I'm a big fan of robots. So exo-force is naturally one of my favorite themes. And the Sentai Headquarters is my favorite set of this theme. Hopefully you'll like it as much as I do after reading this review. (FYI, it's a long review)

Set# - 7709

Name - Sentai Headquarters (Sentai Fortress on the box)

Theme - Exo-force

Year - 2006

Piece Count - 1448

Minifigs - 8 (9 if you include the spider robot)

MSRP - US$100

The box is very nice. The front cover is beveled so that the robots look a bit 3d, which we don't see nowadays.

As you can see in the small box, this set is BIG, 45cm x 80cm. It is basically a sci-fi castle.

The box flips open and shows some comic and various features.

This part is worth zooming in. It shows all the weapons included in the set. The weapons from this line is so over the top and use unusual techniques, which I like very much.

The back of the box shows the other exoforce sets from that year and the alternative build which is kinda cool.

Only one instruction book, but it is thick, 142 pages.

a random page showing the light function

The DSS. DSS hater's nightmare. 58 numbered groups and over 100 stickers. There's even an instruction for the stickers. Not going to apply. Not to mention, some of the Kanji/Chinese characters are horribly written (looks like written by 5 year old).

This set has a grand total of 1448 pieces! It comes in 8 numbered groups of bags, 2 unnumbered bags, and 2 loose orange bridge pieces. Those 16 orange long slope pieces are suppose to be in a unnumbered bag, but I took it out for a MOC earlier.

Bag 1 contain all the minifigs and a few brick-built weapons.

This set comes with all the characters from the theme from that year (only one character missing from the whole line). Those colorful hair piece is rubbery and bendable, but the long grey hair is not.

None of them has any back print, but all has an weird angry face.

Old guy: "I need to use the toilet!"

Blue: "Me too!"

Purple: "I can't hold on anymore!"

Green: "All get out of my way!"

The missing minifig. An interesting flying suit. The wings are not connected to the legs. I bet flying will be hard, with 4 thrusters pushing you from different directions.

A very cool spider droid. His arm connection shows how versatile the robot arm piece is.

The rest of bag 1 makes these weapons. The disc shooter doesn't work so well when all 10 discs are in. But it works fine with only 1 disc. The disc can be useful in MOCs. You'll see why these pieces are separated from the rest of the model in a minute.

"Bag" 2 makes the blue robot. It's weird that it comes in a box of its own. Almost like a standalone product.

The body of the robot from the side. If you push down on the level on the back, it's suppose to push on the light brick's button and light up. But it doesn't work that well.

Finished robot. The robot itself is ok, but the weapons are fantastic. The robot also uses 6 exclusive medium blue wedge pieces.

The back looks a bit bare.

Bag 3 contains the Robot's robot

It's a bit smaller and simpler than the blue robot. The arms are just connected with a technic pin. So it can only swing in one dimension. But it got some cool weapons nonetheless.

Its back is also a bit bare.

Mecha One vs. the blue ranger.

Blue ranger got the cooler gun. pwned!

The robots are cool, but the meat of the set is the fortress!

Bag 4 makes the hanger/repair shop

It's a nice workshop with all kinds of details.

I like this seat and monitor design. I didn't know 40 inch monitors were that common back in 2006.

The lift arm can slide along the top. The yellow technic beams just wraps around the top beam, so it can slide freely.

Bag 5 has two identical bags. They makes the sidewalls.

I felt like I was building a castle set. Those modular walls look very familiar. Note that the gray 1x6x5 is a brick not a panel.

Bag 6 makes one of the towers.

The towers uses some great techniques to get that octagon shape.

The gray 2x4 brick connects to the SNOT side in the previous pic...

Like this. The medical room is very well done too. A second light brick is used here. Comparing to the new 2x3 light brick, the old led is very weak. You can barely see it in the day.

As you can see the studs on the light bley bracket is rotated 45degree comparing to the base. And 4 corner plates make a nice diamond shape roof... as you'll see

The two completed towers. One is a medical room + landing pad, the other is a weapon storage room + turret.

Let me rewind a bit and show the pieces from bag 7, which makes the other tower.

The turret can open.

Bag 8 makes the front gate.

The iconic gate. It's locked by a technic bar going through two technic holes.

It opens up more towards the back than the front.

The gate has one small design flaw.

Blue: "HQ, we got a problem."

The complete set.

Let me go back to the weapons from Bag 1. They can be mounted on the 4 walls.

They can slide along simply with this simple design.

Mecha One is having trouble breaching the tall gate. What is he going to do...

Get a little help from another robot friend

Lots of extras.

Design: Nice design overall. This is basically a sci-fi castle. It uses the same modular design as many recent castles. The robots are a bit bare, but they aren't the main part of the set.

Build: The build can be a bit repetitive given the symmetry. But it has many design surprises that makes it interesting.

Playability: With all the characters from the line, a kid can play with this set all day and have all sorts of dramas. The set also has tons of weapons and functionality.

Minifigures: If you want all the rangers, get this one.

Parts: Part selection is great in this set. Many rare and exclusive pieces, such as

Price: $100 for 1448 is very good piece to price ratio. Not to mention, the set also includes many large pieces. I got it for $80 on bricklink, even better!

Overall: This is one of my favorite sets! I think it's the best exo-force set ever. I might get a second set just for the pieces.

Edited August 7, 201014 yr by lisqr

Good review! At the time I got it, it was the largest set I owned. Combined with my other mechas, it was a formidable fortress. Even now I regret its deconstruction.

Great review. IMO, this was one of the best sets of that year

Whoa. I'm not sure I was aware of this set. Thanks for the review. Love the weapons as there is some fun looking ones - "nuke" bombs, guns with ski pieces on top, "big honkin" gun, lasers, how could you not like?

I'm not a huge anime fan, but I like mechs.

Good lord that's a big DSS! I'm always torn about stickers. There are some nice ones, but I ususally don't use them for MOC purposes.

I do have to ask why you say the discs are good for MOCing? I've had a pile of these and I'm at a loss for any use for them! They can't attach to any thing, so do share anyt ideas you are thinking of!

(I have a planned use for my trans-smoke disc launcher, but not the discs!)

Whoa. I'm not sure I was aware of this set. Thanks for the review. Love the weapons as there is some fun looking ones - "nuke" bombs, guns with ski pieces on top, "big honkin" gun, lasers, how could you not like?

I'm not a huge anime fan, but I like mechs.

Good lord that's a big DSS! I'm always torn about stickers. There are some nice ones, but I ususally don't use them for MOC purposes.

I do have to ask why you say the discs are good for MOCing? I've had a pile of these and I'm at a loss for any use for them! They can't attach to any thing, so do share anyt ideas you are thinking of!

(I have a planned use for my trans-smoke disc launcher, but not the discs!)

The discs can go through rods. Here's a quick bbq moc.

The discs can go through rods. Here's a quick bbq moc. (snip)]

Oooooooooh. Through rods. I knew I was missing something. Maybe I can make an engine detail or something...

Had the box in my hand, was down to 50€. Several occasional things completed the reason not to get it. I was on the way somewhere, wasn't prepared to spend money or to carry that thing around.. Cause I remember, it was a huge box, and a heavy one too. And you all know the story, you are busy, you forget. There are SW and other things you still need to get. And so on and on. And then the other day, you remember, gone it is.

I have a few of the human's robots and some minifigs extra from BL, and I love them. I would lie if I say I regret not getting this. I would lie if I say I wouldn't like to have it. My favorite parts are the human and the mech refitting areas. Some parts seem a bit naked though, but just by the sheer size of it and it needs the size cause of the mechs! I always thought about it being a busy place with parked mechs and lots of minifigs, and I bet it will look amazing!

Thanks a lot for the review!!

PS I like the stickers. Make the models really anime-look-alike. Love that.

Very big. Very cool. Very anime. I think the two mechs are the best in the whole line. I wish I had it... It was fairly cheap here in Poland, so it doubles the pain.

Edited August 10, 201014 yr by Corydoras

Nice review, Lisqr - that had to be a time consuming one. I completely missed out on the Exo-Force line during my "dark ages", but I would like, eventually, to collect some of the minifigures from the line. I kinda like that anime look. Those discs are interesting too.

I'm still not sure how Lego justifies all these heavy weapons and bombs and "violence" but just won't make military sets . Sure it's cartoon-y violence, but that's getting into a thin line to draw . Ah well.

Edited August 10, 201014 yr by Blackicep8ntball

I'm still not sure how Lego justifies all these heavy weapons and bombs and "violence" but just won't make military sets . Sure it's cartoon-y violence' date=' but that's getting into a thin line to draw[/quote']

Bear in mind the heroes in Exo-Force are fighting against robots, much like the clone troopers vs. droid army in SW.

Edited August 10, 201014 yr by Corydoras

I completely missed out on the Exo-Force line during my "dark ages", but I would like, eventually, to collect some of the minifigures from the line. I kinda like that anime look. Those discs are interesting too.

I was coming out of my dark ages when Exo-force was out the door, so I managed to get some of the sets, but I'm still trying to collect the rest.

Nice review!

I actually have this set twice,i bought some large mixed collections a while back and this set was in two of them! I didnt like the base at all so i used many of the parts on more Exo force mocs! The mecha's,well the blue one,is very good and is still in one piece!

Hi, this is my first post on Eurobricks, and I like my photo reviews better when people unbox the set and include images of all the bags, instructions, and other stuff.

Also, the big robot things that the humans and robots run around in are called mechs.

The humans' names are:

• Green hair: Takeshi
  
• Purple hair: Ryo
  
• Blue hair: Hikaru
  
• Red hair: Hayato (spelled: Ha-Ya-To)
  
• Old guy: Keiken
  

I have to say that this specific set was the only one I was really considering buying to my Complete LEGO SPACE collection cos it looks absolutely awesome and somehow space-like (the same way Rock Riders did...and therefore I included them) - it reminds me kind of Mars Mission successor in a way: that expressionistic design of the base/HQ looks in concept similar to Mars Mission's base/HQ. Gee, I thing I really buy one still sealed (fingers crossed) on BrickLink right away!

Edited January 7, 20169 yr by bublible