Yamato USA Starship Troopers 3 - MARAUDER Power Armor

**JeffSaylor** · 02-26-2010, 09:21 AM

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One may question if 1997's Starship Troopers was good enough to warrant two follow-up films, but at least Starship Troopers 3: Marauder acknowledged the iconic power armor of the book. The Marauders, as the suits were named in the movie, were very well realized; their design reminiscent of cool Japanese mecha bristling with high-tech weaponry. Whether you liked Starship Troopers 3 or not, robot collectors are sure to love the Marauder action figure recently released by Yamato USA as part of their new line, Sci-Fi Figure Gallery. Fully articulated and featuring die-cast metal parts, this approximately 6.50" collectible is an awesome replica of its movie counterpart.

PACKAGING: The Marauder comes packaged in an eye-catching red window box adorned with product shots on the back and detailed mech specs on the sides. I really appreciate the latter; the "real-world" info, such as its weight, height and weapons loadout, really help breath life into the fictional machine. That, and I am a sucker for cool-sounding sci-fi guns. 15.6mm 5 barrel "Morita Cross" Heavy Machine Gun? Oorah!

Inside collectors will find the robot twist-tied snug on a slide-out plastic tray backed by a cardboard insert marked with the Mobile Infantry logo. Aside from the irksome twist ties, the whole package is pretty collector friendly. The entire Marauder comes fully assembled and ready to display with an in-scale soldier as a great added bonus.

SCULPT: Insectoid in look, the Marauder is a bipedal armored vehicle that is clearly designed for combat; the massive guns for arms are a dead giveaway. Yamato's team of sculptors have captured the Marauder's design flawlessly in figure form; the mighty movie mech is vastly more appealing up close and in person. As mentioned, the power suit stands 6.50" including the two head-mounted guns. It's the perfect action figure height, fitting in nicely with most of the robots in my collection.

The Marauder also packs some serious heft courtesy of its part die-cast metal build. To be honest, I haven't quite determined exactly WHERE the die-cast metal is located on this collectible, but there's a lot more weight distribution in its feet, so I am assuming it's found there (I tried a magnet, but it only connected to a pin in its foot, even though the entire foot feels like metal.) Nevertheless, die-cast metal IS in the Marauder somewhere, the material giving the figure a higher sense of quality and construction. It reminds me a bit of my old Popy Shogun Warriors, though the metal in those bad boys was something fierce.

PAINT: The color palette on this mech is pretty drab, as a military weapon should be. Olive green is the primary color, accented by splashes of silver for the weapons and pistons, as well as some use of black. Most of the pieces appear to molded in the color, though insignia, such as unit designation "04" and the Mobile Infantry seal, are stamped on a crisp and clean white. The blue visor and clear headlights are cast of translucent plastic and add an additonal layer of depth and sophistication to the toy.

ARTICULATION: Articulating a mechanical character would appear to be an easy task. However, the articulation encorporated into the Marauder action figure is amazingly complex; an intricate system of hinged joints and working pistons. Let me count the ways:

* Both head-mounted gun turrets rotate a full 360 degress. A ball-joint here would have been nice, but I'm not complaining.

* Swivel waist for 180 degree rotation to either the left or right.

* Despite its ball-shaped appearance, the upper right gun arm is only hinged. The elbow also features a cut. A swivel joint at the upper forearm would have been nice for swinging the gun out to the side.

* Left arm features a hinge at the shoulder and elbow for positioning the "Morita Cross" up and down.

* Swivel thighs for mecha walking action.

* Here's where it gets cool: Double-hinged knees, with the upper portion featuring a working piston that slides in and out.

* The working pistons return at the ankles with two on the back of each foot. Not only can you rotate each foot up and down, but you can rock them slightly side to side for more precise balancing.

As you can see, the Marauder can move, and for the most part, the joints are nice and firm. The ankles on mine are a bit loose, but the weight of its feet and tight knee joints help him stand just fine. I do wish greater thought was placed in the weapon arms, as not being able to rotate them outwards is rather frustrating. The working pistons are the star of the show, looking and working fantastically.

ACCESSORIES: If this were a mass market toy you'd expect some gimmicky firing missiles as an extra. But being a higher-end collectible, the Marauder adds value with an in-scale Mobile Infantry soldier to enhance your display. The plastic figure measures 2-inches tall and is posed to lean against the mech. The soldier comes unpainted as to not distract from the Marauder, lending the piece a cool museum display-like vibe.

COST & OVERALL IMPRESSION: Collectors of robots, especially mecha, will appreciate the Marauder's unique mechanical appearance. Fans of the film will certainly eat this figure up, because lets face it, Starship Troopers collectibles are scarce and getting one now is pretty unbelievable. The Marauder may not be the most iconic Starship Troopers creation (the "Warrior Bug" holds that honor), but the power suit holds it own as a well-conceived design. $48 may seem a lot for an action figure, but for one so finely crafted and from a movie series that doesn't see much action, the price is more than fair. As a Starship Troopers fan, I'm very pleased to see Yamato USA go out on a limb to bring us this rare sci-fi gem.

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For more images of the Marauder power suit, CLICK HERE!

Review and Photos by Jeff Saylor

Review sample Courtesy of Yamato USA