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M'Kyuun

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  1. M'Kyuun
    Couldn't have said it better. Alas, another favorite actor gone...far too soon.
  2. M'Kyuun
    Nice custom, David. I've been following the NY Toy Fair coverage, and there's some interesting stuff coming. I never cared for Seaspray's character, but that figure looks really good. The clones (Pounce and Fastlane, so far) are cool, although both are destined to be retailer boxset exclusives. Not a fan of exclusivity- prices tend to go up, and exclusives by their nature become harder to obtain. I hope these will eventually get individual releases, but I'm not holding my breath. The Octane and Blitzwing repaints look much better to me than do their OP and Megs figs, which makes sense as that's what these were intended to be. I'm glad they changed the nose and wings on Octane's jet mode- much more suitable, IMHO, although those truck cab halves still look lazy. Twin Twist, as well as Top Spin, are, IMO, some of the best updated figures I've seen- can't wait to get both of them. The new TR Windblade looks ok, although I really wish they'd find a way to integrate her arms into the transformation- as with most of their recent jet TF figs, both TR and RiD, the arms just peg in along the body and look like arms. I love some of the comic book cover art I've seen, and wish they'd make a figure faithful to how she's drawn. Despite my gripes, I'm still going to get her TR incarnation. I know absolutely nothing about Sky Shadow or Overlord (both are duo-cons sharing the same mold with some retooling), but the jet modes of both appeal to me, and the unique 2-part transformation also appeals. Just have to figure out which I like best (prob Sky Shadow for his color scheme). Anyway, I'm surprised no one else has brought up Titans Return news with NY Toy fair having just occurred this weekend. Admittedly, I didn't see a lot on display that had a 'wow' factor. I thought the clones were cool, but their boxset exclusivity means I won't be getting them. I'm not into the huge figures, so I doubt I'll get Trypticon (although I do find him mildly interesting, and IMHO, they did a great job with his update). As a Beast Wars fan, I'm happy about the MP Dinobot announcement from Wonderfest, although I'll hold any excitement or anticipation in check until proper pics are revealed. He's not an easy figure to translate from his bot to dino modes without a bit of compromise, as all previous toy attempts have shown.
  3. M'Kyuun
    My Ivanov is still holding up fine, somewhat floppy ball joints notwithstanding, but if they made a new version with ratcheting hips and improved shoulders, I'd be in for one, perhaps Nora's just for a color change on the shelf. You guys have some good imaginations, or good pixelation discerning skills, 'cause all I see is a polychromatic blob in that pixelated teaser. I'm not at all a fan of the VA-3 ( aesthetically, I think it's Kawamori's fugliest design), but it would be great to see something new come from Arcadia instead of VF-1 reissues. That said, I'd be down for either a VE-1 or a VT-1, preferably the VE. Personally, I think Arcadia ought to stick with transforming toys- the non-transforming destroids just seem a step backward compared to transforming designs. They've never interested me, but I know some folks love 'em.
  4. M'Kyuun
    I'm not really into these huge figures, but honestly, as G1 fan, this hits all the right notes for me as an update. I've never been much of a fan of motorized gimmicks, so I'd like this updated version better if it wasn't motorized, but had a nice range of articulation. I doubt mine is the popular opinion. It remains to be seen what Has/Tak went with in this regard, but looking at old pics of the original toy and this figure, it's a very faithful homage, at least in its aesthetics. That works for me; it's why TR is quickly becoming one of my favorite lines ever released- it feels like those old 80's toys are finally being made the way I wanted them to be when I was a kid. Although the MP line is also bringing the G1 toys to modern standards, I'd love to see some of the other Classics figs that weren't very well done redone in the TR line ( even if it means they come with the crappy headmaster gimmick). I'm thinking of the Lamborghini twins, Prowl and Silverstreak, and Ironhide/Ratchet. NY toy fair is this weekend, and I'm intrigued to see what Has/Tak (and LEGO) have in store for 2017. 2016 was great year for this TF fan, and I hope , despite the inevitable deluge of new Bayformer toys clogging the pegs, the TR line has another great lineup of updated G1 goodness. I just hope Hasbro gets their distribution issues sorted- hunting for Generations figures in my area is like looking for lost cities or pirate treasure.
  5. M'Kyuun
    G1 Trypticon fans rejoice, Has/Tak have heard your pleas: http://news.tfw2005.com/2017/02/13/titans-return-trypticon-first-full-image-333308 While the titanic Titans aren't really up my alley, I gotta admit seeing this pop up on the TFW homepage made me smile- the cup o'nostalgia runneth over. I'm thinking that he'll be showcased at NY Toy Fair next week- I almost wish they'd kept him under wraps until the show, but now that he's been revealed, I look forward to seeing more pics. God, how I wish they were still making Animated stuff. Seeing the scale of this thing, I'd love to get an Animated Omega Supreme around this size.
  6. M'Kyuun
    Excellent work by the builder. I wonder if it transforms.
  7. M'Kyuun
    I did some checking and realized that my message to Toyworld never sent due to some kind of conflict between Windows Livemail and Hotmail, so that explains why they never responded to me. Since I'm going to get the boxset, I'm not going to worry about it. I think I'm going to enjoy Constructor, too. I just love the chunky feel of these guys in hand, and I look forward to getting them all assembled into Constructor, as he'll be my Devastator for the forseeable future. As for the green thighs, I think I actually prefer the silver, and I hope he comes with both. As for Eligos, thanks for the suggestion. If my gluing attempts fail, I may contact TFSource, or BBTS if they're unable to help.
  8. M'Kyuun
    Cool. Thanks!
  9. M'Kyuun
    Yes, it is. More pics?
  10. M'Kyuun
    TR Topspin is such an excellent remake of his rather sub-par original 80's toy, and also serves an excellent example of what Has/Tak are doing so well with this line, at least in the deluxe/warrior class. They're cranking out what are arguably some of the best G1 homages that this TF fan and collector has seen in his 30+ years of the hobby, and I'm extremely grateful for it. Moreover, I hope they continue in this vein for at least another couple of waves, as there are a lot of those old toys that could do with a nice upgrade. IMHO, Has/Tak have struck an excellent balance between aesthetics and complexity with the deluxe figures- interesting yet-not-too-complicated transformation systems and very faithful G1-homaging aesthetics make these some of the most enjoyable Transformer toys that I've ever owned (my collection has hundreds of TF toys across just about every line produced since '84, not to mention third party) That said, I don't feel that the same quality of design has been seen in the voyager and leader classes, although mileage varies. I personally believe most of these figures could and would have been better had they not tried to make them all triple changers. Moreover, I'm not really that plussed about the actual triple changer figures, as they look very compromised in their alt modes, or one alt mode is heavily prioritized over the other, which diminishes the figure. I realize t-changers are difficult to pull off with pristine alts- I get that- but some of these have alts that fail utterly in my eyes. Broadside's jet mode is a prime example; his carrier mode is recognizable and pretty believable, but that jet mode looks like they gave up after the front of the jet was done. It doesn't look like a believable jet, so heavily compromised is the aft area- it looks like they couldn't figure out what to do with the legs, so they just bent them at the knees and said 'good enough'. The voyager Optimus fig, which is obviously intended to be an Octane recolor, a character I really hoped would be well done in this line, too, is compromised in both modes (why oh why did they have to put a completely out-of-place looking translucent cockpit on top of the tank? Then there's his jet mode which looks like they were going for a Harrier (I would have adored this thing had it actually looked like a Harrier), but just made it an unbelievably fictitious jet with half a semi cab on either side of the fuselage. With all their experience, I would have expected them to come up with something better. I think of the Jizai design http://jizaitoys.seesaa.net/category/3105173-1.html ,which I'd greatly prefer to the TR design. Perhaps my expectations are too high; these are toys, after all. However, there just seems to me a noticeable disparity between size classes in terms of design and aesthetics. One would assume the larger figures would receive more intricate design work, after all there's more toy to work with, but the opposite seems true to me. The deluxe figs and even some of the legends class figs outshine their larger compatriots within the same toyline. It's disappointing, esp when you've waited for a really well done version of a particular character, and so much promise is shown in early waves. Triple changers, specifically Astrotrain, Octane, and Blitzwing, were my big hopefuls in this line. Astrotrain is abysmal, Optimus (Octane) barely fair, and Megatron (Blitzwing) the best of the three, actually approximating his G1 alts pretty well. With Octane, I really wish they'd tried to approximate a KC-135 alt mode, befitting the character's name and overall theme. I used to work on the 135s, so that would have added a extra touch of endearment for me. Alas, not this toy, but hopefully another toy in the future.
  11. M'Kyuun
    Parasitic came to mind, but perhaps that's a bit harsh.
  12. M'Kyuun
    For Eligos, I broke one of the forward tabs on his back-plate, which forms the upper fuselage containing the canopy. I emailed them asking what kind of plastic was used so I could choose an appropriate adhesive to fix it. I didn't ask for any replacement parts. I thought it a reasonable request, but they never replied. I'm assuming it's ABS, and was hoping for an affirmation. The toy was in pristine condition when I got it; I broke it trying to force the tab into its slot- it stressed and finally snapped off. Anyway, it was my fault, so I never contacted the retailer. As for Toy World, my Bulldozer figure's heel was pinned improperly and the linkage to which it's connected was cracked out of the box. Moreover, the heel will not move to a 90 degree position without putting stress on the pin, so it's a double issue. I contacted them through their support site, providing photos, and never heard anything from them. That was back in September. I'm planning on getting the box set of all six figs with fixes, so I'll have a second, hopefully flawless, Bulldozer, and a spare fig if I ever need parts. I held off on getting Burden to give them a chance to fix its issues. Gotta say, I'm not crazy about their add on foot panels- there was a better homemade solution over on the TFW boards where they made a retractable heel piece that seemed to do the job with minimal changes to the feet. I was hoping TW would incorporate that idea as an official fix. Guess not. My other two Constructor figs, Unearth and Allocator, are in perfect condition. I love these figures, and look forward to getting the full team- it'll be my first Devastator, even if it is unofficial.
  13. M'Kyuun
    Interesting and informative post, Pengbuzz. I'll fully admit my ignorance concerning HG; besides Tommy Yune and the late Carl Macek, I'm oblivious of the staff and ownership of the company. I made an incorrect and uninformed assumption concerning how HG made its money; apologies all around. I hope your prediction concerning HG's future is both prescient and timely. I hope to see its demise in my lifetime, and the Macross franchise become widely available this side of the Pacific.
  14. M'Kyuun
    Well, at least they responded to you. I've written to Toy World and X-Transbots for issues I had with their figures and never got a response from either one of them.
  15. M'Kyuun
    At this point, I have to wonder how HG continues to exist- there can't be that many people to sue for trying to sell Macross stuff in the Western Hemisphere to keep them afloat, and they'd have to sell a lot of Plushies to afford their overhead and keep food on the table. I'd guess by now that even most of the die-hard RT fans have become suspicious of HG, or frustrated with them, and that any talk of a live action RT film is to be met with the greatest of skepticism. After all these years, I don't see how they have credibility or viability. Tenacious is good word.
  16. M'Kyuun
    Not a Tachi in that scene; it's most likely the T08A2 Spider Tank from the end of the '95 film, as it's attacking the Major in a dark building, even showing the scene where she's hiding behind a concrete column while the thing is blasting it apart. This movie is going to be one big homage to the '95 film, with bits of the other incarnations thrown in for variety. Looking forward to seeing it.
  17. M'Kyuun
    Destruction Scorpion looks like a transforming Zoid to me, given the aesthetic Master Made went for. That makes it no less cool.
  18. M'Kyuun
    That is one chunktastic Prime. It reminds me a lot of MP-01. Mike- Thanks for posting that early shot of Coolsville (I think Toyworld were still calling him Blues at that point). I can see where he looks gappy in that shot, esp the silver torso piece. I'd heard he originally sported "Toyworld Racing" livery, which had some people up in arms. I hadn't seen it until now. I still don't think it would have bothered me, although "Mortini Racing" is far closer to the actual livery. One other thing I was going to gripe about is the wide stripes on the rear fenders; I've always seen them portrayed as thinner, probably due to the stickers on the G1 toy. In reality, it matches the real car, so I give TW credit for authenticity.
  19. M'Kyuun
    Options are a good thing. I respect your opinion, as well, Mike. It'd be a damned boring world if everyone thought the same way, and we all approach this hobby from different experiences and perspectives, which is why I'm glad these third parties are doing the same with their products; there's a greater chance of a figure being made that appeals to different sensibilities as opposed to the limitation of only an official toy which may or may not hit the mark for everyone. On to the business: I think Downbeat is good figure, but it skews more towards animation accuracy, like the current MP trend, and my own preference is more towards toy, or a nice amalgamation of toy and animation models. However, I'm not crazy about the huge gaps at the rear of Downbeat's car mode, nor do I like being able to see the secondary fender parts that complete the leg peeking through. Overall finish and look are lovely though- unmistakably Jazz. In his bot mode, the face sculpt with that chrome visor looks great (the neutral face; I'll agree with Skullface that a subtle smirk would have worked better-Jazz wasn't so much snarky as perpetually bemused). I like that Downbeat's forearms are closed without gaps, ala MP Bee, and that arm transformation is really clever. Also, from the pics I've been looking at, Coolsville's door windows don't seem to tuck away in bot mode, and yeah, that flap behind the head should've been made to hinge out of sight; Downbeat does these things better. I also prefer Downbeat's rims to Coolsville's- that coppery color really stands out nicely. I'm not sure where you're seeing gaps and hollow spots in Coolsville's torso; it looks filled out to me, and is actually beefier in proportion to Downbeat's, closer to the G1 toy, which was certainly the major inspiration for this take on Jazz. Along with that, the asymmetrical prints near the knees are taken directly from decals on the original G1 toy (which I have sitting in front of me as I type), and is one of many toy cues that I really like on this figure, along with the detailing on the silvery part of his torso. Honestly, this figure tugs really hard at my nostalgia- this is my 80's toy the way I wanted it to be as a kid. Unfortunately, it retains some undesirable 80's toy features, like the gaps in the forearms and the flap behind the head. Given all the flaps and hinging panels on their Constructor figs, this is kind of unexpected from TW. So, I think we both agree that Coolsville has his flaws, but from what I see so far, I can live with them for all the other things it does well. Still, I'll wait for a review or two before I invest. Hopefully, TW will read the criticism/feedback, and fix some of the issues pointed out. I doubt it, but there's always room for hope until final release.
  20. M'Kyuun
    Downbeat had my attention when it was first revealed, but after having watched a couple reviews and looking at pics, I find my interest turning more towards Toyworld's take on Jazz, Coolsville. Funny name aside, it takes its inspiration more from the toy, and I find the overall aesthetics in both modes to be better. I'm hoping TW will release an early copy for review soon, as I'm curious to see how it stacks up.
  21. M'Kyuun
    A few summer LEGO Batman Movie sets have been revealed, including a nice looking Batwing. http://www.brothers-brick.com/2017/01/30/summer-wave-lego-batman-movie-sets-revealed-news/#more-84962 I still wish they'd release a set of the LEGO Movie Batwing, but all things being equal, the Batman Movie Batwing gets the job done. Looking forward to getting all these sets.
  22. M'Kyuun
    Another Great lost to us. Miss him already.
  23. M'Kyuun
    To be fair, though, transformable toys in general weren't very complex until 2007 when Bayformers came on the scene. That's a milestone, in my eyes, concerning toys of this nature. I remember a number of Bayformers figs from various movies being rather challenging to transform. Third parties upped the ante on complexity, sometimes needlessly so, IMHO. I think a good balance has been struck in the recent TR line, and with the CHUG line overall, as well as with the MP line. Some are more complex than others, but most can be figured out without instructions if one takes the time to look at the toy and make sense of what's what and where it likely needs to go during the transformation. This approach has worked well for me over the years, although, from time to time, I get stumped, or I refer to instructions b/c I'm afraid I'm going to break something. It's a silly matter of pride to me to be able to transform my toys without instructions, but that pride goes down like a caramel frappuccino when I consider the alternative outcomes of warpage or outright breakage. Pride's cheap, not nearly as much as the cost of dismay, time, and labor to make repairs. I find as I get older (I'm 45 now, with about 32 years experience transforming these little robots into their various alt modes, not to mention designing and building a few of my own from LEGO), I'm drawn more to the simpler Transformer figs, just to take them off the shelf and play around a bit. The recent Machine Robo figs are great in this respect- just fun simple figures to transform. Blackbird Robo probably gets the most attention from me-cool toy, and while his proportions are far from accurate, there's just something fulfilling about him. He's deliciously sweet hand-candy.
  24. M'Kyuun
    Just watched Skullface's review; GCreation made a lovely Prime figure, but that transformation is...scary, not to mention the sheer amount of fragmentation that takes place to effect transformation. It doesn't bode well for durability over time, in addition to potential for stress marks and breakage as Bobby pointed out already on his copy. It just doesn't look like a fun transformer; laborious is the word that comes to mind. I don't mind a complex transformation if the design incorporates good clearances and takes into account durability in places where movement has to occur, and this has its failings. It strikes me as being over-complex for complexity's sake. As far as the aesthetics go, I love the stylized look of his robot mode- very sharp and eye-catching. The truck mode is ok; I like MP-10's truck mode better. YMMV. Peaugh and Emgo are my usual go-to guys, but the more I watch Bobby's vids, the more I like his honest and frank approach. Moreover, he freely admits to struggling with transformations, but carries on regardless. During that last vid, patience would have abandoned me so many times during that transformation and I would have descended into rage- probably a good thing I didn't choose to review TFs on camera for the general public. My hat's off to Bobby for keeping his cool while handling such an intricate toy.
  25. M'Kyuun
    Well, to be fair, the Insecticons, along with Jetfire, the Dinobots, and the Constructicons, all of which made their initial appearances in Season 1, were not included in the '84 toy lineup, but in the '85, which may cause confusion as well. My TF collection as a kid was fairly meager, relatively speaking, although I had a few more than you did, Mike. Glad to know you're able to make up for it now, and with third party offerings, a lot of additional voids can be filled. I only had Shrapnel and Kickback from the original G1 releases, and Red Alert was my only Countach figure. Between the MP line, 3P, and the CHUG lines, I'm filling all the gaps in my collection and getting the figures as I wanted them to actually be back in the 80's. As far as I'm concerned, Has/Tak can stay on this path churning out G1 homages ad infinitum, with a smattering of otherwise inspired figs thrown in for variety and good measure. I wish they'd retired the headmaster gimmick soon after it started, or limited it to just the actual Headmaster characters, but overall, I'm really happy with the figures we've been getting in the TR line. Despite all the hype for Bay's movies, the Generations line, with its strong G1 influence, still far outsells the Bay-verse toys from what I observe in my area, which tells me that G1 still has a very pervasive and lasting influence among collectors. I'm not at all a fan of Bay's take on the franchise, but the silver lining to me is that Hasbro's pouring some of the revenue from those movies into Generations, keeping G1 alive in a sense. That's a big positive in a world full of negatives. Edit: I was looking at TFW2005 a little while ago, and there's apparently a new Bay-verse Dinobot figure coming for Last Knight, and it got me thinking, I wish Has/Tak would make properly updated Dinos for the Generations line. They're making just about everything else, but not them, and they're kind of a glaring omission. Hope they'll make an appearance at NY Toy Fair.
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