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M'Kyuun

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  1. M'Kyuun
    @mikeszekely you're so not wrong about my opinion of Needlenose. It's a travesty, but not an atypical example of Hasbro/Takara's nonchalance with just tacking a robot on the bottom of a plane and calling it good. I want to get excited about the two Prime jet characters (Dreadwing, I think and the other guy--I'm terrible w/ names), but if they, too, follow a similar pattern, I'll be passing on them as I did with the original Prime toys. There's just no excuse for that level of laziness in a world where Macross valkyries exist. Overall, not much among the new reveals that excites me, which means a more merciful year on the wallet. I'm currently at a LEGO convention, and while I caught the TF panel yesterday morning, I was otherwise engaged in the afternoon and didn't get any POs in on Pulse, as is my custom. TBH, the only one I really care about is Breakdown, and I honestly don't think I'll have a tough time finding him at retail once he starts gracing the pegs. As an aside, I agree with you, Mike, about their putting funds into a new weaponizer class that nobody asked for in lieu of fixing things on other figs (Sludge's toe udder & Breakdown's all-wrong alt mode, not to mention the weird separating hood sections on both Wildrider and Breakdown b/c why?). I think there were better budget and design decisions that could have been made to optimize the toys, but I'm just a 40-year TF fan w/ a propensity for designing and building transforming mecha with LEGO, so what do I know? However, while UT and much of the comics-based character figs don't interest me personally, updates to these toys have been a long time coming and for fans of those properties, I'm happy that Hasbro is finally producing them. What's more, it warms my heart personally to see guys like Mark Maher, whose enthusiasm is always palpable, working on these toys and giving us glimpses via social media of the BTS process. I appreciate that greatly, even when the toys aren't everything I want them to be. For me anyway, it makes some of the toys' shortcomings more digestible knowing both the constraints the designers are working under, but also the all the stuff they do try to cram into the toy. That said, Breakdown's alt is still a WTF? situation. 😒
  2. M'Kyuun
    In lieu of what option? If you want to complete Menasor, there's not really an alternative unless 3P steps up and makes a proper Breakdown w/ his Countach mode. Given 3P's reluctance over the past near decade to dip their toes in Hasbro's sacrosanct Generations line, Hasbro knows they've got at least that market cornered, which kinda gives them license to do what they did w/ Breakdown despite their knowing it's not accurate to source. Sucks, but that's the reality of the situation. I'm still buying it too.
  3. M'Kyuun
    Got a nice haul of Legacy yesterday from Pulse (Tarantulas, Knock Out, SS86 Arcee, and Wildrider). Considering a lot of folks have already got theirs at local retail, I'm little late to the party. I was stoked when they revealed Tarantulas, and compared to Blackarachnia and worse, Scorponok, the concessions aren't nearly as noticeable or affecting. I love him- his spider mode, purple shade aside, is quite realistic and suitably creepy. I have a love-hate relationship with spiders; I find them endlessly fascinating, but at a comfortable distance, for the most part. But I absolutely love toys, particularly robot toys, of them, and Tarantulas was well-executed in both modes, but especially that tarantula mode. As Mike mentioned in his review, Knock Out is a really nice retool of SS86 Jazz. As G1-ifications go, this one isn't too bad, although die-hard fans of Prime likely won't be impressed as there's a marked difference between the smooth-yet-spiky Prime aesthetic and the chunkier, somewhat blockier G1 aesthetic. I don't mind the G1-ification if it successfully carries over enough of the character to make them recognizable, and I think they've done that here, as well as with Bulkhead and Arcee. FWIW, compared to many of the other well-done figs in the Prime line, Knock Out got the short end of the stick engineering-wise. This toy, aesthetics notwithstanding, is better executed. Until now, T30 was not only the first, but the best G1 Arcee in the mainline. I think the decision to use a hybrid of T30 along with some extensive retooling to update the former toy's articulation shortcomings was a smart way to go. I wish they'd chosen a similar method to MMC's Azalea for minimizing her backpack, but overall, I think they did a pretty good job. Hasbro did well with joint tolerances; unlike ER Arcee, her leg joints are all nice and tight and can handle any pose. Last note: under-car weapon storage! Internal or under vehicle storage should be the standard at this point, not the occasional happy exception. 😒 Wildrider feels very G1 in-hand. His transformation is straightforward, his shoulders remain close to the body with his arms just going straight to form the sides of the car, the entire hood just flips back to become a backpack, and his legs just do the old 180 degree rotation, albeit on a separate transformation joint (that has some nice car detailing to boot). Shoutout to @sh9000 for sharing that the windshield can indeed push down lower than 90 degrees- lets the backpack sit lower, which looks better. The only beef I really have with him is nigh zero ground clearance due to his low hanging feet in car mode. I wish they'd done his feet like Sideswipe's- fold them into the car instead of on the bottom. He could have stood a second hinge at the top of the windshield, too, so that it could lay flat against his back, but ya can't have everything.
  4. M'Kyuun
    With this Prime setting the bar, they need to upscale and add similar articulation improvements to Doomsday, arguably the best transformable G1 Megatron to date.
  5. M'Kyuun
    Ah...a continuation then. That ep title sounded familiar- confirmed it was the one I was thinking of. Typical post-first season dreck that diminished my interest in the show even as a kid. That a purely throwaway character like Devcon would get a fig ahead of Gears or Windcharger is undeniably wrong.
  6. M'Kyuun
    I figured Legacy was going to be the long-term branding since it essentially encapsulates all-things Transformers from all previous continuities. Guess I guessed wrong. I never heard of this character, but I do agree that an earth-mode Hound is overdue in the current line. For my money, though, Universe (Classics) Hound remains the toy to beat, and I just don't see that happening. Absolutely love that fig- one of my all-time top favorite TF toys. Same boat. Give the first season minibots their toys and then move on to lesser characters like Beachcomber. At least we're getting Brawn. Inevitable and most welcome. No recollection of this character. Since they're doing obscure characters, I wish they'd do the Omnibots. I've been wanting them for my CHUG collection since Classics kicked off in '07. If Shattered Glass is the big reveal at PulseCon, then I'm not missing anything if I happen to miss the panel while I'm attending another convention in-person. I just don't want to miss anything Legacy or '86 SS related, especially if first season characters, Powerglide, or the Autobot cassettes are being revealed.
  7. M'Kyuun
    As a tradeoff for a better Battroid- I'm sold. I'd take that glorious thing as-is if they decided to just go ahead and market it. If fighter is your thing, Yamato already produced what is likely to remain for some time an unparalleled YF-21 with a focus on fighter mode. It's gorgeous. But the B-mode took the brunt of the concessions with its skinny disproportionate legs, and since I favor Battroid and display my valks as such, I want what Bandai is doing with their take. In the worst way possible. Since I boxed up my Yammie, my display isn't quite complete- need that YF-21 to make the world right again.
  8. M'Kyuun
    It does look good, but you know if this version sells well, there'll be a later toy -based release with the silver stripe around the cab and the double headlights. I don't really need another MP Prime (I have MP-10 and MS-01 which are both good Primes, though I prefer Magic Square's), and honestly, I don't have room for another MP Prime, but if they do a toy-based version and I like it, I may just cave. given my ever-decreasing space and my ever-increasing collection, I wish I could have seen the future where the legends stuff was done so well, as I probably would have skipped a lot of what I bought over the years in lieu of just focusing on a more space-friendly but nigh-MP quality legends collection. Alas, I'm in deep with Hasbro's mainline, as I like the direction they've been taking w/ G1 figs in the last few lines. Cosmos, for example, turned out excellent (Thanks Mike S.!). And now Brawn has finally been announced, so slowly they're filling the roster from both the G1 toon and the '86 film, and I'm all but ready for them, smoking debit card in-hand. All is not high bliss in Hasbrolandia, though, so I'm glad these third parties exist to fix what Hasbro left unfinished, poorly designed, or otherwise unsatisfying with certain figs. For example, Pointblank, who as Prime vs Prime observed likely would have fared better w/ a voyager budget, leaves somewhat to be desired both in the lackluster design of his gun dude and more importantly, the poor articulation of his arms- no bicep swivels and less than 90 degrees of elbow bend w/ the forearms rotated per instructions. I hope third party makes a kit to fix it, if possible- not much room to work with. What I really wish and hope for, though, is a third party return to CHUG scale. So many of the legends figs have been done far better than Generations, and sometimes better than official MP, so to have those superior legends figs upscaled to match other collections, especially mainline, would be ever-welcome.
  9. M'Kyuun
    I'm tempted. I have MS-01 Light of Freedom for my MP OP on display, but having recently picked up their legends Light of Justice 2.0, the upscaled version brings better articulation and a better looking truck mode. I don't really play with my MP toys all that much and rarely transform them, so honestly, I'm not sure it's worth the extra expense. Light of Freedom is still a really good looking Prime, and I like his chunky proportions. That said, Magic Square have once again made a great MP scaled Prime. Now if they'd only upscale Doomsday, their excellent legends Megatron. I'd buy that without hesitation.
  10. M'Kyuun
    Gonna be juggling my time judiciously that weekend as I'm also going to be in Seattle at a LEGO convention. But, if they have anything new releasing from Legacy, especially G1 stuff, then I want to be checking in for POs, as well as general news. Wish they'd had this a week earlier or later, but that's how these things go.
  11. M'Kyuun
    I doubt many monarchs throughout history in any part of the world have been witness to such vast changes in the arenas of technology, societal norms, and politics, all while weathering a number of family scandals which played out in the global media. Through it all, she maintained her poise and dignity, a true monarch to the end. A sad day indeed. My heartfelt condolences to our fellow UK members mourning the loss of their venerable Queen.
  12. M'Kyuun
    Looks cool to me. I'll be watching it.
  13. M'Kyuun
    So jazzed for Tarantulas. While he wasn't my favorite character, he had his cool mad-scientist moments in the show that were enjoyable. Moreover, I have a love-hate relationship with spiders; I think they're absolutely fascinating creatures, but I generally like to maintain a respectful distance from them. But in robot toy form, be it Zoids, 52Toys' Megabox series, or Transformers, I can't get enough arthropods. To that end, the I dig the realistic design direction Has/TT took w/ the Kingdom/Legacy Beast Wars figs. Compared to Blackarachnia, whose black widow is so-so, Tarantulas is a far better capture of a real tarantula, and I'm looking forward to getting my copy eventually. The hollow bits, which are by now par for the course, are still a bit dismaying, but whatever. These days, filler kits have become a cottage industry for third parties, so endemic has the practice become across retail TF lines. regardless, I think it's fairly minimal on this fig, and the amount of what was done right completely overshadows any niggles pointed out. Excited for this one.
  14. M'Kyuun
    Disappointing, but as Seto Kaiba says, better that they take it slow and iron out the bugs rather than proceed Challenger-style to an unpleasant end. I'm excited for our return to the moon as well, but I'd rather caution be paramount, as eventually people are going to be riding this thing. NASA's already lost too many of our best and brightest due to oversights, aggressive schedules, and negligence. The moon's not going anywhere (quickly, by our measure of time), so they have time to get it right, make it safe, make it efficient. Better a delay or delays than another exploded vehicle, and worst case, picking up the pieces of more astronauts.
  15. M'Kyuun
    So yesterday I picked up a copy of Override at Wally in the hopes that Pulse hadn't yet sent my copy and I could just cancel it. No such luck, with a caveat: according to Fed Ex's tracking site, a tracking number was assigned and a shipping label was created last Friday, but no other movement has taken place and the delivery date is 'pending'. The box of the copy I bought at Wally is a little smushed on the side, but the fig is fine. I'm tempted to just open it, but if the copy from Pulse has a better box, which I keep, then I'd rather have the undamaged box. These first-world problems are so stressful! (add a bit of whiny petulance to that last sentence for the full effect)
  16. M'Kyuun
    Appreciate the review, Mike. Like you, I'd prefer that more of the G1 minibots who mattered in the toon got their figs before secondary and tertiary characters like Elita-1, but OTOH, I'm glad they gave her her own alt mode and at least some transformation. I dig this fig; I like what they did with her, lack of toon faithfulness notwithstanding. She's unique, and as you say, far better than just getting another Arcee repaint. Mine's POed with Pulse, so I expect to see her on my doorstep towards the end of Sept/early October.
  17. M'Kyuun
    By way of follow-up, awhile back I posted that my Go Better spoiler kit for ER Sunstreaker had come with a mis-assembled right arm bit with a left arm linkage between the spoiler and the arm attachment. I notified TF Safari about it and they sent me a new left and right arm assembly so that the spoilers sit correctly now. I just wanted to recognize them for their excellent customer service in this matter. Too often we focus on the negatives in the hobby, so I thought it pertinent to share a positive experience that hopefully will be shared by others doing business with them. Too, my Sunstreaker looks pretty rad with his shiny new spoilers. 😍
  18. M'Kyuun
    Both of these looks amazing. For train fans who aren't necessarily Harry Potter fans, this presents a perfect opportunity to own a LEGO version of the Jacobite Steam train in Britain. The Fishing Store, while beautifully done, didn't really appeal to me. But this lighthouse does. I have nowhere to put it though, and a piece like this needs to be displayed. I wonder if they've changed the mold for the heavy ratcheting joints; my older joints are stronger than the recent ones. I've had a copy of 4483 AT-AT on display for years with all four legs having a slight bend fore or aft of straight, and most with the knees bent slightly as well. The thing is rock solid. I bought the 2020 AT-AT set (75288) and placed it next to my 4483 AT-AT in a similar posing position with legs only slightly bent at hips and knees. After standing fine for months, it just collapsed one day without provocation. The legs just gave way. I couldn't believe it. In other sets I've got since containing those joints, the detents just seem softer, requiring less force to move from detent to detent. If LEGO purposely redesigned the strongest joint in their inventory to be weaker, I'm at a loss as to why they'd do that. Anyway, that's been my impression. And yeah, the gearing mechanisms allow for some nice dynamic posability, but at the cost of playability in lieu of strength. I've seen pics of your VF-1. Incredible work- I doubt folks here understand the scale you were working in. It's a shame that in all these years, LEGO has yet to really make much in the way of improvement or advancement in their large joint system. The new disc joint that they developed for Optimus is a game changer, but it's still only as good as the old joint half to which it's married. It's a long overdue improvement to a system of limited joint options. Still room for more improvement IMHO.
  19. M'Kyuun
    Y'know, if they made a really good G1 Megs that turns into a decent Walther P-38ish pistol and molded the whole thing in bright orange, I'd buy it and repaint it. I thought the omission of core class POs was odd, too. I kept refreshing, thinking maybe they were just late additions or maybe the site was slowing down from being overloaded with ppl submitting their orders. Well, hopefully they give us some sort of advance notice before putting them up for PO, at least the Premium Pulse members. Curious to see what they've got up their sleeves for PulseCon. I'm going to be at BrickCon, a LEGO convention, the same weekend, so it's going to be a juggling act to try and keep up with new TF stuff.
  20. M'Kyuun
    Yeah, it'd be an improvement over CW leader Megatron, but still not G1 Megs. I want the pistol alt mode, but as you say, US gun laws put heavy restrictions on toymakers. But you can go buy an arsenal of AR-15s. The irony is not lost on me. Got my POs in on Pulse- other than the Cosmos situation, I'm a happy TF fan.
  21. M'Kyuun
    Actually, those stamps were pretty sharp looking, esp the Dinobots. not a stamp collector, per se, but as a unique TF item, it's cool. Not gonna get them, but I don't have an issue with it either. I'd be down for USPS to do a similar thing. BW Inferno looks amazing. Loved his character, and this fig does everything right. "For the Royalty!" Down for SS86 Ironhide: not without its warts, but it's a vast improvement over the ER version. Wish he had his back cannon from the third ep of the first season pilot mini-series, and wish his loinplate was segmented. The one-piece deal is outdated and looks terrible. It's likely pinned and will make it more difficult to mod, but hopefully 3P will find a way. Gonna have to paint on his yellow stripe, too (or do the inevitable Toyhax application) Not a Bayverse fan, but I have to say that Hot Rod looks promising. As Evan mentioned, it's rare for so much of a bot's car parts to inform the bot mode in Bayverse, so this one was easier to design, and benefits from it, IMHO. That Lambo mode. 😍 Core class Rumble. Cool that they redid him, but it doesn't look like he's going to have elbows. I'd rather have elbows than the pile drivers which will remain in the box. Pointblank- Although I never had him, he was my favorite of the Targetmasters as a kid. I loved his car and bot designs, and I'm glad to see him get an update. Core class Wheelie- Such a meh character, but I'll probably get him just b/c. Legacy Deadend- I'm already two deep for a new improved Menasor- like Pokeman, gonna catch em all. Those feet are weird, tho. So, so wish they could find a way to make a proper G1 Megs for SS86. Seems a huge omission to have all the other characters, and then this void. Funny that no 3P has stepped in to fill that gap, either- such a surefire opportunity. For my money, I'd love an upscaled Magic Square Doomsday at voyager scale. That would be glorious and fill a huge hole in the current roster.
  22. M'Kyuun
    Hasbro Pulse TF fanstream about to start.
  23. M'Kyuun
    Right?!!! I can see the legs forming a portion of the sides of the car. The heel becomes the big intake right in front of the rear wheel, which itself is encapsulated by the ankle TF: Prime-style. 😍 The scabbards become part of the hood, and of course the shoulders form a goodly portion of the rear of the car. It all makes me giddy, as it's so well-executed. It doesn't look like it transforms in either bot mode or car mode, so the fact that it does is so deliciously alluring. And both modes are beautiful. 🤤 So, so tempted. I'm not even in it for Drift, as I have little familiarity with the character. Rather, it's the toy itself and how good it looks and the appealingly puzzling nature of the transformation that sings to my soul, or spark, as it were. 😉 Damn my small-house, big-collection situation!
  24. M'Kyuun
    So, I nearly had my hands on a copy of Cosmos at my local Wally this morning, but b/c I dallied a bit, I didn't get there right at 6 when they open, but a few minutes after. Those few minutes were enough, apparently, for someone else with the same idea but better execution. I talked with the lady who stocked the Velocitron figs, and she said she'd put two Cosmos out that morning. Both were gone by the time I got there. The good news is I know they're getting them; the bad news is that there's no rhyme or reason when they get stock in, which means I'd have to be on their doorstep at 0600 every morning until I finally snag one, and that's just ludicrous. I did, however, manage to get a copy of Clampdown, so a minor victory. Not the prize I so dearly sought, though. Not happy at all with Hasbro for creating this BS situation. At the very least, I hope it was collector(s) like me with a passion for the hobby and not some POS scalper who got those two copies. Alas, the hunt continues.
  25. M'Kyuun
    Man, that's a beautiful take on Drift. The transformation looks involved, and the car mode is awesome. Tempted, but I really have nowhere to put him. Prob just enjoy this one vicariously.
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