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Post by Ghouldrool on Dec 14, 2010 14:45:34 GMT -5
Beast Raider: Savage Warrior (or Warriors of the Savage) is an obviously Masters of the Universe inspired line with great colourful creatures and steeds! I'd have to say it is my favorite Chap Mei line. I think most of the people who first noticed Beast Raider were originally Masters of the Universe collectors. No doubt the line borrows heavily from MotU, especially noticeable in the big rideable 'battle cat', White Fang. I am also reminded of the lesser known Arco line 'The Other World' which also featured a swords and sorcery theme, and like Beast Raider was made in the 3 3/4 inch scale. Right after the prolific Soldier Force lines, Beast Raider is probably one of the best known lines. This is probably because initial distribution was done really well. In the United States distribution was handled by a company named Excite and sold at Big Lots. Note the company's logo in the corner of the box below:  This should be an all too familiar sight for many fans. The line was also picked up by Rite-Aid in the US. It's regrettable that the line's centerpiece, the armored T-Rex Hurricane, didn't see good distribution at all.  This is a catalogue shot of a box that contained Hurricane, and the only one I ever saw. It's very possible that Hurricane was available in boxes with other configurations as well, though. This is another large set:  This set features the electronic Skull prison set. It can lock into the larger Tower. |
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Post by Ghouldrool on Dec 16, 2010 13:14:11 GMT -5
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Post by Ghouldrool on Dec 16, 2010 13:20:53 GMT -5
Beast Raider never had a series II release, there were some new additions to the line after the initial release. These consist of some sweet colourful Dino Quest repaints. I found this single carded Pteranodon in possession of a US seller:  And here's an example of a boxed set featuring a great repaint of the Dino Quest Dilophosaurus.  |
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Post by Ghouldrool on Dec 17, 2010 16:52:47 GMT -5
Like most Chap Mei series, Beast Raider also featured single carded figures. Aside from the Pteranodon which was a later addition, here's single carded Slime and Warr.  This does prove a point; a question I get asked all too often is 'what weapons go with this figure?', and more often than not with Chap Mei, I can't give a proper answer. Most weapons are used in multiple lines and within each line a figure can appear in multiple sets, each with different weapons. The single carded Warr has way different weapons than the Warr in the Dilophosaurus set, which has a large morningstar weapon that probably originated in Medieval Knights. And surely the Pteranodon doesn't have any use for the crossbow. Thus, determining which loose weapons should go with what loose figure can be a very tricky thing. |
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Post by Ghouldrool on Dec 17, 2010 16:55:03 GMT -5
Here's a curious packaging variaton for Thunderthor, again with weapons that appear to be completely random:  This isn't a bootleg or a pirated repack as western Europe distributor Simba has the rights to distribute Chap Mei figures, even under their own name. The figure and the weapons both are official, yet the combo is pretty odd. Also the nameless packaging - it doesn't get any more generic than that. These weird combos make collecting Chap Mei somewhat unconventional - with a line like Masters of the Universe or G.I. Joe one could print proper catalogues documenting which figure came with which weapons. With Chap Mei that would be impossible. Chap Mei's lines are fluid - figures can come with different accessories and appear in several different lines. This fact also makes collecting Chap Mei more fun as the boundaries are not as rigid as other toy lines - basically, it makes it easier to complete your collection. |
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Post by Ghouldrool on Dec 22, 2010 14:01:44 GMT -5
Here are some loose shots of the small dinosaurs that were added later on: The Dilophosaurus and the Triceratops, both repainted.   Note that the small triceratops follows the colour pattern of the large armoured triceratops perfectly. |
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Jbyrdd
Adventurer
MADD GRINNER.
Posts: 40
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Post by Jbyrdd on Jan 11, 2011 11:53:40 GMT -5
The majority of these i found at a store called Big Lots and i have never seen them anywhere else and now Big Lots doesn't have them anymore, truly a shame, these figures and small playsets rocked.
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Post by boredtrooper on Mar 11, 2011 14:07:27 GMT -5
Wow Ghouldrool, you really are a good bloke - I have just identified my Warr, Bladekiller & ThunderThorr.... and.... i've given them their 'right' weapons! This is a right nifty little forum this is... I like alot!
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Post by Ghouldrool on Mar 11, 2011 14:23:16 GMT -5
Wow Ghouldrool, you really are a good bloke - I have just identified my Warr, Bladekiller & ThunderThorr.... and.... i've given them their 'right' weapons! This is a right nifty little forum this is... I like alot! Thank you for the praise, and a warm welcome! Also, glancing at this thread I noticed I haven't posted this particular pic yet.. it's my very own Mighty Hurricane, and since not many people have it, I'm pleased to share it! ;D  |
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Post by Ghouldrool on Mar 12, 2011 7:17:23 GMT -5
Here's some of my own shots of 'Tusk'. We're not sure of a name, nor am I sure this was even released for Beast Raider, but the style is unmistakably done for this line.  A scale shot with Thunderthor. As you can see, Tusk is appropriately massive.  So if I understand correctly, Warr, Slime and Tusk were done as villains for early Soldier Force (Adventure Man) and while Warr and Slime got added into Beast Raiders, Tusk did not. ThunderThor and Bladekiller are original Beast Raiders, so that's why they're slightly taller and more detailed than Warr and Slime. A scale shot with Warr:  Enjoy the pics! |
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Post by newwavepop on Apr 12, 2011 11:33:16 GMT -5
i didnt even know about this tusk figure til you posted about it. i finally managed to score one last week. thank you for the info, hes really cool. i keep wondering about a weapon for him?
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Jay
Adventurer
Posts: 37
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Post by Jay on Apr 12, 2011 17:23:41 GMT -5
What lines has "Tusk" been released in, though?
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Post by Ghouldrool on Apr 13, 2011 6:29:11 GMT -5
What lines has "Tusk" been released in, though? I'm not completely sure about that. I've heard stories that tusk was available on generic 'adventure man' cards along with Soldier Force I figures. If he was ever released under the Beast Raiders name (still entirely possible) I would love to get my hands on a carded specimen. Even then, we might never know the character's actual name. He may not even have one, if he was indeed only distributed on generic cardbacks. |
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Jay
Adventurer
Posts: 37
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Post by Jay on Apr 13, 2011 9:31:38 GMT -5
Where did yours come from? A loose lot?
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Post by Ghouldrool on Apr 13, 2011 10:52:56 GMT -5
Where did yours come from? A loose lot? Yes, I found mine as a single figure auction on Ebay. It helps to search for 'elephant warrior' now and then! ;D |
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