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Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.
Right off the bat we start with probably the most stylysed toy of the entire line. It is nuts how they replicated the ultra slim cartoony proportions. What I love is how there is still some G1 in there, even in the transformation, where the front part is removed to form a shield. And it is simply awesome how the legs resurect the Transtech cheetor design.
This guy is just solid and absolutely perfect. The transformation is a perfect homage to the g1 transformation revamped to fit the new style. I also love how the axe and gun fit perfectly in the back and fill out the cab.
It's great to see that while the entire line is ultra stylized, the designs, and thus toys, kept very traditional themes like having the front of the car be the chest, just like Jazz' g1 faux datsun self. He becomes this world's version of the prototypical autobot body and it's a great take on the classic transformation. Oh and before I forget, nunchuck exhaust pipes anyone?
Not since Beast wars did we get a Optimus character who wasn't leader of his faction. And now with Animated, it was the classic Optimus Prime character not being the leader of the Autobots (and voiced by Beast Wars Megatron ). The leader was Ultra magnus and it gave us a look at what Magnus as the main prime in G1 would have looked like (if the freaken Matrix was nice enough to activate for him) and it doesn't dissapoint. Firepower coming out of all sides, the beefiest posture possible and a hammer as his main signature weapon, which would become a staple to the character going forward. I really love all the hidden cannons and how the hammer's automorph gimmick. Plus, lest we forget, this was during the golden age of quality and value in Transformers toys and he came with electronics and just feels so hefty. The only problem I have with him and the other Animated Leader toy is how the limited ratchets on his hips don't give him the best standard standing pose.
Same nitpick as above with the legs but aside from that BLOODY AWESOME! I will always be impressed with how effective that simple transformation is. The helicopter looks like the animation model and he looks well disguised. But just do a few simple steps, and BAM! You get the master of Destruction in his glorious robot mode. With great homages to both G1 AND Super Megatron. For some reason, toy designers always have a problem with the cannon's proportions either being too big or too small, but they knock it out of the park here, he looks perfect. And the helicopter rotor becoming twin swords is genius too. I don't know if I will ever make a list of the best Leader Class toys, but he would surely be on it.
This awesome and distinctive design was loved so much, hasbro just had to give the fans what they wanted and include him on the show for a bit. And you can see why, you can't just create a design like this and not use it. It is eerie how humanoid this one looks, especially the head, but it works well with the evil scientist vibe. And that alt mode is something else. It is a combination of the Dodge Tomahawk concept motorcyle and a Big Dog motorcycle, so it's really the designers pulling all the stops to give us the most innovative and distinctivie design possible. And the best part is that it's a good toy too. The transformation is fun and he looks amazing and distinctive in both modes. I couldn't want more.
I just love how neat a package this toy is. It does something I just adore where the pieces found in robot mode are right there in plain sight and yet the vehicle mode looks like it cannot transform. I once made a list of Robot modes which look like they can't transform and this is the opposite. Its just a cute army vehicle that any kid would love to just roll around. And yet it also turns into a robot. The transformation is really fun with springs and mechanisms for head revealing action, making it a distinctive robot that now utilizes those same vehicle mode parts for his hands and chest which look like that is what they were always meant to be.
Now we are getting into the cream of the crop. If you want the best transforming toys the Transformers brand has to offer, you can't go wrong with collecting the Animated line (if you can handle the aesthetic) and now that we get into the top 3, we are getting into some of the best Transformers toys ever released. These are all better quality toys and more ingenious engineering designs than most of what has been available on the market since. We start with Lockdown, a true legend among Transformers toys. Excellent mean looking alt mode which turns into a monstrous voyager sized asymmetric beast. The transformation isn't the most elegant though, with bits that are easily detached, but it's still an incredible feat what this toy can pull off with such varied designs and mass shifting made reality.
He's the best motorcycle Transformer ever, and I doubt anyone would say otherwise. Almost no kibble in either mode, yet two distinctive modes, excellent articulation, full alt mode integration and yet the sleekest designs you could find. Oh and you can unhook transforming ninja stars from his wheels.
This toy should be really examined whenever Hasbro or Takara think of making a new Hot Rod because it still reigns supreme as the best toy out there to give the theme justice with the right proportions and all. The bot mode and alt mod are just as sleek with minimal kibble, even though a lot of the vehicle mode is not seen in robot mode. That always results in crazy huge backpacks but not with this guy. Everything is smooth. Plus, I love how he hides the front wheels, which effectively hides more alt mode kibble and gives a sleeker robot mode. I also love how they design the separate exhaust port pieces to align in vehicle mode, giving the illusion that they are a continuous design. And he is the only sleek Hot Rod toy to not have the silhouette with the spoiler obstructed by anything. The pics below will show what I mean. In the end, Hot Rod will always be a hard design to pull off simply because the robot and vehicle share so little parts. But this guy pulls it off better than any toy before or since and is a true joy to play with and transform. it,s the best Hot Rod figure, the best figure of cybertronian vehicle and the best figure from the Animated line, making the year he came out, 2010, my favourite year for toys.
Honourable Mentions
The whole line is really good. When it comes to the quality and inventiveness of the toys, I would even say this is the very best line to complete and fully explore. There are certainly more amazing toys than there are duds and I can't really think of one terrible toy, at least in the more collector oriented classes. All that to say that I like most toys in the line and the ones I didn't mention could still be very much enjoyed. The one toy I would like to bring to your attention most is Shockwave. I do stand by the notion that every toy in this list is better than him, but that's only because none of them (or no other toy ever) was as ambitious as Animated Shockwave. Animated Shockwave has 2 distinct robot modes which each have their own alt mode. For a toy to accomplish so much, something had to give, and in this case it's the two alt modes which are not much to write home about. It's basically the robot lying down on his belly and face with a tank cannon that automorphs into a crane. But the transformation of one robot into the other, especially the face changing, is something to behold and I do still recommend anyone to experience this toy.
Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers. This list is written by Mindmaster with some help from D-Maximus Primal and Kurona and edited by Seibertron and myself.and I would like to thank him for having taken the time. These are his opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.
Top Five Rivalries in Transformers Fiction
A franchise rich with characters isn't complete if it didn't have intense rivalries. After all, who doesn't like watching two characters with an intense hatred for each other fight to the death? Mindmaster here (Seibertron staff allumni and fellow board member) and this week on our "Top Five" list, we're taking a look at the fiercest rivalries seen in the history of the brand!
5. Star Saber and Deathsaurus
For Star Saber and Deathsaurus, nothing says "bitter rivalry" like two childhood friends who swore themselves to differing factions (or at least, that's what happened in the Victory manga). Star Saber and Deathsaurus were kids with a friendship, but that changed many years later, as they became the leaders of their respective factions. While the "childhood friends" part was never explored in the anime, their rivalry was clear one. -Mindmaster
If your robo-junk got cut off and you were forcibly experimented on to introduce gender to your species, you'd be pretty miffed yourself. Bent on gaining her vengeance, the being who would call herself Arcee devoted herself into hunting down ancient mad-scientist Jhiaxus, who was also responsible for IDW's equivalent of Micromasters and this universe's first combiner, the destructive Monstructor. This rivalry ended with Arcee finally getting the enjoyment of killing Jhiaxus (who was close enough to the Dead Universe to come back to life) again... and again... and again... and again... and again...
-Mindmaster
3. Animated Ratchet and Lockdown
Lockdown and Ratchet became rivals in the Transformers Animated Cartoon (which is also where Lockdown originates from). The way the story goes, Lockdown permanently scarred Ratchet during the war, both physically and psychologically. He also took his best medical tool, and then when they met again, Ratchet beat the scrap out of him out of Revenge, going so far as to rip the EMP right off Lockdown, along with Prime's grapplers. And then the Revenge of the Fallen line made their rivalry known in the toy bios and how weapons from one are compatible with the other, just like animated. And then Lockdown was the one to kill Ratchet in the live action movies, keeping their rivalry going into movies.
Not to mention the initial rivals were a war weary old medic against a ruthless spiky bounty hunter with no allegiance.
-D-Maximus
2. Depthcharge and Rampage
The rivalry of Depthcharge and Rampage is an intense one: after Rampage killed all save Depthcharge on Omicron Colony, Depthcharge became dangerously hellbent on tracking down the criminally insane murderer, apprehending him after killing and apparently eating Starbase Rugby's inhabitants. Fast forward (or rewind, technically speaking) to their debut in the Beast Wars cartoon, where while Rampage and Depthcharge nominally belonged Predacon and Maximal respectively, both tended to disobey their orders and go after each other. This bitter rivalry ended in the crossfire of the battle to stop Megatron from destroying the dormant Autobots, with Depthcharge piercing unstable Energon into Rampage's exposed spark, with the fiend cackling all the while, either embracing oblivion to end his tortuous life or because he was bat-s*** insane.
-Mindmaster
Alright, you knew this was coming, and of course it would. This is not only the most iconic rivalry in Transformers lore but also one of the most iconic rivalries in pop culture. Optimus and Megatron have been at each other's throats for over thirty years since their debut in 1984, whether one was a fan of the other (Generation One's episode "War Dawn"), a librarian and a miner who shared views on the oppressive caste system (Prime's "One Shall Stand, Part One"), or even blood brothers (as established by the live-action films). This is a rivalry that will brew for many, many more years to come. -Mindmaster and William-James88
The rivalry of Hot Shot and Wheeljack is similar to that of the manga version of Victory's Star Saber and Deathsaurus, but with differences: imagine having been friends for a long time, but an ill-fated mission separated the both of you. Your friend tells you that he will come back to help, but never returns. On the verge of losing hope, someone finally comes to help, but it's not your friend, but someone completely unexpected: it's your enemy faction's leader, Megatron, who convinces you that your friend abandoned you! Having been rescued by Megatron and sworn fealty to the Decepticons, Wheeljack was emotionally torn apart by Hot Shot's "betrayal" (technically not true, as Hot Shot was prevented by his senior officers from going back and helping him), and swore to hunt down the Autobot and gain vengeance. Years later, both parties met again on the battlefield on Earth, as the war for the Mini-Cons raged on. Having discovered the Hot Shot was mentoring an even younger Side Swipe, the embittered Decepticon took this personally. Thankfully, unlike the rivalries previously listed, this one took a turn to Happy Ending Avenue: after both factions united to fight Unicron, Wheeljack seemed to forgive Hot Shot for abandoning him. -Mindmaster
The Wreckers and Squadron X
Another bitter rivalry comes in the form of the Wreckers and their Decepticon counterparts, Squadron X, depicted as flashbacks in IDW's wildly-popular-to-this-day miniseries, "Last Stand of the Wreckers". During the war, Wrecker leader at-that-time Impactor became dangerously obsessed in bringing down the ruthless Decepticons, with both groups engaging in a final clash on the planet Pova. Having dealing a humiliating defeat to Squadron X, Impactor was told the unthinkable; to prevent a political incident between the Autobots and the planet's inhabitants who declared neutrality, Impactor had to free their prisoners. In response, Impactor promptly executed each member of Squadron X, earning him a cozy cell on the ill-fated penal colony of Garrus-9. Impactor would later blame his lieutenant-now-Springer, who testified against him in his court martial, for not agreeing with Squadron X'a demise. -Mindmaster
Rung vs. Froid
One of the many ways in which IDW separates itself from other series in the franchise is by having many other forms of warfare and rivalry than simply punching and firing lasers at each other; and no finer is that represented than in the rivalry between the two psychologists Rung and Froid in MTMTE. Their story coming in right before the comic's multi-part finale, ample time is devoted to their history together - including plagiarism; diverging views on psychiatry methods; and a dark spot in Rung's very long career. Very different to your typical Transformers story, but it is nonetheless a rivalry that gives way to many story paths and even sheds light on the past of a certain Theoretician. So while this list contains battlefield tales that no doubt make for some amazing action, never forget the much more subtle and down-to-Cybertron battles concerning the psychological health that is just as important as the physical. -Kurona
Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.
Top 5 Most Underrated Transformers Toys
Two weeks ago we had a list of toys that I feel people like more than they should or don't hate enough (I realize just now how terrible that sounds, like who am I the King of England?). Well now it is your turn to have a go at what I like and what I feel should get much more love. These are toys I find quite underrated. Either due to being compared to other toys coming out at the same time and thus seeing them as less than they are or simply forgotten and no longer cared for. Well, I care for them and I will gladly tell you why. Hopefully you can see where I am coming from. Of course, please let me know which toys you feel alone in the world for loving. Now let's get to it, my top 5 most underrated Transformers toys!
There is a trend in the fandom where everything is criticized when it comes out to eventually be accepted and even sometimes loved within a collection. Take Voyager Animated Megatron, a toy which was ripped to shreds by fans when it first came out but which slowly gathered a fan following to the point where it became sacriligious to call it one of the worst toys of all time (something I still firmly beleive). I personally feel that Hasro's Combiner Wars Menasor will one day be fondly remembered and even sought after. It may even be that at the time of you reading this far into the future, him being on this list would sound crazy. But for now, this is seen as the weakest combiner of the bunch and while I am not sure if I agree or not, I don't think he is a bad toy. Quite the contrary, I think Combiner Wars Menasor is as good as any other Combiner from the line. I think he looks very imposing, especially with the legs straightened out, and he has the best weapon of the bunch by far. I especially love the Motormaster component, which is the most underrated aspect to this combiner. I am so impressed with how great he looks as a truck, torso and robot. Each form has very distinctive detail, unique from the other modes and yet he is a nice compact truck that hides the robot mode kibble especially well. I even like how effective the back of the cab is at making it be the robot legs in plain site ala Optimus, and yet it looking like a nice solid truck cab. The articulation is great, and the reveal of both the standard robot head and combiner head is both smart and effective. I think Combiner Wars Motormaster is a proud homage to the original, in a very neo G1 way which is now becoming more and more rare. And that follows onto Menasor, which makes for a big mean combiner, worthy of being an adaptation to the character we saw onscreen as children. These molds existing also means we finally got an actual G2 Menasor toy and if you need any more selling on that Motormaster mold, just check out that insane G2 redeco. Hasbro went all out. I am still not fond of that breakdown mold though.
Oh man, this guy is the perfect example of Style over Substance. That can be both seen as a positive and a negative, hence the debate and him ending up here. I mean, think about it for a second, there is a whole thread about the debate of whether or not he feels like a KO, people out there hate this toy's guts. And people out there also hate Tim Burton's films which usually have incredible style while being uneven products at the same time. You might find the comparison weird, but what I mean to say is that while the final product of Generations Leader Jetfire might not be the best Transformer toy, due to him having a simple transformation, a fake cockpit chest, wearing a jet on his back, and having hollow limbs, he looks amazing! There are few transformers outside the animated line to have this much style. He looks amazing in both modes and has this sleek yet immensely powerful look to him with a beautiful sci fi edge which definitely sets him apart from most other Transformers designs (the sterile white look adds to that big time). For years, Takara was giving premium chrome deco on its versions of toys, hearkening back to the metal look of the G1 days. And now it was our turn to get the chrome on the more affordable figures and people rallied against it. Why?! People were paying double to get the little bit of chrome on the Takara seekers (I did) and now they wanted to pay a bunch to get the version that didn't have the chrome? On the pieces that could be detached when displayed in a classics shelf? But back to the mask, it’s another small wonder people don't give enough credit to. Unlike the previous voyager version, the mask here is small, compact and not invasive to the figure, making his head proportional to his body with it on or off so that it can be both used for a classics collection, with his mask off, or a stand alone awesome looking transformers figure with his mask on.
And come on guys, a Macross Valkyrie of this size would cost you anywhere between 200-300$. You get this guy for about 50$!! So yes, definitely underrated.
3. Prime Robots in Disguise Voyager Optimus Prime mold
I love Beast Hunters Ultra Magnus. It is easily the best voyager to come out of the Beast Hunters line and one of the best Voyagers of the entire Prime era. But while Ultra Magnus is liked well enough for being show accurate and having some fun extra playability options, I also happen to love this toy for its mold, which is the same one shared by RID Optimus, and that is not a shared sentiment. The Prime First Edition Optimus Prime is always placed well above the RID Optimus Prime mold (as seen in this poll) making the later more of a consolation prize to those who didn’t get him either because of its bizarre distribution or the higher price tag. But this isn’t a Bulkhead or Cliffjumper scenario, the RID mold of Prime Optimus Prime is actually far better mold than people give it credit too. I, like many others, love when a robot mode integrates a bunch of the alt mode and this mold does it really well, and even better than the First Edition version. Most of the truck parts come into play in robot mode but in a different fashion. The truck nose becomes the forearms, the truck roof becomes the shoulders, the lower legs transform beautifully using the back of the truck cab and this was the first Prime mold larger than the cyberverse toy to actually have the truck's windshield become Optimus' chest piece. I wouldn’t have it any other way, would you?
This guy simply gets made fun of too much when he is actually one of the best toys Predaking is made of. Sure, at first look, he seems a bit dorky and funny looking but as an actual G1 transformers toy, he is hard to beat. Let's start with the robot mode which gets all the complaints. Unlike the others, he has articulated arms and forearms that have a huge range for a G1 toy. It let him do some pretty terrific poses with his weapons. He might look funny with his head stuck under his alt mode head but that actually gives him an amazing advantage of having a larger more proportioned head when comparing to the others. It also gives him a great Viking look. Also, by being carved under his alt mode head, it is the least obvious and visible head of the entire gang when they are in their alt mode. And speaking of the alt mode, wow. This is one of the best beast modes I have ever seen in any Transformers line. Its powerful looking, and fierce, especially when you mount the cannons in his back. He isn't the leader, but I sure wouldn't know that from the toys. He, along with some of his predacon brethren, execute a very impressive yet simple transformation that has none of his robot limbs double for alt mode limbs. And yet, on him, there is no robot kibble present when in beast mode and this is done without the use of a shell, which Beast Wars toys constantly relied upon, and even they usually used the same limbs for both modes. Everything seems to be where it should be on this mecha bull which has very good proportions giving it an imposing and massive appearance that no third party company was ever able to convey properly.
Do you think this is a lame pick for number 1? Did you think other toys are more deserving of this spot? Do you think it's a poor choice for number 1? If you answered "yes" to any of those, then that shows how underrated this figure is and how it deserves the number 1 spot. It's not outright hated like any of the ones above but at least that keeps those in the conversation with people like me defending them. But Decepticharge? Nobody cares. There are a bunch of reasons for this, one of the main reasons being that the Alternators toyline he came from is not fondly remembered. I still think it is awesome that we had scaled licensed model cars that had detailed interiors that could fool others into thinking that they didn't transform. That was the idea behind the Diaclone line at the very beginning and it’s fun to see that idea brought back with improved engineering. Many of the toys were very difficult and had a similar transformation and final look with a bunch of car kibble hanging around the robot. However, Decepticharge, and his moldmate Windcharger, were an exception to this. They did not have random and unused kibble all over the place hanging off them. The doors for instance rest flush against the legs and the hood becomes detailing across the robot’s back. While every part of the car is used to make the robot, giving a beautiful look that the robot is truly made of parts of the car, there is also some robot mode detail that is not seen in car mode and it is achieved by turning over some segments of the car inside out. This method helps give brand new detail while minimizing kibble (this technique was used extensively for Titanium Fire Convoy and AOE Voyager Optimus and Hound with great effect across the board), and it hides away car details which would be odd or distracting, like the car seats. So we get this lean robot, with great proportions and excellent articulation that is simultaneously made up entirely of car parts (steering wheel and all) while also having hidden disguised robot detail inside. The perfect car mode is both a disguise and the robot’s components (unlike most movie toys for instance where the alt mode disguise becomes just a shell). This is the gold standard for a Transformer. This is how it started in the Diaclone line, before Generation One even existed, and it has been perfected with this toy.
With all this good stuff, the reason no one cares for him is probably because he has no official fiction linked to him (unlike his mold mate Windcharger or that toy's binaltech version, Overide). Off the top of my head, I cannot think of any other Transformers toy that does not have a single line of official description about him. While that means that he isn't a reference to any existing character or even a new character (since he hasn't appeared anywhere since), I find it amazing to have a Transformers toy who begins and ends with the fact that he is a transformers toy and nothing else. Even his name is probably just a placeholder (Decepticon redeco of Windcharger) due to not finding any other suitable or available names within the allotted production cycle. And I find that in itself awesome. A new character in a line about the definitive version of G1 toys (this was before the MP line released like clockwork). But back to him having no fiction by Hasbro, it might lose anyone's interest, but I find that also to be a plus to this toy and a reason to not forget him. The principle of fiction developed by Hasbro in the Transformers brand was always made with the end goal of selling toys and thus was always ancillary to the toys. However, for G1, G2 and Beast Wars, once the fiction brought you to the toys, you could discover a bunch of other toys that existed just to be toys and that had no fiction to rely on. Decepticharge brings us back to those days in a line that was all about referencing older characters. He was just a toy (a great one at that) for us fans of transforming toys and not a reference to anything else. There was no other purpose than to appreciate him as a toy, the initial form of this hobby, and I look upon this fondly. His origin is any you want to give him (he already has unofficial origin stories too).
Him being so underrated is great news to all of you reading this. It means you have a great chance at acquiring a great transformers toy at a cheap price. I hope you can give him a shot!
Honourable mentions: I find that Deluxe Universe Galvatron gets way too much hate. I agree that he is small and frustrating, but he packs so much into that package that I can't help but be very impressed by the toy. Also, a lot of the Beast Machine toys are given flack for not being show accurate but some of those are amazing toys none the less. Especially Mega Tankor with his many non intrusive gimmicks and fun transformation between two good looking modes (which both have their own scanning light piping).
Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.
Top 5 Most Overrated Transformers Toys
For this list, it is crucial that I define what I mean by overrated. All I mean is that I personally believe the toy gets more praise than it should. It is not necessarily a bad toy (though some definitely are), and it can be one of the best toys ever (like the honourable mention), but as long as it is said and promoted as being greater than it really is, that makes it overrated. So a very good toy seen as "Perfect" and a crappy toy seen as "fine" are both examples of overrated and this list covers all those nuances. Get ready for some Lewis Black styled TF rants as the nerd rage is spewed! Just remember that I still love you all, and come back in 2 weeks for a list of the most underrated toys.
I just really hate how this POS toy keeps getting a pass all the time. Sure, no one says it's the best, but it's never in the same discussion as Armada Sidswipe or other terrible toys and I feel it belongs there. What I often get instead is that it being a female decepticon makes it notable inclusion in a collection and to that I reply why don't we give the same pass to Airachnid? I just don't feel this toy is loathed enough since I really do feel it is a big crapstain on an otherwise amazing line. I mean, think about it, within that amazing transformer landscape, we got Thunderblast, which is a boat that has a small robot stored in its haul and is found by opening the big purple shell under the boat. This is pretty much, with no exaggeration, a pretender where the inner robot does not transform and is glued to the pretender shell, giving it a gigantic back pack.
This toy, as a Transformers toy, is inexcusable. And, like I said, it was sold at the deluxe price point side by side some of the best Transformers we ever got, meaning the designers were fully aware of its subpar engineering and design. And yet, when I speak bad of it I always get a similar expression like "it;s not that bad" or sure its a shellformer, but I have seen worse. WHAT WORSE?! And I even had people suggest it for my list of best water themed toys, I mean come on people! It was a simplified TF with very little articulation before those became a subline. The e-bay prices dont agree with my opinion of how worthless this toy is. But then again, that is the definition of overrated. I have placed it in this position simply because it isn't that loved a toy either, but I do feel it should get crapped on more.
4. The MP Seeker Mold
Oh boy, this mold. We can all agree that the MP 03 rendition (with the giant side kibble) was not done under the same manifesto as what the Masterpiece line has come to be known since. Alt mode detail, sure, but compare the robot mode to the classics mold and I find this later one to be a clear winner. Aside from the obvious cartoon inaccuracy of the MP mold, like the egregious amount of kibble hanging off his hips and near his head, what I really dislike is the transformation by disconnecting everything from the middle section to make room for the nose cone. This makes him so much more fragile and fiddly. And the back doesn't look good at all, it's the nosecone in a mishmash of junk. I find that very unappealing, especially when you look at it from the side.
I also, never liked how his head looked on his body. It always looks too pushed back and not in synch with the rest of his body whenever posing him at any other angle than facing you in a stiff pose. Trying to pose him with his stand in a flying pose in robot mode results in him looking like a marionette. I am also not fond of his feet both the aesthetic (they look nothing like the cartoon) and in terms of stability (in the initial mold). He should have some nice blocky triangular feet like this:
And not this:
It doesn’t stop there, because MP Starscream didn't stop at MP 03. Like Optimus, we had a new version for the Masterpiece line post MP 10 line. Since MP 03 was made at a time when the MP line was just beginning, I could see how it not being cartoon accurate was maybe an intention in an odd way. However, if that is the case, then why in the world did they use this mold again for MP 11?! Instead of it being an MP 2.0, it looks more like a 1.5 at best. I don’t consider the new seekers to be new molds more than simply retools of MP 03. The show accuracy may be better but I still have the same problem with how the mold is now. It is as fiddly as before, with the weak chest that has trouble locking and they didn’t fix the head placement, nor the feet.
But that’s not all. While people were happy seeing the side panels gone, they missed something that I find extremely crucial to Starscream: his chest is wrong. It was so in MP 03 and it is still wrong now (this mold is still being sold and released as this is written).
Check how the nose cone in every shot of G1 shows it tappered pointing down, making the chest a nice hint of a “v” shape:
The chest is inverted with the triangular curve of the cockpit going up instead of down. This totally changes the figure's appearance by reducing the effect of a stronger upper torso with a more slender waist. I mean, does no one else see how that chest doesn’t look like the animation model at that point?
These changes to the cartoon model, which I find hard to see past, were made as a sacrifice for the alt mode and I personally think that is the wrong priority, at least for the Masterpiece line as it is now. The worst part is the following, and it really sets it apart from its fellow MP molds: the toy made with a much lower budget representing G1 Starscream is better. The Classics version (which came out the same year or just about), has a more streamlined transformation, better stability all around and is more cartoon accurate (gets the chest and feet right for instance). While I am not trying to dissuade people from getting a Masterpiece Starscream, I do want to warn people that think of getting it, that it is far from being the best representation of Starscream possible and that the only reason it isn’t disliked to such great extent by the fan community is because the bar was set so low as a show accurate toy when the first iteration (MP 03) was released. In a way, I find MP 03 better (the Takara one pictured at the beginning, but preferably with the Hasbro deco); at least that is an original interpretation and a perfect jet mode while MP 11 (the retooled Masterpiece seeker mold) feels like a compromise. It tries to give a screen accurate (perfect) rendition of the G1 character using a mold that was never intended for that. And worse than that, they are still using this mold for the Materpiece Coneheads. The first thing I thought when I heard that was "but how can they use that nosecone to make it the top of the head, it's way too long if using that mold". The answer was simple: don't use it. Just paint a fake nosecone on top of the head and have the actual nose cone hang out the back like a giant dong. And people say Hasbro takes the most mileage from their molds, HA!
I know this toy wasn't loved by all but I still just don’t like how the toy has gotten away scott free with some of the laziest designing/engineering of all time. I know Takara handles the engineering but you never know how restrictive they are to Hasbro’s design. I am aware that Hasbro’s cost cutting does limit as well as frustrate Takara’s engineering capabilities. Leader Grimlock is one of the best cases of this and he really feels more like a bad omen for where the brand might be going, even more so than the one steps and simplified transformers, which at least can be discarded to a different branding approach or market.
The best example I can give you to show my disdain for this figure’s design (also, just so we are on the same page, I am referring exclusively to how the toy is designed and in no way to the character model), is the exposed feet and hands in robot mode. There was no attempt made to even try to hide them. The unarticulated hands are just behind the dino feet while the robot feet hang off the side of the dino’s hips. This is unprecendented in Grimlock’s design along with the design of every single other dinobot in this line (INCLUDING THE MORE AFFORDABLE VOYAGER! And yet, there is still debate as to which is better). Some are able to hide one set of extremities but not the other. Both Slog and Slug manage to pull off not showing any robot bits at a far lower price point (budget too?), and I will never stop pointing back to the G1 Dinobots which managed to hide their hands (they didn’t have any feet to hide though). Even Warrior Class Robots in Disquise Grimlock, as cheap and simple as he is, doesn’t have everything so obviously out in the open.
The super lazy design doesn't end there. I really hate how the tail and lower back are partformed in the dinosaur mode. It reduces a lot of the potential for an inventive transformation and gives a fake idea to the transformer’s bulk. It is also insanely frustrating how they screw up in the articulation too. I spent 45$, at least let me pose it properly. But no, the elbow joints are ratcheted ball joints which limit the poses you can give.
It's worst when this is the case for the big centre piece of your toyline. Along with Leader Optimus’ giant backpack, Grimlock's exposed robot kibble is quite a let down and a great example to support how lazy the designing has become. I also hate how this marks a precedent for a cheaper product. And this is no hyperbole, these leader toys are a precedent for how little you are getting at that price level. These were the first ever movie leader toys to not have electronics and that has been copied in the current generations line.
We are no longer 1985, we can get interesting transformation with decent articulation. If they can do it for the lower priced ones, they better do it for the ones that cost upwards of 40$
2. Generations Fall of Cybertron Seekers (not the Classics mold)
This is obviously a very subjective list and it's much better to pick what I felt was overrated instead of getting a general sense of people's opinions because I can't defend those as well as I can defend my own. When it comes to this Fall of Cybertron Seeker mold, I have never felt so alone in my dislike of a mold, hence why it scores so high on this list. I am repulsed by its size and plastic quality but mostly from its engineering. I just do not get how this is a good toy. People mess with Generations Jetfire, calling him a KO, but at least his jet mode looks amazing from on top. But in this toy, not only do we have his giant legs right under the jet making it look stockier and as aerodynamic as a glacier, but we also have his head right there in the center of the jet mode. You only hide it by turning it around.
And when I look at the previous efforts at bringing the Cybertronian tetro jet to toy form, it makes this mold so hard to swallow. The previous one was from the Galaxy Force series, six year before. Not only does it look far sleeker, but the legs are not appendages below the jet, they actually form the jet, and the head is moved more to the back and surrounded by other details and structures, making it far less evident. And it's not like they had forgotten about it, the promotional the War For Cybertron Starscream toy that was given out years before the release of this FOC toy was a smaller version of that Galaxy Force mold. So they knew full well what came before but we were still given this sorry excuse of a toy. I am fully aware that the design may have come from the game developers but the toy makers are responsible for its engineering and they could have done a better job than this, which they showed they could with the Optimus from the previous War for Cybertron line. While people claimed the sky was falling when Hasbro said it was gearing towards simplified transformations, I didn't get why nobody could see that this toy already took that notion to heart with its non hidden legs or head and overly simplified transformation. The G1 Seekers and G2 Smokescreen knew how to hide a head and have the legs hide as part of the jet for crying out loud!
Everything I just wrote about Leader Grimlock being a dissapointement for his size class applies to Leader Megatron as well, but more so simply because he is currently being hailed as one of the best Megatron toys out there and for the life of me I just don't see why. When the Age of Extinction toyline was announced, there was a big marketing push to promote how the toys would be simpler than before. This was further continued with the Robots in Disguise line where Hasbro said transformations would not be more than 10 steps. Fans groaned, saying this was a step backward and that techinques like this would leave the toys in a corner where they would only appeal to kids. Turns out the Robots in Disguise Warrior toys are as complex as most other deluxe toys of the past five years, which also had about 10 steps, making the illustrated step count just marketing speak since several toys ended up with more than 10 steps and got truncated on the back of the box. So in the end, this simplification didn't affect the majority of toys, but not all, and Leader Megatron definitely got affected. Of all the toys since this new Hasbro Manifesto, he feels the most pushed for simplification, with only having 10 steps:
BWTF wrote:1. Detach his blaster weapons and split them up, then set them aside for now.
2. Straighten out the arms and the legs.
3. Swing the panels on the sides of the forearms forward to cover the fists.
4. Push the feet up against the front of the lower legs.
5. Rotate the cannon around so the wider end is facing down.
6. Swing the torso panel up.
7. Swing the waist panel down.
8. Bring the two arms together. The cannon has a tab sticking out the side that fits into a corresponding slot on the left arm.
9. Swing the tread sections from the back of the robot mode up, then forward. They tab into the sides of the torso panel, forming the front of the tank.
10. Swing each lower leg out to the sides then in. There are tabs on the sides of the lower legs that fit into slots on the mid-body of the robot mode.
Sure, the box states 15 steps, but as broken down above, it's really just 10, and it's already been concluded that the step count on the box is not indicative of anything. Just to keep things in perspective, the step breakdown from the same source above gives Robots in Digsuise Quillfire13 steps, and thats a deluxe sized toy from a line that was (falsely?) advertized as being simpler. And remember that Megatron is a leader, not a deluxe, but you wouldnt know it through a stop motion video of the toy transforming, with no reference of scale. This is appalling for a leader toy. Not only that, but that transformation isn't even innovative or unique. It was initially, when it was used for Cybertron Cyber Defense Scattershot, but that was 2006. The only thing new this guys gives us in the decade since is working treads (which also arent new, since we had them in Beast Wars, but a welcome addition regardless).
So, they simplify a leader class Megatron turning him into an upscaled deluxe (or an upscaled 2006 Voyager) with underwhelming articulation/poseability and do the fans groan? No, quite the reverse. A bucket of silver paint and a nice headsculpt is all they needed to be distracted from the rest. And during that time, the Robots in Disguise line which is just as complex as this Leader Class toy and has way more innovative transformations gets totally ignored. Great going!
Look, no one has to listen to me, but I feel the reaction of this reviewer after transforming this toy sums up my emotions quite well (go to the 12:40 mark):
Honourable Mentions: I would like to use this section more as a discussion because I really wonder if I am the only person in the world thinking that Transformers Masterpiece Optimus Prime (MP-10) is not perfect. Amazing, but not perfect, and there are a few points that do tick me off, especially when his price tag averages for $160-200 US (depending he version).
Total disclosure, MP 10 disappointed me a bit when I got him. He is still one of the best figures on the market, for sure, but he is not as flawless or perfect as people say he is either, hence why I wanted to discuss him here, with you. My main problem with him is that he is supposed to be an upgrade from MP 01 and thus you would assume that the decade of engineering preceding this release would have helped fix the problems the first one had. Well, while they fix a few proportion problems with the original MP Optimus, they take so many cues from the original transformation that what I found to be the original's biggest problem was still present here: his groin is still visible in truck mode. You would think they would improve that part from the original, but no. Oh and while we are talking to changes from the original toy, the lack of a chair for a minifigure in truck mode means Optimus' head is right there in front of you when opening his front cab windows. Back to the groin, the fact that it is the only part of him that doesn't undergo any change in transformation is all the more baffling since that means that the hole on his crotch doesn't need to be there at all. And that crotch hole is also seen in the truck mode, of course. Also, for the price that you are paying for this figure, the trailer is very dull. The G1 toy had a bunch of color in his trailer. I do not necessarily need that with this release, but I would expect some paint apps to bring out the sculpt. Instead it is just dull grey with the Hasbro version and monochrome silver for the Takara version (slightly better). Standard cost on this figure is anywhere between 160-200$ depending on where you live and that is a lot when you realize that the original huge diecast Masterpiece (MP 01) was less than 100$ in the US. Although this is an amazing figure, I definitely expected a bit more and for the price I was paying. Like for him to, you know, not have a hole in his crotch.
I mean seriously, how integral is that hole so that it must be present?!
Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.
Top 5 Best Dinosaur Transformers Toys of all Time
With some of the biggest news coming out of the 2017 Toy Fair being dinosaur themed, I felt it would be fun to look back on dinosaur themed transformers and I cam up with this list of the top 5 dinosaur Transformers toys we have gotten so far. Enjoy!
The fifth spot is always the toughest. We all know toys better than these two, but are these better than most other dinosaur Transformer toys? I think so, but I can't tell which is the better between the two. Both are exceptionally stylish for dinosaur Transformers. Transmetal 2 Dinobot has an external metallic skeleton look which reminds me of a mechanized version of the dinosaur skeletons we see in museums. I especially love that segmented tail. He is a rther interesting reimagination of a mechanical raptor. Every raptor element is still there (claws, snout, tail), but done anew, as if HR Geiger decided to draw a raptor on day. And it works.
Animated Swoop is also full of style, being from the animated line and all. However, unlike Grimlock and Snarl, this doesn't involve any element of the figure being exaggerated. Everything is proportional and while the angular nature is there, it only adds to the figure. I especially love how this reincorporates the robot head and pteranodon head being the same, but with a more involve transformation of the upper torso making both modes look very unique. Another great aspect is how the wings (which become a cape in robot mode) connect to the robot arms to become the pteranodon arms. This works very well and makes both modes a lot more sleek by integrating kibble rather than trying to hide it.
4. Killer-Punch
How I wish Hasbro had released this toy. Ok, so here's the deal. Takara designed and released a ticeratops Transformers mold during Beast Wars Neo. It was ok but there was a lot of kibble since, as with many Beast Wars Neo toys, they wanted as much new robot mode detail. They even brought in an odd third mode which gave the impression that the triceratops was dead. Seriously, you could transform him into a dead dinosaur by showing his bloody ribs, tail and stick out his tongue. The robot mode ended up with the dinosaur head as an arm (classic). Before this mold could be released by Hasbro, Takara doubled down on their dinosaur mold and retooled it into Killer-Punch. Now this was one hell of a retool because not only did they change the aesthetics (and turned it from a triceratops into a styracosaurus) but they added an extra functionality: he could now shoot his springloaded robot arm dino head. His name is probably the most appropriate I have seen. Oh and they kept the dead dinosaur mode, just because.
I really like how he is a new dinosaur we didn't get before when the Dinobots were finally brought back to the big screen in live action. He's good, no gorilla arms (unlike most of the AOE Dinobots), and the lance tail(even though more of a whip in the film) is very striking. I also like the little extra details in the transformation, like how the legs fan out, how the spine changes orientation and how the hips fill out the back to hide some robot detail in dino mode. He's the most easy to recommend of a line which was all about bringing the Dinobots back for a new generation.
As I wrote above, I had a hard time with this list. The G1 dinobots are iconic G1 toys, but engineering and articulation has improved since and those toys have grown more niche as they age and new fans discover the hobby. They look like little Transformer jewels though and I didnt know where they would go or which to choose. But then I saw this great post that rang so true with waht I was thinking:
Gauntlet101010 wrote:I think the G1 dinos count collectively as one. Individually they're good, but as a set they're fantastic. Great colors, iconics in both moulds and they defined "dinobot" for many. But if we're going for just one, I think MP Grimlock would overtake them simply for having everything they have, but better.
This is so true. MP Grimlock is a love letter to those G1 toys and can show new fans how awesome the Dinobots are while giving old fans the best possible toy of one of their most cherished characters. Even if you aren't into G1, an MP Grimlock will always be a standout in any collection, he is an excellent Transformer and worth every penny.
I LOVE this toy. I will always be impressed at how this toy really gave kids a Megatron that captured what they saw on screen. Not necessarily the details (he isn't perfect) but the stature, the style and transformation. That of course has more to o with the show model being close to the toy but it is indeed the toy that is responsible for how awesome he looks on the show. So it's a circular loop of awesome. He is full of gimmicks, but doesnt suffer because of them. The water pistol is actually quite fun and provides a chomping gimmick, which ever good Tyranosaurus toy needs. Also, this toy is a great example to show how toys pulls from science and can change as our knowledge of the world improves, since this toy portrays the Tyranosaurus as not standing straight. That was something learnt in those 10+ years since Grimlock's standing T-Rex, and it makes Beast Wars Megatron the best Transformers T-Rex toy with a more realistic alt mode (until they come out with one with feathers, but lets not go there). He is also a perfect example at how a toy could pull off being a shellformer while still integrating alt mode detail and giving the shell style that adds to the robot mode rather than taking away from it. Him being a shellformer also helps give a very convincing T-rex mode with no exraneous robot parts. So he has a phenominal realistic T-Rex mode, a bad ass and regal robot mode, and a fun transformation. I cannot think of a better toy to be number 1.
Honourable mention: Power Core Combiner Grimstone and G1 Trypticon
Grimstone came out the best he possibly could given what they were going for. The idea of automorphing drones without articulation and the lack of hands is seen as a misstep with the line itself but Grimstone pulls it off better than any other toy. He is by far the most uniform of any PCC combiner and while that deters anyone from mixing and matching him it does make him look better than the others. The hand problem is excused with him having a dinosaur head for a hand, which is a trend seen in this list and by no means a negative point. And he just pulls off the look which is something to be glad about when he happens to be the only official Dinobot combiner we have as a toy. Plus, I really love how he doesn't repeat any of the Dinosaurs that make up the G1 dinobots while still sporting the G1 dinobot colour theme. And man, Takara and Hasbro sure love their styracosauruses.
Trypticon is very similar to Grimstone in the way that it's not a great toy per se but looks really really good. He technically makes no thematical sense as a Mecha Godzilla-like monster who turns into a city. Why would he turn into something he wants to destroy? The city mode is ok, but it is probably the simplest transformation into a city mode ever, where you just pull a swith and he splits in two automatically. However, this is a list that looks at the Dino mode more and it really rocks, even if it is a brick, so I would be remiss if I didn't mention. Here's hoping the new Titan one rocks!
Please tell us who your favourite dinosaur Transformers are in the comments and give us your own list when you have a chance!
Every 2 weeks, Seibertron.com brings to you a Top 5 and occasional Top 10 list written by william-james88. But this week, we are gonna shake some things up a teensy bit. Guest analysis D-Maximus_Primal is here to give you a Top 5 list centered not on toys, but on the fiction that we all love to read and then buy the toys as a result. These are all the opinions of 1 person, so treat them as such as you read along. The point of these sorts of things is to have a lot of fun as well as get the community to tell us what you really think of the shape-shifting toys and characters that we all love. So strap in tight folks! All previous lists can be found here.
Top 5 Transformers Who Abandoned Their Faction
Now when it comes to Transformers, we generally have the 2 opposing factions, whether they be Autobot/Decepticon, Maximal/Predacon, Autobot/Predacon, Rescuebot/Morbot, etc. We usually like to think of the characters being dedicated to one side and only that side, and eventually winning or losing to their respective rivals. But oh so often this is nowhere near the case. Transformers are not black and white; rather, they have so many shades of gray that there are times that you can never truly be sure of a character's true sides and motive. For this reason, we have many different characters that have left their respective faction, whether it be from anger, sadness, betrayal, confusion, and occasionally mind control.
The purpose of this list is to look into those many characters that have left their faction in favor of either another faction or to abandon factions altogether. The list takes into account how important to the overall story the Transformer in question is with his/her actions and how this changed the course of that Transformers Series.
5. IDW Thundercracker
Our list starts off with the blue version of the original Seeker trio. When it came to TV shows, Thundercracker never got a good rap seeing as how he was simply a look-alike to one of the bigger shows stars and basically was second bananas to most everyone else in the show. Now the comics have done him far more justice. Initially joining up with the Decepticons to fight against inequality and to rule by means of "Peace Through Tyranny," All Hail Megatron showed us a different Thundercracker. Thundercracker hated slaughtering people and he realized that the Decepticons were not fighting those worthy of their attention. Realizing just how lost they had all become, he abandoned his Decepticon counterparts as Megatron fell to Optimus Prime and Spike Witwicky to save the humans and Autobots still in New York city. He took a hold of the nuclear missile aimed at them, took it to space, and destroyed it. All he got in return was a blast to the face from an angry Skywarp.
He would go on to play pivotal parts in the 2009-2011 ongoing, serving as air reinforcement for the Autobots at times and even turning down an invitation to rejoin the Decepticons. After the war ended, he simply chose to live on Earth, away from Cybertron, until the Cybertronians returned, and he once again stood more Autobot than Decepticon, helping save the humans from a zombie Thrust/Ramjet armada, interpreting Buster the dogs speech to show that Blackrock was shady and that the Autobots were not bad, and even saving Sunstreaker from Galvatron's mighty fusion cannon after combining with him among others against his will.
Thundercracker has done a lot to make up for what he had been a part of, and has proven to be an honorable character that, while gruff, is a good person at Spark.
4. Prime Dreadwing
Dreadwing was always my favorite Decepticon from Transformers: Prime, and I'll tell you why: he was never a truly bad guy. He may have fought for the bad guy and he may have been an explosives expert who blew up people, occasionally without them even knowing it, but he had something that no other Decepticon had: Honor. He cared deeply for his brother, and when he felt his death, he flew all the way to Earth to look for who had killed him and he would avenge his brother. Once he arrived though, he showed a distinct difference from his fellow Decepticons. He served Megatron with honor, preferring to get his mission done and preferably do it as clean as possible, even if it meant letting some Autobots live.
As Season 2 went on, we saw Dreadwing, now serving as second-in-command, gradually progress as a character. He went on questionable missions with Megatron, such as stealing Liege Maximo's arm. He also began to see that Megatron was not as morally balanced as he thought, as he dealt with Megatron not only letting Starscream live, but also welcoming him back into his ranks with full repairs, all after finding out Starscream had revived his brother as a zombie. The final straw broke, He decided the Decepticons were no longer the right people for him, but he refused to join the Autobots. So he did the only thing he could: He stole the Forge of Solus Prime, gave it to the Autobots, tried to kill Starscream to avenge his brother, and finally falling to Megatron in response to his threat against Starscream, one of the saddest deaths in Prime. But, as a result of his actions, the Autobots were able to make it to Cybertron and thus prevent Megatron from gaining total victory.
Dreadwing proved to be a conflicted character, between his brother and the Decepticons. And he made the tough choice and he made it when it counted. He is the reason Prime even went on from this point for had he not, Earth would be simply a new Cybertron. His betrayal ultimately led to Earth's salvation.
3. Dark of the Moon Sentinel Prime
Now this is a character that had to make his impact fast as he only had 2 and half hours to do so, and an impact he did make. In the past, Sentinel Prime had proven to be a jerk when he was given characterization or Optimus Prime's predecessor when he wasn't given it. When we came into the movie, Sentinel was assumed to be the ultimate good, the thing that would turn the tide against Megatron and the new and all-powerful Shockwave! But then, Sentinel outdid both of them. Quickly. Without any sort of warning, he turns out to be Megatron's partner, kills Ironhide (and Mudflap and Skids technically), teleports an armada of Decepticons to Earth, seemingly removes and destroys the rest of the Autobots, and begins to enslave humanity, not caring even a bit.
While ultimately falling in battle, Sentinel made a huge impact in the movie-verse. For one thing, he was the first bot to turn out to be a bad guy. For another, he declared that he was the Autobots, essentially helping to set up the Autobots future troubles since they too could be the big bad that brings about Armageddon. But, probably biggest of all, he shattered Optimus Prime, showing him what he thought had to be done and doing it with no regards for others, and then almost succeeding with the side effect of destroying part of Cybertron in the process. Sentinel has proven to be the traitor to his kind that the movies will be known by (at least so far).
2. IDW Megatron
If you thought this one would be left off the list, then you really don't know how big this one gets. Megatron. An Autobot.
Yes that's right. How best to finish off a 12 issue crossover event that shattered the multiverse and set up Season 2 for both Ex-RiD and MTMTE? Make the big bad from Transformers lore a good guy. Yep, that'll work!
Megatron, finally realizing how far he had fallen from his days of peaceful reform, took up the badge of his friend Bumblebee and made it his own. In the 2 years and some odd months since, Megatron has proven to be an interesting character. He finds it hard to resist at first, letting slip his hatred for organics and his desire to see himself survive. But then the wake-up calls start hitting hard and fast. Within 6 months of each other, he finds out that the Universe would be vastly better had he not existed, and that he is responsible for so many dead that is is almost unfathomable. And then he is given the showdown with the very figurehead of his evil and the notion that he will not survive. And we see just how far he has come. He hates who he was and he hates seeing what he created. He now rejects violence and he simply wants nothing more than to make up for his past mistakes, something almost no one is willing to let him do.
And his actions have had far reaching consequences. As a result of what has happened, Galvatron has taken over and the Decepticons are in shambles, some even choosing to go the route of doing good or just trying to live on in the post-war era. Soundwave feels so betrayed that he turns the humans against the Autobots thanks to Megatron's defection. Even the Decepticon Justice Division now reforms for the sole reason of picking up where he left off, after killing him first.
So Autobot Megatron has shattered his own world, his home universe, and the fiction behind Transformers. The ultimate evil is now the good. This is almost good enough to make number 1, but there is a very obvious reason why Megatron is not #1...
1. Beast Wars Dinobot
This character was a no-brainer really. This Beast War combatant started out as a Predacon, became a Maximal, switched back and then returned to the Maximals, and everytime he did switch something significant happened. The first time he switched sides, he evened the odds of Maximal to Predacon, and would go on to make a big battlefield difference due to him being a warrior. When he switched back, he would harbor in the Golden Disk saga which would eventually lead to Megatron learning he was on Prehistoric Earth and that he could change history. And when he changed to Maximal one last time, he faced down his former Predacons and won, destroying the Golden Disk and severely damaging Megatron's plans, at the cost of his own life. And when he died, it was with honor and he proved to be one of Cybertron's greatest heroes.
Few Transformers characters have proven to be as popular and as important as Dinobot. He was a Beast Wars star and still is to this day. He is the ultimate example of a bot who changed sides, and in the end made the biggest difference he could while proving to be true to the side that he joined with and died for.
Honorable Mentions
Prime Knockout is worthy of note considering he is the only Transformers: Prime character to officially switch sides and he did so to help stop Starscream and enable the Autobots to actually fight back against Unicron in Predacons Rising.
Armada Wheeljack was also up for consideration, but ultimately while he and Hot Shot had a lot of issues and eventually he got mostly over them, he didn't play the pivotal role I felt the others played in their respective series.
Revenge of the Fallen Jetfire was also a pivotal character as he helped the Autobots actually find the Matrix in the movie and essentially revived Optimus and then gave him a power boost, but there was much more that could have been done with him. He needed a bit more to live up to his potential.
Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.
Top 5 Transformers Toys Better Than Their Updates
Let's face it, older Transformers toys can't really be compared to the modern toys due to the evolution in transformation, getting far more complex, the sleekness of the robot modes and the improved articulation. But that's fine, it doesn't take anything away from the older toys, it just makes us appreciate them in their own nostalgic bubble for the fun toys they were (and still are). We can respect the legacy of the original toys and have fun with the updates, be it in the Masterpiece or Classics line. However, 2016 taught me that there are original toys that not only hold up but offer so much more than their updates, and which I would definitely recommend getting over their updates. I looked for others that fit the bill and made a list so let's get to it!
I have already raved about the original Tankor toy on three seperate lists: the best tanks, the best cybertronian vehicles and the best gimmicks since his double light piping gimmick is just too good, and that was just one of his 4 percfetly integrated gimicks which also included a spring loaded missile and optional twin buzzsaws which moved as you rolled him. He rightfully fits in all these lists since he is an excellent toy. The one thing he didn't do is look like the animation model, which plagued all Beast Machines toys, and that's it. I dont know about you, but that takes nothing away from this toy beign awesome. Proof of that comes with the update Tankor got in the Generations line. That toy looked show accurate and that was it. The articulation didnt seem to evolve in 15 years, all the gimicks were gone, the transformation was simplified (to reflect the show) and he just felt so light. And his accuracy was automatically gone when put next to any other figure since he was made into a puny deluxe, dwarfing him in size from what he looked like on the show. But that generations toy still has a place, I bought a few and made them the drones accompanying the awesome original Tankor toy.
I have a hard time understanding what they were going for with the initial MP release. It's as if all they did was just make the G1 toy insanely more complex, fragile and annoying to transform. This reminds me of a bad third party toy. I am talking about the ones which look different from the animation model to avoid being sued and then overly engineer something to the point where it's not fun to transform and far too fragile to do so. So you just transform it once (or never if it's in robot mode) and then leave it on a shelf forever, hoping it doesn't fall since it doesn't stand too well. I am not saying the G1 toy is better at everything, but MP 05 doesn't improve anything about the G1 toy. It doesn't look more like Megatron than the G1 toy did, nor does it have better proportions (those legs, yeeesh). I made a chart to show you what I mean:
So all in all, I personally think the G1 toy is better. It's more fun to transform and has greater playability in both modes. Plus the gun mode is far more accurate to the actual gun size wise. If you had to choose between these two figures, you are better off with the G1 toy (they cost about the same anyway).
3.Beast Wars Cheetor compared to [url=[url=/transformers-toys/gallery/classics-universe/cheetor/1677/1/]Universe - Classics 2.0 Cheetor[/url]
The pictures just work better than my words here. It looks like they just made it different for the sake of making him look different without thinking of making him visually appealing. The original was well articulated already and looked closer to the animation model, which the Universe toy doesn't look even close to, so I don't really know what purpose the Universe toys serves or who would want it.
I think Generations Skylynx has a really cool looking combiner torso, I can't deny that. It acts as a fun what if, for sure, but that toy cannot in anyway replace the G1 toy as a decent representation of Skylynx in a collection (unlike Titans Return Blurr, who is a great update regardless of the gimmick he comes with). As described two weeks ago, there is a great history regarding G1 Skylynx and how it is different from every other Transformer toy, like his robot mode being the combination of two beasts . There is a ton of play value with that G1 toy, with it having 6 separate modes: Shuttle, transport rig, shuttle on transport rig, bird, lynx, mecha dinosaur. Also, the size works well for a toy that turns into a space shuttle. The update reduces the impressive size and while gutting the electronics feature is expected and not the worst thing, it removes the fact that he is the combination of two beasts. We don't get a separate Lynx component (which kind of blows when your toy is called Sky Lynx) and instead of the unique combination reinvented, we just have him turn into a combiner torso like every other voyager in the line. Or right, and it's a voyager, not the size I would expect for the magnificent skylynx (who transports Autobots through space).
My opinion here is very similar to what I said abut Skylynx regarding playability being gutted but it is augmented here due to this toy not even being an original mold and being stuck with random vestigial features of Metroplex. I think this quote that I found on the boards sums it up well:
partholon wrote:Am I the only one that finds it baffling that the G1 bot with probably the MOST guns has bugger all in this update?
It's just mad.
I do agree that his city mode sucks. I mean Jesus! And I dont see why they couldn't have added a flap to the ramps so they cover his hands in city mode and actually touch the ground. I get ya can say its aircraft landing strips in battlestation mode, but it just looks weak in city mode. If I get the guy I'm going with some of the fan modes to try and ape his original better- bar that mess around with the surperfluous joints to come up with something I think looks better myself as just having his battlesation mode do the splits isnt up to scratch.
I agree with what some have said about not giving a toss about electronic lights and sounds. I'm buying a transformer- the alt modes the most important thing to me, not some "whoop whooop" nonsense.
You are not the only one Partholon. I know many say he has a great robot mode and that's how they will be keeping him, but that kind of defeats the point of him being a Transformer. The only kind of Transformer that makes him is an oversized action master. However, there is a silver lining. This lackluster release for what was once an iconic toy ends up bringing the original G1 toy back in the spotlight and lets it keep it's well earned place on the pedestal. There was no toy like G1 Fortress Maximus and now we know he cannot be defeated. No one has as glorious a base mode with as many fun playability features. And lucky us, since an Encore reissue of the original toy was released in very big numbers, owning the G1 toy is no longer a pipe dream. The G1 toy is now affordable and I strongly recommend it as it is one of the greatest Transformers toys of all time and definitely the number one toy which is better than its update.
Can someone lend me a gun?
Honourable Mentions:
I would like to mainly discuss the Titanium line here since that in general is my honorary mention. I dis have a Titanium toy on the list at first, it was Titanium Optimal Optimus. From a nice big toy, we get a small one with lame articulation and the lack of a Beast Mode (on a freaken Beast Wars character!). But then I saw that it didn't gel with the rest of the list. It didn't feel like Hasbro trying to update anything, just present characters in a different way. Kinda like the World's Smallest TFs line. They came after the G1 toys, but aren't trying to better them or update them, just present them differently (in this case, that means all die cast). That's how I feel about the Titanium line. Because or else, this whole list would be that line right? Like Fire Convoy and Optimal Optimus who are missing modes and Soundwave, which doesnt hold a candle to the original. Even though they are legitimate updates, they don't feel to have the same intentions as the other ones on the list. At least to me.
Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.
Top 5 G1 Transformers toys not designed by Takara
For those who do not know, the initial Transformers toys were actually just toys from Japanese (and Korean) toylines licensed by Hasbro with a few changes. For instance, one of the toylines whose toys became Transformers was called Diaclone and consisted of tiny figures which drove, flew and manned these transforming vehicles. That would explain why the cockpits are so detailed and have seats for small figures in the initial Transformers cars and planes and why the original Dinobots have seemingly random flaps that can pop out to seat tiny figures too.
Hasbro simply sold these toys under a new brand and took away the idea of little figures piloting the vehicles. This is just one example, and Hasbro licensed a bunch of toys from different toylines to be sold under the Transformers brand, which explains its great diversity (like a gun fighting a truck!). However, most toys were licensed from the same Japanese company, Takara, which Hasbro still partners with today to bring us Transformers toys. That explains the semi cohesiveness and similarity in design and transformation among the toys. BUT, there are a few toys from this first generation that came from other companies ... and it shows. Let's take a look at the five I find most interesting.
Roadbuster was first released as Takatoku Toys' "Mugen Calibur" from the Dorvack toyline (where Whirl is also from). Unlike the others on this list, his aesthetic works pretty well with the Takara figures. He is definitely more of a heavy dutytoy (bigger too) with a bunch of bad ass accessories that, while are awesome, do make him quite a pain to collect these days.
This guy is quite interesting since even though he was designed by the toy giant Tomy in theme with their Zoids toyline, he was actually commissioned and owned by Toybox. The really interesting part is that as far as I know (please state otherwise in the comments), the first release of this design is actually by Hasbro through the Transformers brand. So Skylynx was first issued by Hasbro, through a license with Toybox, designed by Tomy. And yes, you can totally tell he is not Takara, as there is not much order to this stupendous toy. He is a bird, a lynx, a space shuttle with a transporter and what looks like a Sauropod. Plus, there is a motor for it to walk (like many Zoids toys). It is such an otherworldy design in the G1 line that even the Marvel comics had a hard time making sense to his transformation, choosing to just make him a straight up triple changer (having shuttle, bird, and lynx modes only).
Like Skylynx, this toy was also from Toybox but designed by Tomy. However, Tomy had designed him inline with their Plarail toyline which dealth with train sets (which is still going strong today). This more than explains why Omega Supreme dissasembles himself transforms into a track system for a tank to move along it. If you ever wondered why Omega Supreme does not transform like regular Transformers do, this should explain it. Unlike Skylynx, he was released by Toybox as Super Change Robo Mechabot-1. This toy had a very different color scheme than how he looked once Hasbro licensed the toy from Toybox.
Shockwave was first released as "4 Changeable Astro Magnum" by toy company, ToyCo. Here is the kicker, ToyCo was Korean and not Japanese making this the very first Transformers toy not designed by Japan. They licensed this toy to several American distributors and toy makers which gave way to similar non-Transformer toys using the same mold being released in 1985, including a RadioShack exclusive called "Galactic Man" (who was dark grey). Because Hasbro was not the only one to use the licensed mold, they started sticking rubsigns on their toys to show that theirs was the official Transformers toy (this was also done to distinguish their transforming toys from the Gobots). Another cool thing to note is that unlike most G1 toys, especially all the ones designed by Takara, this toy has a very nice amount of articulation for his time.
Of course this is #1. It is by far one of the best toys of the G1 era due to its detail and complexity. Also, his robot mode is not at all what one would expect from a Transfomrers toy. He looks more like a Macross figure (for obvious reasons we will further explore) and has a more prototypical Japanese look compared to the other licensed toys (the color scheme doesn't help reinforce this notion). The reason for him being the odd man out in a Transformers line up is because he was from Takatoku Toys. He was part of their Macross VF-1S Super Valkyrie series. Unlike the other toys listed above, this series, like Transformers, lives on to this day. They are now owned by Bandai, the other Japanese toy giant (who made the original Gobots back in the day, through a smaller division called Popy, to compete directly with Takara's Transforming toys) and are the most complex and expensive transforming figures on the market today. Hence why it was such a treat for Hasbro's lawyers to have found a way to keep giving us toys based on this design such as the Generations Jetfire in 2014. Finally an afforable toy based on a Macross design.
Honourable mentions: The Deluxe Insecticons and Whirl.
Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are the opinions of just a few people, since I am joined by several other contributors today, so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.
Top 5 Best Years of the Transformers Brand / Franchise
With one of the best years of all time to be a Transformers collector wrapped up, I thought it would be high time we got a list of the best years ever for the franchise. This will be predominantly toy focused and western focused when it comes to accompanying media and toy availability. The community had a say in this list, especially fellow Seibertronian Amelie who first suggested it. Many contributed to this list and you can read all our opinions below!
5. 1996
1996, because after the waning years of G2 and the Japanese series after the ending of season 3, Transformers faded from pop culture. In comes Beast Wars kicking down the door, which an actual awesome story and some pretty cool toys, and the franchise is back in business. - Rodimus Prime
While G1 started it all, the reason we are all still here today able to collect toys is because of Beast Wars. This rejuvination of the brand with a totally new direction is what saved the brand and Hasbro has said so a few times themselves. It is how I personally got into the brand and it is a staple of all 90s boys and girls just as G1 was for kids growing in the 80s. There are also two very important factors that should not get overlooked. Beast Wars brought about the articulation we still use today in toys. Due to the innovations of this era, several have aged very well. The other factor is the strong sense of storytelling in the show. To this day, Beast Wars is still the best written Transformers show we ever got in the west and the idea of emphasis on characterization in the Transfomers brand that people love so much in today's comics originates from here. Remember, this is the year we got the very best character in all of Transformers fiction, Dinobot. - William-James88
4. 1984
This is where it all started. Hasbro brought over some amazing toys from Asia (predominantly Japan) over to the west and with the help of the geniuses at Marvel, they created this world of Transforming sentient robots to go along with the toys. You could follow their adventures on television or in comics and both highlighted the toys you could buy in different ways. The toys themselves were gems on their own and a dream come true for many of us. This is the only brans where you can really get two toys for the price of one. You could have a vehicle that looked just like your other toy cars, but it could also become a robot. And not only did you have the playability that came with a robot AND a vehicle, but you also had the added puzzle of getting it from one shape to the next. This was special and it is still special today, especially when you see that a deluxe toy that has all this playability next to a similarly priced Star Wars action figure that can simply be posed in a few different ways. While technology and storytelling has evolved from those days, we must always remember 1984, the year which gave us Transformers. - William-James88
Recency bias be damned, it was a damn good year. The generations line on Hasbro's end kept giving us these amazing updates to the G1 era, bringing back the golden age of Transformers for a whole new generation with their most ambitious combiners and the return of Headmasters with more playability than ever before. We got objectively the best combiners ever with Takara especially going all out to give us unique molds and updates for Bruticus and Computron, two combiners with very diversified limbs, as well as both Hasbro and Takara having fun with the combiner system with Victorion, Sky Lynx as a torso and Grand Galvatron, the later being one of the most beautifully toys I ever had. We also finally got an update to Fortress Maximus, the aforementioned Sky Lynx and Powermaster Optimus Prime (along with Liokaiser, a character we would have never thought Hasbro to bring us). We also got the first MP Beast Wars figure with Optimus Primal, along with MP Shockwave (like Skylynx this was Takara's first crack ever at designing that transformation ever, since neither were originally Takara toys), Ironhide, Ratchet, 2 coneheads, Inferno and Hot Rod. Plus, Robots in Disguise pulled a 180 and became an amazing line to collect with the most original transformations around. We had 4 lines pulling out all the stops!
The movie had come out and Hasbro had pretty much exhausted the Diaclone line and finally in 1986 we start seeing what I would call the first 'proper' Transformers toys - Hot Rod, Galvatron, Blurr, Kupp, Scourge, Cyclonus, Gnaw, Wreck-Gar. They were bigger than their Diaclone cousins and arguably less detailed and in many cases less 'involved' when it came to transformation. However - these toys looked much more like their show counter-parts and were generally more robust.
We also saw the introduction of the (cancelled Diaclone) figures that made up the scramble combiners alongside Metroplex, Typticon and Predaking. With Metroplex being the first titan-class figure to be released and Trypticon being the first fan-voted titan-class figure - to me it speaks volumes about how loved 1986 really was. Aside from the usual Prime, Megs, 'Scream - characters like Predaking, Hotrod, Galvatron are often among the first called out for with excitement when a new line starts.
City-bots, Combiners and Trailer-Armour - the gimmicks had come full-force, but it wasn't until 87's ~Masters lines that we would go into full wack-out territory.
Aside from the toys - we had Transformers: The Movie and Season3 out which introduced lots of our favorite (or not so favorite) recurring themes - The Matrix, Optimus-Prime-Must-Die, Megatron transforms into Galvatron, Unicron and Optimus-Must-Live-Again (as the season finale). Fint Dille had created a monster which Simon Furman and every other Transformers writer was going to run with for the next 3 decades - with varying levels of success.
"I'll be back after a 28 episode commercial break, guys"
To summarize - 1986 is the year Hasbro and Takara finally gives us a line that isn't simply a reboxing of other toys and branches out new. Transformers itself was transformed and strong themes were developed that would be retold series across series. To me G1 starts its gradual decline from this point - making it the high point of the 80s, even if arguably being the root cause of its decline. - Amelie
1. 2010
2010 is definitely the year I would pick to show the true hayday of the brand because it is the apex of value and quality. 86 is a fun year but it is a start while I would link a heyday to a summit. People unknowing of all these toys would find a certain charm to the 86 toys but any wow factor would be coming from 2010 or the years surrounding that (from 2006 to then). What I mean is that while the toys from 86 are in this time capsule, and wanted for rarity and nostalgia, toys from 2010 are wanted for the amount of toy you are getting. The engineering, the design. Design is a big deal here. While the G1 toys had a problem recreating what you saw on the screen, 2010 has so far not been beaten, when you look at the Human Alliance Line and the Leader Starscream figure we got. There has never ever been (and sadly never will be) a better toy for your money than that literally Masterpiece level leader sized figure. Compare it to what toys are costing today and you had this advanced figure, with electronics and all, for $40 US MSRP. That will never happen again.
But it is not just movie toys, 2010 also has 2 very specific series all about design innovation: Reveal the Shield and Animated. That year gave us Reveal the Shield Jazz and Wreck Gar, two toys which had great engineering, giving you a phenomenal toy that leaps off the G1 screen but without needing to dish out the money for a Masterpiece. There was also RTS Lugnut which is the apex of the entire Transformers line in its originality. Both in its origins (bringing an animated toy to a Classics line, merging both aesthetics perfectly) and in it's engineering, by having his wings become his arms. That reduces his plane kibble significantly and unlike almost all planes, he has a super smooth undercarriage with minimal robot kibble, and everything is stored neatly.
We also got the best animated toys of the entire line that year. Firstly, Takara finally had their crack at them and gave them some awesome decos and fixed the qc errors that plagued a bunch. Paint and quality control was the only problem with that line and Takara fixed it, leaving us with nothing else to do but to enjoy the beauty of these well engineered toys. I believe, the animated line has the best designs ever done for a tf toyline, it's insane they were able to replicate a radical style into a toyline and make them fully transformable. But regardless of takara's take (which wasnt always the best), we got Cybertron Ratchet/Ironhide, Arcee and Rodimus, which are 3 of the best designs ever. These are all small masterpieces in their own right, leaping from the screen with some amazing cycbertronian designs. That Rodimus is to this day still the best Rodimus toy out there and handles his kibble better than any other version.
So yeah, we get the apex of the 3 most distinctive TF styles, Movie, Classics and Animated with the best quality and engineering ever seen for toys of that price point, from the beginning to today. And that's not even looking at the wider Transformers landscape which included Last Stand of the Wreckers, War for Cybertron, and the first five episodes of Prime. - William-james88
Honourable mentions: This honourable mention comes to us from Scotty P
2006. No debate here for me, just a quick and easy answer: 2006.
Cybertron finished up its run in really cool fashion with some massive (in size and fun-factor) toys to go along with the second half of the show: Transformers Cybertron Menasor (Moledive) Gallery
Plus there was Beast Machines finally on DVD, Kiss Players, IDW coming into its own with Spotlights and Stormbringer - for me, it was a great, less hectic time to be a fan.
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). The leader was Ultra magnus and it gave us a look at what Magnus as the main prime in G1 would have looked like (if the freaken Matrix was nice enough to activate for him) and it doesn't dissapoint. Firepower coming out of all sides, the beefiest posture possible and a hammer as his main signature weapon, which would become a staple to the character going forward. I really love all the hidden cannons and how the hammer's automorph gimmick. Plus, lest we forget, this was during the golden age of quality and value in Transformers toys and he came with electronics and just feels so hefty. The only problem I have with him and the other Animated Leader toy is how the limited ratchets on his hips don't give him the best standard standing pose.
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