This is why I ultimately backed down from supporting ZAP. The process of simply handling these pieces of plastic looks so STRESSFUL, and I come to these toys for fun. Hasbro can't expect us to believe that their toys need to break in order for them to break even. Most of their Transformers work fine, the Dino Fury zords work fine. How can this be so much harder?

About 3 quarters through your review I thought "It seems like the design team works really hard and does a good job but the factory just can't match the quality". I loved that in the last minute you said exactly the same.

I totally agree that they should be making this stuff to last. I got Adam about a month ago. I never had trouble with the heads, but I knew it was coming eventually. So, I tried to replace the helmet with the civilian head, because I thought that's why they supply a civilian head. It's my favorite part of the Lightning Collection, at least. So, I try to take it off, and the joint comes out of the neck to keep attached to the helmet. I let Hasbro know, and they sent me a new one. I tried again with the new one, and a quarter of the neck broke off. I told them this was unacceptable and if they plan on giving us unhelmeted civilian heads, which I personally did not ask for despite my adoration, it should be made so that the consumer does not break for using what is essentially an accessory. Am I wrong? I got another one, and they sent a Tenga with it, which was highly sought after and an army builder. Nice touch, but get your products right.

Just finished up, refreshing to hear a bit of honesty at the end of the video. Way too easy to fanboy over everything that ever comes out in a shroud of nostalgia. These giant corporations should be held accountable by us(by not buying!) for subpar products. I appreciate all your hard work, see you at the next one!

Ever since Hasbro bought Power Rangers seems to me they treat it like their B grade brand. I would thought that Hasbro a company that makes transformers which un turn they have combining ones would know how to do so. With ZAP as you mentioned the main issue is the quality of plastic and the application of paint along with of course - distribution. Seems to me Power Rangers as a brand is on ventilator mode at the moment; enough to continue but not enough to enamour the customers . As always amazing review!

I’m not a Power Rangers fan, but this video gave me a new appreciation for the art of Zord designs, and how they’re best translated into toys.

Honestly, out of all the creators I see reviewing the ZAPs; you're the only one that has had a problem with them. Now I'm not sure if it's because you ordered through a 3rd party in order to get the ZAP DZ, but that could play a factor in quality due to transportation. I saw nothing but great reviews on the LC Psycho 5 pack, but I ordered mine from a 3rd party in Malaysia and it arrived with heavy ankle damage where the plastic was almost fused.

Not trying to defend Hasbro but I honestly think the thinking process they use for these zords are only applicable to some countries more than others. This is mostly due to the weather or climate. The materials they use have different thermal absorption values (for one reason or another, even other items on the market like tvs are like this) so some parts expend/contract faster than others which results in either looseness or tightness. I live in Malaysia and here, the temperature is usually high. With the amount of time these things take to reach here, they're exposed to high temperatures for a long period. I notice every time I unbox a new item and rarely do I need a hair dryer. When I opened items in winter when I was studying in Sydney, a hairdryer was always needed. Just wanted to share my thoughts on this, no hate at all. On a side note, I will be buying the ZAP megazord and dragonzord 2nd hand from a fellow collector to save a few bucks. Looking forward to them. I believe with caution, these guys will last me a long time. Really love how they look in dinozord mode most. Thanks for the honest review, was looking forward to this since the year started. Anticipating your next green zord review too especially because of the amazing 3 megazord combo. Keep it up Ryan. May the power protect you Question, do the legacy dragonzord hands fit on ZAP? I like the natural hands of legacy most, not sure why, they look more natural even more so than SOC

Sorry this happened. When I think back to the mayhem I put my 1st BanDai Dragonzord through back in 1994, I'm amazed and, in retrospect, very satisfied at the quality of the OG versions. One of the "new and improved" versions, regardless of manufacturer, should always treat the sturdiness of those old ones as a jumping off point, not an unattainable level of quality.

Idk why but I like how at around 5:40 it kinda tumbles around a bit while you're criticizing it haha

Snaps and pops were right on!!! In the early 2000s I lost all mine in Denver Colorado when my moms storage was sold

Nice review overall. I myself recently got the ZAP Dragonzord (My first time actually owning a Dragonzord) and I have to say I honestly do love it (my copy a least..) even with the minor flaws my copy faced. For me, the issues involve the pegs on the sides of the body which peg into the arm segments. The pegs are way too thick, that or the peg holes are too small, but either way it’s an uncomfortable feeling to force the pegs into the arms for fear of something cracking or breaking. The other issue I’ve faced is the left arm seems to be a little tighter than the other arm, so it doesn’t retract & extend as easily as it should. I’ve also faced similar issues with paint, some paint flecks here & there, and some light chipping just from handling the figure.. I will say though, that the more I’ve handled the figure, the more easily it’s become to combine it into either the Mega Dragonzord or Dragonzord Fighter Mode. So far I’ve been pretty careful with mine, and I haven’t experience anything horrible (yet, knocking on wood). I hope the release the Titanus in the ZAP line so I can finally own the Ultrazord but I won’t hold my breath. I have however seen over on Reddit that the ZAP Zords are compatible with Legacy Titanus, but I haven’t seen any video evidence of that, just some photos, so it’d be cool if you could confirm that for us~! Thanks again for the review good sir, let’s hope Hasbro starts putting more care into their products, because so far they aren’t worth the price tag, especially for a line that prides itself on being Adult Collectibles.

This man is playing with his zords IN THE RAIN

I've said this before and I'll say it again; It's the factories. We know from Transformers that Hasbro design the figures and then the factory simplify the paint and/or mould to make it cheaper to produce. I don't know why the factories are allowed to do this, surely if Hasbro sends them something, they are being paid to make it, but here we are.

You my friend are a genius with your videos. So much detail and information on EVERYTHING. I learn so much and helps me go with the better products for my collection. You're one of my favorite Power Ranger youtubers.

My take is if Hasbro's going to be cheap on it anyway, they might as well continue with the Megazord line they made in 2020. Sure it looks cheap, but the build quality on that one was pretty good, plus it has put up with all the abuse I have put it through so far. At the very least they need to make a dragon Zord and titanus to go with it.

This is why I'm sticking with the model kits for my power rangers collection.

Really looking forward to the Super 7 ultimates DragonZord & TRex.

I haven't had any major issues with mine. I did thoroughly heat up the ankles before moving them though, and they still got slight plastic stress marks. Overall I like it but it would have been nice for sure if the joints were more solid and maybe some of it was die cast like the feet or the fin or something just to make it a teeny bit more premium.

I have been a Transformers collector for years now, and I can say that in recent years we have had the same quality control issues: white plastic turning yellow without sunlight, too much use of translucent plastic, brittle connections, etc. Personally, I think Hasbro has too many properties and toy lines that it doesn't focus on the quality of any one in particular. And that, added to the type of plastic it uses, is not ideal for Zords, which need more robust transformations.

Great review. Hasbro needs to realise what we want is quality over quantity, just reel it in a bit. Although it's lovely we're getting all of these characters, it's at the detriment of a good quality product that is going to stand the test of time. Super7 and Renegade seem to be doing a better job at this quite honestly.

This is reaffirming my stance that Hasbro should have waited to do the season 1 Zords for a bit and worked out the kinks of the ZAP line. On top of being on the heels of the SOC and their own DinoZord set from 2020, not enough time has passed for fans and the market is now oversaturated with different DinoZords. If they had started with Astro, Zeo, Time Force, or even had completed the Legacy collection with a compatible Shogun as a goodwill gesture, fans would have just been happy to have new versions of those Megazord, flaws and all. As it is, the Dino and Dragon are now in stark comparison with previous releases and look worse as a result.

Damn, Hasbro really doesn’t care about the Power Rangers lineup, I miss the Bandai era. 🥺

Agreed at the end I focus mainly on Transformers, but you always tend have these realy cool and passionate designs, let down by barrel scraping budgets and material chioces that just dont stack up to play. You make a great point about the 'instagramability' (thats a real word now) of something vs it's ability to function as a physical object. A toy needs to be a satisfying toy to handle and play with - and i've often felt Hasbro cant make up it's mind which side of the fence it sits, Kids or Collectors, but it's seemingly failing both anyway right now. Gutted you couldnt get a replacement, currently waiting on Hasbro to replace a faulty Haslab item which they already fumbled sending out once.. and they only seem to be doing that because the optics of a failing Haslab look worse than something just put out at mass retail. buying toys should not be this stressful! Anyway, another cracking breakdown vid, appreciate the thoughts on why this is such a failure - hope you managed to get that refund

With SOC battle mode, you’re supposed to slide the heads red visor down a little.

I agree with your take 100%. I have been skeptical about Hasbro buying Power Rangers from day one and this just re-enforces that skepticism. I don't think I will buy a single megazord manufactured by Hasbro. At least not anytime soon.

Phenomenal review as always. Hasbro has really made it hard to be a Power Rangers fan recently and I fear for the future of the ZAP line. If they managed to fumble the cash cow Megazord combination, there's no hope for the Disney Era zords. I've already made peace with the fact that my Lightning Collection teams are gonna be incomplete because I can't abide the lack of QC, team inconsistency and the increasing price of the line.

Once again... A true, honest and perfect review! I will never understand why people can't just speak the true? Thank you sooo much for specking out for all of us! I didn't even consider getting the ZAP Megazord/Dragonzord as I was sure they'd never get even closer to SOC. And this week, after seeing the unboxing of the ZAP Astro Megazord, I'm seriously considering cancel my preorder. It looks nice, but cheap and unnecessarily gigantic! All the main Megazords were about the same size. Why the hell are they making them soooo big? It's the stupidity they're doing to the monsters. If they want to charge more, then apply better painting, but make them at an appropriate size!

I've had my ZAP Dragonzord for a few years now, and so far I've had no problems with pegs breaking. Although just like you, I too am scared of breaking something when transforming it. And I baby all my toys so they last longer.

Your videos are always really thorough, much appreciated!

Apparently all the recent problems with figures is due to transferring production to a newer factory in Vietnam, which isn't as good as the main factory in China Hasbro used in previous years.

Recently purchased the Dino Megazord for a future display. First toy I've purchased since I was a kid. Paint missing, two spots that look like dried glue, deformed plastic in a couple of spots and generally sloppy. Sent it back and Hasbro is supposed to send a replacement once they are in stock. I guess they call them display pieces, not because of the attention to detail, but because they aren't intended to be handled without breaking. :/ I had a couple of Zords and transformers when I was a kid. They had working wheels and survived a lot of abuse. I didn't want to invest in the SOC, but these ZAP figures aren't well made. I don't see a problem with them being heavy, since they are just going on display anyway. Can you imagine needing to use a heat gun or boiling water on toys when you were younger?

1:37 you're not the only one who had a quality control problem. Mines broke too, but it was at the right foot's ball joint. As you mentioned on 12:40. I had to order a replacement that's this on the way

Hasbro’s run with Power Rangers has been such a mixed bag. I’m constantly torn between hoping ZAP and LC get to my favorite seasons (Ninja Storm, followed by Dino Thunder) and dreading the day they do, knowing the toys will be poorly produced and I’ll buy them anyway out of nostalgia and FOMO. I recently bought and immediately returned two separate DT Yellow figures. The first one had pinless elbows so tight that one snapped after only a day or two, and the other had a leg swivel so loose that she couldn’t stand without it falling out from under her. And of course I’ve already preordered Tommy and Mesogog 🤡 Between that, DT white’s whole helmet fiasco, and the constant slew of other issues throughout Hasbro’s gilded tenure over the PR license, I’m starting to think it might be best if LC and ZAP just never got to anything else that I’d be interested in so that I can keep dreaming of what it would be like if they got their shit together and did it right. And now they’re “remastering” figures?? Who’s to say they aren’t doing all of this on purpose, making intentionally shitty toys with the intent of releasing “improved” versions down the line? And also, who’s to say they won’t fuck those up too? I think Hasbro’s intent is purely to milk fans of their IPs until they’re fed up and then sell them off to someone else. I mean, look at what’s happening with DnD! But I’m still compelled to complete my Dino Thunder team. I must consoom 😞

Sorry about your luck, man. Though I’d like to take a second and really appreciate the work you put into these videos. Your camera work and the way you tend to line up/pose your figures is top notch. It’s the little things that make your vids work and it’s what keeps me coming back for more 👍🏻

When I saw your community post of the part broken from Dragonzord, it convinced me not to bother getting it now. I'm still on the fence of whether I should purchase the ZAP Dino Megazord at least. I have learned that after Astro Megazord, the White Tigerzord is coming up next for the ZAP line. It does have me more optimistic for Thunder Megazord.

I never noticed the chest was the dragon zord coin either! After all these years lmfao

Just got it the other day, I totally agree with the notion that every movement feels like it’s about to break. I think I wanna keep it in regular Zord Mode for that reason.

You need to pull the red visor down on the SOC that's why it looks funny, the visor moves.

My dino fury T Rex Champion zord's ports for where the feet peg into have actually been worn down by the mere act of TURNING THE FEET. Cause there's tabs on the feet that dig into the brittle rubbery peg holes. That right there stopped me from getting green and pink's zords, and the remaining two megazord releases in the dino fury zord line as a whole. Hasbro is doing mostly everything right except the plastic quality and QC, the two things that matter the most in a product like this.

You actually don't have to move the shoulder pads to use the elbow. I discovered in messing with the Megazord is that it has a second elbow joint. Twist the forearm so as the mastodon toes are pointing backwards it'll allow you to curl the arm more. It will also give you an elbow joint when the shoulder pads are down in the MegaDragonzord and presumably Ultrazord combinations

I tried one of those poses using the hands for the staff, and the hand snapped clean in two.

Be lucky you are not there during the TF Prime/Beast Hunters era, ive never had so much QC problems as during that time.

It’s my first Dragonzord. I’ve been impressed with the detail and the quality of mine appears to be good/acceptable despite some reluctant clips etc. My biggest gripe is that I Triceratops and STT were just a few mm shorter to help better proportion Drangonzord with Megazord.

You may have already seen the photos since recording this video, but just in case you haven't, the ZAP Astro Megazord towers over the line's Dino Megazord.

I have made the full maga dragonzord, clipping on the tail no didn’t seem to be worth the risk as I wanted to display battle mode first. Getting the tail off felt way to risky as well. I had that same thing with the it’s foot it didn’t want to move, but at some point it was fine. I think it is a shame that they didn’t give it proper red eyes, the red visor just isn’t present enough and the red eyes should be clearly visible in dragon and dragon manga zord mode.

Man I really hope this was just a small stumble because ASTRO Megazord is next and that is my favorite zord

glad i got it at 80$ so im not complaining. be waiting for SOC reissued later this year.

I don't get why you don't like the fold out pegs so much. Yes their not show accurate, but they allow for better articulation. Which in this scenario I prefer to the originals way of doing it. However I will say they should have hid them better.

I still feel the extra detailing - the "speckles" and panelling - is Hasbro's way of "justifying" _yet another_ version of this line of zords. When you have three or four previous versions, there comes a point where another just isn't needed. So the extra detailing is Hasbro saying, "Look, they're jazzed up now!" It would be the equivalent of putting seam lines, protective padding detail or raising the chest symbol on a superhero figure.

What is this a NECA figure? 🤣

My first copy the whole right side would not move while trying to convert it to the ultrazord mode. I called the company I got it from and they suggested several things that didn't work. As I was trying I said "I am going to break this" and they responded with "break it!" The hinge finally gave and got a huge crack in it. Fortunately they replaced it

You forgot to slide down the visor in SOC -> 16:25 . Nice review btw.

I don't go with zap. Ever since I got the altaya megazord, I've been enjoying how it looks and I look forward to finally having it finished!

3:30, oh man...I'm already afraid of the Astro Megazord ZAP tbh. 4:17, his laugh can already show you how much he's not gonna take more of the insanity. I'm terribly sorry, man. I really am afraid of the products if its gonna be this way.

When I saw the length of this video, I hesitated a little. But every second of this was informative or profound. It flew by. Haven't handled Dragonzord yet (got it in a pile of loot), but have the Dinozords. Feel like they're one step away from being made from cardboard. Told myself it's the price we pay for better aesthetics, but that break is unacceptable. To have the desired articulation with stronger quality plastics would absolutely increase the cost at retail, but if they spaced them out more that would be fine by me. Transformers does one figure a year that costs about £200, and these Zords are so far cheaper but more complicated than those Titan class Transformers. I'm mostly annoyed that if they up the quality and re-release the MMPR Zords, Hasbro will be scamming us by dipping in to our pockets twice because of their poor quality.

good thing i got the legacy bandai version

Disappointed to hear about the QC on this. Hasbro's recent Transformers offerings have had great plastic quality, even on combiners (see Legacy Menasor). I'm wondering if it's a different factory that deals with the Power Rangers toys.

I have the SOC versions and will stick with those. Typical hasblow QC issues. Great review though.

Yeah I’m waiting to get a replacement for my zap megazord sadly. My pterodactyl zord arrived with a missing piece and they told me they have to replace the whole thing and it’s on “back order”

Hasbro have no excuse, they make excellent transformer combiners (see legacy menasor) and I bought the zap megazord on clearance and man I was disappointed with the legs of the megazord, the tabs not locking in made his legs a nightmare.

I'm sure youre aware already, but on the SOC, youre supposed to pull the visor down for the Dragonzord battle mode

I could not believe the price when it was announced, and then as soon as I saw the plastic on the megazord in a review, I was out. What a bummer. I sold my legacy because I wanted soul of chogokin. I sold my soul of chogokin because it was wonderful but I was too nervous about it breaking. The good news is...they will keep making megazords until all of the millenials die away.

I was sooooo excited for my ZAP Dragonzord. I'd pre-ordered it in July but ended up cancelling it and getting it elsewhere after hearing about the lack of UK stock. It arrived just before Xmas, I unwrapped it and..... well, was so disappointed, its gone back in the box and been hidden out of sight since. Ball joints on both feet completely frozen, I'm afraid to force them to get them moving! Neither half of the shield clicks into the body so it doesn't sit flush and always has his arms spread apart rather than directly parallel. Shield won't even click together to form the battle mode :(

I still haven't received mine yet. Apparently comic and cocktails say it's estimated for may this year. Not had them say it was cancelled though either .... Am a bit disheartened by the quality drop since the new factory. I've ordered the ultimates trex. So might just use them instead and sell the other. Not sure. Nothing is ever out in the UK for the lightning collection anymore

I love your reviews. They are so detailed and in depth. You really put a lot of effort into these.

I pre-ordered the Megazord, 2 actually. Took it to my friends, as he is a superfan. Our excitement wained as we "morphed" the zords. Joints were excessively tight. Stress marks visible after one movement. We were extremely careful. After assembly, we noticed severely sloppy paint work. Due to poor clearances, or shoddy scaling, one leg sat about 4mm lower and the Megazord was severely imbalanced. Disassembly was nerve-racking. Surprise, more stress marks... Fortunately, I did get my money back on both Megazords after shipping them back. Disappointed that the issues continued into the Dragonzord. I am hesitant to buy any further Hasbro products as I have heard of a lot of people no longer getting refunds, and the quality is continuing to plummet. The rising cost, some recent price points are nothing less than insane, also is driving me away. Blob being 56 USD as a 6 in figure is beyond mental. 35 USD, while still high, makes sense due to the extra plastic and potential retooling needed. Hasbro has lost touch and requires new leadership.

For the PRICE they asking for "Collector Grade" with this quality? NNNOOOPPPEEEEE. Even Lightning Collection has issues. My Falconzord is yellowing in a spot (while my OG Lightspeed zords aren't)

They did bring it to the uk in the end

Yeah this is why I’ve stayed with the Bandai legacy and super minipla

Do you collect the minipla releases of the mmpr stuff? There are re-releases of liveman, Zyuranger, and kakuranger mechs that might spike interest.

I wonder if the plastic snapping has to do with how many times yours has been on a plane. Freezing inside a cargo area with no pressure at 40000 ft in the air (TWICE depending on the exportation process) prolly increased it's brittleness

I've never had either original megazord or dragonzord as a kid when I watched the series. As someone who has the chance to finally get them would you recommend the ZAP line if I only really wish to display it?

my lord drakkon did that too

4:05 I couldn’t stop laughing

Wait! The face of Dragon Zord Battle Mode not to high! It's have a gimmick to slide it down :')

It's sad to see the tail break like that, it could have been solved with a standard twisting lock mechanism instead of requiring force to attach the tail. This is a really common approach in gunpla figures and it reduces the chances of breaking connections for say, the arms when building the kit.

I think it might work for Astro Megazord the best, because all the quote parts forming“ you would have to do, is attach the head. Although, that might come with the same problems that I’ve personally been having with lightning collection figures, and me not being able to attach/remove/replace any of the Ranger heads/helmets.

Nah I won't be going after that. I'm looking at an SMP set though which will likely stay in Battle Mode or standar Megazord and Dragonzord mode when I eventually get my hands on it

Man I’m both excited and concerned about the Astro megazord. 😕

Australia still hasn't got the dragon zord yet :(

I know this video is a month old but they consistently have the same reply even in the US about replacing out figures but then will tel you we can send you something else while clearly having stock available to purchase. I think they just don’t want to use sellable inventory to replace their broken stuff.

The review started off real bad, but with every passing minute, I'm more likely to commit to the risk and buy it. Especially right now after passing of JDF, it's impossible to get any other Dragonzord for reasonable price. Hope your second one will be less fragile.

i love your reviews

You definitely shouldn’t have to resort to using hot water to remove heads/tails ect! They should be made so we can change them properly without breaking!!

Well im glad I never ordered the zap series I'll stick to collecting the 90's, legacy and soul lines. Even questioning if I should cancel my super 7 been waiting over a year

I feel like Hasbro's excuse for using cheap plastic is because these are toys marketed to "adult collectors", they probably believe they won't be transforming or touching it a whole lot, they'll just transform it once and display it and never play with it again.

Can we get a combined megazord tierlist in terms of designs? For ex S tier - Astrodelta Megazord Mega dragozord

i was trying to transform mines from dragonzord battle mode to regular dragonzord but the tail is stuck on the staff part pretty good. i'll try the hair dryer to warm it up. thanks for the heads up.

I’m willing to bet the oil crisis plays some role. It’s entirely possible that it is produced at a cheaper production cost. Maybe designed different, different seller or even different factory. And what was most likely acceptable on paper or in samples has proven to be a mistake. It’s not that a company walks in wanting make something bad but somewhere in that process an or many individuals stand in the way of others. It’s one of those things we have to grow out of that habit of, which is treating a company like it’s an individual. It doesn’t actually make any decisions it’s a name on a product we buy. However, it’s hard demystify this notion since so much of how the sausage is made is held behind locked doors. Long and short of it. If we want things to improve, the people who can hear us and are not apathetic are already on our side. Not much more we can do besides seizing the means of production. I’ll see you at the factory comrade!!

I have the zap dragonzord and my main issue is that the halves of the dragonzord symbol don't connect to the sides in dragonzord mode and I have put alot of pressure into it

Are you going to be reviewing the lightning collection Ninjetti Rangers by any chance??

Damn. Considering that the price is the same as the Bandai Soul of Chogokin when released that’s really horrifying.

They should really have Takara make these, like the Transformers.

I just hope those mistakes don't happen with Astro megazord I've been waiting for it since last year

I got both zap dino and dragon. Dino perfect however dragon had it's ankles stuck so I used a heat gun low setting and instead of loosening like all toys it started to melt meaning they made the ankles to thin. I ended up using hot glue gun to fix the one ankle that melted but everytime I pick it up I'm so scared.

Very sorry to hear you've had such an awful experience with this one. Whilst i am excited for the lightning collection and zap lines this has somewhat put me off of buying them tbh and I was quite excited to get this. Will you by any chance be checking out the flame toys megazords? (Model kit or full scale combining ones). They have atleast teased a dragonzord ver of that which i am looking forward to

just when i was thinking of getting this thing

Id just like to let you know I got two of the Super Minipla Dragonzords, which are lower quality than Bandai's nomal gunpla kits. Nothing has broken or got loose on ANY of my model kits. Its sad when a $50 model kit that comes with CANDY is more reliable than a $150 collectors item.

that response from hasbro is completely unacceptable, but now that they own pretty much all brands for toys in the world they can do whatever they want