Generations Season 3 Autobots
Much like this previous post from about a year ago, today let’s take a look at some CHUG Autobots from G1 Season 3.
CHUG is an acronym for Classics Henkei Universe Generations. These are all terms that Hasbro or Takara has used to label various Transformers lines that represent a modern update of classic G1 characters. I have also seen some fans refer to them collectively as G3, since it follows G1 and G2. Whatever you call it, they are all modern toy interpretation of Generation 1, though not necessarily in their exact G1 forms.
All characters below are regulars in G1 Season 3. Though they may have had their origins well before that.
I chose these 5, mostly because I have them handy. Let’s look at each of them in detail, in the order of release.
Rodimus, Reveal the Shield, 2011
If you are talking about G1 Season 3, you must include Rodimus. He is the leader of the Autobots for most of the season. Sure, he never lived up to Optimus Prime, but those are big shoes to fill for anyone. Originally in 1986, his name was Hot Rod. And he would become Rodimus Prime after receiving the Autobot Matrix of Leadership. For licensing reasons, Hasbro could not use the name Hot Rod nowadays. So now the Hot Rod incarnation of this character goes simply by Rodimus. The first version of this particular figure came out all the way back in 2006. That Rodimus was one of only 6 figures first released for the Classics line. I have that figure too, but he’s stuck in a box somewhere in the back of the closet. So I am using this Reveal the Shield version instead, only because he was easier to get to. This figure was released in 2011 as part of a 2-pack with Cyclonus. He’s more cartoon color accurate than the initial version, though I’m not sure that’s a good thing here. This figure still holds up well today. The alt mode is nice and sleek while being G1 accurate, and the robot mode is robust with nice poseability. Transformation is also well engineered. In my opinion, this is still the definitive CHUG Rodimus even 10 years later. But he might be due for another upgrade soon. We’ll see what Hasbro does.
Springer, Generations Thrilling 30, 2013
I know I have written about this Springer back in this post. If you read that post, I mention that I was so excited to open this fig that I didn’t even stop to take pics of it in the box. This Springer is one of the best figs that Hasbro has ever produced! That’s a strong statement coming from me. I have limited space for displaying figs. So usually what happens is I display a new figure for a while, then it goes into some storage somewhere. I acquired this Springer back in May of 2013. And almost 3 years later today, I have continuously displayed this on some shelf, never going back into a box! That should tell you how much I like this fig. This figure is hands down the best triple changer that Hasbro has ever made. All 3 modes look good. Transformation is complex enough to satisfy the true fan, while being not overly complex to reduce any fun factor. As of this writing, he’s still very affordable on Amazon. So get one if you don’t have one yet. This mold was later re-worked slightly to be Sandstorm. That fig is good too.
Arcee, Generations Thrilling 30, 2014
This Arcee figure was mentioned in the very last post. I acquired the fig in 2015, but I believe her release was in 2014. Regardless, she is the definitive CHUG Arcee. Mostly because this is the only CHUG Arcee released. As the most famous female Autobot in the history of TF, you would think Hasbro would want to do this figure well before 2015. But better late than never. This Arcee figure is a worthy rendition of the character. I like the alt mode. It well represents the sporty future/Cybertronian car that she transforms into in G1. In robot mode she’s got some back kibble. And transformation wise, she’s a bit of a shell-former. But I can overlook it because I do understand the challenges of making Arcee. Most other TF characters that appear in G1 are toy-first, meaning the designs are based on an existing toy. Arcee is the opposite of that. She was created for the 1986 G1 Movie, and toy makers are now doing a figure based on that design. Overall I am happy with this figure. Not perfect, but pretty solid.
Corelock (aka Grimlock), ToyWorld, 2015
Dinobots are forever favorites among the G1 fandom. By the time Season 3 rolled around, all 5 Dinobots are still kicking butt and taking names. But the only one that made regular appearances in the season is Grimlock. In Season 3, he talks more then ever before, in his classic Grimlock speech. And much like when I made the post for Season 1 Autobots, I am using the ToyWorld version of Grimlock. As a 3rd party, ToyWorld cannot officially call him Grimlock. So he is listed as Corelock (and sometimes Grimshell). Of all the Grimlock toys that I own, this one is hands down my favorite (and I own a lot). In T-Rex mode and robot mode, Corelock captures the G1 look down to the last detail. Transformation follows the tried and true G1 formula for Grimlock, but there are enough engineering differences here to make this figure feel modern. Construction is solid and robust. He is the perfect size for CHUG too. Hasbro has made some CHUG dinos, but scale wise they feel too small. Corelock displays well next to other CHUG Autobots, as you can see in the pics. Large enough to be CHUG, but not so large as the 3rd Party MP dinos. (A sidebar: the FansToys MP style G1 Dinos are awesome figures, which I must write about in a future post.) He can also combine with the other ToyWorld Dinos to form a giant robot. G1 Dinos never did this, so I won’t go into this too much. I know what you’re thinking: how does he compare with MP Grimlock? That is a very tough comparison. I really like that figure too. But I feel Corelock edge him out just a little as the better Dino, only because Corelock is more playable than MP Grimlock. Overall, Corelock gets my highest recommendation. If you need a Grimlock in your CHUG lineup, look no further.
Ultra Magnus, Combiner Wars, 2015
Last but not least, there is Ultra Magnus. I love Ultra Magnus. He never got enough credit as a member in the Autobot leadership hierarchy. Always the 2nd in command, but consistently available to make leadership decisions and fight in tough battles when the Primes are not around. Sure, no one was gonna take the place of Optimus (and rightfully so), but he should have got his chance instead of Rodimus (like Optimus instructed). As a toy, this character never got much love until perhaps the late 2000s. Before that, he was ALWAYS a repaint of the Optimus Prime toy. G1 was nice enough to give him a different trailer at least, so in robot mode he appears completely different. These days, UM always rightfully get his own figure (including a nice MP figure). This Combiner Wars figure is the first full-fledged Ultra Magnus that we get in the CHUG line that is NOT a repaint of Optimus Prime. And boy did they do a good job here. Personally, this is my favorite UM figure of all time, surpassing even the MP. He is Leader class size, like he should be. He looks great in robot mode. One of my complaints about the MP UM fig is that he’s too blocky. CW UM does not have that problem. He appears exactly like he does in the show. In truck mode he looks great too. Some might complain that the cab is a bit small, but if that scales right, UM would be way too big in robot mode. Transformation follows the standard UM formula, but in this case it’s not a bad thing. The cab and trailer is integrated into one when he transforms. He also comes with a Mini-Con, which I don’t really care for. As for this writing, he is lower than MSRP on Amazon. He is released as part of the Combiner Wars lineup, but he doesn’t really combine with anything. Gets your now if you don’t have one already. No true TransFan can live without this UM in their collection.
Below is a pic of the figs in alt mode.
Season 3 Autobots… Transform and Roll Out!