The Transformers Thread (licensed) Next

[tekering]

2 hours ago, technoblue said:

Anyway, my FT 08X Grinder is staying put. 

Yeah, but that's Masterpiece scale, which is a different size altogether.  SS'86 Grimlock is at CHUG scale.

Mind you, we already have a better Grimlock at this size, too:

Masterpiece Grimlock (ironically enough) was always perfect CHUG scale, and he's superior to the Studio Scale figure in every respect... except, perhaps, the lack of Wheelie accessory. 

Anyway, my MP-8 Grimlock is staying put.

 

[M'Kyuun]

I don't personally feel like SS Grimlock is a MP replacement; even MP-08 , which has a few years on it, is still superior in its build quality. I never liked the light up hand gimmick though, and I retired my copy to storage when I got my FT Grinder, which, IMHO, is a superior toy.

The similarities in transformation, especially the tail folding into the leg, gives a MP feel to the SS figure that the mainline generally doesn't possess, and I'm happy for that shared bit of technique. Too, as PvP pointed out, other than the forearms, there are virtually no hollow bits to be seen on SS Grimlock, and I hope that's a direction they continue to pursue. Definitely a figure I'm looking forward to receiving.

Got my shipped email from Pulse for Sunstreaker and Trailbreaker; they should show up on Thursday. I already have Hoist, so I know what to expect with Trailbreaker (although he's my preferred character with that mold), but I've yet to have the Sunstreaker mold in hand, and from reviews I think he's a great representation of the character and alt(unlicensed but still pretty similar to the Lamborghini), and I'm looking forward to having them in hand as well. While not every fig has been a gem in the WFC trilogy, the vast majority have proven to be really good updates to the G1 toys and toon, and honestly, this the updated mainline I've been waiting for for three decades. I just continue to hold out hope that there are more coming with Kingdom, and that they try to exhaust the roster as much as possible, especially first season.

Edited November 8, 2020 by M'Kyuun

[technoblue]

Yeah. I’m really into how MP-8/8X still has more of that premium look, even after all these years. MP-8, especially looks fantastic standing with the WFC figures. Curiously, it also beats SS’86 Grimlock on accessories and gimmicks. The new Grim on the block has improved articulation. It’s too bad a few of its other bits were toned down to fit the reduced price point. Maybe that’s an opportunity for some nifty third-party add-ons?

[mikeszekely]

9 hours ago, M'Kyuun said:

even MP-08 , which has a few years on it, is still superior in its build quality.

I mean, my the joints on my copy are loose and floppy.

9 hours ago, M'Kyuun said:

I never liked the light up hand gimmick though

Or the goofy waggle gimmick.

SS Grimlock has better articulation, and his shoulders don't sit as high as MP-08's.  SS Grimlock, based on the comparison with PotP Grimlock, looks to be a tad shorter than MP-08 as well, which works for me because I think MP-08 is just a little too tall for the WfC scale.  Plus, and this might be a weird point, but I think that the SS Grimlock lacking the visual premium of MP-08 is a point in its favor.  It's more of an aesthetic match, since none of the other WfC figures look that premium.

The only thing I think is truly a shame is that SS Grimlock only comes with his gun, not his sword.  The "he only had his gun in the movie, not his sword" logic might be technically true but still kind of cheap.  However, since MP-08's accessories used 5mm ports it should be fairly easy to repurpose his sword.  And it's practically a lock for some 3P to made a sword for him, especially if the rumors turn out to be true and Slag gets a release in the line that's also short on accessories.

Don't get me wrong, MP-08 was one of my absolute favorite figures in its day, but Gigapower's Superator replaced it on my MP shelf, and I'll be happy to get the SS version for my WfC shelf.

[M'Kyuun]

2 hours ago, technoblue said:

Yeah. I’m really into how MP-8/8X still has more of that premium look, even after all these years. MP-8, especially looks fantastic standing with the WFC figures. Curiously, it also beats SS’86 Grimlock on accessories and gimmicks. The new Grim on the block has improved articulation. It’s too bad a few of its other bits were toned down to fit the reduced price point. Maybe that’s an opportunity for some nifty third-party add-ons?

Oh, I think that's a certainty. I wouldn't doubt a few of the more well known third party folks will come to the rescue, at least with a sword, as so many fans seem to want a sword with their Dinobots. As for myself, I've never really been a fan of melee weapons for my big transforming robots. Given my druthers, if I have to choose between a shooting weapon or melee, I'll choose the shooter every time. Pragmatically speaking, it seems irrational for a seriously advanced sentient mechanical lifeform with the ability to have all sorts of projectile and beam weapons, as well as energy shielding, incorporated into his body as well as handheld to resort to bashing away at an opponent. But, like all our entertainment forms, anthropomorphism is at the heart of selling characters in our storytelling, if not in body, at least in human characteristics, including our baser instincts. So swords, clubs, and the like are a thing, just not my thing. Digressing quite a bit there, sorry. 

MP-08 should have a premium look and feel, as he's still part of the premium line. Given the updates to Prime, Bee, and Starscream, I'm surprised that there's not a new MP Grimlock announced sharing the modern toon-centric aesthetic, as he's always a sure-seller. Give it time.

46 minutes ago, mikeszekely said:

I mean, my the joints on my copy are loose and floppy.

Or the goofy waggle gimmick.

SS Grimlock has better articulation, and his shoulders don't sit as high as MP-08's.  SS Grimlock, based on the comparison with PotP Grimlock, looks to be a tad shorter than MP-08 as well, which works for me because I think MP-08 is just a little too tall for the WfC scale.  Plus, and this might be a weird point, but I think that the SS Grimlock lacking the visual premium of MP-08 is a point in its favor.  It's more of an aesthetic match, since none of the other WfC figures look that premium.

The only thing I think is truly a shame is that SS Grimlock only comes with his gun, not his sword.  The "he only had his gun in the movie, not his sword" logic might be technically true but still kind of cheap.  However, since MP-08's accessories used 5mm ports it should be fairly easy to repurpose his sword.  And it's practically a lock for some 3P to made a sword for him, especially if the rumors turn out to be true and Slag gets a release in the line that's also short on accessories.

Don't get me wrong, MP-08 was one of my absolute favorite figures in its day, but Gigapower's Superator replaced it on my MP shelf, and I'll be happy to get the SS version for my WfC shelf.

The head waggle. Geez, I'd forgotten about that bit of lackluster gimmickry- probably repressed memory. And yeah, the shoulders sat oddly high. But, at the time, it was a damned impressive figure, and the magic they'd worked with the tail subsuming into the leg was brilliant, and oft copied thereafter, happily so with '86 SS Grimlock.

I agree that MP-08 doesn't really fit in with WfC due to the differences in aesthetics and size, as they're made at significantly different price points, and reflect that in the finished products. However, the SS exceeds my expectations for what I figured we'd get, especially after the much concession laden PotP Grimlock. I'm happy to see the improved articulation, although I wish they'd given him hinged fingers, as I like being able to give my figs an open hand look from time to time, and "piano fingers" don't really bother me, especially on a retail fig. If some third party made such hands along with  a sword and likely a head with a red visor, I think it'd be a winning set, although I'd have little use for the latter two items. I'd buy it just for the hands. Anyway, I think SS Grimlock was an unexpected surprise due to the apparent jump in overall design and quality of the figure, and I hope we see those improvements carry forward.

Edited November 8, 2020 by M'Kyuun

[mikeszekely]

24 minutes ago, M'Kyuun said:

Pragmatically speaking, it seems irrational for a seriously advanced sentient mechanical lifeform with the ability to have all sorts of projectile and beam weapons, as well as energy shielding, incorporated into his body as well as handheld to resort to bashing away at an opponent.

On the contrary, given how much of both the G1 cartoon and the original Marvel comics centered on the fuel concerns it makes perfect sense that they'd have melee weapons. You'd have to figure that those energy weapons, integrated or not, require more energon to operate than swinging a sword.  And given that they need that same energon to live it's surprising that more TFs didn't carry some kind of melee weapon, if only to use when their fuel ran low. Actually, IIRC many of the characters in Prime had melee weapons, and the ones who didn't were usually Decepticons, who had greater energon reserves in that series.

[M'Kyuun]

2 hours ago, mikeszekely said:

On the contrary, given how much of both the G1 cartoon and the original Marvel comics centered on the fuel concerns it makes perfect sense that they'd have melee weapons. You'd have to figure that those energy weapons, integrated or not, require more energon to operate than swinging a sword.  And given that they need that same energon to live it's surprising that more TFs didn't carry some kind of melee weapon, if only to use when their fuel ran low. Actually, IIRC many of the characters in Prime had melee weapons, and the ones who didn't were usually Decepticons, who had greater energon reserves in that series.

That's a fair and well argued point, and from the energon POV, which I hadn't considered, practical. My personal bias stands, but there's wiggle room.

Too, I suppose if any characters within the TF Universe were going to use melee weapons, the Dinobots would be top listers, given their brutish natures. 

I was taking a look at SS Blurr a day or so ago, and I really wish they'd made the front fender parts that fold under his forearms overlap the forearm instead to reduce the chunkiness, since those fender bits are hollow anyway. It would have streamlined his arm, which would be in keeping with the character's essence. As they are, they do the opposite and do no justice to the figure.  Another of those lazy engineering/opportunity-missed moments that would have added significant improvement with minor changes.  Gah, Hasbro. So frustrating!

After I posted, I decided to go look at some stock photos of the SS figs on Pulse, and I noticed that Grimlock's internal tail and T-Rex arms are both painted accordingly, grey and silver, respectively, with silver on the external tail.. I realize that the renders are oft maximized for visual appeal and the final toys omit paint apps, but I'm holding out hope that PvP's sample isn't the complete final. I know it's empty hope, but I'm gonna cling to it like a drowning man hangs on to a bit of flotsam in the middle of a tumultuous sea. Save me from your own mediocrity, Hasbro!  Paint that sucker!

Edited November 8, 2020 by M'Kyuun

[mikeszekely]

Time for another quick repaint review, where I take a quick look at some repaints/remolds of figures I already reviewed with more focus on what's different and less overall detail.  Today it's Deluxe-class Generations Selects Tigertrack and Deluxe-class Earthrise Trailbreaker.

Tigertrack is a repaint of Sideswipe with no new parts.  The bone-colored parts on Sideswipe are regular white, and the red are yellow.  Tigertrack doesn't have Sideswipe's Siege dirt, sporting instead a little painted triangle on his waist and some red squares on his knees.  If I accept the G1 or MP toys as gospel I have to be a bit disappointed that he doesn't have the silver abs and feet that Sideswipe does.  It'll be tricky to paint those.

As far as accessories go, he's got the same tube and pointy bit that Sideswipe did, but also the rifle that Red Alert did.  That's nice, because it doesn't force you to choose between shoulder cannon and rifle like you had to for Sideswipe, nor does it skip the shoulder cannon entirely they way they did for Red Alert.  That said, I'll probably pick up a Nonnef set for him.

I'll be grabbing the yellow Nonnef spoiler, too, as soon as it's ready.  And although I went without them for Sideswipe I'm hoping Toyhax does a reprolabel set for Tigertrack.  The dark paint under Sideswipe's translucent windows looks fine to me, but the unpainted, totally clear plastic on Tigertrack is looking bad.  Toyhax did a label for Sideswipe and Red Alert that added a "roof" and A-pillars, and I'm thinking something like that would help Tigertrack a lot.

Tigertrack is kind of a nobody, but the Sideswipe mold is one of the better ones.  Pass if you don't need the minor character, but recommend if the idea of a yellow Sideswipe appeals to you.

Trailbreaker is a remold of Hoist.  He's got a new head, new weapon, and new backpack.  The new weapon fits over his totally normal fist to give him the gun hand he had in the cartoon.  Unlike Hoist's big round orange weapon, though, the rectangular spot of black actually works here, making the inevitable Nonnef kit seem less necessary for him.  That said, one downside to doing Hoist first and working backward to trailbreaker is that he's got the same flaps of car kibble behind his arms.  Sure, it's G1 toy-accurate, but it's only accurate to Hoist's animation model.  So it would have been nice if they'd added a hinge to fold it over so it was all behind his upper arm, or even if they split it and left some of it on his legs.

I appreciate that, when remolding his backpack, they gave Trailbreaker his G1 forcefield generator and his shoulder missile.  While the forcefield generator was done in gray plastic, which is fine, the missile is black for some reason.  Fortunately they're on friction hinges with no pins, so it'll be an easy matter to pop them off and paint them silver.

Out of the package Trailbreaker's camper cap is a loose piece.  And you can, if you like, peg it into an arm and use it like a shield, which I believe some promo photos did.

However, before anyone groans about partsforming, know that the cap has a slot that fits onto a large tab on Trailbreaker's back.  That tab is actually hinged, allowing you to open his backpack to fold in the missile and forcefield generator then close it back up without ever removing it.  No partsforming is actually necessary- once the cap is in on it never has to come off.

Transformation is basically the same as before, although it's a bit easier to fold the missile and forcefield generator into his backpack because you don't have to mess with the wings and lift that you do on Hoist.  And the truck mode looks quit good, with the same minor issue that the grill and bumper seem to sit up a bit high and his hands are fairly visible underneath.  Oh, and maybe the molded windows on the cap could have been painted.

Trailbreaker's weapon pegs into a hole on the top of the cap, no issues (although I wish it could have stored in the void between his arms under the hood).  Alternatively, if you have the accessory kit that came with the Centurion drone you can plug the satellite dish from "More Than Meets the Eye, Part 2."

On paper there isn't a ton of difference between Hoist and Trailbreaker.  In practice, I like this mold better on Trailbreaker.  Definite recommend from me.

[JB0]

So I found a Cliffjumper on the shelf and figured "Why not?" 

 

I wish he could tilt his head back. Big eff-off cannon with a bipod, he should be able to go prone with it.

He snaps together impressively well in car mode. Possibly too well, I was uncomfortable with the force I had to put on some parts the first time.

 

But most importantly...

He can do this. The bipod makes it look like the cannon is firmly affixed in multiple places instead of loosely affixed one place, and while the back is not really built to BE a titan master seat, it seems to do the job better than most stuff that WAS meant for it.

 

(Weapon fire courtesy of your friendly neighborhood SkyLynx)

[M'Kyuun]

Yeah, Cliffy is a pretty solid figure. I still wish they'd put an armature on the backpack to eliminate the partsforming necessity, but at least it's not as bad as the ER van bros or the Arcee mold.

I'm still a bit surprised that they didn't make a slightly remolded Sideswipe fig for ER, but the Siege fig was so close to the Earth mode already that I guess they figured good 'nuff.

Speaking of Lamborghinis, I should be getting ER Sunstreaker on Friday, along with Trailbreaker on Thursday, and Runamuck on Monday, according to the Fed-Ex notices I've received. For whatever reason, Pulse sent them all out individually instead of just putting them all in one big box and sending them. I'm also expecting the Autobot clones sometime this week from Amazon, so it's shaping up to be a fun week for Transformers.

[JB0]

10 minutes ago, M'Kyuun said:

Yeah, Cliffy is a pretty solid figure. I still wish they'd put an armature on the backpack to eliminate the partsforming necessity, but at least it's not as bad as the ER van bros or the Arcee mold.

I think an armature would only make things worse, personally. It would not have changed the relationship between the trunk and the rest of the toys, and would've made actually maneuvering it into place more difficult. It would actually be exactly the kind of thing I was threatening to start removing the other day, destructively if necessary, as it only thinly disguises something being completely detached and reattached while making the actual process of doing so harder.

Would it be better if the trunk was actually related to the rest of the parts around it in both modes? Absolutely, I am 100% for that, and think this was a bit of an engineering failure in that regard(though I recognize the toys are designed to strict material and labor budgets). But sticking it on a scorpion tail and shouting "pay no attention to the legos behind this curtain" doesn't improve life or aesthetics. If the budget for more plastic and hinge pins exists, I'd rather it go into making the trunk fold flat on the back(I say, as if I haven't put it on backwards and flipped it up so his head is hooded by the trunk like he's some sort of Runabout repaint).

Tangentally, the trunk is actually a rather beefy piece of plastic. I'm surprised how much is in the block where the pegs all connect, and wonder if there wasn't a more complex plan originally.

 

In less controversial takes, I wish they had printed his autobot logo on the car's roof instead of the hood. That way it would be on his chest in robot mode instead of folded away inside his body.

 

 

[Mechapilot77]

On 11/7/2020 at 11:21 PM, tekering said:

Yeah, but that's Masterpiece scale, which is a different size altogether.  SS'86 Grimlock is at CHUG scale.

Mind you, we already have a better Grimlock at this size, too:

Masterpiece Grimlock (ironically enough) was always perfect CHUG scale, and he's superior to the Studio Scale figure in every respect... except, perhaps, the lack of Wheelie accessory. 

Anyway, my MP-8 Grimlock is staying put.

 

well one thing mp-08 got wrong that ss86 got right is shoulders.  they were always too high on mp-08 which looks cool sometimes (sometimes i think not, gotta be a mood thing - FT's grinder improved there a little bit but was also highish), but SS86 corrected this. still mp-08 i'm  sure is superior overall and blends just fine with siege/chug.  still i'm getting sss86 grimmy. dunno why.

[M'Kyuun]

2 hours ago, Mechapilot77 said:

  still i'm getting sss86 grimmy. dunno why.

B/c it's a good Grimlock fig for $50. 

Hopefully the tail and dino arms will be painted on the final, but I'm not holding my breath.

[sh9000]

[mikeszekely]

Curious.  I wonder if they're trying to push the unsold, overpriced Ghostbusters MP-10s and the suddenly back-in-stock Ectotron, or if they're going to announce something new?

[mikeszekely]

The last Galactic Odyssey pack is up for preorder now on Amazon for $60.  It's Botropolis rescue, and consists redecos of Deluxe-class Airwave as Overair, Deluxe-class Ironworks as... well, Ironworks, a redeco of the Micromaster Battle Squad (as a missile transport instead of a cannon), and a redeco of the Micromaster Astro Squad as the Astro Squad (real creative with these names, eh?).  For some reason the set also includes a copy of Doubledealer's missile as a booster for the Astro Squad's shuttle mode.

Kinda meh, especially since we're still waiting for an Inferno remold from Grapple (but that is still rumored to be coming in Kingdom).  But like a sucker I pre-ordered anyway.

[mark-1s]

New pics of MP Arcee up at https://news.tfw2005.com/2020/11/11/transformers-masterpiece-mp-51-arcee-in-hand-gallery-423881

Um, no.

[mikeszekely]

I legit had to look twice to make sure I wasn't looking at the Earthrise toy with that backpack.  It's like they upscaled it then made her boobs saggy.  Maybe the official-only crowd is happy, but I'm good with MMC's.

[anime52k8]

Nicee is still the only Arcee figure I like

[technoblue]

It seems for everything I like about the official MP, there's a big compromise to go along with it. Takara added all that improved articulation but hampered it with a clumsy backpack. To my eyes, they have one of the best shaped Arcee head/helmet sculpts, but the faces that go with it are too stylized making the official MP look strange from most angles. The blaster appears to be nicely painted and can even use effects parts, but Takara shrank it down for some reason. It looks off in that photo above. 

I personally don't care about the torso, but I do find it strange that Takara went in the direction that they did since today's MPs are all about cartoon accuracy. The long neck and low chest seem more of a caricature of her actual design.

Oh well, I ordered a copy all the same.

[M'Kyuun]

I also eschewed MP Arcee, not without some sadness, in favor of MMC's Azalea, which, IMHO, is a superior Arcee figure by nearly all considerations. Azalea's car mode isn't as toon accurate, but it's quite close, and the way MMC were able to compact her backpack into a much tighter, more compact, form is a worthy concession. 

Nicee's an exception to the chest rule, given her stylish, if ample, anthropomorphic design. Hers is a special case, and I knew what I was buying when I got her, with nary a regret; she's a very good fig. Too, and this may be splitting a very fine hair, technically she's not Arcee with the current head mold, despite the obvious aesthetic nods.

As for MP Arcee, I have the same basic disagreements with her design as everyone else; the long face doesn't look right, and while I don't think her chest looks too low (anatomically, it's correct to human proportionality), the shaping of it is off-putting, a concession  I assume is for likely butterfly joints. The issue I take with it is that the angle on the top of her bosom is too shallow, owing to what many are calling her saggy boob look (God I can't believe I'm talking about this in a Transformers forum).  There should be a nice slight outwardly curving line from her shoulder to the summit of her chesticle, and her white collar should be smaller. Here are a number of examples done far more aesthetically pleasing than MP Arcee, so far as the sculpting /illustration of the chest area.

It's noteworthy to point out that three of these are HasTak figures, and the statue, I believe, is licensed, so there's precedent for their having done it better.

Edited November 11, 2020 by M'Kyuun

[tekering]

2 hours ago, technoblue said:

The blaster appears to be nicely painted and can even use effects parts, but Takara shrank it down for some reason. It looks off in that photo above. 

Totally.

[M'Kyuun]

Considering that Azalea's been out for awhile, one would think Takara would have looked at this figure, looked at theirs, and went back to the drawing board to try streamlining that atrocious backpack. In every way that matters, MMC did it better. I do wish Azalea had posable hands, but as small and delicate as they are, swappable hands is an acceptable concession. Azalea's car mode isn't as accurate, lacking the grey panels on the sides, and she has a rather messy looking cockpit compared to MP Arcee, whose car mode is more screen accurate and has a clean cockpit. All things being equal, I'll take that messy cockpit to get that lithe bot mode with the compact backpack. The only articulation I think Azalea lacks regarding the official is butterfly joints, which I believe is the reason the MP's chest looks off. The butterfly joint is one I can live without if it means my Arcee has a nicer form to her upper body.

[technoblue]

+1

Even with Azalea's compromises, she is the best G1 Arcee of the bunch. Takara's alt mode may be both accurate to the toon and in scale with other car bots, but it misses its "masterpiece" moment in the conversion. Azalea has her "masterpiece" moment just with how well MMC stowed away the car bits and made her shoulder pylons work in bot mode (without creating unnecessary kibble). Oh, and her blaster pistol is the right size to boot.

I do like MP-51's articulated hands and visor gimmick but these seem small concession prizes when looking at the whole. Speaking of following some of MMC's design cues, Takara did make MP-51's feet diecast like Azalea's. If they did that much, I'd be very curious to find out why they didn't also try to rework her torso to be more proportionate. In any case, I'll be waiting to see if a third-party add-on company comes up with a better solution. But maybe that's just a limitation of this design and we'll have to wait for Arcee v2?

Edited November 12, 2020 by technoblue

[M'Kyuun]

I concur with Azalea 's being the best option. I thought FT's Rouge looked pretty good at the beginning, but as time wore on and reviews started coming in, the less it appealed to me.  Azalea's not perfect, but close enough for me.

I think it'll be a long time before we see another MP Arcee. This figure feels rushed, and as I said, in spite of there being two third party figs out there who did it better (Toyworld's would have been a third had they not just given up on the car mode- their bot mode looks good, though), it doesn't seem like Takara took advantage of the opportunities to perhaps borrow some cues to improve their own figure. Takara has their loyalists and completists to buoy them, and heck, some people will get it b/c they honestly like it, as not everything about it is bad, after all. The articulation, for one positive, is beyond the pale, and I will never fault Takara for their efforts in this area; indeed, improvements in articulation with regards to Transformer figs has been at the top of my wish list since my thirteen year old self opened G1 Prowl on the way home from the store with the greatest of anticipation only to discover he was essentially a statue from the waist down. I can still remember the disappointment. That said, in MP Arcee's case, the quest for greater articulation, IMHO, is the reason for her oddly shaped chest, as had her upper torso been designed to approximate the art, much as all my above examples, there likely would have been no way to give her a forward butterfly joint without breaking the sculpt with an awkward armature or some such device, or eschewing it altogether. So, they changed the shape of her chest to accommodate a more natural joint, but IMHO, that sacrifice of form is detrimental to her aesthetic. It's a shame they couldn't have found a way to fill out the area between shoulder and bosom with a flexible material that keeps her shape normally, but gives way for butterfly movements. Alas, it's so much water under the proverbial bridge now. Of course the elephant in the room is that backpack, for which, again, there are examples preceding Takara's offering that did it better, none so well, IMHO, as MMC/Ocular Max. Of all the G1 Arcee figs that have been released, I think they alone struck the best balance, and Azalea's bot mode is the closest to how she was depicted in the '86 Movie and onwards. IMO, going forward, Azalea's the toy to beat if you're a company looking to make a G1 Arcee. Given the challenges involved, I think it'll be some time before that happens.

Edited November 12, 2020 by M'Kyuun

[Mechapilot77]

azalea is def. best overall.  its alt mode is not accurate though so takara couldn't really copy it too much for an "MP".  takara also went for the more humanoid look that they interpretted the screen design to be whereas mmc took some liberties there and made it look more robotic.  i mean the hips and the calves are two areas for instance.  takara for its part does really nice sculpting for what they are trying to achieve (better doen than FT;s attempt there)

[lechuck]

Not really seeing this superiority everyone is claiming with Azalea, a decent try but by no means light years ahead of MP-51.

She looks like she has been given stilts as lower leg replacements, feet are too simple almost like door stoppers, unsightly knee-bend due to the knee-caps not moving properly, the back of the legs are not very clean, hips seem strangely disconnected to the crotch, chest sits in the right place, but then it is ruined by not tapering properly into the abdomen area and having a rounded appearance instead of stronger canted edges, she is also missing a proper collar piece and her face design is neither here nor there.

From straight on Azalea gives me this wooden marionette design vibe.

MP Arcee is not perfect, but I can tolerate her flaws better. There is no need for Takara to use 3P as a template for their MPs.

Edited November 13, 2020 by lechuck
spelling

[mikeszekely]

Got my Deluxe-class Earthrise Sunstreaker, the last of the regular retail Earthrise figures before Kingdom begins next year.

It's funny how there were three color-swapped F-15s and two Datsuns but the fandom Bob Budiansky latched onto two very different characters that happened to have a Countach alt mode and decided they're brothers, and now suddenly you can't have one without the other (extra irony when you add Spinout and Tigertrack into the mix).  Siege gave us one, and now we've finally go the other.

ER Sunstreaker does some things I definitely like.  His chest is the actual roof and windshield, no faux parts (there).  That and his big shoulders eschews the thinner proportions of the animation model for a toy-like, chunkier build that doesn't look out of place with Siege Sideswipe.  I like his head sculpt more than the MP's.  He's mostly got his pointy shoulder bits, and his colors are about right.   My biggest complaint are his shins, where it looks like Hasbro cut out some mechanical detail just to save plastic.  My more minor grumbles are that the pointy bits on his shoulders could have been pointier, and the lack of black/red on his shoulders.

This is the only accessory that Sunstreaker comes with.  It's barely even an accessory, as it's attached to him in the box and you never actually need to remove it.

While Sunstreaker is a remold of Wheeljack, it's extensive enough that I figured I'd better go over articulation in case something changed.  His head is on a ball joint that can swivel, tilt sideways, and look up and down a bit.  He gets a little extra up/down range due to the fact that the flap his head transforms on doesn't lock into place.  His shoulders rotate and can extend a little short of 90 degrees.   HIs biceps swivel, and his elbows bend 90 degrees.  No wrist swivels.  His waist can swivel, though.  His hips can bend 90 degrees forward, backward, or laterally.  His thighs swivel.  His knees bend  90 degrees.  The front of his feet can tilt up slightly, down up to 90 degrees, and his ankles can pivot 90 degrees.

As show in promo art, he can loosely hold his engine as a weapon.  I prefer to leave it on his back, where it sits in alt mode.  I'm hoping someone else makes a gun for him.  Leaving it on his back occupies the peg hole he has back there.  He's also got one on each forearm, one at the top of each shoulder pointy bit, one on the back of each calf, and one under each foot.

Sunstreaker transformers into a car that's closer to (but still legally distinct from) a Countach than Sideswipe.  And despite being a Wheeljack remold there are some differences that will necessitate an extra spin, not to mention that his arms actually transform backward from Wheeljack.

As I said, the side windows, the cutout for the door handle, and the shape of the nose are all close to an actual Countach than Siege Sideswipe, to say nothing of the unique rims.  The rear is a bit different, though.  Like Sideswipe, he's missing a spoiler.  A little paint on the for taillights wouldn't have hurt, either.

One big bummer that's more noticeable in this mode than in robot mode is that the yellow paint on the roof/chest and the tail/forearms is much more pale and not a great match for the yellow plastic.

A spoiler should be doable, though.  The pegholes on his forearms are prominently visible at the rear of the car.  And if you'd rather not have chunks of spoiler hanging off his arms in robot mode you could always move them to his calves in that mode.  Of course, with his engine in one peg hole and spoilers taking up the others you'd have no real place for any other weapons in alt mode.

Or would you?  There's space between his robot legs where you could tuck a gun.  I'll also note that an upgrade kit could make the pointy bits pointier and there's still room in there to tuck them in.

While you're looking at the underside you'll notice Sunstreaker's dirty little secret... the tops of his feet are not the alt mode hood.  Instead, the bottoms of his feet are the real hood, and you're looking at faux car parts on the tops of his feet.

Sunstreaker's a bit of an oddity.  I think his legs are more complicated than they had to be, and he's in dire need of some third-party fixes like a gun and a spoiler.  And yet... I kind of think Sunstreaker's an improvement on Wheeljack.  So while I really hope Nonnef or somebody comes out with a kit to fix my issues with it I feel comfortable recommending this figure.

Edited November 13, 2020 by mikeszekely

[JB0]

You don't mentioneit in your review, so I assume the yellow paint and plastic match better in person than they do under the camera flash?

[mikeszekely]

1 hour ago, JB0 said:

You don't mentioneit in your review, so I assume the yellow paint and plastic match better in person than they do under the camera flash?

Oh, no, they don't.  I actually did mean to mention it, but I was in the middle of cooking dinner while I was writing.  I'll edit the review.

[JB0]

That's... disappointing.

C'mon, Hasbro, you can color-match at least a little better than that.

[David Hingtgen]

Yeah, this Sunstreaker looks to be the all-time worst "paint vs plastic" color-matching.  It's ridiculous.  

[JB0]

5 hours ago, mikeszekely said:

It's funny how there were three color-swapped F-15s and two Datsuns but the fandom latched onto two very different characters that happened to have a Countach alt mode and decided they're brothers,

In fairness, that wasn't the fandom's idea. It is part of the original toy bios, and I think was referenced in the comics. 

 

The weird part is how Top Spin and Twin Twist became brothers. I guess if you're part of a two-man subline people are gonna make reasons up.

[M'Kyuun]

+1 for Sunstreaker's poor paint apps. I too would think a multi-billion dollar earning company could do better paint matching than this. For $20 a fig, we should at least get the paint quality of their Black series stuff. I'm expecting mine either tomorrow or Saturday, and paint notwithstanding, I'm looking forward to getting him. As retools go, he's rather extensive, and I think they did an awesome job on his car mode. The bot mode is also appropriately evocative of the original, albeit with some liberties taken in the shoulders.  Honestly, I don't mind the lack of red on his shoulders, as I never cared for how it looked on the OG toy. The black shoulders of the toon model look better to me, but even those are missing here due to their use of the air intakes forming the upper arms. I think a black or dark grey wash to pick out the detail of those intakes would look nice, though.

I hate it when Hasbro goes ultra cheap and uses a non-weapon accessory as a weapon without at least giving it some sort of transformation to more closely approximate such. I too hope that either Hasbro themselves or a third party will give us a decent weapon for him, as using his engine accessory is exceptionally poor.

The lack of a spoiler on Sideswipe and Sunstreaker is puzzling, and yet we get one on Prowl and Bluestreak b/c they wouldn't make a proper retool of the foot parts sans spoiler, even though they retooled the front of the car. Given my druthers, I'd rather the front received the change, but as a huge fan of the Datsun bros design, there's always that desire for it to be as close to 'perfect' as possible.

As for the Countach siblings, it was indeed mentioned in the original toy bios that Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were bros, and it was also mentioned in a couple eps of first season as well. That's canon from the get-go, likely courtesy of Bob Budiansky, who wrote the majority of the bios for G1. Looking at these in hindsight is pretty interesting; Bob was pulling these out of the aether, often based on his impressions of the toys, and it's neat to see what stuck and what didn't over the years.

http://botchthecrab.com/archive/techspecs/autobot/1984/ts_sideswipe.jpg

http://botchthecrab.com/archive/techspecs/autobot/1984/ts_sunstreaker.jpg

Edited November 13, 2020 by M'Kyuun

[M'Kyuun]

7 hours ago, lechuck said:

Not really seeing this superiority everyone is claiming with Azalea, a decent try but by no means light years ahead of MP-51.

She looks like she has been given stilts as lower leg replacements, feet are too simple almost like door stoppers, unsightly knee-bend due to the knee-caps not moving properly, the back of the legs are not very clean, hips seem strangely disconnected to the crotch, chest sits in the right place, but then it is ruined by not tapering properly into the abdomen area and having a rounded appearance instead of stronger canted edges, she is also missing a proper collar piece and her face design is neither hear nor there.

From straight on Azalea gives me this wooden marionette design vibe.

MP Arcee is not perfect, but I can tolerate her flaws better. There is no need for Takara to use 3P as a template for their MPs.

I was going to reply in my former post and forgot. Anyway, if MP-51 appeals to you, then that's great; opinions and impressions are highly subjective, and what works for you or me may not work for everyone else. If we all thought the same way, it'd be a boring world devoid of change or diversity. To that end, I hope you're able to score a copy, that she lives up to your expectations, and graces your shelf proudly.  

 I agree about your comment about Azalea's lower legs; it's probably my least favorite thing about that figure, and there's really no functional reason for not giving her more rounded natural looking legs while still having the hinged feature for transformation. I think the aim was to make her more robotic looking, but the abrupt stepped look is indeed stilt-like and diminishes the fig a bit.  The other issues you pointed out don't bother me. Your mileage obviously differs, and that's your prerogative. As I'm fond of saying, it's great to have options, and we're currently spoiled for them in this hobby. Enjoy it as you will, regardless of dissent, or else what's the point?