VLOCKer's (mecha-action block action toy)

[naoto]

Just pointing this for those folks who may have missed the post from a few months ago...

Link to (English-language) page describing the concept of VLOCKer's
https://www.volks.co.jp/sp_h_019_vlockers/?version=en

Some of the "expansion" sets do contain interesting parts:
http://www.volks.co.jp/jp/vlockers/wepn01.html/
http://www.volks.co.jp/jp/vlockers/wepn05.html/
http://www.volks.co.jp/jp/vlockers/wepn08.html/
http://www.volks.co.jp/jp/vlockers/wepn12.html/
These "weapons sets" are pretty neat in what you actually get in the package -- a pile of sprue with some relatively generic-looking mechanical bits. After quick view of the enclosed "instruction sheet" (which mostly look a set of exploded views of the parts -- with practically no text) you quickly realize that it's how you put the parts together that makes the *most* difference (e.g. stack a bunch of "road wheel" and "cogwheel" parts onto a "spindle" piece, then stick a "turbine face" on one end and "nozzle" on the other end and you end up with something that resembles a jet engine).

The "archetype" units are humanoid-looking robot-like figures that have various characteristics you've probably seen in various manga or anime. From there you can combine various accessory parts to build up armor, etc. Of course you don't have to leave it at that too... The display cases they had at the booth showed some interesting builds. They had a rather large one that sort of looked like a mechanical T-rex. Next to it were things that looked like ants and scorpion -- highlighting some of the advantages to some of the "organic-looking" component shapes.

Aside from the robot-looking things, you could build spaceship-like things too:
https://www.volks.co.jp/page_ex.jsp?CON ... 8992224749

[Kylwell]

That's spiffo!