REVIEW: Playmates Toys VOLTRON: Legendary Black & Green Lions

There have been a couple attempts at revitalizing Voltron over the years, but none have been able to recapture the magic of the original Lion Force series. 1984’s Voltron: Defender of the Universe demonstrated that you don’t need gimmicky computer graphics (*cough* 1998’s Voltron: The Third Dimension) or trendy kid characters (2011’s Voltron Force) to make a great cartoon. Good storytelling and traditional anime design made Voltron: Defender of the Universe a classic.

Produced by DreamWorks Animation and World Events Productions, 2016’s Voltron: Legendary Defender marked a return to form for the series. The reboot, which premiered on Netflix last June, received rave reviews thanks in part to (surprise!) its good storytelling and anime influenced design.

Just in time for Voltron’s second season premiere on Netflix come January 20th, Playmates Toys has released their Voltron: Legendary Defender toyline. Available now at most mass market and online retailers, the line consists of:

• Basic Figure Assortment ($9.99 each) – Features all five lions, a miniature combined Voltron, and Robeast villain Myzax. Each 5.5-inch figure features either clawing action, projectile launching, or detailed weapons and accessories.
• Legendary Lion Assortment ($17.99-$29.99 each) – Features the four lions and a deluxe electronic Black Lion. Each figure has 18+ points of articulation, removable speeders with pilots, projectiles, combining weapons, and, in the case of the Black Lion, over 50 sounds–some of which only unlock when you combine all five to form a 16-inch-tall Voltron.
• 14″ Ultimate Voltron ($39.99) – Features lights, sounds, projectiles, and 26 points of articulation.
• Defender Gear – Role play items including masks and Voltron’s Electronic Transforming Sword.

To provide a taste of their new Voltron toys, Playmates kindly provided us with two Legendary Lions to share: Shiro’s Black Lion and Pidge’s Green Lion.

If you had to buy just one Lion, the deluxe electronic Black Lion is the way to go. While all of the Lions in this assortment measure close to 9-inches long, the Black Lion makes them appear small with its tremendous bulk. Measuring 5-inches across at the shoulders (opposed to the slender 2.5″ of the standard Lions), pilot Shiro’s mighty machine proudly portrays it’s status as the Lion Force leader.

Construction on the Black and Green Lions is a nice and durable plastic. It’s the type of plastic that can take some punishment while being played with, making these excellent toys for kids. Serious collectors will appreciate these too, as each  Lion features a show-accurate sculpt and ample points of tight ratchet-style articulation, especially in their legs.

Because the Black Lion’s head forms Voltron’s head, articulation here is an up and down motion. Green Lion, as Voltron’s left hand and arm, features a head that simply swivels 360 degrees. Both feature a jaw that opens, though the Green Lion’s mouth is spring-loaded and must be opened manually. Torso movement also varies between the two. Green Lion fairs better with a nice post (Voltron’s elbow) that allows side to side movement. Ironically, Voltron’s torso – the Black Lion – features no waist movement at all due to its inner electronics. The Black Lion makes up for this with two fully articulated flight wings.

Speaking of electronics, the Black Lion impresses with “50+ phrases and sound effects!” I didn’t count them, but the video above shows off quite a few lines. These are activated by an “On/Off” switch on the Lion’s back and triggered by pressing a button on the side. The Black Lion’s chest also lights-up blue with each sound said, a nice touch.

When it comes to accessories, both Lions include a small pilot speeder that can be inserted into the belly via an opening hatch. They provide a great sense of scale to these towering robotic war machines.

While the Black Lion has cool electronics, the Green Lion shines with a wealth of gear. Included is a shield that can be mounted on the Lion’s back. It also acts as a shoulder pauldron when used with Voltron. Green Lion also includes a huge missile-firing blaster that plugs onto its back and one half of Voltron’s sword. You’ll need the Red Lion to complete the iconic weapon, but that’s part of the brilliant lure of this line. Gotta collect them all!

If you’re buying the Legendary Lion Assortment, odds are that you aim to collect all five Lions to form the towering 16-inch Voltron figure. (A standalone 14″ electronic Voltron figure exists, but it doesn’t separate into the individual Lions). At around $17.99 per Lion limb (arms/legs) and $29.99 for the deluxe Black Lion (head/torso), that’s over a $100.00 investment. However, judging from the two Lions I received and placed together, the fully assembled Voltron should be quite impressive.

Voltron transformation was very straightforward and easy enough to achieve, and the connection of the arm to the torso was extremely solid. In fact, removing the Green Lion from the Black Lion was a struggle, requiring some serious pull force to remove. Hey, that’s a good thing. It means that the combined Voltron is going to stay together and not fall apart when playing with it. Clear instructions are included for both Lions on how to combine, along with each figure’s individual features.

Because I grew up watching it as a kid, the original Voltron: Defender of the Universe will always be my favorite. However, Voltron: Legendary Defender is a close contender, featuring a robot design that doesn’t stray too much from the classic. Whether you’re an old-time fan or discovering the world of Voltron for the first time, Playmates’ new toyline  – the Legendary Lion Assortment at least – is sure to satisfy your collecting needs.

Review and Photos by Jeff Saylor

Review Samples Courtesy of Playmates Toys

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