It’s time for another ToQ Thoughts! This time I’m taking a look at ToQ 6’s Applichanger the latest changer from Bandai of Japan. This item takes quite a different approach to the core ToQger’s henshin device, but also brings an all new changer design in the form of a smart phone, the Applichanger.
The Applichanger closely resembles an iOS or Android phone, but also borrows from phones with slide-out keyboards as well. ToQ 6 uses various apps on the Applichanger to morph, call his mecha, make phone calls, check email, ect. The actual toy is quite bulkier than an actual smartphone, mostly because of the slide out tracks so ToQ-6 can transform. They slide out like a keyboard, and along with an app on the Applichanger, ToQ-6 uses his Build Ressha to morph. The slide out feature is very satisfying on the Applichanger, as it feels just like a real phone’s keyboard when opening and closing. The toy version of the Applichanger only lets you use the left column of apps, the rest of the apps on the Applichanger are just a sticker. You can transform, summon build and drill resshas, and make a phone call. It would have been in for all 12 apps to make different sounds, especially if you could input various codes to unlock sounds like we’ve had in changers before. One big issue I have with my Applichanger, and maybe its just mine, but mine came out of the box with stress cracks in the plastic next to the 4 buttons on the Applichanger. They’re small, and hard to see, but it came that way from the get-go.
Again, it may just be me, and I hope it is. Other people in the fandom have complained about the fact that the Applichanger does not read individual resshas, and that it should. Sixth ranger changers typically never read the season gimmick, unless its a repaint of the original changer, like the Giga Gaburevolver. I was not expecting it to read individual ressha, and I don’t expect next year’s Sixth ranger changer to read 2015’s gimmick either. Its just not something I expect. Nevertheless, I really do enjoy the Applichanger. It is limited in sounds, so it may not be for everyone, but it does capture all of the uses we’ve seen from ToQ 6 in the show so far, so its not like its lacking show-used features.
Later this week we’ll take a look at the Yudou Breaker! Have you picked up the Applichanger yet? If you have it already, how do you like it? Have you had the stress crack issue that mine suffers from? Let us know!
CSToys: Applichanger
HLJ: Applichanger
CDJapan: Applichanger
Hobby Search: Applichanger