Kit Review

Straight build

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Various angles (1/6)

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Various angles (2/6)

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Various angles (3/6)

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Various angles (4/6)

Various angles

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Detail shots (1/7)

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Detail shots (2/7)

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Detail shots (3/7)

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Detail shots (4/7)

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Detail shots (5/7)

Detail shots

Mounted on the dedicated stand.

Outer armor removed

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Frame only (1/7)

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Frame only (2/7)

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Frame only (3/7)

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Frame only (4/7)

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Frame only (5/7)

Frame only

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Frame detail shots (1/8)

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Frame detail shots (2/8)

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Frame detail shots (3/8)

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Frame detail shots (4/8)

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Frame detail shots (5/8)

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Frame detail shots (6/8)

Frame detail shots

The switch is on the rear end.

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Separate parts are included to tighten the joint connections — you can lock them in place b

Separate parts are included to tighten the joint connections — you can lock them in place by turning them clockwise to the appropriate size.

The top mane can be assembled as an alternate Republic spec option.

Cockpit hatch open

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Deployment of the E-Shield Generators on the sides of the head and the Completion Refrigera

Deployment of the E-Shield Generators on the sides of the head and the Completion Refrigerators on the shoulders

Rocket booster deployment.

Laser blade deployment

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - The outer claws can be spread out to the sides. However, the hold is weak so the claws wobb

The outer claws can be spread out to the sides.
However, the hold is weak so the claws wobble around quite a bit.

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Articulation of the multi-jointed tail. The range of motion isn't as wide as you might expe

Articulation of the multi-jointed tail.
The range of motion isn't as wide as you might expect.

Leftover parts

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Action pose with all sections deployed. Due to the motorized gimmick, the head/body/legs ca

Action pose with all sections deployed.
Due to the motorized gimmick, the head/body/legs can't be moved independently, so you can't really change the pose.

Laser blades pointed forward in pulse laser gun firing configuration

Tomy Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. - Alongside the 1/72 HMM Blade Liger released by Kotobukiya in 2007. Tomy's AZ version came o

Alongside the 1/72 HMM Blade Liger released by Kotobukiya in 2007.
Tomy's AZ version came out a bit more slender and larger overall.
The HMM also had a limited edition red Leon version at one point, which came out as the AB (Attack Booster) version.

MOVEMENT

I put together a 50-second action video edited from 10 short clips.
Check out the YouTube video below — try to watch it in 1080p if you can. ^^

This kit is Takaratomy's latest Zoids series entry, the AZ-01EX Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. The AZ (Advanced Zi) series is a high-end lineup released to celebrate Zoids' 40th anniversary in 2023, and this particular kit is a Takaratomy online shop exclusive — it's the blue Blade Liger that came out in April 2023, redone in Leon's red color scheme.

Befitting a modern release commemorating the 40th anniversary, it's less hollow and has better detail and overall sculpt compared to the classic motor-driven Zoids. It's relatively simple compared to Kotobukiya's HMM line, which focused on precise detail as a proper plastic model, but it still gives off more of a model kit vibe than a toy compared to the early Zoids. That said, the chunky plastic feel still leans closer to a candy toy or regular toy, so the build experience isn't all that satisfying. (The massive gates don't help either...) On the plus side, there are no loose parts to speak of, so nothing falls off during play — that's a relief.

Being a motorized Zoid, the head, body, and legs are all linked to the motor gimmick and can't be moved freely on their own. That means it stands rock-solid without any joint strength concerns, but posing it the way you want is simply not possible. What you can do, though, is deploy various gimmicks — the cockpit hatch, E-Shield Generators, Completion Refrigerators, rocket boosters, and laser blades can all be deployed. There's also an option to swap or selectively assemble the top mane in a Republic spec configuration.

Pop in 2 AAA batteries and flip the switch on its butt, and you'll finally see what Tomy Zoids are really all about. All four legs move, along with the head, waist, and tail, giving it a surprisingly realistic walking motion. (See the motion video above.) You can also use the included stand to suspend it in the air and let it walk indefinitely — though the toes droop downward, which looks a little odd. That said, if you just let it walk on the floor it'll bump into something and stop pretty quickly, so the stand is actually a nice way to sit back and enjoy the action comfortably.

To sum it up — the visuals are pretty impressive, as you'd expect from a lineup relaunched for the 40th anniversary, but this is NOT a kit you should approach expecting a Bandai or Kotobukiya-style plastic model. If you've never built a motorized Zoid before, the chunky, toy-like parts might catch you off guard. But the whole point of Tomy Zoids has always been the movement!!! Flip that switch and watch it go, and yeah — there's still that same thrilling rush. I used to collect motorized Zoids like crazy when I was really little, so this was a nice nostalgic trip down memory lane.

So for Zoids fans, seeing a new lineup roll out is definitely exciting, and while it's not perfect, it does feel like a solid modern update compared to the old days. If you've only ever built traditional plastic models, just think of it as a big candy toy kit and go from there. And when you factor in that rush you get when you fire it up and watch it move after building it — yeah, I'd say this series is worth it. :-)

Blade Liger Leon Tros Ver. | 2025.2 | ¥10,000

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.