Toy Review Archives

[Cal]

Name: Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime
Allegiance: Autobots
Function: Cavalier/Protector

Strength: 10
Intelligence: 10
Speed: 9
Endurance: 10
Rank: 10
Courage: 7
Firepower: 10
Skill: 10

Before the coming of Unicron, Rodimus was already a talented warrior, recognized by his comrades for his potential and lack of patience. When he became Rodimus Prime, he immediately set out to lead from the front. He was already the first on the battlefield, and the last off, thrusting himself into the deepest danger rather than asking any of the robots under his command to sacrifice themselves.

Ah, Rodimus Prime. Maturing from the Padawan Hot Rod (or Rodimus if you’re some trademark-worshipping pussy) to become a fully-fledged Jedi Master and lead the Autobots in Optimus Prime’s stead. But like Colin Firth in The King’s Speech, his destiny as Supreme Military Commander, President-for-Life and King of Kings is one that fills him with doubt and might be more fitting for the equally modest veteran Ultra Magnus (who is silently chuckling to himself). Forever living in the shadow of Optimus Prime and a legion of sourpuss fans, it’s small wonder that his courage rating is a tepid seven point oh. Not dissuaded from giving Rodimus Prime his fair credit, Takara enlisted him as the next candidate for their Masterpiece line. Alas, the plan backfired rather spectacularly as Roddy was plagued with multiple quality control issues that turned even his most vocal supporters away and led to a tearful breakup with Arcee (or Springer, if you’re into that sort of thing). It was only when Hasbro stepped in with their engineering wizards to fix these faults that Takara decided to copy the improvements for a second release. Canny or what?

You know, there are a few cartoon idols I had a crush on as an innocent, wee squirt: Rock-1, Lisa Raccoon, Sarah Spencer, Cheetara, Shiela the Thief, Flora, Princess Allura, and Hot Rod. Now you’re probably raising your eyebrows and thinking there’s something amiss with that last entry. As I grew up and sat giggling through sex ed week, I was ashamed to realize the horrifying truth: I had a crush on a robot. After the show ended, all I could do is stare at a faded Polaroid photograph of Hot Rod with sad eyes and wounded lips, envying Arcee and Springer, and trying to ignore the deformed Classics Rodimus on my shelf. It’s only now that Takara have released a perfect representation of Hot Rod that I can finally replace that old photo to fill the empty half of my double bed. What? Kids sleep with their toys all the time!


FLAMING RED CAR MODE:

I’ll start with the car mode because in this review, I outrank everyone short of Kim Jong-il. Excuse me, make that Kim Jong-un. When The Transformers: The Movie came out, Hot Rod happily murdered Sideswipe and buried him next to Jimmy Hoffa to become the pimpin’ red sports car of the far, far flung future of 2005. Seriously, how often can we reuse that same gag? Well, if you’re not comatose by now, I may get Horatio to take over. During his first transformation on screen, he even had his own theme, Dare, as he careened through the grasslands with his hostage Daniel and made old man Kup lose oil control. This Masterpiece treatment is a perfect rendition of that flaming pinto for fans to recreate his barrier-smashing joyride. Without the barrier. Or the smashing.

Though Hasbro evolved Hot Rod into the Dome Zero sportscar for his Classics release (a design I quite approve of), Takara have set the Wayback Machine to 1986 and revisited Master Mecha Designer Floro Dery’s original car mode. Considering the Dome Zero was merely an ambitious prototype supercar from 1975, a (retro)futuristic sportscar with a V-shaped spoiler hardly seems implausible. Unlike his fellow sportscar Sideswipe (Oh wait, I forgot. He’s dead), Hot Rod has more curves than Megan Fox’s ass and looks just as sexy. Put him next to his forebear Optimus and you can see the difference in aesthetics. Optimus is all about rivets, panel lines and molded details, while Hot Rod is as sleek as the T-1000’s mimetic poly-alloy. His ass too. Not to say Hot Rod doesn’t have his fair share of features. His most prominent motif is a flame decal on the hood that he scavenged from Tracks’ charred corpse - another victim of Hot Rod’s murderous rampage. Unlike the Hasbro version, the flame is outlined by a black stroke, a wise decision from Whoever-san at Takara to help it stand out against an orange background. And awwww, he’s got that cute widdle engine block on the hood that can bob up and down on a spring just like in the Movie. And lookit, Mommy! It can even flip open to hold one of Hot Rod’s Photon Lasers and obscure the vision of his panicked driver! Is that the bee’s knees or what?

But before you rush your parents down to your local car dealer to shell out your third mortgage for this guy, you still have to see the driver’s compartment. The windshield opens via a hinge at the front in perfect animation accuracy. It has a steering wheel, a dashboard, and two sculpted seats... that... end... halfway where they meet the robot feet. This is the part where Bobby Bolivia beams the widest and hurries onto the next feature so he can close the deal. Those chromed exhaust pipes ought to grab your attention. Like the original G1 toy, they’re a combination of the pipes on Hot Rod’s arms and legs to create a mild incline at the midpoint and match the animation model. I guess when it comes to futuristic supercars, etiquette dictates exposing multiple exhausts and how much CO2 they can dispense to finish off our precious ozone layer. Gits.

Hot Rod’s caboose is just as faithfully molded, sporting those turbine-taillight thingies and sculpted rectangular panels below the spoiler like the G1 toy. The spoiler itself is as sharp as a Seeker’s wing, yet as smooth as the rest of his Fox-and-Terminator-ass chassis, save for all those scratch marks on the yellow paint that came from trying to insert the car into the trailer. Oh wait, that’s your first version, not my second edition. HAW HAW! Yes, you’re probably wondering what’s different about Hot Rod this time around. Well, the only noticeable change in car mode is that the crotch plate is thinner so that it doesn’t scrape your faux wooden linoleum while driving. Needless to say, the majority of changes are in robot mode, but I’ll get to that later.


STAR TRUCKING ACROSS THE UNIVERSE:

There are some mysteries of the Universe that will never be answered. What happened to Emilio Estevez’s career? Who’s better, Kirk or Picard? And was Windcharger yet another victim of Hot Rod’s murderous jealousy of other sportscars? Likewise, Rodimus Prime’s alt mode is an enigma, wrapped in a riddle, wrapped in an oversized cardboard box. For what it’s worth, fans seem to call this mode a Winnebago. A SPACE WINNEBAGO! So if your next summer hols is to go camping somewhere near Alpha Centauri, Mr. P. is right up your alley.

Now here’s the interesting bit. In order to transform him into that cosmic RV, you need to insert the car backwards into the trailer. That’s exactly the sort of ‘assymetrical reasoning’ that Cyclonus lauds about Galvatron in the MTMTE bios (if only to sugarcoat his insanity). The top half of the cab is a section that folds out from underneath the trailer, and you may think that the darker shade will clash with the car, but I find that the subtle variation in tone is like a fine blend of spices in a Jamie Oliver dish. The only real drawback to this design is that there is a noticeable gap on the roof of the cab. I think it could have been covered with a little more tweaking to allow the spoiler to sit further forward, but that’s just picking nits. The transformation means that the cab has a shorter, bulkier body distinct from the car and a generally more cartoon-accurate appearance without the engine block. Bobby can even bring your gullible folks back outside, because the driver’s compartment has two complete seats and... a noticeable lack of anything else. Okay, so maybe he should focus on getting that contract signed instead.

The windshield swings forward just like the car, but the hinge is extremely loose and will often remain open when it’s folded away upside-down. However, one positive change to this release is that some plastic has been shaved off so that the spoiler slips smoothly into place like a well-lubricated... you know. If you thought that Hot Rod’s triple exhausts were pollutant, Rodimus Prime’s extended chrome pipes would make Greenpeace hippies howl in fury. Unlike the Titanium figure, which saw Roddy’s smokestacks pointing straight up in a sensible manner, Takara retained the final bend along the length of the trailer to blow smoke up any tailgater’s arse and result in a horrific crash to add to Rodimus’ casualty list. Sorry, Tailgate.

The trailer is the key difference between Takara and Hasbro’s release of this Masterpiece, and fans are debating whether or not it’s worth the expense. Unlike Optimus Prime, who could function without his trailer, this one results in a completely different alt mode and ultimately a different character. When you stop to consider, this effectively makes two Masterpieces in one, that’s a lot of bang for the proverbial buck. Hoo-cha!


TURBO-REVVIN’ YOUNG PUNK MODE:

”I have nothing but contempt for this court.” (TFTM)

Now you’re probably already aware that this figure came packaged in robot mode. But if you followed my review and somehow managed to get yours into its alt mode on your first try while blindfolded, you’ll either be in for a doozy of a treat transforming him back, or be immediately voted the president of the Rubik’s Cube club.

The transformation to Hot Rod’s robot mode is elegant and particular focus seems to have been applied to designing his black boots. Since the colour is present nowhere on the car, the boots needed to be separated into panels that could slide out of view. Now here is one of the biggest problems that have entailed countless horror stories from fans who once raved at promo shots of this figure online and now find themselves lamenting the money they wasted on a “cruddy, fragile piece of overpriced plastic”. Imagine feverishly tearing the wrapping off your delivery, peeling off the tape and opening the box to find that - sufferin’ succotash! - his sodding shins are busted! It wasn’t long before the complaints reached the pen-pushers at Hasbro who dictated that the flaw be corrected immediately, and I’m happy to report that this re-release by Takara shows a more stable and unbusted design.

Like most Transformers, getting it into robot mode is relatively easy, but transforming it back into vehicle mode is something that will really test your tenure as the president of the Rubik’s Cube club. Despite the improvement on the legs, those shin panels are still quite niggly and won’t peg securely into place. There are some tabs under the windshield that obstruct the transformation of the feet, but these tabs are as useless as Katie Holmes’ acting career because they don’t peg into the slots on the arms. (This is the part of the transformation that discombobulated me for hours and had me wondering if the naysayers were right.) In fairness, Transformers of this size and complexity are by their nature prone to one or two engineering flubs. I don’t want to sound like an apologist for this figure. The criticism lobbied at the first version in Tetsuro’s disappointing review is certainly deserved, but I think Takara did a commendable job in getting no less than four cartoon-accurate modes out of the transformation.

So you got him back into car mode. Huzzah! No, hang on, I’m not done with the robot mode yet. Change him back, you twit! Anyone who has read my review of the Challenge at Cybertron set will know how disillusioned I was with Rodimus’ dumpy, primitive robot mold. It was like waking up for Christmas and instead finding Chris Moyles in your bedroom, introducing the latest selection of Classical Class. Rest assured, dear readers. Like all Masterpieces, Takara have gone to great lengths to ensure that Hot Rod is as accurate to his all-American bot roots as possible. Now instead of Christmas, you wake up to find Christmas Jones and the rest of the Bond girls perched around your bed.

Hot Rod’s design aesthetic is just gorgeous. I mean, look at him. Look at heeeeem! He’s got a flaming Autobot tattoo on his pecs, chromed arm exhausts that he can use to laser the eyeballs off some unsuspecting squid, and of course a yellow wing-like spoiler on his back that just screams, “This is all that’s left of Sunstorm, bitches!” If that isn’t enough to win over your LED heart, rotating his ‘ears’ will flip down the stylish blue visor he used in the movie. Ooh! Aah! *faints* Screw Horatio! Hot Rod is more than mech enough to spout cheesy one-liners to the sound of The Who. YEEAAAAAAAAAAAHH!!

This Masterpiece is the first figure of Hot Rod to get his magenta colour absolutely right. Over the years, we’ve seen everything from crimson to burgundy to... *shudder*... that unspeakable explosion of saturation on the aforementioned Challenge at Cybertron set. Returning to his primary shade of red with a pinkish tint is a bold move in a society where any dude wearing pink gets thrown into the asylum with some guy who thinks he’s Michael Jackson. Just ask Misfire (or Miss Fire as I like to call him). There’s some maroon paint on the head and crotch that, although easily discernible in animation, is a very subtle effect on a toy. The overall colour scheme differs considerably from Hasbro’s release in that Takara aims for cartoon-accuracy while Hasbro prefers toy-accuracy. To me this release looks significantly better with Hot Rod’s whiter face. Hey, maybe he is Michael Jackson!

Let’s go over some of the other features in this mode, shall we? Unlike Hasbro’s release with Firebolt - *sigh* I mean, Offshoot because I am a trademark-worshipping pussy - Hot Rod comes with two toy-accurate Photon Lasers just like the G1 release. Now I love Targetmasters almost as much as I love Sarah Spencer, and I thought that impersonal guns would be an inadequate substitute to a bouncing, brash buddy boomstick. How wrong I was. The designs feel as meaty as a Gravity Gun, and their clever combination as Rodimus Prime’s equally accurate Photon Eliminator is enough to give Optimus’ Ion Blaster a run for its money. Hot Rod’s wrists can open and rotate to reveal a clip that can hold one of two accessories: the buzzsaw he used to make sushi on Quintessa, or the blowtorch he used later to mend Kup and carelessly leave a piece out. Considering how small these accessories are in comparison to Optimus’ massive Energon axe, Takara probably could have designed them to be integrated into the arms instead of being separate pieces. Plus I can’t seem to get the wrists to close properly with the clips out anyway. This is one area that was clearly designed on the morning train.

What would the leader of the Autobots be without the Matrix? He’ll be Morecambe without Wise, Simon without Garfunkel, beer without the little plastic thingy that holds the six-pack together. So you open his chest and look. There it is! It’s...! It’s...! It’s frickin’ tiny. Clearly the Sylvanian Woodkeeper has played a very cruel joke here, because I can just hear Brian Hyland and the whole band of Bombalurina singing, “Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny...” Sadly, old Roddy’s chest transformation leaves little space for a Matrix compartment. The dinky thing is so small, he can’t even squeeze his thumbs through the handles. Ah well, at least they tried, folks. Give it to Deluxe Thunderwing if you don’t want to leave the poor guy cold turkey. Anyway, let’s see what happens when we use the MATRIX STONE on HOT ROD...


FULFILLED POTENTIAL MODE:

”How ‘bout we blow this popsicle stand?” (The Face of Nijika)

What? HOT ROD is evolving! Lengthen the hips, pull up on the spoiler and transform that ingenious face-changing gimmick to bring about lines of age, wisdom and grumpiness. HOT ROD evolved into RODIMUS PRIME! (Dee-doo-doo, dee-dee-dee-doo-doo-dee-doo.) That’s right, Hot Rod is more two-faced than Two-Face. The gimmick is extremely well-designed and doesn’t hinder the visor at all (although I don’t know why Tetsuro said it does). One thing I didn’t expect is for Takara to take the effort in increasing Rodimus’ size. Subtle though it may be, it’s another affectionate nod to the source material. In this mode, Rodimus Prime can wield the combined Photon Eliminator with both hands, but he has access to a far more devastating arsenal in his trailer.

Did anyone play Polly Pocket? Anyone? Yeah, well I can’t think of anything more manly right now while staring at that pinkish-red chassis. So sue me. Press the black knob on the roof to open the trailer and voilà! You’ll find Rodimus Prime’s fabled Mobile Defense Bay. The turret is as big as the Matrix is small. I mean, this puppy could blast a Star Destroyer out of orbit without even burning a dilithium diode. It’s an exact replica of the one on the G1 toy, and the simplicity of the transformation is a refreshing counterpoint to the main figure’s complexity, bringing back memories of when I used to go “Pew! Pew!” with Thunder Clash’s similar combat trailer. (Ah, see I did think of something manly.) You can store the accessories inside or place the weapons on a number of different slots. I find that the best configuration is to attach the Photon Eliminator under the turret, giving Rodimus additional firepower as the Mobile Defense Bay barrels over Thunder Clash and his weedy battle box like a death-toting death machine of death!

Rodimus can wrap his hands fully around the handles to help him stand on the uneven surface. Speaking of which, Rodimus' general balance is a bit dodgy. He’s got die-cast feet to weigh him down and give some extra ‘oomph!’ to his jaw-crunching kicks (“Boot to the head!”), but I wouldn’t mind some optional heel struts when the foot articulation isn’t that great. Most of his joints are ratcheted, and his leg articulation allows him to kneel down like in the The Burden Hardest to Bear - an advantage that the white-collared, plastic-smiled salarymen at Takara’s marketing department were quick to advertise. Rodimus’ elbows are double-jointed, but he has some trouble extending his arms sideways, typical of all Transformers with heightened shoulders. No wonder Ultra Magnus perished in battle; he could never broaden his shoulders to pull the Matrix open. Damn it, open!

You can raise the arms this time without the chest flipping up too due to an improved clip design. Apparently the white tab by his spoiler has been revised to allow the back to peg in securely, but I can never seem to get mine to stay in place for long. Oh well, at least it’s better than the first release that couldn’t peg in at all. Yes, I’m talking to you with the scraped spoiler and the busted shins! Other changes on this version include stronger heel springs, improved hand slots and a slightly lighter tone overall. The million-dollar question on everyone’s mind is: is he worth it? QC problems are a common source of frustration among Transformers fans, and when you’re paying for a figure this big and expensive, the cost of eliminating most of these faults justifies the price in the long run. If nothing else, I’d recommend investing in Takara’s version over Hasbro’s. The robot looks the biz, the Mobile Defense Bay is as great for display as an Olympic podium, and getting an extra alt mode out of the trailer kills all known Offshoots dead. ‘Nuff said.


Marks out of ten for the following:

Transformation Design: 9 - You lost the election; Takara has been voted the new president of the Rubik’s Cube club for their four modes. That won’t stop you exposing a few engineering niggles in the Daily Mail, mind.
Durability: 5 - Kick the tires and watch the trunk pop open. An improvement over the first release, but Masterpieces are heavy figures with some fragile joints. Don’t drop him, by Thor!
Fun: 8 - About to climax with your harem of Bond girls, then Chris Moyles shows up with a loose spoiler that he unwittingly bought off Bobby Bolivia. Serves him right, the plonker.
Aesthetics: 10 - Oh yeah, Cheetara and Princess Allura are mud-wrestling on channel nine, baby! But they need to find a new audience, because you’ve changed over to Hot Rod’s Hot Stuff.
Articulation: 7 - Perfect if you want to have him jumping up and down on what’s left of Offshoot, but he won’t be prying that Matrix open with such narrow shoulder articulation. (Oh wait... it doesn’t open.)
Value: 5 - Paid £130 for mine, although I’m seen him go for as low as £110 ($170). Some fans are decrying the extra expense for the trailer, but I think the additional alt mode and generally nicer colour scheme are worth it. Find the first release in Bobby’s discounted lot if you can live with the QC problems.
Overall: 9 - President Takara reads about your smear campaign in the morning papers, but positive changes can drown out critics with cries of “Four more years! Four more years!” Despite a false start, Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime is the culmination of the Masterpiece line and he’ll deal with anyone who disagrees. He’s already killed five Autobots and his Targetmaster partner, and he may just add you to his hit list unless you buy his toy. Now give us Masterpiece Arcee so he can have someone to snog! Or Springer. ("He’d ‘settle’ for Springer." - numbat)

[poyguimogul]

Name: MW-01 "Spray" (aka Seaspray)
Function: Aquatic Mini-Warrior
Subgroup: iGear Mini-Warrior
Size Class: Legend / Cyberverse Commander-Legion

Spray - A good natured 'bot, more at home on the sea than on land. Originally scheduled to join the Mini-Warrior Exodus, Spray was denied entry for being too tall and had to spend his time on his home planet where he was considered too short. Had he joined the mini-brethren, he would never have eventually found peace on Earth, where he also enjoyed a brief career as a voice over artist for marine based Universal Masters.

Strength: 4
Intelligence:8
Speed:6
Endurance:6
Rank:6
Courage:7
Fireblast:6
Skill:7

*Igears "Spray" bio, claiming Seaspray was to join the Transformers Armada mini-cons leaving Cybertron 1,000,000 years before G1, and that Seaspray was the voice actor of Masters of the Universe : Mer-Mann, which in reality is true as both characters were voiced by Alan Oppenheimer.*

Seaspray, original one of the 1985 Autobot mini-bots, has been getting alot of attention lately. Two third party releases already available in Jan. 2012 and the previously released HFTD Voyager Seaspray seeing it's 4th release as Botcon Octopunch. Only the rare Armada / Micron Legend - Waterlog recolor seems to have been forgotten with time. But still serves as a quality Spray.

Alternate Mode: Seaspray retains his orignal Hovercraft Vehicle mode, with quite an update in details. He's also in scale with his Legend / Cyberverse brethren. That being said, it's not as sturdy as the original figure or the vehicle modes of his previous Hasbro/Takara releases. He has twin spinning propellers like his original figure, but that's it for features in vehicle mode. No rolling wheels on the bottom.

Robot Mode: The enhanced articulation really shines in his arms, and head when posing him, for some Dirty Harry-esque gun play. Ball jointed shoulders & elbows. Ball jointed neck. Rotating waist. His legs are bit bulky, and finnicky, but still add to the allure. He has ball jointed hips, hinged knees and a ball joint / hinge combo in the ankle. His legs are very poseable, but the bulk can be hindering. The tiny harpoon gun is solid, maybe more durable then lego guns.

_______________________Score____Card______________________
Transformation Design: Updates the G1 nicely. Unclip the arms and pull them out to the side, then rotate the section, semi-automorph. Then straighten and extend the legs. Easy, Quick and Surprisingly fun. 6

Durability: The arms are like rocks and won't be loose for a few years. The legs could be an issue in the long run if excessively transformed. other then that very solid plastic, and as kid proof as can be. 8

Fun: As it is a legend it's not overly complex. But it is a super articulated G1-esque Seaspray, with a tiny Lego style harpoon gun! 7

Aesthetics: Men will be able to look past it, but not girls. Right out the box she says: "He's got an ugly face!" and he does, its a flat grate. Despite his ugly mug, the rest is pure Seaspray, albeit a beefy manly Seaspray. 5

Articulation: With the added mobility of his arms and legs Seaspray can really come to life better with poses. Even a rotating waist! While not as expressive as his superior voyager release, he can hold his own against Universe Legends Beachcomber or DotM Cyberverse Powerglide. 8

Value/Price: 18$ with free shipping from http://shop.igeartoys.com/ if your into these characters at this size, it's not a bad price. It's a better price then Perfect Effect Reflector, who is put into super-collector category. 18$ is pretty high for a legend, but these are better-then-legends. I would have preferred maybe $10 range, but it is a high quality custom. 7

Overall: While the Voyager Seaspray will interact better with Ultra Powerglide and Deluxe Warpath, Mini-Warrior Spray looks right at home with all the Legends / Cyberverse you can stand him next too and will hold his own against even the best, like legend Warpath or Cyberverse Powerglide. Even his vehicle mode is in scale with them. I knew I didn't like his flat face from the start, but still Love the toy. Even his flat face. The G1-esque boxes with technical designs of the robot and vehicle mode are nice, and too a degree, minimal. The super dense, shiney and extremely well made Character cards are a nice bonus, showing a shiny dramatic picture of the character and tech specs on the back. 8

[poyguimogul]

HOLD THE PHONE! (Run while you can!)

I have to correct you on a grievous error.

The characters of the Wreckers physical appearances are not based on european people, but the stereotypical physical features of a southern american nascar fan.

Leadfoot: Beer gut, Beard, Sunglasses. If he was gay, he'd be a "Bear".
Topspin: Long hair, and sunglasses. It's also claimed (I don't have the figs) that he has a bandana on. This would be your typical skinny white-trash redneck trailer park, punch you in the face for looking at him, soccer is for queers, meth is a real mans sport, deer hunting and beer drinking hill billy.
Ronnie Van Zant, the long dead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd. This hill billy was a little guy, in the lower end of 5', but he would randomly jump off stage and join into melee brawls, often resulting in him being discharged from the club. This was in the 70s when in VA. you could still openly carry arms.
Roadbuster: Nascar hat, sunglasses, mullet. This guy \/



The only reasons I can see that the WRECKERS are British is:
A.) only british people know who the G1 WRECKERS are, i.e. this website.
B.) so people of the south couldn't complain, even though, they probably would if such a detail was within their scoop of comprehension. They are blinded by the explosions which have left them drooling idiots.

*Side note they would know, the drivers name if you mention:
The sponsor of the car, or, the number.
Dale Earnhardt Jr - Roadbuster, Amp, National Guard 88
Jimmy Johnson - Topspin, Lowes, 48
Juan Pablo Montoya - Leadfoot, Target , 42

**Super Side note, british people should not even consider this a sport, it is a mockery of your own sacred sports car events and should be shunned into oblivion. Driving in a circle isn't a sport. Back before TV sucked in the US, I got to watch a British uphill with a F***ing 87 Camaro vs, some newer cars, that was F***ing racing. This is high speed training wheels. NASCAR RULZ!

[poyguimogul]

Name: MW-02 "Rager" (aka Huffer)
Function: Land Mini-Warrior
Subgroup: iGear Mini-Warrior
Size Class: Legend / Cyberverse Legion

Rager - A fantastic construction engineer and could build pretty much anything he wanted too, but instead he'd rather complain about being in his situation. Too clever, too lonely, too short, too orange! He could have achieved anything in his time on his home planet but moaning was his primary habit and as such he accomplished very little. He once pulled a trailer for Faith Leader, and he still goes on about it 25 years later.

Strength:7
Intelligence:8
Speed:4
Endurance:7
Rank:7
Courage:8
Fireblast:4
Skill:9

*iGears "Rager" bio, making obvious reference to we the fans, and our sole memorable moment from Huffer, sans saving Spike and his dad in More then Meets the Eye. Could Orange and Situation be a referance to something else, I certainly hope not. But if Mike was a Huffer & a Rager it wouldn't surprise me.*

The Autobot Mini-bot Huffer released in 1984 with the other Ark Autobots, has seen very little love over all. His original toy was adorable, his Botcon toy, was a nice Huffer repaint from an obvious Pipes homage. The PCC, when ignoring the combining gimmick, and the fact that his arms weren't all silver as displayed on his box art, is a pretty decent little scout class incarnation.

Alternate Mode: Huffer has his standard G1-esque small box freight loader look. His vehicle mode comes off a little more super deformed due it's slightly larger scale to the standard Legend or Cyberverse. Has rolling wheels, but low ground clearance due to his protruding chest. Very Standard.

Robot Mode: Huffers robot mode shines, but not as much as you would like. While he does have Ball jointed shoulders, elbows, hinged wrist, rotating waist, ball joint neck, ball joint hips, hinged knees and hinged feet, his head is set back in an area, where even my slender, and nimble fingers cannot easily reach his head for manipulation. His arms also have to contest with the wheels on his torso for space which always makes him look like Tempa T. The tiny lego style revolvers are amazingly detailed, resembling a laser equipped a snub nose 38. beef Huffer up to "Rager" status.

_______________________Score____Card______________________
Transformation Design: A real nice update to the G1, has a nice-pop-out-rotate-and-lock-in shoulder design. His legs just flip back. Easy & Quick. 4

Durability: His legs seem fragile as if they could break if excessive force is applied to the wrong angles. Still good plastic, just the pin in the knee area looks like it could be problematic if you like to man handle your figs while "pissed up" to use your native tongue. Other then that his arms are solid, better then most their size. 5

Fun: Huffer is massive fun, if you can move his head. His articulation allows nice, dramatic pose ability, and he can look pretty bad ash with his dual hand guns. Though those hand guns can be a pain getting in and out of his hands But the inability to reach his head easily is a bit of a draw back. The attached picture shows the paper clip I use to gingerly move his head around. He is also better then your average legend. But still. 7 ( Unless you can't reach his head, in which case, 5 )

Aesthetics: Beautiful. His face looks like Huffer, but, I'm gonna git you sucka type Huffer. He's not the pathetic clown you may remember almost drowning to save some humans. His truck looks very G1 box like. 9

Articulation: Amazing all around. It's a shame Hasbro didn't make it. 9 (if you can't reach the head like me then -> 7 as it's a hinderance to the whole figure.)

Value/Price: 18$ with free shipping from http://shop.igeartoys.com/ which isn't bad, considering the next best things are, a way-to-movieverse scout, and a way-to-expensive-botcon/cybertron scout. Like Spray he'd been nice for less, but his packaging is nigh indestructible, and the accessories are quite nice, especially since Huffer gets, not one, but two lego like guns! 6

Overall: Huffer is awesome. Takes the adorable little guy from G1, gives him a cartoon accurate face, new articulation and some nice revolvers. His truck is a bit basic, but that's kind of the appeal isn't it? A must-have for any fan of G1 as he can replace the G1 in a collection or reduce the Classic Ark Autobot count down to Gears... 10 (if you can't reach the head, you'll need a device, I recommend a paper clip, or a pair of Q-tips used Chop Sticks style to move it, thusly, 5 )

[numbat]

Cheers for that man.

I completely forgot about that - I'll edit the reviews to incorporate it later.

Although, now, it's a double piss-take, as the use of british accents associates it with us, regardless, and we have those guys and those attitudes here too (in-so-much as you can see the design in a stylised robot!). Audiences are gonna take that away with them, regardless of the original design intent, because of the voices.

As to the choice of british accents? I can't see it being because only folks in the UK will know the Wreckers. I doubt many members of the cinema-going audience in the UK or the US would know Shockwave, Ironhide, Ratchet, Sideswipe - heck, I doub many knew Bumblebee before the 2007 film! I really doubt the consideration ever entered into the decision, which was no doubt taken for its comic effect - achieved by taking the piss out of Scots and Cockneys, even if it using a gag designed to rip US Nascar fans at the same time.

Good double-edged joke!

[poyguimogul]

When I heard them speak in the theatre, I musta sounded like Max Rebo from Robot Chicken "What the f*** is that!" - That is really odd & that a Cockney is defined as a working londoner, with that accent, they sound ignorant as hell.

Granted an American, like those in the picture above (Ignore the girl in red!) they are all hard working individuals, near "Pensioners" I think ya'll call 'em.

Roadbuster says - "Dis maff ting is really hard bro'va!"



Alternately He could say: "It's not Pennies boat!"

[poyguimogul]

Because I LURVs You. Here's a comparison review by OPF-Ian of TFW2005.

------------------Hover Vs. Spray----------------

http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transform ... fight.html

[numbat]

Added a bit more info about the design, taking above comments on board.

Thanks!

[numbat]

Added a bit more info on the designs, based on comments on my Legion Leadfoot review.

Got DOTM Legion Topspin today. As I suspected, he's by far the worst of the Legion Wreckers, and I wouldn't recommend him unless you are going for the full set of three Legion Wreckers. I'll write a review up when I get a chance, and get some photos with all three.

[numbat]

Snapped a few photos today, so included Legion Topspin and some trio shots of the DOTM Legion Wreckers.

I'm sure it's evident from the photos, but just to reassure you, Topspin is by far and away the worst of the three, and only worth picking up if you're wanting to complete the set of DOTM Wreckers.

[numbat]

I've posted some group shots of all three DOTM Legion Wreckers in my Topspin review threat at:

http://www.tfarchive.com/community/show ... post715059

[numbat]

I've posted some group shots of all three DOTM Legion Wreckers in my Topspin review threat at:

http://www.tfarchive.com/community/show ... hp?t=50698

[Cal]

One final photo of the accessories for S&G. Ready to be proofed and archived. Will review Junkheap shortly, so stay tuned.

[Denyer]

Still rather on the fence about whether to pick up the Hasbro version if I see it reduced... at £60 it still seems too expensive for RRP on a figure that size with not the the greatest paint apps. Decent mould and extras, though.

[Cal]

The Hasbro version's toy accuracy looks really cheap on a figure like this. Apart from the unusually dark face, I find that changing the colour of his boots from black to the same shade of red as the chassis eliminates the effort Takara put into designing those panels to slide out of view. Ask ratchetsclinic on eBay if you're looking for a good price on MP-9.

[Rookwise]

Bit more done finally. Little bit more to do and then scores. Hopefully wont be much longer until its finished.

[Rookwise]

Finished I think. Apologies for taking so long. Work commitments really are taking its toll on me.

Coming soon will be Maketoys Hover and Bomber

[Rookwise]

Name: Hover & Bomber
Function: 3rd Party minibot creations (Naval Defence & Warrior)
Size Class: Legends/Cyberverse Leigon

Hover and Bomber are the 2nd and 3rd creations by the new 3rd party maker Maketoys. These 2 figures resemble the Transformers Generation 1 Seaspray and Powerglide characters.
Hover and Bomber come boxed together in a nice white box and features both characters artwork all over.

Hover

Hover is the one that resembles the G1 Seaspray character. What a resemblance. Apart from some additional detailing and articulation. He's virtually identical to his G1 counterpart.

Alt mode

Hover transforms into a hovercraft. His colours are blue, yellow and white with a little black on the windows and propellers. Unfortunately. Hover doesn’t have any wheels underneath so cannot be moved along the floor unless you want to cause the underside to be marked and scratched.
The hovercraft mode is quite realistic for it's size and features a lot of detail. Everything is tucked together nicely with little or no gaps. All the robot mode parts are well hidden with the only noticeable piece of robot is his head. The head doesn't stick out much however and its positioned so that the face is not on show.

Robot Mode

After a fairly easy transformation. Apart from a problem (at least on my version) where one arm keeps popping off at the shoulder balljoint when moving it into place. Probably due to one side seemingly being shorter than the other.
We get to the robot mode. Again. Hover is a very close to his G1 counterpart in all but the head design. The head is nicely sculpted and is done to resemble his counterparts cartoon face design.
Again. The main colours are blue, white and yellow. Hover features 5 pairs and 1 single points of articulation (11 separate) which gives plenty of ideas for putting the figure into various poses. This is a massive improvement over his G1 counterpart which, if I remember correctly. Only had 2.
The only thing missing from Hover is a weapon. Its not a big deal imo but I guess it could be for some people.

I quite like Hover and he fits in well with my other Transformers figures of the same size (Perfect Effect's Scouting Force X have someone to play with).



Bomber

Bomber resembles the Transformers G1 character Powerglide. This, apart from some extra detailing and articulation, is actually a direct look of the original G1 figure in almost every way.

Alt Mode

Bomber's alt mode is a type of deformed A10 Thunderbolt type aircraft. This is done virtually all in red with some black and grey in sections. Again. This basically seems identical to the 80's G1 Powerglide. There is more detailing on the Maketoys version however. With detail such as panel lines and sections of the wings showing the flaps. The familiar cannon is also present. This is placed on the front section just below the cockpit. Underneith the alt mode. We can see quite a bit of the robot mode parts. Again just like his G1 counterpart. All sections of the figure join together really well with little panel gaps.


Robot Mode

After a fairly easy transformation we get to the robot mode. You can tell straight away that this is Powerglide. Its virtually identical to the original toy. Apart from a few slight differences.
Firstly. The colour scheme is a bit darker over the original G1 figure. There is slightly more chest and arm detailing over the G1 toy as well as the eye colour changing from black (on the g1 figure) to yellow. What is completely different compared to the G1 figure however. Is the legs. The original Powerglide made his legs by simply sliding the rear alt mode section downwards which would expose 2 thin grey legs. That was about it. The legs didn't move or separate from each other. This Maketoys version however. Has separate legs which are very articulated via balljoints. The alt modes tail fins/wings fold away behind the jet thrusters instead of just sticking out to the sides. Leg articulation comes from the balljoints in the hips and knee sections. There is also some swivel joints in the ankle sections but they are mainly for transformation.
Bombers/Powerglides arms have exactly the same articulation as his original G1 version. These being shoulder and ellbow balljoints. On my version. Depending on how the elbow joint is moved. The forearm just falls off as if the balljoint and socket are slightly different sizes in one section (basically not completely rounded). A dab of clear nail polish on the balljoint will help build up a layer to close the gap and help the forearms stay attached.
In total. There are 4 pairs and 1 single points of articulation (9 in total). These being the knees,hips,elbows,shoulders and head. The head also has virtually a full range of movement (left,right,up,down) and sits about 2/3 milimeters away from the chest section.

Overall Bomber/Powerglide is quite a nice figure apart from a few minor flaws. Certainly a worthy update over the original G1 figure. He is fairly well put together and has been made of good quality plastic.


There is just one addition that makes these 2 characters even better. 3rd party creator Reprolabels have designed a decal set which allows you to attach the appropriate decals that the G1 Seaspray and Powerglide had come with along with a few additions if you wished to have something slightly different.


Marks out of 10 for the following:-

Transformation Design: 7 Fairly easy transformations. Just be careful with Hovers/Seasprays arms when converting to robot mode.
Durability: 7 Seems quite well put together. However. A few possible QC/design issues on certain sections of the plastic are a concern.
Fun: 7 Nice figures to mess with and everything goes together quite well with fairly easy transformations.
Aesthetics: 8 Lots of detail, the colours work well together and resemble the characters these 2 are based on.
Articulation: 7 Plenty of articulation to enable varied poses.
Value/Price: 6 High price for their size (Approx £30/£40 from UK online retailers) but as can be expected with these 3rd party creations.
Overall: 7 A nice second offering from Maketoys. Lets hope it continues with their other items.


Pics

[Rookwise]

Pics added

[Cal]

Name: Junkheap
Allegiance: Autobots
Function: Background Dude

Strength: 6
Intelligence: 4
Speed: 8
Endurance: 6
Rank: 4
Courage: 5
Firepower: 6
Skill: 8

”A day without scrap metal is like breakfast without sunshine.” (Starcream’s Ghost)

Assembled and raised in the scrap pile, Junkheap is a supremely resourceful bot. It was he who helped orchestrate the repair and reboot of the disabled Ultra Magnus. The mighty Autobot was so impressed with the talent of Junkheap that he encouraged Autobot Ratchet to spend an extended leave on planet Junkion to hone his repair skills.


Pop quiz, hot shot. List the top five coolest moments in the 1986 Transformers Movie.

- Kup swinging on Blitzwing’s turret
- Megatron blasting the patooties out of Ironhide
- Galvatron doing the same to Starscream
- Scavenger doing the same to Prowl (Man, there are a lot of cool deaths in this flick!)
- Aaaaaaand the Junkions being able to ride themselves.

While Transformers fans in the 80’s were able to recreate those first four moments with their G1 figures, leading to many bent turrets and demolished toys, alas, Junkion Wreck-Gar’s statuesque figure left little opportunity for him to relive the glory days of Easy Rider. So Wreck-Gar was doomed to obscurity for the next twenty-odd years with nary a retail nor exclusive toy to maintain his profile, and naught but the decidedly un-bikey repaint Detritus to keep him company. After a brief stint as a garbage truck in the 2007 Animated series, Hasbro have finally fully resurrected Wreck-Gar from the trash pile for the Generations line and blessed him with the ability to sit astride a motorcycle like a king. And who better to serve as his royal transport than his trusty steed, Junkheap!


Alternate Mode:

Junkheap is a retool of Wreck-Gar and as such transforms into the same motorbike mode. Unlike the Harley-Davidson-ish model that Dennis Hopper flaunted with all the suavity of the Fonz on the silver screen, Junkheap has been updated to a dirt bike for the Generations line. I doff my proverbial hat to Hasbro, because this is a great design choice to begin with. Harleys - also known as ‘choppers’ - while typically associated with biker gangs, are primarily designed for highway cruising and about as practical to roam the desolate landscape of the planet of Junk as Ratzinger’s Popemobile. A dirt bike strikes me as a more logical choice to provide Wreck-Gar and his band of merry mechs with the proper grip, torque and manoeuvrability to help chase away any would-be Autobot trespassers (even if they are technically on the same side). It’s such a sweet ride, all Junkheap really needs is Megan Fox to be bent suggestively over the seat while wiping away gas oozing out of the tank - even more suggestively.

You know, I’ve always believed that motorbikes are the hardest vehicle mode to design a Transformer around. Unlike cars or planes, you can’t rely on the symmetry of the robot mode to condense into something as thin as a bike, so you have to work out a distinctly unorthodox and asymmetrical transformation unique to each bike. Despite the befuddling challenge, Hasbro have pulled off the bike’s natural shape with such panache, you could just as well chat up Olivia Wilde on it over a carefully blended pair of Singapore Slings.

What truly amazes me is just how big this puppy is. Prop him next to Animated Prowl and you can see that Junkheap has an edge in both height and length, despite Prowl being taller in robot mode. It’s the sort of thing that makes you believe mass-shifting really is possible and have renowned physicists scratch their heads in bemusement. For a brief moment I had a glimpse of the difficulties of Hasbro’s toy tinkers tasked with designing a figure to have not only two great-looking modes, but for the robot to be in scale to ride the vehicle. Now that is not something within reach of any mere mortal, but we always knew there was something transcendental going on behind Hasbro’s closed doors, eh?

In no uncertain terms, the bike mode is a triumph of toy design. The figure is extremely well-detailed and the robot parts blend in seamlessly among the mechanical aesthetics. Okay, Junkheap’s hands are peeping up below the gas tank as if fondling his own leg, but their grey colour matches the surrounding machinery much better than Wreck-Gar’s. The wheels are some of the largest I’ve seen on a Transformer of any scale and, given the amount of clearance, Junkheap can roll effortlessly across any surface. Hasbro’s virtuosos cut no corners in designing every single piece as realistically as possible. Junkheap features detailed suspension on the front forks, carefully sculpted rubber handlebars and mirrors, a discernible gas tank, complex engine parts, a drive chain, a foot peg, an elongated tailpipe, and even a semi-detached license plate! Okay, there’s no actual number on the plate as there is on Universe Classics 2.0 Sunstreaker or Hot Shot because it would be distractingly upside-down in robot mode, but I’m impressed that Hasbro managed to incorporate all these bike motifs so effectively in a Transformer. Junkheap’s alt mode looks so convincing, it could easily entice Lowrider Magazine to do a section on bikes and have Marissa Faireborn flaunt her assets on the cover. The Kiss Players version too. Wh-chh!


Robot Mode:

If there’s one thing I love more than the bike design, it’s the transformation. I’m going to say it right now: Junkheap has, hands down, the best transformation sequence I have ever seen! I’m spoiled for choice on where to begin, I feel like a kid in a candy store and I’m about to faint with delight into a bowl of chocolate truffles. As stated earlier, part of the brilliance comes from being able to transform into a dirt bike so convincingly, but it’s even more delightful to see how it’s distributed in robot mode. Fully transformed, Junkheap stands 14cm tall and is proportionally well-defined. One of the first things you’ll notice is that he has asymmetrical limbs. On any other Transformer this might look a bit piecemeal, but on the planet of Junk, the natives are Frankenstein’s monsters of robot design. It's like Junkheap was forged by some ungodly ironmonger, using whatever spare parts were near at hand.

Junkheap is an excellent modernization of the Junkions, streamlining their blocky design while still retaining their disjointed appearance. Unlike the G1 figure where the headlight section became a head stricken with gigantism, that part forms his right leg with the seat becoming the left leg. One cute touch here is how the license plate folds up to act as some sort of knee pad. Be careful when transforming the legs, because there have been numerous reports from Wreck-Gar owners that the handlebars break off their pegs with moderate force - including mine! This can be remedied by shaving down the nubs that hold the handlebars in place, but I can also testify that my unfortunate experience with Wreck-Gar means that I can handle Junkheap delicately enough that I haven’t seen so much as a stress mark so far.

At the midsection, Junkheap’s hips are sculpted in cylindrical plates reminiscent of 1950’s robot designs and given a coat of hot orange paint. When coupled with the yellow plastic on the joints and other areas of the design, it’s clear that when it comes to colouring Junkions, anything goes. Junkheap sports a ventilation grille on his waist like Optimus Prime, which is enhanced further by mechanical detailing on the sides. Since this area has been painted silver from waist to shoulder, it frames Junkheap’s burgundy chest in a more cartoon-accurate way than Wreck-Gar’s ever did. No fan will fail to notice the tiny guns here either, which have been shifted from his nipples up to his collarbones. Pity, I had at least half a dozen jokes for this part alone (most of them rubbish).

True to his animated roots, Junkheap’s head is crowned with a faux windshield and tiny horns that I think are handlebars, which are much smaller than on Wreck-Gar’s to minimize breakages. Of course, Junkheap’s got that pimpin’ Hulk Hogan horseshoe moustache that just screams what a mean son of a glitch he is. You can just picture him facing down Bret Hart and the entire roster of WWF of yesteryear (now WWE) and coming away with the belt. Adding to his sheer bodacity is a matching pair of red-painted biker shades that radiate with pure funk from the edges of his light-piping. Just one look will tell you this biker’s got more groove than Groove. But the jewel in the crown is that somehow Hasbro managed to get Junkheap’s wheels on his left elbow and knee in perfect animation accuracy without - repeat, without - removing any parts. It’s the peak of the transformation’s asymmetry and I marvel at how it was reproduced so faithfully. The front wheel can detach and be held by the suspension like some sort of oversized lollipop. Awww! You can also complement this with his tailpipe, which unfolds to form... a pinwheel! *Fffff! Ffffff!* Nope, doesn’t spin. Awww!

Junkheap is more flexible than Zhang Ziyi and it’s possible for him to hold the tailpipe with both hands, or store it on his back via a C-clip. I’ve even managed to get him to balance on one leg with his weapon held high like some rabid junkyard hobo. His hip and knee articulation is unrestricted, and that’s where the real fun starts. Unlike the brickish G1 Wreck-Gar, Junkheap can totally ride himself, Junkion-style! This is a major selling point of the figure and has spurred rampant capitalism on Junkion army-builders. In fact, I’ll be right-wing enough to state that Junkheap should only be purchased with Wreck-Gar, which is the main reason why Hasbro would bring a background character to retail in the first place. I’m glad they did, and if Hasbro decide to release more Junkion retools in future (a two-pack perhaps?), I’ll be sure to buy those too. Junkheap is a fantastic figure, and slipping his pelvis into Wreck-Gar or vice-versa makes me all warm and gooey inside. When I go to my happy place, Junkions are there waiting for me.


Marks out of ten for the following:

Transformation Design: XXX - One X for breaking the scale in sheer, unadulterated brilliance. Three X’s if you have two Junkions and can get them to pair up. Hurr hurr!
Durability: 6 - Not as indestructible as Arcee claims Junkions are. While Junkheap feels a bit tougher than Wreck-Gar, care must be taken around the hands and handlebars to avoid stress marks or worse. At least the crucial link pegs on his crotch are as hard as rock. Tee hee!
Fun: 10 - Slot his pelvis into another Junkion and let the fun begin. Ah, screw the innuendo! This is like having a three-way with Scarlett Johansson and Keira Knightley. I should know.
Aesthetics: 10 - Probably the only time when the phrase, “He looks like he’s made of junk!” to describe a toy is actually a compliment. Belongs right up there with Picasso in terms of multifaceted beauty.
Articulation: 10 - Lithe and supple, just the way I like my Junkions and hookers. You can even anchor the front wheel out of the way to extend his arm articulation.
Value: 9 - Reasonable, but be wary or army-builders scooping up Junkheap by the bowlful to complement their gang of Wreck-Gars and driving up demand. Grab him quick for a good price - “or your money back!”
Overall: 10 - Same score I’d give Wreck-Gar, despite the durability issues, and the same score I’d give any more Junkion retools. It’s that good! This is one of the toyline’s finest molds that works best when bought in pairs. Hey, any Transformer that wields a pinwheel and a lollipop gets top marks in my book!