It’s been a while since I did a post about what’s on my shelf. So I’m doing one today.

Same pic, different angle.

From left to right

Lower shelf: Thrilling 30 Rhinox, Thrilling 30 Rattrap, Mastermind Creations Felisaber

I especially like the three gestalts on the top shelf. Feral Rex and Giant have been featured elsewhere before in this blog so I won’t go into detail again. Combiner Wars Menasor is Hasbro’s official update of the Stunticons in combined form. Compared to Fans Project’s Intimidator, Menasor has it’s pros and cons. Individually I like the Hasbro figures better. They are larger, sturdier, easier to transform, and more fun to play with. However in combined form, FP has the better looking Menasor. Intimidator also stays together better than Combiner Wars Menasor, as the Hasbro figure feels like it could quickly fall apart. However I should point out that the Hasbro figures feel more like a true combiner. The leg components are not simply adding on top of Motormaster’s legs, like in FP’s offering.

Poor Rattrap and Rhinox. They are the only good guys here. Technically they are not Autobots, so I don’t have a single Autobot in this post. Decepticons forever!

Transform and Roll Out.

There are quite of bit of figures taking up room on my shelf. Before I put them away, I’ll give them their 15 minutes of fame and feature them in a post.

Same pic, different angle.

From left to right
Top shelf, in robot mode: MMC Bovis, TFP Beast Hunters Shockwave, Fans Toys Quakewave, Masterpiece Acid Storm, Generations FOC Thundercracker
Top shelf, in alt mode: Generations Megatron, Generations FOC Kickback, Generations Blitzwing, TFP Breakdown, TFP Silas Breakdown, Generations FOC Shockwave
Middle shelf: Generations Orion Pax, Generations Bumblebee, Generations Springer, Generations Sandstorm, TFP Beast Hunters Optimus Prime, TFP Beast Hunters Ultra Magnus, , Generations Hoist, Generations Trailcutter
Bottom shelf: Masterpiece Prowl, Masterpiece Streak, Generations Blurr, ToyWorld Trace, ToyWorld Aurora

Can you tell who it is the oldest figure on here? That’s right, it is Blurr. I believe he was released 2010. I dug him out recently for display because he’s such an awesome fig!

With the exception of Blurr, Breakdown, and FOC Shockwave, all figures on here were acquired in 2013.

4 figures are from third parties: MMC Bovis, Fans Toys Quakewave, ToyWorld Trace, and ToyWorld Aurora.

There are 3 Masterpiece figures: Acid Storm, Prowl, and Streak. Though one could certainly make a case for Quakewave. He’s a third party fig, but he fits into the MP toys just fine.

OK, time to make more room for the figs of 2014. Into the closets these will go. Transform and Roll Out.

Here is what I currently have on display.

Same pic, different angle.

From left to right
Top shelf, in alt mode: TFP Breakdown, TFP Silas Breakdown, TFP Beast Hunters Shockwave, Generations Blitzwing, TFP Dreadwing, Generations Megatron
Top shelf, in robot mode: Fans Toys Quakewave, MP Soundwave with Laserbeak
Middle shelf: Generations Bumblebee, Generations Springer, Generations Sandstorm, TFP Beast Hunters Optimus Prime, TFP Beast Hunters Ultra Magnus, Generations Trailcutter, Generations Orion Pax

Most of the Transformers in this group I would highly recommend. Each figure is a worthy purchase that any TransFan would be happy to include in his collection. The two Breakdown figures are some of the best to come out of the TF Prime line. MP Soundwave is considered by many to be the best MP figure ever made. Generations Springer and Sandstorm are nothing short of spectacular, and I dare argue that, for the first time ever, Hasbro has done triple changers right with these two. Trailcutter has finally arrived to the CHUG party, but better late than never. And for the first time in TF history, Hasbro made a Orion Pax figure. This figure is still a pretty rare find as of this writing.

Quakewave by Fans Toys is absolutely amazing! This is a 3rd party Shockwave homage that scales incredibly well with the MP line (check him out next to MP Soundwave). Construction of the figure is very solid, and the mechanical design of this toy is on par with any MPs that Hasbro and Takara has come up with. He looks good in both modes. Transformation is fun without being overly complex. Price is also reasonable at $150. The LED gimmicks (in both eye and cannon arm) are very cool.

The only two figures that may be debatable is Bumblebee and Blitzwing. Blitzwing has the shoulder-non-locking construction issue that all fans are aware of by now. And Bumblebee, despite being a brand new mold, feels too similar to past figures of the same character. But even with these flaws, I still recommend them. Blitzwing’s problems can be remedied with just a little bit of work. And if for some reason you don’t own any Movie-verse or TF Prime Bumblebees, then this new figure should feel very refreshing for you.

Some of these figs have been on the shelf for a while. They’ve had their 15 minutes, so back to the closets they go to make more room. I expect my next post like this to appear very different. Til then… Transform and Roll Out.

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

• Generations Blitzwing, amazon.com, $22.99

• TF Prime RID Vehicon, Big Lots, $8

• TF Prime Beast Hunters Grimwing, Target, $21.99

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

• TF Prime Beast Hunters Dreadwing, Target, $12.99

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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