Shock to the system! It looks like the fear I mentioned in my last post was quite unfounded. I went to a different TRU today and found me some Fall of Cybertron Shockwaves!

There were only 6 FOC figures total, but 3 of them were Shockwave! Totally shocking! I never thought I would see him outnumber the 2 Primes and 1 Jazz that were there. But whatever. I’m happy to find some before my pre-order arrives. I grabbed 2 of them, one for me and one for my buddy Gemini. Left 1 Shockwave on the shelve for another lucky TransFan.

I will have another Shockwave when my order from TFS arrives. Earlier in the year I mentioned I stopped buying multiples of the same figure. Guess there goes that rule. Oh well. I have a feeling Shockwave will have some good value later on. Might be a good idea to keep more than 1 around.

“Clarity of thought before rashness of action.” Go Shockwave! Transform and Roll Out.

At lunch today I went to TRU. I made my way to the TF aisle like I usually do, and was surprised to see a whole bunch of people crowding the space. I saw some guys hovered over a specific section of rack space, and so I look in that direction. To my surprise, I see that TRU already has Fall of Cybertron figures!

I knew these figures were coming since there are tons of reviews on YouTube already. Not to mention that many online dealers have them in stock. I just didn’t expect my TRU to have them so soon. I visited TRU to find TF Prime figures, but was pleasantly surprised to see FOC figs nonetheless.

However, my concern was realized when I saw that there is not a single Shockwave on the racks! Out of the 3 Wave 1 FOC figs, Shockwave is the most sought after. My feeling is this is the figure that will be very difficult to find, similar to TF Prime Vehicon (which to this day I still have not found).

I made a comment on Pax Cybertron about my concern for Shockwave. And so, last night I made a order at TFSource for all 3 of the Wave 1 FOC figures. Set for all 3 is $47.95. That comes to about $16 per fig. TRU has each of these at $14.99. After taxes, it will be more than $16 per fig (CA state tax is pretty painful). So by buying from TFSource, I’m actually getting a better deal (no taxes and free ship). But the real reason I made the order was to lock in Shockwave. I knew he would be hard to find, and so far that seems to be the case.

Anyway, I left Prime and Jazz on the racks. The 3 FOC Wave 1 figs are part of my current stack at TFSource, along with TF Prime Voyager Breakdown and the green Giant set. As soon as Giant comes in, I will get them all! Can’t wait!

And as for the other dudes that were in the aisle, none of them bought anything. Some commented on the high price tag. Some were probably just looking for Shockwave. Some of the other individuals there, like moms and kids, were probably just there by accident and not looking for FOC. It was just weird that so many people were at that aisle at the time.

The Fall of Cybertron has begun! Transform and Roll Out!

Happy Friday the 13th! You might think you will be plagued by some bad luck and run into some freaky stuff, but the only horrors you can potentially experience today is if you don’t act quickly on these Amazon Exclusive TFs, and they run out!

G2 Bruticus

First up is a G2 redeco of the upcoming Fall of Cybertron Bruticus figure. This team of 5 Combatcions combines to form the mighty Bruticus.

Apparently there are three versions of this set. There is the standard mass retail set that I covered in this post. Then there is the San Diego Comic Con Exclusive G1 colored set. Now Amazon is offering a G2 colored set. Hasbro sure knows how to milk it. Long time readers know that I have repeatedly mentioned that the Combaticons are my favorite combiner group, both in this post and in this post. And for that reason alone, I’ll probably buy all 3 sets. Will Hasbro put out a 4th redeco? Wouldn’t surprise me.

Click here to order your G2 Bruticus from Amazon. Pre-order went up last Friday morning, then it stopped after a few hours. It finally went up again yesterday, which is when I got mine. Gets yours while they last!

Optimus Prime Jetwing Movie Deco

This is a redeco of a Optimus Prime figure that was previously only available in Japan. I think MSRP of the Japanese version was something in the range of $250. I thought of buying it then, but the price was too much of a turnoff. Glad I waited, since this is like half as cheap!

Many fans consider the Japanese version of this to be the best transformable Movie Optimus Prime figure made. I think the base figure is from the ROTF leader mold, but it’s modified slightly to accommodate the Jetwing. This redeco does look a little different from the Japanese version. Personally, I like the G1 blue stripes on the wings, but not sure if I’m feeling the gold and blue on the Jetwing guns. Still, the only other Jetwing OP I have is a tiny commander-sized figure. So I don’t mind finally getting a leader-sized one.

Get the Amazon Jetwing Optimus Prime here.

Get yours now before they’re gone! Transform and Roll Out!

I can’t believe it’s already the end of June. This month seems to have gone by in a flash. I don’t even know where all the time went. And come to think of it, half the year is over. That’s kinda scary. I can’t quite place how I feel about 2012 so far. When I try to think about some events that occurred this year, I can think of quite a bit. But it feels like nothing really happened. I don’t know. It’s late and I’m rambling. Time to get down to business: my TFs in June. Below I proudly present my acquisitions for the month.

• DOTM Dualor, Tuesday Morning, $2.99

• TF Prime FE Bulkhead, eBay, $69.99 shipped

• Cybertron Unicron, Amazon, $30.72 shipped

• TF Prime RID Dead End, Walmart, $12.88
• TF Prime Cyberverse Ironhide, Walmart, $9.47

First up is Dualor. I found him very early in the month, I think on June 2nd. Anyway, right before that, I stumbled upon a YouTube vid where one guy was totally going nuts over these little Dinos in the DOTM legend line. Can’t remember who that was. I think there’s like 5 of these little Dinos, all repaints in the DOTM line that are obvious homages to the original G1 Dinobots. Anyway, the YouTube guy really liked them, even tho they look like they suck. I was just in awe that I’ve never seen them before anywhere. And wouldn’t you know it, a few days later I see this Dualor at Tuesday Morning. This Tuesday Morning is like 5 min walking distance to my apt. I go there every now and then because I have found good stuff there, like legend Megatron. And once again I find another rare-ish legend figure in Dualor. I got him simply out of curiosity from the YouTube review, and the fact that he’s cheap, kinda rare, and reminds me of Grimlock. My hunch was right. He suck.

Next is FE Bulkhead, which I got from eBay. I already mentioned how cool he is in my last post, so I won’t do it again. Just get him if you can. He’s awesome. Trust me.

Sometime last month, this Unicron caught my attention. I think he looks kinda cool, so I started doing research on the figure. He’s a Japanese only figure in the United line, and most online dealers have him for about $50 to $55. Some dealers advertise him to be deluxe, while others say it’s voyager. I did more research, and turns out, this is a repaint from the Cybertron line. On Amazon, I found a dealer selling the original Cybertron version of this figure for about $30 shipped. So I got this version instead. I have opened Cybertron Unicron, and he’s very definitely deluxe size. I would have felt very ripped off if I paid $50+ for this. But that aside, this is a very cool figure. I’m glad I got him. I remember back in 2006, I bought some other deluxe Cybertron figures. It’s very possible I could have got this Unicron back then for $10. But I only wanted TFs that were G1 insipred at that time, so I paid little attention to Cybertron figures. That is one TF perspective I’ve come to regret. I plan on doing a full review of this figure. Stay tuned.

Last but not least, we have TF Prime Dead End and Ironhide. I found them on the same trip to Walmart. Dead End is a repaint of Wheeljack with a different head. I think out of all the deluxe TF Prime figures, Wheeljack is my favorite. So even tho I have not opened Dead End yet, I already know I will like him. As for Ironhide, I just had to get this figure after I saw him, despite the fact I rarely buy Cyberverse figs. That G1 head and G1 redness has me convinced immediately. I opened Ironhide, and I quite like this figure. I like both the robot and alt modes. Transformation is simple, but doesn’t feel dated. Only turn off is the price. $9.50 is total ripoff for commander class, considering that Movie deluxe figs only cost about $10. Still, I plan to review Ironhide, because he’s so cool.

So that’s 5 TFs for June. 3 from TF Prime, 1 from DOTM, and 1 from Cybertron. I was really hoping I can find some Vehicons in June, but no luck. I better find some in July, or I might have to unleash some pent up TF fury on some of the many unsold Bumblebees you see hanging off the racks. Message to Hasbro: NO MORE BUMBLEBEES!

Let the shopping continue. Transform and Roll Out!

Several weeks ago I went into a post about all my Team Prime figures in the Robots in Disguise (RID) line. Today I’m featuring the same Autobot figures, but in the First Edition (FE) line.

Let me point out real quick right now that Ratchet is not FE. This is the RID version. I don’t think there is a FE Ratchet. I just put him here to be complete. It would not be Team Prime without Ratchet.

I’m going to give some quick thoughts below on each figure between the 2 lines.

Optimus Prime: I definitely prefer the FE version. I think the FE figures looks better in both robot and alt modes. Color wise, I think the FE also looks a little more show accurate. The weapons of the FE figure also looks cooler. The silly mech-tech weapon of the RID just don’t make sense to me. However, I can’t really say which transformation is more show accurate. On the FE figure, the chest plates do not form the cab windshield, which in my opinion is kind of a letdown. From a mechanical engineering perspective, they are both pretty good, but the FE wins out by just a little. There are some little paint touch-ups that I like better on the RID figure, such as the silver around the chest, and how the headlights are colored yellow. But the final verdict is that the FE is the superior figure. Unfortunately the FE is not available in mass retail in the United States, so online dealers are your only bet. I got mine for fifty some dollars, and I’ve seen online dealers ask for more than 100. If that price turns you off, then by all means pick up the RID. It’s not as good as the FE, but still a very good figure.

Bulkhead: Again, this is a figure where I strongly recommend the FE over the RID. In alt mode, I think both figures are pretty good, and I just be nitpicking if I recommended one over the other. However, in robot mode is where the FE really shines. It’s not that the RID is bad, it’s just that the FE is oh so impressive. He’s well articulated and all parts lock into place well where they should. Take a careful look around the chest and shoulder area of both figures, and right away it will be apparent that the FE is a lot more show accurate. Many fans also complain about the wings on the RID version, that they shouldn’t be there. Mechanical engineering on the FE is a great feat in TF design, a lot more so than the RID. And the mech-tech weapon on the RID is just a huge conglomeration of crap that I won’t even bother writing about. But just like FE Optimus, FE Bulkhead is not available in the US. Hasbro loves to stick it to us. I got mine FE from eBay for about $70. Definitely buy the RID figure, because it’s only $20 and it’s very good. But if you’re after true Bulkhead greatness, you will need to get the FE.

Arcee: For these shots, I used the FE pink version since that’s the only one I have opened. I also have the blue FE version, but that one is still sealed in the package. Comparing between the FE and the RID, I think they both have their pros and cons. The FE has a more impressive design, but the RID is better built. I also like the paint apps on the RID figure a little better. FE comes with two blades, while RID comes with one blade and a gun. Transformation is probably a little more accurate on the FE. I think these are both very good figures. I would just buy them both.

Bumblebee: Hasbro has been making way too many Bumblebees that I don’t even feel like comparing the two. A lot of fans bash the RID figure, which in my opinion isn’t that bad. I think the RID figure is very playable, a lot more so than the FE figure. I think of all the TF Prime figures that I bought, I find Bumblebee to be the least impressive (both FE and RID). It’s not that either one of them is bad, it’s just that these figures really don’t offer anything new when compared to the movie Bumblebee figures. Mechanically they feel very similar. Most fans would probably say that the FE figure is better. I guess I’m so sick of Bumblebee that I’m not even interested enough to agree or disagree with that assertion.

Ratchet: Same figure. RID Only. I’ve said before that I think this is the best Ratchet figure I own. That should be your hint to go out and get one now.

There you have it. My thoughts on each Team Prime figure in each toy line. Overall, they’re all really good. Hardcore TransFans would probably get both versions anyway. For the more casual fans, find the FEs if you can, especially Optimus and Bulkhead. But what’s in the stores is very good too, and is a good substitute if you don’t feel justified in spending more than $20 for a TF.

Team Prime… Transform and Roll Out!

The end of the month is upon us once again. The time has come to count up the TFs my friends. What kind of damage did I do in May? Let’s find out…

• TF Prime RID Hot Shot, Target, $12.99

• Alternity Megatron, Craigslist, $45

• PCC Searchlight, CVS Pharmacy, $8.29

• TF Prime RID Bulkhead, Walmart, $19.96
• TF Prime RID Starscream, Target, $19.99

• TF Prime RID Knock Out, Target, $12.89

• TF Prime Zombie Cliffjumper, about $35

This feels like a typical month as far as TF purchases go, not too many and not too few. 5 figs come from Transformers Prime, which is what I would expect at this point in time. 1 PCC and 1 Alternity rounds out the rest. As of this writing, I opened all of these except the 2 Japanese releases: Alternity Megatron and TF Prime Zombie Cliffjumper.

I bought Alternity Megatron off some dude that posted an ad on Craigslist. For this fig, Takara also made a blue one and a black one. But being the G1-er that I am, I had to get the silver, no exceptions. The asking price was $50. I offered $45 and the dude took it. I remember at Wondercon in 2010, a dealer had the same fig for $50. I thought about buying it, but couldn’t make up my mind. This was around lunch time. I said to my friend Gemini that we’ll go to lunch, and if the figure was still there when we return, I’ll take that as a sign and buy it. So we go eat at the nearby Jollibee, and when we came back to the con, Megatron was gone. I was not destined to have Megatron that day. But finding it 2 years later for cheaper is what fate had in stored for me. Just goes to show, sometimes when things don’t work out, it just isn’t meant to be and something better will come along later. Who says life lessons can’t apply to TFs? 🙂

As for the Japanese TF Prime Zombie CJ, Gemini ordered this from a online retailer. We both had to have this since we both missed out on a First Edition CJ. Zombie CJ is the same mold, just all zombified. Most fans seem to suggest that the FE CJ mold is so much better than the RID mold, so I look forward to opening this soon. Another CJ figure for my Cliffjumper collection.

I opened the remaining figures. RID Hot Shot is a repaint of RID Bumblebee with a different head. I like his colors, and I think his goggle gimmick is pretty cool. RID Knock Out is also a very good figure. I like both his car mode and robot mode, and his transformation is quite refreshing. I think Knock Out is actually one of the harder figures from the TF Prime RID deluxe line, but I only transformed him once so far so this assessment may change.

As for the TF Prime RID Voyager figures, I like Bulkhead. I like his alt mode, no issues here. As for his robot mode, overall it’s not too bad. Some fans complain about his wings on the back, but I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. The only thing that really bug me about Bulkhead is his weapon. It has a cool MechTech feature where pulling the switch back moves the spinning ball forward, but the weapon just looks awful when placed on either the vehicle or the robot. Hasbro really believes that we fans love MechTech. Personally, I could do without MechTech if it means getting a better figure (which is basically what First Editions are). Speaking of First Editions, I bought a FE Bulkhead on eBay and it should arrive next month. As for Voyager Starscream, I can’t really recommend this figure. This is hard to explain in words, but something about this figure just seems off. Maybe it’s because the FE was so impressive. A lot of fans complain about the scale too. If you can only get one, definitely get the FE.

That only leaves the 1 PCC figure, Searchlight. I got this near the middle of the month around Mothers Day. I only got Searchlight because there wasn’t any other new TFs to buy at the time. Plus I had a bunch of coins that I needed to take to Coinstar. With that voucher, I had more than enough for Searchlight. I’m really glad I decided to buy him. He’s one of the better PCCs in my opinion. Also, I don’t have that many helicopter TFs, so I’m happy to add more. I only have one gripe where in robot mode his shoulders don’t really lock into place, but that’s a small complaint.

That about covers it. TFs in the month of May. Will I ever have a month where I don’t buy any TFs? Not something I wanna think about.

Transform and Roll Out!

April seems to have gone by in a flash. As far as shopping for Transformers goes, we seem to be in a dry spell. For the hardcore TransFan, not a whole lot new stuff hit the shelves this month. Below I present the TFs that I bought in April

• TF Prime RID Soundwave, Walmart, $12.88
• TF Prime RID Arcee, Target, $12.99

• DOTM Deluxe Darksteel, Kohl’s, $3.90

I first bought Soundwave in March. But like I mentioned in the March post, I wanted to see if I can find it cheaper. On April 1st I found him at Walmart (and returned the 1st one to TRU). Also on the same day I got Arcee at Target. Both of these figures are excellent. This particular Soundwave is a very refreshing take on the character, and both alt mode and robot mode are accurate to his show appearance. RID Arcee is also a solid figure that will give the FE version a run for her money. In fact, I can’t decide which is the better Arcee. They both have their pros and cons. TF Prime figures as a whole have been nothing short of spectacular. There’s not a single one thus far that I would not recommend.

As for Darksteel, the $3,90 price is not a mistake. Regular price is $16.99 as you can see in the pic, but they were having a sale. I also had one of those $10 Kohl’s gift cards that I frequently get in the mail. So final price after tax was $3.90. Not a bad deal at all. I already bought Darksteel last year, but I broke one of the foot pieces so I thought I buy it again.

Only 3 TFs for April… that’s very unlike me. Hopefully there will be more TFs in May. Transform and Roll Out!

It is the end of the month once again. From this point forward, at the end of every month, I will make a post about all the Transformers I bought for that month. I started this last month in this post, and I think I will continue the trend. And just like Feb, I bought a bunch of TFs in March.

• DOTM Basic Human Alliance Half-Track, Target, $6.92

• DOTM Deluxe Soundwave, eBay, $34.15 shipped

• TF Prime RID Deluxe Wheeljack, TRU, $14.99

• Masterpiece Optimus Prime (MP-10), Wondercon, $200
• Star Wars Crossover Clone Pilot Arc-170 Starfighter, Wondercon, $10

• TF Prime RID Bumblebee, Walmart, $12.88
• TF Prime RID Ratchet, Target, $12.99

• DOTM Deluxe Barricade, Walmart, $7.27
• DOTM Deluxe Jolt, Walmart, $7.27

• PCC Skyhammer, CVS Pharmacy, $8.49

• TF Prime RID Soundwave, TRU, $14.99

Some random thoughts as I look at what I bought this month:

• I got 11 TFs for the month: 4 DOTMs, 4 TFPs, 1 MP, 1 Star Wars TF, and 1 PCC.
• I opened DOTM Half-Track, DOTM Soundwave, TFP Wheeljack, TFP Bumblebee, TFP Ratchet, and PCC Skyhammer. The rest are unopened.
• Vigilant readers will notice that in Feb I got TFP Deluxe Bumblebee, and mentioned that I returned him back to TRU. I did that so I can get him again this month at a lower price somewhere else.
• It is for this same reason that I haven’t opened TFP Soundwave. I’m hoping to find him again for cheaper later.
• I bought a TF from CVS Pharmacy for the first time. I don’t usually hunt there, but I happened to see PCC Skyhammer which I didn’t see anywhere else. So I snagged it. Price wasn’t too bad either. Most non-discount stores still carry PCC 2-packs at $9.99. I thought CVS was gonna mark this up like everything else, so I was pleasantly surprised when they rung up $8.49 at checkout.
• Speaking of Skyhammer, why is PCC Skyhammer a Decepticon? DOTM Skyhammer is an Autobot. I’ve grown accustomed to seeing a TF character appearing very different from line to line, but switching allegiances? That’s just weird.
• I haven’t had any time to mess with MP-10, and that’s why he’s still unopened. I need to make time for this soon, especially considering he’s by far the most expensive piece here. Very looking forward to some quality time with what many is calling the best G1-style Optimus Prime ever made.
• Other than at the Target where I bought Half-Track, I have not seen him anywhere else. I started seeing him at this Target several months ago, but did not buy him b/c he’s simply a Sandstorm repaint. I only got him now since he’s on clearance. I wonder why he’s so rare in my area? In the pic above you’ll see that his left arm dislodged from the socket, but the figure is fine once it’s re-attached.
• DOTM Soundwave was bought on eBay from a Taiwan seller. This price is not too bad, considering he’s now Asia only.
• TFP Wheeljack and Ratchet are some of the best deluxe figures out there right now. Do not hesitate to grab these two if/when you find them.
• Bewteen this month and last month, the only TF I got at a discount store is Icepick from dd’s Discounts. I’m still very much hunting at discount stores regularly. Guess they just didn’t get anything good lately.

Too many TFs, too little time. Transform and Roll Out!

Today I’m going to feature a character that Hasbro/Takara didn’t take seriously until the last few years: Cliffjumper. For decades, CJ was simply that red repaint of Bumblebee. In the G1 cartoons, CJ and Bee were distinct characters with distinct personalities. But as for the G1 toys, the two were awfully similar. Technically they were not repaints of each other (with different head molds and slightly different body molds), but it was obvious that the two figures were cut from the same cloth. It didn’t help matters that, early in G1 before the TF brand was properly established, Hasbro released red Bumblebees and yellow Cliffjumpers, further blending the identity of the two. As the years went on, the Bumblebee mold was often selected to be repainted as Cliffjumper whenever Hasbro felt like making a quick buck off the same mold.

At around 2009, things began to change. Cliffjumper figures began to see more variation from Bumblebee. If memory serves, the first Cliffjumper with a different head in this modern era is the Alternity figure. Technically Takara sold the figure as Bumblebee, but we all know he’s really Cliffjumper. In Transformers Prime, CJ is a completely different mold from Bumblebee. After all these years, Cliffjumper is finally getting the recognition that he deserves.

Below I proudly present my Cliffjumper collection.

Clockwise from top left: Classics deluxe, TF Prime RID deluxe, Movie deluxe, Alternity, Generations WFC deluxe.

G1 Keychain

Interestingly enough, I still have the packaging to all my Cliffjumper toys. Mostly because I didn’t open them. The only ones I opened are the Alternity and WFC figures (as shown in the pic above). But I keep the box to all my Alternities, and I have two of the WFC figure, one unopened. I plan to open TF Prime RID Cliffjumper and I don’t plan to buy multiples, so this trend of having all CJ’s packaging probably won’t continue.

From Casey Kasem to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson… Transform and Roll Out!

Due to personal reasons, I have not posted in a long time. But now I’m back with a vengeance! And on this extra day in the leap year! This day will not come again for 4 years, and what better way to celebrate than to list the TF items I bought this February. As I look back on the month, I realize I bought a lot of TFs. So here we go.

Clockwise from top left:
• Star Wars Crossover Darth Vader, TRU, $19.99
• Star Wars Crossover Darth Maul, TRU, $9.99
• DOTM Basic Human Alliance Thunderhead, Walmart, $5
• TF Prime RID Cliffjumper, TRU, $14.99
• TF Prime RID Bumblebee, TRU, $14.99 *Later returned to TRU
• DOTM Basic Human Alliance Backfire, Walmart, $5

Clockwise from top left:
• Heavy Labor, BBTS, $97.99
• Dr. Crank, BBTS, $99.99
• Neckbreaker, BBTS, $99.99
• Battle Tanker, BBTS, $102.99
• Structor, BBTS, $99.99
• Madblender, BBTS, $99.99

• TF Prime Series 02 legion Vehicon, Target, $4.99

• DOTM Basic Human Alliance Icepick, dd’s Discounts, $6.99

• TF Prime FE Voyager Optimus Prime, eBay, $57.98 shipped
• TF Prime RID Voyager Optimus Prime, Walmart, $19.96

• TF Animated Skywarp, Amazon, $13.95

• TF Prime RID Voyager Megatron, Walmart, $19.968
• DOTM Deluxe Optimus Prime with MechTech Trailer, Walmart, $29.96

Not counting the Bumblebee that was returned, that’s 18 TFs for the month. This is a total contrast from Januray, where I only bought 1 TF (PCC Heavytread). Still, 18 is a lot, even for me. Moreover, most of these were bought at MSRP. The only ones bought at discount were the 3 DOTM Basic HA figs, Skywarp, and one of the Star Wars figs (it was buy one get one half off). But screw it! I’m Hsunami Prime and approving TF spending is my job. Or maybe I should say that’s my function. TF Buyer. I like to see that on my business card. Or Tech Spec. If I owned my own business, I’m gonna make my business card look like Tech Specs.

As far as opening these guys, I opened all of them except Thunderhead, Cliffjumper, FE Optimus Prime, RID Megatron, and DOTM deluxe Optimus Prime with Trailer. I intend to open the rest of them soon.

I’m Hsunami Prime, and I’m back and better than ever. Transform and Roll Out!