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Post by Benn on Jun 5, 2015 10:08:51 GMT
I can do this one! Ah ha!
5. A tie between Universe Ramjet and Fracture. Ramjet is a lovely update of the conehead jet, and Fracture... well, my adoration of that mold is pretty well documented. (I've got Classics Mirage, Henkei Mirage, Dragstrip and Fracture... Just need the Botcon Machine Wars one now. Suspect the invisible one is out of my reach...)
4. Animated Snarl. He's adorable! And a fun little toy.
3. Animated Prowl. Favorite character in the show, and this is a spot on rendition.
2. Animated Blackarachnia. Such a fun toy, I really, really like her.
1. Universe Sunstreaker. Much better proportioned than the Sideswipe version, and it's SUNSTREAKER! Was never not going to be my #1.
Stockade bubbles under, as do Animated Leader class Ultra Magnus and Megatron.
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Post by Shockprowl on Jun 8, 2015 22:07:51 GMT
Classics Prowl was so great at the time. I remember keeping my first one unopened for a couple of days.... just looking at him.....
But, he has mucho faulto,I'm sorry to say. I don't like the un-wide chest, I don't like the poor head artic', and I don't like the feet.
Still... get him in the right pose and he's awesumness.
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Post by The Doctor on Jun 9, 2015 19:18:05 GMT
You speak ill of a Prowl? Is this reality?
-Ralph
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Post by Shockprowl on Jun 10, 2015 21:38:19 GMT
I do. I is harsh Prowl fan. PERFECTION. PROWL DEMANDS IT!!!!!!!
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jun 11, 2015 6:58:48 GMT
Thursday Tease:
I've had to rejig some of the names in the Top 5 list recently due to forthcoming releases, so this one is earlier than expected and I hadn't written a clue. But I still think you'll go Ape for it.
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Post by The Doctor on Jun 11, 2015 19:32:51 GMT
Optimus Primal? Monkey bots?
-Ralph
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jun 12, 2015 6:42:17 GMT
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jun 12, 2015 10:05:38 GMT
I don't normally start by slagging off a toy but the 2 Pack Bat: what were they thinking? Toy's a train wreck, arm don't hold onto the body at all and it's noticeable that the mold wasn't resued in BW unlike Mregatron's aligator which became Iguanus. Then there's the whole bat thing. Who thought a bat, traditionally associated with evil, is a suitable mode for the Autobot leader? I know they were really going for the Autbot Mammals/Decepticon not mammals thing in the early stages but surely a bat would havew been more suitable for a Beast Wars version of Ratbat, Helbat or Mindwipe? <Rant over> Honourable menrtion: Beast Machines deluxe. Yes I know it shelf warmed horribly. Yes it looks nothing like the show or the older Primal. But somehow this toy has grown on me over the years. Stick a decent Prime head on it and I think we'd like it a lot more. There's two other BM Primals, the Blast Punch Voyager and the bumped to RID Air Attack Optimus but I can remember little about each of them save that there's a very good John Cullen story involving Air Attack Optimus that he's probably now banned from telling. Top 5: 5) RobotmastersThe Ultra but shrunken. There's little more you could ask a toy to do. Got it dead on the money. 4) United/BWXWhen this toy came out for the Beast Wars 10th anniversary I wasn't keen on it. I didn't think it was quite fitting for the BW anniversary. A mash up of the Transmetal and Ultra versions with a huge accesory that, if taken away, could have been used to make the actual toy bigger and better. It's grown on me over the years though and I got one when it was released in Japan as part of United 3) Transmetal MegaNo Optimus Primal is going to look favourable coming straight after the Mega. Really they should have skipped this and gone straight to Optimal Optimus. A smaller toy than the predecessor, with less features and sold at a price point that even by then had a dodgy track record in the line. And as for the surf boarding monkey vehicle mode .... But it has grown on me. Transforming the backpack into a hand held weapons unit is nice and the alternate Robot mode using the Monkey's chest is fun. The colours don't do it any favours: I saw a very nice black repaint this morningwhich looked miles better and I'm wondering if it could be improved if, like Megatron, it got a repaint with Minicon compatability. 2) Optimal OptimusBig. Lights and sound. Four modes, and even the vehicle modes aren't that bad. 1) Ultra Optimjus PrimalThe toy that got me back into buying Transformers after going cold turkey for a few years. PACKED with features and hidden weapons. Superb sculpting. A proper Prime head, possibly the best Prime head. Easily in my top 5 TFs EVER, almost certainly my all time favorite.
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Post by legios on Jun 12, 2015 10:35:03 GMT
MUNKY! HURRAY!
I know I am lagging by a couple of weeks. I've had an odd time of it lately with a few things to ponder and process. Planning to get caught up this weekend all being well.
Karl
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Post by The Doctor on Jun 12, 2015 21:33:36 GMT
Phil is wrong. Bat Primal is great.
And bats are not a symbol of evil, hence...Batman!
-Ralph
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jun 12, 2015 21:35:56 GMT
Dracula
Ratbat
Mindwipe
QED
Next you'll be saying Universe Primal is better because of it's mad colours!
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Post by The Doctor on Jun 12, 2015 21:38:17 GMT
It is. I retained Universe Primal when my collection was cut down.
And Batman makes all bats cool and heroic. Ratbat was pragmatic rather than evil. Mindwipe had no personality.
-Ralph
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Jun 13, 2015 2:01:49 GMT
Phil is wrong. Bat Primal is great. And bats are not a symbol of evil, hence...Batman! -Ralph Bat Primal is tops.
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Post by The Doctor on Jun 13, 2015 19:44:10 GMT
Bat not monkey!
-Ralph
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Post by legios on Jun 14, 2015 12:41:36 GMT
Week 108: Japanese Exclusive G1 toys
Working on the assumption that this includes toys like Liokaiser that were also available in places like Hong Kong...
Bubbling under: Micromaster Hot Rod, Landcross, Sky Garry.
5. Deathsanrus!! <trans: Deathsaurus>: Superb looking toy. A humanoid mode which feels chunky and imposing as befits and Emperor of Destruction. The Chicken-Dragon mode is pretty great too, having a distinct Daikaiju feel to it which does make one feel it could be duking it out with MechaGodzilla II or something. Just a really striking toy.
4. Galaxy Shuttle - Never owned this, but I own the Brave version and it is a superb toy. The spacecraft mode is great, and the humanoid mode is pretty darned good in its days of more limited articulation. Like a lot of the Victory toys Galaxy Shuttle is visually very impressive and it feels like they are wringing everything they can out of the resources. Lovely toy.(The fact that it is actually the right scale to work with Countdown's Base's Crawler mode is just icing on the cake.)
3. LioKaiser - probably the best of the First Generation technology combiners. Sure, it may lack the modularity of the Scramble City-tech, but in terms of a unified form in combined mode it knocks both Devastator and Raiden into a cocked hat. Much more play value than either of them, and a much more imposing looking combined mode.
2. Victory Leo - At this point Transformers is scampering back in the direction of Diaclone's roots in the Super Robot genre. Victory Leo doesn't make any pretence of disguise whatsoever - a giant winged lion isn't even trying on that front. But in Super Robot terms it is an absolutely gorgeous toy, enormously visually striking and a lot of fun to play with.
1. STAAARRR SAAAABEEEERRR! - A robot which turns into a vaguely realistic aircraft (if you squint lots), straps into an enormous booster contraption which it can then combine with to turn into a truly enormous robot. Wonderfully bonkers. Visually it strongly points in the very Super Robot-esque direction that Transformers successor brand, Yuusha, would move in the direction of - in that regard it almost feels like an audition piece for the "next big thing" in many ways. Visually striking, quite fun and enormous even before you add the combination ability. Great stuff.
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Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jun 15, 2015 9:01:25 GMT
I had a soft spot for bat OP (and Megatron). One of my first and most favourite Beast Wars toys. (Second only to Terrorsaur.)
In Native American lore the bat is a symbol of rebirth, so I wonder what with TFs being rebranded as Beast Wars, if that fact played any part in the choice of OP being a bat.
-- Graham
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Post by legios on Jun 17, 2015 7:34:09 GMT
Week 109: 2008 Toys
Bubbling Under: Universe Silverbolt (two great modes and a fantastic transformation), Incinerator (the second-best of only two (or third of three, depending on how you count Obsidian) air vehicles of its type in Transformers. I just wish it had hands). Big Daddy (lovely pimped-out Muscle Car, great flashy paint job and a really fun toy. Almost makes the list).
5. Tread Bolt – The Classics Jetfire mould is a great toy, and this version’s Blue Angels inspired deco is lovely.
4. Blades – Take a really nice Galaxy Force toy, redeco it in US Coast Guard colours – on an alt-mode which is clearly a “just far enough for the lawyers” version of the USCG’s main helicopter type. Sold
3. Acid Storm – Masterpiece aside, probably the best “classic Decepticon Jet retake” mould we’ve had since the ‘84/85 jets in my opinion. And it also gives us a)a new character who has not been done before which is always nice and b) a brilliantly odd colour scheme on it. (I still think Acid Storm picked his colours based on watching old Discovery Channel shows and thinks that the Earth’s military hardware still looks like it did in the 1970s…)
2. Fracture – Lovely redeco of the Classics Mirage mould, probably a better colour scheme than the original version. Looks fantastic in both modes, and has a great write-up in the bio. Great stuff
1. Universe Sunstreaker – Lovely piece of design. Very clever piece of work in terms of getting two very different looks out of one toy. Sunstreaker edges it just for being that little bit more visually striking (I think it is the details of the deco on him). Great fun toy, which has a lot of fiddle factor but also looks really good on the shelves.
Still pondering the Munky List, but there is no doubting what will be at the top of that one.
Karl
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Post by The Doctor on Jun 17, 2015 8:59:14 GMT
Bat Primal, Kaptain, Bat Primal!
Always wanted one. I did technically own one for a few hours but alas the ebay chap I bought one from had a flood and lost many items including that before it was sent. A minor inconvenience for me, rather more serious for that unfortunate person.
NIIIIICK! Ralph needs Bat Primal (and Croc Megs).
-Ralph
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Post by legios on Jun 17, 2015 12:42:28 GMT
The return of The Clangers has reminded me what Neo-Galvatron always looked like to me. I fear I will be referring to him as "The Cybertonium Chicken" quite a bit in the future...
Karl
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jun 18, 2015 8:25:55 GMT
Thursday tease:
Time to seek out the animals.
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Post by The Doctor on Jun 18, 2015 15:00:47 GMT
Gears.
-Ralph
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jun 18, 2015 15:31:48 GMT
Not Gears. Gears is unlikely to feature, there's only just 5 versions of Gears and several of them are missing a mode!
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Post by Shockprowl on Jun 18, 2015 15:44:46 GMT
Thursday tease: Time to seek out the animals. Beast Hunters!
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Post by legios on Jun 18, 2015 21:53:31 GMT
Week 110: Optimus Primal
To paraphase a certain Megatron..."New packaging, same product. Munky!"
5.Transmetal Mega Optimus Primal: Eschewing the "realistic animal" look, this toy gives us a robot munky, which turns into a rather munkyesque humanoid mode - and can deploy its built in surfboard at will. Wait a minute, back up there...built in Surfboard? Yep, it is a robot munky on a surfboard which is built into its legs. This was always going to make it onto the list. It also has a fantastic sculpt, with loads of character and is a lot of fun to play with.
4. Blast Punch Optimus Primal: It isn't the animation model for Primal, any more than the deluxe is, but I feel it captures the general sense of the shows aesthetic rather well and looks superb. The bright colours also really work well for the mould, it is a good solid feeling toy and it has a fun gimmick.
3. 2-Pack Bat Primal: I will always have a soft-spot for this toy. It marks the defiant decision to do a toyline very different to the original Transformers toys and really set out to make something new rather than playing it safe. I also think it looks really good, and I quite like the idea of him prowling the night on Earth protecting the humans from the evil machinations of the Predacons.
2. Optimal Optimus: By this point the Beast Wars line had abandoned any pretence of "disguised as normal animals" so we get a big metal gorilla which turns into several different vehicles and a truly huge humanoid mode. Very striking toy, with a load of alt modes which are an awful lot of fun to play with. Also very large and chunky.
1. Ultra Optimus Primal: A big Gorilla that is in fact a warrior robot from space? Nice. For it then to be packing more gimmicks and weapons than is quite sensible just makes it even better. Fantastic toy, amazing fun. There is a reason that this toy has survived many a cull of my collection (a feat it is in the process of repeating at the moment).
Karl
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jun 18, 2015 22:09:48 GMT
It would be one of the very last things to go from mine along with Armada Hoist, G2 Hooligan, Night Slash Cheetor, Super Fire Convoy and the Combat Heroes Prime & Megatron.
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jun 19, 2015 6:56:52 GMT
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jun 19, 2015 9:41:05 GMT
Honourable mentions: Night Shadow Bumblebee I have a weakness for the Prime BB mould and the black version of it's spikey update is great. The blue on it is wrong, should be yellow or gold. Predacons Rising Optimus Prime vs Predaking: forget the Predaking, it's the Op in Thunderclsh colours that's im portant here. Andu would hurt me if I didn't mention it. Darksteel is a fine repaint although it took me a while to get one. Upscale Voyager Optimus is a far far better toy than you'd think, big ad chunky for the price, decent if unspectacular articulation and a pile of weapons. The green needs to go though 5) Sky LynxPenisbot. Just so so wrong. 4) Air VehiconAir Vehicon is one of the largest holes in the Prime line. He gets done twice in Cyberverse form in BH (3 times if you include his GO version) and is great. 3) AbominusA Cyberverse Legends sclae combiner has been done before, Movie Devastator, and indeed has precedence in the Superb Micromaster Six combiners. But Abominus has never had a proper update before and despite certain liberties this one isn't bad at all. The Individual robots are probably better than the combined whole, and Twinstrike is superb. 2) Sky Claw SmokescreenSmokescreen makes this list twice as the Cyberverse version is that good a mould. None of the original Legends had opening wing doors like he has. It's just a shame the colours on the original are so not Smokescreen! Fortunately the vehicle does better doing a stunning rendition of the Alternator colours. But it gets beaten by 1) Predacons Rising Smokescreen vs CindersaurThe Predacons Rising Smokescreen is perfection. Nails the 1985 deco stone dead. It would make number 2 on this list by itself.... but sell a Firecon redeco of a Terrorcon in the same box? Shame on you for not picking this one up, one of the best exclusives in recent years. A more than adequate Smokescreen for my Generations Legends and to be honesrt if they ever update the RTS Prowl mould I'm not sure it'll be better than this.
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Post by The Doctor on Jun 19, 2015 14:43:00 GMT
I loved the upsized Bumblebee deluxe. So wonderfully shit.
-Ralph
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jun 25, 2015 7:00:40 GMT
Thursday Tease
Will Sean Connery become Roger Moore or will one of our machine friends leave us?
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Post by legios on Jun 25, 2015 16:24:37 GMT
Week 111: Beast Hunters
Spent a long time trying to decide if I had enough of an opinion of Beast Hunters - or had seen enough of the toys to have an opinion on this. Decided in the end that I probably squeak in as entitled to a view.
Bubbling Under: Cyberverse Air Vehicon: A wonderfully silly "the show can't afford a completely new background character design" alt-mode, along with a nice Beast Machinesesque humanoid mode. Deluxe Prowl: Really nice rework of the Smokescreen mould. Nice colour scheme and between the head design and the choice of vehicle mode feels like a distinct character from the "The Transformers" Prowl or the Animated version. Cyberverse Shockwave: A really nice update to Shockwave's humanoid mode, which is what keeps it in my collection. Far better than the War for Cybertron one as far as I am concerned. Let down, and kept out of this list by the fact that it is one of those toys that doesn't really have a proper alt-mode to speak of.
5) Skylynk: For different reasons to Phil, and also due to paying no attention to his instructions. His humanoid mode I find only so-so, but he's capable of a chimera mode halfway between beast mode and humanoid which is fantastically bonkers and monstery.
4)Cyberverse Smokescreen: Fun little toy, has a lot of "fiddle factor" to it for some reason, and a really nice little vehicle mode
3) Cyberverse Prowl: Apparently BH Prowl is a graduate of the Batman school of justice. I.E. he intends to visit it on evil-doers by Hammer of Justice. Now there is a team-up which should have been... All the good which is Cyberverse Smokescreen, only in a Police-flavoured package.
2) Deluxe (upsized Cyberverse) Smokescreen: I think this is a great toy. Simple transformation which is still fun when upscaled, great and quite characterful sculpt. Lovely stuff. The fact that it landed cheap works in its favour too, but I don't think it is much more lacking than some of the other deluxes in the line to be honest.
1) Rise of the Predacon(s) Cyberverse Optimus Prime: Not just because the whole effect of the new colour scheme is very Thunderclashesque, but because it is a very striking and effective scheme into the bargain. Lovely looking toy, looked like it was by a long way the best Oppy in the line for quite a while to me.
Karl
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