As a collector, I’ve seen the highs and lows of Super Sentai mecha. Some releases have been game-changers, bringing articulation and flexibility to new heights, while others have taken a step back, prioritizing gimmicks over poseability. It’s a cycle that continues with each new series, shaping the way we interact with and display these beloved figures.

For me, this journey started with ZyuohKing from Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger, a mech that, while visually striking, was essentially a brick. It had barely any articulation—the arms moved forward and back,  and that was about it. Displaying it felt more like stacking blocks than posing an action figure. I didn’t mind at first. After all, Super Sentai mecha had always been chunky, sturdy, and built for play, not necessarily for posing. That is why he’s currently on my shelf in their mechs, mostly due to space. I only have half the final form, missing the big one, ZyuohWhale.

Then came Shuriken Sentai Ninninger’s main mech. I picked this one up, hoping for something different, but it followed the same brick-like tradition. I also had the Power Ranger version and wanted to see if the Japanese version was better (which it was). It looked great on a shelf, sure, but dynamic poses were impossible. If I wanted to capture a mid-action shot, I had to rely on tilting it in ways that barely worked. It made me wonder—was this just the way things would always be? That is why he’s back in the box somewhere in my storage.

The King-Ohger Revolution (But Not Without Flaws)

Then, King-Ohger drops, and everything changes. When I first got my hands on it, I was blown away. It had actual articulation—hips, shoulders, and even head movement! For the first time, a Super Sentai mecha felt like an action figure, not just a transforming brick. I could pose it in ways I never thought possible. It felt alive on my shelf. I loved messing with it; heck, I even did an unboxing video.

I spent hours testing different display setups, seeing how far I could push the articulation. This wasn’t just a step forward—it was a massive leap. Finally, Bandai had acknowledged that collectors and fans wanted more movement, not just bigger and more complex combinations.

But as more mechs were added, God King-Ohger became another immobile giant. The more mechs they added, the more articulation was lost. By the time all the pieces were combined, it was back to being a solid, immobile statue. Sure, it looked impressive, but it left me wondering—was articulation just a one-time experiment, or was this the beginning of a new era?

One of my biggest disappointments with King-Ohger is that while the articulation is fantastic, it’s only great in the base form. Once you start adding in Extreme King-Ohger and Legend King-Ohger, you start losing mobility. Extreme King-Ohger sacrifices some articulation due to the massive backpack attachment, while God King-Ohger turns into an unbalanced giant that struggles to stand up.

The legs on the main robot don’t fully support its weight, and while one of the bots does help stabilize it, it also kills the right arm articulation. It was a bold move, and I respect the attempt, but I think this might be why Bandai backed away from such high articulation in future releases—because in full form, the mecha just wasn’t structurally sound.

Boonboomger: A Step Back in Articulation

Then came Boonboomger, and unfortunately, articulation took a hit once again. I own the main robo, and while I appreciate the design, it’s clear that movement was not the priority here.

• The legs move slightly, but they lack knee joints, so posing is limited.
• The arms move a bit better, but no waist or head articulation makes it feel stiff.
• The transformation gimmick is impressive, but it comes at the cost of posability.

This is where it gets frustrating as a collector—King-Ohger gave us a glimpse of what’s possible, yet Boonboomger pulled back into old habits of static, display-focused mecha. I reviewed this figure, and while I still think it looks cool on a shelf, it doesn’t give me the same excitement as something like King-Ohger did. I also understand why they pulled back.

Gozyuger: Back to the Basics?

Looking at Gozyuger’s DX Robo (DX Tega Sword), it feels like a step back to the brick-like days of ZyuohKing rather than the poseability of King-Ohger. The henshin gimmick is cool but at the cost of articulation. I wish they had released two versions—one as a proper henshin device and another as a fully posable robot that could still accommodate future upgrades as new mecha and final forms are introduced.

It’s interesting this time around, as I feel the rangers’ mecha aren’t something that transform. When the Blue Ranger summons his mecha, it’s a gun basically, which just attaches to the main Tega Sword Robo, replacing an arm. But it’s still too early to judge the mecha this season. One, I haven’t gotten my copy yet, and the show is still going on.

Maybe this is the reality of Super Sentai mecha—a constant battle between form and function. Some years, we get dynamic, articulated figures that feel like they belong in a modern collection. Other years, we return to the big, blocky behemoths that transform in cool ways but don’t move much after that. As a collector, I’m always torn.

My Journey with Super Sentai & Power Rangers Mecha

A Collector’s Journey Through Super Sentai Mecha

My opinion on articulation isn’t just based on King-Ohger or Gozyuger—it comes from years of collecting different Super Sentai mecha. Over the years, I’ve picked up multiple DX molds, and I’ve seen the extremes of articulation vs. gimmicks firsthand. I remember picking up Kyuranger’s Cube Mecha, which was just a stack of cubes—possibly one of the most static, brick-like mecha designs ever. Then there was Ninninger, which followed a similar style, though at least it had some interesting transformations.

I’ve had the American sets for a long time. They were just the DX model, sometimes removing the sound gimmicks, different stickers, lacking them and less paint at times (sometimes more paint). But my collecting habits changed when I started looking at the Japanese releases vs. the American Power Rangers versions. For years, I collected Power Rangers Zords, and at first, I didn’t notice much difference; sure, I couldn’t compare them. That is, until Operation Overdrive.

I remember the excitement—I ran out to Walmart the day the Mecha was released and bought it instantly. But when I got home and opened the box, it was awful. The plastic felt cheap, the pieces didn’t connect well, and worst of all, it didn’t even transform properly like in the show. It was twice the size it was supposed to be. That was because that was when they made a new mold, the first of the Zord Builder that would soon follow. I returned it the next day, frustrated beyond belief. That moment was a turning point for me—I stopped buying the Power Rangers versions and switched to importing the Japanese DX mecha instead.

Oddly enough, Hasbro made a step in the right direction when it took over Power Rangers and released the Dino Fury Megazords. I ended up grabbing the American versions, and to my surprise, they were better than the Japanese counterparts in some ways. The Zord Builder System worked for them, and I think Hasbro understood what collectors wanted more than Bandai America did at the time. They added stuff that the Japanese didn’t have. I’ve seen many YouTubers point it out; it’s just too bad we’ll never get the whole line. They only released a few, We got lucky to at least be able to make the main Ultrazord without some flare on it.

It was also smaller and didn’t have the lights and sounds. Honestly, I own a few Transformers that have lights for eyes or some kind of gimmick. I never really cared for it. The first 2007 Transformers Movie Toy line is filled with “Transformation Gimmicks”.

What Matters in a Mecha?

At the end of the day, I find myself asking: What do I want in a Super Sentai mecha?

• Do I want pure nostalgia, even if it means limited articulation?
• Do I want high articulation, even if it means sacrificing some of the classic transforming mechanics?
• Can we have both, or will one always outweigh the other?

It’s hard to say what the future holds, but one thing’s for sure—the way we collect and interact with these figures is changing. Is that change for the better? That’s something only time will tell.

Final Thoughts

The evolution of the Super Sentai mecha has been a wild ride. From brick-like tanks to highly poseable action figures, every series brings something new. As a collector, it’s impossible not to feel a little nostalgic for the old-school chunkiness, but at the same time, I can’t deny the thrill of posing a mecha that moves like it does in the show.

I’m still waiting to see where Gozyuger lands—maybe once I get it in hand, I’ll be pleasantly surprised. But for now, I’ll always appreciate King-Ohger (On Amazon) for what it tried to do, even if it wasn’t perfect.

Until Next Time!