Understanding that most of Takara Tomy’s original Zoids have been reviewed multiple times each, this will not be a complete build review, but more focus on the Raise of the Dark-Kingdom custom aspect of this Genobreaker model.
Note: Since this is a semi-unique piece, I’m not going to rate it in my usual manner, and it will be a simple and mostly photo based review!
The Genobreaker is packaged in a unique RDK box. It is actually too large for the kit to fit inside and required quite a bit of bubble packing within the box itself, so a little bit of a strange choice on their part. It looks really fancy though, and the embossed logo is really neat!
For anyone who’s owned a Genobreaker before, opening this box will be a familiar sight. However, there is one small addition, there is an extra set of green decals as well as the original color printed decals. You’ll also find that the Shadow figure is not chromed, but Raven is due to being suspended on one of the part trees.
There are many parts simply floating, they were wrapped in bubble wrap but they must have fallen off of their trees during the chroming process, because the gnarly flash was chromed too! On one of the jetpack pieces they had actually deflashed it before chroming so that one actually didn’t have the ugly scars as most parts do, but unfortunately they only did that for one piece.
I don’t know how common it is for chrome Zoids in general, as this has been my one and only, but I noticed that they did not ´fully chrome the trees. A lot of the metal plating under the chrome shows through very clearly and uncovered on the trees and even a lot of the parts. As I expected, once the entire Zoid was built up it becomes less noticeable, but I think that is poor performance on the part of RDK.
The breaker claws, as attached to the Genobreaker’s backpack and as anyone who has owned one of Tomy’s Genobreakers before will know, are made of a flexible material. This makes the chrome coating EXTREMELY delicate. It’s SO delicate you can feel it coming off simply attaching the part into place, and it easily came off the peg in just a shell when the peg slides into the breaker unit. Basically it seems to be one of those parts you pick a pose and leave it there unless you want it back in it’s original lightly glittered state very fast.
The copper showing through is clearly visible on the lower jaw.
Hearing from other collectors how the chroming process makes pegs impossibly large for the holes they are supposed to go into, I came prepared. I used a simple small hobby file to start chipping away at the chrome, then peeled it off. It came off the peg alone just fine! However, part way through the body assembly I decided I would go with not having this Zoid functional to any extent, and not go too crazy with the filing to not risk making more flash mistakes than I already had, since chrome parts will flake when removed from the tree regardless of how well it’s done.
The nose horn, on the same tree as the breaker claws, is also an extremely delicately chromed part, and I made a few flash mistakes while cutting it out. You can see one in this image! I still felt this was an opportune moment to get a good head photo, before the model was fully assembled.
Of course, the drama of building these things (the living room is now very sparkly with shards of chrome) results in quite a visually stunning beast. It will not walk, nor can it be customized to post, but honestly when you buy a chrome Zoid, it’s for the looks anyway and I feel no remorse for it’s lack of mobility.
Is it worth the price they go for on ebay? Honestly, I cannot come up with a good judgement for that. Basically, you have to buy it knowing what you are in for, which I did and had mentally prepared for: The chrome WILL flake, it is very likely it will not walk, and, depending on who you buy it from, the chrome will not be that greatly executed. For me personally, it being Genobreaker in particular made it worth it, but I’m fairly certain that as well as being my first, it will be my last shop chromed piece.
I am considering getting a model chromed in the future at a shop who may spend more time doing it properly, but even the best chrome jobs will have some flaking.
In conclusion, I neither do or do not recommend this piece, but I personally am glad to have it in my collection. Thank you for viewing and have a great day!
