Human Alliance Jazz

Dead Man Wade · Post by **Dead Man Wade** » Tue Sep 23, 2014 2:05 pm

Having bought the absolutely dire HA Sideswipe, I passed on a lot of the other figures in the line, and have only just discovered that the Jazz figure may actually be worth owning.

Now, while he was fairly pointless in the movie, I've always liked the look of Movie Jazz, and felt that his previous toy was absolutely dire. The fact that an ostensibly better version exists is wonderful, but of course I have to discover this fact only after they've jumped to $200 in price (generally) at the only places that actually have one. I've read several reviews, including the one by Paul, but I want to make sure he's worth the effort before I got to the time and expense of hunting one down.

So, how 'bout it? Is he as awesome as he appears?

Knightdramon · Post by **Knightdramon** » Tue Sep 23, 2014 5:22 pm

Much nicer than he looks.

He's designed by Sogo Hasui [same person responsible for the MP cars, Soundwave, and MP10] so he's got every damn centimetre of him packed in car mode.

Very stable due to big feet and nice ankle supports, very poseable [only lacking a waist joint], motorbike transforms into his weapon for the movie [although can only look proper when attached on his right arm], and even his rear wheel can inch upward by about a centimetre for clearance of foot in robot mode!

He's proudly displayed in my office with some Binaltechs. Every single detail on him is painted.

Get one now, even if it means he's going to be a standalone movie figure in your collection.

Dead Man Wade · Post by **Dead Man Wade** » Thu Sep 25, 2014 3:40 pm

That is what I was afraid of. Stupid thing seems to run on the "prohibitively expensive" side.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Thu Sep 25, 2014 3:57 pm

Superb figure. The HA side of things is really nicely handled - well done but you can basically ignore it. The rest of him is genuine Masterpiece quality in terms of design and finish. The car mode is so dense you could probably throw him through a wall.

http://counter-x.net/tf/toys/movie/jazz_ha.html

EDIT: Always liked Jazz's movie design myself and I do quite like the blinged-up Premium version of the first Deluxe. It's a bit clunky but not a bad go for the '07 releases and the paint really brings it out. I think he's a bit easier to appreciate after the more cartoony Autobot designs of the sequel films even if he was the 'vanilla' guy from the first film's cast.

Dead Man Wade · Post by **Dead Man Wade** » Thu Sep 25, 2014 4:59 pm

You know, my issue with the original deluxe was never paint apps. Yeah, he was kind of plain, but that's just the way things have been in the past decade or so. The things that bothered me were his hollow arms, his gimpy hands, and the overall squatness of the toy. There's a lot I do like and I thought the auto-transform chest was a nice little bit, even if it wasn't exactly earth-shattering. I actually spent a few minutes after opening him just watching the grill pop in and out of place, before I even really got down to the business of actually fiddling with him.

The Deluxe is perfectly serviceable (paint or no), it's just not the best representation of the character, which is why the HA version appeals. I want a version of him that isn't a giant missed opportunity. I feel like a disappointed father every time I look at him now; he's just good enough to avoid being sold off, but not enough to earn my affection.

Paul053 · Post by **Paul053** » Thu Sep 25, 2014 7:11 pm

I don't think he is that expensive to get (if it's a trusty source).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Transformers-Hu ... 3a9094725f

Dead Man Wade · Post by **Dead Man Wade** » Thu Sep 25, 2014 7:33 pm

That's a KO, I believe. Isn't it? My understanding was that the legit version had blue windows, and the knockoff had clear ones.

Paul053 · Post by **Paul053** » Thu Sep 25, 2014 7:40 pm

Dead Man Wade wrote:That's a KO, I believe. Isn't it? My understanding was that the legit version had blue windows, and the knockoff had clear ones.

The Takara version uses clear windows. But personally I prefer blue windows.

Dead Man Wade · Post by **Dead Man Wade** » Thu Sep 25, 2014 7:54 pm

Okay, so how do I tell the knockoff?

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Thu Sep 25, 2014 8:34 pm

Dead Man Wade wrote:Okay, so how do I tell the knockoff?

Is there a KO? Weird that they'd do a high quality KO for something that was mass-clearanced only a couple of years ago.

Knightdramon · Post by **Knightdramon** » Thu Sep 25, 2014 9:12 pm

There is no KO as far as I can tell.

He ain't as expensive as you think. I was able to get mine, fully mint and complete, for like 25 pounds [ie his original retail] at auto assembly last year.

Mudflap, lol that's a different story, but Jazz is around his retail.

Dead Man Wade · Post by **Dead Man Wade** » Thu Sep 25, 2014 9:43 pm

Again, the internet has led me astray. I'd see references to a knockoff, and pictures that seemed to indicate a feature-by-feature differentiation, but couldn't find anything concrete.

Damn you, Google.

I don't mean it. I still love you; I just feel like I dipshit in front of everybody.

Auntie Slag · Post by **Auntie Slag** » Thu Sep 25, 2014 10:12 pm

He is a cool toy. The only Transformer I've bought since Beast Wars, although I found it hard to resist the Human Alliance Sideswipe that was sitting next to him in Toy R' Us at the time. I always thought Human Alliance Bumblebee looked the bee's knees too, but Jazz was the one I wanted.

I think his transformation is pretty complex, and like Cliffjumper says; very tightly packed! I'd echo the others and say he's full of pose ability, has lots of guns. Frankly weird little hands which are oddly entertaining in the way they fold out and are copper-coloured.

When the film came out I was really happy that he was in it, but really annoyed that he looked so dull. Now I like his polished silvery look. He's a robot Macbook effectively. Applecare might have saved him at the end of the film, too.

Post by **Clay** » Thu Sep 25, 2014 10:33 pm

The human alliance stuff, once they figured out what they were doing with them, were pretty good, weren't they? Bee, Jazz, Barricade, the Twins... all very nice interpretations of the characters. Would have liked to have had a Soundwave, but he never came out here. And it's a shame they dropped them from AOE as Lockdown w/Frasier would have been a great set. I guess the line failed from buyer fatigue? You can have lots and lots of Bumblebee, and you can keep the line running between movies, but you can't do both...

Paul053 · Post by **Paul053** » Fri Sep 26, 2014 1:04 am

Clay wrote:And it's a shame they dropped them from AOE as Lockdown w/Frasier would have been a great set.

Oh oh oh! If there is a HA Lockdown, I will break my rule and make him an exception.