Blade Liger Mirage

(Apologies for the horrid pictures. They're too bad for me to want to thumbnail them, so they're linked until I take some worthy ones.)

Way back when, I watched Amenbo like a hawk to nab one of these at list price, because it was a Blade Liger, and I like Blade Ligers lots. I remember rumor had it as a Shield Liger first, and I wish it had been...but even as overrated as it's gotten, I don't really regret buying it - at least not like I would if I'd paid what they hit at their peak.

Blade Liger Mirage is one of the webcomic limiteds, which are known for their box art. Illustrated by Yuji Kaida, they're all very colorful and dynamic, and the Blade Liger Mirage's box is one of the best: the Liger leaping against the backdrop of a brilliant moon in a night sky. We'll ignore that most other things portray Zi's largest moon as blue, because if Tomy isn't afraid to mess with that for dramatic effect Yuji Kaida can too if he damn well pleases.

The box's innards are like those of a Blade Liger and CP-12 in one, complete with unique sticker sheet. For those who keep track, the cockpit is of the orange variety and the paws the warmer gold. The Liger's colors of choice? Silvery grey body, white armor, red trim, brown caps, and black ankles and boosters. The dominant colors are really the grey, gold, red, and white, and where have we heard that before on a pointed cat? Yeah, that's right, Kingliger. Mirage wants very much to be as cool and fails miserably, but if you ignore that it's not a bad color combination. It can look pretty nice detailed, really. I still want to find some spare Minty Kitty bits and do some parts swapping that I can keep.

The anime figures are gone. No fourth Sieg for Tilly's organoid clone army, alas! They remembered to include a regular pilotman, at least, even if he doesn't fit in the seat very well. The stickers are unique - while they're nothing to write home about other than the red Leomaster emblems, they're a lot better than Generic NJR Warnings.

CP-12, notable for looking a good amount like warp nacelles, is pretty clever, even if it likes to fall down. The attack boosters mount on arms which fit right over the blade ones, meaning the only thing you have to do is remove the caps there, and the boosters themselves enjoy a similar level of freedom as the blades. They even flip forward to shoot at things as well, complete with pop-out cannons of blasty. It looks silly, but hey, Blade Liger needs firepower, and with the only other easy option the Assault Gatling Unit (which looks even more silly, not really integrating with the Liger's design at all), it's about your only option. Like Mirage, the CP has become rare and pricey these days, alas.

Conclusion? A nice limited if you can find anyone selling it for anything approaching sane these days. Don't pay a crazy price, 'cause it ain't worth it. Put your money toward a Kingliger instead, or pick up a BI and Night Fight, two more neglected Bladey limiteds with worthwhile color schemes.

Rewritten November 7th, 2006
Old review