Astro Midget Super Robot Spriggan-X (review)

Year of Manufacture: 2008

Scale: 1/1
The Astro Midgets, like the Microman characters that were Enari-san's inspiration, are full size cyborgs, although instead of aliens, they are essentially fairy folk.   They are a little taller than standard 1/18th human-sized figures, at about 12 cm tall so are probably closer to 1/15 human scale or smaller.    However, when compared with Microman figures, their head size is roughly the same, while their proportions are more elongated (especially the legs) and elfin.   So it is possible that they are tall like elves would be next to humans, and thus are 1/18th the size of what they be were their heads human-sized.   It's all a matter of perspective, really.   In any case, they don't look out of place in a collection of 1/18th scale toys at all.

Detail:  **** out of ***** 
On Enari-san's previous garage toy kits, the detail has been stunning and precise.  Spriggan X is no exception, although because Enari was going for a retro Super Robot look, he did skimp a little on realistic details in favor of a clean, smooth, elegant and slightly cartoonish design.  No one's going to mistake this toy for an 80's style mecha, but for a 70's homage, the detail is just right.  There are some minor cockpit details molded in, a monitor screen, vents on the torso, treads and possibly rockets on the bottom of the feet, and lots of small details and details that look like they are meant as "hard points" for an enterprising, risk taking  kit builder to add additional 5mm sockets for further accessorizing.   Some of the detail is hard to make out though on the black and faint yellow surfaces.


Interchangeability:  ****3/4 out of *****
Spriggan-X is specifically designed with interchangeability in mind, constructed entirely with 5mm connectors at just about every connection and articulation point.  You can easily swap parts on this figure with ones from Microman, Zoids Blox, BJPM, Transformers, some Legos, and other 5mm-based toys, and I'll be sure to post photos of examples in the future.    The only reason Spriggan-X doesn't get that last 1/4 of a star is because when formed, all the 5mm parts are used up ("dead end parts") in the robot's construction, so you can only interchange it by swapping out body parts.   That said, it's clear that Enari envisioned it supporting additional 5mm sockets, and there are raised circular details that are meant as "hard points" these can be added to with a drill if you want to add more detail to the kit.    Given the kit's extreme rarity and cost, I have zero desire to risk breaking or damaging it, though.

Colors: **1/2 out of *****
In some ways, I wish Enari-san had not cast this toy in color, allowing for greater customization and personalization.  That's not to say one can't repaint it still, but it seems a waste when he went to the effort to cast it in his intended colors.  The problem with the colors are that the detail is a little hard to make out on the white head, biceps, and thighs, as well as on the yellow chest details, and the black similiarly is hard to make out the detail on, and the dye it was cast in left the black parts with a very wet and oily look.   I'm half-tempted to paint the figure, even if into the same colors so as to bring out the detail better and give it a more finished look.  The head would also probably look great in silver or chromed.   That said, I'm really fond of the overall look of the toy and the fact it was made as full-color casting, imperfections and all.

Posability:  ****1/2 out of *****
The articulation is outstanding on this toy in spite of its retro-clunky appearance, simply due to ingenious use of Enari's own hinge connector design and 5mm swivel joints (and ball joints in the ankles and wrists).   Each hinge connector has a good range of motion, is squared on one end to limit rotatation to one of its 5mm metal pegs (so the bicep and upper knee swivel as well as bend, but do not swivel on the connection to the lower arm or leg, for example).  The joints are all tight, using metal pins in rubber/pvc 5mm socket gaskets cast into each part.   The only real negative point is that the head is on a swivel 5mm neck post rather than a ball joint, and thus cannot look up and down.

Accessories:  * out of *****
The only real "accessories" on this toy other than its interchangable sub-components are the "ears" or "horns" on the head, which help keep it looking too much like R***tman.  They are on 5mm pegs in 5mm sockets in the head, and on Enari's blog, he suggests the owner might wish to try other 5mm parts like off of Zoid Blox to customize their Spriggan-X's appearance to their liking.  The toy is self contained, but I wouldn't have minded some additional parts like a weapon or flight pack or such.  It's possible he might sell such at a later time (also some of his prior kit components can be used as accessories using the 5mm connections).  It is a bit of a shame the hands do not have 5mm sockets in them.

Fun: ***** out of ***** 
Spriggan-X is really pretty much perfect when it comes to fun.   He's super-posable, interchangeable, has an opening cockpit, and is pretty massive, hefty, and fairly sturdy (though standing takes some slight balancing due to the toy's extreme weight).    He looks great standing next to his other robot cousins or posed with Astro Midget  figures and kits or other toys from similar lines.  The toy has a lot of personality and will be the hero of the shelf.   You really want to pick it up and play with it, and take it for a spin around the house. 

Availability: 1/2* to 0 out of *****
Unfortunately, this toy is pretty much impossible to get now (it sold out on October 2 with no future runs planned), unless you know a collector in Japan that has one they want to part with.  Pretty much only Enari's most obsessed fans scooped this kit up during the window it was available and being made in.  The total production number is currently undisclosed, but I expect it was a very small run indeed.    

Customizability: ***** out of *****
Enari pretty much designed this toy kit for customizability and has since its release made a number of suggestions and demonstrations on his blog (see links in part one of this post).  This can range from limb-swapping to modding the toy's parts themselves, let alone repainting and so on.  The only real limitation is the piece's rarity makes one hesitant to modify any of its component parts. 

Sturdiness/Durability: **** out of *****
Constructed out of solid resin with metal pegs and rubber/pvc gasket sockets, the toy is very solid and very, very heavy--the lack of hollow parts make it weigh easily as much as hollow die cast toys of comparable size or even larger.  The downside is that the ankle ball joints have a lot of weight to support, leading to some balance issues and a bit of worry that the ankles won't crack over time, the only real weak point on the toy.   I'm almost surprised Enari didn't incorporate two more hinge joints into the ankle construction for greater sturdiness, though it is a bit difficult to see how such would have been incorporated into the leg design (it is a bit surprising the legs appear a little short on this design, given how long-legged the Astro Midgets are).   

Overall: ****1/2 out of  *****
An amazing work of independent toy design, that is worth every penny or yen it should be sold for should you be lucky enough to find one.   Definitely one of the finest garage toy kits I own.



Back view of Spriggan-X.  Very Nagai Go-ish colors.



A clear view of the pilot's exposed head and the head's up monitor display.



Spriggan-X's cockpit open, revealing the pilot figure.



Inside Spriggan-X's cockpit, showing some of the minimal interior details.

What do you think of Spriggan-X?