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M'Kyuun

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  1. M'Kyuun
    I agree about P/CP, but for the sake of getting an Earth mode Barricade, I ate the cost of getting them as a two-pack. I'm happy for the folks who missed out on him the first go round and I won't fault Hasbro for doing two-packs, as I've benefited from them. However, I have the first release, and IMHO it has better overall deco and coloration. If there's someone in need of it, I may just sell it, but b/c it was issued as a two-pack, part of me hates to break them up, as it devalues the set. But yeah, Punch looks to be a straight repaint with no additional mods to improve the articulation. Bummer that, but after sooo many years of pining for an update, I thought it was a decent figure. Not perfect by any stretch, but it does pretty much everything you want from a Punch/Counter-punch figure, and short of having two separate sets of robot arms, homages the G1 toy pretty well. I wish it had better articulation, and a proper set of toes in CP mode, but I'm just glad he got a modern update in the main line. I just got ER Bluestreak (Thanks @David Hingtgen), and looking back at the G1 toy and artwork, I'm feeling a bit of an itch to throw some paint on him, as well as some stickers, especially to add some detail behind his leg windows. That was always a salient feature of the Datsun Bros- I absolutely love seeing the internals through the windows on the legs, and I was pleased as punch (no pun intended regarding the previous conversation) when that detail was molded into the MP figs. On the ER figs, the shins are entirely made of clear plastic so you can see right through them in bot mode. There is a little bit of molded detail in the plastic, but it's pretty generic. I'd prefer it had something that replicates the detail from the old box art/toy stickers, albeit with a more realistic look. Toyhax goes for the exact G1 sticker look, which, to me, doesn't often complement the modern toys without looking cheesy. I'm not aware of any alternatives, though. Nonetheless, their Sky-Lynx set looks pretty good.
  2. M'Kyuun
    For anyone interested in picking up ER Barricade and Punch/Counter-punch on Amazon, here's the link.
  3. M'Kyuun
    I've no idea where he lives, but the last name sounds Chinese to my ears, so it's a relatively safe bet that's where he lives, as it's the home of many a toymaker. I wasn't aware that it was originally unbranded, but the design is unquestionably the VF-1, so if you want to bring it to market, the options are few. And HG are are salivating for anyone to make products from which they can leech profit. I only own the one SD VF-1 from KC, but following the thread, I've formed the opinion that their products are well above the levels of quality and workmanship we ever got from Toynami, which just makes it that much more gulling that it benefits HG.
  4. M'Kyuun
    Referring back to the concept art for the SD VF-1, as much as it pained me to put money in HG's pocket, if indirectly, my hat's off to Cyrus Cheung, the designer, for creating what is, to my eye, one of the best looking SD VF-1 designs, and one that has a really good transformation to boot. I bought Max's VF-1J with Fast Packs, and I love it. Shame they didn't go straight to BW for a Macross license instead of HG. Cool toys, nonetheless. I love that these come with a head scaled to allow it to be part of the transformation, as well as an oversized head, as we often don't get that option with SD stuff (looking askance at my ES Gokin Roadbuster). Little OT, but Magic Square has a pretty sweet looking SD Arcee that transforms; her huge melon becomes the back of the car, an ingeniously practical solution.
  5. M'Kyuun
    Not much shown that that really interests me, but my interest is definitely piqued for the Omnibots. I've been longing for updates of those guys since the 80s (I only own Downshift, but I thought they were all neat), and while my fingers remain crossed that maybe they'll turn up in WFC: Kingdom, I'm pleased to see that XTB are making an attempt. Honesty, I wish it was MMC doing them, or FT, but I'm going to keep an eye on the progress of these guys regardless. I'm a little bummed that Downshift wasn't shown, as he's my fave of the three, and the one I was most looking forward to seeing in updated form. Camshaft and Overdrive look nice, a good mix of toon and toy. Down for the re-release of Maketoys' Meteor. I hope HasTak don't try to block that. I'm generally not a fan of Cybertronian alts, but there's something alluring about MMC's Mnemo- cool looking design in both modes. I have no familiarity with the character (Yet- I have a ton of IDW comics to catch up on thanks to @mikeszekely), but from a purely aesthetic POV, it appeals. Can't say the same for its partner, Motif, whose alt mode is a nondescript slab. The bot mode resembles the G1 cassette dudes, but that alt mode doesn't look like a cassette. It looks like nothing familiar, which illustrates my dislike of Cybertronian alts. Totally unfamiliar with Deathasaurus, so it was interesting for an uninitiated like me to see a couple versions of it. FWIW, I much preferred MMC's take on it, although both struck me, in a good way, as rather Zoid-like, which is an aesthetic I'm hands-down all-for when beast modes are concerned. If you're going to do robo-beasts, you can't find a much finer example than Zoids to emulate, IMHO. Um, no, not really. The commentary was pretty much a lot of running puns and glowing praise. I don't want to be negative, as I appreciate that they're trying to present everything in a positive light, but as you say, praise loses its effect when it's doled out in equally effusive terms towards everything. The puns, though. Ugh! Ryan's Canadian lilt was an oddly enjoyable distraction.
  6. M'Kyuun
    Currently watching Turn-A Gundam for the first time. I bought it a few years ago when Hastings went bankrupt, and finally decided to watch it. Glad I did. It's unique, and I like the story and the characters, not to mention the juxtaposition of technical advancement of the Moonrace and the Earthers,. It's also cool to see the eponymous Gundam, which itself is rather unique in its style, the handiwork of Syd Mead (RIP), the only Westerner to design an official Gundam. For the record, I've only seen a few of the Gundam series: MSG, Zeta Gundam, most of IBO, most of Gundam Origin: Rise of the Red Comet. Zeta was the first series I watched, and I thought it was amazing. Watched MSG after, and thought it was good, but not as much as Zeta. IBO was a cool show, and the Barbatos Lupus Rex is one of my favorite Gundam designs. Rise of the Red Comet was a fun watch, and now Turn-A, which is just so different from the rest, but enjoyable in its own way. With just this small sampling of Gundam under my belt, so to speak, I can see why it enjoys the popularity that it does. I mean, it's no Macross, but still pretty good.
  7. M'Kyuun
    Hmm, yes, yes it does. Alas, character building. As it happens, I just returned from retrieving my truck from the garage, and the financial damage was a quarter of what I was anticipating, so my regret at having not jumped on the Batwing yesterday stings a bit. But, I've lived 49 years without it; another few weeks to a month or so won't kill me. As I get older, I find my need for stuff has watered down to a mere want, if that makes sense. The lack of availability, or exclusivity, is frustrating, but more often than not, patience prevails. Missing out on the free items, as those are one-time deals, and the double VIP points are the real bummers.
  8. M'Kyuun
    The LEGO '89 Batwing went up for sale for VIPs only yesterday, and I decided I'd go in on a copy this morning, but they're already sold out. The trend of underestimating demand on initial releases plagues any number of companies, but LEGO seems to excel at it. What really sucks about it is that we're still in a double VIP point window, so that would have been a nice bump. Alas, I hesitated, as my vehicle is in the garage currently for repairs, and in anticipation of a sizeable bill, I demurred yesterday. This morning, I was feeling a little more cavalier, and decided to just go for it, but it looks like I'll be waiting, along with all the non-VIPs, for them to eventually restock. For those of you with kids, or perhaps just nostalgia from your own childhoods, LEGO IDEAS released a Sesame Street set. Growing up with the show myself in the 70s and 80s, I must confess a bit of nostalgic attachment. Part of me wants it for the figs (Ernie, Bert, Cookie Monster, Big Bird, Elmo, and Oscar the Grouch), as we'll likely never get these characters again, although Sesame Street seems like it would have been a good partner with LEGO decades ago given the shared target audience. It's certainly more apropos than some of its other licensees, but I digress. Anyway, just thought I'd mention it here.
  9. M'Kyuun
    Thanks Mike, but I PM'd David on the off-chance that he still had his, and he does, so I'm likely getting it from him. As always, I appreciate the offer to help a brother out. If only the TF community as a whole embodied that spirit.
  10. M'Kyuun
    We have ten Walgreens in the Spokane area, and none of them have it in store or available for shipping. I checked one of the stores in person yesterday, and they didn't have it. I'm hoping it's just an ordering or distro issue, but it doesn't inspire hope. I'm starting to wish I'd PM'd David about his copy when he first posted. Collecting toys should be a stress reliever, not the cause of it.
  11. M'Kyuun
    So true. At this point, every VF-1 toy should come with an integrated udder accessory.
  12. M'Kyuun
    Digits crossed for an update or a final for the YF-21. They've made enough progress on it already to hopefully stay the course. Heck, I'd take it as it was shown- much better balance between fighter and battroid, with the battroid looking far more proportionately correct than the Yamato.
  13. M'Kyuun
    The passions that these toys evoke, as well as the division, is just fascinating. I'm also of the opinion that having the options is the best possible situation, as it helps satisfy nearly everyone's tastes. I wish there were even more toys available, but as it is, we're spoiled for choice. I find Treatment's view interesting, as well, and I sympathize to a point. I think there was a far better balance between modes with MP-03/11, but it didn't carry over the exactingly faithful cartoon look in bot mode that the majority of fans, myself included, like. To that end, the Maketoys appeals to me over MP-52 for achieving a better balance between fighter and bot modes while still presenting a rather faithful representation of the toon model in bot mode. I still wish the fighter mode was better, but it's ok, and more accurate than MP- 52's fighter mode. But for those that are all in on MP-52, I hope it turns out to be a good figure, and I also hope those same folks will sell off their Maketoys figs relatively cheaply for folks like myself that find it the more appealing option. As for the Wally exclusive Headmaster repaints in retro packaging, I like touches like that. I still think the 80's TF packaging was some of the most striking of any toy line that has come since. It definitely caught the eye and stirred the imagination, as well as showcased some beautiful artwork all around. Gushing aside, out of the group, Brainstorm is the one that I missed when TR was out, and I'm hoping to pick him up this time around. As for those who desire the G1 toys, the appeal of those toys is absolutely lost on me, aside from perhaps a wee smidge of nostalgia. I thought the G1 toys were crap back in the 80's, especially when that box art, as well as the cartoon, sold me on the notion of articulated figures. Articulation has always been important to me, so the idea of going back to those old bricks as opposed to the more complex and articulated figs of today is anathema. That said, folks like what they like, and for the folks that like the G1 toys, I hope Hasbro continues to release them. I'm one less fan you have to compete with. +1 Unfortunately, we live in an age where people feel entitled to their opinions, that their opinion is the only opinion that matters, and hostility is the only reaction to a difference in opinion. It doesn't help that internet anonymity and the absence of accountability seem to bring out the worst in people.
  14. M'Kyuun
    I have Agamemnon, and I agree on both points. Aesthetically, Magic Square's Doomsday is superior. It's a fun little Megatron figure, though. The transformation is pretty cool. I'd love for either MS or a 4th party to upscale Doomsday to voyager scale to fit in with CHUG, since we will never get a proper G1 Megatron again officially in the mainline.
  15. M'Kyuun
    Yet, there are precedents for it's having been done better: Maketoys' Meteor New Age's Leviathan (sorry so blurry- I took this freehand, and the camera is extremely sensitive to vibration)
  16. M'Kyuun
    It's 0619 PST, and the Wally POs have yet to be posted. When they finally do get around to posting them, it'll probably be O'dark thirty in the AM and only scalper bots will end up getting them. All I want is Brainstorm, which I missed when TR was still running. I have all the rest, and don't feel the need to pick up repaints. Nice that Hasbro is reissuing these, but they picked a lousy marketing partner. At least Target and Amazon post their new products on time. @Negotiator, @mikeszekely, thanks for the links, guys. Thanks to you, I was able to get my figs. Now if Wally would just post theirs...
  17. M'Kyuun
    She's a fun one to pose, eh Kuma. BFB did such a great job with sculpting, painting, and articulation that she looks good from just about any angle. Really glad I got her. Every time I see your pic of the two Jazzes, the one on the right always strikes me as playing air guitar. Not sure if that was your intention, but it's actually apropos to the character, and for me it adds levity to the shot.
  18. M'Kyuun
    I'm still not seeing the Walmart exclusive Headmasters anywhere. If anyone has a link, I'd appreciate it. Edit: Apparently Walmart hasn't listed them yet, as the links aren't posted on TFW, either. Nice lineup of figs, but I was hoping they'd announce the Ark dude as a surprise reveal. Guess we'll have to keep waiting for it.
  19. M'Kyuun
    Thanks for the links; they weren't coming up for me at all, even directly searching by name. Having the same issue on Walmart's site. None of the new figs are showing up on their TF page.
  20. M'Kyuun
    My heart sank when they said "exclusive". I've come to despise that word. Fortunately, I have all but Brainstorm (missed that one), so I'm going to try to get him. Def want Thrust (my fave Conehead) and Runabout from Target. And all the "86 figs from Pulse.
  21. M'Kyuun
    Aw, man, that sucks. The vast majority of my collection is on shelves, although I do keep a few on the coffee table for hand candy when I' watching a show. My cat, a Manx, is a bit of a chewer, more than my dog, rest her soul, ever was. She's eight now, and her proclivity was waned slightly, although she still likes to go after pointy bits from time to time. She has yet, knock on wood, to do any major damage to any of my figures. RtS Jazz remains one of my favorite CHUG figs, and until the '86 SS fig, was the most faithful rendition of the character. While I like the SS' bot mode for all it does right, it makes me wonder why they wouldn't go the extra mile to make those feet fold into the car mode. It'd be nice if a third party rectified that ill bit of engineering slackery. Your points are valid, especially if you want toon accuracy. The RtS is still a really good Jazz fig, but definitely has its liberties. And yeah, the leg are wonky. I still love it, though.
  22. M'Kyuun
    Jazz is looking pretty good, except for the feet hanging out the back of his car mode. C'mon Hasbro, you've already done better: The "86 SS Jazz bot mode looks pretty good, though, hollow forearms notwithstanding. It has a good mix of toon and toy. Shame they cocked up the car mode, which could also do with some paint apps on the rear fenders to complete the look. Mixed bag, this one, but I'll still probably get it. I have Arcee, and car feet aside, this is still far better than that figure. Wonder why they changed his number on the doors? Seems a running trend with WFC. Hot Rod looks amazing. All things being equal, I'd rather Jazz was the amazing figure.
  23. M'Kyuun
    I officially embodied the "ass' part of assume with my post. I looked up the Ocular Max , and yeah, it channels the OG toy rather well. I remember liking the look of their Inferno, but ultimately went with the MP version, which turned out to be a nice figure, although a bit drab for lack of detail in bot mode. I'd rather have the sculpted details of Girder or Wrestle. But then, I've always been a fan of detail, preferring more over less, especially with a robot toy. Ooh, I'm very curious to see close ups of Jazz and Grimlock. Grimlock looks a bit emaciated in that pic; I hope it's a product of distortion, but somehow I doubt it, as the others look proportionate. I hope they do the rest of the Dinobots, as the PotP figs left somewhat to be desired between their small scales and concessions for the combining gimmick. Hey, at least you got a PO. I missed it, and am now at the mercy of their crappy stocking and distro practices. If it's any consolation, I've received delay notices from Amazon and Pulse recently, so I think it's more an issue of the pandemic taking its toll than the actual retailers, although, in your defense, Wally's track record ain't the greatest. Hopefully they'll come through- for all of us who want these figures.
  24. M'Kyuun
    I think Hasbro should do it themselves. Give HG two middle fingers with one figure. That said, I wonder if maybe there was some intent behind Maverick's design, a test as it were, to see how far they can push.
  25. M'Kyuun
    Thanks for the pic, Tekering. Comparing the two, there's just so much more texture, detail, and chunkiness to the Ocular Max. Plus, it looks like it has lo-pros compared to the fuller tires on the Takara. I think both are good toys; they just do different things aesthetically. Having MP Inferno, I think the better choice for me would have been to go with Girder for those differences. Too, I'm a fan of MMC's toys, so there's a little bias in there as well. Chronocidal said, "I think what's the most hilarious is how utterly VF-1-esque the transformation appears to be." Uncanny, isn't it? Well, when you can't figure something out yourself, borrowing from something that works isn't out of the question. And who knows, maybe Kawamori had a hand in its design, or at least gave Takara his blessing.
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