Convertors Defender Wheels

Completing the Dorvack mecha trio, I finally have the mini Henkei-type Mugen Calibur (or Wheels, if you prefer its Convertors namesake.) The version I have here is actually the Takatoku/Mark original Japanese version, as it has the chrome stickers & a Mark stamp on the bottom.



Wheels' bio reads:

"Rugged and swift, converts into a jeep that is able to cruise over rough terrain while seeking invaders that may have landed in areas undetected by central computer or other Defenders."


Out of all the Dorvack mechs, the Mugen Calibur definitely has the most personality (In that he doesn't have a mono-eye like Chopper, or the physique of a gorilla a la Tanker.) Aesthetically, he's second only to First Track.



Unfortunately, he's somewhat lacking articulation. Only the shoulders articulated, which normally wouldn't normally be a problem, but the gun is clearly meant to be two-handed, so it looks a bit silly when held in a "firing" position (hence why I have it mounted on the back of the figure in the other photos. Also, I personally believe there's no reason why they couldn't have incorporated jointed hips and knees, which would have shot this figure straight out the the ball park.



The transformation is...interesting. You would think they would have used the kind of sliding/telescoping joint in the hips that most transforming robots used...but instead, the legs are joined together by a metal bar & they basically just dangle there when they aren't tabbed in anywhere. It's not bad, per say...just odd...



However, the tranformation is satisfying enough. Once you get everything tabbed in place, it holds together pretty well.



The vehicle mode is something of an oddity. It's clearly supposed to be some sort of military off-road vehicle, akin to something like a jeep. If the scale (around 1/72) is to be believed, however, it would be more similar in size to an armored truck. Apparently the actual animation model is equally awkwardly large, so I guess it's not that big a deal.



All scale issues aside, the vehicle mode is actually pretty nicely detailed. The chrome-sticker headlights and windshield are nice touches, as are the molded driver seat and steering wheel. There are also some grenades molded in gray plastic on the side of the vehicle, which ironically look better in vehicle mode than in robot mode.



I actually had a very difficult time coming up with things to say about this figure. It's the flagship mecha for Dorvack, and is definitely the most interesting to look at...but there's something kind of bland about the figure itself.

I'm torn between 3.5 and 4 out of 5. If you're a fan of Dorvack, this is probably the cheapest incarnation of the Calibur you can come by, but be warned: it's basically a transforming statue with moveable arms. If it's Dorvack you want, I reccomend Chopper over this guy.

Convertors Knock-Off Defender Tanker

Tanker is well-known among Convertors fans. It turns up quite frequently on ebay in lots of Gobots and "vintage Transformers." He catches a lot of hate for not being a super-humanoid robot, but I rather like him.



Tanker is based on the Bonaparte Tulcas from Special Armored Batallion Dorvack. I think that, as a variable mecha, the Tulcas is quite appropriate. His non-conventional design looks more like something people would actually build, not some stylized robot in a patriotic color scheme.



My example is a knock-off. The actual version is still grey, but not metallic like this one. The official one also has slots so the orange things on the feet go on its shoulders. Mine has those slots, but the arms aren't attached correctly, so they don't attach right.

All things considered, the knock off isn't any worse than the actual version. He may have a cheaper feel, but it doesn't bother me any.

NOTE: Notice the little gray missile attached to his arm? That's what Tanker is supposed to look like. Many people buy this figure missing that missile then wonder why he has a shovel for a right arm. It still looks wonky, but at least the missile gives it a sense of functionality.



Transforming Tanker is a quick and easy process. The legs straighten, the body unfolds, the arms click together, and everything compacts itself against the main body. The alternate mode is...um...well, it's a tank. But it's....cute. It's so small and chubby, and it looks like it's got little eyestalks, like a crab. A cute crab.



Unfortunately, there are no wheels on the tank treads, so he doesn't roll, and the turret doesn't rotate. Also, there's no place to store the missile, which may account why it's missing on so many other examples. The tank mode is one big, cheap compromise. It doesn't look like anything that actually exists.


In short, Tanker is for 'converts' only (hyuck-hyuck.) He's got just enough querks to keep you interested, but the cheapness of the figure cannot be overlooked. I, myself, like it, but I can understand why lots of people choose to avoid it. The good thing is, he's cheap, so if you do want one, he won't cost you an arm and a leg.

Rating: 2/5

Convertors KO Chopper/Gazzette

The first figure up for review here is the knock-off version of the Convertors figure, Chopper. However, Chopper's got quite a bit of interesting history attached to him.

It began with an anime program called "Special Armored Battalion Dorvack" which featured a team of elite fighters who each piloted a "variable" (transforming) robot. One such robot was the Ovelon Gazzette piloted by Louise Ovelon. Takatoku released a large, 1/55 scale, transforming Gazzette figure (which was later recolored and released as the Autobot Whirl,) and a smaller one. However, Special Armored Battalion Dorvack didn't do very well, and Takatoku went under.

The molds for the Dorvack figures were bought by a company called Select and released under the Convertors toy line. The Ovelon Gazzette was sold as "Chopper," under the "Defenders" faction. His bubble-card read,

"Very clever and elusive. Converts into a helicopter. Flies low over the Earth, protected by stealth system making him invisible to radar or other sensory equipment."

In the Convertors fiction, alien robots known as Maladroids attempt to destroy/take over the world (?) but, sensing impending danger, the world's computers "converted" Earth's machines into transforming, fighting mecha dubbed "Defenders."


Now, on to the review...



As the title suggests, this version of Chopper is a knock-off. The original version is a much richer, brighter blue, and was released on a card-backed plastic bubble.



This version, as you can see, is released in a nice little box with a plastic insert. However, mine came with the wrong box. The box reads that there are three "Convertors" available: Caliber, Gazzette, and Tulcas. Whereas Gazzette and Tulcas are correct to their original Dorvack forms, the Caliber is shown as being the Orguss figure. My Chopper came in a Caliber box.






When we remove Chopper from his plastic insert, we find that he is incomplete! He should have two claws, two large guns, and one small chain gun that goes under the nose of the helicopter. However, I'm in the process of retrieving these parts, and once I do, I'll post new pictures. He's a very small figure, only a little larger than your average Gobot.

The Ovelon Gazzette/Chopper's alternate mode appears to be inspired by the AH-1 Huey Cobra helicopter, sharing a similar fuselage design, as well as nose and wing-mounted weapons, like the 3-barreled gattling gun (which I'm missing.)

Transforming Chopper is a fairly straightforward process. The underside of the helicopter flips down and extends to become the legs, the engine pods becoming the arms, and the fuselage folding in half for the body.



The quick transformation reveals a tall, lanky robot. The claws can be fitted into the holes at the tips of the arms, or replaced with the large helicopter guns. I would prefer to have claws, personally, but seeing as how I'm missing one....*ahem* anyway, as you can see in the first picture, Chopper is articulated in the shoulders, hips, ankles, and head, enabling some poses that would give most G1 Transformers a run for their money. Speaking of which....



This is a comparison shot between Chopper and the G1 Transformer, Whirl. They are actually pretty similarly articulated, only whirl has ball-joint shoulders and no head articulation. The similarity is understandable, though, since they both have the same origin.



Here you can see just how small Chopper is next to his long-lost cousin. I have a couple of Whirl's weapons somewhere, but I didn't feel like digging them up.



In short, Chopper's an excellent little figure. The articulation he has, combined with a nicely done alternate mode make him a great addition to any transforming robot collection. However, you may be hard-pressed to find one complete or with tight joints. The claws have nowhere to go in helicopter mode, making them easily misplaced, and vice-versa with the small chain gun. Also, the propeller blades can come loose.

Rating:
4/5


Thanks for reading!