TOYOLOGY Toyology-The Action Men of the batteries not included industry
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Morphin’ play time with a power and a force that you’ve never seen before this is about as excited as you’ve ever seen any Rob in the history of Rob’s (yes we have a long history). This toy may well be three years old but I’ll wager you’ll be impressed, Yes, yes I do. Why? Well, I never thought I’d say this but… (deep breath) I’ve found something that I love more than my Zord collection. (a nation gasps, well a handful of folk who know me).
Before Bandai started releasing their widely acclaimed Power Rangers Legacy line my toy obsession had begun to wane. I’d peaked during my university years where my small dorm room was choker-block with Transformers Animated figures and in the years since had dialled down the collection. Then the fateful day came and suddenly every Christmas was dominated with a new, die-cast trip down memory lane, much to the anguish of my father. (“You’re 27 years old!”) I thought I had it contained though. “It’s fine” I’d say, “All I need are the Zords from the Mighty Morphin’ era and we’re done.” How naive I was…
In walks A1 Toys. A notable retailer of nerd-merch, who have the audacity to hold a sale earlier this week. Long story short, £20 off a Dragon Dagger is clearly my breaking point.
So, how is it? In a word, perfect. In two words? Sodding perfect. This full scale replica boasts the usual die-cast that the Legacy line is known for but having it in a weapon gives it such a satisfying, powerful weight. This feels like the feel deal. The pommel, power coin and piping are all metal and not only that, it’s all plated in 24 Carat gold. You read that right. This prop replica has real gold plating…Can you tell I’m practically frothing over the keyboard? The blade is a sturdy yet pliable plastic but that won’t stop it hurting if you get whacked by this thing (disclaimer: Don’t whack each other) and the dagger also packs a nice compliment of sounds. Pressing each of the flute buttons…flute nodes… flute valves? Pressing each of the gold knobs give a unique ‘swoosh’ or ‘clang’ but holding the mouth piece down at the same time unlocks the real party trick. With the mouth piece held one button blasts the familiar ‘Dragon Zord summon’ tune, a second gives us the ‘Zords combine’ command, but it’s the third that had me running back and forth like the tiny child that lives within me. The middle button unleashes the full Power Rangers theme tune, no abridged version here, it’s all there in all its nostalgic glory.
I think it’s the detailing that seals the deal. No pictures can do justice to the love and crafting that has gone into this piece. There are no stickers and no cut corners. Every inch of the dagger, front and back, is moulded and precisely painted making this collector’s item almost ache with quality and did I mention the GOLD PLATING?!
So, 3 years from it’s release, why now? I must admit the £100 price tag had me balking at the idea. Somehow the Zords seemed to fill that price tag in my mind, possibly because of the multiple parts and playability value. At £79.99 I took a punt and I have to say the Dragon Dagger easily justifies its three figure original price tag. That being said, it’s currently on sale at A1 Toys. I’ve got mine, if you’re in any way a Power Rangers fan, go and get yours. Failing that, Christmas is looming, why not disappoint the parents like I do and fill that list with toys again!
