The time has come for another exciting round of Before Carly! As always, I will start by what I think was the official description given by Seibertron:
“Spike is quite the ladies man. He eventually married Carly, but she was not the only one to have fun in the backseat of Bumblebee.”
The name of each girl is made to sound like various characters in the TF universe, and each part of every name is based on real names I’ve seen. See how many TFs you can identify while you contemplate how does a geek like Spike get his freak on with all these babes. My theory is Perceptor was able to use Autobot technology to isolate some unknown human pheromones and Spike put those to use the best way he knows how.
Frequent users of WordPress.com will tell you that all JavaScript is locked out. Some fancy DHTML tags are also locked out. This forced me to use a lame way to reveal the name of the TF in previous editions of Before Carly (links appear below). However, CSS still works so I was able to leverage it to build a more intuitive way to reveal the answer. Hover the mouse over each girl’s name to see the name of the TF. Enjoy!
In my last post I mentioned I made an order from Hasbrotoyshop for Wheeljack, Thundercracker, and Lugnut. The two deluxe figures were shipped out first, and Lugnut was shipped out about four days later. Weird that they all arrived on the same day. Here are some pics.
I’ll be back with my thoughts later. Transform and Roll Out!
It is now the end of March. Looking back, this has been a very productive month as far as hunting for new TFs. I will show here what I got this month, in the order that I found them.
Highbrow
Highbrow is a voyager figure that has been released for some time now. If I’m not mistaken, he is released under The Hunt For Decepticons subline. Right before Halloween of 2010, I met up with a dude from Craigslist to buy Armada Starscream from him. At that time he told me there has been sightings of Highbrow at the local Target. Other sightings on Seibertron does confirm that this figure has been released. So I’ve been keeping my eyes open, and almost 5 months later, I find one around mid March in said Target. To this day I’ve only seen one Highbrow. He’s hard to find in my area. I forgot to take pics of him in the box, so here he is in robot mode.
Highbrow is ok in robot mode, but his alt mode is where he really shines. I can’t think of any other TF that has a WWII plane has his alt mode. The plane is well constructed, has plenty of detail, is very robust, and simply looks awesome. The spinning propeller gimmick is also a nice touch. For a pic of the alt mode, check out my last post where he appears in a group shot.
Kup and Scourge
Around the middle of the month, the GF and I had sushi near her place. There was a TRU nearby so naturally I suggested we stop and take a look. This TRU is located in a really crowded shopping center on a major avenue in the heart of Silicon Valley. Navigating around the parking lot was next to impossible with all the cars trying to get in and out. When I finally parked, I complained to her that we’re not coming back unless I find something. As it turns out, I found Kup and Scourge here. So I guess we’ll be going back.
I opened both of these and they are awesome figures. Kup as a pickup is a great update for 2011. The alt mode is solid and the robot mode more resembles how he looks in the G1 Movie. Scourge in this form is way less of a shell-former. Oh btw, he his NOT a Targetmaster. I always assumed he is because of how the gun looks and the fact that Universe Cyclonus is the Targetmaster version. The gun does Transform like Targetmaster figs, but it is so he can use them as twin pistols or one larger rifle. This kinda reminds me of the Double Targetmasters in G1, except the guns do not transform into figures. I highly recommend both Kup and Scourge.
G2 Laser Optimus Prime
The following day I went to Target to buy some everyday supplies. This is a different Target from the one where I found Highbrow (I got a bunch of Targets near me). If I’m at any store that sells TFs I’ll be sure to stop by and check it out (more on this later). On this trip I found G2 Laser Optimus Prime in the Reveal the Shield line.
I opened this figure as well. Overall he’s not too bad, but he does have some flaws. I like the robot mode. The mechanism of the wheel transformation is not too intuitive. In fact I already broke off some tabs trying to figure it out. Also, in alt mode it is hard to store the sword where it’s supposed to go. I can’t recommend this Prime as highly as the 3 figures above.
Wheeljack, Thundercracker, Lugnut
About two weeks later, I made an order from HasbroToyShop.com for Wheeljack, Thundercracker, and Lugnut. I saw that they were available and in stock, so I went ahead and bought them. I think I already mentioned repeatedly that I bought Jazz and Tracks from HTS around Christmas and I didn’t see them in stores til about 3 months later. I have a feeling the same thing will happen again for these 3 figures. I don’t feel like waiting for 3 months to get them, so I made the order. I don’t have them in hand yet, so no pics to show. But I’ll be sure to do that for a later post.
Perceptor
After work in that same day, I went back to the shopping center of the Target where I found Prime for a haircut. Since Target is right next door, I stopped by real quick to check it out. I’m glad I did because I found Perceptor.
I still have not opened Perceptor, but I plan to real soon.
I mentioned earlier in this post I will stop by the TF section of any store that sells TFs. This includes even clothing stores! For instance, earlier this week I was at Kohl’s. For those that don’t know, they do have a toy section and they carry TFs. They generally put it all the way in the back. Anyway, I found a whole bunch of Reveal the Shield Special Ops Jazz at Kohl’s! They had like 5. Before the Kohl’s visit, I only saw him twice at different Targets, and only 1 each. So how did Kohl’s get 5?! I can’t explain it. Either Hasbro has a really weird distribution system, or there are way too many TF hunters out there camping out at the Targets and Walmarts and TRUs that as soon as some new figs come in, they hunters snatch them. I didn’t see anything I needed on this visit. However, I should point out that Kohl’s sell the deluxes at $14.99 each. Ouch! But regardless, I think I will make Kohl’s a regular hunting spot from now on.
Well, that’s it for March. I don’t plan on hunting for TFs today (but you never know, hehe). NCAA March Madness is coming to a close with only 4 schools left, and it feels like I’ve had a March Madness of my own in getting all these TFs. I already have plans for some more TFs in April, so the Madness will continue. I might do full reviews of some of the figures here. Transform and Roll Out!
Happy St Patrick’s Day everyone! To honor this holiday I decided to take pics of my green color Transformers. I didn’t think there would be that many green robots, but after looking through my TF List, there turned out to be more than I thought.
Below are the TFs that would never get pinched on St Patrick’s Day. I know this post is dated 3/18, but that’s only because I left my time zone settings at default on WordPress, which is like 7 hours ahead of Pacific Time. Here in California it is still 3/17.
The Autobots Bottom row: Animated Bulkhead. Middle row (left to right): Movie Ratchet, G1 Hoist, Movie Highbrow, Movie Dune Runner, Alternator Hound. Top row (left to right): Universe Air Raid, Botcon Springer, Warbot Defender, Universe Hound.
The Decepticons Front row (left to right): Movie Hailstorm, Robots in Disguise Rollbar, Movie Brawl, Movie Bludgeon, Universe Brawl. Top row (left to right): Robots in Disguise Mega-Octane, Animated Oil Slick, Animated Waspinator, Universe Acid Storm.
Today was also the start of March Madness. This is my favorite weekend as far as sports go. 16 games today, 16 more tomorrow, and 16 more over the weekend… I can barely contain myself!
There were some very close college basketball games today. I did my undergrad at UCLA so of course I was happy to see them beat Michigan St. UCLA was up by 23 points with about 8 minutes left in the game, so naturally I thought this one was all wrapped up. But by a weird combination of the Spartans making 3s and getting offensive rebounds and the Bruins not making their free throws, Michigan St. made of game of it down the stretch. In the end UCLA barely survived 78-76. I’m happy for the win, but the Bruins can’t continue this kind of sloppy play if they hope to have any kind of chance against Florida next round (who knocked them out of both 06 and 07 tournaments).
As mentioned in my my last, I bought Masterpiece Rodimus Prime. Here is part 1 of the review. I’m going to go over the alt modes first, even though he comes packaged in robot mode. I transformed him to alt mode so I figure I do this now before I transform him back.
Here is a pic of the figure as Hot Rod.
As far as appearance goes, this is probably the most show accurate Hot Rod alt mode in the history of TFs. The G1 toy was very good for its time, and the Henkei/Classic version was an excellent update of the star of the G1 Movie. But in terms of show accuracy, the MP figure has them both beat. Take a look at the outline of Hot Rod’s vehicle mode. This is exactly how he was shaped in the Movie. Masterpiece figures are known for show accuracy and this figure certainly did not disappoint. I think this is even more obvious when you look at the rear of Hot Rod’s alt mode, which is pictured below.
Check out the scene where Hot Rod races up the hill with Daniel to catch the shuttle, early in the Movie. During this scene there is a good shot of Hot Rod from the rear view. This figure has captured that look perfectly. No other Rodimus figures even come close to the MP as far as reproducing this look.
The colors on this figure is classic Hot Rod. I think everyone knows what his colors are supposed to be so I won’t go into it. The red, orange, and yellow on the figure is reproduced faithfully. Windows are painted blue and that is accurate also. All the chrome bits that you would expect are there, including his side thrusters, engine, and rims. Clear yellow bits are used for the headlights. Overall, no gripes from me about the paint apps or the detail on this figure.
Tires are made of rubber like other vehicles in the MP and Binaltech line. Hot Rod comes with two guns like the original G1 toy (the non-Targetmaster version). On the engine you can attach a gun like pictured below. You can do this with either gun, but not both at the same time. Personally I think it’s kinda lame, but it was a G1 feature so it’s good to see the MP fig still account for that.
Unfortunately, there are quite a few issues with the MP Rodimus. I will go into each of them.
Hasbro/Takara stopped using die-cast in TFs long time ago, even in the MP line. Rodimus is no exception. Only die-cast I can detect are the feet pieces. Considering I paid over $200 for this fig, I expected a little more die-cast.
Transformation from robot to car was quite difficult. He is complex in terms of design, and in my book that’s a good thing. But what makes it an issue is that the pieces on this figure do not come together as well as they should. Add to it the already difficult transformation and you have a figure that is simply frustrating to do. Hasbro/Takara has made complex figures before, such as MP Megatron and leader class Optimus from the 2nd Movie. But those figures are well engineered and all part and pieces fit where they’re supposed to go when you do it right. MP Rodimus is not one of these figures.
My main gripe is on the sides of the vehicle. Check out the pic below.
Notice there is a very large “hole” on the side, around the thrusters where his hands go. This is pretty much the best that I can get it. I’ve checked the pics on Seibertron and they have it at about the same configuration. The figure is designed so the parts would come together more, but this is simply not the case. I really don’t like the design of the hand placement. It gets in the way of the connection. The pic below shows a bottom view and illustrates how the hands are placed in this mode.
I’ve checked the instructions carefully and I looked at Seibertron pics and I’m confident this is the proper placement. There is simply too much there for the sides to come together nicely. The irony is that the hand is designed so it can fold into the forearm. The reason for this is so Hot Rod can whip out his saw-blades (I’ll go more into this in part 2), but I would rather they ditch the saw-blade feature if it means there’s room to fold in the hands so in alt mode the sides would come flush.
The other construction issue I have has to do with the large bottom black panels towards the rear in the leg area, also pictured above. Mine doesn’t seem to want to snap in nicely, at least on one side. Not sure if I can get this to be better. It is sometimes dangling off, and this leads me to my next issue. There is practically no clearance on the bottom in alt mode. Those black pieces I mentioned, the large red piece right next them, and the head, they are almost touching the ground when Hot Rod is placed on a flat surface in alt mode. And they will touch the ground if you don’t get everything just right. This figure is not meant to be rolled around or you might damage these pieces.
Below is a shot for size comparison. MP Rodimus with Animated and Henkei Rodimus.
Now let’s look at this figure in Rodimus Prime alt mode. To do it, you attach the trailer that comes with the figure. He looks quite solid in this mode. It’s show accurate the the details and colors do not disappoint. He kinda looks like an RV in this mode, but that’s just how he looks. Maybe that’s why he never lived up to Optimus.
My main gripe with this mode is has to do with how the trailer is attached. The trailer comes with a hidden front piece that resembles Hot Rod’s hood and seat area. To attach the trailer, the Hot Rod fig goes into the trailer head first, then that front piece come around and covers Hot Rod’s ass. See the pic below for yourself.
I’m very disappointed with this mechanism. I didn’t think that front piece would be necessary and the trailer can attach toward Hot Rod’s rear, like MP Optimus.
Last pic for part 1 shows off MP with Titanium Rodimus.
I’ll reserve my final thoughts for when I do part 2, which is the robot mode. Until then… Transform and Roll Out!
Several weeks ago I received MP Rodimus Prime. I still have not opened this figure. I intend to do this soon, but before that I thought I take some pics of him sealed in the box.
Rodimus is finally getting the MP treatment that he deserves. Could Galvatron be next? That would complete the G1 leaders. Anyway, I plan on doing a full review. Until then… Transform and Roll Out!
A while back I did the review for Reveal The Shield Special Ops Jazz. Today I’m doing the review for Turbo Tracks, also in the Reveal The Shield line of TFs. These two figures came out at the same time. I bought both of these from HasbroToyShop.com right before Christmas. That turned out to be a good decision because I still have not seen these guys in the stores, and February is almost over!
Tracks first appeared in Season 2 of G1 Animated. He kinda just appeared. So as to how he arrived on Earth, your guess is as good as mine. Everyone remembers him for having a super sexy Corvette as hit alt mode and his suave and debonair ways of operation. Tracks is way too into himself, but he is one of the Autobot’s better warriors so I guess his peers put up with it. Tracks did not appear in the G1 movie and I don’t remember if he appeared at all in Season 3. Back in the 80s, he was one of the most sought after figures among the kids in my class, probably because he turned into a Corvette. It’s good to see Hasbro finally give him the update in the CHUG line that he so properly deserves. I guess due to licensing issues, he is called Turbo Tracks.
Let’s start by looking at the alt mode. I don’t think Hasbro got the rights to Corvette for Turbo Tracks, which is kinda strange considering they got it for the Alternator and Movie figs. But regardless, Hasbro came up with a pretty sporty alt mode that still does Tracks justice.
The shape of this alt mode deviates a little from how I think the Corvette looks, especially in the front grill area. The car also feels a little wide to be a Corvette. However, all the Autobot cars in the CHUG line are clones of the vehicles that they’re supposed to be. In the case of Tracks, I feel this is close enough. If I simply saw an outline of the shape of this car and had to guess, I would’ve guessed Corvette. And seeing as how they’re going to repaint this mold into Wheeljack (with minor alterations), the alt mode here will work for both characters.
As far as the colors go, this shade of blue is undoubtedly Tracks. G1-ers will notice immediately that the flames on the hood are reproduced here as well, albeit somewhat modified. Hasbro took the effort to paint the rims silver this time, something I complained about on Jazz. The front windows are kind of a clear black and in this case matches well with the figure. The front lights are painted silver, rear brake lights painted red, and the grill painted black. All in all, the paint job is pretty good, much better that it is on Jazz. Tracks does look a little plastic-ish in alt mode, but that’s kinda true on all $10 deluxe figures, so I’m not going to make a big deal out of it.
The “Reveal The Shield” rub sign is locate don the roof of the car. I think in G1 they put it in the same place.
Functionally, Tracks is fairly solid in alt mode. All parts and pieces come together to form a cohesive whole. Hasbro engineers have done a good job of hiding body parts into the vehicle construction. All accessories are accounted for in alt mode. Notice the missiles are tucked underneath the sides of the vehicle. The gun is hidden the rear area of the car that forms Tracks’ back and it can only be removed during transformation. The mechanism works really well and is leaps better than the usual placement of under the hood. The missiles can also be placed on the rear of the car, where the spoiler would go if he had one. To do this, you would need to rotate this one panel that contains the pegs. I really like this mechanism, because if you didn’t want to attach the missiles, you can then hide the pegs for a sexy and smooth look for the car. Hasbro didn’t have to do this and I commend them for paying attention to the little things.
I have 2 small gripes about Tracks. The first is the placement of the missiles underneath the door. It looks pretty cool in that location, but there really isn’t enough clearance underneath. So they kinda scratch the ground when they’re placed there if you try to roll Tracks on a flat surface. The second gripe has to do with how the rear part of the car doesn’t come up flush with the rest of the body. Check out the pics above and you’ll see what I mean. There is a very noticeable seam line between the door and the side rear, and it runs over the roof. It is possible to get it slightly better than how it looks in the pics, but everything has to come together just right and could take some time.
Turbo Tracks is also capable of transforming into his flight mode, like G1. Below I have a pic. I don’t think Tracks is a fully qualified Triple Changer. However we do see him do this from time to time in G1 animated. Very nice to see Hasbro incorporate this into the toy.
Below are some pics of Turbo Tracks with Tracks from other TF lines. The red Tracks is an actual Diaclone from the 80s (BTW, the Autobot sticker on the roof came from an extra G1 Hound sticker sheet). The blue G1 Tracks is an early 2000s TRU re-issue, and the yellow Tracks is Binaltech.
Transformation to robot mode is a combination of the G1 mold and the Binaltech/Alternator mold. The hood of the car forms the legs, which is the same for all Tracks. The roof of the car forms the chest, like G1. However, the arms are hidden in the rear section of the vehicle, and this is more like Binaltech. Overall, I don’t see anything really innovative in the transformation, but in this case it’s not a bad thing. We all know the general mechanics of the Tracks transformation and I think Hasbro did the right thing by sticking with the old familiar formula. I should point out that there is a little bit of Auto Morph in the chest and head mechanism. I usually hate Auto Morph features, but in this case it works pretty well.
I am lovin’ the looks of Tracks in robot mode. Take a look at the pics and see for yourself. This Tracks simply screams G1! The overall body styling is an homage to both the G1 toy and the G1 character. All the famous characteristics that make Tracks is here, including his overall colors of blue and dark grey, his wings, his over-the-shoulder twin missiles, and his signature red face. I didn’t think it was possible to make a Tracks figure that’s even more Tracks than the Binaltech, but Hasbro proved me wrong. Nice job Hasbro!
Construction wise, I see no issues with Tracks in robot mode. He’s well articulated and hold his poses well. I’ll let the pics do the talking.
You can remove his missiles if you like, and the gun can be placed in either hand. Nothing on Tracks looks out of place. He’s well balanced, he’s proportionate, and he’s not front or back heavy. I really can’t find any gripes with this robot mode. I also really like the detail on this figure. The grey area on the legs has a nice paint finish that makes it look diecast. Some parts look a little plastic-ish, but all $10 Hasbro figures (if not all TFs) have this problem so I’m not going to bash Tracks here.
Here’s a shot of how the back looks.
And here’s Tracks with other Tracks figs in robot mode.
In my opinion, this is the best Tracks figure ever made. The Binaltech figure is very good too, but it’s got too much kibble and it won’t form the car-jet. Turbo Tracks does not have these obvious weaknesses, plus it’s got all the strengths I mentioned. If you can find one anywhere near you, buy it now.
By my count, Hasbro is almost done re-doing all the Diaclone cars from the first 2 seasons as a deluxe or voyager in the CHUG line. Wheeljack and Grapple is on the way. This only leaves Trailbreaker, Hoist, and Skids. Actually, I’ll live if they don’t do Skids since he never really appeared that much. But I want the other two! C’mon Hasbro make it happen!
That’s all for now my fellow TransFans. Get out there and get your TFs… Transform and Roll Out!
I’m not the biggest fan of the Movie designs, something I’ve repeatedly mentioned on this blog. However, early prototype pics of Shockwave from the 3rd movie (Dark of the Moon, or DOTM) have begun to surface. I gotta say, this Shockwave looks pretty damn cool. I’m liking this look and the toy is shaping up nicely. Check out the pics.
Based on these pics I can’t tell if this is a Voyager or Deluxe, but he looks pretty cool regardless. His colors, head design, arm cannon, and the tube connecting the cannon, these are all terrific homages to G1. If the final production toy looks anything like this, I’m buying one for sure.
On a related note, I recently picked up a brand new Alternator Shockblast, who we all know is really Shockwave. I got him relatively cheap on Ebay. I could have got this at $20 when he was first released, but I waited too long and before I knew it they stopped making Alternators. I’m glad I was able to secure a brand new one now in the $30 range.
Happy New Year! This is the first post for 2011. And as the first order of business, I’m going to review Special Ops Jazz from the Reveal the Shield line of TFs.
Jazz has always had a special place in my passion for Transformers. I have loved the character ever since G1. He’s one of Prime’s go-to guys. His alt mode is a Porsche. He’s got crazy sounds and light shows to disorient bumbling Decepticons. He’s got above average combat skills. He’s resourceful. And last but not least, he’s just too damn cool. He completes his missions with so much flair and pizazz you can’t help but like him. Oh, and his G1 toy ain’t too shabby either. Of all the Diaclone cars, G1 Jazz is among the best molds, along with the toys for Smokescreen and Sideswipe. I think his G1 toys still holds up well today. As a kid, I would sometimes pretend I’m a Transformer. Very often Jazz would be my character of choice.
When rumors first broke of a new Jazz mold that will be released to fit into the Classics universe, I couldn’t have been more thrilled. I waited a good portion of last year for news of this to materialize, and finally towards the end of 2010, we got Special Ops Jazz in the Reveal the Shield line. And it’s about damn time too. Most other non-special-team TFs from the first 2 seasons have been re-made in some form in the CHUG line. Jazz is such a recognizable character that he really should have been one of the first. But, better late than never I always say.
I documented my purchase of Jazz in this post. He comes with those famous rub-signs that all true TransFans should be familiar with. I think that’s suppose to be the gimmick of the “Reveal the Shield” line. Hasbro could not secure the rights to use the name Jazz, so they had to call him Special Ops Jazz, after his G1 function of Special Operations. I like this better than the lame Autobot Jazz or the Japanese name of Meister.
First lets take a look at the car mode.
In alt mode, this is vintage Jazz. Hasbro did not get licensing rights to Porsche, but they have came up with an alt mode that resembles the Porsche in always every way without actually being a Porsche. This is an alt mode worthy of Jazz with its sleek and sexy body outlines. The colors are a pure homage to the G1 figure. The white overall color scheme, with the blue and red racing stripes and the number 4, is unmistakably G1 Jazz. Below I have 2 pics of this Jazz with the G1 figure side by side. That’s an actual G1 folks, not a re-issue!
As far as construction goes, I see no issues with Special Ops Jazz. All the pieces come together quite well to form one cohesive unit. The car is balanced on a flat surface and it rolls well despite the plastic tires. I kinda wish that the tires are rubber like the G1 figure, but Hasbro seemed to stop doing that for $10 figures long time ago. The gun (not pictured in alt mode) sticks right underneath the hood, so you don’t have to worry about if there’s a place for it. The gun needs to be transformed to be able to fit, but the mechanism is simple yet robust. The storage mechanism here is way better than the one used for the CHUG Prowl/Smokescreen/Silverstreak mold. In that mold, the gun attachment is weak, and is constantly falling off the car. This is not an issue with Jazz. The gun sticks well when properly tucked.
To please us G1 fans, Hasbro implemented Jazz’s famous G1 speakers into the figure. In alt mode, you open the doors and flip out the speakers, if you want to simulate Jazz blasting music or noise like he does in the G1 cartoon. Very very cool!
The rub sign is located on the roof of the car. These rub signs used to be square with the shape of the insignia centered in the middle. For the Reveal the Shield figures, the signs are modified so that the shape of the sticker is the shape of the symbol. Not sure that I like this approach, but it’s just a personal preference and does not affect how I like this figure one way or the other.
Now about the gripes. The most obvious one is the lack of paint or detail in the back of the alt mode. Many fans other than myself have pointed this out. See for yourself.
I think Hasbro could have at least painted the rear windows here, so it doesn’t look so plain. Maybe add some color to the tail lights, or paint the rear bumper red like the front bumper. Or maybe color the tailpipes silver, like his face (more on this later). While we’re at it, I think the rims could have been painted silver too, like Reveal the Shield Tracks (a review for this figure will come later).
The overall paint job on Jazz is only mediocre in my opinion. While what’s there is adequate, Jazz does look kinda plastic-y, if you get what I mean. Since he’s white, he looks unpainted. Its kinda like putting together a car model that is already white, and then you only apply the stickers for the racing stripes. That’s how Jazz looks in alt mode. On my figure I also detect slight paint splatters.
The above pic has Special Ops Jazz with Animated Jazz and Alternator Jazz. Special Ops is about the same size as Animated in alt mode.
But other than these weaknesses I mentioned, the alt mode still gets high marks. The shape of the car looks good, and functionally there is nothing wrong. Now let’s look at the robot mode.
Take a look at the above pic, and I dare say this is the most G1-like Jazz Hasbro has ever made. Everything about his appearance is a G1 homage. I already mentioned the colors, and in robot mode it’s really no different. The shape of his chest, legs, arms, wings, his face and head, they all scream G1. Of course this is 25+ years later, and with the toy technology we have today, Hasbro has managed to produce a Jazz robot mode that looks both like the G1 toy and the G1 cartoon. Before this figure, the most G1-like Jazz produced would be the Binaltech/Alternator version. While that’s a great figure, his legs looked very different from G1, and he’s only white (assuming you don’t use custom Repro Decals). Special Ops Jazz is the definitive G1 update. I’m especially impressed by the shape and look of his feet and shins. This design is pure G1.
Transformation from car to robot is nothing we haven’t seen before. That should be obvious by looking at the robot mode and seeing where all the car parts go. The only major difference between this and G1 is the arms. G1 has the arms fold rectangularly under the hood, while Special Ops Jazz folds them to the side by the doors. It seems as if Hasbro simply took the G1 mold and updated it with 2010 toy technology. I think in this case it’s really not a bad thing. The G1 transformation is tried and true, and don’t fix it if it ain’t broken, I always say.
The biggest knock against G1 figures is articulation, or lack of it. G1 Jazz is no exception. Special Ops Jazz addresses that and then some. This figure is capable of a wide array poses. I won’t describe it. Just look at the pics.
The gun can be held in either hand. I guess I’m a little disappointed that they didn’t include a missile launcher like his G1 self, but I’ll get over it. And just like the car mode, the speakers can fold out over the doors/wings.
As far as construction, I see no issues with the figure. The joints are just right, not too loose and not too tight. This means he can hold his poses well. Jazz is also nicely balanced. He’s not front or back heavy, and in my opinion he’s got just the right amount of kibble. He stands easily on 2 legs, even if you choose to do action poses. Transformation difficulty is just about right too. He’s complex enough to be regarded as a real Transformer, but simple enough to be fun.
Below is a shot of the back in case you’re wondering.
As for size comparison, below is shot next to Generations Dirge. Everyone should know the size of CHUG Seekers by now so its a good standard to use. Jazz in robot form is pretty tall for a deluxe.
Unfortunately there are weaknesses in the robot mode as well, and once again it has to do with the paint. I think his paint job in robot mode is better than the alt mode, simply because he’s got other bits on him other than the white, so he doesn’t look so plastic-ish. However, some gray plastic bits really stand out, like the abdomen, shins, and feet. If Hasbro painted these silver like his face, they would look so much better. Oh, I should point out that the paint job used on the forearms look really good. They are plastic, but the paint makes it look die-cast. Bravo!
One other gripe that other fans have is that his chest doesn’t lock in place in robot mode. This means if you want to raise his arms, his chest will go back up. While I do consider this a minor issue, as a G1-er, I instinctively hold down his chest if I want to move the arms because in G1 the chest/hood didn’t lock either. So if you’re like me, you may not see this as a big deal.
The pics below show off Special Ops Jazz with Jazz from various other TF lines in robot mode.
That very last pic above, that’s Pretender Jazz if any of you are wondering. That’s right, Jazz was made a Pretender late in G1. Pretender Jazz is without a doubt the worst Jazz ever made. Even worse than Movie deluxe Jazz, and that’s saying a lot. But Pretender Jazz is not something you will see often so I put him in these pics for pure awe factor. In case you’re wondering just how bad he really is, check out this review below (not by me).
There you have it, my review of Reveal the Shield Special Ops Jazz. I pointed out a few gripes and they’re mostly paint issues, but overall he’s still highly recommended. This Jazz is definitely in my top 2 of all Jazz ever made. I have a hard time deciding which Jazz I like better, this one or the Binaltech/Alternator. Do not hesitate to get one if you see one in the stores. He’s still pretty rare right now. I had to get mine from HasbroToyShop.com.
“Do it with style or don’t bother doing it!” Transform and Roll Out!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone! I spent most of today watching all 5 NBA games and opening some TF figures. My beloved Lakers got embarrased by the Heat. No effort and thus no holiday cheer for the Lake Show.
On this day exactly a year ago, I reviewed ROTF Dirge. So in keeping with that strange holiday tradition, today I will review Generations Dirge.
There’s been so many figures made out of this mold already, so I think by this time everyone already knows what the CHUG Seekers are all about. So I’m just gonna point out some differences between Generations Dirge and Henkei Dirge.
First some background info. The first CHUG Dirge produced was the Botcon 2007 exclusive Dirge, which is really just a repaint of Classic Ramjet. This was extremely limited and online dealers wasted no time asking $150+ for the figure. Then in 2009, the Japanese only Henkei line released a new Dirge that had a more G1 accurate wing mold. This was also a limited release so most likely you would’ve paid between $60 to $70 for one, but getting one from an importer was not difficult. Generations Dirge is the first CHUG Dirge produced for mass retail, MSRP at $12.99, though usually you can find him at around $9 at Target or Walmart.
The following compares Henkei with Generations Dirge. I apologize for not taking pics of the two Dirge side by side. I am home for the Holidays and I left Henkei Dirge in my apt, so the following comparisons come from me looking at the Generations toy and old pics of Henkei dirge on this blog.
JET MODE:
Generations Dirge has red and white stripes in a pattern that is more G1 accurate on the wings, as opposed to Henkei’s blue and white stripe patterns.
Generations shade of blue seems a little more G1 accurate. The blue on the Henkei figure looks too bright.
The Henkei figure has a nice Decepticon logo on the nose cone. Generations does not.
The grey bits on the Henkei figure is painted black on the Generations figure. I think grey is more G1 accurate here.
The wing Deception logos are painted closer to the body and in one orientation on the Henkei figure (crown towards the nose) whereas the Generations figure has it farther out and in the opposite orientation (crown towards the rear). Honestly, half the time they go one way and half the time they go the other way, so I really don’t know which orientation is the right one. However, Henkei Dirge has a smaller Decepticon logo on the nose, and it doesn’t match the orientation on the wings.
ROBOT MODE:
Henkei Dirge has some nice chrome bits on this guns. Generations Dirge gets no love on the bling.
Again, most of the grey bits on Henkei Dirge is painted black on Generations Dirge. I think grey is more G1 accurate.
Generations Dirge has a small Decepticon logo on the chest that Henkei Dirge does not.
The Henkei figure has stripes painted on both sides of the wing so in robot mode you can still see the pattern from the front. Generations figure has stripes painted on one side only.
There are other minor color scheme variations between the two figures, such as the locations of the blue, red, and black/grey. These are two separate interpretations of the character. Generations Dirge has black forearms which is accurate to the G1 toy but not the G1 show (grey forearms). Henkei Dirge has blue forearms.
So which one of these is better? I really can’t say. Construction wise, I think the Henkei figure is a little better, though the Generations toy is also very good. Neither of these is like Henkei Thundercracker in terms of mold quality so it’s a non-issue here.
If you can only get one, I definitely recommend you get the Generations figure since it’s so much cheaper and they’re really about the same. If you already have the Generations toy, then I would not recommend getting the Henkei because spending $60 for something so similar is not a good investment in my opinion. Conversely, if you got the Henkei and is considering getting Generations, I say go for it since its so cheap. But you won’t lose either way. Both figures are great interpretations of the character.
On a related note, I think I have a total of 13 figures of this mold if my count is right. They are: Classic Starscream, Classic Ramjet, Classic Skywarp x 2, Universe Starscream (G1 color) x 2, Universe Acid Storm x 2, Henkei Thundercracker, Henkei Thrust, Henkei Dirge, Generations Thrust, and now Generations Dirge.
That’s all for now. I hope all TransFans got all the TFs they wanted for Christmas. Transform and Roll Out!
