot more clever. The 3-inch figure not only has armor that looks like a plane, but he's wearing a flight cap and goggles! As the Beast Saga line went on the people at Tomy put a lot more thought into the whole "animals in armor" idea, so we'd get a dog doctor, or an admiral turtle, or a figure that is for all intents and purposes a cyborg Launchpad McQuack.
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Review: Takara-Tomy Beast Saga Ogre Action Figure

Sometimes a toy line can't surprise you - Beast Saga is one of those lines. If you bought one figure, you know what to expect - it's limiting and liberating all at once, because I knew I'd probably like Ogre before I opened her package. I also knew she wouldn't have new weapons and there would be little to get excited about after opening it - if you don't like how she looks, well, there ain't much here.
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Review: Takara-Tomy Beast Saga Aljaylo Action Figure

As a kid, I loved the armadillo. So when Battle Beasts made Armored Armadillo and as a kid, I had to have it. When this line got one as Aljaylo I got it and the clear "Burst" version too. How could I not?
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Review: Takara-Tomy Beast Saga Mantaray Action Figure

We toy fans are nothing if not optimistic. New announcements frequently come up promising to revitalize some long lost childhood toy memory, and in the last few years Battle Beasts were given a sudden, tremendous burst of love. LEGO had Legends of Chima, Diamond Select snapped up the Battle Beasts brand and spent more time sitting on it than making stuff so far, even indie darling Onell Design made its Armorvor. Japan's Beast Saga, now seemingly completely dead, managed to recapture the style of the original 1980s toys while skipping the spirit. Many figures look gorgeous, with the upsized 2-inch figures looking like they're cousins of the originals. Mantarey is a nice update of the original rare Grin Reefer, but with a smaller price tag.
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Review: Takara-Tomy Beast Saga Guarl Action Figure

I had a frog Battle Beasts figure as a kid, so the new Guarl was another one I was excited to see. Granted, he doesn't have a pointy arm, but the armored look to the figure is both comical and regal all at once. The grey outfit looks great against the bright green skin of the frog, and the paint job is great. Oh, and it smelled pretty funky when I opened it. This definitely has a nice huffable odor for the youngsters, so I had to leave it in another room for a few days.
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Review: Takara-Tomy Beast Saga Guarl Burst Action Figure

Who needs a clear Frog? Odds are you do! Guarl Burst has something that's rare in this line, with clear white/frosted plastic rather than the usual icy clear colorless variety. The head, fists, arms, and thighs are molded in green, and the only paint on the whole figure are his golden eyes. There's also a fully painted version of Guarl with different accessories.
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Review: Takara-Tomy Beast Saga Swordbill Action Figure

I'm a sucker for aquatic creatures, so the Swordbill figure was right up my alley. The fact that he wears crazypants, "I'm Griff's henchman buddy in 2015" glasses is a nice bonus. The goggles are huge and goofy, I suppose their inclusion was to give this creature the kind of stereoscopic vision that we humans enjoy. You know, by not having eyes on the sides of our head. For all I know they're really x-ray spex, but only Polly knows for sure and she's dead.
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Review: Takara-Tomy Beast Saga Ogre Burst Action Figure

As part of the third (of seemingly at least 5) series of clear figures, Ogre Burst brings us another bright orange burning lion. So you can get the male, or the female. Interestingly, the colors and armor styles are similar so it's obvious one is related in some way to the other.
Rendered in a clear, rubber plastic Ogre Burst has 4 joints. You can move her shoulders and hips, plus there's a dice launcher. Mine is fairly good, but other figures in this assortment are starting to feel a little looser, and the die may slide out a little on its own.
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Review: Takara-Tomy Beast Saga Janjan GachaGacha Action Figure

I dig pandas and a twist of fate brought me Janjan as a capsule figure before his standard release. The capsule figure has no fist holes and no articulation, and is a smidgen smaller. The strange thing is that the capsule panda is pretty good, and it has a few points of deco I like better than the standard release. For starters, his eyes look less drugged-out with smaller black dots. Also, the arms have no black paint on the armor - the 3-pack panda has black on part of the armor, making it look like it's his fur or skin. Of course, the capsule toy lacks painted fists and that's a real bummer.
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Review: Takara-Tomy Beast Saga Aldyle Burst Action Figure

After a few gators in the Minimates range I didn't expect to have much interest in the regular version, let alone the clear Aldyle Burst which showed up at my house in January. Packed 3 to a case of 24 random blind clear figures, this figure is cast in both green and blue plastic with golden eyes as his only painted detail. Well, not counting his dice anyway.
As always this croc figure has 4 points of articulation and is made of a soft, rubbery plastic. The arms and legs rotate freely, and his fists are designed to hold 3mm weapons. This figure is interesting in that his weapons (and the entire series') do not match his fully-painted counterpart. Painted Aldyle came with the same weapons as Swordbill and Swordbill Burst. Clear Aldyle comes with the same weapons as Garrison G, Long Giraf, and Long Giraf Burst. I suspect this will cause mucho confusion down the road when people start dumping their collections on eBay, as it seems the only new shields and weapons are now coming in the multi-packs. (For those keeping track, Garrison G Burst comes with the painted Aldyle weapons. Swap-tastic!)
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Review: Takara-Tomy Beast Saga Killer Shark Action Figure

So it's come to this. Killer Shark #3 is a new sculpt, simplified and improved from the Kingdom of Sea Death 3-Pack last year. As a toy, it's way worse. As a sculpt, or raw materials for a custom? Way cooler.
The capsule toys come to you in pieces. Killer Shark's legs are separate, so you plug those on and then you realize none of his four limbs are articulated. This isn't a big problem for me as the figure, oddly, is improved over the 3-pack release in the head. The rest of the figure, not so much, but the pose is solid and you can tell that the separate pieces used to assemble the head are now a single part. So there's no unslightly line where the pieces are fused together on his head now.
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