GALLANTMON/CHAOS MODE WARP-DIGIVOLVING FIGURE

This toy is something of an enigma. Without the armour, the figure is of the Digimon called ChaosGallantmon - but the packaging refers to him simply as Gallantmon. With the armour attached, the packaging claims that the figure is "Gallantmon Chaos Mode" - when in actuality it is ChaosGallantmon's equivalent of Crimson Mode. But, you see, the thing is - officially, there ISN'T a ChaosGallantmon equivalent of Crimson Mode. The figure, as you'll have understood by now, is a repaint of the Gallantmon/Crimson Mode Warp-Digivolver, except it appears to have been much more widely available than that figure ever was.

So you can see why it's confusing.

"GALLANTMON"/CHAOSGALLANTMON

The toy comes in "chaos mode," but I'll start with this as it just makes more sense to me. ChaosGallantmon is simply the same as Gallantmon, except grey where Gallantmon is white, and blue where he is red. Gallantmon's yellow decals do not exist on ChaosGallantmon. On this figure, the blue parts are rendered in a very attractive metallic paint, while his cape (which forms the wings of "chaos mode") and lance are moulded from a translucent blue plastic. It adheres very closely to the anime appearance of Gallantmon - much closer than the original Digivolver did, that's for sure. In fact, some believe that this figure may be a blown-up version of the Digi-Warrior with the wings and a few extra holes added - I do not have the Digi-Warrior to compare, but I'd say it's well within the realm of possibility..
ChaosGallantmon is articulated in his neck, shoulders, elbows (two joints), waist, knees (two joints) and ankles - enough that you can put him in a variety of cool poses. He is, of course, in the grand tradition of late, missing some paint applications here and there - they're mostly limited to small things like the Digital Hazard marks, his belt buckles and the decals on his helmet. He comes equipped with his lance, but not his shield (probably for the better) - the lance is a little odd, as it's mounted on a ring of plastic, but this is because it turns into "chaos mode"'s double-bladed sword, and needs the handle to do so (it's also why it has little wings on the side). It's not fully painted either, in order to better facilitate the double-bladed sword mode. I also particularly like the scupt of his hair. No reason - just do.

To Digivolve... well, actually, that's another enigma. The packaging says that "Gallantmon Armour Digivolves to Chaos Mode," which is all kinds of wrong in itself. But what's even wrong-er, is to call this a Digivolver. All you simply do is attach the numerous armour pieces of ChaosGallantmon - there are sixteen of them in all. When in ChaosGallantmon mode, they simply just sit to one side - originally there were hopes that for the Crimson Mode toy they would form Grani, but that was not to be. Anyway, you attach the armour, then separate his cape and spread out his wings. To form his sword, you remove the lance from the handle, split it in two, then attach the two halves to the opposite pegs on the handle.

"CHAOS MODE"

Wow.

Just wow.

The glory of "chaos mode" is unequaled. Bulked up to the nines, with more of the lovely blue metallic paint on his armour, as well as chromed shoulder, chest and pelvis armour, with a huge ten inch-wing span made all the more impressive by the number of wings involved, ChaosGallantmon is now nothing short of *gorgeous.*

Articulation carries over from the un-armoured mode, naturally, though the armour does impede it a little - take care to attach the correct pieces to his upper legs, because while the lower leg armour pieces can attach to either leg, if you attach the wrong pieces to his upper legs, while they will fit, they'll stop him from bending his knees. In addition, He now has six joints at the base of his ten wings, allowing them to move in any way you see fit. As far as I can see, all his paint is actually applied, including the triforces on his knees, and the small markings on his helmet, which I'm suitably surprised about. A behemoth among Digimon toys, "chaos mode" dominates a shelf - and if any of your other toys disagree, he'll kick their plastic butts six ways from Sunday.

OVERALL
The pictures in this review do not do the toy justice (damn my camera. ChaosGallantmon shall reap his unholy revenge upon it). No pictures really can - you have to get the toy for yourself to revel in it's awesomeness. All that said, some things are irritating about it, mainly that the armour pieces just sit to the side in ChaosGallantmon mode. And that it's wrong to call it a Digivolver. But screw that. I actually feel tempted to get the Crimson Mode toy, to have double the euphoria. BUY THIS TOY, YOU.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5