Cyber Units

With all the interest in Anime and Manga-especially cybernetic warriors and robot, McFarlane Toys, early in the 2000s, created a series of Cyber Unit 001, 6-inch, articulated action figures.

Six figures come in the the set but in this review I will be focusing two: Brut Unit 001 and Battle Unit 001.

You’ve got to hand it to the sculptors and artists at McFarlane Toys.  They really came through with some amazing designs.

Each unit is complex, has cleverly hidden and varied articulation points, features both matte and gloss paint application, clever aging and wear and tear effects and some of the most ingenious accessories and capabilities of any action figure.

Packaging is simple but effective.  The packaging consists of a clear hanger/stand up with interior cocoon for holding each figure.

A large ‘Cyber Unit’ logo is on the front of the packages and on the back of each is a gallery of all the figures in the set.

My favorite figure of the series has to be Battle Unit 001.

Talk about radical and unique!

The blue metallic and black Unit is a marvel of mechanical engineering-let alone toy manufacturing.

It bristles with weapons and attachments.

While the body is a standard humanoid it features all sorts of gadgets, attachments, equipment implants and reinforced limbs and torso. The head is vaguely humanoid.  

The head is long, has no discernible nose or mouth and features a textured surface with various ridges and small hollows.

Attached to the Unit’s shoulders is a massive flared contrivance with sectional panels, large reinforced shoulder pads and a neck brace.

Extending from the flared shoulder ‘wings’ are various articulated arms ending in sharp points, grips and hydraulics.

All can be moved and positioned.

The right arm ends in a large twin barrel weapon bristling with hoses, power packs and protected by a split shield.  The left arm has a fully functional mechanical hand, a large lower arm power pack and contrivance.

Both legs have reinforced knees and end in lower legs consisting mostly of cables, sectional reinforced metal lattices and large shielded feet that move at the ankles.

There are so many devices, articulation points, and various various bric a brac and tech attachments that you can examine the figure for hours without running out of things to see.

It is an extremely detailed figure with lots of goodies, excellent coloration, amazing articulation and totally unique.

The big boy of the Cyber Units 001 is the metallic green and matt black monstrosity bristling with weapons known as Brute Unit 001.

The head of Brut looks like a desiccated human skull mounted between two massive shoulders consisting of over lapping sections of green and black metal.

Numerous wires attach to Brute’s skull just behind the cranium.  Hydraulics and various metal support rods hold the head in place.

The huge shoulders overlap the arms with rounded sectional shoulder guards and upper arm flaps.

The right arm ends at the elbow.  From there it melds into a rotating twin barrel weapon with a power pack.  The left arm also ends at a pivoting elbow and then culminates into a multi-barrel canister of green with an indicator light.

Brute’s chest is mostly black mechanics with a number of large tubes and wires wrapping around to the back on both sides.

Twin vertical strips of green metal overlap with sectional green and black metal replacing the ribs.

The waist is a large curved green basin of metal with both legs attached just below the waist.

The upper thighs sweep back, much like an animals, and two large pedestal legs of green and black end in feet resting on multi pods that are more than likely jet engine exhausts.

Two pieces of weapons/equipment are included that attach to each shoulder and can pivot and move.

It’s an extremely intricate and complicated piece of Cyber technology melding man and machine.  Additional identifying decals are on the legs, chest and arms.

Paint application is well defined and clean with no slop over edges and the sculpt work is sharp, extremely well constructed and complex.

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” — Matthew 22:37-40