BeastBOX: Helldiver BB-02HD

Dio was the first BeastBOX figure released by 52Toys and since then the figure has been released in a wide variety of colors and styles. Now a new version of the Dio mold has been released and let me just tell you...it's awesome!

Gone is the small square packaging that Dio was first released in, replaced with a larger rectangle box. The window is large enough to show off the figure with a great blueprint like image of the character. Also inside the box is a Box Charger, which is essentially a cube to hold the figure while in cube form.

One end of the box has beautiful colored artwork of the character, while the other end has schematics of the figure in both forms. The majority of the box is done in black/gray which allows the monochrome red ink as well as the art work on the end to really pop.

Helldiver is cast in a dark gray plastic with translucent orange armor pieces...which looks phenomenal. Added to this release is the inclusion of a double barrel gun mounted on the back. It's a subtle change to the figure, but creates a whole new look.

 

Transformation from Velociraptor to cube remains virtually unchanged. The rear mounted gun is now integrated into the transformation, allowing the figure to fold up perfectly into a cube.

Helldiver is an excellent addition to any BeastBOX collection, whether you have any other versions of this mold. It's one of my favorites and I'd love to get all the other versions of the mold because it's that good.

BeastBOX: Leviathan BB-14

 

It's been awhile since I've posted a BeastBOX review, but that doesn't mean that I haven't added a few new releases to the collection. I understand the appeal of a robotic animal transforming into a box/cube may not float everyone's boat, but I love this series and with each release they keep getting better and better.

Today we are taking a look at Leviathan, a (blue) whale. Up until this release the aquatic animals have just been OK. Leviathan however takes it to the next level. The packaging as seen above is now the standard fare. The box features a window that shows a portion of the figure, along with large artwork of the character. A character specific logo appears in the top right corner, while the code number and name appear in the bottom right portion. The 52Toys logo is on the lower left corner.

The back of the packaging features more artwork of the character, along with a diagram of some of it's features. In this case it shows a diagram of the included small aquatic creatures/weapons and a small figure of Jojo (ape). The left side of the box gives credit to the designer of the character. Most of the recent releases have featured a large sticker that appears to be covering (wrong?) information. You can see this sticker was applied upside down. Whoops!

Images from the left and right sides of the box include some nice artwork of the character as well as drawings of the beast mode and box mode.

From the rear view you can see the two small gray turbines on each side of the tail. Just behind the cockpit are two yellow air tanks.

I'm amazed at what the designers are able to do with these figures and Leviathan is no different. This looks like a robotic whale, complete with curves and fins. The fact that this folds up into a box/cube is amazing.

the included small blue figure of Jojo (one of the earlier BeastBOX figures) can fit inside the cockpit. Even though there are two chairs, Jojo must be position in the middle in order for him to stay in place.

The included accessories include this small orange/gray whale torpedo and blue/gray manta ray. Both of these accessories can be attached to the underside of Leviathan.

Some of these BeastBOX figures have a tricky transformation required to get all of the pieces folded up and neatly tucked away to form the box mode. Leviathan however has a pretty straight forward transformation that didn't give me any fits. Everything folded together with ease and made a convincing box/cube. All of the accessories can be nearly stored inside the cockpit.

Leviathan comes with a translucent Box Charger crate. This allows the figure to be stored in box mode. The Charger can also be connected to additional Box Chargers, or stacked on top of each other. In my display case I've started to store my less favorite characters inside their Chargers and make a display of sorts, effectively using them as risers.

This is by far one of my favorite BeastBOX figures yet...and that says a lot since just about everyone I've opened thus far are so much fun. 52Toys has a winner on their hands with this series.

BeastBOX: Dio BB-01BPD

I don't remember where I first heard of 52Toys' series of transforming robots, BeastBOX, but after picking up my first one on Amazon I'm hooked. I still don't much about 52Toys, who they are, where are they based, etc., however their product seems to be being picked up by more and more retailers online. This is a good thing because these are great little "deskbots" for the office if nothing else.

Dio is the first release in the series and this version is just one of many variations of the cute little velociraptor available. Dio comes in a small cube window box with a small box flap. The packaging has a matte feel and is rather simple. The back of the box contains the transformation instructions...which is just 4 steps, as well as small thumbnails of three other molds available (at that time).

The sides of the box has a series of images of the figure going from the it's "box" mode to animal mode. The bottom right corner of the box has a hexagon shaped grid that shows Dio's traits. This is basically the same as a Transformers' Tech Specs.

The other side of the box has a lot of text which I can't read as well as the product's barcode.

I didn't really notice this insert inside the box behind the product until I opened the box. This removable cardboard "internal structure" insert is a very nice touch by 52Toys.

I know what you may be thinking. "What's so special about a robot that transforms into a box?". I said the same thing as a kid when I first saw Rock Lords on the shelves. However once I was given my first Rock Lord (Magmar...which I was immediately reminded of after opening Dio) I fell in love with the quirky toy. The same applies to BeastBox. There is just a charm about this toy that's hard to describe.

Dio forms a small box, or cube if you will that measures about two inches across either side. It's pretty amazing how the designers were able to engineer a velociraptor transforming into such a small package. In the box form you can see bits and pieces of the dino if you look carefully. I love the deco on this particular version of Dio, the black and white looks so great. Throw in the touches of red and blue, along with the various logos and this is one of the best looking versions of Dio released to date. Well at least in my opinion.

I only have a few BeastBOX figures thus far, but I'm 99.9% sure that the Dio mold is the smallest in the series. Here he is beside Elephinx, one I bought second hand to sate my curiosity.

Transformation is just four steps and is really easy. Dio is more articulated than I would have imagined. While there isn't much to him, his hips are on ball joints, while the feet swivel (thanks to the transformation) giving the figure rocker like joints. The neck allows the head to be lifted or dropped, depending on how you want to pose him. The head can turn 360 degrees and the lower jaw can open and close. The tail simple moves up and down. Like a velioraptor, Dio has small arms with claws that fold out from his body. They are very tiny, but they do have a small range of movement.

The overall design and look of Dio is fantastic. I love the head sculpt, especially the eyes. It was until later that I noticed the other version of Dio I purchased had a different sculpted eyes. The whole figure is fun to mess around with. I told someone else that if I didn't work from home, Dio, or any other BeastBOX would be my new favorite "deskbot". To date there are a lot of different versions of this mold and while I'd love to own them all, some of them aren't the easiest to find online. There is also a new version 1.5 that is being released soon. This one appears to have a gun mounted on the dino's back. I'll definitely have to check that one out!

Dio runs anywhere from $12 to $18 USD at most online retailers. If you're interested and want to check one out head over to Amazon, BigBadToyStore or HLJ or Hobby Search.