Jump to content

M'Kyuun

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    5187

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Everything posted by M'Kyuun

  1. M'Kyuun
    I didn't get MP Hound, but for those who did, and for any of us who likes official Transformers, this is disheartening news that certainly gives pause concerning trust in the brand. As you said, for the prices Takara commands for the latest spate of MP figures, one expects, at minimum, a toy that's well-built and will stand the test of time being manipulated; after all, that's kinda the point of these things. So, yeah, it sounds like they need to take a look at their process, and do some housecleaning, as it were, or they're going to alienate many of their consumers who are weary of expensive toys that fall to pieces when touched. For their sakes, and for ours, the collectors/fans, I wish them every success in restoring quality. I just hope it doesn't add an additional $50 to the asking price.
  2. M'Kyuun
    I like transforming motorcycles, but I always thought the designs of these things were just terrible. There was a better stand alone Arcee figure that came out in '07 that I believe was based on unused concept art for the character. I have her, and while I much prefer the Prime cartoon Arcee, the Bayformer version wasn't half bad for that aesthetic, although she had a fair bit of kibble and a fish face. I'll confess, I've never seen the screen versions of Arcee and the bike girls, so I only have the toys, these and the deluxes that were released years ago, to judge by. I don't know which of the films they were in, TBH, as I find them abhorrent, so perhaps they looked better onscreen. I doubt it, but I have my bias. The Cycle-girl toys, though, have never looked good to me, and, despite my bias, I have a decent collection of Bayverse figures from over the years, and I actually do like quite a number of them. From what I've read over on the TFW and Seibertron boards, there's a Siege Arcee coming this year, and that definitely piques my interest. I hope they're able to make a less kibble-y version than her Generations release. If they borrowed some engineering cues from MMC's Azalea, I wouldn't be heartbroken. I do find it odd, however, that she's being released during the Earthrise wave rather than the first, which would have been apropos, as she never had an Earth mode in the Movie or the show. I sense a potential redesign. I just hope she gets her own mold and isn't yet another partial remold/recolor of the Moonracer toy. Not the best design.
  3. M'Kyuun
    The Proto looks gorgeous. Can't wait to get my shipping notification from AE.
  4. M'Kyuun
    I always enjoy your Iron Factory reviews, Kuma. One Man Army looks great, and the Mini-Cooper alt is perfect for a mini-bot. Pretty sweet. I wish this was official, as it already has a leg up on the upcoming Siege Cliffjumper by eschewing the need to parts-form, and AFAIK, there is no official Mini-Cooper alt mode, which seems a bit of an obvious omission so far as the smaller bots go.
  5. M'Kyuun
    What the...? The Japanese-- shakes head and laughs.
  6. M'Kyuun
    I'm not quite so vehemently against scantily clad female heroes, but the pragmatist in me thinks it's a little ridiculous and unnecessary, so we're similar in our views. Concerning Nicee, I still wish they made her chest smaller, or provided cup-size options (what a funny thing to be discussing when talking about Transformers), but on the whole, she's just a beautiful figure from various perspectives. I'm still waiting to see if they kept her gun-in-leg storage feature, a la Robocop. I hope so. Kinda curious where those huge jugs go when she transforms, or if they parts-form. That's a lot of volume to hide.
  7. M'Kyuun
    Don't know Skullface; like Mike, I just watch his TF reviews, and as Mike mentioned, Bobby shouts out to friends loaning him figures to review probably more than figs he actually owns, TF-wise, anyway. So, yeah, he has a fantastic network of folks willing to loan him stuff, and I'm a little envious. In all fairness, though, Skullface seems like a really honest and morally decent guy to deal with, and that's part and parcel to why so many folks are willing to go through the hassle of sending him their expensive, and oft fragile, high-end toys for review. It's pretty damned cool if you give it a moment's thought. I'd be nervous about losing my stuff in the mail, or having the reviewer in question inadvertently break my expensive, and perhaps difficult to obtain, toy. You and me both, brother. One could get that impression, at least from the outside, since most of us buy what we like, and there's a tendency to create a false bias to justify a purchase when it doesn't live up to expectations. Having read a good many of your reviews, however, I don't get that impression. You call out the negatives as well as pointing out the good, so I think you do a good job of presenting a fair and objective look at the figures you review. And there's nothing wrong with liking a figure with flaws; nothing's perfect, after all. The delicacy of the situation is being able to acknowledge those flaws, call them out, along with the good, make a fair assessment, and offer an honest recommendation. You do these things, and that's what makes you a good reviewer.
  8. M'Kyuun
    Really enjoyed the first; I figured if a sequel was made, it'd revolve around the discovery of using sound as a weapon to defeat the creatures, and the film would be akin to Aliens . This looks good, though, actually better than another military bug-hunt. In these sorts of films, where the first begins with the aftermath of some calamity, in this case invasion by a less-than-cordial species, I usually enjoy seeing how that calamity unfolded, and I hope we get to see John Krasinski, who's again co-writing and directing, reprise his role as the father, at least for a brief time. I like the line, "The people who survived aren't the kind of people worth saving", as it sets up a moral conundrum, and I can't help but feel, perhaps too cynically, that that's the way it would go if something like this really did happen. It's a good setup for yet another adventure for our intrepid family , and I look forward to how it plays out in the sequel.
  9. M'Kyuun
    Nice group photo, Tekering. Lotsa third party love going on there. I liked the Grimlock design from Fall of Cybertron, and the HasTak version left much to be desired. The Planet X, which I've only seen in reviews, did a brilliant job of capturing the look, and imbuing the dino mode with a lot of articulation, which is an area where official toys often fall short when the alt is a creature of some sort. I don't know why, but I have a soft spot for Arcee; I thought she was a good character, I love Sue Blu's voice through the character, and I really like a decent transforming toy of her, especially considering the challenges inherent in translating her lithe and nearly kibble-less (per the animation model) bot mode. I was pretty excited for the Generations figure, the only toy representation we've ever had of G1 Arcee in any line, like ever. It was more of a shellformer than I would have liked (I think some of her car kibble could have been reduced while still presenting a decent car mode, but it is what it is), but overall, it was still pretty decent. Prior to the CHUG Arcee, the closest we ever had in official form was Animated Arcee, which definitely took its cues from the G1 design, but was its own thing ultimately. I still love that mold, though. I have MMC's Azalea as my MP Arcee, and, IMHO, she's an excellent figure- well-engineered , lots of articulation, a good car mode (the cockpit area being the only concession), fun to transform, just all-around good. I'm hoping Nicee will share all these traits as well. Ah man, Windblade just can't seem to get a good toy. I own three versions- Thrilling Thirty, Titans Return, and the Robots in Disguise versions. The Titans Return is the simplest to transform, followed by the RID, whose legs are bulky, and thus form a bulky aft jet section with, oddly, two sets of stabs. The Thrilling Thirty is closest to the comic depiction, but fiddly, difficult to balance, and I hate that her toes stick up perpetually when she's in her plane mode. Would it have killed them to hinge those things so they flush in jet mode? Grrr The TR version also has bulky legs, but I like the way the toes fold and tab into her back forming a more natural looking aircraft. All three toys just have the arms tabbing into the side of the plane, looking very much like arms. I hope Big Firebird find a more elegant solution for integrating the arms into the transformation, or at least hiding them out of sight in jet mode. You're good, Mike- I didn't construe anything you said as negative or judgmental. Everyone has his own preferences- that's just human nature, and it'd be a damned boring world if everyone liked exactly the same thing with no variance. I also wish I had friends like Skulface, only I'd just like the opportunity to check out some of these figs without actually buying them. Be nice if there was a toy library where you could check these things out for a week or two- just pay a liability fee plus S&H. Could get expensive....
  10. M'Kyuun
    Honestly, I don't think she really fits the MP aesthetic- too many artistic liberties, especially those to overtly emphasize her femininity- but sometimes a toy stands on its own merit, and I think this does. T&A aside, the beautiful sculpt work itself, the paint, the features ( articulating hydraulic cylinders in her knees, and possible in-leg gun storage), the articulation, the ability to swap heads and reconfigure her fenders to create two different characters, and the fact that she pulls off a pretty decent transformation into a recognizable, albeit stylized, Arcee car mode all combined to make this a figure I felt I'd really enjoy for what it is on its own. I realize the sexualized nature of it may not be to everyone's liking (I'd actually prefer it to be toned down a little), but I can look past that one aspect to see the other stuff it offers, and overall, it appeals to me. I'll probably keep her on my desk along with a lot of my other disparate robot toys for which I have no related companions. Just a cool toy for cool toy's sake.
  11. M'Kyuun
    Ah man, tugging at the heart strings. Like many of us, uh, older folks here, I grew up with Schoolhouse Rock, and the merest mention conjures up good memories. Jack Sheldon's vocals on "I'm Just a Bill", and "Conjunction Junction", which are probably two of the most popular songs from that series, still evokes a strong sense of nostalgia for many Americans who were fortunate to grow up in a time when Saturday cartoons were still a thing. ( I feel bad that today's kids will never know the shared joy of watching toons for four or five hours solid, and all the sweet nostalgia that goes with it. YouTube is a poor substitute, IMHO). On a personal note, my name is Bill, and in my younger days in the military, I'd sometimes sing "I'm Just a Bill" to the amusement of my comrades (and myself)- having that shared connection was funny and cool, and I'm glad to have been just a very small part of keeping that Schoolhouse Rock legacy alive. Thanks for the memories, Mr. Sheldon, and I hope you're keeping them entertained in some cosmic jazz club somewhere out there.
  12. M'Kyuun
    +1 for preferring the aesthetic, both bot and alt, of Cyberverse Megs over the Siege version. Kinda wish they'd done the same tank, only upscaled and with better engineering for his Siege Cybertronian tank mode, as it has a little bit of a Tron vibe to it (and, yeah, Star Wars, too, with that paint scheme). Honestly, they made Siege Megs' tank mode so close to an Earth mode that I'm wondering if there's even going to be an Earthrise mold. It'd be ironic if there was, and it turned out to look like the Cyberverse version. I'm still enamored of the Robots in Disguise warrior class Megatronus figure. While not the most complex toy, I dig the minimalist sci-fi tank mode and his bot mode. I wouldn't have minded a voyager scaled version with improved engineering for Siege. So, I saw a list of upcoming Earthrise figs and was pleased to see Snapdragon among the names. I hope it gets more love from the design team than Apeface.
  13. M'Kyuun
    My understanding for that bit of debatable engineering is due to Jeep's request that the hood remain intact. I still don't see why a hinged panel that folds under and allows the head to poke through wouldn't have been a good compromise, but whatever. But yeah, given the necessity for a floating linkage, it's not that bad, although it could have been a little better if it had at least tabbed into the hood, just to anchor it. The folding shoulder weapon and tires are both clever bits of engineering. I like the fact that pretty much everything that's indicative of the G1 character is completely inclusive, so kudos to Takara for some neat engineering. I wish they'd bring some of that mindset to Generations- at this point, integrated weapon storage in alt mode should be the standard. Having these big guns hanging off the cars at all sorts of odd external areas just looks terrible. I've watched at least two reviews, and in neither did anyone show whether the arms can clear the front fenders when posed straight ahead and rotated around at the shoulder. That was one of the main deciding factors for me when I chose Gundog over Willis (plus I liked the chunkier, more G1 toyish aesthetic). At least MP Hound has a nice butterfly to overcome any hindrance those fenders may pose, although it looks a bit awkward, and kinda breaks the sculpt a bit, to my eyes anyway. MP Hound looks alright, but I think I'll stick with my Gundog for now.
  14. M'Kyuun
    It's difficult to image the last 40 years of film without the influence of his art throughout, not to mention his various contributions to industries. Like most sci-fi fans, my life and hobbies are greatly enriched because of his contributions. He brought beauty into so many worlds, and in whatever one he inhabits now, I hope the favor is returned. RIP, Mr. Mead.
  15. M'Kyuun
    If Nicee, and their follow-on version of Windblade are good sellers, I could see them doing a version of Blackarachnia,in this style. Nicee's looking good- I wasn't expecting metallic pink, but it works, especially against the pearlescent white. I hope the thigh still opens to store her gun Robocop style, as was shown in the concept art- it looks like it opens, so fingers crossed. I've already got mine PO'd, so I'm just waiting for a release date.
  16. M'Kyuun
    Zeta's Movie Bee has a beautiful bot mode, and a decent car mode, but looks like it has a really fidgety PITA transformation. I'm not a big fan of electronics in my toys, but I'll give props for good application/presentation. Love the weathering. Pretty neat.
  17. M'Kyuun
    Had to do some research, but that Unit 01 is based off a cameo appearance he had in an anime called Shinkansen Robo Henkei Shinkalion about transforming train characters battling ancient forces trying to reclaim the Earth. In an episode, the main character travels to Tokyo-3 and meets none other than Shinji Ikari piloting a Shinkalion Eva Unit 01. The official toyline was produced by Takara, so a very reminiscent Transformers look. That Bleeding Edge Iron Man is gorgeous, as is that ludicrously over-armed War Machine. Wonder Woman looks really good, too. I own some early 2000's Revoltech figs, mostly Evangelion, and while they were good, these are just works of art. For their size, I wish they weren't so expensive, but it is what it is. That Iron Man is tempting...so is that Eva Evo. Love me some Unit 01.
  18. M'Kyuun
    It never occurred to me to critique the style or design of Rey's saber, except to acknowledge that, in Jedi tradition, she'd made her own. I thought it a cool and fitting scene where she took the sabers of her two mentors back to Luke's old homestead. It was a nice tribute, I thought, and if she ever needs them again, she has a good landmark to guide her. Someone mentioned a double-bladed saber not fitting Rey's style, and I respectfully disagree, considering she used a staff as a weapon long before she ever picked up a lightsaber. A double-bladed saber would be an extension of her original weapon, in my mind. Or, better yet, if the non-blade end had a mechanical extension, much like police batons, which would give her a staff and a lightsaber all in one. And a walking stick for those arduous climbs to find old gruff Jedi masters. Now that the main trilogies are done, and it seems like we'll just get offshoots and interim stories to flesh out the Star Wars Universe, I hope at some point there'll be another movie, or series, about Rey, whether it be live-action or animated. I'd love to see Gendy Tartakovsky get a chance to do Rey's continuing story, similar to what he did with his awesome Clone Wars shorts, which, IMHO, were far better than the Prequels that inspired them. Hers is a story I'd like to see more of. As for Poe and Finn, there's just nothing about either character that makes me want to see more, although I think Finn could have some potential in the right writer's capable hands. It's kind of a wasted opportunity that they didn't make his character more savvy, as he'd have made an excellent spy to infiltrate and disrupt First Order operations with his insider's knowledge. That could be a natural extension of his character in future chronicles of the Final Trilogy characters, as they work to further decimate an already fragmented First (Final) Order. If not Genndy, then I hope Filoni and Co will continue the story. They should have let him do all three of the Final Trilogy films, as he has demonstrated again and again, a very deft ability to capture the look and feel of Star Wars in a way that makes it an enjoyable ride with great characters, plots, and writing.
  19. M'Kyuun
    Not the same paint job, no. I visited the Aviation museum of the Smithsonian years ago, and may have seen it there, but with so much time having elapsed, I couldn't say with any certainty. The posted pic is the Evergreen Museum's, with the H-4's tail in the background.
  20. M'Kyuun
    Appreciate the Flypro review, Mike. FH did a good job on him. Honestly, the pinkish (magenta, I always thought) coloration never bothered me. Anyway, I'm not sure what further improvements FH could have done beyond better articulation. It's pretty spot on, and the flap in the creature head to cover the hole where his bot head goes is a really nice touch. Monsterbots were never really on my MP want list, but I'm sure someone out there wanted them, so it's nice that they're available, and that they're done pretty well, especially in the absence of competition. Thanks Mike, and Happy Holidays!
  21. M'Kyuun
    There's definitely a fragility to Yamato's and, by extension, Arcadia's figures that breeds caution when handling them. I find the Bandai stuff to stuff to be more forgiving, thus far, and just more solid feeling, on the whole. Regardless, I don't handle my Macross toys, or my Transformers, really, all that much, especially my higher end toys. My CHUG shelf is usually my go-to when I get itchy fingers and just want to transform something quick. Most of the MP TFs, especially the more recent ones from the last couple of years, have a complexity such that, unless one remains familiar with each transformation, the process can be simultaneously worrying (that you'll break something) and frustrating (by virtue of forgetting steps, dealing with close or tight tolerances, etc), which deters me from wanting to handle them much. I usually find a pose I like, and leave them. Likewise my Macross stuff, although recently, with Macross 7 fresh on my mind, I pulled down my VF-19S and transformed it for the first time in years. What a glorious figure, nigh perfect in just about every respect. As to the use, and feel of die cast, I'll concur that a hefty fig does feel good in the hands, but time is usually harsher to those figs that have it in abundance. To that end, I find myself preferring its use as purely utilitarian when it serves to strengthen something that would be too stressful for plastic. I know a lot of third parties still use it, much more so than HasTak, who've all but abandoned it except in the rarest of occasions. As long as it's used judiciously and, for lack of a better word, strategically, throughout a given figure, with proper tolerances applied to the joints of said figure, then it lends itself well to heft and presentation. I'm thinking of FT's Dibots- good use of diecast in those guys, and they present very well, with Soar (Swoop) being the one exception, as his upper torso is diecast, and his knees are not really toleranced for how top-heavy he is. He's just a heavy figure, period. Referring back to Mike's Monsterbot reviews, I like what Fans Hobby did with both of these. The proportions in both modes for each appeal to me. They're not exactly on my radar , but I appreciate the designs nonetheless. Personally, I only had Grotusque as a kid, and spent the additional ducats to get the HasTak exclusive, which I like. I'll give props to HasTak, as they managed to use the same basic mold for all three Monsterbots, and still managed to differentiate them through various remolded bits and transformation processes. The only one I didn't get was Repugnus, as I wasn't interested in them when they were first introduced in TR or PotP (I forget which). I later found Doublecross on discount, so I have two out of three of the official toys. Anyway, Grotusque remains my favorite of the three, and I hope there's a Fans Hobby version for review coming soon.
  22. M'Kyuun
    I would recommend MMC's Stray(Drift) and Azalea(Arcee), which both have nice car modes (Azalea's is slightly more compromised, as her open cockpit is adequate, but not super detailed, and the back of her bot head is partially visible), but the bot modes both have excellent articulation, with a minimal of kibble. I don't consider heft to be nearly as important in classifying a collectible as engineering, sculptwork, complexity, paint apps/deco, and features. Die-cast is nice, but, for long life of a toy, best if used minimally and more for structural integrity or where thin linkages are necessary for moving parts, or load bearing. I look at my Bandai and Arcadia Macross stuff a good examples of die-cast being used judiciously. They're light, but certainly not toys in the most common sense, as in something I'd give to a child. Just my $.02 on that subject.
  23. M'Kyuun
    As have I, at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in OR, home to the Hughes H-4 Hercules, more commonly known as the Spruce Goose, a derisive nickname that Hughes despised. The museum had a really nice collection of aircraft, including an SR-71 without barriers, so you can walk up to the aircraft and touch it (I did), an AH-1 Cobra, a MiG-29, a number of WWII aircraft, Cold War aircraft, various helicopters, and even a Titan Missile. If you're in OR, and you like planes and space stuff, I highly recommend paying a visit. The Hercules experience was mildly disappointing, as you have to pay extra to enter the flight deck, which we didn't do, and the vast majority of the aircraft's interior is sadly off limits to visitors. But the plane itself is quite the spectacle, especially considering that it's made almost entirely of wood- some incredible craftsmanship on display. It's such an impressive and audacious feat of engineering, and quite lamentable that all that hard work building her culminated in only one single short flight.
  24. M'Kyuun
    Yep, first time viewing it. I've long read the various criticisms, but you never really know until you experience it for yourself, as everyone's perceptions differ. That said, I don't hate it; in fact, now that I'm about 17 eps in and the main story, the Protodeviln attacking the M7 for 'spiritia', with untold peril ahead with the recent awakening of Sivil, I'm beginning to enjoy it on the whole. I get what Basara is trying to do, but it's just such a hamfisted copy of Minmei, at least as I see it right now (at this point, his motivation for doing so is unclear), and honestly it wouldn't even bother me, being such an integral part of Macross storytelling, if his songs weren't so insufferable. Hopefully that'll change. As I said, they just introduced "Remember Sixteen" in ep 17, and for once I liked a Basara song, so there's potential hope. For the sake of all that's good and righteous, I hope they sh!tcan "Planet Dance" in favor of "Remember 16" in future eps. As for valks being piloted by instruments. If I could make that eyeroll any more emphatic, I would. I'll give it a modicum of credit for uniqueness, but otherwise, it's pretty lame. Is it terrible of me to cheer every time Basara has to fire a missile, not just because it's the practical action to take, but also b/c it pisses him off to have to resort to it? Every time it happens, I feel like "F##k you, Basara, you stupid panzy-ass b*tch"! I love it when both Gamlin and Mylene point out how ineffectual his singing is, and how the Protodeviln just ignore him. They purposely made him a mostly pointless protagonist, as if they wanted you to hate him, even if he does do some heroic stuff when he's on the ground. I'm guessing it's all a setup for him to become the hero he 'knows' he's meant to be, doing things his way. There are already hints that his terrible songs are going to cause an awakening, or a rejuvenation, of the captured humans under Protodeviln control. So, the writing's on the wall. Damn! Gotta keep on slogging through to see what happens. I'm waiting for Mylene to come into her own, both as a singer and a fighter pilot. If I'm wrong, don't tell me.
  25. M'Kyuun
    I'm not a super robot guy, per se, but I can definitely appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into these things- wickedly beautiful stuff. I clicked on the link that Dragonstar posted above and was perusing the various figs when I came upon Goodsmile's Johanna/Anata transforming motorcycle from Persona 5. While I'm not a motorcycle guy at all, I totally dig transforming motorcycles, and this one caught my eye for its uniqueness, especially the humanoid face. I don't play the game, haven't seen the animation, but the design itself is very evocative and screams 'cool!' to my inner being. Seeing how well this turned out (it does partsform the engine, but is otherwise fully transformable), I'd love to see their take on the Motoslave from BGC. I managed to get a Yamato Linna version at an acceptably affordable price a few years back, just to have the mold (Pris' version was astronomically priced no matter where I looked, and having seen any number of vids, was pretty convinced it just wasn't worth those prices), but the Yammie toy is a bit fiddly and frail, and the arms just fall off of Linna at the merest touch. And it requires quite a bit of partsforming. A better engineered update would be most welcome.
×
×
  • Create New...