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M'Kyuun

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  1. M'Kyuun
    "Indeed. Very pleasing to my optic sensors" - Optimus Prime Really, a beautiful figure. Lovely photography, as always, Kuma. I'm guessing this is an newer iteration of Drift, as Classics Drift had a different look in bot mode and a completely different car mode (I looked at MMC's transformable version for comparison- nice toy, too, BTW). As JBO mentioned, and I agree, this version's bot mode doesn't really scream 'Transformer" as much as many other TF's, which boast their Earth vehicle parts rather obviously in their bot modes. This figure could be put in a lineup with Full Metal Panic, or some other similar mecha and fit right in. Nice design- I like it quite a bit.
  2. M'Kyuun
    Still love the figure. name's cool, too. Great photo, Tekering. Thanks for sharing. Hopefully I'll live long enough to see that entire lineup, with maybe the exception of Skyfire, as official figures. However, at the pace Takara's releasing them, probably not. For reference, I'm 46.
  3. M'Kyuun
    To that end, it's understandable why the transformation aspect isn't as important as the overall look, and articulation by extension, of the figure are important to you. Certainly, from a photography standpoint, the old 80's toys had to be a bit of a challenge to photograph while trying to impart any sense of dynamism, hence the more dynamic boxart. It worked; I bought Prowl, my first TF, despite the pics on the box of the actual toy, hoping that it could achieve a little of that look. Of course, he was a brick from the waist down, like the majority. Anyway, judging from your Drift pics, eschewing the tell-tale mechanics necessary to effect transformation has allowed for a stunning looking bot. Def getting a Chogokin vibe. Love those shoulders. For me, Transformers have always been about the transformation gimmick, although from the start, I always wanted and expected better articulation from the robot modes. Beast Wars was my first experience with decent articulation, and when Classics, TF:A, and the Bayformers came along, along with MP, I felt my vision for what TFs should be had come to pass. Now with articulation having become almost as important as the transformation itself in most TF toys, at least Generations and up, I'm glad my interest in transforming toys never waned, or I'd have missed out on a lot of really cool figures. Despite my bias, I have to say that some of the non-transforming statues and figures are brilliant objets d'art.
  4. M'Kyuun
    "Peg" still makes me smile. I agree with Mike, JBO, and Valkyrie Hunter- it's an old running joke here, and no offense was meant by calling him that in reference to your Drift review. Take it with a grain of salt; I still think of Drift as Peg- it's just something that stuck in the grey matter and won't go away. That said, I passed on the Classics Drift version of the toy in lieu of the Blurr recolor, as I usually just buy one version of a mold unless I really like it or there's enough difference between the toys to justify it. I have no formal connection to Drift, as I don't read the comics. That said, Kuma's pics of Drift look amazing; I dig the look of the character. It's a shame that figure doesn't transform, but I get that his bot mode is the focus. He looks good.
  5. M'Kyuun
    +1 Sweet photo, Kuma. That'd make for a beautiful box art shot. Hope the FH guys are paying attention. Nice little review for Sunsurge, Mike. I hadn't really noticed just how toy accurate BC's version was, as opposed to Spinout's more realistic Countach. Though I've not handled either third party version, having seen vids and pics, there are things about both that stand out, both good and bad. MP-39 bridges the alt mode dilemma, but pays for that feature with a significant backpack. As you said, it's good to have options.
  6. M'Kyuun
    I can respect that; I thought BC's Sunsurge and Omnigonix's Spinout, which I personally favor for its lack of cheating with the windshield and overall aesthetic, were both well done versions of the character. Spinout has issues, from what I've read, but again, from an aesthetics POV, I still like it better. That said, for reasons I can't understand myself, I typically favor official products, flaws and all. The general impression I've gotten from the pics and review I watched (not Chosen Prime's, but I might look at his, too) of Takara's version is that it's a good figure employing some neat engineering, and overall pays respectable homage to G1 Sunstreaker, combining elements of both toon and toy, more toon of course. Butt flaps and backpacks have become commonplace with a number of TF toys, both official and third party, and unless they are so disproportionately large or encumbering to the rest of the figure, I'm generally not bothered by them. Mileage varies, of course, and I don't fault anyone for not liking either of these things. Thank goodness for options. As for me, I'm still anxious for MP Sunstreaker.
  7. M'Kyuun
    I've been watching my email like a hawk in anticipation of Anime Export's MP Sunstreaker shipping notification. I've watched a couple of the vids out there, and he looks like a pretty interesting figure. The articulation is really impressive. (Really glad to see Takara honoring their stated desire to imbue these guys with increased ranges of articulation). The most obvious concession is his backpack, which is rather substantial on an otherwise svelte bot, but, honestly, it doesn't bother me, esp after seeing how much stuff is crammed in there, and how compact and well secured it is. He does have a small yet unobtrusive butt flap ( the center part of his car hood), which will likely earn some ire- again, doesn't bother me. His chest is a bit of a cheat, and though I'm usually not a fan of cheats, I can't argue with the look of the final bot. The full windshield wouldn't have served the aesthetics, and he would have looked like he was chugging a little too much motor oil, a la TFA's Constructicons. I appreciate that Takara put in the extra effort to give the car both its realistic look and also the ability to give it the G1 toy look, as far as the chromed engine intakes and the rear light area. They didn't have to, but they did, and that's pretty cool. Sunstreaker has never really been on my radar as a character so much, but everything about this figure is interesting to me as a fan of transformable mecha- it just looks like a fun figure to pose and explore with all of the features and functions built in. The evolution in design over the last five years is remarkably apparent when seeing him next to MP Sideswipe, the first MP car-bot for those who don't know. Anyway, I'm getting excited to get this figure, and just wanted to share it. Looking forward to hearing others' impressions once these start shipping.
  8. M'Kyuun
    I think they did a good job with Slash, too. I picked up Windcharger and Beachcomber at the same time, and was surprised at the size difference between the latter two and Slash. Slash is tiny. If they'd upscaled her slightly, they could have possibly improved her transformation to remove the large gap between her legs and chest in deino mode. (I'm feelin' ya, JBO). Alas, still a fun new addition to the Dino team, and despite being a femme-bot, she's not overtly designed to be humanly curvaceous. In fact, if they didn't tell me she was a she, I wouldn't have known. While I like all the G1 homages in the Prime Trilogy toy line, I like surprises like Slash to keep things fresh, somewhat. Hope they continue.
  9. M'Kyuun
    No denying MMC's cassettes are pricey, esp for their size, but I've always had a fascination with the cassettes, and these things are little engineering marvels. I hope they make them all in this scale.
  10. M'Kyuun
    The packaging is great- very apropos with just the right bit of nostalgia with that liner. Jaguar for me was, like MP Prowl, a dream toy. Ravage was always my favorite cassette bot, but the MP version left me feeling disappointed, especially after the condors were as nigh perfect as you can get at that size. Jaguar filled that void very well, and scale notwithstanding, he's pretty much the Ravage toy I've always wanted. For Ravage fans, he's a hard recommend from me; however, if you're rigidly of the mind that scale is very important, then he's likely not going to suit your sensibilities. Add to that, as Mike mentioned, he's a little pricey for the size. I've got MMC's Condor cassettes on PO, as well as their Rumble ( the blue one). I could live without the powered pile drivers, but I guess it's cool that they made that a feature. Like the MP Rumble and Frenzy, I'll probably install them once and then back in the box for eternity.
  11. M'Kyuun
    I saw it with my wife this morning, and really enjoyed it.
  12. M'Kyuun
    Nice how the core Optimus tidies up with the trailer panels to make that backpack. Clean and efficient. That core OP by itself makes me happy- love those feet with the vents. Pretty sweet figure. I wish Takara's had been more in line with this.
  13. M'Kyuun
    Obari's not a name I was familiar with; 'preciate the enlightenment. A general Google search of Obari-san's work really didn't bring up any good examples of the pose in question, but no matter. The influence is quite notable among numerous Japanese figure displays, so I gather it's been around for some time. Moreover, far be it from me to complain about any sort of articulation after growing up with 80's articulation, or lack thereof more often than not. Anyways, thanks for the info-knowing is half the battle.
  14. M'Kyuun
    Great photos of some great looking figures, Kuma. Gotta say though, I still don't get the whole pelvic thrust meme that has become prevalent with a lot of TF figures- it looks odd to me, personally. Ah well, to each his own. Some serious talent working for these third parties; if someone had told me there'd be toys on par, or sometimes better, than official on the market 15, 20 years ago, I wouldn't have believed it, just because of the logistics, know-how, and tech involved in producing complex toys of this nature. We live in fortunate times as collectors and as fans. Still get giddy when I look at my Fanstoys Phoenix and Dinobots- awesomeness. For those like me who only get to experience these figures through photography and reviews, thanks Kuma, Mike, and all you other folks who contribute. Much appreciated.
  15. M'Kyuun
    Well that's just Prime! 'Tis the season for miracles, as I found PotP Slash, Windcharger, Beachcomber, and Shrapnel at my local Wally today in one of those island setups with many bins for small toys. To say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement, as I liken finding new TFs there to finding an oasis in the Atacama. Anyway, just wanted to pass it on to folks who may be looking for these figs. Good luck!
  16. M'Kyuun
    I've been checking around, and so far all I've found was one copy of PotP Jazz at one Target, which I passed on. I'm after Windcharger, Beachcomber, and the dinos. If they do a Gobots Crasher-esque redeco of Jazz, though, I'll pick it up. RTS Jazz is still the toy to beat among Generations figs. Anyway, pulled up Hasbroshop and they have them all listed; however, when adding to cart, a message stating inadequate supply pops up for every one of them. Must be taking supply and demand lessons from LEGO (concerning the UCS Falcon). I've also been keeping an eye on TRU's online shop, as they have them listed, but without the ability to actually buy them yet. But you can view details.
  17. M'Kyuun
    I'll give it a chance; they've got a good cast for the main characters. As for the anime inspired eyes, it drives home the point that she's a robot, so the uncanny valley look of her is suitable. If the story, dialog, and overall feel of the film is well done (cleanliness notwithstanding; it should be a little grimier, IMHO), then I think the eyes won't be such a big deal, just part of who she is. It won't hurt, either, if there are other robots with similar eyes to establish a norm for that particular feature. Got a feeling that the gore is going to be seriously toned down, and that most of her battles will be with other robots, so the chunks of enemies will have a decidedly artificial look to them. It already feels sanitized. Then again, Robert Rodriguez is no stranger to blood and gore, so....
  18. M'Kyuun
    I have zero association with the comics, although I've bought a number of figures that I know originated as IDW designs (by virtue of this forum, mostly). I've never required any kind of back story to like a particular figure; I'm visual- if it looks cool, I'll buy it. I was never crazy about the Bayformer aesthetic, but some of the figs that came out, esp within the time frame of the first two movies, showcased a lot of ingenuity and engineering prowess on the part of the designers, and that was a huge part of the intrigue of those toys. Sometimes, they were too complex, admittedly. As I've oft stated, IMHO, the only positive that came out of the Bay movies was that it really pushed Takara to innovate beyond just about anything they'd done previously, and that's a plus for us.
  19. M'Kyuun
    I just got my Grinder earlier this year; surprised that it's already in short supply. Just got Cesium a couple months ago after a bit of a wait, and I'm glad I went with him instead of Scoria. Cesium is definitely a better G1 Slag homage, and arguably a better overall figure, than Scoria. Hopefully FT will continue rereleasing some of these highly sought figures; my experience with FT has been overwhelmingly positive thus far with my Dinobot collection and Phoenix (Skyfire). These are dream toys come true for me. That PM Prime looks pretty amazing, esp with that BFG. I have the Takara version from TR/Legends, and even with Takara's improvements over the Hasbro release, it doesn't hold a candle to this figure. I should add that Ginrai and Powermasters don't even interest me that much, but with PMP/Ginrai, the whole all-in-one transformation, as well as Takara's changes , differentiated it enough from Ultra Magnus to get it. However, the fact that it wasn't truly a Powermaster, with the little transforming snap-on engine dude, was not lost on me. They did it right on this guy, and gave him better proportions, and certainly better legs and feet, than Has/Tak. Pretty cool.
  20. M'Kyuun
    Those alt builds are pretty neat. Good on you for finding sealed CS sets at decent prices; these days, most folks selling LEGO are in the know about its rising value and demand some pretty outrageous sums for these old sets. Keep on building!
  21. M'Kyuun
    I like his Mustang mode- his bot mode is so-so. not really a stand-out design to me. There were a number of Bayformer figures, some that weren't even featured in the movies, at least as Transformers, that I thought were brilliant designs. Even as a scout class, Breacher still stands out to me as a great example of how a small figure can still have the complexity of a deluxe and in both modes be an all around excellent figure.
  22. M'Kyuun
    Got a point there. But, I'd be happy with just an improved Grimlock designed to work with the remaining official figures for combination. In other news, my wish is being granted, sort of. http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/12/05/transformers-movie-series-leader-blackout-revealed-354841 This looks ok, but I think I'll hold out for a MP version, as the feet don't look quite right, nor the hands. Honestly though, the Bay designs interest me so little anymore that I'm not sure I'd bite if they did make it.
  23. M'Kyuun
    Good luck reacquiring Sovereign, Kuma. Concerning Contact Shot, I'm generally of the same opinion as Mike regarding Cybertronian alt modes. However, I've always liked Pointblank's. Skimming the review, I think Maketoys did a great job, and I just dig the look of this guy in both modes. Thanks for the review, Mike.
  24. M'Kyuun
    I've been out twice looking for these things in my area, to no avail. I was hoping for that stand-alone endcap at Target, but no. Over the last four or five years, Spokane absolutely sucks for getting Transformers contemporarily with the rest of the country, and I have to wonder why. If we were a backwater town with one road in and out I could rationalize it, but we're the second largest city in Washington. It frustrates me. Anyway, I've watched vids of Slag and Swoop, and I think Has/Tak did alright, other than making them deluxes. I know, they combine, and that's fine; moreso, if the secondary gimmick doesn't compromise the main gimmick of transforming. From what I've seen, Grimlock is really the only casualty in the team, since they opted for an odd transformation of his legs to better suit the combiner gimmick. How they could look at that tail section and think 'yeah!', I don't know. After 30+ years of designing these things, I'd have thought they could pull off a decent looking Grimlock and still make the combiner thing work- guess not. Still gonna get them all, since this may be the last time for another 30 years before we get the whole Dinobot team again in the main line. It'd be kinda cool if a third party made a better Grimlock that still combined- thinking out loud. Big yep to your first statement, sadly. As for Slag, personally, I think the back legs took the hit; the forelegs look right to me, and the back legs look a little gimpy, just too small. They could have been made a little beefier to match the front without hampering the transformation or the gestalt. Go figure.
  25. M'Kyuun
    6950 Mobile Rocket Transport, a set I've wanted since its release in 1982. It's in excellent condition showing little wear, esp the canopies and the various printed parts including minifigs. For $70, a great deal. 6980 Galaxy Commander, which released in 1983. I've only recently developed an interest in this set, and given its very well-kept condition, I couldn't pass it up. Again, all printed parts are immaculate, the white parts look new and gleamy, and the canopies show little wear. The only mark against it was one of the yellow astronauts had a broken hand, easily replaceable. For $125, another good deal. So, my math was off in the above post- I paid under $200 for these sets, which is an even better deal, esp if you're looking at buying these on Ebay or Bricklink, where you don't really know the true condition until it's in your hands. These were sold by a vendor at a Con, packed in clear Ziplocks, so I could see what I was getting, and I was able to build them and verify the parts in my hotel room in case there were any issues- I totally missed the broken hand, as I was so stoked over the condition of the minifig prints and the general condition of the whole sets. I, too, hope they'll extrapolate the set out to include more than is seen in the review model. As it is, pretty lackluster, esp compared to the competing projects. I like Tron, so an official set of figs and a well designed Light Cycle would be cool, but given that this is the Ideas program, many of the other submissions were far better than this and should have gotten the thumbs up. That's the point of this program, yeah?
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