Revoltech
From Transformers Wiki
Revoltech (リボルテック Riborutekku) is a multi-property brand of super-articulated action figures produced by Japanese toy company Kaiyodo. The whole selling point of the line is that the figures are articulated with many of the "revolver joints" that give the line its name. Introduced in mid-2006, the main "Yamaguchi Series" line has since reached over 100 numbered figures, not counting unnumbered redecos such as Ultra Magnus from Optimus Prime. Revoltech has also expanded to include multiple series, such as one dedicated to Fist of the North Star and Sci-Fi (or Tokusatsu) Revoltech, which features characters from all manner of films.
The figures are primarily made from PVC plastic while the revolver joints and many accessories are ABS plastic. The standard joint (seen to the right) is a 3-piece design, but there is also a double-jointed 5-piece design which is used in the necks of the Revoltech Transformers.
The joints are interchangeable, making it possible to swap body parts between different figures. This swapping of parts is limited by the fact that not all figures use revolver joints in the same places or to the same extent. Prime, for example, has cut-joints in his shoulders while Megatron has revolver joints, giving him much greater flexibility. The later Starscream and Hot Rod figures also use shoulder revolver joints.
Unusual for a Japanese figure line, Revoltech freely mixes giant robots with action figures of human characters, such as Dante of Devil May Cry and Revy of Black Lagoon. Regardless of height in the source material, all figures in the line stand approximately 12 cm at the head. With this glaring lack of scale, the Transformers license was a natural, although, like modern-day Action Masters, the figures trade off increased articulation for a loss of transformability.
Similar jointing was used for the Hasbro "Robot Replicas" sub-line.
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Transformers Revoltech figures
The sculpts for Prime and Megatron were based on prototypes which Kaiyodo first revealed back in 2004. Since this was before the launch of the Revoltech concept, these figures were to feature traditional Kaiyodo joints (meaning a whole bunch of swivel joints) and looked somewhat different. The photos released also showed a prototype for a figure of Energon Optimus Prime,[1] but nothing more was ever shown of this, and since Energon has since passed, likely never will.
Yamaguchi series
- 19. Convoy
- 19fs. Ultra Magnus (redeco of Convoy, Kaiyodo "Friend Shop" exclusive)
- 25. Megatron
- 46. Starscream
- 47. Hot Rodimus
Sci-Fi series
- 30. Optimus Prime
- 38. Bumblebee
- 40. Jet Wing Ver. Optimus Prime
Legacy of Revoltech
- LR-008 Convoy
- LR-044 Jet Wing ver. Optimus Prime
- LR-049 Optimus Prime
- LR-050 Bumblebee
Amazing Yamaguchi
- 014 Convoy
Notes
- While not actually Transformers, figures 36 and 83 represent variations of the Macross VF-1S Valkyrie. With some acrylic red paint they could be customized into Jetfire. Later Revoltech versions of the VF-1 Valkyries are actually able to transform.
