Recent Transformer Toys -- FawnDoo's Cavalcade of Whimsy

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Date Posted: 09:53:25 05/15/04 Sat
Author: Goktimus Prime
Subject: Recent Transformer Toys
In reply to: Ghilz 's message, "Latest purchases" on 22:03:20 05/09/04 Sun

(Yeah, I know I should've taken more care in proofreading my last post, but anyway, here's the proper version, so please delete my "Energon Toys" post)

Here are my thoughts on the figures I've acquired so far:

Scorponok:
He was my 666th Transformer! Muahahahaha! Then I stopped counting my variants and I'm back on 655 again... but I can't be arsed redoing the whole "Devil's Countdown" again, but my 'second' 666th will certainly be a major Decepticon, but I won't make such a huge hurrah out of it. The sound gimmick is tr�s lame and annoying. Otherwise it's a fairly okay toy.

Mirage:
The name totally sucks for this toy. First of all, he's nothing like G1 Mirage in appearance or allegiance. Secondly, as far as I know, he doesn't DO anything that would make him deserve that name. BW Inferno wasn't heroic, but he was a flame-throwing fire ant/robot. Perhaps his appearance in the comic or cartoon might attempt to justify his name sake. That aside, he's a seriously cool toy. The robot mode looks just awesome and he's a fun toy to play with. I just have trouble calibrating my voice to make it sound like Mirage... and evil. I just tend to add lots of bass to it and it kinda works. Teehee, my Mirage bitchslapped Divebomb.

Divebomb:
Aaah, my most single anticipated Energon figure. The G1 homage in mecha-beast mode has me stoked! For those of you who are too stupi.. I mean, have been too distracted to notice, Divebomb's alt mode is largely based on G1 Divebomb's pre-Earth Cybertron mode (as seen in the 1987 Annual). The giant boomerang is an interesting weapon, reminds me of the weapon Sango uses in Inu-Yasha. Robot mode looks real cool, although like all the basic sized figures, the Energon chip gimmick is muy lame. Oh, and the major flaw with the alt mode is the "ass-head".

Cruellock:
Hurrah! A decent original name! I like how this dude comes with both a gun and a sword, which means he is equipped for close quarter and ranged combat - although the sword is waaaay too huge, even for asthetics. The quasi-flip changer style of transformation is interesting. Energon chip thing is again, sehr lame.

Battle Ravage:
It's not a bad name modification to deal with copyright - much better than "Autobot Wheeljack" (although that was so unnecessary since Hasbro still has the rights for the Wheeljack name), "Silverstreak" or "Rodimus Major." A fairly disappointing toy due to rather mediocre play value and terminally simplistic transformation - suffers from the same problem that a lot of Cheetor figures had - the robot mode is fundamentally the cat mode standing upright. Energon chip is totemo lame!

Starscream:
Not as disappointing as Battle Ravage, but still a rather disappointing toy. Although it is technically a new mould, this toy too inherently similar to G2 Smokescreen/BW Starscream/Smokejumper for my liking. However the upsizing and modifications to the mould that they have made is cool. Robot mode needs "Uchuu ni GAN GAN!" (Gun-gun...needs guns... little Super Link joke there...)

Rodimus:
It looks like G1 Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime and "Rodimus" is a far better name than "Rodimus Major". It's a pretty neat toy considering what it is - some people bag out the robot mode, but the fact is that this a robot that can inter-merge with other robots. And considering that the Super Link gimmick is an upgrade of the G1 Multi-Force gimmick, this toy is a huge improvement from the old days of Multi Force (I got the Multi Force reissues too, yay!)! My only real gripe about this toy is the fact that the head just rests between the legs when he forms the lower half of a Super Link combination, thus making Rodimus literally look like a dickhead.

Hot Shot:
The car mode is really cool and an improvement from Micron Legend/Armada Hot Shot. I really like the transparent windows. I think the robot mode is alright too - yes, it is limited in articulation, but I accept it as a sacrifice that was needed in order to accomodate the Super Link gimmick. The articulation in this toy is by no means bad. Although having no LED gimmick means that he cannot illuminate the Energon Sabre when he holds it.

Ironhide:
What the fu--? Super Link gimmick aside, this figure is essentially an overglorified PlaySkool Transformer. A Go-Go-Gobot on steroids. The vehicle mode is remarkably simplistic in design - why they couldn't give Ironhide clear windows like Hot Shot, I don't know. And the HEAD that just sticks out like a sore thumb in vehicle mode is so f**ked up! Surely they could've taken a minimal effort (as they did with Inferno) and hidden the face with a panel or something.. or just give the head neck articulation so you can turn the head around and conceal the face! Aaaargh! Such a quarter-arse effort.

Energon Sabre:
I do like the retooling, as it means that this isn't just "yet another Star Sabre repaint" - cos I have like three different Star Sabres as it is. Two main things that do worry me about this set though:
(1) Why are they coloured piss-yellow? Energon is piss-yellow?
(2) Scattor?! Aaargh! This is one of the worst names ever devised for a Transformer! Does Hasbro NOT understand the meaning of the word scat?? By its very definition, it is literally a shit name!

Arcee:
This toy is HELLA rare down here. But I finally managed to find one, and haven't seen one in stores since. Very interested transformation - both modes are nicely designed. The Energon weapon thing just sucks so bad (in both modes). I wish she had more well defined hands/fists though. Energon chip lameness.

Skyblast:
G1 Jetfire/Skyfire tribute is a Marvel (get it?! Har!). Overall the toy is nicely designed - Energon weapon looks nice when combined into that huge-arse weapon, but rather lack-lustre when separated into the cannon and missile pod formation - especially because the pods have a nasty habit of falling off the wingtips. Yeah, you know what I think about these Energon chips.

Strongarm:
My first Energon toy and a pretty neat one at that! Very nicely designed in both modes - vehicle looks really neat with lots of nice details sculpted in and the robot mode is reasonably well articulated. The Energon-tyre does slightly detract from the overall look of the toy (cos why would he have a bright transparent red spare tyre?? Does he plan on driving on that thing if he gets a puncture?) - the axe looks okay though. A little dude with a huge axe; I like to think of him as the Gimli of the Omnicons! And I love his Energon chip. Not. Oh, I should commend Hasbro on another original name that doesn't suck. Strongarm is by no means a brilliant name, but at least it doesn't make my skin crawl like say.. Scattor.

Signal Flare:
Interesting transformation, but otherwise a very underwhelming toy. Both vehicle and robot modes remind me of the late European G1 Transformers. Gah. Ten years on, I'd expect a lot better.

Kicker:
A really nice figure. Cool sculpting with an obscene level of articulation means that he can be placed in virtually any pose you can imagine. The chromed Energon Sabre he comes with is a neat feature too - I only wish that this figure came with interchangeable heads to represent Kicker when he's without the helmet and when his hair goes all whacky when there are Decepticons about. This could have been so easily done because also being a Microman toy, every part of this figure is detachable (because they're meant to be interchangeable with other Micromen). Yeah, I'm a fussy bastard.

Binaltech Streak:
Having already obtained BT Smokescreen last year, I suppose I was marginally less overwhelmed by this toy, which is effectively a repaint and retool of Smokescreen. Although it is a very good repaint and retool. The retooling is quite nice - the retooled head makes him look more like Bluestreak (who was called Streak in Japan). Parts of the car, such as the wing mirrors, wing-spoiler, fenders and interior dash and controls were also retooled to make this a Subaru Impreza WRX, and not an Impreza WRC.

Binaltech Hound:
Coolest Binaltech ever!

Masterpiece Convoy:
Transforms from boxy-truck cab to incredibly buff robot! This toy is truly, more than any other Transformer - more than meets the eye. Oh, and the Japanese version doesn't have the stupid mods that Hasbro did for 20th Anniv. OP... stupid shortened stacks and cheap looking scorch marks.

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Part Deux -- Goktimus Prime, 07:35:53 05/16/04 Sun