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M'Kyuun

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  1. M'Kyuun
    And I doubt "Unchained Melody" was a random choice for that scene, although Ghost this was not. And concerning the dude (Memo, or however it's spelled), the crush was obviously one-sided from start to finish. I have no problem with that, as the story was really about the relationship between Charlie and Bumblebee. I think Memo was in there to give her another human to relate to, who just happens to be a teen male, for humor, and to maybe soften the blow at the end when Bee goes off on his mission. At least this way, she has a friend to share the experience with and confide in, with relationship potential. It was also nice to see Charlie becoming closer to her family, so in the end, amidst a sad separation, there's still support for Charlie on two fronts. Seeing Bee driving next to a very G1 looking Prime was pretty sweet- I was all smiles. I'm hoping Knight will get the opportunity to make another film, and that Bay's influence will continue to wane unto the point of nonexistence. In Travis I trust.
  2. M'Kyuun
    I'm in the same boat concerning the almost gratuitously complex transformation, as neat and impressive as it is. Storing the front wheels in the crotch, and folding the face of the cab into his innards were standout moments in the transformation to me. I think it has the best truck mode, even if it isn't based on any particular real world model. Honestly, that doesn't bother me in the least. I really like how they were able to incorporate the waist into the cab and thin out the hitch deck. It doesn't look right to me without the silver stripe, though. In bot mode, I'm not crazy about the color or shape of the grey section of his torso, and something about his waist bugs me, although I can't quite put my finger on what it is. However, Magic Square's has TE beat in articulation, and I also like the chunkier proportions and sculpt- it's bot mode just looks amazing to me. Moreover, judging from the vid, MS-01's joints are more robust, especially in the legs and hips. The plastic looks better to me, and it has more paint apps. The transformation is similar to MP-10's with a few new tricks thrown in to hide the back wheels , which was always my biggest niggle with MP-10. This is my first time viewing TE's OP, and having watched a few different MS-01 vids now, I've no regrets going with Magic Square for my MP OP update.
  3. M'Kyuun
    I hadn't really thought of the Shape of Water analogy, as there was, if not explicitly shown, a definite implication that the lady and her beloved creature consummated their relationship, and the tone of that movie was certainly darker. But then again, there were hints that perhaps they had more in common genetically, too. Neither is true for Bumblebee, although it does layer on the affection between Charlie and Bee like wedding cake frosting. However, I think it was done tactfully, and it made sense in the context of these two characters who are essentially loners by circumstance, brought together by chance, even if it is scripted chance. I certainly enjoyed the lightheartedness and the bonding between them far more than the superficiality of the '07 film between Sam and Bee, where Bee is more of a possession than a friend to Sam. At least Knight made Bee feel like a person in this film, and that's an accomplishment Bay couldn't do in five. I suppose, too, that it makes a none too subtle statement that love transcends all barriers. It worked for E.T., and this is a similar story from a young adult's POV.
  4. M'Kyuun
    Both Magic Square's and Transform Element's OPs look good, but there are things I like better about the MS version, which I have PO'd. My only real gripe with it thus far is that the leg vents were left unpainted. I realize that's toon accurate, but damn the toon- they should be silver. Alas I may have to try painting them- not my forte by any means, but they just don't look right to me being blue..
  5. M'Kyuun
    I also think, if they keep the line alive, they should stick to the 3-3/4" figs, both for space and vehicle compatibility reasons (and cost). As I mentioned, I think Hasbro would do well to reissue some of the old vehicle molds, as the vast majority of those toys still look viable today. Perhaps the Skystriker could be updated to more closely resemble the F-22, but otherwise, straight reissues in most cases would serve and save on new molds and machining, allowing more of the line's budget go into figure designs/accessories. Sigma 6 was a 6" figure line, and I don't recall there being much in the way of vehicles for the figures, although the figures came with some cool accessories. IIRC, the line didn't do well, although I personally thought the figures were cool. I still have my Snake Eyes around here somewhere. Mog's mentioning the original 12" figs brings to mind a rather poignant point: Hasbro was just a small company that primarily existed off of its board games until someone at the company saw potential in some articulated wooden art dolls, creating military uniforms and guns for them. The line became a big hit, and in the 80's following Kenner's lead with their 3-3/4 Star Wars figs, went the same direction. They owe their early success and growth into a major corporation to GI Joe, so I hope that they don't let that legacy die.
  6. M'Kyuun
    Unhealthy LEGO addiction- is there any other kind? I've been in full-on Betty Ford territory for decades, and as long as they keep making new stuff, I'm gonna have to buy it. Storing it has become my problem. I wish someone would invent the singularity closet. I get what you're saying concerning some newer versions of these ships. I'm surprised that more TIE variations haven't been done in the last couple years, but I think they've been too busy designing sets to accompany movie releases. So far, the 2019 System Star Wars sets are all over the place: https://brickset.com/sets/year-2019/page-7 Not too exciting thus far, although I like the AT-AP sets and I really like the Droid Gunship, so those are on my list. Hopefully the summer and fall waves will offer more. The Darth Vader Castle is a nice set, and it comes with a sweet chibi TIE Advanced. I love these chibi builds, and I wish they'd do a line of those instead of the Microfighters, which are still cute and fun in their own right. Anyway, the Castle has nice presence on the shelf. I'm building up my VIP points to get the UCS Betrayal at Cloud City set. Love that chibi Slave I. The Cloud Car is a pretty nice build, too, and we haven't had a System set of it since 2002.
  7. M'Kyuun
    I stopped by Walmart yesterday after seeing Bumblebee and was pleasantly surprised to see a bunch of G1 minibots (Tailgate, Swerve, and Outback) on 1984 styled cards, complete with the old grid pattern and the original boxart. I didn't buy any, even though my nostalgia was pumped up from the opening scenes of Bumblebee. But, I thought I'd let folks know if they're looking for these guys.
  8. M'Kyuun
    I have the UCS Falcon, but I have yet to build it due to space restraints. However, a UCS AT-AT has been high on my want list from the beginning, as well as a new improved Imperial Shuttle with a better nose design and wing swing mechanism. Not sure why you want it in grey, as it's a white vehicle. As far as your wish list, Set 8017 from 2009 Set 7181 UCS TIE Interceptor from 2000. There was also a System scale version made in 2006, set 6206 https://brickset.com/sets/6206-1/TIE-Interceptor and a System TIE Bomber, set 4479, released in 2003: https://brickset.com/sets/4479-1/TIE-Bomber All of these are retired sets, and the '03 and '06 sets still have the odd black and blue coloration that LEGO chose for whatever reason, but my intent was to show that they've all been done already. I threw in the UCS Interceptor in case you weren't familiar; it wasn't minifig scale.
  9. M'Kyuun
    My wife and I saw it yesterday, and we both enjoyed it. I detest the Bay movies, and I had strong doubts about this in the beginning, especially when the aesthetic still mirrored the Bay-former look, albeit toned down. I'm happy to say my initial impressions were wrong. What really made this movie stand apart was that it made you both like and care about Bee and Charlie and their growing friendship, which was similar to Spike's and Bee's friendship in the G1 toon. The Decepticon characters, too, had fitting personalities (Shatter, voiced by Angela Basset, embodied the deception aspect of the eponymous baddies). It was a fun movie, non-offensive, with humor that was actually funny without being ribald or cringeworthy, and full of heart. The swearing was pretty minimal. It very much has the feel of 80's Spielberg. If I have any negatives to say about the script, it was Cena's stereotypical soldier that was a bit over the top. Alas, I suppose it's fitting for a modern movie taking cues from 80's movies. The transformations are used to good effect, even if they still defy mechanical logic. But, just like the G1 toon, which fudged transformations all the time, I was carried away by the story and characters to the point where I didn't really care, and honestly, that's what made the movie so enjoyable. Travis wants to do a movie set entirely on Cybertron, and based on this film, I vehemently hope he gets the greenlight, as they've finally found a director who could do it justice, IMHO. I wish they'd hired him back in '07, as I think he would've made the TF live action film(s) many of us envisioned.
  10. M'Kyuun
    I never had many GI Joe toys, but even by today's standards, the vast majority were so well designed that the originals could be rereleased and I think they would still appeal. The original cartoon, not so much. I thought they struck a good balance with GI Joe: Resolute a few years back. It was a bit of a reboot, and I liked the direction they took with it- it was well written, a little grittier, and the art style wasn't the oversimplified Teen Titans-esque direction that has become so prevalent in the US. However, I don't recall seeing any toys for the line I haven't been a fan of the live action movies, and I don't read the comics, but it doesn't sound like either is fueling the line successfully. It's a shame, really, b/c those old toys were amazing, are still amazing, and it'd be great if Hasbro found a good formula for a show to find a new audience, and of course, sell a lot of toys, both old and new. There's definitely potential there, although I think today's generation would rather play soldier with a controller instead of action figures.
  11. M'Kyuun
    I think so too, and moreso with every interview they do with him. The obvious question in my mind for the past decade is why didn't they initially hire a director with this kind of connection to Transformers at the outset instead of Bay, who had no connection, and indeed, perhaps a bit of disdain, for it. So, whether or not I end up liking Bumblebee, I can safely say I at least like the direction Travis is taking, and hopefully he'll have the opportunity and freedom to inject more of what he enjoys about Transformers from a fan perspective.
  12. M'Kyuun
    To be fair, Bandai's offerings tend to be much more affordable than the previous Yamato, and now Arcadia offerings, relative to many 3P TF prices. At the very least, I'm surprised you haven't gotten an Arcadia 1/60 VF-1. Bandai's VF-19 Advance/YF-19 are pretty nice, too. I love my Yamato VF-19 (blue and yellow) and VF-11, and IMHO, Arcadia's YF-19 is a solid entry as well. I'm also a fan of the renewal VF-25s from Frontier, although I can understand why it's a hit-or-miss design.These constitute bare minimum must-haves from the valk pantheon in my book. Still waiting for the nigh perfect YF-21 to come along. I won't argue, however, that it is an evermore expensive pursuit, these Macross toys, so I can understand confining one's buying to a particular line or theme. Mike, you've served the community well with your reviews and insights, and I'm glad you've found a home here. Also, just wanted to wish Good Luck to all you folks trying to score a Flame Toys Star Saber on Saturday.
  13. M'Kyuun
    Curious to see what he transforms into, as the signs are there for an Earth-styled cabover. Which would be weird if he's on Cybertron many years before the cabover was invented. All things being equal, this is a big step in the right direction for live action, so even if he ends up with a convoluted Cybertronian alt, cool points to Travis for making Optimus look like Optimus. So glad Bay is out. Edit: jumped over to TFW2005, and got my question answered. Apparently Earth mode and it looks good, better than Seige Prime's alt. http://news.tfw2005.com/2018/12/19/studio-series-ss-38-optimus-prime-bumblebee-movie-back-of-packaging-image-379211 Dammit, might have to get this, too.
  14. M'Kyuun
    I agree in the sense that this should have been a fix from the start; however, that's water under the bridge. I ordered Skycrow a while back, as Skywarp's color scheme has always been my favorite of the G1 seekers. Yesterday I PO'd their version of Thrust, as he's always been my favorite of that trio, and as luck would have it, he's going to be packaged with the wing fillers for Skycrow. So, win, win.
  15. M'Kyuun
    Totally agree; I still have an unfinished model of it I bought in Okinawa 20+ years ago. Someday I'll dig it out and complete it, as it's still one of my favorite Gundam designs. My knowledge of Star Saber is nigh nonexistent, so I Googled to see what the transformation looks like. Gotta say, to my eyes, it's far closer to Gundam or super robot territory than to Transformers. Not at all crazy about it in either form, but especially its spaceship? mode. For those that dig it (lookin at you, Kuma), I'm glad that that these high end figs are out there, though. I'm sure this guy is much more popular with Japanese fans who grew up watching him, and with a few Westerners as well. Wow, no kidding. But, y'know, nostalgia has a tendency to make people lose rational financial thinking. I'm guilty, both for TFs and LEGO. On topic, though, I don't think I paid that much for my reissue, and it came with the trailer. Glad I got it when I did.
  16. M'Kyuun
    For those interested in Magic Square's take on MP Optimus, they've posted a stop-motion short: https://tformers.com/magic-square-not-optimus-prime-stop-motion-animation-is-a-masterpiece/34541/news.html I wish toy companies here in the West should advertise their figures like this- so much more dynamic and life-like than seeing a kid 'flying' the figure through the air or putting (often slamming) the figure down on the ground in a single pose.
  17. M'Kyuun
    A set of pristine G1 toys to sit alongside their modern MP counterparts would make for a nice display. Definitely an elegant way to show the evolution of toy design these past 30+ years. For those interested in V3, the designers did an interview for the 2019 Generations book. http://news.tfw2005.com/2018/12/15/transformers-generations-book-2019-mp-44-optimus-prime-ver-3-0-designer-team-interview-translation-378910 I always enjoy hearing what goes into the design process of these figures. I find it interesting how they considered MP-10 to be the definitive OP, so the challenge was how to make the new figure better.
  18. M'Kyuun
    My interest in G1 toys was waning in the 80's with just about every toy I bought, for the exact reason you mentioned-lack of articulation throughout the vast majority of the toyline. The only reissues I'd be interested in are the cassettes, b/c they generally had some poseability plus they were just cool. Otherwise, I have to say the MP line, for the most part, has given me the toys I wish we'd gotten back then. I'm not too crazy about the overzealous toon-centric direction they've taken of late. I love my Prowl, Sideswipe, Soundwave, MP-10 Prime, Shockwave, and Wheeljack. I like Ratchet, Ironhide, Inferno, and MP-36 Megatron, but the lack of detail in their bot modes, plus the open sides of the torsos on the van bros leave somewhat to be desired. MP-36 is a fine toy, but TBH, I wish there wasn't so much origami involved in the chest, as it just doesn't look right to me. The legs are brilliant, though. V3 has its pros and cons, but now that my shellformer theory has blown up in my face, I'm a bit intrigued. The MP Hound they revealed just didn't look right to me, either. I've since gone 3P for my Hound and I have a 3P MP Optimus PO'd. However, if Hasbro sells V3 without the trailer/extras at a markedly lower price, I'd be interested in getting a copy.
  19. M'Kyuun
    The only G1 reissue I ever bought was Optimus; I have him boxed up somewhere around here, but I don't even remember there being a color difference or cropped stacks. Regardless, he's good enough as-is to satisfy my desire to have the original. I wish they'd reissued G1 Megs, but the whole gun thing, which is ridiculously ironic in this country, kinda put the brakes on that happening. My hope now, having seen V3 all laid out, is that a cab only version with minimal accessories will get a stateside release at a much reduced price. All I want is Prime and his gun. Everything else just stays in the box, although I can understand folks wanting some of the other stuff, esp his energon axe, which has kinda become a necessity for Sherman Dam re-enactments. I just want the new figure for about $150 or so, with both the stripe on his cab and his leg vents painted silver. I require nothing more.
  20. M'Kyuun
    Hey, those are Dia Block. I had a bunch of that stuff growing up, and built with it as much, if not more, than my meager LEGO collection (at the time- now it takes up a quarter of my house). It was known as Brix-Blox, or Loc-Blocks here in the States. Anyway, cool build. Those little valks are adorable. I haven't really kept up on the evolution of Dia Block, but judging from that arcade cabinet, they're still producing some neat stuff. I had some cool space sets they produced back in the '80s, and I loved them, as they introduced a lot of new and more complex elements that hadn't been available prior. Anyway, thanks for sharing. You've pressed my nostalgia button, so I may have go see what else they're making these days. (IIRC, they made Gundam and Evangelion sets some years back, but I didn't keep up with their stuff beyond that). It'd be cool if they made Macross sets-just sayin'. Cheers!
  21. M'Kyuun
    Beat me to it- I was just getting ready to post this. Anyway, I stand corrected for assuming it was a shellformer, and for incessantly beating that drum over a number of posts. I was wrong, and I apologize. That's a pretty complex transformation, and it's a shame that the backpack ended up so voluminous. I had assumed that most of the cab's panels were folded up in there, but it seems that it's mostly made up of the lower half of the front cab, and the windshield sections flip 180 degrees depending on mode. I've been trying to figure out how the back wheels reconfigure, but I can't make it out from the pics. Anyway, I have a heightened respect for the level of plastic origami brought to bear. That said, there are aesthetic niggles I still have with it, which ultimately persuaded me towards a third party option even before the price was announced. The price is a tough pill, in retrospect. That said, seeing the engineering of this thing laid out makes me want to try transforming it all the more. It's a perverse addiction, these Transformers.
  22. M'Kyuun
    "O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!" I chortled in my joy. I'm hoping this is a continuing trend, then. I've not seen the film, yet, and TBH really wasn't planning to, as it still borrows from the Bayverse look, especially Bee's face ; however, with all these positive, affirmative reviews, I'm kinda looking forward to seeing it now. I guess all it took to make a good live action TF film was a director who actually knows and cares about Transformers. Go figure. Only took them a decade of craptastic films to figure it out, but I'm glad there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel. I hope the G1ish makeover continues, as it flies in the face of Bay's early opinion that it doesn't work for live action. Travis Knight's film proves it does. Kinda curious if triple changing versions of Shatter and Dropkick are coming- I'd love a Shatter that at least turns into a fairly accurate Harrier. Actually, they could just do a version of her like Dropkick with just a Harrier alt, and I'd be purty happy.
  23. M'Kyuun
    I have no interest in the Hargun, as I'm not really into the parts-forming aspect. I'm waiting for POs on that Arcadia Proto garland though. Been wanting a decent toy of that thing for years; I skipped the Yamato release due to all the QC issues that seemed endemic of those toys. I'm hoping Arcadia does it better, with lessons learned.
  24. M'Kyuun
    Gave Kevin's review a watch, and while I initially thought it looked pretty nice in the picture, seeing the thing being demonstrated makes me feel this is a step or two backwards, especially for a Masterpiece figure. In short, the truck mode has bot bits hanging down from its undercarriage, around the back wheels, four toes hanging down below the tailgate, and mechanical bits pressed against the side windows quite obviously. In bot mode, the legs look great, but the price is all the bot kibble visible in alt mode. Moreover, the hood halves don't appear to tab in very securely, untabbing and sagging with just a little handling. The shoulders connect behind and in line with the front fenders, which limits their poseability to nearly nil. They can swing out laterally, but there's little to no forward swing, which means the elbow offers the only joint allowing for fore and aft posing of the arms. I thought perhaps he had it transformed incorrectly and that the shoulders would swing out to sit outside the front tires, similar to the '07 voyager, but apparently not. IMHO, this is unacceptable in a MP figure. I daresay the voyager is a better toy (I have it and have vague memories of messing with him a decade or so ago.) I don't have the leader class toy from around the same period, so I can't comment on it. However, I do remember that the shoulders on the voyager could tab into the center of the tires, which offered a decent range. The sculpt is the best part of the MPM, IMHO, as Takara did a nice job of trying to capture all the random mechanical bits , especially on the legs and the feet. It has nice poseability from the waist down, including a decent ab crunch. The shoulder attachment point (it should actually attach where the round grey mechanical bit sits above the tire) and the weak connection of the hood halves bring down both the quality and the playability of the figure, and the vehicle mode is spoiled by all the low hanging bot bits. To be fair, I had no interest in acquiring this figure even before watching the video, but as I kinda like movie Ironhide's design, mostly for that splitting hood design, I thought I'd give the vid a look. I must admit to being disappointed; having designed several mainline Ironhide toys, I'd have though Takara would really nail a MP version of this. Moreover, I wanted it to be the definitive version, even if I wasn't going to pick it up. Alas, it looks nice as a shelf display.
  25. M'Kyuun
    I'm not sure from the description, but the Raiden Armor from Gasaraki looks a bit like that Hexa-Gear mech. Been too long since I watched Gasaraki to remember if a character ate their ramen inside the mech. Can't remember if I've seen all of Metal Skin Panic Madox, but I've seen vids of the mech (lots of realism) and it's definitely old school, circa '87. Worth checking out. As for the second, can't help you there, either.
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