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FansProject Warbot Defender “Springer” Review

May 5th, 2010 5 comments

As mentioned in my previous post, I have received Warbot Defender by FansProject some weeks ago. Any TransFan who’s been around as long as I have can instantly tell you that he is really Springer, the green Autobot triple changer first made famous in the G1 Movie.

Up to this point, all products by FP has been accessories or add-ons. Springer is their first attempt at a stand-alone figure, so I wasn’t exactly sure as to how the figure would turn out. Making items designed to enhance Hasbro products is one thing, but producing a full-fledged figure that transforms all on its own (and a triple changing one no less), that’s something else. Well, I’ve had a few weeks to play with this figure now, and I will say first that all my doubts are permanently put to rest. FansProject have given us the best triple changing figure in the history of TFs! This is the Springer figure as he was meant to be. Hasbro should seriously be embarrassed. This figure deserves a full review and that’s what I’m doing today.

Let’s start by looking at the package.

Defender is packaged in robot mode. Size of the box is just a tad wider than your typical Kleenex box. As you can see from the pics above, the box is surrounded by an outer clear hard plastic. This is to protect the box itself. If you choose to not open Defender and want to keep both the figure and the box as mint as possible, FansProject has got you covered with this packaging. But even if do you decide to open Defender, the clear plastic should keep the box dust-free.

The back of the box is mostly Japanese with a few simple phrases of English here and there. In the pic above, the words on the box looks blurry because of the clear plastic. I can’t read Japanese, but I can read Chinese so I’m able to pick out the Kanji portions. To my knowledge, FP is not of Japan origin. I have some theories as to why they went with Japanese. It could be that, by using Japanese, FP is more able to distance themselves from Hasbro, or maybe FP is simply paying homage to early Diaclone packages. Whatever the reason, I’m glad most of the writing is in Japanese. I think it speaks to robot collectors who came out of the early to mid 80s, which really is the intended audience of this figure. The bottom of the box (not pictured) suggests that this piece is for persons 16 or older. This is depicted as a warning because of choking hazards and parts “of a sharp nature”. But seriously, only guys who lived through G1 as kids would even consider buying this given its $78.99 price tag.

Robot Mode
As usual, I begin my reviews with the mode that the figure comes packed in.

The detail on this figure is just amazing! Click on the pic above and see for yourself. This is hard to describe in words, but the details on the figure simply looks sharp compared to your typical Hasbro offerings. The mold and lines of every piece is cut at a sharp angle and it really distinguishes itself from TFs of the toy variety. The paint job is also superb. Defender kinda has a matte finish all over and I really like this look. I don’t see any color goofs and unintended paint splatters are nowhere to be found.

Defender comes with 2 handguns and his G1-famous scimitar that is formed from his chopper blades. Hardcore G1 purists are probably quick to point out that Springer never wielded dual pistols, but in this FP update I really don’t mind. I think he looks cool with the twin pistol action. In the two pics above, the scimitar is stored on his back, on his right side. I didn’t take a pic of this and I probably should have, but just know that FP did design a place for the scimitar when it’s not in use.

Defender is one of the most articulated figures that I have ever seen. The number of places on the arms that you can rotate or swivel is simply insane. He’s got great articulation in the legs as well. The head is on a ball joint, and there is waist articulation as well. He is capable of some great poses, and Defender has no problem holding those poses because he is so well constructed. Most joints feel just right, not too tight and not too loose. Many key joints are of the ratchet variety that’s got the “clicky” feel. There’s diecast in the chest and in the legs. The rest of him appears to be high-quality plastic. There are no manufacturing issues with Defender whatsoever.

In this pic above, you can see one pistol holstered inside his right leg. This works on the left leg as well. Both pistols can be stored when not in use. Very cool.

Below I show some size comparison pics.

The first pic compares Defender to Hot Rod and Optimus Prime in the classics line. In the G1 movie, Springer is a tad bigger than Hot Rod, but not quite as big as Prime. FP most definitely had the classics in mind when they created Defender as his size is perfect in relation to figures in this line. The 2nd pic shows Defender next to 2007 Botcon Exclusive Springer (repaint of Cybertron Defense Hot Shot). This is the only other Springer figure I have in my collection, so I put them next to each other. Defender is taller than the Botcon Exclusive Springer if you look at where their heads are, but overall they are about the same size. These two are also about the same weight-wise. Defender does have die-cast, but Botcon Springer is a bulkier figure.

I do have one very minor gripe about the robot mode. If you stood Defender perfectly erect and looked at him from the side (and I should have took a pic of this), you’ll see that parts above the waist are not in the same vertical plane as parts below the waist. The upper body looks a little bit pushed back from the legs. Appearance-wise this is noticeable, though I don’t think it’s a distraction by any means. But functionally, this makes Defender a little back heavy, so he has a tendency to fall backwards if he is posed perfectly straight and the surface is given a slight shake. Still, this is a very minor gripe and a flaw I can easily live with. I just feel compelled to point it out because I want to be perfectly objective and not one of those TF fanboys that become giddy little schoolgirls whenever a good figure comes around.

To sum up, I’m very impressed with the robot mode.

Ground Vehicle Mode

In the instructions, the first mode to be transformed into is the ground vehicle (Cybertronian car according to some) so I’ll review this mode next.

I thoroughly like the look of this vehicle. All the details that were apparent in the robot mode is also reflected in this mode. In G1, Springer’s ground mode was more of a Cybertronian sports car. FP’s interpretation of this mode is more of an armored vehicle, and I think it works just as well. Defender’s two guns is clearly pegged on the sides. You know FP would account for all accessories in every mode, but if you’re wondering where the scimitar goes, there is room for it at the bottom center of the vehicle (another feature where I should have took a pic).

The transformation into the ground vehicle is not too difficult, but at the same time it’s not obvious either. If you want to do it without the instructions you can, but it will take some trial and error. The transformation process does feel unique, and as a triple changing figure there are lots of moving parts. I only got him into the ground vehicle once, but I felt the process was very cleverly done.

Defender is really durable in this mode. He rolls well on a flat surface. I can’t tell if the wheels are made of metal or hard plastic, but either way, they more than sufficiently support the figure in this mode. Of the three modes, this ground vehicle comes together the best. There are pegs and grooves on each interconnecting piece where appropriate, so the vehicle feels like one cohesive piece. There are no dangling pieces whatsoever, and no parts feel out of place.

This pic shows a size comparison of Defender and Botcon Springer in their vehicle modes. Defender clearly looks more sporty in this mode next to Botcon Springer. Size-wise, Defender is wider, but Botcon Springer is taller.

Overall, the ground vehicle mode is very nice. It might be my favorite of the three modes.

Helicopter Mode

The last mode to be reviewed is the helicopter. I think in the G1 movie, Springer preferred this alt mode over the car.

Transformation into this mode is quite complex. The difficult part is in the arms. I mentioned that Defender’s arms in robot mode is highly articulated, and the reason for that becomes apparent in the transformations. The arms are configured one way in ground vehicle, and they are configured in a completely different way in helicopter. It can be hard to figure out without the instructions. But again, transformation process is clever and FP has done a terrific job coming up with the overall triple-changing mechanism.

I like the look of the helicopter. Unlike the G1 figure where the helicopter looks very similar to the car mode, this figure does not have this problem. The two alt modes look distinct enough from each other. In this mode, parts also come together well and the unit feels solid, though not as much as the ground vehicle mode. The two guns are clearly shown on the sides in the pic above, and as every G1 purist can tell you, the scimitar becomes the chopper blades, so all accessories are accounted for. The chopper blades rotate well in this mode.

Below are various shots of the helicopter from various angles.

There is one more accessory in the package that I need to mention. Supposedly, it works with this one particular display stand (not included) so you can have the helicopter displayed on it if you wish. I’m not sure exactly how this works, and I’m not all that familiar with display stands. But I just thought I mention it in case that’s your thing and it is something that FP has accounted for.

One more thing that I wanted to add is that Defender came with probably the best instructions ever. Hasbro should be ashamed of the usual black and white trash that they include with their figures. I’m thinking of scanning in the Defender instructions as a separate blog post.

So to sum up, I give this figure the highest possible recommendation. All 3 modes look great, and that’s no easy feat. In my opinion, Hasbro only managed this once, and that’s classics Astrotrain. All their other triple changing figures have at least 1 mode that looks awful, sometimes 2, sometimes (gasp!) all 3. This is only FP’s first attempt and they have already surpassed every triple changer that Hasbro has ever made. The awesome transformation, coupled with robust construction and amazing details, makes Defender a required purchase for every G1 TransFan. FansProject claims that they are “For Fans, By Fans”, and it really makes a difference when the people behind product cares about the product.

FP you have my utmost respect and I can’t wait to see what else you have in the works. Transform and Roll Out!

Categories: Pics, Toy Reviews

ROTF Brawn Review

April 9th, 2010 2 comments

I have been very impressed with some of the new figures that were released in the Revenge of the Fallen line. This is partly due to the fact that I’ve been more selective in the figures I buy from ROTF, unlike the first Michael Bay Movie where I bought almost every new mold that was released, in which case you get the good with the bad. In ROTF I only buy the ones that I think I will like, and so far I am not at all disappointed. Out of the select few that I felt warranted a purchase, I am genuinely impressed with the toys’ clever mechanical engineering, unique transformation, solid construction, great aesthetics, and in many cases, obvious homage to G1. The last ROTF figure I reviewed was Dirge, a highly recommended figure for all these reasons. Today I will be reviewing ROTF Brawn, a figure I picked up last month but unfortunately did not have a chance to open until this past weekend. Before I start the review, I will just say that he also gets a very high recommendation for all the same reasons just mentioned. So if you don’t want to bother reading this review, just go out and get him now. But if you’re still here, I will explain why he’s a must have in your TF collection.

Brawn is definitely well known among fans of G1. He appeared as early as the 1st episode, and he is famous for being the tough, no non-sense Autobot that fights first and asks questions later. He is small but strong, often taking down Decepticons much larger than himself. In the G1 Movie he was the first TF to die, running right into a direct blast from Megatron’s weapon mode (some fans have theorized that his Spark must be located in his shoulder if one blast in that area would kill him).

To my knowledge, ROTF Brawn does not appear in the movie. It’s possible he has an appearance in the ROTF video game, but I really don’t know. Regardless, his ROTF incarnation definitely takes cues from G1. Check him out in the package.

Brawn’s alt mode is some kind of 4×4 pickup truck. In G1 he was a jeep or off-road type vehicle, but I think being a truck works just as well to reflect his rough and tumble persona. Appearance wise, the truck mode does not disappoint. There are plenty of detail all over, and I especially like the look of the front grill. His overall color is a weird shade of brown. On any other TF this may look a bit strange, but it works for Brawn. His G1 color was a different shade of brown that looked a bit more cartoony, so this more realistic brown is a better fit for a ROTF figure. We see bits of green here and there, while the front blinkers are painted yellow and the rear break lights painted red. I also really like the NEST Autobot symbol painted on the side.

Situated on top of Brawn is a good size cannon that he can use for combat in alt mode. The following pic shows that this cannon can be angled upwards to shoot down some incoming Decepticons.

The construction of this figure is quite solid. Brawn is another ROTF figure where you don’t realize how well everything fits together until he is transformed from robot mode back to alt mode. All panels are designed to click into place so there are no dangling pieces. He rolls quite well on a flat surface. Below is a shot of the rear view.

In the pics below, I do some size comparisons of the alt mode. He’s pretty much standard deluxe size.

Overall, I’m very happy with Brawn’s alt mode. No complaints at all. Now let’s move on to the robot mode.

Transformation into robot is pretty unique. The hood and engine section of the truck forms the legs. The cargo area forms the arms, while the cabin area makes up most of the body. I know it doesn’t sound so unique when I describe it in words, and conceptually it does feel like it’s been done. But when I transformed him the first time, the process felt very refreshing. It was probably in the little details of how things are formed. For example, the two pistols are placed in his hands even in truck mode. This means he’s ready for action as soon as he transforms. Brawn wastes no time. In almost all other TFs, the weapons are usually placed elsewhere in alt mode and then you put them where they need to go in bot mode. It’s nice to see a TF break that trend.

The cannon seen in truck mode can also be used in robot mode. It is positioned nicely on his back when not in use, but when he needs some extra firepower, the cannot folds forward right over his sholder. Notice that there is a scope attached to this cannon, and the whole thing can be positioned so that this scope is right in front of his eyes. Very nice. Brawn is all warrior and the toy designers certainly did not forget that fact.

Appearance wise, Brawn’s robot mode takes heavy cues from G1. His body colors of green and yellow is distinctly G1. The head mold, while not looking too much like the G1 cartoon, is very reminiscent of the G1 toy figure of the mini-bot. Its got the silver helmet, black visor as his eyes, and no lips in the mouth area. Brawn is bulky looking all over, and this fits perfectly with the warrior whose motto is “Might over microchips”.

Brawn has got great articulation and he’s capable of a wide range of poses. He is a tad back-heavy so balancing him in some action poses can be tricky, but it’s not a big issue.

Brawn ready to take down Decepticons all by himself

Overall, I can’t recommend Brawn enough. He will be a worthy addition to your TF collection. There really hasn’t been that many incarnations of Brawn. Other than this one I can only think of the G1 figure (which sucks by today’s standards) and the scout class figure in the Universe line that was released early 2009 (that’s a great figure, BTW). It’s good to see him get some love in the ROTF line. Show Hasbro they did the right thing by honoring a purchase. Go out to your favorite retailer and get this now… Transform and Roll Out!

Categories: Pics, Toy Reviews

Transformers: 25th Anniversary Matrix Of Leadership Edition

March 27th, 2010 1 comment

I started this blog on Oct 9th of 2009, and it was around that time that Shout! Factory released their version of the complete DVD set of the Transformers G1 animated series. Rightfully titled the 25th Anniversary Matrix of Leadership Edition, this version is supposed to be superior in every way to the Rhino release that came out in the early to mid 2000s. This box set was released on Oct 20th to be precise, and so I made the news of its release my 2nd post in the history of this blog. You can read about that post here.

The first time I saw this set was at Botcon 2009. It must have been at the Shout! Factory booth. However, it was behind the counter in the display area, not available to be touched or inspected up close.

Today, I am happy to report that I have in my possession this awesome box set, and I will do it justice by giving it the proper review that it so deserves. Amazon frequently has this on sale for $86.99, and that’s what I got it for. This is the best price that I have seen anywhere for a new version of this box set. Definitely check Amazon if you are considering buying this set.

Let’s start with some pics. Here are the front and back of the box while it’s still sealed in the shrink wrap.

As you can clearly see, the graphic of the Matrix is printed on the front of the box. This box set is freakin’ huge! To give you some idea of its size, check it out next to a soda can.

The whole thing weighs quite a bit too. Sometimes I wish I had one of those things that you can weigh parcels with, like at the post office, so I can give some precise readings.

Now we get to why this is called the “Matrix of Leadership” edition. To open up the box set and remove the contents, what you do is slide out the boxes on the two sides away from the center until the middle portion is revealed. The side sections can only slide out so far, they will not fall off all the way. Now you can re-enact the scene where Rodimus opens the Matrix inside Unicron all you want.

“Now, light our darkest hour!”

 
Is that cool or what? Feel the power of the Matrix as you open it to watch some G1 Transformers.

After you have opened the Matrix, flip up the center cardboard piece to get at the knowledge inside.

The inside lid that flipped up contains a nice holographic image of none other than Optimus Prime. Looks very cool. After you take out all the contents in the middle section, at the bottom of the box is a nice image of Megatron. Check it out below.

This is basically the coolest DVD box that I have ever seen. Some fans have complained that the cardboard here is too soft. I guess it could have been cool if Shout! opted to use more solid material, like the ones used for the Limited Edition of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Vol. 1 box set. And it probably would have been nice to put LEDs into the center Matrix graphic so that it lights up when the box is opened. But all this is just nitpicking and wishful thinking, so let’s not lose sight of the fact that Shout! gave us a well-designed box that is way beyond anything that anyone else has ever come up with.

Now let’s take a look at the contents. You get everything in the pic below.

What you get is the complete 98 eps of G1 Transformers on 16 DVDs held in 4 cases. Each case has a graphic of an Autobot or Decepticon leader. In the center there is a collected book that contains episode summaries and some bios of the major Transformers. This book is made of high quality material and the print quality is superb. In the pic we also see the Autobot and Decepticon magnets. I currently have these up on my fridge. Show off your TF enthusiasm with pride!

The DVDs themselves look very cool. See for yourself.

The inside cover of each DVD case is the color graphic corresponding to the leader that appeared on the cover. The graphic printed on each DVD is also very nice. Shout! certainly paid attention to all the little details.

As of this writing, I have only watched 2 eps from Season 2. The transfer quality looked really good. My understanding is that Shout! took the best master of every scene so there should be no color goofs, unless of course the goof was never corrected in the 80s to begin with. Before I bought this Matrix set, I bought the complete Season 1 set, also from Shout!. I’m going to assume the transfer is exactly the same in both. In the Season 1 set, the picture quality was inconsistent for some eps, like for instance “Heavy Metal War”. This particular ep the varying of the picture quality is really noticeable, probably because the master came from different sources, but overall it’s not a distraction.

There are also a bunch of extras on the DVDs that I’m not going to list. Go to the Amazon listing of this item and see it for yourself.

Overall, I’m very happy with this box set. This is the definitive version of the G1 Transformers animated collection. I was kinda sore when I missed my chance to buy the Rhino releases (especially after they went OOP and dealers put an insane amount of markup on them), but this more than makes up for it. As a kid I dreamed of owning every episode of Transformers. Shout! has made this dream possible and at very reasonable price too.

At last, All Are One! Transform and Roll Out!

Categories: Pics, Toy Reviews

Toynami Robotech Masterpiece Beta Review

March 13th, 2010 4 comments

Today I will once again review something that is not related to Transformers. I have a treat for all the Mospeada and Robotech fans out there. I will be doing a full review of the Beta Fighter from Robotech New Generation, also known as the the Tlead in Mospeada. This will be the 2nd time in the history of this blog that a post will have nothing to do with Transformers (the first time being my Yamato 1/60 VF-11B review), but seeing as how this is a transforming robot, I don’t think many of you will mind. 🙂

As all Robotech fans will tell you, Genesis Climber Mospeada made up the 3rd arc of the original Robotech series called The New Generation. The two main fighters in Mospeada are the Legioss and Tlead, respectively ported over to Robotech as Alpha and Beta. I will be using Robotech names from this point forward, since the Toynami figure is made in reference to Robotech and not Mospeada.

The Alphas are the main forward strike fighters. The Betas can act as bombers on their own, or they can function as artillery and flight boosters when attached to the Alphas. These fighters came in 3 variants of blue, green, and red for most of the show. The blue fighters are typically the “H” variants reserved for combat officers and aces, much like the “S” designation in the VF fighters of Macross. The Toynami Beta I will review today is of the “H” variant (VFB-9H). In the show, this fighter was usually attached to Scott’s Alpha, though sometimes we do see it piloted independently by Rand or Lancer.

As far as the toys go, there have been several attempts at making the Alpha. I’m aware of 2 in the 80s and 2 in this decade, all of them less than spectacular. Each mold has its own strengths and weaknesses so thus far no one has made the perfect Alpha figure. As for the Beta, I read somewhere that there was never a toy made for it in the 80s. The Beta was a concept that only existed for the show and no one attempted to bring this figure to life until the last few years. What you see here is the attempt by Toynami at making a Masterpiece Beta figure.

Let’s start by looking at the box:

This is the same kind of box used for all the Masterpiece figures made by Toynami. In case you’ve never seen one, it is shaped like a book. The front cover opens to reveal the robot figure inside, like you see in the pic above. The Certificate of Authenticity appears on the inside cover. I should’ve took a comparison shot, but just so everyone knows, the Beta is much larger than both the VF-1 and Alpha fighters from Toynami, so a much bigger box is necessary. Personally, I’m not too big on packaging. I ultimately judge the value of a purchase from the figure itself and not how fancy the box looks or feels. However, I know there are many fans out there that do place a certain amount of importance on the packaging, so I will say that the Toynami Masterpiece book-style boxes are impressive. If you’ve seen one, then you know what to expect, only that the Beta box is bigger. If not, then check out any of the boxes for the VF-1 or the Alpha from Toynami and you will get a good sense of what this is all about.

The tray that holds the figure in the box slides out from the top (like all Masterpieces). For the Beta, there is a separate tray on the bottom that holds all the accessories, as shown in the pic above. There are quite a few items here. The big X piece at the bottom and the angled piece to the left of it makes up the display stand. Above that on the left are the 3 landing gear pieces. The missiles that are positioned over the back in robot mode appear on top. Next to it is the pilot figure, I’m guessing this is Rand since his artwork is featured on the box. The two long white pieces in the bottom right corner are the attachment pieces that are required to connect the Alpha. The left one is used to connect the Alpha in jet mode, while the other one for robot mode. The square piece above them is just a filler piece to disguise the square hole in the Beta when the attachments are not used.

Robot Mode
The figure is packaged in this mode so I’ll start with this. The first thing you will notice after you take this out (and there are quite a few twist ties here so removing the figure is more work than normal) is that this figure is freakin’ heavy! As far as I can tell, the only die cast parts are the lower legs, but that alone is enough to give this figure significant weight. I don’t think this piece is as heavy as MP Optimus Prime, but it probably weighs more than most Binaltechs. In the show, the Beta is not the most agile fighter, but its got power to spare. It’s nice to see Toynami give the figure a solid and heavy feel to accurately reflect that fact.

Anyone that’s owned an Alpha fighter from Toynami will tell you that it’s biggest flaw is in the construction. In robot mode, the Alpha does not hold poses well, and gravity quickly misshape the figure into a convoluted mess the moment you pick it up. I’m happy to report there are no such issues with the Beta. Being such a heavy figure, I was afraid that this piece might suffer the same issues that plague the early Titanium TFs (metal pieces supported by weak joints that can’t support the weight). However, all joints on this figure are well reinforced. Most joints are of the ratchet variety, and they all have a nice clickly feel to them. The Beta certainly have no problem holding poses. I’m glad that Toynami have made significant strides in this area.

The colors on this figure accurately reflects the show colors, so no complaints here. The figure is also nice detailed. The Beta kinda has a simplistic appearance to begin with, but I think the level of detail that Toynami has provided here is more than sufficient. I know my figure may look a little plain, but that’s because I didn’t put the stickers on. As a kid I used to love putting stickers on my figures. But now I guess I’m either too lazy, or I just prefer to leave them off and keep the figure slightly more mint, in case I decide to sell it later.

For a figure that is so heavy and big, the Beta is actually quite well articulated. There is plenty of movement in the arms, and they can be positioned just about any way you want. The legs also rotate and bend in all the proper places. The head swivels 360 degrees, but will not look up and down (not that it really needs to). There is no waist articulation, but in this case I don’t think its really necessary. The Beta does not have any hand weapons, but it more than makes up for it with missiles on the back and chest. There are also some serious guns built into the forearms, near the hands. Speaking of hands, the Beta hand mold is way better than the Alpha’s. On my green Alpha (the only one I opened), both hands are broken because of weak joints and shoddy plastics used to make them. The Beta has no such problems.

The pic above shows the Beta getting ready to punish some Invids with some serious chest artillery. We saw this quite often in the show. Extra points to Toynami for including this feature.

Overall, I have no complaints about the Toynami Beta whatsoever in robot mode. I think Toynami has really made a Masterpiece of a robot Beta here. Bravo!

Jet Mode

I’m going to skip the Guardian Mode of this figure and go straight to Jet Mode. The reason for that is I really don’t think the Beta has a fully qualified Guardian mode, even though the instructions does provide for it. The “Guardian” for the Beta is really just the jet standing on its legs. Kinda boring if you ask me.

The transformation to Jet mode is not at all difficult. In fact, it’s probably one of the simplest transformations I’ve done in a long time for a figure of this size. The Beta kinda reminds me of G1 Transformers made in season 4 in terms of mechanics and complexity. Figures of that era are solid, durable, and not hard to transform, and the Beta captures that essence well. There’s nothing too revolutionary in the transformation process so I’m not going to describe it. Just know that it is simple to do, but at the same time complex enough to make it feel like the figure has transformed.

The Beta figure in Jet mode looks just like how it does in the show. As far as appearance, I have no complaints. This is how the Beta looks and Toynami did good of accurately portraying its design.

I do have a few gripes about the Jet mode. As you can see in the 2 pics above, I attached the connection piece that is used to link up the Alpha, even though the Alpha is not there. The reason I did that is because the Beta cannot be placed on a flat surface without it. This piece is required to attach the front landing gear, which leads me to my next gripe: landing gears are not built in and need to be attached. Vigilant readers probably already noticed this when I went into the Beta’s accessories earlier in this post. Most other premium jet figures that transform (whether they be Yamato, Bandai, Hasbro, or even Toynami themselves) have landing gears built into the unit. I seriously think the designers of this figure could have implemented a proper landing gear mechanism, but for whatever reason they decided against it.

My third gripe about the jet mode, and this is difficult for me to say, is that the figure is too heavy. I know, in the above sections, I went into how this figure is nice because its heavy. Well, that works for the robot mode, but in the jet mode it doesn’t work so well. There are pegs and holes on this figure that are designed to hold the jet as one cohesive unit when the parts come together. However, because this is so heavy, they don’t stick to each other as well as they should because the weight is pulling it apart. I seriously think that if this figure was all plastic, the jet mode would come together much nicer. Or if they decided to make the chest housing die-cast instead of the lower legs, I think that would work too. The chest is a relatively un-transformed area in the figure. So if that was made die-cast, the figure would still be heavy, and at the same time doesn’t really affect the transforming mechanism. Don’t get me wrong, its not like the jet mode will come apart as soon as you touch it or pick it up, but it does require some careful handling.

My fourth and final gripe about the jet mode, and this is really a direct consequence of the third gripe, is that this figure is really hard to hold in your hands in jet mode. This is kinda hard to explain in words, but there’s not a part on this jet that you can easily grab. Part of this has to do with how this jet is shaped. VFs and Alphas are more aerodynamic whereas the Beta is more bulky, so its kinda like holding a stick versus holding a block. But the bigger issue is that the Beta is heavy and parts don’t come together well, so unless you handle it carefully by holding the legs, some pieces are likely to come apart. I guess the Beta in jet mode is more of a display piece than something you want to play with.

Combined Mode

The above pic shows the Alpha and Beta linked up as one. I only have the green Alpha opened, so here they are. We do see this combination occasionally in the show. To perform the link up, simply fold down the cockpit unit on the Beta, spread out the feet pieces a little and fold in the tail fins on the Alpha, and place the Alpha on top of the connector piece. Surprisingly, this mechanism actually works quite well. You might think the connection here is weak based on the way its described, but in practice the combination is solid. Other than the connector, there are no pegs or grooves that would hold the two units together. But the Alpha is positioned in a way that it would not easily detach from the Beta. However, I should point out that I did not try inverting the combined unit. I have a feeling the Alpha would fall off if that’s attempted.

As you can see in the above pic, the display stand is quite small when compared to the two units combined. I keep mentioning that the Beta is heavy, and the whole thing gets even heavier when the Alpha is attached (the Alpha has a decent amount of die-cast as well). While the whole combined unit does sit firmly on the the stand, I have a feeling the stand will not endure the pressure over time. The combined unit is simply too heavy, and the stand is not large enough to support this IMO. I only had the units on the stand for a brief period to snap these pics, and it already felt like the stand would give out. I do not recommend displaying the figures this way. If you really like to display the combined mode, then its probably better to use the attached landing gears.

It is also possible to attach the robot mode Alpha to the Beta. A different connector piece would be used to do this. We saw this configuration frequently in the Shadow Chronicles movie. I did not try this. Toynami Alphas are quite flimsy in robot form and both hands are broken on my green unit, so I really didn’t feel like getting it into robot mode. There are Alphas made by Aoshima, which is the same mold with supposedly reinforced joints, but I read they are even worse than the Toynami ones. But I’ve never seen the Aoshima units first hand so it’s not something I can confirm.

The combined form is not too bad overall. I guess my only gripe, other than the weak stand, is that connector pieces are necessary to perform the link up. I kinda wish the toy designers came up with a way to hide the connector piece somehow into the Beta’s frame when it’s not used.

As a side bar, I want to point out that the only other Beta ever made to my knowledge is by CM. CM made an Alpha and Beta pair a few years back, and together they retailed for around $350! The price was definitely a turn off so I don’t think they were purchased by too many. I have read reviews of the CM versions. The Alpha is a toss-up between Toynami and CM, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. However, Toynami wins the Beta hands down. I don’t have the CM versions so its not like I can validate these claims, but at $350 a pop I think I’ll pass.

Overall, I highly recommend the Toynami Masterpiece Beta figure. The robot mode is awesome, and I will most likely display this piece in robot most of the time. I know I made it sound like there are a lot of weaknesses, but I’m trying to be as objective as possible. I’ve read way too many reviews that simply raved on and on about how this Beta figure is the best thing ever made, and I’m here to offer a counter opinion. I’m not saying the Beta is bad by any means. I’m just saying that this is a very good figure, but it does have its shortcomings. I bought this for $99 on ebay ($114 if you count shipping), and I think it’s worth every penny. That is a very reasonable price IMO. If you are a Robotech fan and you got money to splurge, you should not hesitate to get this.

Well, that’s all for now. Toynami I salute you! Transform and Roll Out!

Categories: Pics, Toy Reviews

TFA Samurai Prowl Review

January 28th, 2010 2 comments

Last night I got around to opening the Animated Samurai Prowl which I bought at TRU last week. As promised, here is the full review.

Prowl is packaged in his bike mode so let’s look at this first. His appearance in this mode is nice and sleek. I like his colors of black and gold (kinda like the New Orleans Saints), and the clear blue on the windshield and seat adds a nice touch. I like this color more than the non-Samurai version of Prowl. He’s got a bike stand on the left side that can be lowered so he doesn’t fall over on two wheels.

The gimmick of the Samurai version of Prowl is the inclusion of the sidecar, which transforms into his samurai armor. The pic above shows Prowl in alt mode with the sidecar attachment. With the sidecar, Prowl also looks nice. The sidecar has pretty much the same color scheme as the main unit. It can only be attached on the right side.

Most TFs that transform into motorcycles or bikes are not that robust. This is mostly due to the shape of the bike itself, and I’ll admit that designing a TF that looks good in both bike and robot modes can be a challenge. For figures that transform into cars or jets, the alt mode really feels like one cohesive unit and all the parts and pieces come together nicely. It is less so for figures that transform into bikes, and Prowl is no exception to this trend. Compared to other deluxe figures of this line, say Jazz or Swindle, Prowl does not feel as solid in his alt mode. Some pieces can come apart if you are too rough with him, and it is quite easy to move things out of alignment when you try to attach the sidecar. But in his defense, I will say that Prowl is the most robust bike TF that I have seen in any of the TF lines. The various parts of his frame was designed to come together, and there are tabs and grooves at key locations that was designed to lock things in place. Its too bad they don’t work as well as they should, but he did set a new standard for bike TFs.

As far as construction, Prowl doesn’t seem to be on par with other figures of this line. I’m generally very careful with my TFs (especially the first time I transform them), and I already broke him in one place. This is the first time I broke a figure in any capacity since G1! Take a look at the pic below.

I circled the broken parts in red. The rear tab on the side car sticks into a slot on the rear wheel, and I broke off that tab. It is now permanently stuck in the slot. I must have broken this off the first time I tried to remove the sidecar. I didn’t even realize this until I transformed Prowl back into bike mode and tried to re-attach the side car. It must have been a very flimsy piece. Having it broken off doesn’t really affect the alt mode b/c there’s another tab towards the front that sticks into a slot in the engine area. I am kinda upset about it, but such is life and I should be glad this happened on a deluxe Hasbro figure and not a more expensive piece. But be very careful here if you decide to get this figure.

Prowl has got a very clever transformation from bike to robot. He’s one of those unsymmetrical Transfomers, kinda like ROTF Dirge. And just like Dirge, I am impressed with the transformation design. Formation of the upper body from the windshield and seat area is symmetrical, but the front wheel unit becomes the right leg and the rear wheel unit becomes the left leg. I know it doesn’t sound so cool when I describe it in words, but you will be impressed when you see it in action. The toy designers integrated his body parts into the bike really well and the resulting robot figure does not disappoint in appearance.

I gotta say, Hasbro captured Prowl’s Animated look extremely well. The translation in appearance from show to toy is excellent. In the cartoon he is tall and skinny and that is reflected accurately here. The pic above and below shows him without the samurai armor.

Articulation in robot mode is more than sufficient and Prowl is capable of a wide array of poses. He’s got ball joints in the shoulders, elbows, waist, and hips, and there’s decent rotation in the head, knees, and feet as well. He has two short blades on his forearms that are ready to slice up some Decepticon baddies.

The sidecar transforms into the samurai armor, and the pic below shows off this equipment. I haven’t seen Prowl use the armor in the show, so I’m assuming this is accurate in appearance. But regardless, I think he looks awesome with the samurai attachment. He means business and he’s ready for some action.

With the samurai attachment, Prowl’s movement in the arms is more limited because the shoulder pieces are now in the way. The wheel unit on the sidecar transforms into his samurai blade. Decepticons beware!

Prowl has construction issues in bot mode as well. On my figure, the ball joints on the hips are extremely loose. And as such, it is very difficult to stand the figure as his legs simply give out at the hips most of the time. You have to find that perfect balance to get him to stay standing. And with this problem, it is almost impossible for him to hold his poses despite having the articulation to do so. The problem is even more severe with the samurai armor attached. The hip joints do not support the weight of the armor on the upper body and they give out almost all the time.

Transforming from bot back to bike, these same issues surface as well. It is not uncommon for the legs to come off altogether in the process. I got one arm that is quite loose with the same problem, but the other arm, the same joint is super tight and sometimes I have trouble angling it the way I need to have it back in alt mode. There are construction issues thru and thru on this figure. I don’t know if it’s only on mine or if they are all like this.

TFA Prowl vs ROTF Bludgeon! A Samurai Duel to the Death!

Overall, Prowl is a nicely designed figure but he’s got serious construction flaws. I would still pick him up if you see him in the stores, but I don’t think he’s worth paying markup for unless you don’t plan to open him. He is quite rare at this point so finding him may not be easy. There are better figures in the Animated line, but Prowl is worth adding to your collection.

Until next time… Transform and Roll Out!

Categories: Pics, Toy Reviews

Alternity Cliffjumper Review

January 25th, 2010 2 comments

Last weekend I mentioned I got a whole bunch of robots. Well, the sellers of each shipped them super quick, and Wheeljack arrived on Thur and Cliffjumper and the SV-51 on Fri. I work full time so that meant I picked up all 3 Sat morning at the post office. Handing the PO 3 pick-up slips at the same time was a total trip.

Last night I took out Cliffjumper from its shipping box. I already knew how these are boxed since I have the Alternity Primes. I guess I just wanted to see how CJ looks.

The Alternities are fairly small (about standard TF deluxe size) and I like the fact that Takara is using a box of the appropriate size. I hate it when a huge box is used to package a small figure (I’m not just referring to TFs here). It’s misleading to the buyer, it takes up too much space, and it increases shipping cost. However, I’m not a fan of these clear hard plastic boxes. They dent and crack easy, and there’s just no substitute for the charm of a traditional cardboard box. My understanding is that these are the cheapest boxes to produce, and the way they look certainly reflects that fact.

I never opened an Alternity figure before. I had intended to keep CJ in the box too. My premium Transformers usually remains unopened. I like to keep them mint, and at the same time I like to see them go up in value, kinda like an investment. However the box for CJ is already dinged. Take a look at the lower left corner in the pic above. The future value of this piece already took a hit. I could’ve returned this to the seller, but I don’t need the extra hassles and I really wanted to open an Alternity, and so I went ahead and opened CJ.

After taking the figure out, I’m even less impressed with the box. The whole thing just screams cheap. But I’ll stop ranting about the box now, and just show you this one last pic of the back of the box before I move on to the figure itself.

The first thing you’ll notice about CJ in alt mode is his nice paint job. I guess the best way to describe it is a metallic deep cherry red. G1 purists might complain about this b/c CJ has always been the standard red, but I applaud Takara’s decision to go with this alternate red. This shade goes very well with this mold when you see it in person. He’s definitely got a nice reflective tint in the colors that goes very well the die cast exteriors. Speaking of which, the die cast parts gives this figure more weight and it certainly feels nicer than a lot of the cheap plastic crap that Hasbro produces.

In alt mode he’s got rubber tires. He rolls very well on a flat surface. Cliffjumper is a Suzuki Swift (SX4 Crossover in the US) in the Alternity line and the toy designers captured the look of the car extremely well.

All 4 doors on the unit (5 if you count the rear hatch) opens up like the real Swift. When you look inside you can see the seats, even the rear seats. There’s way more interior details here than your typical TF. The steering wheel is located on the right side of the vehicle. This is a Japanese model for sure.

The hood also opens to reveal where the engine is housed. In this pic below, both the hood and the engine cover is lifted up to expose the engine. Keep in mind that the engine becomes his weapons.

Here are some size comparison shots. He’s only a tad bigger than Classics Bumblebee.

Overall, I’m very happy with the alt mode. For a figure of this size, I find no weaknesses at all. He looks nice, got plenty of detail, feels solid, and just exudes quality. Now let’s take a look at the robot mode.

The first thing you’ll notice here is the very G1 accurate head mold. I’ve ranted about this before and I’ll do it again: it sucks that CJ is almost always an exact repaint of Bumblebee. Well not this time. Takara loves you and they gave Cliffjumper a different head mold from the Bee figure, and they’ve done an excellent job in replicating the G1 design. I dare say this is the best looking Cliffjumper head they’ve ever made. Takara most definitely wins points here.

In robot mode, CJ is significantly taller than Classics Bumblebee. I think part of the reason is that the CJ figure’s legs extends out farther. CJ’s transformation is a little bit complex the first time you try it, but if you’re used to transforming Binaltechs, this should not be new for you. The legs are a little hard to figure out if you’re simply reading the instructions b/c there are so many moving pieces there. I suggest you watch Peaugh’s video of Cliffjumper if you are having trouble transforming him. The upper body is not too bad in terms of the complexity, but that’s not to say it’s simple by any means. He does have this automorph feature; when you pull the legs down, the front windshield goes up towards the chest area. This feature works fairly well when you go from car to robot, but in reverse it can be hard to get it to work. You just have to be patient and keep trying until you get it.

As I’ve said before, the engine comes apart and becomes two guns for him. The handle flips out and they insert easily into either hand. These guns look kinda generic, but it is in fact how his guns looked in the G1 cartoon. Cliffjumper’s G1 figure did not come with weapons and his guns are simply something conjured up by the cartoon designers. It’s nice to see the toy designers of this figure pay homage to that look and give us real guns that CJ can use.

CJ has awesome articulation. The arms can be positioned in a variety of ways. In the legs, he’s got good pivots in the knees and in the feet. The head is on a ball joint and can be turned all over. The only place missing articulation is in the waist, but I’m not really complaining here. The figure is also nicely balanced. I was very impressed with how easily I can make him stand on his legs, considering there’s so much articulation there. CJ is very solid in his construction and certainly hold his poses well.

My first gripe about this figure is the “chunkiness” that other fans have complained about. I suppose these pics really add that extra 10 pounds, but in person the chest area doesn’t look much better. There is quite a bit of bulk there, and I wish the toy designers added some extra mechanism to reduce that extra mass.
CJ: “Jazz, we’re not getting away!”
Jazz: “Well duh… you’re too heavy. Too much energon again?!”

My only other gripe about this figure, and all Alternities in general, is the cost. I paid $47 for CJ, most dealers ask $50+. The figure is simply too small to justify the cost. Only the most hardcore TransFans like myself would even consider paying this. Sure, he’s got a decent level of die cast parts, but still. Binaltechs were much larger (more than twice the size) and they were die cast too, and their cost was about the same.

But overall, I highly recommend Alternity Cliffjumper. If you are a TransFan deeply affected by G1 values, this figure will not disappoint. We have a figure even Casey Kasem would be proud. The price and the chest bulk are concerns, but he’s got way too many positives that easily overshadow his shortcomings. Not only that, if you’re a fan of G1 Diaclone car figures, you owe if to yourself to check out the Alternities. As I was messing with CJ today, I could not help but feel brought back to the mid 80s when I was playing with those figures. Alternities are much more complex than Diaclones, but they are about the same size, they are constructed out of quality materials such as die cast metal and the rubber tires, and they place a heavy emphasis on accurate alt modes. Some TransFans have suggested that Binaltechs are a continuation of those values, a second coming to the golden days of TFs, if you will. But I think with Alternities that’s even more true. Alternities are the very embodiment of the TF spirit that the Diaclones stood for. Again, price is a factor, and I question the choice of turning the alt modes of some characters into sports cars that never were. But this is as close to G1 as we’re ever gonna get without going backwards, and I would love to see this line continued for many more years.

Prime: “Cliffjumper, commence countdown.”
CJ: “5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Transform and Roll Out!”

Categories: Pics, Toy Reviews

ROTF Dirge Review

December 26th, 2009 2 comments

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all TransFans out there. I hope your holiday has been as relaxing as mine.

As promised, here is the review of ROTF Dirge. I have had a few days to mess with this figure now, and let me say first that I am very impressed. I’ve been very pleased with some of the new ROTF molds, and I think as a whole, ROTF molds are better than the 2007 Movie molds.

Let me start by doing some size comparisons.

Next to ROTF Thrust

Next to Henkei Dirge

ROTF Dirge in jet mode looks like some kind of VTOL aircraft. The nosecone, intake, and wings of the jet really reminds me of the Harrier, but the tail section looks modified. Maybe the modification is a G1 homage. In G1, Dirge was a modified F-15, so perhaps now he’s a modified Harrier? I certainly have no problem with that.

The first thing you will notice about the jet mode of this figure is that he is NOT bulky, much like ROTF Thrust. This is perhaps the best thing about the jet mode. Let’s face it, most other jet figures, especially those from the first movie, the bottom side is pure bulk. The recent ROTF jet figures have done a really good job of hiding robotic body parts into the transformation, the result being a sleek and sexy looking jet mold. Dirge is no exception. I give high marks to the overall shape of the jet mode.

As for detail, the jet mode is really nice. There are many lines outlining the body and wings. I like his colors as well. My buddy Gemini mentioned that the production colors are really close to the prototype colors, and I agree. He is mostly in a unique shade of blue and parts of yellow on the wings and intake. These colors are another homage to the G1 figure.

Dirge is quite solid in this mode. All parts snap and together nicely. This is another figure where you don’t realize how tightly everything comes together until you transform it back into the jet from the robot mode. The legs become the side and intake of the jet, and they snap nicely into the main body. The wings also fit snugly where they are. No dangling parts in this mode at all.

The missiles on the wings can be removed. They fire pretty far. This seems to be the trend in all the new figures. It’s nice to see Hasbro not afraid to put in powerful springs in the launchers.

Here’s a bottom view of the figure. The landing gears can be extended or retracted.

Now let’s take a look at the robot mode.

“Hi I’m Dirge. Let me shake your hand.”

Dirge has a solid robot mode as well. He’s got one of the most unique transformations from jet to robot that I have ever seen. I already mentioned that the sides of the jet becomes the legs. The main body of the jet form the arms. The nosecone becomes the right arm, while the center of the body becomes the left arm. The tail fin fold up and snaps in nicely into the main body to form the back. I know this sounds goofy on paper, but it works when you see how well the figure turned out.

The first thing most G1 fans will recognize right away in robot mode is his iconic cone head. This is another nice G1 homage on this figure. The transformation of the cone head is unique too. The head mold hides into the body in jet mode, and to make it appear in bot mode, you move up this center back piece that will move the head out. The cones of the head is split in jet mode, and they come together in bot mode. Very cool.

The robot mode looks nicely balanced and none of his body parts look too big or too small or out of place. I like the detail in his chest section. The “fans” and “cockpit” on the chest design does not transform into anything in jet mode, but I suppose they are another G1 homage. Hasbro certainly did not forget us true fans when this figure was designed.

Dirge has got some good articulation in robot mode. He is capable of a wide range of poses. The missiles can be placed on the wings or on the arms. The left arm has a panel piece attached. This becomes the top fuselage cover in jet mode, but I’m guessing it serves as a shield for Dirge in bot mode. Nice touch.

Some size comparison pics in this mode:

Dirge is pretty much standard deluxe size. In robot mode he’s taller than ROTF Thrust, but shorter than Henkei Dirge.

Coming Soon: Dirge On Ice

I highly recommend ROTF Dirge. He’s a cool figure and an excellent addition to your Decepticon air force. He’s got a nice jet mode, nice robot mode, good detail, and is a great homage to the G1 character. And considering the fact that he’s NOT a repaint, this purchase should be a no-brainer.

Once again, Happy Holidays. Transform and Roll Out!

Categories: Pics, Toy Reviews

Star Wars Transformers Commander Cody Clone Turbo Tank

December 14th, 2009 3 comments

I usually don’t buy Star Wars Transformers. I’m both a Star Wars fan and a TransFan, so you might think I would be all over these. I don’t have anything against this crossover. It’s just that, in Star Wars, vehicles don’t transform, and in Transformers, no characters transform into Star Wars vehicles. These reasons made it easy for me to ignore this line. Back in 06 I bought some SW TFs, never opened them, put them in storage, and then kinda forgot about them.

However, there are many figures released in this line, and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down. They must be selling pretty well if Hasbro keeps making them. And if they’re selling they can’t be all bad. Moreover, TF customizers have made some pretty good creations with Star Wars TFs. Long time ago I came across an image of a customized Cybertron version Optimus Prime on Seibertron.com. It looked really good and the mold chosen was very fitting of how Prime would look on Cybertron. That Optimus was made using the Commander Cody Clone Turbo Tank figure from the SW line of TFs. It was painted to match Prime’s colors (red body, blue legs) with a customized head mold of Prime. I could totally picture Prime’s Cybertron alt mode as something similar to the Turbo Tank from SW. Unfortunately I can’t find that post anymore, but in the process of googling for it, I came across this equally good cutomized Ultra Magnus, also using the same mold.

And so, I had to get this figure to check it out for myself. This is an awesome figure! I did not expect SW TFs to be of such high quality and I am thoroughly impressed with Commander Cody. Let’s get on with the review.

Front of the package.

Back of the package.

I bought him for $16.95 at Walmart. I think it’s a little pricey, considering that Voyager sized figures only cost a little more (sometimes less) and they are bigger. Maybe Hasbro has to pay licensing fees to George Lucas.


Here is the alt mode. The turbo tank is really solid. It rolls well on a flat surface, and all the parts and pieces come together nicely. In fact, you don’t realize how well everything fits together until you transform it back into this mode from the robot mode. The parts that become the legs, arms, waist, and back all have tabs and grooves to lock the components into place. The tank itself looks accurate to the movie incarnation, except for maybe the color. This figure is kind of a weird gray in alt mode, and I think in the movie the tank is closer to white. The antenna is attached to the back, and the gun to the front. The missile does shoot. To my surprise, that thing fires pretty far! Don’t let that small launcher fool you, this thing packs a punch, and I almost lost the missile twice already from testing the mechanism. The button is kinda small, but you get used to it.

 


As you can see from this shot, the middle wheel on each side can open up. On this side it is the compartment for a small pistol. On the other side it holds missiles (that don’t come out). A nice touch. And I apologize for the bad pic. My photography skills are next to non-existent and my camera is not exactly top of the line.

 

The figure also looks solid in robot mode. He is nicely proportioned and no parts look out of place. The colors in this mode more closely resembles the colors from the movies. I know it’s hard to tell from the pic, but the detail on the figure in bot mode is really nice. The lines on the body, arms, and legs resembles the clone trooper armor very closely. I especially like the head mold. This is exactly the look of the Clone Commander helmets. I like the wings too. It adds a little extra something to his appearance.

 

He’s got a decent level of articulation. The joints at the shoulders, elbows, waits, and knees all bend or rotate fairly well. The only thing is, he’s got a lot of “stuff” on him (wheels, armor, wings) so it can be hard to get him into a specific pose simply because there’s too much in the way. The missile weapon fits nicely into either hand. The antenna is removed from where it is in the alt mode and plugged behind the right shoulder. The connection is a little loose here, but that’s a minor gripe.

 

Check out the wheels on the shoulder. It can be extended out to reveal more missiles. Very cool. He’s also holding the pistol that was mentioned earlier. It’s kinda hard to put the pistol in his hand, but again that’s a minor gripe.

 

Fighting along side Obi-Wan. Go Commander Cody!

The final verdict on this figure is that he’s very, very highly recommended. If all SW TFs are this good, I would definitely buy more.

Maybe the Force be with all Star Wars Transformers. Transform and Roll Out!

Categories: Pics, Toy Reviews

TFX-03 City Commander Add-On Set

December 3rd, 2009 2 comments

Ultra Magnus is one of my favorite G1 characters. There’s a reason why the Autobot Matrix of Leadership was left with him when Prime was on his death bed. UM is both an excellent soldier and capable field commander. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if he had become leader instead of that punk Hot Rod. Maybe G1 Transformers never would have died and even today we still be in G1 (ok maybe not, but I can dream).

As a toy, UM usually does not get the love he deserves. In almost all toy lines, he is simply a repaint of the Optimus Prime toy in that line (only exception I can think of is TFA, which has a kick-ass UM toy btw). In the Classic line this was as usual the case. Hasbro repainted Prime into white and blue, packaged him along with Skywarp, and released this 2-pack set as a Target Exclusive in early 2007. Don’t get me wrong, I love this mold. Out of all my Prime toys, I rank this mold in the top 3. I just wish that Hasbro gave UM a unique mold, or make tweaks to the Prime mold to make UM stand out a little more.

Enter FansProject. In 2008 they released the TFX-01 City Commander, an armor set for Classic Ultra Magnus. In alt mode, this set is attached as his trailer. In robot mode, the trailer transforms into his armor that is very reminiscent of the G1 character. I won’t go into the details, but this set is perhaps the greatest TF add-on that has ever been produced. The units quickly sold out. It retailed for about $75. I had to ebay mine sometime later at around $110. 🙁

As great as TFX-01 was, it was not perfect. TF fans, being what they are (read: super picky), were quick to point out that the set did not include his missiles, and still did not address the issue of his very un-G1-like gun. In response to this, FansProject released TFX-03, an add-on set to TFX-01 that includes both the missiles and a new gun that is more in tune with the design of UM’s G1 gun. TFX-03 includes a few more items that I will go into detail for this post.

I bought TFX-03 from BigBadToyStore. I’ve never bought anything from them before, so as a first purchase I felt it was safe to try something cheap. TFX-03 retails for $11.99 only, not a bad item to try BBTS with. Cheapest shipping option was about $7 which made the whole thing close to $20.

The item arrived one whole week before Thanksgiving, but I was not home so I picked this up in person at the UPS office the next day. I knew there wouldn’t be much in the add-on, so imagine my surprise when they handed me this box. I placed it next to a soda can so you get a sense of the size.

I started to wonder if this would be something extraordinary, to have it shipped in such a large box. Imagine my disappointment when I got home and opened the box.

I put this next to the same soda can to show how puny this add-on set is. I guess for the price, this is what you get. But why did BBTS have to use such a large box? I think they could have used smaller packaging which would translate to lower shipping costs for their customers. So already my impression of BBTS is not that favorable. But this post is not about BBTS so I’ll stop ranting now.

As far as the packaging goes for TFX-03, I’m a little disappointed. Yeah I know it’s just accessories, but I still feel it should have come in a box. This thing feels like a cheap lunch bag. Some fans have pointed out that they did this so you can store the whole thing in the box of TFX-01. Maybe. But nevertheless I’m still not impressed.

I was out of town for Thanksgiving, but I finally got around to opening this today. Inside the package there is one cardboard that serves as the instructions and all the items inside bubble wrap. The pic below shows all the items.

There are two shoulder launchers, each with 2 missiles. The missiles do not fire at all, but they can be detached. There is the G1-like gun. I should have took pics of this, but the gun can transform as well. In this pic here, it is in cannon mode. It can transform into rifle mode. It’s not a complex transformation by any means, but it still looks kinda cool. The items inside the bag are extra replacement faces for the City Commander. My understanding is that it is hard to swap these faces, and I already like how UM looks, so I’m not even gonna bother with these. But in case you’re curious, there are three faces here. The top face in the bag is like the face for Shadow Commander. The middle face is like the one that is on TFX-01, but I think this one has the eyes painted white. The bottom face has UM’s mouth open. If you want to give City Commander a OMG look (like when Galvatron and the Sweeps are shooting him good) then you use this face.

Here is the alt mode with the missiles mounted. On the set I got, the launchers on the right side stays on ok, but on the left side they do not stay on that well. They are attached to the trailer by these slots that fit over some tabs toward the upper-front area. Just shaking the unit a little will cause the launchers to fall off, but I guess this is the best they can do when originally missiles were not designed for it. Also, the gun cannot be attached in the the alt mode, which is a disappointment.

At this point I should mention that there is a combined set that includes both TFX-01 and TFX-03 in one package, released in 2009. The items of TFX-03 are exactly the same in the combination set, but the trailer/armor is tweaked slightly from TFX-01 to better accommodate the new accessories. For instance, there are holes carved into the side of the enhanced trailer, and to attach the missiles you just use the pegs on the launchers. On the 09 version it is also possible to attach the gun to the trailer. I don’t know how, but the instructions show that it’s possible. The combination set retails for about $88 at BBTS, and that’s certainly a better deal than buying them separately. If I didn’t already have TFX-01, I definitely get this new set. Seems like it is better and cheaper too.

Here is the City Commander is robot mode. The missile launchers fit nicely in this mode. There are holes already punched into the shoulders, so you simply insert the pegs on the launchers. Some people have complained that these are loose and that they easily fall off, but mine seems to be ok. Seems fairly tight to me. He is holding the gun in cannon mode. I don’t think it is possible to hold it in rifle mode in bot mode, there is too much in the way.

Another shot of UM with all his weapons. Come and get some.

These missiles here are actual G1 missiles launchers on the original Ultra Magnus. They can be attached to TFX-01 as well, using the same holes on the shoulders. FansProject sure thought of everything. I purposely left one missile out so you see the custom spring I engineered into the launchers. These US G1 launchers originally did not come with springs so the missiles don’t fire at all, unlike their Japanese counterparts. When I was a kid, I found some springs and put them in. Now they fire at least 10 feet. An achievement I’m still very proud of to this day.

City Commander with original G1 launchers attached.

City Commander with ROTF Leader Class Optimus. With the armor, UM is only a tad smaller. I like to see some Decepticons try to mess with these two.

Well folks, there you have it. My final verdict is that TFX-03 is a good add-on, but a little disappointing due to the reasons I mentioned. If I was rating the 09 version with TFX-03 I might give it a higher recommendation, but as for those of you that already have TFX-01, only get the add-on if you really want the missiles, the gun, or the extra faces.

Transform and Roll Out!

Categories: Pics, Toy Reviews

Macross Yamato 1/60 VF-11B

November 20th, 2009 7 comments

Today I’m doing something special. I have a treat for all you Macross fans out there. I’m posting pics and doing a review of the latest incarnation of the VF-11B from Yamato, this time in all its 1/60 scale glory. Yeah I know, not a Transformer, but I figure it is still a transforming robot so close enough. Plus he’s just too cool for me to not show it off.

I bought this last week from an ebay seller. I wasn’t home when they delivered it, so yesterday I had to go pick this up in person at the post office. This was about $190 shipped, which is slightly less than what most dealers ask for. This was formerly in the $220 to $230 range. The recent price drop from some dealers could be due to the 11C coming out soon, or possibly from the lack of love from fans because this model is often seen as the “fodder” in both Macross Plus and Macross 7. Whatever the case, the VF-11 has always been one of my personal favorites among the Macross fighters, perhaps because that early sequence in Macross Plus where Isamu Dyson kicked some serious rouge Zentradi ass was so memorable. But enough talking, on to the pics and the review.

I’ll start off with some pics of the box. Nothing too special here. This is the usual type of box that all Yamatos come in, with the flip up lid.

Jet Mode

The unit comes packaged in this mode. This is perhaps the most solid of the 3 molds.

I really like how this fighter looks. I think this mold has captured the shape of the 11 from the show perfectly, especially when compared to the 1/72 scale.

At first glance it actually looks like the 1/60 has less detail than the 1/72, but upon closer inspection, you will notice that’s not really the case. The detail on the 1/60 is more subtle when compared to the 1/72, but it is there. The lines the the 1/60 are not colored a dark line like the 1/72, and I think it looks better that way. In fact, the more I look at these, I more I feel as if the 1/60 is the real fighter and the 1/72 is the toy. The shape of the 1/60 is by far more show accurate, in my opinion. The shield in this mode stays on nicely on the 1/60, unlike the 1/72 where it’s constantly falling off. The gun pod is supported on the bottom by placing the gun handle between the arms, much like how the VF-1 Yamatos do it. To do this you have to position the gun and the arms just right, and it can be a little tricky to do. The fast packs also stay on tight, but not to the point where removing them would be difficult. The landing gears have rubber tires which is a really nice touch, though it is kinda hard to get them out. The cockpit can be opened and a pilot figure (probably Isamu) is included to be placed in there. Wings are retractable. Overall, all the pieces in jet mode stick together well and feels as if this is really one cohesive unit.

The above is a pic of the 11B next to ROTF Optimus to give you some idea of his size. It’s definitely smaller than the other 1/60 Macross Plus fighters, like the YF-19 and YF-21, but slightly larger than the 1/60 VF-1. If these scales are accurate, then we can infer that the 11 is one of the smaller fighters in the Macross Universe.

Gerwalk Mode

The Gerwalk is really one of the strengths of this unit. As the pic shows, this mold captured the look of the Gerwalk really well. In fact, this might be the best representation of the Gerwalk I have seen in any of the Macross fighters, whether its Yamato, Bandai, Toynami, or someone else.

Often times, the toy representation of the Gerwalk has legs that don’t quite translate to how the unit looks in the show. There are no such issues here. In the pics above you can see that the legs can be articulated nicely to match the Gerwalk’s birdlike appearance. The only time the Gerwalk has looked this good are on non-transforming models of the Gerwalk. I should point out that you kinda have to position the legs just right to get it in this stance, otherwise he either falls forward, or the jet body is positioned too flat. But its not too hard to do and there’s enough articulation in the legs, knee, and feet to position it however you wish. The arms also have enough articulation to for some good poses.

The transformation from jet to Gerwalk is fairly standard for the post part, but I do want to point out two things. First, the arm mechanism on this unit is much better than the 1/72. The way is swings out is much more robust, and there are grooves in the mechanics that let you know when you’ve gotten it positioned all the way. Second, the way that the rear wing module stays flat with the main jet body is much improved. The rear wing modules would never fall flat, because there is an insertion piece extending from these modules into the main body that locks it into place. This is done as part of the transformation. You can tell they really put a lot of thought into this when they designed this piece.

Battloid Mode

The Battloid is probably the weakest of the 3 modes in my opinion, but it is still a significant improvement over the previous attempts of the VF-11. The first thing I want to point out is how the cockpit shield comes down during transformation to the Battloid.

This shield is hidden behind the cockpit in the main body in the other modes. When it transforms to Battloid, the main cockpit goes under, and the shield slides forward. How cool is that?! I have never seen this on any other Valkyrie! Most of the time you just put this extra shield on, but this mechanism takes it to a whole new level.

The rest of the transformation is pretty standard. Nothing too revolutionary. Here are more pics of the Battloid.

As I’ve said already, this version looks much better and is not so skinny. The arms are still a little skinny in my opinion, but good enough. Compared to some other Valkyries, the articulation in the arms and legs are more limited, but I think there is enough here that you can still get some decent poses if that’s your thing. Getting the unit to stand up straight in this mode is a bit challenging. You kinda have to balance it just right. But I’ve had this for less than 24 hours so maybe I’ll find some trick to it later. The head does swivel 360 degrees, but does not go up and down. I kinda wish it did.

    I have some other thoughts that I’ll just throw out in bullet points:

  • Getting the gun into either hand can be tricky. There is a tab on the inside palm of the hand that sticks into a slot on the gun handle, then you just position the thumb and fingers over the handle, but I can’t seem to get it to work that well. Maybe its because the thumb and fingers (and also my own fingers) are getting in the way.
  • The fast pack can be attached or detached in all 3 modes. The leg parts are attached purely thru magnets like many of the other Yamatos. Very cool
  • The knife on the gunpod swings out just like the 1/72. However this knife does look bigger and more menacing. I wish they did some kind of spring pop-out mechanism so it would be show accurate, but this is good enough.
  • I don’t know what is the original MSRP for this, but it was at least $200+. The 11 is smaller than other 1/60s (except for the VF-1) and there are no diecast parts at all (the whole thing feels quite light), so at $200+ I don’t think this is good value. I think it should have been around $150.

Overall, I’m very happy with the 1/60 VF-11B. This is the best transforming version of this fighter that has ever been made. If you are anything of a Macross fan, you owe it to yourself to get this. As I’ve said already, I think the price tag is a little high. I’m not gonna say this is worth every penny that I paid, but I will say that I don’t regret paying what I paid. My final verdict is that this is very highly recommended, and if you are a Macross fan and you got cash to spare, go for it!

That’s all for now. Transform and Roll Out!

Categories: Pics, Toy Reviews