Leggar - Machine Robo Ganseki Chōjin
Hipbone forms the hips and legs of the four part Rock Lords combiner Fossilsaurus. Tonka had intended to release these four figures as 'Fossil Lords'.
While Hipbone is very clearly part of something else with struts and sockets clearly visible from almost all angles, it still make an okay looking monster. Even though a more capable individual figure than some of the Monsterous components, it has the advantage of not needing to accommodate a second alt mode as well as being a combiner part.
Sculpt Changes Hipbone saw three structural changes from the prototype to production version. The most noticeable is the addition of combiner connecting struts either side of the head. The hip joint was also modified, possibly to accommodate the decision to no longer sell Fossilsaurus' motorised Power Pack; see separate page this section. Also possibly related, the hands and wrist joints were removed and replaced with a
single claw and the upper arm made shorter. While unsighted, it's possible the hands were also part of the attachment mechanic for the Power Pack. Other changes appear to be cost saving and cosmetic. Gaps between the forearms have been filled with only a hole left for the weapon to plug into and details inside lower body cavities are now flat surfaces.
Weird Weapons On the prototype, Hipbone's weapon sockets into the middle of the forearm, similar to Arkus from Power Lords. The cost reduced production version arms limited this to a hole and peg affair. While this was seen on a few earlier Rock Lords, the final implementation wasn't so obvious and always on the inside face of the arm to hide the sockets. As with the other Fossil Lords, the weapon is oversized, seems to have handles on the back that can't be used and Hipbone struggles to lower his arm with it in hand. It has an extra handle that according to Ribcage's instruction, can be used for carrying the weapon when not in use. All four figures were late redesigned before release and if it feels as if the weapon and figure modifications were out of sync, Hipbone's
is the one that almost works due to the simple, plug in nature and that the figure's shoulders can pivot outward.
As with the other three Fossil Lords, Hipbone was only sold as a combined set and not individually as Monsterous and Puzzler's parts were.
See main Rock Lords index page for more general details and Fossilsaurus page for combiner specifics.
Rock Lords Europe Bandai 1987
Machine Robo Ganseki Chōjin Japan MR BH-04 Bandai 1987
