Zoids Terms Zoid Lingo FAQ

"Language tethers us to the world; without it we spin like atoms."

-Francois Duc de la Rochefoucauld

There are a few terms that are unique to Zoid collecting. A language all our own. I call it Zoidian. You may hear it on our message board, as well as web pages, auction sites, discord, etc. . Listed below are some of the common as well as uncommon terms that will help you to understand the world of Zoid collecting. This page is broken down into four chapters. The first chapter consists of release abbreviations, these will help you determine the era a specific Zoid hails from. The second chapter is composed of commonly used auction terms which will help you determine the condition the Zoid is presently in. The third chapter will contain a list of abbreviations that apply to model making. Finally, the fourth chapter will include miscellaneous Zoids terms.

CHAPTER I: Zoid Release Abbreviations

MB: Mechabonica

SZ: Starzeta

RS: Robostrux

WHITE HEADS: Robostrux with white heads

OJR: Zoids Original Japanese Release

GU: Grade UP Zoids

RTF/TF/TRANS: Transfighter Zoids

OAR: Zoids Original American Release

OER: Zoids Original European Release

1:24: Zoids 1/24th Scale Zoids

ZV: Zoids Zevle

TZ: Technozoids

Z2: Zoids 2

SD: Super Deformed

NJR: New Japanese Release

CP: Customize Parts usually followed by a number indicating the set referenced.

TDP: Toys Dream Project

NAR: New American Release (Hasbro)

HASBRO: New American Release

BX: Blox Zoids

Z-Builders: Hasbro Blox

NPR: New Pacific Release. Refers to Zoids release in Australia and South-East Asia.

NER: New English Release Released in the UK.

FZ: Fuzors

GZ: Genisis

NB: Neo-Blox

LB: Legend Blox

HMM: Kotobuyika High-end Master Models

KOTO: Kotobuyika High-end Master Models

EVO: Evo-Drive

RB: Rebirth Century

RC: Rebirth Century

CHAPTER II: Zoid Condition Abbreviations

Additionally you may come across some abbreviations used exclusively to describe the condition of a Zoid that is usually for sale. Below are some common auction terms used to describe the Zoid.

Box: The box the figure was sold with

Loose: A Zoid that has been removed form the box.

F/S , F/T: For sale, For Trade

Built: A Zoid that has previously been assembled.

HTF: Hard To Find (according to the seller)

MIB: Mint In Box. A Zoid that remains untouched although the box may have been opened.

MISB: Mint In Sealed Box. A Zoid that has never been opened and still has the factory tape sealing the box flaps.

MLC: Mint Loose Complete. A Zoid that is complete with box, instructions, sticker but it has been removed from the original packaging. Usually used when a seller opens the contents of a box to check if all pieces are present.

NRFB: Never Removed From Box. a Zoid that has never been removed from the box, but any factory tape or seal has been broken.

CHAPTER III: Zoid Model Making Abbreviations

AB: "Air Brush." This devise is is very commonly used in Zoids modeling to apply paint/top coats to Zoids. Used for the BEST finishes. Using an AB allows smoother finishes and open up many techniques and possibilities for custom Zoids.

Chrome / Plated Kit: A Zoid kit that has an plated chrome finish, LeoShop originally produced many of these Zoids.

Custom / Customize: To alter a factory Zoid making it unique. Ranges from fitting a CP referred to as "light customizing" to painting and adding hand made pieces often called "heavy customizing".

Darth: Term for one who creates Zoid customs. In the fictional Star Wars universe, Darth is the traditional title of a Sith Lord or Master, the first part of the new name they take on. I.E. "Darth WIKD"

Diorama: A small scene made up with several models and often to reproduce a Zoids Battle.

Flash: Thin pieces of plastic from a mold line of a poor fitting Zoids mold left over from when the plastic was injected into the mold. You will often hear builders refer to "trimming the flash" when building Zoids.

Fuselage: The body part of a Zoid.

Kitbash: When a modeler uses multiple kits and combines them as they were not intended for a new creation.

Mecha: Term used for Japanese Robots, sometimes includes Zoids.

Mold (mould) � In industrial replication � a negative of the master, a form, in which castings are being made by pouring into the mold liquid material, which after curing become hard copies (replicas) of the master.

Master: Also being called sometimes master-model. It is original scale model or sculpture created for further replication.

Monochrome: One color painting scheme.

Runner/Tree/Sprue: The plastic, web like design that hold the Zoid parts together on the frame.

Scale 1:72: The 1:72 scale is a scale used for Zoids corresponding to one sixth of an inch representing one foot.

In other words it would take 72 Berserk Fury Zoids placed end to end to perceive the length of the Zoid if it were real. In this scale a six foot tall human would be approx. the size of a Zoids pilot figure.

Scale Model : A representation of an object/scene that is larger or, in some cases, smaller than the actual size of the origin.

Top Coat: The final coat you apply to your model. These prevent damaging the paint or weathering, and can be used to seal pastel shading and decals. Top coats vary from Gloss (shiny) to Flat/Matt (dull.)

Vacuum Forming: Also known as vacuforming or vacuform, is a simplified version of thermoforming, whereby a plastic sheet is heated to a forming temperature, stretched onto a single-surface pattern or into a single-surface hard mold, and held against the pattern or mold by applying vacuum between the mold surface and the plastic sheet.

The vacuum forming process can be used in model making to make complex configured hollow parts for models and prototypes and product packaging. Normally, draft angles must be present in the design on the mold for easy release of the formed plastic. Vacuum forming is usually restricted to forming plastic parts that are rather shallow in depth, otherwise a plastic sheet is formed into thin wall, structurally weak cavity.

Weathering: Adding details to a Zoid to make it look weathered or battle damaged.

WIP: Work in Progress when customizing a Zoid.

CHAPTER IV: Zoid Miscellaneous Abbreviations

Anime: A style of animation developed in Japan.

CAS: Changing armor system mainly used when referring to Liger Zero's three sets of armor including Jager, Panzer, and

Schneider.

Clear / Crystal / Holotech / Holotec: A Zoid containing translucent plastic parts.

CW: Command Wolf

Dark: Guylos Dark Zoids

Fury: Short for Berserk Fury

Three Tigers: Brastle, Rayse, and Whitz. Also used to refer to the Three Tiger Zoids era.

Gilvy: Short for Gil Vader