ZW-13 Gusock Giant Isopod Type Zoids Wild Small Wind-Up Toy Kit Item No.: ??? Manufacturer: Takara-Tomy Includes: Stickers, pilot, wind-up keys fit in tail Action Feature: Squirms along, articulated mustache, rolls into ball Retail: $9.14 (960 yen) Availability: December 2018 Other: Have a Ball
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For Q3 (and maybe Q4) of 2027, Zoids will be the Thursday topic of 16bit.com Figure of the Day! I won't be featuring any current kits, but you'll be seeing things I have had for 8-30 years. Some, like this one, have waited to be built until I wrote this review.

I like Zoids, and late in 2019 I started to get overwhelmed by my backlog and the non-availability of some kits through my preferred importer - so I just stopped buying new ones. I missed out on some goodies, but one of the last ones I brought in was Gusock, a Zoids Wild giant ispodod. I somehow missed Ankyrox, and that stopped me from ordering more - I kept looking, it didn't work out, so I now have a dozen or so kits to eventually build or sell. Thanks to the ever-changing madness that is international trade in 2026, pretty much all of these kits (save for the few Hasbro brought over) are now kind of expensive. As such, I probably won't be finding any more any time soon.

This is one of the smaller kits in the line, despite being a rather sizable not-quite-insect should you ever see a real one. Takara-Tomy made the toy out of pre-trimmed parts, almost entirely unpainted except for the eyes. The pieces fit together quite easily, allowing kids to make their own wind-up toy.

Click here to check availability at eBay.

The 4-inch long 1:35 scale vehicle has a clear, colorless rider on its back. Most Zoids line prior to this one had smaller, vac-metal figures that typically sat in a cockpit - but not Zoids Wild. No, these guys ride on top like a horse. Why? I have no idea. I preferred the painted characters as thees clear guys just sort of blend in. Once assembled, this little guy scoots along after you wind up his motor. The keys are on the back tail, so you can pop one off, insert, twist, and enjoy. The older kits tended to have a traditional white plastic knob coming off a longer metal pole, but here they're a bit more integrated. I assume because it looks more "adult" or "mature," as that tends to be what people on the internet want to tell themselves when they're buying giant robot bugs meant for children.

The detailing is quite good. Gray armor plates cover a darker gray inner skeleton, complete with little legs that barely move when you wind him up. The head can look up and down, and if you like you can roll him up in a ball like a pillbug. There's a latch so he keels shut - it's the kind of thing fans of Retrax might appreciate. The wind up motor is not terribly useful in ball mode rolling, but he will wriggle his legs around and that's kind of fun. You might also appreciate his big mustache, which is jointed and can be used to "attack" other kits. It's fun, it's cute.

A custom sticker sheet is included with faction symbols and other markings. This one doesn't seem to have an obvious faction, or at least, they're downplaying it on the box. There are very few pillbug/isopod toys out there and I think this is the only one in Zoids, which may explain why it seems to be selling for a higher premium on eBay. It's cool, it's weird, the sculpted armor detail is quite good, and it feels more like a toy than a lot of his contemporary releases. A lack of emphasis on paint, combined with an innovative and fun form factor probably helps. You've got no shortage of toy Ligers, but if you want one of these? This is the one you're going to want.

I put this guy together in a few minutes, and it would have been faster if one of the gears didn't fly off during assembly. It's kind of a shame the smaller guys never made it to the USA, because I think the market would have liked them - especially now. We seem to be embracing models more thanks to the popularity of BanDai's imported kits, anime in general, and the increased interest in Blokees. If you stumble on one of these at a price that you consider fair for an impulse purchase, I'd recommend it. The toymakers did a good job here, and there are several 3mm hardpoints to mount extra gear if you happen to ever have/make any.

Additional Images

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