Zoids Wild!!

[Hanyoutai]

Same. 80% of the services I'm coming across are mirrors of the first one, which gives a 404 error. There was an app that said it had it, but it didn't have great reviews. I'll give it a go later and see if there's any luck. I guess radio is a little harder to find!

That just gives me even more reason to like Bacon as a character. So far he's my favorite. Though I'll admit Arashi bugs me WAY less than I thought he would. He's a little obnoxious sometimes but it's nowhere near the degree of the manga. (let's just say, Corocoro has a universal style.)

My one quip with the character animation was that Bacon REALLY could've used some stronger expressions during the Wild Blast bit. I feel like they're not quite comfortable really pushing the other character's expressions just yet, but that might change as the series goes on.

Got 5 of the first wave Zoids last night. It is so exciting to just pick one up at the desk and put it together without worries about how much time I need to crunch. So far just building them to their skeleton forms so I can take some nice pictures of them.

[DarthPardus]

A big kudos to Falcarius!! Kissanime.com posted the subbed version yesterday with Falcarius name given full credit at the start. I tend to love that site....something about addiction....but it was great to watch and fully enjoy the story with script.

[seven]

I cannot upload the pics so I'll just share the link then, 3rd wave!
figsoku.net/blog-entry-116133.html

[Hanyoutai]

Thanks for the link! The Gusok is also a new Zoid we haven't seen at all until now, I don't think.

That Triceradogos default color is disgusting, though. I was hoping for a more gold color. Hopefully it's just bad photography, but... yeah. Interesting to see a prototype for the Death Rex.

[Maiasa Liger]

Tbh the Knuckle Kong looks like a cross between an Iron Kong and a handegg football player xD

Have to agree with Han on the TriceraNacho's color. That's bad level Sturm gold or Cheddar Whitz. Hope that the eventual release of the Fang Tiger won't be sporting the same warning yellow. It fits in with the trend of the "good guy Zoids" having bright and colorful armor though...which is no surprise really.

[Leon35]

What wave is Fang Tiger being releaaed in? I dont want to wait for Wave 4.

That shot of the unpainted Tricerotops is awful looking. It is one of the worst out of box kits I have seen. I cant even tell if I like the design or not anymore. I hope that someone here does a build review with a new paint job when it's released.

[Falcarius]

If Figsoku's source is to be trusted, here's the autumn release schedule:

September: ZW09 Wraptor (I really hope they don't spell it like that), ZW10 Knuckle Kong, ZW11 Triceradogos
October: ZW12 Death-Rex
November: ZW13 Gusock, ZW14 Stegosage , ZW15 Wild Liger DX

No sign of Fang Tiger, oddly, let alone the ankylosaur and pachycephalosaur (who still don't have names).


In other news, the anime opening single Starting Over was released yesterday - or rather, four separate versions were released. The standard version contains the songs Starting Over, That's My Life and Tada Dakishimeru, plus the instrumental of Starting Over. The first-print limited version A swaps That's My Life for Sa-Ra-Band ~Koisuru Mars~, and comes with a spring 2018 tour DVD. The first-print limited version B has the same vocal tracks as the standard version but instrumentals for all three of them, plus a DVD with a music video and making-of, while first-print limited version C has the standard version tracks plus the anime-length version of Starting Over and some sort of photobook. Keeping my Zoids music collection "complete" could get a bit expensive...

The insert/ending single, Wild Blue/Shounen no Boku e, is going to be slightly more convenient (if not much). It's scheduled for the 12th of September, and will come in three versions: the standard CD, a first-print version (including a DVD of concert footage and the Wild Blue music video), and a "limited production" version (including Zoid/penguin Graphigs and a DVD, possibly the same one as the first-print version).


Oh, and good news for anyone interested in the radio program: MBS has posted it on Youtube, and it's not even region-locked!

[ultimateultrasaurus]

Thanks for the pic links!
Well the KnuckleKong is the one of the Zoids where it's really obvious he lacks armor..(and Chicken WRAPtor)

Those knuckles are really underarmored..and thus look ridiculous (for something called KNUCKLEKong, his knuckles are kinda *Watch your language!*....and his feet will be awkwardly big (and have "grab" like feet? from what I've seen from the previous pic)

Tricera is indeed very yellow (I found it a strange choice from the start for a Tricera anyway..)
That Trilo could be something (are those Valga spare parts though?) but def without the rider because he would look awkard with one on his back (and weird that for that one they made him that big and the Kong is really really scrawny.. Because they were designed to fit size wise, I get the smaller Kong but a huge Trilo throws that theory out the window.. But hey a new design though.

And DX Liger? What are they planning with that one? More/better armor? Upgraded version?

And yes REX, was hoping for a colored pic, but at least it's a new Rex pic and Stego pic. Does that Rex have a gun in his mouth though? (didn't need one)

[ultimateultrasaurus]

And what (more) will be in wave 2 then? Because just Grachio and Kuwaga can hardly be called a wave... So throw in Fang, but still.. it's only 3?

(Also..weird that they didn't show these pics (in a better resolution and) on Twitter for instance?

By the way, from what I see in the new Stego pic, his Wild Blast will probably be his 2 "spines" folding to the side.

[Maiasa Liger]

"Wraptor" omg please tell me that's a joke. Stegosäge was bad enough, wtf Tomy? And Gusock's name is either a ripoff of the Guysack or the creator really liked socks lol.

Them not releasing Fang Tiger yet is odd but seeing the planned release of Wild Liger DX makes me reckon they wanna milk that cash cow first. Which is kinda lame. What's different about the DX? Other than what looks like ugly greenish-gold chrome instead of molded gold?

[Zarwolf]

Gusock looks great. Is it meant to be a trilobite? Looks like it could be a similar mechanism to Valga, one of my all time favourite Zoid designs, so I'd love it if they're revisiting that concept. Though I can't see how the rolling mechanism could work with the rider sitting on top like that. I'm intrigued, anyway. I like Zoids based on weird animals. I don't need another hundred Ligers and T rexes.

[Snowflake]

wasn't 'gusak' what they censored guysack to in one release? Japan is getting to the point of just throwing up their hands and letting america pre-censor things for them, so that might be... Oh wait, no, it's guSOku, not sa.
Tricera is even more neckless than the others. yikes. This is a neck-free zoid zone.
Kong's elbows are clearly designed so it can pound its chest. It's going to look ridiculous walking.
and the DX liger is some of the most shameless double-dipping I've seen in a while

[Hanyoutai]

Releasing chrome parts is what Kotobukiya's entire 30-40 piece CP line was made of, nevermind a long standing history in the Zoids franchise as a whole, such as the Amazon Masterpiece Shieldy. I only hope that this one would also be released at a reasonable price in international shops like amiami, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was a store exclusive.

The release schedule is unusual. We would see the Death Rex before other Zoids like the Stegosage? I wonder if this means the Death Rex is an earlier boss, or if the series simply won't have many episodes. It seems unusual to rush the rex before other (assumed earlier) baddies, unless those baddies are just very, very minor.

Though, seeing what the source is, makes me really wonder if some of these aren't bootleg. We know most of these kits are coming soon anyway, so we'll know soon enough.

Thanks for the broadcast link! Any good info in it?

[Orion]

Man, I miss checking the boards for a few days and so much happens!

-> Zoids Wild Episode 1
I finally got around to watching the first episode, and I have to say I was way more impressed with it than I thought I would be. It’s definitely above Fuzors in quality, although it remains to be seen if it will reach CC/NCZ quality (I’m not holding out hope for GF/Genesis quality though). Looking at it from the perspective of the target age range (8-10), this definitely feels more mature and interesting than many current CN/Disney/Nick shows, and perfectly matches the characters/story to the age range (although the script does fall a little generic and flat). The show is light years ahead of the horrifically cliched manga though, which is very refreshing.

Arashi is a much easier to handle character than I thought he would be based off the manga, and the VA really does a great job. Actually, all of the voice actors did amazing and I liked the interaction we’ve seen so far between characters. The detail of the Zoids animation was wonderful, and done well enough for a budget series that I didn’t mind the occasional reuse of scenes. Wild Blast modes are still going to take a lot for me to get used to, especially Wild Ligers with the short reach of its blades.

Huge shoutout to Maisa Liger for posting the official video with Falcarius’ sub and a massive thanks on behalf of the Zoids community to Falcarius for subbing the episode (especially with all the sites out there stealing the subtitles without credit)!



-> New Kits ZW-07 to ZW-15
Thanks to Seven for the link to the new kits, I am really surprised at the lineup included!

My assumption for wave 3 was that we’d see the Raptor and Stegosage for Death metal, the Triceradogos for Freedom, and the Fang Tiger plus either the Ankylo or Pachy for Supreme. I thought for sure that Death Rex and Knuckle Kong would be saved for wave 4, as it just seems so early for those two!

Looking at the kits, I am definitely going to have to army builder the Raptor (I really hope Wraptor is just a typo and it's just called Raptor), as it looks like a fun little kit and I can’t get enough of the small raptor Zoids.
Knuckle Kong looks very different from what I expected, especially with the chest armor but unarmored arms - I’m not sure how I feel about the balance of its design.
Triceragodos looks so good in the official TT side shot, but so bad in the Figsoku 3/4 view - all because of the difference in the yellow armor bits, hopefully the really kit is that dark yellow and not the bright yellow.
Death Rex looks interesting, and I’m curious how it’s Wild Blast works based off the hinges - but the 3/4 shot is hiding a lot of detail (and no visible clear rider), so I’m going to refrain from judgement thus far.
Gusock was a total surprise and I’m glad to see something that isn’t your typical Lion/Rex/Raptor/Sabre Tiger/Triceratops/other generic Zoids type. I can’t really picture any kind of Wild Blast with how the Gusock appears, so I’m very eager to see more of it (plus this line really needs more small Zoids!).
My opinion of Stegosage hasn’t changed - it reminds me a lot of Bio Kentro and I am looking forward to building it.
Lastly, I’m really disappointed that we get another Wild Liger before Fang Tiger - this seems like a massive misstep on TT’s part. That said, the only difference that is visible to me is the gold and blue parts look chrome-like and the white armor may have some pearl in it? I’m probably going to end up passing on this one.

@ Falcarius, Fisoku’s source of eHobby lists all of Wave 3 (ZW-09 to ZW-15) as releasing in September, with expected arrival to their Taiwanese shop in October.

@ Ultimateultrasaurus - Wave 2 is indeed just ZW-07 Kuwanga and ZW-08 Grachiosaurus - a nice short in between wave given the 1st and 3rd wave are so large (my wallet will be happy with the short break)!



All in all, I am glad Takara-Tomy decided to step away from the Zoids of old and reinvent the series with some much needed new blood and ideas - this will hopefully pay off very well for them and create a whole new generation of Zoids fans. (Just hopefully Koto gets to keep HMM going)



((Also, Leon, definitely give Genesis another chance, it’s by far the best Zoids series - the first 10 episodes start off slow, but it really takes off after that and the entire quality changes for the better))

[SteelRain]

Like so many before me, I will echo the sentiment of why regarding Triceradogos' colour. The prototype colour is nice, I wouldn't have chosen yellow but if that was what the design doc said, that would be the yellow I'd have gone with. The prototype is, however, very rough (you can see the 3D printing marks, particularly at the base of the tail and along the spine), so maybe it's no surprise it wasn't final. Still, one does wonder where Figsoku got these pictures, considering TT themselves have been mum.

Death Rex I'm really on the fence about. It looked amazing in the promo poster, but the kit itself (if this is indeed the kit) seems very oddly proportioned. I shall reserve judgment until we get some official pictures. Stegosage is growing on me, I wasn't sure to begin with, but I think I'll wait until I've seen what some folks from here make of the kit itself.

As for Knuckle Kong, well... I've never been a fan of the Kongs, but this one is just not good. The face is goofy, the arms are goofy (I actually really like the design of the hands and forearms, but the giant cylindrical shoulders ruin them), and it's photographed from a very unflattering angle what with being barely able to see the legs. Maybe official pictures will change my mind, but I doubt it. I do, however, hugely appreciate one of these zoids having a silver 'bone' structure, rather than the universal black we've seen so far.

Gusock seems a cool design, and I do love the Raptor (I refuse to call it the Wraptor, and if it does turn out to be official then I will mildly weep). So far only Triceradogos and Raptor are must-buys for me, even if Tricera does need a paint job on arrival, but I might add Death Rex to the list once official pictures drop. We shall see!