First up, it's Beast Morphers Red. The fact that we get a version of the character made for older collectors in the same year the current season he's from is running is pretty surprising, especially when neither Dino Charge or Ninja Steel were represented in the Legacy Collection (the latter season would have before it was scrapped). As for the figure itself, it makes for a very nice recreation of the suit used in the show, what with the shoulder straps, the red visor, the top portion of the suit design having the silver zipper, and the sculpted details capturing the wrinkles of the leather suit used for the design. I also love how the silver and black are used on this figure, making it a lot more unique than your normal ranger suit would. I also love how the belt is prominent along with the Beast-X Morpher on his wrist. The only thing I don't like about this figure is how the shoulder straps are not glued onto this figure, which means that they end up being pretty loose and sort of look a bit oversized on him. It was fine for the figures with chest armor and the like, but it doesn't really work for this figure due to the fact that there is no Beast-X Mode or Red Fury Mode chest armor to speak of. Also, the pegs being red matches up with the outer side of the arms, but the silver from underneath makes them look off. Beyond that, the figure looks pretty good.
Helmet sculpt certainly looks good, though I can't help but feel that its paint apps could be better. The silver paint for the mouthplate looks missing, there are a few scratches, the eyes look a bit messed up, and the visor needs a but more of the alight metallic red paint. Not awful, but still something I need to mention.
Articulation is just as good as it's been for most of the line. The head is on a ball joint for moving side to side as well as on a neck hinge to look up and down. At the shoulders, they move front and back, in and out, and they even have butterfly joints. Below the shoulders, the biceps swivel, bend at the elbow on a double-joint, swivel at the wrists, and the wrists hinge in and out. The torso joint also has a diaphragm joint for moving the upper torso fluidly while the ab crunch is lowered to the stomach (which is slightly loose for my copy of Red). The hips move front and back, in and out, swivel at the thighs, bend on double-jointed knees, swivel at the boots, hinge front and back at the feet, and pivot at the ankles. I should mention that you will break up the zipper or the silver portions of the suit if you move the diaphragm joint or the bicep swivels.
Here are the accessories Beast Morphers Red comes with: a Beast-X Saber, an effects piece to go with it, a civilian head for Devon Daniels, a right hand made for holding accessories, a more open left hand, and the Cheetah Beast Blaster.
The left hand being more open does mean you can't have him hold both accessories, but at least there is still some posing potential with it, like with this image, where he's ready to crack his knuckles.
The Beast-X Saber, the effect piece for the Beast-X Saber, and the Cheetah Beast Blaster all look great with this figure. They're just as nicely painted as the Hasbro figures, and they make the figure feel more like a collector-oriented version of the basic figure. It's even cool to have the articulation needed to make the poses a lot more effective.
The civilian head's resemblance to Rorrie D. Travis, who played Devon Daniels is alright, though Devon's hair isn't that high up on his head, and he's generally a happy guy, too. Not terribly off, but it could use a bit more of that Devon spirit.
Here is the Lightning Collection figure next to the basic figure from the mainline and Red Buster from the S.H.Figuarts line. If you want to know how the other versions of Red Buster stack up, check out the review featuring the basic figure. Each figure has its own pros and cons. Basic Hasbro figure is certainly a good toy for kids and fans on a budget, and the proportions are certainly better than what we got from Bandai's decent yet blocky Action Hero line. The things that might keep fans off is the slightly rubbery plastic used for the figure, the lack of paint for the transport pod as well as the zipper, and the articulation still not being what older fans may want from a Bandai toy. Figuarts has a lot of accessories and the nicest visor of them all, but the proportions are far too skinny, the joints aren't so well-hidden (those elbows are a big culprit), and the figure can be fragile like most Figuarts are. Hasbro's Lightning Collection manages to be the best of both worlds, combining the collector focus nature of the Figuarts while also being an affordable toy (ten dollars more than the basic figure), which is what we notice with Hasbro's Marvel Legends and Star Wars: The Black Series lines.
You can definitely tell just how well the paint apps work for the weapons, though the basic figure weirdly has more paint apps for the Cheetah Beast Blaster than the Lightning Collection one does, mainly with the tail and part of the legs.
Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Next up, it's Beast Morphers Gold! I was glad to see that the figure has a shiny gold compared to what Bandai's Gold Ranger got in the Legacy Collection. The figure looks pretty good for the most part, especially since it has the shimmery paint, though the vest looks pretty off with the lighter gray coloring. If it was a darker gray, I would be perfectly fine with it. Also, much like with Beast Morphers Red, the pegs used for the forearms are gold on both sides of the arms, meaning that they should be painted black from the inside. Weirdly, Beast Morphers Gold has no gold paint for the elbows, which makes them look incomplete.
The helmet looks good, though like with Red, there are a few paint mistakes that could have been avoided. It's something that has to do with how there are so many colors on this helmet, from the gold of the helmet itself to the visor is a different shade, and the silver and black. This side of the helmet isn't too bad in terms of the paint apps, though.
Articulation is the same as before, and no, he's not trying to thwip any web. He's got Mantis DNA, not spider DNA...even though Beet Buster was based on a Rhinocerous Beetle. Anyways, it's the same as with BM Red, even with the chest straps being different from Red's, and you're also breaking up the suit details with Gold, too.
The accessories he comes with are his civilian head, the accessory holding hands, the Striker Morpher, the Striker Saber, and the effects piece made for the sword.
The civilian head's resemblance is alright, though it's ruined by the fact that the eyes, eyebrow, and lip paint don't match up with the molding of the head properly. I mean, this is pretty sad if you ask me. Also, remember when I said that one side of the helmet looked fine? Well, it's pretty bad here, as part of the gold visor went over the black outline and there's a splotch of darker gold paint on part of the visor. And then there's the fact that one part of the bicep is in a more faded shade of gold than the rest of the toy. It's making me want to replace this copy.
He comes with a Striker Morpher as one of his accessories, and his right hand perfectly has a trigger finger to slot it in. The Striker Morpher better fits the right hand, but the Striker Saber fits in nicely with either one.
You can also have him hold both weapons if you please! The effects piece fits in nicely with his sword, too. While I do recommend getting this figure, the fact that my copy suffers from both helmets having poor paint applications for one side of the helmet and the face of Nate Silva makes me want to be on the lookout for figures that have the best paint apps for the figures. It's a shame since most figures I have don't really struggle to come with nice paint apps.
Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐ and a half ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The third figure in this wave is the Magna Defender. As the more unique figure of the wave along with Lord Zedd, it's pretty cool to have a character from Power Rangers that's not just in the traditional suit design. This figure looks great, and the fact that we get a new Magna Defender in today's day and age is pretty amazing. Hasbro seems a lot more invested in the lore of Power Rangers than Sabandai was. Considering how new the tooling is for this character, you know there will be a lot put into making the figure stand out amongst the more spandex-clad (or leather in terms of Beast Morphers) heroes in the line. The armor is replicated nicely, as are the Charlie-Brown esque zigzags for the belt and shoulder pads. It's also got some nice paint apps properly added on the figure, though the right shoulder has the paint apps oddly placed incorrectly, which leaves them so close to the indents but not quite there. The cape is exquisite, the black on the back and the red from the front view makes the figure pop even more, especially when it's made in a PVC material than the cloth material that would have looked a bit too puffy. The waist has a PVC holster belt made for the Magna Blaster, which we will take a look at shortly.
Helmet sculpt is good here, though it kind of bugs me that the horns look slightly disconnected. Maybe if there was a bit of gold paint on the portion where they're attached, they'd look better.
Also, fans are upset by the fact that this figure does not have an alternate head. Personally, I can see the complaint, given how it's a human head and not everyone is on board with this being the "origin" version of the Magna Defender, but did Mike ever take his helmet off? I know some will say that he did have his helmet off at one point in the Boom Studios comic, but that was a one-time thing only. People will say that the Shadow Ranger never took his helmet off, but at least the alternate head's appearance during the final part of the morph sequence justifies the existence of the accessory.
Articulation is slightly hindered by his armor but is otherwise the same as before.
Here are his accessories: the Magna Sword, the sheath meant for the Magna Sword, the entire Magna Blaster, the alternate hands, and the effects piece.
Having him hold the saber in its holster gun mode is cool, even if the effect piece on mine is slightly bent.
While you can't turn the Magna Blaster into its sword and sheath mode, you can at least swap accessories so the sheath can be stored onto the holster belt, and you can also display him unsheathing the Magna Sword before he uses it on his foes.
For a comparison with a toy from the past, here he is with the original Bandai figure from 1999 (20 years before the Lightning Collection version!); you have no idea how hard it was for me to find an image of the Bandai guy in so-so quality. The Bandai figure was pretty decent for fans that love to get a slice of Bandai nostalgia, and I appreciate how it was still able to stand out from the other Rangers. Of course, Lightning Collection is the better figure for accuracy and articulation, but if you're interested in collecting the history of the franchise, then you can certainly get this figure.
Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Last, and unfortunately least, is the Mighty Morphin Pink Ranger. The first female character in the Lightning Collection, and considering how it's the Mighty Morphin Pink Ranger we're talking about, you could almost expect Hasbro to have put in a good amount of care into their figures, right? Well, before we go further, I want to mention that I got this figure from BigMike on Twitter, who I'm very thankful for in terms of owning this figure, so I won't put all blame on him for the quality control. What I don't like is how Hasbro's toymakers didn't make this figure, and a somewhat rare one at that, look 100% refined when it comes to the paint apps. Not being able to pose her legs close to each other like on the promo renders is something I can deal with, but the paint apps are pretty weak. The diamonds don't quite look right, especially on the boots where one of them has the points disconnected. The belt and holster look fine, as is the Power Morpher, but why is it in a bit of a pinkish tint? Was another layer of white paint not applied to hide the fact that it's molded from the same material used for the skirt? This figure looks alright yet has the worst paint app mistakes in the wave despite not being released as much as the other characters in the wave.
Helmet sculpt looks good but is ruined by the visor not being applied properly. I mean, come on; it's a prominent part of the helmet, yet that's the best that can be done? At least the pink looks decent along with the silver mouth, though one of the Pterodactyl eyes looks misaligned.
The articulation is slightly different from the guys, as she doesn't have double-jointed elbows but does have the same range of movement even with the skirt.
Here are Kimberly's accessories, consisting of a bow, two arrows (one powered up, one standard), two alternate hands posed for the bow and arrow, a Blade Blaster, and a civilian head for Kimberly Ann Hart.
The actor likeness to Amy Jo Johnson isn't 100% perfect, but at least it's painted properly compared to her helmet.
If Tommy was smiling like Kimberly was, this would make for a cute image to make.
Kimberly can hold her Blade Blaster with no problem on her right hand. Weirdly, the barrel of the Blade Blaster is silver when it should be white. At least it's better than the holstered ones from Bandai's Legacy line.
Curiously, she is one of the rare figures that can hinge her hand down, which most characters can't do at the time of this writing.
Let's put the Blade Blaster in her (snuggly fit) holster to shoa that she does come with her Power Bow and her arrows, and while the bow looks nice, the regular arrow looks pretty bad. It's cheap and lacks and paint to make it look good. At least it has the notches for her right hand to hold it, but why use that when you can display her with the effects piece? It looks badass, and in case you're wondering, yes, her bow is the same as the one that came with the SDCC Red Ranger and Gold Ranger 2-pack. Fans that missed out on the set can get weapons from the Mighty Morphin figures to have their own Power Blaster.
Here she is with her Legacy figure, which is the Metallic version that came with her weapons. I also have a pic of the S.H.Figuarts version, though we will mainly take a look at that for aesthetic reasons. The Figuarts was pretty good in terms of aesthetics, though it does suffer from lacking any definition of her body from wearing her spandex suit (which makes the figure look too smooth and less like it's worn by a living human). The Legacy version, on the other hand, takes things a little out of control by having the large Bandai America bosoms that most female figures had while coming with skinny arms and legs, making the figure look pret-ty thin. Lightning Collection figure at least tries to add some bulk to make the figure look a lot less thin than either figure, making the diaphragm fit in proportion with the stomach while her legs don't look too thin (even if it can't have its legs close to each other like the Figuart). As for the shade of pink, I feel that the Figuart has a more consistent pink on the parts it's made of, while the Lightning Collection is also good yet has a pretty odd discrepancy on her arms compared to her torso and legs in person; Bandai's metallic shade makes her look more grapefruit, though her normal pink looked okay. Also, the helmet for the Figuart seems to be the most accurate while the Lightning Collection one has a more round look to her helmet; Legacy version looks a bit too much like it's stretched vertically.
I won't go over the accessories of the Figuart because it is a lot to go over, so let's take a look and see how the $20 offerings stack up! The Blade Blasters used for each figure is no contest when it comes to what's more effective for a display; while the Legacy version admittedly does look better in the holster, its fit in the holster is not only worse than on Hasbro's but using it on its own looks stupid since it can't even be a blade or a blaster. Lightning Collection version wins in that department.
The bow for each figure seems to scale with one another, though the Bandai arrow looks better with the paint added onto it. Also, Legacy Collection Metallic Pink is one of the rare figures to come with alternate hands, or rather, an alternate hand; it's solely made to hold the arrow, though doing so can be pretty annoying. There is a notch for the Lightning Collection arrow that does have a slightly better grip, but only slightly.
Thankfully for Hasbro, the Lightning Collection Pink Ranger has a cooler-looking arrow for the effects piece, and the skirt helps in making the figure pose a lot better than either version, which even the poor Legacy version can't do.
Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Here we have Wave 2 together. This wave is pretty good for the most part, though I have to admit there are some QC problems that bother me quite a bit. Pink has the most problems, followed by Gold, and then Red before we get the Magna Defender. These figures are not entirely awful, though I have to admit that I wish Hasbro didn't rush their way through making the figures on the shelves.
Actor likenesses are fine, though I'm considering replacing my Gold Ranger figure for a Nate head with better paint apps. Devon's decent despite making the actor look serious, and Kimberly's good but a bit off, in a way.
Their range weapons all look pretty good, though the Blade Blaster should be Silver while the Cheetah Beast Blaster lacking paint compared to the basic figure is odd. I also wish Devon could have had at least one more alternate hand to hold his gun while his right hand held the sword.
I also like their more signature weapons, even though most of them are swords. The effect pieces used for Red and Gold add to their weapons, while the fact that we get the Magna Blaster both in rifle mode and in sword and sheath mode is great! The Power Bow could have been pretty basic, but Hasbro went the extra mile in giving it not just a regular arrow but also an effects piece to go with it! So while I recommend getting these figures, I cannot stress how much you need to keep an eye out for any QC issues like mine. That's where I'm going to have to tick off some points for some of these.
Overall ranking: ⭐⭐⭐.8 out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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