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M'Kyuun

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  1. M'Kyuun
    Golden response.
  2. M'Kyuun
    Likewise. But then, so were most of the musicians who've passed in the last couple of years. Rock-n-Roll takes its toll, but then again, the Stones, Ozzy, Aerosmith, and many others are still with us, so I guess it just boils down to when it's your time to go, fin. It was good to have him while we did. RIP, and condolences to his family, friends, and fans.
  3. M'Kyuun
    Well, like anything else, diversity is a good thing as everyone likes different things. Being an old fart who grew up watching the original show, that will always be my go-to for Transformers lore, as it informed everything that came after. Sorry Kuma, but I'm with Mike concerning the Unicron Trilogy; it was pretty to watch with all the CG cell shading, but I just couldn't get into it at all. Glad you liked it though. Also glad to hear both of you will be proud possessors of Howling Meteor; two reviews are better than one, and Kuma's photos are always a nice treat.
  4. M'Kyuun
    Mike, I hope you'll do a review on Howling Meteor. Now that I have all 5 Dinobots and my Devastator, I'm slowing down on third party acquisitions, esp since LEGO keep pumping out sets like the Ninjago City and UCS Millennium Falcon, and many more. Alas, Maketoy's take on Starscream fits my idea of what MP Starscream should be, and if he turns out to be a really good figure, I'm down for at least one copy of the mold, most likely SS. I saw a few things among the TFCon photos that were of note. Richthofen looks awesome-pretty tempted. Kuma, lovely photography, as always. Gotta say, I love the Eva Unit 1 deco on that figure; I like the figure in its original scheme, but there's just something striking about Unit 1's colors.
  5. M'Kyuun
    Howling Meteor is just a beautiful Starscream toy, far superior aesthetically than the official MP seeker mold. I wish Takara would make a new seeker mold more in line with this, but, if reviews are positive, I might have to get a copy.
  6. M'Kyuun
    As longtime fans of the Ninjago tv show, my wife and I were a little disappointed to learn, well before seeing the movie, that it was its own stand alone story apart from the show, which by now has a pretty rich backstory. We still saw it, and enjoyed it for what it was. I suppose it made sense to make it stand alone with a more basic premise to appeal to a wide audience, especially those who don't watch the tv show. There were little nods to the show, but that was about the extent of their connection beyond the character names. So, this coming weekend is BrickCon in Seattle, and as usual, I plan on taking a few of my MOCs for display. I just finished this guy, well tentatively. It's been a stressful last two weeks toiling away to get him done, and I'm happy to have something new in keeping with this year's 'back to old school' theme. He stands about 15" tall to the tops of his cannons.
  7. M'Kyuun
    Nice little model there; once I secure one, I've no idea where I'll put it, as nearly every flat surface in my little house has Transformers, Macross, or LEGO on it. Still, like the original UCS Falcon, I look forward to a nice week's worth of building. In response to Scyla's post above, I've been aware for some time the remarkable demand for the original set on secondary market, which makes $800 for the new improved version a steal, relatively speaking. Since a number of employees at LEGO, esp quite a few of the model designers, are AFOLs, who are very much entrenched in all things LEGO as a hobby and a lifestyle, I can't for a second believe that the leadership at LEGO were unaware of the demand for the retired UCS Falcon, facilitating a rather easy decision to design a new one after a decade of new parts and experience. According to an interview I read with the designers, it doesn't sound like they had a budget ceiling to adhere to, which freed them to make the best model they could. The medium itself was their main limitation factor, as they said they about stressed the parts to the allowable max. Personally, I've often thought that certain parts cast in aluminum would be really handy, primarily Technic links. Anyway, it's cool to see the inevitable reviews cropping up. Also cool to see Tommy from Bricknerd getting some hang time with the Tested crew. I'll make a shameless plug here for BrickCon, which is set to take place at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall on Oct 7 and 8. For anyone who likes to see amazing stuff built with LEGO, often without constraints, and not without a lot of humor or lack of artistry or technical detail, I hope to see you there. As usual, I'll be in the mecha section with a couple of my MOCS. The coolest thing about this convention is that it is entirely dependent upon AFOLs carting their creations from hither, thither, and yon, which sometimes means traversing oceans and datelines, just to have an opportunity to have four or five thousand people visit and check out their handiwork. It's a great time, highly recommended. Last of all, I'm not in any way a paid endorser, nor am I affiliated with BrickCon in any way except as a paying participant who likes to show off his models and engage with the crowds once a year. If any of you are interested in attending or participating, visit BrickCon.org.
  8. M'Kyuun
    Thanks for pointing that out; I didn't even notice the lighting effect, but I see what you mean. They kept it a light color to amplify the LED.
  9. M'Kyuun
    Talk about a transformation! That's an impressive paintjob. I wonder why they didn't paint the interiors of the feet; gunmetal with some black apps would have looked great.
  10. M'Kyuun
    There are folks who know this kind of stuff, but their nerd factor exceeds mine by quite a wide margin. Minifig scale to me means a minifig can fit in it, whether sitting, standing, laying, prone, or sideways, so it's not an exact measure by any means. Having the original, it's a big model, which means it'll take up even more room that I don't currently have (another reason why I'm really in no hurry to get a copy). I plan on getting a big shed next year, and then I'll be better situated to obtain a set of this size. As I mentioned, this thing's going to sell, even with the exorbitant price tag, so I imagine LEGO will keep it on the market until sales start to dip, which probably won't be for awhile, esp with Disney putting out a major episode every year, and with filler movies like Rogue One keeping it fresh.
  11. M'Kyuun
    Likewise; I'm in no hurry. LEGO knows they've got a good selling set on their hands, and judging by aftermarket for the original, this was really a no-brainer for them, esp given the hype generated by new movies every year. So, I'm going to keep building up my VIP points until at least half of the set is paid for (I'm close to that point now- I'm hoping for another double-VIP point month to come along so I can get the lovely Ninjago City set and get 600 points in one fell swoop.) I don't understand the whole queueing mentality; it's not like this is a one time only offer. Likewise for other products where people have to have it the day of release; I like stuff too, but that sort of fervent fanaticism eludes me. Anyway, if we have such release events here in the States, I hope it doesn't devolve into the usual mindless shoving and trampling that seems to accompany product releases these days. Patience and courtesy, America, not injury and death, over a toy that'll be available for awhile.
  12. M'Kyuun
    I was at my local TRU this weekend, but they had neither of the Bay-verse MPs. They did, however, have Sixshot; it was the first time I'd seen him anywhere, but as he doesn't interest me, I left him on the shelf. I looked for price stickers for MPM Prime and Bumblebee, but didn't see any, although I have no intention of buying either. Now, if they do a decent Blackout some time down the road, or even Brawl, I may consider those. I'm always on the lookout for the latest Generations figs, esp deluxes, but our TRU here never has them when I go in, or they have one or two older wave figs, which really peeves me when I see other folks post fully stocked pegs at their TRU. (not that I begrudge them, but it just irks me that our store here seldom has them) Alas, they're in my stack at TFSource. The hunt is pointless when there is no prey.
  13. M'Kyuun
    Never heard of up or down voting- seems petty. I was checking out some pics of the Volcanicus in-hand pics on TFW2005. I hope the final product allows Sludge's head and neck to snug up against his back in leg mode. There's something almost obscene in how it looks in those proto shots. I see they're still using the robot legs for elbows ; I get why, but it doesn't look good and with ball joints, there tends to be a bit of looseness, unwanted torsion, or both. At the very least, it would have been nice if the hip joints swiveled a la G1 Sludge so they can tab together to make a more solid joint. I do have to say I like how the upper torso looks. I intend to get these guys just b/c they're the first full set of G1 inspired Dinobots we've gotten, and they look decent on their own. The combiner thing is a nice plus, but my Dinos will likely remain as themselves.
  14. M'Kyuun
    PotP looks to be a mixed bag. Prime/ Orion Pax combo fig does a great job of evoking MP-10, which I imagine was the focus of the design, and his alt mode looks to be a whatever somewhat works afterthought. After thirty+ years of designing these things, not to mention all the third party competition, one expects these toys would be more evenly balanced and refined than what we're seeing here. Rodimus' bot mode suffers a similar fate, as bits of the smaller Hot Rod can be seen peaking through the crevices rather obviously. I get that something like this can be difficult to design, and I don't claim to be able to do it better. But a company with a division focused on making these things, IMHO, with all the experience garnered over the years, should be top of their game, or so I'd expect. That said, the new Dinobots are better than I expected, especially given that they're a combiner. As Mike S. pointed out, I wonder why they gave Grimlock such tiny toes. Anyway, in hindsight I'm glad I went with FT's Dinos for my collection instead of any of the combining teams, as I'll have these guys to fill the void in my CHUG collection, and the combining aspect is icing on the cake. Ultimate Optimus looks good; I just never cared for the design at all. I'm curious to see how Primal looks in his Ape mode; bot mode has some stylistic differences from the source. Primal should still be fresh on the designers' minds having just made the MP a year or so ago. The Terrorcons have never really interested me, but for those who like them, cool. I have to agree concerning the criticism of Hun-grrr's dragon mode, especially the unbalanced look of his necks and those pegged-on insubstantial stick-like front legs. I daresay, the original toy looked much better, far better proportioned. The Cloudburst Decoy Armor with the Titan Master hiding inside is lost on me in terms of where it comes from within the numerous continuities; as a collector, I have no interest. I want to like the new Voyager Starscream, but once again, he's a jet with arms hanging on the sides. It's a lazy design; I'd love to see a seeker design mirroring the original as far as tucking the arms into the body cavity once the nose is in place. With larger arms, they could stack them one above and below maintaining a sleeker fighter, as well as adding an addition transformational element to the toy, which is what these things are supposed to be all about. The new Jazz, IMHO, looks more like a Robots in Disguise design than a Generations figure. There's just a simplicity to him that doesn't fit with the other Generations figures, at least to my eye. Beachcomber looks great, probably the best looking figure in PotP, maintaining the updated look of the most recent mini-bots. For me, the Dinobots and Beachcomber are the stand-outs. I would have liked to see the new MP Autobot cassettes on display, potentially with a MP Blaster revelation. Perhaps that'll come today before the Con wraps up. Hopefully there'll be some new MP reveal- Jazz would be great, or an updated Seeker. Guess we'll see.
  15. M'Kyuun
    Saw it tonight with my girl. Good movie, well written, directed, and acted overall. There were some disturbing parts which were only overshadowed by the guy who brought his three sons, all of whom were probably under ten years of age. This is most certainly not a kid's movie, and one scene in particular even made me feel a bit uncomfortable. Anyway, the kids were making noise and talking a fair bit (they sat just a couple seats from my wife and I). To top it off, as we were leaving we noticed the kids' father had been using a beer can as a spittoon and left it there in his seat's cup-holder. Class act. I have to wonder about people's moral and ethical compasses sometimes; some folks just seem bereft of both, and it's disturbing to think they're out there potentially making decisions that may affect others, whether at home or at work. I digressed a bit, but I thought the movie was good.
  16. M'Kyuun
    I like it, but then I like transforming motorcycles in general. The Moto-slave from BGC appeals to me more than the Garland, but it relies on a lot of anime magic to affect its transformation as seen in the show. I have Yamato's Linna version, which is a parts-former. Handling the toy, and getting a true sense of where parts need to end up in either mode, it's not difficult to see why. The Moto-slave is a far more believable motorcycle, though. The Garland design has more focus on the bot mode, but it makes for a nice sci-fi motorcycle. The transformation mechanics are realistic and functional, enabling a perfectly transformable toy/model. I wish all transformable mecha were that way. Oddly enough, I've never cared much for the ride armor; it's not a transformable mech, but a guy wearing chunks of his motorcycle, and thus the appeal for me is lost. Too, it lacks the more streamlined look of the Moto-slave and Garland in its bike mode. Looked up Zillion, as I was unfamiliar. The transforming trike is ok; not as striking as the Garland, which potentially would have made a better trike design than a two wheeled cycle, but I digress. Anyway, the Zillion bike reminds me of the MotoRaptor from D.I.C.E. http://www.collectiondx.com/toy_review/2005/motoraptor Some of the D.I.C.E. designs were interesting.
  17. M'Kyuun
    Some great QC there, Hasbro! Poor Luke, maybe the Force wasn't with him after all. All the figures I looked at had good apps, even the regular 4" figs. For relatively inexpensive mass produced figures, I was pretty impressed by how well they captured the shapes of their faces as well as the paint apps. Some of the best retail figures I've seen. I was feeling tempted to get the 6" Black Series Darth Vader, but I stopped collecting SW years ago due to all the other stuff I collect. Now, if they ever produce more ESB 4" snowtroopers, I may pick up a couple for my AT-AT.
  18. M'Kyuun
    I bought some discounted SW sets on LEGO.com. I had to take my Mom-in-law to a doctor's appointment, and the office is right next to Walmart, so I went in to snag a TLJ set or two. They hadn't even put them out yet, so I got to check them out as the toy associate opened the various boxes. In the end, I walked out a proud owner of the First Order Heavy Walker- fun build, nice set. Unlike previous AT-AT sets, this set is predominantly dark grey, which makes it look even more ominous. I looked at some of the Black series and regular SW figs. Man, they've come a long way with molding capabilities. The faces on these figs are pretty spot on now.
  19. M'Kyuun
    Well, overly expensive toys have become the norm, unfortunately. Also unfortunate is the fact that most Asian companies producing anime and pop culture toys have little to no interest in the Western market. If these were intended for international markets from inception, I wonder if it would help mitigate the pricing by virtue of volume. At any rate, $240ish USD for the Arcadia as opposed to approx. $500 for the Fewture speaks to me. It says, go low and hope for the best, or at least better than the previous Yamato releases. I like the Garland, and wouldn't mind having a nice toy version, but even at that pricepoint, with all the other stuff I collect or want more, it's a tough pill. I'll wait for the eventual Proto Garland, and let my finances at the time dictate.
  20. M'Kyuun
    Just about every retailer out there will have this available, both brick & mortar stores and online. Retailers like Walmart and Target usually don't carry the larger sets like this in store, but still have them available online. As Chronocidal stated, initial demand for this is going to be extraordinarily high, but after the first month of release, fervor will start to fade, and it should be more easily obtained. LEGO are well aware of the popularity and demand for this set, so I wouldn't fret, as it'll likely be produced over the next couple of years, at least. My own enthusiasm was lukewarm, initially, as I own the original. However, I just watched the Designer vid and the improvements made over the original are quite significant. I'm gonna have to get one. Fortunately, I'm in the LEGO VIP program with about $300 saved up for just such an occasion. $800 is crazy money to spend on a toy. While it's already a really impressive model, I'll be truly impressed if they designed those gear to retract. The one disappointment I sense already, based upon the tunnel stickers, is that once again, as with all previous MF models, the tunnel leading from the main body to the flight deck will be blocked. I was expecting that to be a feature of this model, but doesn't look like it. Nice new cockpit canopy- at that size, I wonder what other usages they'll find for it.
  21. M'Kyuun
    An official SR-71 would be nice shelf candy, to be sure, but I'd say it's pretty close to the line for LEGO to produce it. Moreover, given its unique capabilities, I wouldn't be at all surprised if at least one or two are still being maintained, or at least minimally preserved. Slapping the NASA logo on it might just be what gets it passed, though.
  22. M'Kyuun
    I've been wanting a decent Garland toy for some time, so I'm hoping this will turn out well without all the fragility issues that plagued the Yamato release (which I passed on). I'm also thinking this will be in the $300 USD ballpark. Not sure what Fewture's is going for, but it'll be pricey, too. Edit: if this does well, I wonder if they'll take a stab at the Motoslave from Bubblegum Crisis. I found Linna's for $50 on ebay a couple years ago and jumped on it, having passed on all of them when Yamato first released them. Priss' goes for a small fortune, and honestly, the toy's just not worth it, but I wanted at least one version of it, as it's still one of my favorite transforming motorcycle designs. Neat for what it is, but not without numerous flaws. Definitely a mech design that could use a 21st century update.
  23. M'Kyuun
    With FAST Packs, because, y'know, space.
  24. M'Kyuun
    http://www.moc-pages.com/home.php/94679 Transforming robots and LEGO have been two of my greatest lifelong passions, and few builders meld these two like Alex Wong. I've been looking through his galleries, and this guy is pretty impressive, especially when you consider that he makes all, or nearly all, of his models to fit at least one minifig. Be sure to check out his Legioss and his Garland. I'd love to have both as sets, esp the former.
  25. M'Kyuun
    Same here, concerning the fins; I think I like the LEGO ones, aesthetically, better than the real ones, so I've no problem with them. I'm not sure if all the bracketing on the internal structure was part of the original submission, or the LEGO designers' innovation, but it works amazingly well. It's a lovely model just to behold, but building it gives you an even deeper appreciation for it due to the techniques involved. Definitely recommended. Now I'm anticipating Voltron. I'd love to see some new stronger ratcheting joints come out of that project, but I doubt they'll have the budget for it. Then again, these days, you never know. I'm also curious to see how broad their licensing is; is it just limited to classic Voltron for the sake of this model, or does it extend to other variants, and to Netflix's version? I wouldn't mind the Netflix version. I would have really loved to have a version of the 2011 Voltron Force Voltron- loved those designs. Unfortunately, the show didn't do well, and even the toys teased at SD ComicCon by Mattel never made it to production, AFAIK. That's probably my favorite version of Voltron thus far. Heresy perhaps, but I just love the look of it, and the individual lions. Voltron never played on tv where I grew up, so I have no connection to it other than I like lion mecha.
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