Yet another of Trendmasters smaller scale figures, this particular toy of the robo-penguin was actually my first exposure to the character. Unlike other kaiju such as their Mecha-King Ghidorah and SpaceGodzilla, I knew of the machine’s role in the 1957 movie, the Mysterians, despite never actually seeing it as a child. However, I was firmly of the belief that the toy company had given it a radical redesign until acquiring an issue of G-Fan in the mid-90s that had a publicity shot of the mech.
But enough remising. Let’s dissect this little toy.
So like the others, there were multiple ways to acquire this. There were a handful of battle sets featuring Moguera against a Godzilla and there were the 40th anniversary box sets in which came with nine figures. Like all but three of the toys, Moguera was also issued within a special color anniversary box in which it was given a unique new color scheme.
Details
Standing just a hair short of four inches, Moguera is sculpted entirely in what feels like a hard rubber. There’s plenty of details in the treads on its body and the body itself is sculpted very blocky. I do want to point out that Trendmasters could have taken an easy route and ignored some of the minor details of the robot, such as the interior of its “tail jet” and the ridges alongside the base of its cone hands, but didn’t. For the most part, Moguera is spot on.
The nose drill seems a little too big for its face, but I think this might be a nitpicky complaint.
Articulation
None.
Accessories
Depending on how you acquire this figure, you will also get a trading card of it alongside. While I got both versions through the 40th anniversary box sets, the card that came with the battle set is the same one found with larger, five inch scale Trendmasters Moguera.
As for the card, it does include some comical wording, such as declaring G-Force as a team of superheroes. The machine’s “iconic” Spiral Grenade Missiles are simply dubbed “powerful torpedoes” and then some. Keep in mind, this card was released in the US several years before the actual movie was and could very well be the first attempt at translating its weaponry for the US.
Paint
I think this is where Moguera shines. Like the MechaGodzilla, Moguera seems to be sculpted in a dark material with the body painted metallic silver. The treads are nicely painted a dark blue with the eyes and forehead “dot thing” yellow. The nose drill and cones are a light shade of gray and the interior of the tail jet and thigh openings are black. It should be noted that while almost all the treads are painted blue, those found on the sides of the legs are not.
The special color variant is painted a metallic blue with the treads black and eyes green. This color scheme looks especially ominous on the robot and is something I would love to see more of.
Overall
A very simple release. While there’s been dozens of Moguera toys since this release, this particular toy still holds a place in my heart for exposing me to the marvelous machine. While surely not the best of Trendmasters toys and not very memorable compared to some of their “original” takes on other kaiju, this Moguera toy doesn’t do anything remarkably wrong to be given an overly bad score.
**Below are several bonus images of the figure and its collector's edition repaint.**
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