By Cacophanus from Mecha Damashii
Metamor Force Dino Getter 1 by Sentinel (Available From HobbyLink Japan – HLJ.com)
Getter Robo is one of the cornerstones of Japanese super robot pop culture. So when Sentinel announced that they’d be making a Dino Getter 1 toy, people were somewhat confused. Despite the design looking suitably kickass, most fans were stumped as to where this design and series had come from. Well, the toy itself is very well (as you’d expect from Sentinel) and has probably one of the most bonkers transformation sequences we’ve seen in a while.
The original premise of Getter Robo was that millions of years ago the Dinosaur Empire retreated underground to protect themselves from dangerous getter rays. This was perceived by us to be an extinction event, when in fact the dinosaurs were just sleeping and waiting to come back at a later date. Come back they did, to reclaim the Earth as their own once again. However, we had managed to harness getter rays and used them to power the mighty Getter Robo. The name also alluded to the fact that the mecha itself would “gattai” (combine) into various forms. These various forms are what made Getter Robo such a difficult foe for the Dinosaur Empire. Not only was it powered by something that would kill them outright but was also very adaptable due to its ability to change forms to fit the situation. The series originally started as a manga and then ended up as an anime TV series.
Over the years there have been numerous anime and manga since, which brings us to Dino Getter. This is a new manga and is sort of a remake of the classic show. Except the Dinosaur Empire have conquered the Earth and humanity is somewhat of a scattered resistance. The mecha now not only gattai but also “henkei” (transform). The toy in this instance just does the transformation, though the other forms will also be getting their own separate figures too.
What’s surprising, for a toy of this size and price, is how compact and sturdy the box is. The toy inside is also very simply packed and only comes with an instruction manual (which you’ll definitely need for the crazy transformation). You’ll notice the lower legs are also tightly packed too but that will have to wait until the next part.
Anyway, we’ll cover more about the toy in the review. See you then!
