Disney Aleste: Lightyear XL-12 by Mattel

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Sturmvogel Prime
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Disney Aleste: Lightyear XL-12 by Mattel

Post by Sturmvogel Prime »

The second wave of Lightyear's HyperSpeed Series continues with the shmup nods.
Today's review is the XL-12.



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The XL-12 breaks with Disney-Pixar's unexpected Konami-nodding and nods a different shmup this time since is clearly a reference to the Aleste series as a whole, as the ship borrows elements from Aleste/Power Strike, Super Aleste/Space Megaforce and the recent GG Aleste 3. To be a little bit more exact is very similar to the GG Aleste 3 ship if the ship was designed in the "classic" style of the original Aleste and using the predominant white with blue and red details from the XL-02. Since this unit (and all the XL models) were intended for experimental FTL testing purposes, they're unarmed. But in the case of the XL-12, we can see how the wing section had these vertical rectangles that for a shmupper they're reminiscent of the twin cannons of the original Aleste and the large wing cannons of the GG Aleste 3 ship. In a twist of irony, the ship has two "cannons" on the tip of its nose. It is unknown if Star Command wanted that model to be an experimental combat fighter.

Seen from below, the ship reduces the detailing a little and features the same hole to put the missile launcher from the XL-01-XL-15 2-Pack. Like the XL-07 and other ships, the pilot seat and the cockpit are unpainted, but still detailed and the overall ship design goes away from the childish Disney-Pixar look and takes a more serious sci-fi style, which is mostly noticed on the ship's interior that comes with plenty of detailing despite being unpainted white plastic.



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Buzz Waizen, the protagonist of Disney Aleste.

The figure is no other than Buzz Lightyear with a wardrobe change. This time wearing a yellow flight suit which kinda looks like a slight remold of the XL-01 pilot figure. This is noticed on how it resembles a fighter pilot more than an astronaut or a Space Ranger.
As usual, the articulation is limited to the arms and legs, granting a total of 4 articulation points.



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Raiden V, Aleste and Gradius.
Who would imagine that?


We had a Vic Viper lookalike in any size imaginable, an Azuma, and now this. The Lightyear toyline really managed to surprise us and it did it again with this ship. It is quite rare to see Aleste-themed merchandise, and like with the XL-07-Vic Viper affair, it was curious to see an Aleste toy not made/licensed by Compile Heart (current owners of Aleste's rights). Disney-Pixar fan or not, the XL-12 is a piece that manages to be on the Aleste section of your shmup collection. ¿Where's Compile Heart to license this and name it "XL-12 Lightyear Aleste"?



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