Energy Liger (Hasbro black version)

I didn't like Energy Liger when I first saw it...too busy, kind of odd-looking. But then some Japanese site put up some promo pics and info on it, which looked a lot better. So I tried to translate the info, and I was doomed. Pretty Zenebas crimson demon kitty...er...wait...Guylos black demon kitty? That's not right. I then wasn't going to get the *Hasbro* version, either, but the price was right. And the plotbunny whacking me over the head regarding *why* it'd be Guylos helped too.

Hasbro's box art isn't too bad, although Energy Liger looks nowhere near as cool as it does in person. It's *evil* to photograph well, though. The reds and silvers of its Zenebas cousin are mostly gone. The legs and face are still that nice medium silver, but the darker red and shiny metallic red are replaced with bright red (almost pink, but thankfully not quite) and gloss black. The wings and Energy Charger are translucent orange, and the horn/blade/claws gold. Unfortunately, the gold on mine was really marbled in places, especially the Gungnir Horn, which surprisingly is *not* soft plastic, even though the tip is a bit blunted.

Hasbro's version comes sans display stand (I have no idea what to do with them anyway-the Zoids look kind of silly suspended up in the air), and with stickers changed to have Guylos symbols...and "Energy Liger" in English.

Energy Liger also comes with hoses and such for the air powered bits. Speaking of which, it's got an unusual motor-regular size, but with the big Energy Charger air pump thing stuck on top. The instructions have you test that, as well as the (pre-built) guns that attach to it, and the bellows that inflate to move the wings. The motor has three settings when on-one for walking, one for moving the guns or wings, and one for doing both at once. The wings don't flap, they just fan out, and then if you want them to fold back in, you press the little button on the back of the air unit.

While its body was a bit different to build, Energy Liger didn't give me much trouble...the legs are very much like other cat Zoids', although the back feet hang more loosely than is normal for their type. This (and perhaps other factors) result in it leaning a bit less to either side, which is a good thing.

The one annoying bit was the armor on the sides of the face/head, which I simply could *not* get on, until I discovered it's better to stick the side with the wider peg on first. Then it snapped right in place, and all was well.

Energy Liger's pretty large built...not huge, but it seems bigger than it is with how bristle-y it is. It looks far less busy in person, managing to pull off having cords going every which way without it looking *too* silly. The wings are neat, and the overall design looks nice and sleek, if a bit bulky.

In motion, it's one fast kitty. Even with either the guns or the wings on, it speeds along, leaving Liger Zero in the dust, and outracing even Lightning Saix when it can't get a grip. Its walk is steady and kind of plodding...no-nonsense, go-ahead-and-get-in-my-way-if-you-like-being-stabbed. The gatling spins like crazy, and the cannon fires in the same manner. They can be moved to its back legs as well as the front...and the tail, if you really wanted to do that. The wings don't do much, just furl out...and I cheated by poking them out like that for a few pics I took :p.

Energy Liger's a really spiffy design-definitely worth getting in one form or the other. Now, I just need the Tomy version...

Pics

(far too many of 'em...)

Energy Liger's shadow
Energy Liger's shadow again
Energy Liger's back
Energy Liger's head (note marbling on Gungnir Horn and AZ X Blade)
From the side (ignore missing caps, note shiny rock instead)
Generic View of Doom
Shiny wings!
Profile again
From above
O Christmas tree... (what?)
Energy Liger's head again (those eyes are so hard to get to catch the light)
Sunlight
Energy Ligers Hasbro and Tomy.
Two Ligers again
Two Ligers, from above

Rewritten June 21, 2007
Old review