Brastle Tiger

The Brastle Tiger is a type of Zoid, a race of mechanical lifeforms from the fictional Zoids universe.

Overview
The Brastle Tiger is a Tiger-type Zoid, created by the Zi-Arms corporation from one of the three ancient Tiger-Zoid cores discovered in ZAC 2230.

Like its rival, the Rayse Tiger, Brastle Tiger mounts a unique weapons system. The Brastle Tiger is able to absorb heat from the atmosphere around it, and then channel the heat through its various weapons. As a result, it carries a devastating array of weapons, making it far more dangerous then other Zoids of its size. Mounting ten Thermic Beam Cannons, as well as numerous other weapon systems, the Brastle Tiger is capable of taking on almost any opponent.

This system does have one drawback; the Brastle Tiger has an enormous heat signature, making it nearly impossible to hide. However, its high speed, huge weapons array and thick armour mean that the Zoid can usually handle anything that comes its way. Unusual for a land-based Zoid, the Brastle Tiger features an ejection seat built into the cockpit.

Battle Story appearances
The Brastle Tiger was the last weapon developed by Zi-Arms during their conflict with the ZOITEC corporation. Acquiring the last of the three Ancient Tiger cores, Zi-Arms used the new Zoid to attack their rivals and kidnap the ZOITEC president. This was all just a front, however, to disguise Zi-Arms' true plan; the development of a new version of the Deathsaurer.

Unfortunately, when activated, the new Mega-Deathsaurer went berserk, attacking the Zi-Arms forces. After destroying the Decalto Dragon, it turned on the rest of the company, decimating them. However, the Rayse Tiger and Whitz Tiger appeared, and, along with the Brastle Tiger, were able to destroy the rampaging Zoid.

Unlike many other Zoids, it was rather ambiguous if, in the battle story, the Brastle Tiger was a unique Zoid, or just a Zoid type. Both views are represented in the battle story.

Zoids Genesis
In the Zoids Genesis battle story, the Brastle Tiger is a common Zoid type from the "Age of Technology." Unlike the regular battle story; the Zoid does not appear to be made from an ancient Zoid core. Its Thermic weapons are very potent, capable of melting the Hell Armour used by the Bio-Zoids.

Media appearances
Anime
The Brastle Tiger appears in Zoids: Genesis, as the personal Zoid of a Zuri officer, Colonel Teize. This Brastle Tiger is almost always escorted by a squadron of red Sabre Tigers. The Brastle Tiger's Thermic Blast proved to be effective against the Hell Armour of the Bio-Zoids, making it very potent.

After Dinga (leader of one of the Sabre Tiger factions) was killed in battle, a second Brastle Tiger appeared, piloted by his sweetheart Gaboule. Interestingly, the second Zoid was coloured like the Genesis release whereas Teize's colouration matches the NJR version.

Models
New Japanese Release
*Assembly required. (Snap-together, no glue needed. Scissors or X-acto knife recommended for trimming off excess plastic bits.)
*The model's colours are moulded into the plastic, and it does not need any paint.

The Brastle Tiger kit comes on eight frames, along with a battery-powered motor, a canopy, two Blox connector pieces, sixteen rubber caps, a small blue pilot, a display stand, and label sheets. The model also included a promotional DVD with animation of the Zoid. The Brastle Tiger is moulded in metallic black, dull metallic red, and silver, with a translucent red canopy.

The Brastle Tiger’s construction isn’t overly complex or difficult, putting it roughly in the middle of the range for Zoid complexity. Despite having a similar leg design and motion to the Shield Liger, it does not reuse any parts from older kits. The Brastle Tiger uses a pair of "AAA" sized batteries for motion. Once activated, the Zoid walks forwards with its jaws chomping while a cannon array on its back raises and closes. The Brastle Tiger also sports a quartet of opening weapons panels, ten opening heat sink panels, a pair of deployable panels on its flanks and a removable ejection seat.

The first production run of the Brastle Tiger featured a weak neck which would cause the Zoid's head to droop. This flaw was corrected on later versions.

The photograph on the Brastle Tiger's box shows a prototype which has numerous moulding changes from the final version. Amongst them are a chest cannon that is substantially different from the one on the final model (the one on the model is actually based on the piece from the Sabre Tiger), different shoulder cannons, different leg armour, and opening panels on the tail.

The Brastle Tiger was released in 2004, and was the final model to be produced in the New Japanese Release.

Genesis

The Brastle Tiger was re-released as part of the Genesis line as a part of the initial wave of "filler" Zoids, although it did appear in the latter part of the anime. The model's colours were changed; the model is now primarily silver, with blue, black, and gold components. The cockpit eyes are now orange. This version did not include the promotional DVD.

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See Also

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