Bandai’s Soul of Chogokin Voltron GX-71 gives you five articulated lions, the combined robot and a stand for the spare weapons. Jon Deak’s video accompanies our written review of the set.
Five Lions or One Voltron
Our reviewer liked that each lion works as a figure in its own right. Moving limbs and paws, metallic paint and separate weapons make the uncombined team worth displaying.
The Black Lion opens to reveal Voltron’s face. On the reviewed set, the connecting plugs and locking mechanisms held the combined robot securely. Keep Bandai’s instructions handy when transforming your own figure.
A Stand for the Weapons
The stepped accessory stand keeps unused weapons on display instead of in the box. It is one of the more useful parts of the set, particularly when Voltron is holding only his sword.
The sword has a bright, chrome-like finish, but it is not die-cast metal. Two interchangeable nameplates offer Japanese and English lettering, matching the retro presentation of the box and instruction booklet.
Choosing Between Lions and Robot
The assembled robot is only one way to display the set. Displaying all five lions spreads the same components across a much wider area, and the weapon stand takes its own space. Decide which arrangement you want before clearing a shelf; the lions are substantial parts of the collectible, rather than leftover pieces after transformation. Use our display-case measurement guide to check the shelf space for the arrangement you want.
Details to Watch During Transformation
Jon works through each lion before combining the set, so the video is useful for seeing which joints extend and which parts lock. The Red and Green Lions’ bodies become the arms, while the Blue and Yellow Lions form the legs. The latter pair use release buttons that are easy to overlook when separating the robot.
Watch the Black Lion section before fitting its mouth blade. Jon removes the robot faceplate to keep the blade from rubbing against it. He also corrects an earlier comment: the Black Lion’s head does not detach, even though the other lion heads can be removed.
The demonstration includes a leg that comes off during unpacking, followed by the quick fix. It needed to be seated fully rather than replaced. Later, the combined robot shows its ratcheted shoulders, waist movement and ankle pivots, making the difference between the separate lions and the finished Voltron easier to see.
