Chindenathus

No that was Herr Fiend: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herr_Fiend Which was a Porche. The Classics Rodimus was very close to the "Dome": http://www.tfu.info/2006/Autobot/ClassicsRodimus/rodimus.htm

What a shame. I thought "Paranoia Agent" was unusually brilliant and a fine counterpoint to FLCL. Satoshi Kon, may you find the joys in the hereafter that evaded you in the world of the living.

I too got 'Peg' on friday and am very pleased with the design. Blurr is going to so 'rock' with this mold.

Tamashii Web has posted a ton of new images here: http://tamashii.jp/t_item/t_item.php?eid=00027 There is quite a bit of technical design images. I am most impressed with the nose turret and the deployable stabilizer for "gerwalk". Just figured I'd share.

And this review is for "WARBOT: Defender (Aka: Classics Springer) The review is regarding this fellah right here: http://www.tfsource.com/products/view/product_id/984/ I got mine from the link above and he is on my desk as I type this. Fan Productions kind of blew me away with their "City Commander/Classics: Ultra Magnus" trailer a while back but this is the first standalone figure and so far in my opinion their best product to date. Packaging: It is rare that I am surprised at how well an item is packaged. This is one of those rare occasions. The box is in a clear plastic carton and then the toy is entombed is a clamshell sitting in a cardboard tray. The post would have to get very deliberate to damage this product on it's way to you. It doesn't hurt that also the box is very nicely designed and printed. Design: >Robot Mode: In robot mode he evokes a good ballance /of G1 "Toon" style and modernized Classics (Universe,Etc) /look. He is broad shouldered and tough looking with out /being a total brute. Sort of a well thought out blend of bulk, /strength, and efficiency that a good soldier robot would need. /The figure is very, very poseable and as some have noted is /flexible enough to holster and draw his pistols. Which is one /heckofa' feat. Speaking of pistols... >>Weapons/Accessories: "The Defender" comes with the /following armament: 2 pistols and his Sword/Rotor. /The Sword is well executed with a chinese broadsword /style blade(s). It is made of the same plastic as the tires and /pistols which is a bit transluscent. A lot of folks are worried /about how thin these pieces are and I can see where they /are coming from. I have already concluded that mine will /not be left displayed with his sword in hand just to be on the /safe side. That said, it looks good in his hand and capable /meteing out some punishment. His pistols are an example /what I hope to see in the Impossible Toys TRNS-1(Arcee). /They are well detailed and appropriately deadly looking. /All of his weapons stow and/or deploy in all three modes /fairly effortlessly. The folks at FanPro thought it all out. >A/M: Armored Car: His armored car mode is a good /mix of brutish and functional. It looks like it could take /on most terrain fairly easily. In someways it reminds me /of some of the future combat vehicle concepts from last /decade. The pistols can be mounted forward in this mode /and add some menace to an already tough looking ride. >A/M: Helicopter: In helicopter mode which has a pleasantly /thorough transition from his armored car configuration. The /Defender looks like a bulky "Combat in the year 2000!" /version of an Apache combat helicopter. The rotor spins /freely and the pistols are pegged into the front sponsons /to give this mode the same "business" look that his terrestrial /combat form has. Quality: The die-cast metal is nice, and the plastic is of higher quality than some of FanPro's earlier efforts. The paint job is as close to perfect as you will see in the third party market. All he needs is an Autobot insignia and he's pretty near perfect. Value: This where it gets a bit less positive. You need to ask yourself, "Self. Do I really love Springer $90 worth?" Because after shipping that's pretty much what this fellah costs. If you say "Yes" then jump on it before he is on the path to oblivion...

Here is my review on Dark Shyfire: This review is about this figure: http://www.tfsource.com/products/view/product_id/895/ Packaging: It is a B/W recolor of the Henkei Jetfire box for the most part with the appropriate images of the figure on it. Nothing to brag about but it looks decent. Design: >Robot Mode: This is the fourth time I have bought this /mold, and frankly there are no surprises. Which is good /because it is an awesome mould through and through. /The new paint scheme is very nice and sinister looking. /With some purple autobot symbols he would make an /impressive "Dark Glass" Jetfire. >>Weapons/Accessories: This figure has delivered in this /department in spades once again. He has the same 'kit' /as his predacessors and it still looks awesome on him. /One thing of note; his shoulder guns have hinges instead /of the breakaway tips which is an interesting change. >A/M: Jet-fighter: It is an F-14 in swingwings only. /The new deco shines pretty well here. I like the new /detailing. it's very simple and effective. Beyond that /nothing new to mention. >A/M: Aerospace Fighter: Essentially the above alt-mode /with all the wargear applied. It looks like a combat work /horse as it should and with a little effort it is packing more /heat than most transformers could dream of. This "Guntastic" /quality of this design is one of it's finest points. Quality: There is both good and bad to point out in this area. put bluntly, the tooling is getting tired and the extra play in some the joints brings this to the fore. It is an excellent toy but it looks to be time to retire this mold before things get ugly and disappointing. Value: In my opinion this item was overpriced from the start. The deco is really nice, but not "4X shelf price" nice. If you have money to burn, by all means, but I would not consign myself to eating Ramen for a month to get it

I am stoked about this conversion kit to change the new mg Zeta into a Zeta II (1/100): http://www.hobbyfan.com/product_info.php?products_id=8249 I like how it integrates the original kit including it's mega cannon into the Zeta II's Methuss + Zeta C1+ styling.

The problem I've always had with this criticizm is that the VF-1 is/was not ever made to look like an actual jet. It's an homage to the era of design the F-14/F-15 were part of. The Chunky Munky and thereby Jetfire look damned good because the design is both simple (with swingbars) and yet elegant. I applaud His Froatiness on his robot skills, but The old Valk is pretty unique critter in and of itself.

Those images have me thinking my VF-22 should be be piloted by LEGION... (It was the mask/face in hand that had me thinking of the image below.)

Amen! I have had dreams of the old 1/32 kit project from back in the day. Dry dreams mind you...

I recently preordered a VF-27 kit at BBTS and am looking forward to it in Nov/Dec when they send it out to me. I wonder just how sticker happy that kit will be. HFH knows the others were fairly decal happy designs.

Has any noticed just how much anime magic the VB6 has between modes in the old artbook/game it came from? The "Design Differences" are caused pretty much due to nothing on it can magically shrink to be smaller in the mode it isn't prominent. the nose and wings are distorted for flight mode, the feet and cannons for gerwalk, and the head, arms, and legs are emphasised in battroid. The "Koenig Monster" has some of the heaviest anime magic in the Macross continuity. This is why when a company tackles the design, I applaud their efforts and prepare myself for the "shortcomings of the fruits thereof. No VB6 design that has all three modes without serious partswapping will be lineart accurate.

Except for G1 prime wasn't truck accurate either in the places you mentioned. The grill and headlights lined up better though that's for certain.

IMNSHO Michael Bay and this guy: Ehren Kruger are the folks to blame for the shortcomings of the second film. Bay is remarkably incompetent at paying attention to detail or script/plot flow. Kruger has bit of a rep of royally screwing up/rewriting scripts that other people wrote. These two together did a marvelous job of taking Tf2 (which is chock full of eye candy) and producing slick product but if one actually pay attention to anything other than explosions or Fox's assets holds together worse that Jetfire's rusty carcass. After seeing Star Trek there no way in hell I believe that the serious lack of focus in TF:ROTF is Orci and Kurtzman's fault.

I am not kidding when I "say" this... In the Joe-verse one of Cobra's legit fronts is called "ARBCO" and it is infact the Joe-verse's version of "AmWay".