Name: God Ginrai
Series: Japanese Generation 1
Allegiance: Cybertron
Function: Supreme Supreme Commander
Alternate Mode: Road Train (technically a Gestalt comprising Godbomber & Super Ginrai.
ROAD TRAIN MODE
Height: 12cm Length: 50cm Width: 13.5cm
Well, as the size suggests, this is a big truck. OK, so it's just Super Ginrai & Godbomber end to end, but the sheer length of the thing makes this one impressive road train. If I'm not mistaken this is the longest TF vehicle mode (not counting the added-on Fort Max Space Cruiser). I'm not going to go into much detail, since the two halves I've already covered in the component toys' reviews.
It's certainly impressive, with six gun barrels and a big fat missile launcher on top, but it has a few flaws. While the joint between the two components is strong yet flexible, the joint between the cab and the first trailer is tight, and doesn't turn unless you actually make a point of doing so. Don't expect God Ginrai to corner well in truck mode. The rear trailer tries to follow the container-trailer look of the front trailer, with blue striping down the sides, but the fact that lots of robot bits are chucked on top sort of ruins the effect. Sure, you can strip the weapons and the front'll look like a container, but the back wont look much like a container from above.
Despite the shortcomings, the fact this thing has fourteen wheels and the fact it's half a metre (nearly two feet) long makes God Ginrai's road train mode cool.
TRANSFORMATION TO ROBOT MODE
Assuming you have Super Ginrai in robot mode, and God Bomber in pieces, it's pretty much just a case of adding body armour. Lift the blue pole on his back up and remove his guns to prepare Super Ginrai. Add God Bomber's feet as 'boots', add his arms as 'gloves', attach Godbombers back as a chestplate - remembering to fold down the black attachment - his chestplate as a backpiece (and then fold the connecting pole back down). Attach the wings to the sides of the backpiece, attach the silver guns to the sides of his boots, the black guns into his hands and the missile launcher on his right shoulder (on it's side). And you're done.
ROBOT MODE
Height: 30cm Width: 20cm
Super Ginrai in a Godbomber armour suit. Literally. This is emphasised by the fact that the head is Super Ginrai's head. Mind you, this isn't really unusual for two-piece Gestalts - and I have to say God Ginrai does more with Godbomber that Victory Sabre does with Victory Leo.
Not surprisingly, this is a toy that's impressive simply for size alone. The fact that's he's tall & massive makes it seem a very cool Gestalt, even if it's not the cleverest in engineering by a long shot. Size aside, it's really not _that_ great, although the chromed silver chestplate is a big plus for this mode, since it makes it more than just a bigger Super Ginrai. His wings are tiny compared to the size of him, and look kind of odd in truth.
Posability is limited to his arms moving at the shoulders, his feet guns being able to swivel and his groin plate lifting up and pointing forward - although I really don't endorse the last one. His only other real play feature is the missile launcher being able to shoot. While the shoulder-mounted cannon is nice and long and looks like a portable rocket launcher, it doesn't shoot very far.
Overall, the robot mode is a big, shiny and heavy brick. Not great play value, but awesome display value. For me personally, the only negative is the fact that the head is that of Super Ginrai - and Powermaster Prime.
VARIATIONS
None as such, although he was released in 1988 both as a giftset and two separate toys and again in 2001 as a re-issue giftset. And I'd just like to add that the 2001 giftset box (which I have) is as impressive looking as the toy itself - it's _huge_ with lots of pictures. There is a limited e-Hobby Fire Guts repaint.
OVERALL
How much you like this toy will depends on a few things. The biggest factor is whether you want it to play with or to look at. While the fact that it's a two robot Gestalt certainly adds to the play value, it's not a cheap set to obtain and others may represent better play value in that respect, it's essentially a toy to be put on a shelf and admired. Beast Wars only fans might as well ignore it - but G1 fans will like it more. Japanese toy fans will like it - and there's bound to be some who like it simply because it _is_ Japanese. If you can afford it, and you like the statue-type chromed such as Jazz & Megatron, you'll probably like this toy - 8.5/10
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