[Starscream Gaga]

The combined mode is awful. I have seen so many people try and defend it by saying it looks more "streamlined" or "samuraiesque" or what have you (neither of which are particularly true), but it in reality it just looks dismal compared to Samurai Gokaioh. The legs sticking out over the shoulders do not even slightly look like shoulder pads, they just look like lion legs sticking out the sides. There has been no effort to hide that.

The Lion also suffers. The big Fire Smasher sticking out his behind is so obvious it hurts and the lack of an opening feature hurts the idea of it being a Wild Force Zord with the Samurai Kanji absolutely everywhere.

This figure is probably the worst out of the SMF line until Fuuraimaru's reveal and I honestly don't get the praise it undeservingly seems to get. All the others got away with being very simple to begin with, but this guy just makes so many compromises that the end result is just not good.

As for positives... The bigger Fire Smasher is pretty cool, even if it manages to ruin the entire back portion of the lion while doing it.

I always seem like a negative nelly in the SMF Galleries. But really, I just think the line is a big miss.

THAT SAID, these photos are absolutely beautiful.