Toy Review: Lightyear HyperSpeed Series XL-02 (Mattel)

[Sturmvogel Prime]

The movie Lightyear was a failure (I refuse to use the word "Bomb" 'cos it sounds more like if it was an explosive hit), but there's redeeming qualities and those are the ships used on the film which resemble those of many shmup games, although most of them only appeared for a few seconds compared with the XL-01 and XL-15.
Today's review is the HyperSpeed Series XL-02 by Mattel.




https://i.imgur.com/mLeP3Kf.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/4GWhvH9.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/7Ff3Cmt.jpg

At first, the XL-02 might resemble a Y-Wing from Star Wars, but after having a closer look and checking some vintage shmup games, I've noticed it looks like a stylished, "Earth-made" version of the Death Ceasar from Super Star Soldier (minus the cannons on the sides). It looks quite unusual to have a space fighter without the classic wings but believe it or not, the ship's tiny fins on the bottom sides of the engines are its wings. While is not as sharp and pointy like the XL-01, is not round cornered like the XL-07, giving us a somewhat blocky look.
While the XL-01 was in a more gray white plastic, the XL-02 utilizes white plastic, which will became the standard base color for the majority of Star Command's ships (being the XL-14 the exception due to its major use of blue over the white), this one is also the first ship which uses red linings in a major amount (compared with the XL-01's tail strip). Like the rest of the ships of this series, it has a hole on the bottom to plug the cannon that was included with the XL-01-XL-15 2-Pack.




https://i.imgur.com/5wmc5hU.jpg

Unlike the XL-01 and XL-07, The XL-02 has the pilot seat painted in dark gray and to be fair it improves the detailing in the ship's interior. If only Mattel cared about painting the cockpit panels it would be even better.




Another Buzz that joins "The Lightyear Bunch".

Since Buzz was the only test pilot of all the XL series, this ship has its version of Buzz.
This is a basic articulated figure with single posability on arms and legs, but what lacks on articulation, it compensates on the small painted details on the spacesuit just like the rest of the Buzzes in the series.





Raiden, Star Soldier and Gradius.

In the end, we have an original design which is also a discreet love letter to Hudson's Star Soldier series that will be a favorite for the fans of the series along with overall shmup and Sci-Fi fans.



The scales had spoken.

[Ed Oscuro]

Now that you point it out...yeah, it looks just like those ships. Neat writeup, thanks!