Kaiyodo/ToyTribe's ASSEMBLE BORG Wave 2 - The Bad Guys

[JeffSaylor]

The Jarknoids are coming to stir up trouble...

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In our last review (see HERE), the Assemble Borg good guys had gathered to dole out justice with high-tech weaponry and creative combinations. But who exactly are they fighting? The evil Jarknoids, of course! With the aid of the menacing Doom Diver, Jarknoid's Xo, Yeeg and Zain spell out trouble for the Assemble Borg forces, but are nothing but a good thing for fans of this incredible toy line.

While Kaiyodo/ToyTribe have not set a firm release date on these new figures, they do plan on offering them sometime this year exclusive to North American collectors via AssembleBorg.net. For those with the good guys already in hand, getting these bad guys can't come soon enough. Not only do the Jarknoids add a much needed enemy to stage battles with, but they greatly expand Assemble Borg's cutomizing potential. As pictured above, all three figures come packaged identical to the good guys, except this time the color palette has been altered from orange to purple to reflect their darker nature. I'm more fond of the more vibrant orange used on the good guys, but I highly commend Kaiyodo/ToyTribe for defining the two opposing factions. Plus purple is my favorite color, so no complaints there.

The back of the blister card is also just as informative, featuring a wealth of information on all the figures in the Jarknoid assortment, their new accessories and numerous examples of the combination possibilities.

Where the Assemble Borg good guys starred monotone core figures, the Jarknoids burst with color. Their leader Xo exhibits a cool translucent purple, while his henchmen Yeeg and Zain shine with clear aqua blue and red respectively. Combined with really wicked head sculpts, the Jarknoids amaze with malevolent good looks. While I understand and respect Kaiyodo's decision to launch Assemble Borg with the good guys, I believe that kicking off the line with these extremely colorful evildoers would have atrracted much more attention. Everyone loves a good villain and the Jarknoids are just that; just eye-popping cool designs.

The Jarknoid core figures look great, but it's their slew of twisted accessories that elevate them to a new level. Like the good guys, the Jarknoids include no less than the following:

* Four (4) pairs of interchangable hands: fisted, open, pointing, and weapon grasping.
* Three (3) firearms: a bio-mechanical blaster, spikey mid-range rifle and a large bayoneted gun.
* Three (3) bladed weapons: spiked knuckle duster, a hefty battle axe, and a creepy curved sword.
* Bonus bag of spare Revolver Joints (7 types, 2 each)

Where the good guys displayed streamlined, futuristic tech, the Jarknoids prefer weapons that appear almost bio-mechanical in design.

Each Jarknoid also packs unique gear, "power-ups" as I like to call them. The terrible tyrant Xo includes dragon-like leg appendages to counter Mr. Assemble's bionic legs, Yeeg squares off against Cyber's bladed weapons with a sinister arm saw that actually spins, and Zain dukes it out with Baron's hand canons with a powerful arm claw (I think Baron has the edge here). As with the good guys, you can mix-and-match these unique attachments for more extreme Jarknoid configurations.

In the way of advanced secret weapons, the Jarknoids deploy the Doom Diver. This deluxe "vehicle" is the evil counter measure to the Barrels Speeder; a crazy imaginative mech suit that slightly reminds me of a gothic Doc Ock. Like the Barrels Speeder, the Doom Diver consists of a variety of different parts for greater customizing options. Unlike the Barrels Speeder, building the Doom Diver was rather challenging, not because the directions weren't clear, but because many of the connections on my sample were extremely tight. Revopliers be damned, I had to use real pliers on many parts. Once my Doom Diver was assembled, I really had no desire to take it back apart to experiment with any Doom Diver combos. While I may go back and play around with its mixing-and-matching potential, I have to say I am pretty content with the Doom Diver as is: a super cool-looking robot.

My favorite Doom Diver parts are its long spindly back arms. The two limbs (once painstakingly assembled) star a wide range of articulation; allowing you to fold them up while not in use or extend them out with pinchers spread open for attack. The Doom Diver's large right arm is equally impressive with four articulated claws of its own and the ability to split open for some kind of devastating energy blast attack. Hats off to Kaiyodo/ToyTribe in the Doom Diver's design; it's exciting, fresh and original.

Assemble Borg fans are in for a real treat when the Jarknoids are released. This assortment is some of Kaiyodo/ToyTribe's best work in the series yet: super imaginative, creepy designs that further appeal with their vibrant use of color. As soon as we hear of these being offered for sale on AssembleBorg.net, we'll be sure to let you know.

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Review and Photos by Jeff Saylor

Review Samples Courtesy of IDA

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