- HMM 020 LTD Lightning Saix Irvine Special
Release Date: February 23rd, 2013
Retail Price: 5,800 yen
Product Length: Roughly 265 mm
- Stock Images
- Introduction
The Black Lightning Returns! The popular Zoids HMM Series' Lightning Saix makes a comeback in the Irvine Specifications!!
The impressive "Restraints" that were used in the show are recreated with newly-molded parts, including the color of the canopy, which in addition to the orange color also comes with green parts to accurately recreate the Imperial version.
The Restraints are removable, and the power pipes are made up of a soft material so that it won't hinder movement, allowing for free posing.
In addition, two types of painted Irvine figures, a sitting and a standing version are included, and the standing figure is a newly modeled part, so you can enjoy the world view of ZOIDS more closely.
Of course, it's also compatible with the MSG Mechanical Base - Flying 3, so you can also enjoy realistic displays of the Lightning Saix, which excels at high-speed combat.
- Technical Data
Stats:
Length: 18.4 m
Height: 8.8 m
Weight: 65.0 tons
Maximum Speed: 325 km/h
[Weapons]
AZ Double Shock Cannon (Chest)
Laser Killer Fangs (Fangs)
Micro Missile Pod (Upper Back)
Pulse Laser Rifles (Back)
Strike Laser Claws (Claws)
[Equipment]
Camera Eyes (Eyes)
Ground Sensors (Feet)
Heat Dispersion Armour x2 (Red plates on back, Red plates on front of legs)
High-Speed Booster Pack (Rear of back gun)
High-Speed Manoeuvre Function Preservation Devices (Restraint Gear) x3 (Mouth, Upper Back, Legs, Feet)
Sensor Units (Ears)
Tail Stabiliser (Tail)
Vertical Stabilisers (Lower back, above tail)
Wing Stabilisers (Sides of back gun)
[Features]
Cockpit (Head)
Zoid Core (Chest, internal)
- Release Notes
- Rereleased in March 2018- Disclaimer
Please note! While the stats and equipment list on this page is properly translated by Falcarius, the remainder of the info on this page (including the story) relies on automatic translation done by this site. It likely contains errors, and exists only to give users the gist of what is being said, where better translations are currently unavailable.- Lightning Saix Irvine Instructions
- HMM 020 LTD Lightning Saix Irvine Special
Number of Pieces: 427 | Number of Frames: 38 | Custom Pilot: Irvine
The Irvine Special summed up is a beautiful tragedy.
This variation is one I've wanted to see ever since a fan-made garage kit was seen at wonder fest. This safety armor was never seen in model kit form, so this is a first.
Starting off with the most minor nitpick is their choice to call it the Irvine Special. It was a safety mechanism in the show, and as a point of fact the first thing Irvine did when he got the Saix was dump this scrap heap. Nonetheless, it's a suitable way to plug selling the extra pilot and different colored eyes.
My second major nitpick is the huge different in pre-production photos. It was shown as a two-tone paint scheme with light and dark silver. The silver was a beautiful airy blue, but respectably I can say that was photography conditions. The armor is actually a dull dindgy gray with slight metallic fleck, closer to what is seen above. Closer to the anime colors. It is all one color, though. The eyes are also clear orange, there are no painted eyes. It does however come with the original green eyes.
The biggest problem though is the armor itself. It was a wonderful idea for them to make it, but the fact of the matter is that it was supposed to go around a fully built, fully armored Zoid, and this wouldn't be without complications. MANY pieces come lose from just basic posing. Some pieces that are meant to slide on the unarmored Zoid are completely blocked by the armor and force it apart or put it at risk of breaking when the movement is now restricted to zero pose-ability. It's amazing that they made it, but plain and simply there was no good way to make it a kit-well-done. It just wasn't possible working with what they already had for the Saix.
Note: The Saix in this review uses the silver chrome CP. The Irvine Special comes with basic silver claws and teeth.
Gallery
Pros:
First release of otherwise anime-exclusive kit
Comes with painted pilot figure
Metallic fleck paint
Cons:
-Single color used for all 'extra' armor
-Color much different from box and pre-production photos
-None of the pipes stay in place and fall lose when limbs stretch or pose
-Armor constantly pops apart from shifting pieces pushing it outwards
- Box and Inserts
- Gimmicks
- Cockpit
The cockpit flips open to reveal the pilot. The eyes are attached to the nose and don't open with the canopy, but as seen they are a bright orange like the Command Wolf. It also comes with green eyes.
- Backpack
The pack over the shoulders will become increasingly annoying as you mess with the kit. There is nothing actually holding it on -- it only sits there because of the 'pipes' attaching it to the pieces in the jaws. Unfortunately the pipes constantly fall out while the head is being moved, and thus this piece will simply tumble off too.
- Chest
Like the back pack the chest armor simply slides into place with no pegs holding it on. It stays connected fairly well, but in the back there are two 'vent' pieces that constantly pop off.
- Shoulders
These pieces are supposed to wrap around the leg, so you'll want to assemble them while the legs are detached. The bar going across the front connects the two halves, and as you can see it commonly pops out of the socke because of the rotating 'wheel' on the outside of the shoulder. In the second image you'll see the pipes in the back of the leg, which fall out constantly.
- Rear Legs
Again you see pipes and parts that pop out of place. The bars in the front are still popping out. I really do like the look of how the pipes wrap around the legs, you just can't pose it. Also pay close attention to the red 'fins' in the backs of the leg. These are meant to slide down when the leg stretches out, but now they're blocked by one of the bars that goes across the armor. Be very careful of this! You may break the armor when these pieces try to slide out (as they are now restricted from doing so).
- Paws
The paw armor simply slides over the foot, but it oddly seems to stay in place. As you can see in the later pictures the paw is on a ball joint that has a wide rotation ability.
- Body
Really this has nothing to do with the Irvine Special, but the Saix is still quite flexible with the body able to bend and twist.
- Tail
Well, once again nothing to do with the Irvine Special specifically, but the tail is jointed to be able to turn, rotate, and swing up and down at the base. It can also bend down half way through.
- Back Fins
Both of these can swivel up or tuck far down beside the tail of the Lightning Saix.
- Laser Gun
All the same as the original but a lot of people are still concerned about warped fins from the original Saix. This has been fixed in the original's reissues and is still nice and straight on the Irvine Special. In the first picture you can see the joint that allows it to flip up and down. This is constantly coming out and the gun is kind of awkwardly shaped, makng it difficult to fit back in.
