AX-WYVERN

MICROMAN 2005 ACROYEAR EXO

TAKARA release Microman Acroyear EXO series in Fall of 2005. The EXO series is the first all Acroyear series for the 2005 line-up. The EXO series, like Microman Road Force, consists of three male body and one female. The three Acroyears are AX-31 AcroOptom, AX-32 AcroGrabz and AX-33 AcroEmperor with the lone Acrolady, AL-31 AcroStera.

ACROWYVERN

Acroyear EXO series, like many others recent Microman series, has the combine mode gimmick that allow the accessories from each of the separate figure to combine and form one big size mode. For EXO series, the accessories from each Acroyear EXO combine to form giant Acro-Wyvern. AcroWyvern is a pseudo power-suit armor that form around the body of AcroEmperor. The arms come from AcroGrabz, while the legs come from AcroOptom and the wings and body from AcroStera and AcroEmperor accessories. The figure is not huge and only about 2/3 the size of Biomachine Bio-suit. As the name suggest, the combine mode of Emperor race car and the Navy Force form a giant wyvern-like power suit. The parts overall fit fairly well together (to my surprise). AcroWyvern is typical of 1999-2000 Magne & LED Powers design (it was done by the same designer) and if you like the design of the toys from that period (especially the Magne Acroyear and Magne Arden) then you will enjoy the look of Wyvern. The color scheme is surprisingly not too hodgepodge, especially consider having to combine for four colors into one form. I would have prefer a darker leg pieces (the parts from Optom's accessories), perhaps a clear dark red-brown color like AcroOptom figure would have been better than the clear dark blue and that would have help blend AcroWyvern a little more. (The other three figures have similar shade accessories but Optom seem to be the odd man out with blue accessories but dark red brown figure.) 

KIBBLES AND BITS

AcroWyvern suffer from the busy looking "kibbles and bits" hanging off him which is result of the current trend of Microman design philosophy where every parts must have multi-purpose usages. From a playability stand point this is actually good as the parts can lead to many interesting interchangeability modes which after all is one of the essence of Microman toys. Wyvern is a little top heavy due to his wing span but he can stand pretty well on his own. Most of the parts stay on well but this is definitely not a "toy" where you can constantly fiddle with but more for display with some pose-ability. The combine mode does require a solid core EXO figure with good tight joints and un-broken pelvic sections. Luckily the core figure can be any of the three male EXO body or even one of the Military Force body. (The Military Force body has added benefit of having much tighter joints than the poorly made EXO figures). 

EXO : ACRO-WYVERN