Baro (Prime)

File:2012-armsmicron-Bulo.JPG

Balo is a Mini-Con from the Aligned continuity family.

Balo (バロ Baro) is Skywarp's Arms Micron partner.

Toys

Prime

• Skywarp (Deluxe, 3-31-2012)
  • Set ID number: AM06
  • mciron ID number: M-06
  • Energon Crystal: AP Mad

Available only with his larger partner Skywarp as part of the first wave of Japanese Prime toys, Balo comes as an unassembled, unpainted "kit". He transforms from a bull-like robot into a shuriken/shield. He can also be converted into a drill, yet oddly his instructions fail to mention this screamingly obvious design intent.

Balo has multiple 5mm posts and peg-holes in his construction, allowing him to combine with other Arms Microns to form much bigger, more ridiculous weapons.

• Shadow Balo (Promotional Micron, 4-28-2012)
  • Energon Crystal: AP Fake Dark

A transparent-black version of Balo with a red Energon Crystal was made available on April 28 at participating Yamada Electronics, Yodobashi Camera, and Ideon stores with the purchase of 3000 yen's worth of Prime toys. Just like the pack-in version, Shadow Balo comes as an unassembled kit.

Notes

• Balo's name is a shortening of "buffalo", accomplished by dropping the middle syllable from the Japanese spelling of the word, turning baffarō (バッファロー) into baro (バロ). It's a bit fiddly when it comes to being effectively translated, though: if we were attempting to recreate the intent of the name's origin in English, he'd be "Bulo", but that's not how his name is actually pronounced, so... nngh.