The Transformers Thread (licensed) Next

[David Hingtgen]

1 hour ago, tekering said:

It was not.  They simply had no guide to how the characters were supposed to transform, because the toys hadn't been designed yet!

Eh, it seems to me like sometimes they just flat-out ignored how the toys transformed.  Like, you can clearly see elements of the toys, which means they had good pics, yet the transformation is just SO different.  Tantrum (Predacon) comes to mind.   "The beast legs just grow out of his chest, and are not connected to the shoulders/haunches".   Even without knowing how it works, the lower legs SHOULD be connected to the upper legs, ya know?  

[tekering]

2 hours ago, David Hingtgen said:

Eh, it seems to me like sometimes they just flat-out ignored how the toys transformed.

Yes, but I find that dismissive "they" to be problematic.  Most of the poor animation was done by Toei (including the movie), but all the truly reprehensible work was done by AKOM (including most appearances of Tantrum).  I just think it's unfair to tar Toei with the same brush, since they obviously tried harder than AKOM...

A little harder, anyway.  

[David Hingtgen]

So, poor vs terrible? 

[derex3592]

[mikeszekely]

5 hours ago, David Hingtgen said:

1.  Fuel tanks.

2.  Nope.  Nitro Zeus is a faked-up F-5/F-20.  Blitzwing is an F-18/F-16 hybrid.  (the tailplanes are pure F-16, the tailfins are pure F-18, the spine and nose are F-16).  Nitro Zeus has the front half of an F-5 down to the retractable gun-vent-ports.   

3.  Fuel tanks.   

1. My bad.

2. I clearly didn't scrutinize the details of fake planes to the extent you did.

3. My bad.

[JB0]

7 hours ago, tekering said:

and why Arcee and Unicron didn't get figures at all.  

Both had prototypes created. I think the editorial decision was Unicron was too expensive and Arcee had cooties.

[David Hingtgen]

1 hour ago, mikeszekely said:

1. My bad.

2. I clearly didn't scrutinize the details of fake planes to the extent you did.

3. My bad.

2.  Few people do.     (though to someone like me, it's easy when they use bits from real planes---they stick out like a sore thumb to someone who intimately knows the planes referenced----"totally fake" would actually look more cohesive/realistic IMHO, vs Frankensteining various bits) 

[mikeszekely]

Also arriving in the mail- Studio Series Deluxe-class Soundwave.  Er, the other Studio Series Deluxe-class Soundwave.

As we near 70 releases in the Studio Series line I'm starting to think that every version of every character to appear in the films might see a release, for surely this was near the bottom of my personal Studio Series wishlist.

I mean, DotM Soundwave checked most people's boxes for the character, I think.  He had a proper robot mode.  He had a cool car for an alt mode.  He had a significant role in that film.  In Revenge of the Fallen, though, he briefly had tentacle sex with spy satellite then gave birth to Ravage.  We never even saw his robot mode.  To decide if the new Studio Series figure is accurate I even dug around for concept art, and all I could find was a drawing illustrator Paul Ozzimo put on his website with a Chevy grill for a pelvis, so... *shrug*.

Well, the new figure takes elements from what you do see in RotF and marries them with details pulled from the DotM design.  He's got the long fingers, two toes, broad shoulders, and discs on his forearms.  Interestingly, the newer figure actually reuses the thighs and shoulders, and biceps from the earlier one.  They just replaced the car-kibble hinges on the shoulders with spikes, and it's a bit disconcerting to see what appear to be fenders on an otherwise totally alien robot.  I'm a bit surprised to know that for all the homework the new figure copied that it has a completely different head.  It's difficult to say which is more accurate- his head did change a bit between films, and while his face stayed mostly the same it very much looks like the RotF figure is sculpted with a closed mouth while the DotM figure's mouth is open.  Weirdly, there's a significant height difference, as if landing on Earth caused Soundwave to get a head shorter.

If you were hoping that this Soundwave might come with a weapon, since the last one didn't, you're going to be disappointed.  At least he previous figure came with Laserbeak; the new one doesn't even have Ravage!  All you get is this transparent blue stand.

Soundwave's head is on a hinged ball joint.  He can't look down, but it swivels and he's got some upward tilt and more than enough sideways tilt on the ball, plus with the hinge he can basically look straight up.  His shoulders rotate and they can technically 90 degrees laterally, although you may find the fins on his arms getting in the way.  His biceps swivel.  His elbows bend a little over 90 degrees.  No wrist articulation.  He has a very slight waist swivel.  Ball-jointed hips can go way past 90 degrees forward or backward, but due to the sculpt of this thighs only about 60 degrees laterally.  His thighs swivel, and his knees bend 90 degrees.  No foot articulation, although there is a sort of mid-shin hinge.

If we're being technical he can use his stand in robot mode.  It's just meant for alt mode.

Speaking of alt mode, he turns into the satellite thingy from the movie.  Is it accurate?  Not particularly.  The canisters on his chest do turn out, but they need blue paint.  The solar panels near where his crotch was, and the newly-exposed blue details, are fine, but his robot thighs not really trying to hide behind them not so much.  The panels on his forearms would be ok if they were bigger, had a blue sphere with blue lights at the base, and the spikes from his shoulders were at the base with the sphere while the rest of his arm just vanished.  The panels on his back are missing some of their spikier bits, and they should be turned forward and angled down more, but because you're tabbing his robot knees to his back there's just no way to bend them like that.  The overall result is less like he transformed into the satellite seen in the film and more like he did some yoga with solar panels strapped to his wrists, ankles, and crotch.  The best thing I can say about it is that I don't think it's any worse than the previous RotF Deluxe-class.

The satellite mode can't do much but lay on a desk by itself.  But, that's where the stand comes in.  You can plug it into Soundwave's grundle and then pretend he's floating.

Honestly, I'm trying to decide if this is the single worst release in the Studio Series line.  I mean, the robot mode is an adequate robot, but the transformation is lazy, the alt mode is lazy and inaccurate, and he doesn't even come with a little Ravage figure for you to say, "well, at least I'm getting Ravage."  Soundwave's a big-time Decepticon, despite his limited use in the Bayverse, so I get wanting him in your Studio Series collection, but the DotM figure does absolutely everything better.  If ever there was a figure to pass on it's this guy.

[sh9000]

I kept my preorder of Generations Jetfire at Dorkside but cancelled Omega Supreme.  The other day I saw Apeface in store and would have bought it if it had a clean look to it.

[Sildani]

Blitzwing might be based on the F-CK-1 Ching Kuo. Or the JF-17 Thunder. 

[mikeszekely]

Per Cybertron Philippines, that previously mentioned TF Prime 10th anniversary set does turn out to be reissues of Breakdown (War Breakdown in Japan) and Jet Vehicon, which will be exciting for Prime fans if this gets released in worldwide markets since, AFAIK, both figures were Japanese-exclusives.

[danth]

On 9/14/2020 at 9:36 PM, mikeszekely said:

and Studio Series Kup and Hot Rod

Are those supposed to be from the 80's animated movie? If so, that would be a first for the Studio Series right?

[mikeszekely]

1 hour ago, danth said:

Are those supposed to be from the 80's animated movie? If so, that would be a first for the Studio Series right?

Yes. 2021 is there 35th anniversary of the '86 movie, and it sounds like several releases from the film are planned for the Studio Series line. In addition to Hot Rod and Kup we're expecting Jazz, Gnaw, Blurry, Slag w/Daniel, and Grimlock, plus Thrust, Scourge, and Cyclonus are coming but I can't recall if they're supposed to be Studio Series or WfC. (Galvatron and Rodimus Prime are rumored to be coming in Kingdom, the third part of WfC).

[danth]

1 hour ago, mikeszekely said:

Yes. 2021 is there 35th anniversary of the '86 movie, and it sounds like several releases from the film are planned for the Studio Series line. In addition to Hot Rod and Kup we're expecting Jazz, Gnaw, Blurry, Slag w/Daniel, and Grimlock, plus Thrust, Scourge, and Cyclonus are coming but I can't recall if they're supposed to be Studio Series or WfC. (Galvatron and Rodimus Prime are rumored to be coming in Kingdom, the third part of WfC).

Thanks for that info! I am not familiar at all the the Studio Series but I hope the ones you listed end up being good. And I hope Jazz and Thrust have their Earth alt-modes

[M'Kyuun]

20 hours ago, mikeszekely said:

Per Cybertron Philippines, that previously mentioned TF Prime 10th anniversary set does turn out to be reissues of Breakdown (War Breakdown in Japan) and Jet Vehicon, which will be exciting for Prime fans if this gets released in worldwide markets since, AFAIK, both figures were Japanese-exclusives.

Definitely want a copy of this set; I, too, hope it's available internationally. The flying Vehicon is the big draw for me, but finally getting Breakdown would be a nice bonus.

[mikeszekely]

Hasbro Pulse sent my Gen Selects Hubcap today (now I'm just waiting for them to send the Cordon and Spinout set, the Shattered Glass Prime and Ratchet set, the Netflix Spoiler Nemesis Prime, G2 Megatron, Bug Bite, Tigertrack, Centurion Drone, Sunstreaker, Trailbreaker, Super Megatron, and Maverick... I got a lot of Pulse preorders).

Not doing a new review because he's almost exactly the same as Cliffjumper.  Even comes with the same bazooka that breaks down into skis.  The difference is that Cliffjumper is red with silver paint on his gun, Hubcap is yellow with gray paint on his gun, and they moved the Autobot emblem a bit on Hubcap's hood.

The only other difference is that Hubcap has a new head.  It's designed to be close to the G1 toy, which is to say that I wish they'd gone the IDW (and a few other continuities) route of giving him blue eyes.  His orange eyes don't stand out against his orange face at all.

Oh, and while Cliffjumper's head seems fine Hubcap's looks a bit too big for his body.

Regardless, after years of Hubcap getting ignored by Hasbro while Cliffjumper was simply a red Bumblebee repaint, it's nice to have an actual Cliffjumper figure and a Hubcap repaint.

[sh9000]

[jenius]

Funko pop is about to get sued by HG... They're planning a Jetfire figure that looks like an SD VF-1.

[JB0]

1 hour ago, jenius said:

Funko pop is about to get sued by HG... They're planning a Jetfire figure that looks like an SD VF-1.

I'm excited! Are you excited?

...

Yes, I enjoy legal drama far too much. That's what Macross has done to me.

[vladykins]

Saw that too.

[M'Kyuun]

I'm not a Funko fan, but going to war with them and ultimately Hasbro, who licensed it to Funko, I'd love to see them put a combined legal hurt on Harmony Gold. 

Too bad Bezos or Gates or any other number of billionaires aren't die-hard Macross fans; imagine if they all pooled their resources to destroy Harmony Gold. That's my good thought for the day.

[Negotiator]

https://news.tfw2005.com/2020/09/20/transformers-studio-series-86-hot-rod-in-hand-images-419887#images

Looks good

Edited September 20, 2020 by Negotiator

[mikeszekely]

23 minutes ago, Negotiator said:

https://news.tfw2005.com/2020/09/20/transformers-studio-series-86-hot-rod-in-hand-images-419887#images

 

Looks good

Looks real good.  Aside from that nasty yellow hinge on the roof of the car mode it looks better than MP-28.

EDIT: As long as we're discussing Studio Series leaks, Studio Series Scourge?

Edited September 20, 2020 by mikeszekely

[Negotiator]

looks really good too.  gonna assume the SS G1 figures are not under earthrise or kingdom because they wont be in the series???

[M'Kyuun]

Hot Rod looks amazing. I'm glad the hip skirt is part of the leg; IMHO, that's the best solution in lieu of independent hip skirts. Even then, hip skirts have to be adjusted every time you move the legs, whereas this offers the look of the skirt while providing hips that attach at an anatomically correct position as well as unfettered, uncomplicated range of motion. He uses a faux chest, but from the look of the fig, the bot mode is accurate while completely hiding the real hood. When it's this well executed, it's an acceptable compromise to get the look right for both modes.  Whoever took the pics , I get the impression they're not very good at transforming their figs, as ER prime is looking pretty dodgy in his truck mode, and they couldn't seem to align the front of Hot Rod's car with the shoulders. Hopefully the toy goes together more seamlessly than these pics would suggest. 

I've never been a fan of the space hovercraft alt mode for the Sweeps-it looks like a bar of soap with a robot head slapped on top- abysmal. I thought so when I was 14, and neither time nor nostalgia has changed my mind since. That said, the bot mode for Scourge looks fine; it's just a shame that he's forever saddled with such an egregiously impractical and fugly alt mode. I absolutely love the alt mode for Generations Scourge, which is heavily inspired by the Boeing X-48.

In truth, I think it's one the very best aircraft Transformer toys ever made, and I fervently wish that the G1 alt mode, a visual and practical affront, would be permanently retired to the files of those things unmentionable and best forgotten, and replaced for all time by the gorgeous and practical X-48 inspired alt mode. I'm quite sure mine is the minority opinion, but it's how I've felt since the Generations toy came out. For all my ranting, I concede that this Scourge fig, at least in his bot mode, looks really good.  I lament that he'll undoubtedly be space soap, but I'll be keeping my eventual copy in bot mode 99% of the time.

 

Edited September 21, 2020 by M'Kyuun

[Hikuro]

I went to Toy Dojo located in Austin over the weekend and came across Bluestreak Earthrise. I had to pick him up since I loved the Fairlady Z boys. Sadly though, after 1 transformation the whole roof section snapped off the pin and disintegrated entirely making him non-repairable. 35 bucks down the drain right there....very disappointing. 

[mikeszekely]

1 hour ago, M'Kyuun said:

I've never been a fan of the space hovercraft alt mode for the Sweeps-it looks like a bar of soap with a robot head slapped on top- abysmal.

I loved it.  To my 6-yo self it seemed sleek and hover-y, very futuristic.

4 minutes ago, Hikuro said:

I went to Toy Dojo located in Austin over the weekend and came across Bluestreak Earthrise.

You had me checking, but it doesn't look like they have an online listing.

Anyhoo... got one more Studio Series figure.  Let's get it over with... it's Deluxe-class Topspin.

Same spiel as before... not a huge fan of the Bayverse Wreckers, their role in the film was largely forgettable (by my count Topspin had under five minutes of screen time in two movies), but picking up Roadbuster (out of boredom) and Leadfoot (because Target) suddenly made me want to complete the set.  And, again, this is the first time all three have been released in the same scale with the same aesthetic and without having to import anything.

And again, pretty much what I said about the other Wreckers applies here.  Good molded detail, accurate head sculpt (to DotM, during his appearances in The Last Knight he had Leadfoot's head), but missing a ton of paint.  Although, I do have one new complaint, and that's that his arms are way too long.

He comes with two machine guns and two claws, and they'd be my next complaint.  While the sculpt is mostly fine, they're molded in a rubbery plastic and fairly deformed out of the box.

Topspin's head is on a ball joint that can swivel, tilt sideways, and look up a little, but nothing really down.  His shoulders, also ball joints, rotate and extend laterally 360 degrees.  His biceps swivel, and despite being double-jointed he really only uses one elbow hinge in robot mode, but it gets well beyond 90 degrees.  No wrist swivels or waist swivel.  Ball-jointed hips go a little under 90 degrees forward and laterally, but 90 degrees backward.  His thighs swivel, and his knees bend about 60 degrees.  No foot articulation.

The claws fit into 5mm peg holes on Topspin's forearms.  They have their own 5mm peg holes, so you can plug something into them as well.  You can fold his hands in, but the claws never sit directly over his wrists as they do in the movie.  The instructions indicate that his machine guns go into his hands, but with the rubbery plastic all warped on my copy it looks more like he's armed with pool noodles.

And here's the team together in alt mode.  As I said before, in the Cyberverse/Legends scale Leadfoot and Roadbuster had their armed-up modes but Topspin was a regular NASCAR Impala.  In the Deluxe scale Topspin had the guns-out mode, Roadbuster was a normal car, and Leadfoot was a Japan-exclusive guns-out car.  Roadbuster was released guns-out in the Human Alliance line, Leadfoot was released as a normal car in that line, and Topspin didn't make the HA cut.  So, for the first time ever (officially), all three Wreckers, same scale, guns out.

Like the other Wreckers, Topspin's alt-mode sculpt is pretty accurate, with the right pipes and and bits in the right places, but Topspin might have the least-accurate colors, even if you ignore the missing Lowes branding.  All the silver on the side should be white, and all the black should be blue.  Some of that white should run over the sides of the hood and in front of his front wheels.  It looks kind bad, actually.

The machine guns on the sides of the car are the same ones he can hold in robot mode.  The ones on the roof are permanently attached, but still made of the same rubbery material.

His claws, meanwhile, can be stowed on the underside of the vehicle.

And just for the sake of comparison, while I don't have DotM Topspin in his original deco, I do have a (weaponless) Autobot Armor Topspin repaint to compare with.  And, ok, the Studio Series version is at least better than that... with one exception.  The older figure had ankle pivots.

Topspin may not be the worst figure in the Studio Series line, but he is the worst Wrecker.  And considering I already told you that the Wreckers were poorly-developed characters with minimal screen time, and I already told you to pass on Roadbuster and Leadfoot then passing on Topspin should be even easier.  

 

[M'Kyuun]

I just watched the Ton Ton review of SS '86 Hot Rod. This is one impressive figure, better in a number of respects than the MP figure. The transformation is innovative while harkening back to the scene in the Movie where his arms, on an unseen armature, rotate 180 degrees. Many of his Movie gimmicks are built in, but he still comes with a proper assortment of accessories. It's well done.

It makes you wonder why Arcee was phoned in when they could have done some innovative stuff with her. The disparity is mind boggling.  Too bad she wasn't included in the SS assortment, or she might have actually had some cool engineering and built in gimmicks as well.

If they put this much effort into Hot Rod, I'm really curious to see what they're going to do with the inevitable Rodimus.  I foresee a mini-base mode with his trailer. I was hoping that they'd work in the transition from Hot Rod to Rodimus in this figure, but it looks like he's just Hot Rod. Still a good fig based on the review.

 

[tekering]

9 hours ago, mikeszekely said:

during his appearances in The Last Knight he had Leadfoot's head

That little detail speaks volumes, doesn't it?  That's how much Michael Bay cares about the film franchise he created.  

That's why the only good Transformers film was directed by Travis Knight.

[mikeszekely]

1 hour ago, tekering said:

That little detail speaks volumes, doesn't it?  That's how much Michael Bay cares about the film franchise he created.  

The Last Knight was definitely the worst of what I'd charitably call four bad movies and one decent one, but I'm not sure that's the takeaway from that particular detail. I don't know a ton about computer animation, but wouldn't it take more effort to replace his head?

[sh9000]

Hot Rod looks good but I must resist buying too many Transformers all over again.

[Mechapilot77]

ss86 ... i wonder if they are hasui's work.  since he isn't doing mp right now, maybe he did these.  hot rod looks overall way better than the mp version.  puts it to shame. 

[lechuck]

While it is probably inevitable that comparisons with MP-28 will be drawn, don't forget that it is a victim of its time for cheap MP target pricing and the old design philosophy. A MP Hot Rod with Takara's current design MO would have much better aesthetics and proportions, but then you will have people complaining about fake parts, price, complexity etc..

That being said I am actually a bit surprised that the fake chest has more or less been accepted for SS86 Hot Rod without too much heavy opposition to it.

As for Hasui doing the design on the SS86 version - I am not inclined to think so. Focusing on proportions by using alternate robot pieces and excelling at articulation are things he doesn't really have a good handle on. The rotating hip-skirt within the waist housing is something that has been employed with MP Hound and Bee v2 and to me an indication that some of the current MP designers are also providing their assistance on the SS86 line.

[Negotiator]

if anyone was interested...

 

[JB0]

8 hours ago, lechuck said:

While it is probably inevitable that comparisons with MP-28 will be drawn, don't forget that it is a victim of its time for cheap MP target pricing and the old design philosophy. A MP Hot Rod with Takara's current design MO would have much better aesthetics and proportions, but then you will have people complaining about fake parts, price, complexity etc..

That being said I am actually a bit surprised that the fake chest has more or less been accepted for SS86 Hot Rod without too much heavy opposition to it.

As for Hasui doing the design on the SS86 version - I am not inclined to think so. Focusing on proportions by using alternate robot pieces and excelling at articulation are things he doesn't really have a good handle on. The rotating hip-skirt within the waist housing is something that has been employed with MP Hound and Bee v2 and to me an indication that some of the current MP designers are also providing their assistance on the SS86 line.

If it makes you feel better, I sighed at the fake hood on his chest. But the rest of the design seems sane enough that I'm reserving judgement. He looks competent in both modes, and the dynamic posing makes me think that robot mode isn't an "only good from head-on" deal.

If nothing else, at least it isn't a complete mess of panel lines and hinges(but then, budget prevents the sort of plastic origami that some of the recent MPs have reveled in).

 

I prefer Hasui's design sense and wish he was still running Masterpiece, though obviously I'm in the minority.