It is now the end of June in 2013. And just like this time last year, I can’t believe half the year is over. 2013 feels like it has gone by pretty quick so far. Though I seem to say that every year. Maybe I’m getting old. With age comes wisdom, like Hot Rod transforming into Rodimus Prime. Or not. Anyway, this month’s TF purchases appear below.

• Generations Blitzwing, amazon.com, $22.99

• TF Prime RID Vehicon, Big Lots, $8

• TF Prime Beast Hunters Grimwing, Target, $21.99

• TF Prime Beast Hunters Ultra Magnus, Target, $21.99

• TF Prime Beast Hunters Dreadwing, Target, $12.99

Blitzwing was bought pretty early in the month. I got this as soon as I saw it on Amazon for MSRP. I think by now everyone is aware of the QC issues of this figure, specifically where the shoulders don’t lock into place. Many fans have found fixes for this. I have been following the advice of one TransFan on YouTube and I started to sand down parts of the upper torso to address the issue. I’ll reserve final thoughts for the figure until the fix is complete. And as of this writing, I only transformed him into jet mode. That mode looks quite good. I’ll do the tank next.

Vehicon is the only repeat purchase here. I already have two RID Vehicons, one of which was a gift from PaxCybertron. This past month I finally finished watching Transformers Prime Season 2 on my Blu-ray set. After about mid-way into the season, I watched through the remaining episodes with a fury! TF Prime is an awesome show! Anyway, the Vehicon army is all over the place in the show. Big Lots was clearing out their TF Prime RID Deluxe figs at $8 each, so I figured I get me one more Vehicon. Earlier in the year I have seen Vehicons for cheaper at $5.99 at Ross. At the time I felt like I didn’t need any more Vehicons so I passed. Oh well. $8 is still cheap. This is a total departure from last year where I couldn’t even find them.

I have not opened Grimwing yet, but I expect to very soon. Ultra Magnus is a repaint of TF Prime RID Powerizer Optimus Prime with some minor mods, most obvious of which is the head mold and shoulder extensions. He also comes with some pretty cool accessories: 2 missles, a jet pack, and the Forge of Solus Prime! UM looks like he’s ready for action when he as all these bad-ass weapons attached (yes, he can deal with that now). I’m really happy Hasbro included the Forge to be show accurate. It’s painted a nice silver too, though it would be better if the other colors bits were on there too. I have a feeling some third party is already making a more show accurate version of the Forge. I have yet to transform UM, but I don’t expect any big differences from the original OP mold. Some fans theorize that this mold was originally meant for UM, and I can certainly see why.

I opened Dreadwing but did not transform him yet. He does seem cool in robot mode, and his transformation appears to be much simpler than the Voyager version. He seems promising.

So that’s all the TFs in June. 5 figs, 4 from TF Prime and 1 from Generations. The names of 3 figures this month end in “wing”, that’s weird. Poor Magnus, he’s the lone Autobot this month.

Late in the month I did find the Ultimate class TF Prime Beast Hunters Optimus Prime at TRU. I almost left the store with the fig, but in the end decided against it. Retail is $59.99. I have a feeling he will drop in price later. I’ll get him then. He did look pretty impressive in the box.

There’s one more purchase I gotta mention. It’s not a TF, but close enough. I got the DX Chogokin VF-171 Nightmare Plus from Macross Frontier, by Bandai. Check out these pics.

I love the jet mode of this piece! Haven’t transformed this either (I know, I’m behind), but that jet looks so awesome I thought I keep it like this for a while. All I did so far is attach the gunpod and stand. This is the fodder version. As a Macross pilot, if you get issued one of these, start writing your will. Much like the brown VF-1As. I guess green is the new brown.

BotCon 2013 is also going on this weekend… too bad I’m unable to attend. San Diego is close enough for me, but hopefully next year it will be back in LA. Transform and Roll Out!

This news kind of came out of nowhere. I sort of heard from around the web that Takara are planning new Masterpiece TFs. But details were super vague. Then all of a sudden, I think on Thur this past week, I get the weekly BBTS newsletter. The first pre-orders on the list were MP-20 Wheeljack and MP-21 Bumblebee! I couldn’t believe my eyes! More MPs of G1 figures are always a plus in my book. No pics yet, but nonetheless this is still awesome news!

I never had the Wheeljack G1 toy growing up. I didn’t know anyone else that had it either. And I’m not sure if he was ever re-issued. The point I’m trying to make is I have never seen the G1 mold. But I’ve seen pics and the Wheeljack robot mode is unflattering to say the least. I’m positive the MP-20 will correct this issue. It will also be very interesting to see a Lancia faithfully reproduced in this day and age.

As for MP-21 Bumblebee, it has gotta be the original Beetle. I never really thought Takara will attempt this. In the mid-2000s it was well known that VW wanted very little of their brand to be associated with Transformers products. I guess they have since changed their mind. If this figure is anywhere near the quality of recent MPs, this may very well be the best Bumblebee ever. I’m also wondering how this figure will scale with other MPs. As Bumblebee he should be smaller (like the MP cassettes, though not that small). But he’s got the same pre-order price as Wheeljack, so he may be the same size as the other cars. I can’t wait to see how this will develop.

Oh yeah, along with these two, there will also be MP-12G, which is G2 MP Sideswipe. Knowing me, I will get this too, because I have the original G2 Sideswipe. A very blurry pic appears below. Apparently MP-12G gets some new weapons and accessories.

It is a dream come true to see some of my favorite Autobot cars reproduced in the MP line. We already have Sideswipe (MP-12) and Red Alert (MP-14). Prowl (MP-17), Bluestreak (MP-18), and Smokescreen (MP-19) are next. Now we’re getting Wheeljack and Bumblebee! It is good to be a TransFan!

Back in 2006 when Transformers Classics first came out (which eventually expanded into Universe, Henkei, Generations, and whatever else Hasbro decides to call them), Gemini and I were thinking it would be so cool if they updated all early G1 Autobots and Decepticons in this line. That dream pretty much came true. Now we’re thinking the same about the MP line. It seems like we’re well on our way there… could this become reality as well? Only time will tell… transform and roll out.

Finally! Seibertron is posting pics of G1 Technobots. Go here to check it out. They are my favorite Autobot combiner group from G1. I can hear what you’re saying now: “You crazy? What about the Aerialbots?!” Yes they are probably the obvious choice for most, but I’m partial to toys that I own. In G1 I completed my Technobot collection. So there.

Check out my pics below. They are nowhere near the quality of Seibertron pics. But it’s proof I own them. I know the pics don’t show it, but I do have all their accessories. Next to my Combaticons, the Technobots are the pride and joy of my G1 combiner collection. And unlike my Combaticons, these guys are still in pretty good shape.

Clockwise from top left: Scattershot, Nosecone, Strafe, Afterburner, Lightspeed

Computron

Rumor has it that a third party (ex: FansProject, MakeToys, TFC Toys) is currently making plans to do a Technobot homage team, much like Hercules or Giant. I can’t wait! If it turns out anything like the current 3rd party combiners, I will be buying.

Technobots… Transform and Roll Out!

The “active” TFs on my shelf have changed somewhat from the last time I did a post like this. So here they are. Most of the figs on the shelf are new for this post. Some are the same as last time, with some of them in a different mode.

Same pic, different angle.

From left to right
Top shelf, back row: FOC Blaster (with Steeljaw inside), FOC Omega Supreme, FOC Air Raid (on Omega’s shoulder), FOC Grimlock, TFP Beast Hunters Optimus Prime
Top shelf, front row: Generations Springer, FOC Starscream, FansProject Car Crash, FansProject T-Bone, TFP Rumble, TFP Beast Hunters Smokescreen
Middle shelf: TFP Breakdown, TFP Dreadwing, TFP Shockwave, TFP Beast Hunters Starscream, TFP Jet Vehicon General
Bottom shelf: TFP Beast Hunters Soundwave, MP Soundwave (with Laserbeak insde), FOC Soundblaster (with Buzzsaw inside)

All these TFs are excellent. There’s not a single one on here that I would not recommend.

I believe all the figures on here are 2013 purchases, with the exception of Breakdown and Dreadwing (which were late 2012). The middle shelf appears to be a TF Prime Decepticon shelf, and the bottom shelf is a turning into a Soundwave exclusive shelf. Maybe I should add a few more Soundwave figs here.

The most recent acquisition displayed here is Springer. I have only transformed him from robot to car, but I can already say that he’s AWESOME! I can’t wait to do the heli mode next. He must be reviewed and I intend to do one.

Transform and Roll Out.