RMZ-001 Garius
Here it is, the very first zoid. Considering the popularity of dinosaur zoids later in the series, it’s very appropriate that Garius is a tyrannosaurus type. First, a little history on zoids. The very first zoids line hit store shelves in Japan in 1981 under the name Mechabonica, which is an amazing name. The subtitle (or full title?) or this series was “Messengers To The Space Mechabonica” and I don’t know what that means, but I think I like it. The name is highly appropriate as well, considering that the three zoids released under this name all have a spooky robo-skeletal look about them. They were also released under the name Starzeta in Spain, although these may have been bootlegs.
Apparently Mechabonica didn’t sell well, because only three models were released before the line was discontinued. These three, along with three additional models, were rereleased a year later in the US and Europe under the name Zoids: The Pre-Hysterical Monster-Machines which again, I quite like. This was the first time these kits would be called “zoids”. In 1983 Zoids would relaunch in Japan, starting the most successful line, commonly referred to as OJR, or Original Japanese Release, which would run until 1990.
ANYWAY, Mechagirus, or Tyrannazoid, or Garius, depending on the release in question, is a really excellent way to start. As a kid I was more interested in larger, motorized zoids to the point of being obsessed with the likes of King Gojulas and Madthunder, but over the years I’ve come to appreciate smaller, wind-up zoids much more and Garius is an excellent example of one. It’s a cute little skeletal tyrannosaurus and I love it.
Over the course of this series, we’ll see definite trends to zoid design, going from skeletal monsters to more curved and molded kits. I doubt it’s intentional, but Garius looks like the first zoid. It’s simple and barebones, without any weapons or armor plates that would come to cover later models. In that way it almost looks like a prototype, possibly deployed in a few limited engagements. It kind of reminds me of the Mark I tank, important historically, if not exactly the most effective weapon.
The colors are typical of a Republic zoid of the era, mostly being grey, blue, white, and black. I particularly like how the design apes the more antiquated, and incorrect, idea that the t-rex walked upright, rather than with its spine parallel to the ground. In a way, it’s design is more reminiscent of Godzilla than a t-rex, though we will see zoids that are more explicitly based off Godzilla later. The cockpit has the most character, being the only white part of the model and having a design like a car on a ride at Disney World. It’s attractive in a sort of 80s futurist way which is good, because we’ll be seeing a lot more of this cockpit design before we’re done.
Overall, I think Garius is a successful design that works well in the context of the series as a whole. It’s nothing mind-blowing and we’ll see more interesting tyrannosauruses down the line, but Garius does what it sets out to accomplish.
I like to imagine long after their introduction, a surviving Garius is still running, moving cargo on a frontier base in the Republic, lovingly maintained years after its been made obsolete. 4/5
