Zoids Liger Zero Phoenix

Yes I eat little children!

Presenting the Dungeon's Zoids Liger Zero Phoenix. While doing the research for this review, I came to the surprising realization that one of the nicest toys to have invested in in the past two or three decades were Zoids - which will become obvious later.

DISCLAIMER: Before we start the review, I just have to point out that I had to dig this out of one of the deeper pits of the Dungeon - and clean it. When I found it, The Liger Zero was attached to a Jet Falcon, as such I did not notice that I left one of the leg armor pieces of the Liger Zero Pheonix back somewhere where I did not feel like digging for again thanks to allergies.

This particular version of Zoid stems from the Zoids: Fuzors which strangely was not very successful in the United States - where only 13 of its 26 episodes were released. Zoids: Fuzors follows the exploits of RD a naturally gifted Zoid pilot who gains employment with the Mach Storm Stable where he is assigned control of a Liger Zero. Now in the Fuzors series, a Liger Zero is actually considered a low-tech, almost useless Zoid, however in the hands of RD, it outperformed Zoids that outclassed it and only RD's main rival, Blake of the Savage Hammer Team piloting a Berserk Fury would rival/defeat RD and his Liger Zero.

And indeed when you look at the Liger Zero and hold it in comparison with let's say a Blade Liger or even a Shield Liger, it does look like it's sadly lacking in weaponry.

The Liger Zero's wiki reveals that the Liger:

• Weighs in ay 85 tons - lighter than the  Blade Liger's 124 tons
• Has a Maximum Speed of 307 kph - Unaugmented, the  Blade Liger does 325 kph and 350kph with the Attack Booster attached. 
• Is armed with:
• Laser Fangs - The  Blade Liger had Sabres. 
• Strike Laser Claws (Four)
• One AZ 208mm Double-Barrelled Shock Cannon
• One AZ 108mm High-Density Beam gun (Tail mounted)
• It is equipped with:
• A Changing Armor System (CAS)
• Ion Turbo Booster Unit - supposedly greener than the Rocket Boosters of the Blade Liger
• Downforce Stabilizers - those vestigial wings on its side replacing the Blade Liger's Laser Blades. 

So straight up, it does seem like a weaker shadow of one of the deadliest Zoids to have walked the face of the Planet. 

On a design note, unlike its predecessor Ligers, this particular Liger can adjust his claws. All four sets can spread or compress like a real Lion's claw:

As with previous Ligers and as seen above, Liger Zero can also fold in/out his booster rockets:


The Liger Zero's ace in the hold - aside from it's pilot - is it's Changing Armor System (CAS). In a nutshell this means that it's armor is modular, granting him the ability to "Fuze" (Hence the "Fuzors" name) with other Zoids. Here's what the Liger ZEro looks like without its base armor:

While the Liger Zero can combine with several other armor packs - as it was expanded to do in Zoids: New Century - in Zoids: Fuzors, it combined with stand-alone or "wild" Zoids, particularly the Fire Phoenix and the Jet Falcon.




We'll talk about the Jet Falcon some other time.

The Fire Phoenix is a Blox Zoid - think of it as a Zoid built of magnets (Kinda Voltes V). When RD and the Liger Zero save it from destruction, the Fire Phoenix decides to "fuze" with the Liger Zero.

The Fire Phoenix's wiki states that:

• Weighs in at 35 Tons 
• Has a Maximum Speed Mach 2.0 
• Is armed with:
• Laser Claws (Two)
• A small caliber 2-barrel Beam Gun (Not sure where that is)
• Two Beam Cannons on it's wings
• A Charge Missile - on it's underside. 
• It is equipped with:
• Downforce Stabilizers
• Magnesser Pheonix Wing - Unlike conventional aircraft that fly by having air pushed under their wings to generate lift, Zoids fly by interacting with a planet's Magnetic Field (Same thing Magneto does. Think of it like Bullet train without the tracks).

The Zoids Fire Phoenix actually also has a cockpit, but in the Zoids: Fuzors series, it was never piloted.

The fun part starts when you combine the two - which, if you don't really know where to dig up the manual and haven't done so in years, will take a while:

But I have to say that the final outcome is well worth it:

Yes, the Liger Zero Phoenix looks like something out of aliens and I keep waiting for another mouth to pop out from its jaws.

Combined, the Liger Zero Pheonix now - according to it's wiki:

• Weighs in at 106 Tons -  When combined, you may think that it should be a mere 4 tons lighter than a Blade Liger - but when they actually combine, the Liger Zero drops it's own armor, so combined they only weigh in at 106 tons instead of 120.
• Has a Maximum Speed of 340 kph - 10 kph slower than an augmented  Blade Liger, but definitely faster than the normal  Blade Liger. Plus, the Fire Phoenix can fly! With the additional energy from the Liger Zero, the Liger Zero Pheonix can now fly at Mach 2.3
• And it is now armed with:

• Laser Fangs - The  Blade Liger had Sabres. 
• Strike Laser Claws (Four)
• One AZ 208mm Double-Barrelled Shock Cannon
• Two Pheonix Cannon (Mounted on the wings)
• Two Phoenix Rays (Top mounted)
• One Charge Missile 
• It is equipped now with:
• Blox-CAS Armor
• Downforce Stabilizers
• Magnesser Pheonix Wing

And in case you haven't noticed yet, the Zoids Liger Zero Pheonix comes with a mounting stand - though he looks just as cool without it.

But perhaps the nicest thing about owning a Zoids Liger Zero Pheonix, is that even if it was released just in 2004 - which makes it relatively young - a complete Zoids Liger Zero Pheonix, mint-in-box in Amazon will set you back between US$ 272.76 and US$ 319.00 (Between PhP 11,729 and PhP 13,717 plus shipping).  This 2004 version which has the Fire Pheonix in Red and translucent yellow is more expensive than the 2003 released Zoids Liger Zero Pheonix which came in blue and black with gray piping. 

 Now does that sound hot or what?