Today, we're unboxing a die-cast action figure from CCSTOYS' MORTAL MIND series: the terror of death from hell, Mazinkaiser SKL! This Mazinkaiser SKL can be considered the absolute pinnacle of all Mazinkaiser SKL toys currently on the market.
Mazinkaiser SKL originates from a 2010 OVA. Unlike previous entries which typically featured a single protagonist, Mazinkaiser SKL adopts a dual-protagonist format. To complement this, Mazinkaiser SKL naturally has two distinct combat modes.
The two protagonists are Ken Kaido, who excels in swordsmanship and close-quarters combat, and Ryo Magami, who specializes in long-range attacks and gun-fu. When Ken Kaido pilots Kaiser SKL, he prefers to fight with the massive Ganzanto.
The two pilots switch control of Mazinkaiser SKL at will depending on the battle situation, making this Mazinkaiser SKL arguably the most versatile Mazin unit in terms of combat style to date.
Below is a simple unboxing to share with everyone this terror of death from hell, Mazinkaiser SKL!
CCSTOYS never disappoints~~
▼【CCSTOYS MORTAL MIND】 The Terror of Death from Hell - I Am Hell! Mazinkaiser SKL
▼This packaging is probably the largest of any MORTAL MIND product I've bought so far.
▼This time, it even comes with a handle for the outer box.
▼The Mazinkaiser SKL text on the top left and bottom of the outer box.
▼The back of the outer box reads, "I Am Hell."
▼Bottom of the outer box.
▼Brand new, sealed.
▼Preparing to unbox.
▼As is customary for the MORTAL MIND series, lifting the lid reveals a full-color illustration of Mazinkaiser SKL.
▼On the back is a black-and-white line art sketch, showing one of Mazinkaiser SKL's eyes damaged.
▼A concise and essential instruction manual that you must read thoroughly.
▼First layer of accessories.
▼Second layer of accessories. My favorite part here is the flexible whip sword.
▼The third layer contains the main body, the Ganzanto, and the display stand components.
▼A reminder to read the precautions carefully.
▼The main body.
▼The main body utilizes the same frame as the Mazinkaiser. At first glance, many might think it's a direct copy-paste, but while the lower body is nearly identical with some minor adjustments, the upper body and arm designs have been significantly modified to match the original design and image from the source material. Because it uses the Mazinkaiser frame, the articulation is almost exactly the same.
▼The red flame design on the chest paired with the central skull is just pure evil.
▼The frame is the same as Mazinkaiser's, with multiple metal joints in the arms.
▼I'm not sure if it's just my imagination, but the feet on this SKL seem to have better surface contact than the Mazinkaiser's.
▼The light-up mechanism in the head.
▼The exposed inner frame on the back and the stacked structure of the spine are completely different from Mazinkaiser, showing that CCS was sincere and didn't just copy-paste.
▼Fully metal knee joints.
▼Compared to the understated simplicity of Mazinkaiser's calf backs, I much prefer the solid, layered look of SKL's.
▼The paint finish on this Mazinkaiser SKL is flawless, no need to worry.
▼Looking closely at the exposed structure on the back, you can see even finer details. The spine uses a multi-segment linkage.
▼When assembling the shoulder pauldrons, do not position the ball joint vertically. It will be extremely, extremely painful to assemble, and even with immense force, it will be difficult to attach, and you might even injure your hand on the spikes.
▼The manual shows you how to assemble it. The key is to have the shoulder ball joint lie flat against the shoulder, not positioned vertically.
▼With the ball joint lying flat against the shoulder, the pauldron snaps in easily. You'll hear a "click" when it's fully attached.
▼Main body assembled.
▼The peg on top of the head is for combining with the Skull Pilder.
▼Unlike the single-pilot Pilders of other mechs, SKL uses the dual-cockpit Skull Pilder.
▼The multiple articulated parts on the Skull Pilder are for its transformation.
▼Compared to the original line art, the skull's eyes have been given a more sinister design.
▼After transformation, the cranial sutures on the back of the skull are specially sculpted.
▼Pilder On!!
▼Mounting the Breast Triggers on the chest requires an additional extension part.
▼The eye LEDs require two AG5 batteries.
▼The extension structure for the Breast Triggers.
▼The chest skull attaches to the front of the extension structure.
▼Ryo Magami's signature weapons, the two Breast Triggers mounted on the chest.
▼The magazines on the Breast Triggers can be removed and replaced.
▼The detail on the magazines is excellent; the gold paint on the bullets is meticulously applied.
▼Close-up shot of a Breast Trigger.
▼Assembly complete.
▼The assembly uses pegs on the extension piece combined with magnetic attraction on the Breast Triggers.
▼With the blue eye LEDs turned on and the Breast Triggers mounted, Mazinkaiser SKL looks even more imposing.
▼The barrels of the Breast Triggers can be extended.
▼Mazinkaiser SKL also comes with an extra battle-damaged head sculpt, depicting the moment its eye was shot out in the anime.
▼An incredibly wild Inferno Blaster effect part. If you look closely, the front of the flames has an original skull design. Also, I'm not sure if it's because mine isn't inserted correctly, but pressing the LED button doesn't seem to activate the eye lights.
▼From this angle, it looks absolutely savage.
▼The Breast Triggers can be combined with a clear part to form a giant axe. Paired with the demonic Kaiser Scrander, the coolness factor is off the charts.
▼I wonder how many collectors who bought this Mazinkaiser SKL will display it with the wings attached. Those wings are a real display case space-killer, rivaling the atmospheric re-entry mode of the Shin Getter 1 Final Day Ver. I thought Shin Getter was a shelf hog, but SKL is even more terrifying.
▼The included flexible whip sword can combine with the Kaiser Scrander, becoming a tail. There's a small easter egg on the back of the Scrander: pulling down the tail fin reveals Wingle's face.
▼Regardless of whether this Mazinkaiser SKL is the weakest Mazin unit, a Super Robot with a tattered cape is just plain cool. Whether it's strong or not is no longer important!!
▼The cape is made of soft plastic and is fully articulated. If it's difficult to attach, you can use a hairdryer or a heat gun (don't set the temperature too high) to soften it before assembly.
▼The chain on the collar will stick up in the air right after assembly. If you want it to lie flat against the collar, you can use a hairdryer or heat gun to soften the chain and then shape it.
▼The Ganzanto can be mounted directly on SKL's back via a metal part.
▼Each piece of the cape is independently articulated.
▼You need to use a replacement wrist part to attach the chain.
▼The tattered cape, the chain, and the battle-damaged head sculpt look incredibly cool. However, aesthetics come at the cost of articulation; with the cape on, the posability is significantly reduced. Simply put, it's mostly for static poses.
That concludes this simple unboxing. This Mazinkaiser SKL is currently the most faithful and coolest version on the market; you could say it's the pinnacle in terms of design. It's fully loaded with all the weapons and equipment from the line art and anime: the massive Ganzanto, the whip sword from the concept art, the giant battle-axe, the flexible whip sword, the versatile Breast Triggers, the awesome flame effects, and the demonic Kaiser Scrander. With all these weapons and accessories, you'll have plenty to play with. The only thing missing is probably the "Skull Rider" motorcycle from the game. I imagine if they included that, the price would be in a whole different league XD
Next up, the CCS figure I'm most looking forward to is Alteisen from Super Robot Wars. Although it's only at the white prototype stage, seeing all the articulation and gimmicks revealed in the prototype makes me increasingly excited for the pre-order date. And don't ask me why I don't just buy Sentinel's Dygenguar, because I believe CCSTOYS MORTAL MIND will probably release one eventually~~
▼Studio Shots
