Gipsy Danger Action Figure

Presenting a Gipsy Danger Action figure from NECA.

Spoiler Alert: Yes I will be discussing the movie along with the review, so if you haven't watched it yet, it's off my conscience. 

To the uninitiated, Gipsy Danger is a Mark-3 Jaeger (Deutsche for "Hunter") from the United States. - one of an undetermined number of colossal robots built by the Pan Pacific Defense Force to combat the Kaiju (Think cousins of Godzilla spewing forth from a dimensional vortex in the middle of the Pacific Ocean).

At first all goes well for the Jaegers in their battle against the Kaiju - hell you've got a 260ft tall, 2000 ton robot to defend you so it should go well right? Except that the Kaiju keep getting stronger and deadlier. One by one, more and more Jaegers fall in combat and the entire Jaeger program is shelved in favor instead of the construction of a gigantic wall around the Pacific to keep the Kaiju out.

Except the wall doesn't work (well worked like tissue paper) and the world is down to four Jaegers including the rebulit Gipsy Danger (mothballed after one of its two pilots is killed off the coast of Alaska while fighting a really nasty Kaiju).

So the world is coming to an end.

Kinda like Robox Jox (There's even a small salute to Robot Jox in the film as the Jaegers seem to like to fist-bump) meets Godzilla.


So Gipsy Danger stands with the remaining three Jaegers: Crimson Typhoon (China), Striker Eureka (Australia) and Cherno Alpha (Russia - a Jaeger that's even older than Gipsy Danger) against the end of the world.

I have to ask: "Who names these things?" With the exception of Crimson Typhoon and Cherno Alpha (Born from Chernobyl?), the other names sound like they were taken from a poorly translated Japanese Manga. Gipsy Danger for example - a misspelled "Gipsy" with "Danger" what does that mean or even stand for? And Striker Eureka! So he's a boxer that screams "Eureka"?

Anyway, the movie was definitely entertaining and I suppose in the end that's what's important. It was a fresh take to this year's quite dark Batman wannabees (Yeah I'm talking to you Superman). I just have a few problems with the movie - that are non-physics related, I mean c'mon! Whatever happened to suspension of disbelief!!??? It's a movie about giant freakin robots for crying out loud, who cares if gravity would pull them apart in real life?

Anyway, my biggest problem with the movie was the fact that if I saw Godzilla walking down the street, my first response would be to shoot it, not run over to it and engage it in a fist fight. It's just so sad that Gipsy Danger has to go and beat the crap out of a Kaiju. What's he waiting for? For it to turn around and go-home?

I'm sure that anyone who ever wrote about knights and dragons didn't think to have the knight go out and pummel the dragon to death. In the movie it took Gipsy Danger's near destruction for the main pilot to be reminded that they had swords. Now that made more sense! Cut the bastard down to size! Gipsy Danger should have opened with its plasma cannons and then stabbed that damn Kaiju till it stopped moving! No wonder so many Jaegers were destroyed: everyone wants to be Voltez V - hit the monster with a plethora of useless weaponry before bringing in the laser sword which is the only thing that will stop the monster anyway.

At the very least, add spikes or claws to the "rocket" punch - as the sword tends to be too long. A bleeding, cut enemy is always an easier enemy to kill. Besides, the Kaiju didn't seem to have qualms about cutting the Jaegers open.

But the important thing to ask is: "Was I entertained?" and for all its flaws DAMN!!!!! I WAS ENTERTAINED!!!! And Mako Mori is hot, and the movie had a wonderful engaging soundtrack that kept getting the blood pumping! On the downside, the Marshall gave too many monologues.

What's to like about NECA's  Gipsy Danger Action Figure?

The movie made me a buy it. I saw it in Filbars/ Bigboystoystore in Glorietta then watched the movie. After the movie, I ran back and grabbed it. I was sold. So nostalgia wise, mega plus points to have it.

NECA's Gipsy Danger Action figure is a very fine and detailed replica of the movie Jaeger, lacking only the external/internal lights and perhaps a darker paint-job - hard to say since most of Gipsy Danger's sequences happen at night or in dim lighting.

Had I more money I would have purchased the ill-fated Crimson Typhoon as well, but he was destroyed so who cares (And seriously? A three armed robot?) I certainly hope that NECA releases a series 2. I would love to have a Cherno Alpha and even a Eureka Striker. The only thing I found sadly lacking is the pin-up girl that you can see on the right breast plate of Gipsy Danger before her battle off the coast of Alaska. I am uncertain as to whether or not the reconstructed Gipsy Danger in the Shatterdome still has the pin-up (ADDENDUM: HAVING SEEN IT AGAIN, YEP THE PIN-UP IS THERE IN HONGKONG). Anyone else wonder why anyone would build a huge robot with a target painted on it's chest that points to its nuclear core?

Look here at the fine detailing at the back of Gipsy Danger showing her heat-sinks. and various joints. Note how Gipsy actually vents heat directly into the ocean from its feet. I find this interesting and quite practical. He's a walking analogue nuclear reactor after all.

And Gipsy Danger's articulation isn't so bad. He can be made to box:

And the actual punches - note how the upper torso can pivot.

The Gipsy Danger action figure can even do a "Robot Jox"

What's NOT to like about NECA's  Gipsy Danger Action Figure?

Unfortunately what you see above is the extent of Gipsy Danger's articulation. If you've seen Pacific Rim, then you know that he can do waaaay more. Also, NECA did not see fit to provide extra hands - like an open fist perhaps - or the ability to replace the hands/arms with Gipsy Danger's plasma cannons.

But the biggest let down for me was the lack of swords - despite there being swords on the packaging. I can already feel a ton of customizers making sword attachments for Gipsy Danger.

Still Gipsy Danger is hot.

This particular NECA Gipsy Danger Action figure was purchased from Filbars/Bigboystoystore in Glorietta for PhP 1,195 (Roughly US$ 27.15). Here's the thing, there is another 7" NECA Gipsy Danger Action Figure in Amazon being sold for US$ 59.95 (Roughly PhP 2,637.80 plus shipping). It shows better detail than this one and does not show the actual product in packaging. This could be the very same item or sometime entirely different.

But I wouldn't mind paying the price.