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M'Kyuun

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  1. M'Kyuun
    I've only seen a fraction of the Berserk anime out there, and none of the manga, but my wife and I both enjoyed the first season or so that we have seen. Miura-san was obviously a talented gentleman, and his loss hits me for how close in age we were- he was only five years older than me. Far too young to lose him, both as a human being and as an immensely creative artist. RIP, good sir.
  2. M'Kyuun
    Gnaw is also a Husui-san design. Nice to know he's still designing these things, and I'm especially glad to know that he appears to be behind the Dinobots. Sucks that they're reverting back to the politically correct Slug so as not to offend our British cousins. I get that the term 'slag' has a derogatory slang meaning towards women in Britain, but I assume its proper meaning is the same as it is here- the cast off by-product of smelting metal. Since we're predominantly English speakers, America no doubt carried the term over from our British forebears. It just seems overly fussy to assume the slang meaning when you're talking about a bunch of robots, but such is the sensitive world we live in. Gnaw was a nice surprise; it is nice to get those from time to time, and I'm glad the Hasbro folks got to spring it on us. Evan, the product designer who presented this morning, is definitely a TF fan, and I like his natural and generally uninhibited geeky discourse when they do these presentations- unlike a lot of the marketing presenters, he doesn't come across as just reading off a teleprompter. I appreciate these presentations, period; they don't have to, but it's a pleasant way to peddle their wares (b/c of course these are elaborate commercials), and we get some insight to the people behind the scenes, the processes (Evan's speaking about the challenges of trying to color match to TF: The Movie was interesting), and guest appearances like Matt Ferguson this morning. Seemed like a very modest fellow, but his talent is readily apparent when you consider the body of his work. I really wish they'd tell us whether or not G1 toy versions of the Dinobots are coming, but of course that would probably hurt sales of the current Movie inspired toys; I'd likely eschew the Movie versions in lieu of the toy versions, so I'm the guy they're trying to get to double dip, which I probably will if toy versions are released later on. They need to make a t-shirt with a bunch of multiples and repainted figs on it superimposed with the word, "SUCKER". That's me. I say it with a cheeky grin, though. I could be a meth head or a an alcoholic, but plastic toys are a much more fulfilling addiction, methinks. Healthier, too, or so I'm lead to believe. Just not very space efficient. So, yeah, I'm down for all the SS86 stuff they showed off this morning. I have neither familiarity nor interest in Shattered Glass, but I'm happy for the folks who are invested in that storyline. Even if they're just repaints, at least they're making the effort. More than we Animated fans have gotten.
  3. M'Kyuun
    Friendly reminder that this is happening today.
  4. M'Kyuun
    Glad to see Bruce Timm's name attached. Tim Burton's depiction of Batman changed my perspective 180 degrees, having grown up watching the Adam West series as a wee lad, and the Superfriends as I got older. While I enjoyed both, my impression of Batman as a character, having never read the comics, was of a cheesy guy in a cheesy looking suit who relies almost entirely on his utility belt to solve every challenge. In fact, until Burton's film, my nickname for Batman was Utility Belt Man, such was my low opinion of him. So, Batman happened, and then Batman: The Animated Series made its debut, and it was just so well done. Although Burton's film was the catalyst to put Batman back in the popular consciousness as a serious and dark crimefighter, B:TAS , IMHO, was a superior medium for telling his stories thanks to Bruce Timm and his team. We also have him and Paul Dini to thank for creating Harley Quinn, who's become one of the most notable villains in Batman's Rogue's Gallery, along with her Puddin'. The stamp of The Animated Series continues to reverberate and inform how we think Batman should be almost thirty years on. To create something that lasting and influential is a hell of a legacy. Honorable mentions to Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, and Arleen Sorkin who brought Bats, Joker, and Harley to life in such memorable fashion. It's still hard for me to hear any other voices coming from these characters. With the combined talents and experience of Timm, Abrams, and Reeves behind the scenes of this new show, I have faith that it'll be worth watching. If anything causes concern, putting it on Cartoon Network, who haven't been the best hosts for DC shows in the past, gives pause. I want the show to be on regular tv rather than subscription, but CN, with its erratic scheduling and seeming disdain for anything that isn't tactless and raunchy, as well as anything that actually has decent animation, I wonder that they wish to partner with them. There's not good history there, and I think they'd do better to put it on a different network. Guess we'll see.
  5. M'Kyuun
    I've had that box sitting under my table for a couple of years now- same issue, no room for it, but hopefully someday. I also have a similar looking cat. If you're short, bald, and a little paunchy about the midsection, I think we've got some parallel dimension stuff going on.
  6. M'Kyuun
    I may be biased , as Prowl's my favorite G1 Autobot design, but objectively, I think your observation is right on the money. Incidentally, Prowl is also Hasui's favorite character, and he personally designed the MP toy, so there's a a case to be made that Prowl benefited greatly from that personal attachment and Hasui's design philosophy of striking a good balance between the real world car details and the toon look. In Prowl's case, it's an impeccable marriage. I wish his approach had continued throughout the life of the line, as the plain Jane hyper-toon look and many of the subsequent concessions don't enthrall me. However, Skids is looking to mirror the old approach, with articulation regressing back to early 2K levels. I wish they could step up the articulation and maintain the early Hasui look, but if that's what it takes, so be it. Concerning WFC Jetfire's scale, I think they got it pretty close. https://reflector.tfw2005.com/wp-content/plugins/justified-image-grid/timthumb.php?src=https%3A%2F%2Freflector.tfw2005.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F14%2F2019%2F08%2FSiege-Jetfire-090.jpg&h=330&q=90&f=.jpg The toon's capricious scaling from scene to scene makes exact scaling nigh impossible, so there's wiggle room. To me, he scales well with the rest of the line. I'm also a fan of the mechanical detailing on the WFC figures, so I'm pretty happy with him. He's a 'dream' figure, one that I never thought would get an actual official toy, especially after thirty-plus years, so I remain grateful, and grateful that he turned out as well as he did.
  7. M'Kyuun
    It can be done with WFC Jetfire and FT Phoenix: Of course, the WFC fig doesn't have the ventral structures shown in the animation screenshot, and Phoenix approximates it, but without the blue window. Phoenix's landing gear are housed in that section where the blue window should be. I assume that Takara's MP will have the same bit of ventral detail, and very likely, the blue window. After all it's in the animation.
  8. M'Kyuun
    Are you being sarcastic? I think he means the semi-'GERWALK' form Starscream and Skyfire adopted in an ep or two, coming in for landing with their legs extended while the rest of their bodies remained in jet mode. I couldn't find a screenshot of Screamer landing like this, but I believe he did in at least one ep.
  9. M'Kyuun
    Never been a big Mad Max fan, or a fan of post-apoc vehicles modded to the nines with cow catchers, bars, spikes, etc, but if you're gonna make one and make it transform, then Frostlight's the way to do it. Looks awesome in both modes.
  10. M'Kyuun
    PvP's effusively enthusiastic reviews are always fun; one could make a good drinking game from his constant repetition of descriptors like 'fantastic', 'awesome', and 'superb'. I sometimes wonder if he's a paid reviewer for Hasbro, as he seldom has much negative to say. I hope not, and that he legitimately enjoys these figures as much as he seems to. If he ever gets tired of doing toy reviews, he has a future in advertising with his rapid well-enunciated elocution and lovely British brogue. As to Rodimus, I think it's nigh beyond dispute that this is the best official Rodimus figure made to date. It's certainly not without its flaws (the break in the exhaust pipes, the back wheels of his car mode clearly visible when attached to the trailer, too much car poking out of the trailer when attached, very little ground clearance because of transformation hinges, trailer a bit too long). Some may not like the face sculpt either, but I do; I think it gives him an air of gravitas, and it actually makes me wish that they'd written him as a competent leader in the old toon instead of a self doubting whiner, which was out of character from how he was portrayed as Hot Rod. I digress. The aforementioned nitpicks aside, I'm pretty impressed with what Hasbro's done here. This looks so much better than the MP toy, and does much more right than not. I also appreciate the little drawer on the trailer's underside, as it's a great storage solution that doesn't mar the look of the vehicle mode, and provides a better option than having accessories strewn willy-nilly about the vehicle. Crappy weapon/accessory storage is one of my biggest nitpicks with Transformers in general, so when I see efforts like this, I have to give credit. Although I've never been a huge Rodimus fan, there's a lot to like here, and I'm very glad that I put in a PO for this guy. Looks like a great fig, and likely one of those iconic ones that we're still talking about twenty years down the road.
  11. M'Kyuun
    The Hiya Toys' ED-209 is a nice looking toy, especially for its size, but I ended up not waiting for it, and bought the larger Neca version last year. I just watched a review of the Hiya, and I'm glad I went with the Neca. It's larger, more detailed, has better sound quality and more sound effects/phrases lifted straight from the movie soundtrack (that can be a good and bad thing) and pretty much the same articulation. Unfortunately, neither version has any articulation in the feet, which sucks b/c you can't recreate the fun scene where ED is testing the staircase with his toes before taking a tumble and throwing a tantrum (one of my favorite scenes in the movie, and just one of the best robot scenes in any movie). Essentially, It also limits him to basically a static standing pose, as trying to pose him in a walking pose looks awkward and will more than likely result in his tumbling over. I assume the same will be true for the Hiya. It's frustrating and unfortunate to have such a well done toy, but that lack of foot articulation limits a lot of the fun that could be had.
  12. M'Kyuun
    Great quote. I was unfamiliar with the TSR-2, so Wiki to the rescue. Neat looking plane, with a similar MO as the later B-1 Lancer- low and fast penetration into enemy territory, pop and drop, then turn tail and GTFO as quickly as possible. From the reading, it didn't meet original specifications, and those specs had to be reduced. Cost overruns, inter-agency squabbling and politics conspired to end her before she really ever got started. Unfortunately more cool aircraft than we'll likely ever know about have fallen to those axes. One wonders how many black program aircraft are buried out in the desert. The YF-23 is a constant reminder, though, just hanging out in the AF Museum. So much unfulfilled potential.
  13. M'Kyuun
    Digging this guy. Wish there were a few paint apps to pick out the wires and such on his side panels/wings, and that his horns weren't hollow- seriously, Hasbro, how hard would it be to make those things solid or put some gap fillers in the box? Instead we get Daniel. I do like the weapon storage solution, but I don't like that it's white against the proper gold of the tail. I think it would have been better executed if the gun was completely ensconced within the tail. It's a concession, and better than just pegging it onto his shoulder or some other odd place on his dino body. The back feet definitely look disproportionate in this view. It's not too bad from the side, but, yeah, it would have been nice had they found a way to make those feet wider. Fans Toys, a la Perfect Fusion, managed it with Cesium using a similar folding technique. Has/Tak should have taken notes. Ah Hasbro, why try when nobody makes them. Still, it looks to be a good fig, and I'm sure third parties will come along with solutions for the hollow horns and swords, and probably some removable slip-ons for the back feet. The horns stand out to me as something that shouldn't have passed , but Hasbro. I do think it's interesting that they came up with a new transformation for the legs, and that it's not terrible. Perhaps someday they'll do a 'behind the toys' segment explaining the departure- I always enjoy that sort of thing. Anyway, it's nice to see another G1 leader sized Dinobot in the official line, and all things considered, looking pretty good with minor nitpicks. Sure beats the slag out of the PotP Dinos. I'll just be going now.....
  14. M'Kyuun
    Totally down for some Daily Bugle action. I'm really surprised to see Punisher in the lineup; given the nature of the character, this'll likely be the one opportunity to get him in LEGO form. Nice to see this done in a more deluxe build- they could have just made it like the Avengers' Tower, simplifying it to meet a $120-150 price point for mass retail in the big box stores, but given how iconic the Bugle is to Spidey lore, I'm glad Mark got his wish to design this at a larger scale with all the detail an Exclusive allows. The minifig lineup is impressive as well, although I wish Bobby Drake, AKA Iceman, had been included so we'd have the full team from Spiderman and His Amazing Friends, which I watched religiously as a kid. Firestar is a pleasantly surprising addition (funny that the reviewer didn't know who she was), and a nice nod for us 80s kids who watched her, Spidey, and Iceman take on the gallery of villains every Saturday morning growing up. The Goblin's smashing escape is pretty darn cool, and I appreciate its inclusion. That particular feature was also something the designer, Mark Stafford, long dreamt of doing since his pre-LEGO AFOL days; it was a passion project for him, and it's cool to know that he got to actualize it as a set.
  15. M'Kyuun
    That's a very short service life for such a complex and expensive airframe, considering it only entered operational service in 2005, and many Cold War era planes are still actively flying. Had the right plane been chosen back in '91, I wonder if the F-23 would have enjoyed a longer operational life. It would have been prettier doing so, anyway.
  16. M'Kyuun
    Which is odd, as I would expect Takara to be more careful about trying to get the details right, starting with the right model of truck. The new Hasbro branding isn't wrong; it's just not applicable in this case.
  17. M'Kyuun
    Yep. I was gonna say that MOC's over a decade old now, but it still looks pretty good. He also built a pretty nice VF-1 back in the day. I'm pretty sure this is fully transformable, which is notable b/c the legs are better proportioned than the Yammie. I started building my own YF-21 around 2003 or so, but abandoned it for lack of skill and parts necessary to do it justice. This model was posted on Brickshelf around that same period, IIRC. It's quite well done, especially in light of the palette back then. It's nice to bring some of these old Macross MOCs to light again, as so many were really well done and show off the skill and creativity of the builders long before we had all the complex curved slopes and wedges that we have now.
  18. M'Kyuun
    Sad state of affairs when a 67 second toy commercial has Peter Cullen voicing Prime, but not their Netflix animated series. And while the bot mode looks good, the truck mode suffers.
  19. M'Kyuun
    Here's a pic of the real truck from the film. His pipes are straight with hinged lids at the top, yet the SS version had a subtle, but not unsightly, curve at the top. Not sure what they were thinking when they did the MP version's pipes- such a pronounced curve looks terrible as well as being inaccurate to the source. Since it's a real truck, thus likely requiring a license to produce, one might be inclined to think that the subtle details of the real truck would be captured in the toys, but apparently not. Guess Freightliner has more to worry about than whether or not toy details are on the money. Anyway, you can look at the real thing and pick out any number of details that are inaccurate; I can excuse a lot of it on the SS version, but the MP should skew closer to the source, IMHO. Those subtle details are kinda what sets it apart as, well, Masterpiece, y'know. Anyway, I'm happy with my SS toy, and feel no compunction whatsoever to get the MP. Too, as others have mentioned, I think some of the third party efforts did it better. Why do they insist on putting glare shields on this guy when he had none in the film, but details that he does have are ignored or poorly represented? Stuff like that bugs me. It feels like deflection- they f'd this, and this, and this, and this up, so -glare shields!
  20. M'Kyuun
    I concede your points, but I dunno, there's always been something about Skyfire's design in both modes that I liked. He is boxy- no argument there, but I've always dug it. Truth be told, I prefer the Skyfire design over the Jetfire VF-1, as it was unique to Transformers, with design nods from the original VF-1 toy. Of course, he too benefitted from a great deal of mass shifting going from his bot mode to space transport- pretty commonplace in G1 toon.
  21. M'Kyuun
    I think it's still too early to judge, as this is just a prototype. Funny that they posed him with MP-10 instead of MP-44. Anyway, not feeling any pressing need to retire my FT Phoenix just yet.
  22. M'Kyuun
    Concur about Mirage: it should have been an all new mold. I have the Siege, which is ok, but the Classics fig is still one of my all-time favorite TF toys. As for the Grimlock repaint of Dinobot, I'm only just lukewarm on that mold as the original character, so a repaint holds no interest.
  23. M'Kyuun
    Nice box and presentation, but I doubt it would ever happen, what with LEGO's anti-violence policy. They'll allow for 'fantasy' violence, but Airwolf by virtue of its adult content and too-close-to-real world weaponry is a bit beyond what LEGO would consider appropriate, IMHO. I'm still surprised that the A-Team was represented in Dimensions, as it was chock full of violence, albeit in an 80s cartoonish fashion where thousands of rounds are fired but the heroes seldom get hit, and the baddies suffer near bloodless deaths when hit. Such a great time to grow up! Airwolf was a bit darker than a lot of 80s shoot-em-up shows built around an advanced vehicle, which gave it an edge. Too, Jan Michael Vincent (RIP) made Stringfellow Hawke one of the more memorable and darker protagonists of 80s tv shows. I wish we had a modern equivalent- it was always a thrill when Dom or String headed out to their desert hideaway to fire up 'The Lady' for a mission. There's nothing like that on tv today, and that's a shame. Thanks for sharing the pic, @sh9000. Even if the set's just a MOC, the trip down memory lane was worth the post.
  24. M'Kyuun
    Looks good. Very much enjoyed the first season. Love the platform- easy to binge a few eps at a time, or just one (if you're attention deprived like me), and it allows for a nice variety of stories and visual styles. Also, I assume it's a good way for new or unknown artists to get their work out to a broader audience.
  25. M'Kyuun
    Noticed that, too, which made the idea of his being a stowaway, which implies a knowing act to board a craft illegally, moot, and his placement within the alcove behind the panel couldn't have gone un-noticed by a technician securing that panel. I've done my share of securing aircraft panels, and checking for FOD, loose tools, clothing, rags, etc (unconscious coworker's body), is an ingrained part of the process before screwing the panel down. Occasionally rags or a tool get missed, but an adult body would be kinda difficult to overlook. Just sayin'. The old too many peeps, not enough O2 trope is an oldie but a goodie, and I enjoyed that aspect and the acting side of the film. I think this was the first time I've ever seen Anna Kendrick show emotion beyond flippancy and sarcasm; IMHO, she sold the performance. Toni Collette's good in just about everything she does- undersung actress.
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