DX BLAY ROUSER


The Rouser requires 2 AAA batteries to work. The batteries are housed in the handle, which requires a screwdriver to open.

For a kid's toy, the DX Blay Rouser feels remarkably sturdy. The rouser itself can comfortably be held in one hand, and handle can accomodate all but the meatiest of fingers. The "cutting" edge of the Rouser also has a rubber safety edge. The only real durability issue involves the tip, which is meant to be replaced by the blade which comes with the Rouse Absorber. Squeezing a pair of buttons on the sides of the blade will allow one to remove it, as will a good whack.


The Rouser comes with 12 cards which are stored in the Rouser itself and fan out just like in the show! The card housing snaps open and closed with a hard plastic peg, and the outermost card housing has a tab for easy access.


With the flip of a switch, the Rouser can be put into one of two modes. Mode A is a "limitless" mode where one can rouse an unlimited amount of cards. Mode B is closer to the show in that it gives you 5000 AP (displayed on a digital counter on the card reading side) with which to rouse cards. In this mode, when the counter reaches "0" the Blay Rouser will stop rousing cards until it is reset using the power switch. In mode A, the counter only shows the AP value of the last card that was roused. In either mode, squeezing a trigger on the handle will clear the onboard memory of the rouser and play the last roused cards in sequence. When no cards have been roused, pulling the trigger on the handle causes a "swishing" noise is made.


When swiped, each card included has the following effect:

Spade 2 - SLASH - Rouser says, "Slash!" and subtracts 400 AP in mode B
Spade 3 - SPADE - Rouser says, "Kamen Rider!"
Spade 4 - TACKLE - Rouser says, "Tackle!" and subtracts 800 AP in mode B
Spade 5 - KICK - Rouser says, "Kick!" and subtracts 1000 AP in mode B
Spade 6 - THUNDER - Rouser says, "Thunder!" and subtracts 1200 AP in mode B
Spade 7 - BUCKLE - Rouser says, "Henshin!"
Spade 8 - ROUZER - Rouser says, "Uketemiro!"
Spade 9 - MACHINE - Rouser says, "Hissatsu!"
Spade 10- RIDER - Rouser says, "Kamen Rider!"
Spade J - HERO - Rouser says, "Todomeda!"
Spade Q - LIGHTNING - Rouser says, "Lightning Slash!" and subtracts 1600 AP in mode B
Spade K - BLAST - Rouser says, "Lightning Blast!" and subtracts 2200 AP in mode B
Improper swipe - Rouser beeps and says, "Miss!"

With the cards included with the Rouser, two "combo attacks" are possible. After swiping any combination of SLASH and THUNDER and no other cards, pulling the trigger will make the rouser play "LIGHTNING SLASH." Doing the same for KICK and THUNDER will make it play "LIGHTNING BLAST!" The Blay Rouser can "rouse" any cards with a spade symbol on the firld that displays the name of the Undead sealed within. However, it cannot play their card combos.

Lastly, the Rouser comes with a holster with a strap which keeps the rouser secured. It is meant to plug into the Blay Buckle (or any other Kamen Rider belt) via a hardpoint. However, if you: 1) do not have a Blay Buckle or other belt set; or 2) have one and are not a little Japanese boy, a petite girl, or an early Image Comics character, I have found that the strap can easily be looped around your belt or through a belt loop.


I was able to acqure mine at the Hobby Link Japan booth at Otakon 2005 for $65. However, you should be able to find one on eBay for less than that.

Final Judgement: A. An excellent, well-made toy. The only thing keeping this thing from getting an A+ is the fact that only 4 actual rouse cards are included.