Mini-Warrior Rager/Huffer (Legends Class, iGear)

Name: Rager (Huffer)

Line: 3rd Party Transformers

Series: Mini Warriors

Size Class: Legends (-ish)

Producer: iGear

Year of release: 2011

Yes, the double name hints at the content of the review: this is another 3rd Party Transformer that I got at the LCC. And again it’s an homage to a classic G1 character. Wonder if you can guess which one (if you somehow missed the title).

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This is Rager and he resembles… oh to hell with it! Unless you know very little about Transformers you recognize him instantly: it’s friggin’ Huffer! A small orange/yellow truck with twin funnels, sounds familiar?

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The cab’s front features nice details: the grill pattern is cleverly used also to cover lights which ups Rager’s toughness in this form. This cab makes me think of a riot control or a roadblock breaker vehicle more than a simple utility truck. And later on you’ll see that it fits this guy’s overall theme.

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The rear is ok, obviously it contains some robot parts but they are neatly compacted to a satisfying degree, no complaints there. The funnels, though, are a mixed sort in my eyes. They certainly do work, especially when viewed from a distance, adding both a nice color contrast and a welcome variety to the vehicle’s line. On the other hand from up close you can see that the interesting sculpt is messed with the ball joints showing from behind and one can’t help but wonder: shouldn’t those ends point backwards?? Yeah, they should and this could’ve been fixed with a simple swivel joint for each. Also, and this I found the most annoying from a photographer’s point of view, the funnels don’t attach to the truck’s side, don’t click into their positions, they are just there. Yes, the cab has round-shaped edgings but they offer very little assistance and the vehicle shape’s stability is endangered each time you touch it.

Size comparison time!

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As you can see at the beginning of the review I estimated the Class as a Legends. So here are two other Transformers trucks from this class: Generations Optimus Prime and Motorbreath, an exclusive recolor of Reveal The Shield Optimus. In GEN Opie’s review I admitted to my utter ignorance concerning trucks in general so I have no idea what kind of size Rager’s alt mode would have in real life, but I guess it’s a sort of semi truck, so it’s probably a bit too big for the other guys. But don’t quote me on that. What I do remember is the fact that occasionally Huffer pulled Optimus’es trailer in the show and his truck mode then was visibly smaller than Prime’s, so there you go. You can quote me on that coz I watched the show a lot.

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And throwing in the only other Legends-sized Transformer I got, Generations Thundercracker, because why not. Let’s use these guys for comparison of robot modes as well.

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Rager is short but sturdy, looking accordingly among other figures of Legends Class. Of course in this case that’s obviously not accurate, as Huffer was significantly shorter than Thundercracker, not mentioning Optimus. I’ll get back to the size matter later on. For now marvel at his posture: he definitely looks like a guy who can break through a roadblock, regardless of the mode he’s in. He also has a face of someone… in rage. And that directly references the original G1 character.

I must confess I have a soft spot for G1, especially the early Marvel comic books series. I just loved how the story and the characters gained so much depth compared to the animated series. The tv show was fun but rather light and more adventure and combat oriented, while the comics explored various Transformers’ emotions, motivations, weaknesses and traits of character other than ‘a leader, a brute, a joker, a scientist’ etc. Now, that was something new and truly welcome for a kid like me then – it reminded me of X-Men, another comics franchise that I’ve loved for all those years. Transformers kept this more mature approach to telling the story of giant-robots-from-space for quite some time, I remember reading few UK-exclusive issues years later and enjoying them too. But for me the essential time was the very beginning, when there were only few Autobots and even fewer Decepticons active on Earth and therefore writers could present most of them to a satisfying degree. Those who remember the plot of Ratchet’s lonely quest against Megatron know what I mean.

Huffer also seemed to be one of the Autobots given more attention. He was the Ark’s brilliant engineer and also the crew’s main naysayer, always focused on repairing the ship and getting the hell out of this weird green planet, away from the conflict with Decepticons and humans alike. He did carry out other missions and performed well, even confronting Megatron himself once, but he always had this attitude. In the tv show they made him this always nagging comic relief character, but in the comics he was a genuine robot with a depression, home-sick to the point of pondering whether switching sides wouldn’t prove more beneficial in terms of returning to Cybertron. Add this to his enormous strength in a rather tiny body and you got a character so much more appealing and complex than Bumblebee. But noo, it’s the oh-so-friendly and loyal boy-scout on a scouting duty who won the place in the spotlight! And soon Huffer became one of background Autobots, being present only to fill frames during group scenes, until he finally got seriously damaged and put away in a stasis state awaiting the publisher’s attention… I mean available spare parts.

And this image of Huffer is in my opinion perfectly represented by Rager. Those muscular arms and massive chest are made for heavy lifting, handy both for work- and combat-related purpose. The color scheme matches both the G1 character and toy design, with the face of this figure much more accurate to how he looked in the show and comics.

All right, let’s get down to business and test Rager’s posability, with a little help from Motorbreath here.

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High-kicking – check.

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Bending knees more than 90 degrees – check.

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Posing for a ‘Prime wants YOU kicking Decepticon ass for the Autobot army’ poster – check!

Rager just can’t help looking cool and bad-ass and it’s not like he’s trying to avoid it. He embraces coolness and Bad-Ass is his middle name. Check his cybertronian driving license if you don’t believe me: Rager Bad-Ass Huffer, originating from Epicville, occupation: Engineer… of Pain!!

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Of course Rages comes packing and what is more bad-ass than dual-wielding? I’ll tell you what: dual-wielding really cool-looking revolver-style pistols!

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Take a loot at those puppies. Just… just look at ’em! I have seen many creatively designed and nicely sculpted Transformers firearms, but I can safely say that for me this lil’ guy takes the grand prize. I only wish those sported a bit of silver paint apps here and there to highlight that awesome shape. I wonder how many of you think of what I’m thinking looking at a robot armed with twin revolvers…

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A western-themed showdown at sunset! I bet not many Decepticons would dare to confront an Autobot looking like this.

Actually some could, as Rager’s guns fit smaller universal sized Transformers hands. You know what I mean, some have this larger size grip, like most Deluxe figures, and some use this smaller size, like for example Motorbreath. So he can wield Rager’s weapon but will he do it with all the style and cockiness like a pro bad-ass would?

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I didn’t think so!

So how is Rager, apart from bad-ass and filled with rage? In terms of Transformers figures he is… ok. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy posing him and seeing him on my shelf a lot, but he is no breakthrough. He feels a lot like Generations Optimus of Legends Class: has good posability and nice, G1-accurate design, but that’s mostly it. Yes, his paint job is applied perfectly and his pistols are tiny masterpieces of creativity, but in the end all you actually get is a very good Legends Class Transformer. I think the size is the main problem here. Take a look at this picture, where I attempted to create a buddy shot with his team-mates from the original Ark’s crew.

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Yeah, Huffer is supposed to be short but not that short! I hoped that he would fit fellow Autobots from my collection, who are mainly of Deluxe or Voyager Class, but it doesn’t work. Also, he suffers from some issues that I guess result from the size. Posing his head (that is placed on a ball joint) is a real pain: an average person’s fingers won’t fit inside the cab ‘hood’, so you just can’t reach inside there. At some point I was so fed up and irritated that I went and asked my Wife to lend me a pair of tweezers to grab this friggin’ head and turn it properly for each photo! Rager can’t also place his arms flat on his sides due to the wheels limiting movement. And I assume the funnels would click into place in vehicle mode if he were a tad bigger and had any set of additional pegs or edgings for that. Generally the alt mode is a bit crude, I appreciate the front grill details but apart from that it feels… lacking. And again: not a real problem for the Legends Class, but that’s the thing: one could expect a larger and more detailed figure considering it was released by a 3rd Party, so in theory it’s supposed to be a perfect version of the character.

However, regardless of what I wrote above, I still am very glad I got this guy. And I can and will recommend him, providing you are fully aware of what you are doing. And by that I mean: being aware of his size, flaws and features. You see, Backfiery was a randomly bought figure – I decided to get him basing on the way he looked in robot mode (his packaging had a see-through section). And this worked, just like I stated in Backfiery’s review: if you like his looks then you’ll probably like the figure once you get him in hand. Rager, on the other hand, is a figure that you want to learn about before purchase (also because his packaging does not allow peeking inside). I had watched a detailed review of him before going to London, so when I saw him at the LCC I knew what to expect. I won’t even start about the price, as I covered the subject of the overly expensive nature of 3rd Party Transformers products before. By the way, an interesting fact: at the very same place where I got Rager a recolor was available, called Black Rager. As you can probably guess, he features a more toned down color theme, which might prove quite fitting for a beefy tough guy like that. But you know what? That version was noticeably cheaper than the original Rager, even though their release dates are subsequent years, so the age (and availability) of the older guy wasn’t a huge factor here. It seems that, like me, most people want the classic Huffer-like persona, even if he costs more. And if that’s your preference too, then Rager delivers just that. Just know what to expect: not a short Deluxe, that’s for sure.

I think he might go well with Scouts perhaps? I don’t know, I don’t have any to check. I came up with this idea, though.

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Brave Huffer took on Megatron in Marvel comics so I decided to give my Revoltech Megs a go and I think it works. Megatron was one of the largest Transformers from the initial set-up and Huffer one of the shortest so I’d say this looks fine.

As I mentioned, I have a thing for G1 characters so this guy, looking so close to his original design, hits just the spot on my nostalgia board. I wish he was big enough to be able to play along Deluxes, but I’m still fond of him the way he is, as he looks just great on the shelf, immediately bringing memories of those classic Transformers stories. And I recommend him to those of you who are willing to put your nostalgia glasses on and see an almost perfect Huffer, falling juust a bit… short. Ha!

In the comics Huffer was of course overpowered by Megatron, but hey, this is no Huffer, this is Rager and it’s payback time!

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Summary

Strong and weak points:

+ classic, instantly recognizable look, both in terms of colors and shapes

+ cool beefed-up design and ‘angry’ face sculpt perfectly fit the original character concept

+ good articulation, including knees bending more than 90 degrees and a waist joint

+ fantastic unique gun mold

+ twin pistols add to the ‘bad-ass factor’

+ aesthetically pleasing compact vehicle mode

+ very good paint job quality

+ solid construction, doesn’t feel flimsy or fragile at all

– head needs a lot of fiddling to pose it

– arms can’t rest flat along the body due to placement of wheels

– funnels don’t lock into one position in vehicle mode

– size too small to fit among Deluxe Class

– pistols could use some paint apps to highlight the details

– no place to either holster the guns in robot mode or store them in vehicle mode

Who will like it:

those liking Huffer as a character and/or toy design; those wanting a refreshed version of the character with modern articulation and cool tough looks, who don’t mind his size

Who won’t like it:

those hoping to use him as a scale-accurate Huffer next to Hasbro’s Deluxes and Voyagers; those expecting flawless design from a 3rd Party product

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RET Crimson Guard (1:18, Hasbro)

Name: Crimson Guard

Line: G.I. Joe

Series: Retaliation

Scale: 1:18

Producer: Hasbro

Year of release: 2013

As we already established, when Cobra is in need of a team of specialists, devoted to their work and always focused on the mission at hand, the M.O.O.K.S. come into play.

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Yet sometimes the task at hand involves activities of the intelligence department rather than the spec-ops team and then one might wanna consider using troops with more… intelligence. So when even the very best are not enough, who can Cobra Commander deploy? Well, the best of the best of course, the elites themselves. Crimson Guards.

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The famous and fan-favorite Siegies, said to have their faces surgically modified to resemble the great Commander himself, creme de la creme, highly trained both in combat and espionage, are equally effective when infiltrating a small American town as your friendly neighbours and defending the base against a single female intruder from Cobra La. Even though they are most often seen just accompanying the Commander looking elegant during various ceremonies or being slaughtered as the last line of defence, they are described as being clever schemers and profiteers and skilled assassins at the same time. And we fans swallow it all gladly and without any doubts whatsoever. Why? Because they totally look the part! You immediately buy their awesomeness when looking at those cool red uniforms and mysterious black masks.

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The leaders of the Crimson Guard Corps are of course Tomax and Xamot, but what about officers? What if you need a number of Siegies in action – somebody has to act as the immediate commander. It’s not really stated clear in the lore but I am convinced there have to be some ranks among the Guards, even if they all are the top dogs of Cobra ranks. I like to perceive the hero of this review as the best of the best of the best, as the Crimson Guard Officer.

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In fact he is just an updated version of the character, released as part of the Retaliation line’s third wave (and another catch that I managed to grab during the LCC). As many others from that wave he has nothing to do with the movie franchise but that’s how Hasbro’s recent product release policy rolls and it’s no big deal, unless you really care about the packaging and are bitter to find the Rock‘s face on the card instead of a more nostalgic image. I just care about the figure itself so moving on.

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At first he just seems to be a slightly retooled version of the Siegie from the 25th Anniversary line, so why do I see him as an officer? You’ll probably understand where my sentiments come from a bit later, now let’s just take a look at what’s changed.

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The torso is the same and it defines the basic look, which is good as the new guy can easily fit among older squad members. He sports a silver ornate cord instead of a golden one which discretely but effectively makes him stand out from others reinforcing my idea of a higher rank. Not sure why they decided to make this cord a simple strip of plastic instead of that nice braid-like sculpt that they obviously already have, though. Odd. His arms are those of a Shock Trooper, often used for other figures due to their generic and universal mold. They work just fine giving the new Siegie a more muscular look. You can immediately tell which of these Guards spends more time in the gym than in the conference room. The holster is on the right thigh now and, more important, it holds his gun really well, which is a welcome change. What bugs me a bit is the fact it is a pistol. To be honest I think I’d rather again go with a revolver as I really like this ceremonial feel of older Siegies’ firearms. I also still can’t decide whether I dig the new boots. The grey kneepads are fine but what’s below looks much more… combat ready. The 25A Guards pulled off this elegant horse-riding boots look which again added to the elite concept. On the other hand the new helmet is definitely shaped better, without this weird feeling of being vertically stretched.

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Speaking of the helmet… it doesn’t come off, sadly. The idea of having a Fred head under there is great and, as a huge fan of the comic pack Siegie-with-a-face version, I’d like to see this employed for the new figure as well.

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But if you have an older Fred-headed Siegie handy, you can easily make the swap.

 

Overall RET Crimson Guard effectively combines essential pieces of the old mold with newer parts to both successfully convey the classic look and mend the 25A line’s articulation flaws and deficiencies. The only problem I have with the base figure is a minor thing that I’m not even sure is really there…

 

While posing him I often had to adjust his position to have him standing upright and I finally came to the conclusion that his left leg is a tad longer than his right one. It’s nothing as drastic as the case with my Jazwares Mortal Kombat figure, Sub-Zero, who has to be posed in a smart way not to look ridiculous. Below you can see both guys with both of their legs straightened and standing upright – you can see their left legs have to be positioned outwards in order to counter the length difference.

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With Sub-Zero it’s obvious and I read that other people had this issue with their figures of him as well, but Crimson Guard… I dunno, I see it but maybe it’s a bad joint or maybe it’s only this single figure’s problem or maybe I had a bad posing day heh. Anyway, moving on to the accessories.

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The backpack is the same. Not sure if they reused the mold or if it only looks a lot like the old one but generally it’s the same thing: Cobra emblem on the outside, hollow inside, nothing much, it’s there, that’s all. Here you can also see a knife in a sheath. This Guard means business, he comes prepared for all kinds of combat situations. And when I say all

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…I mean all! Holly crap, this guy’s packing!! Carbines of various sizes, the pistol and the knife that he carries on him and… is this a sword?? Oh yeah, it sure is! A sabre to be exact. Well, I guess we have no alternative but to try it all out.

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The new Siegie holds one-handed guns without any problems and thanks to wrist hinge joints system (write wrist bending up and down and left one bending outwards and inwards) he can pull off more realistic poses like aiming a pistol at a target in front of him while holding the weapon close to his chest.

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Those wrists also come in handy while using the medium rifle with a front handle installed. Now the large rifle is a bit… extraordinary with this large arching magazine attached at the butt. I have no idea if it’s based on an actual weapon or if it was created by Hasbro designers, either way I’m not too fond of how that clip looks. But it is usable by the figure.

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I think it may be considered a new version of the bayonet-bearing long rifle that the 25A Guard used, both as a chic-looking and close-combat-efficient weapon, effective during all HQ encounters other than the one with Pythona. It kinda works but due to that oversized ammo clip and lack of silver paint on the knife I prefer the old one instead.

And now on to the most amazing piece of equipment that the RET Siegie carries around. And if you think I mean the sabre… you are wrong.

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A tactical vest! And a really neat one, with detailed pouches sculpted all over and a tiny Cobra emblem where there usually is a security company’s logo or a police unit’s badge. And I really dig the color – darker, more on the cherry side than the Siegie’s uniform, just the right tone to both stand out from the rest of the figure and at the same time perfectly go with it by matching the color of the holster and another pouch on the leg.

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A look at the back of the vest. Fantastic details continue to amaze! Also notice the holster hanging there. I guess if you really miss the old Guard’s revolver then you can use this place to store one but that’s not its intended purpose.

 

 

The sabre goes there which is an interesting concept because that way no hanging scabbard limits the Guard’s freedom of movement and the weapon is secured. The holster-scabbard is attached on a tiny swivel joint which allows for it to be moved back in case the sword’s blade gets in the way, for example when sitting down.

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The only downside here is how the sabre’s hilt practically prevents the knife from being stored in its sheath. Yes, you can pull the sabre back and put the knife in but it’s highly impractical.

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It’s great how the Siegie gains a field trooper feel when wearing the vest. Yes, he is still red all over and carries a friggin’ sword, but now I can so much easier suspend my disbelief and imagine a small squad of those tearing through a South-American jungle in order to gain access to some forgotten drug lords’ stash or even assault a distant G.I. Joe outpost. That’s why I see this guy as a good material for a Crimson Guard Officer. Sure, you can buy a bunch of them and create a whole updated team, but if you (like me) still have a few old Siegies around and/or (like me) don’t indent to army-build the new ones, then you might consider his unique gear set as an officer’s or a bad-ass commando’s setup.

The vest doesn’t limit his articulation at all and when you combine a sword with the extra wrist joint… Just look at him fence Cobra’s best!

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And Cobra’s bestest, heh heh.

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Well, at least the outcome of these duels is always the same so it surely means the amazing level of victor’s skills, right?

Of course, being a modern G.I. Joe figure (that didn’t fall victim to the recent cost-cutting strategy) the Crimson Guard can do a lot, regardless of the flak jacket and sabre present.

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Being a winner in all categories he also was given a stand, unlike many Retaliation figures, but it’s completely bland and blank – no name, no sculpting, nothing, so I decided to borrow one from an older squad-mate.

Oh and as far as squads are concerned…

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He comes with a customization/personification kit. Those are stickers that you can use to assign him to a division and with a rank of your choice.

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I haven’t decided yet which stickers to use for him and if I’m going to mess around with them at all (the word ‘mess’ is rather accurate concerning my poor motor skills and such precise task) but if I get down to it the other guys’ shoulders can be the first source of inspiration.

Some of the Retaliation wave 3 figures are called Ultimates, as in being the ultimate representation of a certain character. I can surely understand this bold statement concerning Cobra Commander v53 or Storm Shadow v49 (isn’t it funny how around number 50 they finally manage to nail the ultimate version??), as those figures do seem hard or even impossible to improve using current technology (of course bear in mind these still has to be produced as an averagely priced toys and not exclusive collectible figures that you’re afraid to breathe on). To be honest I’m not sure if this Crimson Guard is considered one of those, but regardless of that, does he deserve to be? Hmm, hard to tell, really.

On one hand he has been effectively upgraded in terms of articulation and choice of parts while remaining perfectly recognizable as the very familiar design. And his equipment adds to that: when used it brings this chief of security or field commander look and without it the Siegie still looks like a Siegie and even fits in with older brothers in arms. On the other hand I notice and would gladly improve minor things like the lack of removable helmet, pistol instead of revolver and those too army-ish boots that don’t necessarily go with an elegant fund-raising banquet in Castle Destro.

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But you know what, let’s face it, those ‘setbacks’ are nitpicks, mostly based on personal preferences. And apart from the helmet issue, I don’t really see much space for improvement here. I don’t deem myself a G.I. Joe authority enough to proclaim what is ultimate and what’s not, but in my humble opinion this guy is pretty close to perfection.

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Summary

Strong and weak points:

+ great modern articulation and posability

+ absolutely stunning tactical vest, both in design and effect on the figure

+ two alternative looks: combat ready or regular Siegie; both work just fine

+ reshaping of the helmet turned out very positive

+ fair amount of various weaponry, including a sabre

+ working gun holster and sabre scabbard-holster

+ an interesting idea of personalizing each Siegie using insignia and division decals

+ they threw in a stand (can’t believe I actually listed that as a noteworthy merit, sigh)

– lack of removable helmet and (probably) a Fred-faced head underneath

– boots look more combat-ready than elegant which doesn’t fit the dignified guardsman image as good as the 25A’s did

– the small pistol looks more common and trivial than the 25A’s long revolver

– the bayonet-bearing rifle’s design is a bit awkward and lack of extra paint on the blade is rather noticeable

– the backpack could use an upgrade as well, the hollow inside is disturbing

– the knife can’t remain sheathed when the sabre is holstered

Who will like it:

those wanting a better articulated and slightly retooled version of the character; those keen on having a more dynamic and intimidating Siegie commando; those liking the idea of a visually different but still fitting in Crimson Guard officer

Who won’t like it:

those viewing Siegies only as frail businessmen occasionally wearing their uniforms purely for ceremonial reasons; those considering the option to remove the helmet as a must-have

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Causality Backfiery/Kickback (Deluxe Class, FansProject)

Name: Backfiery (Kickback)

Line: 3rd Party Transformers

Series: Causality

Size Class: Deluxe (-ish)

Producer: FansProject

Year of release: 2011

Lately me and rehael had the opportunity to attend the MCM London Comic Con (that I will from now on refer to as LCC) which means that some of the upcoming reviews will concern figures generally hard to come by in retail, at least around here. And regardless of where you live I bet it’s not that easy to get hold of 3rd Party Transformers there. If you don’t know, 3rd Parties means companies other than Hasbro that design and produce Transformers products, of course calling them different than by their official toy line and character name due to copyright laws. Why do they do it? Well, as in most cases when business is involved, they do it to make money, but for us, collectors, it’s important how they do it. First of all 3rd Party companies often release various accessories and kit sets that can be used to upgrade official Hasbro’s toys, like armors, alternate heads, weapons, parts or stickers that you can use to make your Transformer more a collector item than a toy. An example of that can be a set including a coronation crown and a cape for the old MP-03 Masterpiece Starscream to wear (which probably inspired Takara to release their own upgraded version of Masterpiece Starscream: MP-11, which has similar items included as accessories). 3rd Parties also create complete Transformers figures that are either redesigned and retooled versions of toys already released by Hasbro or depict characters that hadn’t been given a plastic representation before. And the aim is to create figures that resemble the characters from the original Transformers animated show and/or comic books as close as possible while at the same time giving them maximum posability achievable for the particular mold. In short: those products usually mean expensive but satisfying versions of Transformers that we fans had been long hoping for.

This review covers a figure like that: a transforming robot released by the company FansProject called Backfiery, which is (as it’s often diplomatically stated) ‘an homage’ to the Insecticon Kickback.

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You know this funny little cliche commonly used in modern comedies where somebody is hyping up the crowd by promising to show something of great interest or quality and when it is revealed then instead of the expected ovation the audience goes completely silent and the only sound that can be heard is a quiet cricket’s noise? I think this would be just the appropriate reaction here – both as a comment on how unimpressive this alt mode is after all this high talk about 3rd Parties’ stuff and referring to the fact that it is, well, a bug.

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It is a grasshopper to be exact which is true to the original Kickback character alt mode. And that’s the problem here. If you are for some reason unfamiliar with that insect check out some pictures of it and tell me: can you imagine any exciting use of this ‘design’ adapted to mechanical form? I’m not saying a grasshopper is an ugly bug (which by the way probably could be at least somehow translated into ‘menacing’ as a cybertronian being), I am saying it is boring. It has a slick body with long thin wings that it spreads only when in mid-jump, a large head with antlers and its most defining feature: the long and powerful hind legs to make those long leaps. And that’s it!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERATo be fair Backfiery delivers what it was destined to – you can see his mighty legs here. It’s ironic and kinda sad that the original character’s name and main ‘combat ability’ were just that: he could kick back his opponent really hard. How exciting. Especially compared to his Insecticon pals: Shrapnel who could summon lightning and Bombshell with his mind-control abilities. Maybe that’s why FansProject in their own not-so-canon continuity made Backfiery the leader of not-Insecticons and upped the skills of them all few notches. But more on that later. For now we have an alt mode that does what it can with the idea of a mechanical grasshoper.

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The head is… ok for an insect, I guess. Nothing much to it, really. The color scheme of yellow antlers on a black head remind me of the G1 Kickback but Backfiery features also these large red eyes that are empty, bug-like and indifferent; either bland or creepy – depending on your take on insects. The head sadly has no articulation, no opening mouth, no swivel or looking up or down, nothing. As you can see the front legs can move to some extent so Backfiery can point to a leaf onto which he’s going to jump next.

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Each of the four legs is on a separate ball joint, severely limited due to the design of the figure in the insect’s torso area, but they do allow for some diversity of the direction the legs point at. It would have been really great to have additional swivel joints in the ‘elbows’ OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAhere to somewhat make this alt mode more able to ’emote’ and I admit that’s one of my gripes with FansProject’s design. I get it, a grasshopper is really hard to turn into such an interesting cybertronian beast mode as, say, a dinosaur or a puma, but I believe a figure of that size, designed as an expensive collectible item, could have been given additional four swivel joints. It would have at least given Backfiery more of this insect-like disturbing feel, with lil scratching legs moving all over the place. I’m sorry, I have a bit of a problem with insects (they disgust me to a phobia-near level), but paradoxically I would gladly welcome some of that bug aesthetics here because that would breathe more life into this rather boring alt mode.

Apart from that Backfiery’s articulation includes some hind legs movement and also a limited posability of the wings set on visible ball joints. But that doesn’t achieve much to be honest. I know that the big elephant on the couch is the knife-like thingies on the side but we’ll get to them later on. For now, let me just say that yes, they are accessories meant for the robot mode and yes, you can remove them, but then the insect is even more bland so I decided to leave them on to provide some eye-catching elements.

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Here’s a size comparison with other beast modes that I had handy: G2 Grimlock and Snarl. Of course scale can’t be taken under consideration with Transformers animals modes – just try to imagine a correct-sized dinosaur figure next to an insect one! But Backfiery seems on par with the old Dinobots as far as toy reality goes, they look like they could get involved in a fair beast fight. Oh and speaking of beast fights…

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Does this look as awkward as I think it does? I tried to make our bug a bit more interesting and menacing and put him against Beast Machines Optimus but even such a duel doesn’t seem too exciting.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI came up with this attack mode that involves standing on hind legs and fighting using four front ones. This doesn’t look that bad in my opinion, but again it makes me think how much additional leg joints could benefit here giving Backfiery ability to gesticulate more dynamically in this pose.

 

All right, that’s it for the alt mode. FansProject had to go with a grasshopper because that was the original idea for this character and they did their best. The body shape and color scheme are both reminiscent of the old G1 design and upgraded enough to make it look more realistic in terms of cybertronian universe. I can think of few tweaks possible to improve it a bit, mostly involving additional joints here and there, but it would still be a friggin mechanical grasshopper so there aren’t many places you can go from there.

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Let’s proceed to the robot mode, shall we?

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Ahh, so much better! Now that looks like a collector’s-grade figure that is worth dragging from London in a creatively overstuffed suitcase. The color scheme again resembles the G1 toy but the slick look and this feel of a thin and agile person wearing a kind of oriental-looking armor makes me think more of the recent Fall of Cybertron Kickback version.

I love this kind of… a Gundam design, yes, that’s what I think of when looking at Backfiery. He’s got arms with… a number of joints – I read opinions that there are even too many of those to pose him correctly, but since for me ‘correct’ robot posing doesn’t necessarily mean copying human poses, I am fine with that and just enjoy the incredible range of motion there. I also like how the insect legs form what can be viewed as sword hilts over his shoulders.

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And on his shoulder pads there are those small white symbols that from up close can be identified as fire flames. That is due to the edge that FansProject took while recreating their version of Insecticons story. Each of these 3 guys now controls one element and Backfiery obviously is the fire guy. So no more kicking his opponents back, now he can spit fire onto them in his grasshopper mode! What a relief! But wait, there’s more!

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If you wonder why Backfiery has a faceplate even though original Kickback had an exposed face, let me inform you that all new not-Insecticons have head designs like that. And the reason for that is the best reason there is – ninjas! Oh yeah, Backfiery is a mecha-ninja now, just like his team-mates.

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And this is where the knife-like things come in that turn out to be… knives. They are also his only weapon so no laser guns and no ranged fire ability but… come on, ninja! A Transformer wielding knives that is a ninja. That’s awesome and you know it, it’s just the universal ninja rule.

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Backfiery, with his slick design and highly posable arms, is just the Transformer you want to be using bladed weapons.

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He can pull off almost all kind of poses that involve mostly his arms articulation. The only setback here is lack of waist joint that could add more flexibility to some poses. A minor issue (with such quality of the rest of the figure) but still a noticeable one. I think it results from the transformation process and it’s hard to assess how hard it would be to avoid it so I won’t judge the designers for this one, but it has to be mentioned.

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As for poses involving leg articulation – it’s not bad but not ideal. This is as close as you can get him to perform a high-kick. Hips have ball joints that are slightly limited due to the legs’ upper parts design and I can’t help feeling that this perhaps could have been handled a tad better, since this guy is supposed to be a ninja. It looks all right but leaves me wanting just a bit more. I guess it’s this ironic situation where good quality provokes craving for even a better one. His agile-looking design is so appealing that I tend to ‘forget’ it’s a Transformer and want him to be a ninja-level guy, at some point expecting poses that one usually gets from G.I.Joe figures or even ones from lines like Play Arts Kai or S.H. Figuarts.

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The same thing concerns his ability to reach the spare knives. They are neatly placed on the sides of his lower legs and even though usually I would never expect such a reaching-down pose from a Transformers toy, now I tried to achieve it. I guess the result is a kind of compromise: it works story-wise – for the purpose of a diorama or an action shot but it’s not the real thing. On the other hand: can you really expect double knee-joints in a Transformers figure the size of a small Deluxe one? Yes, sometimes you can, but it’s not a rule, so it’s up to you to decide whether this is the buy/pass point of this figure for you.

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This whole idea of carrying six small knives immediately makes me think of Danny Trejo’s character in the movie Desperado. You know what I mean, right? The bad-ass knife-throwing guy, oh yeah… I think this is the main appeal of Backfiery for me – he is fun in terms of pulling off a believable look for a ninja-Transformer, no matter how ridiculous that sounds.

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Let’s go back to those wings of his for a moment. Throughout the review I made him wear them down like this and this is also how the instruction and pictures on the box depict him. I like this look due to the wings adding to the aforementioned feel of him wearing two swords on his back – when viewed from the robot’s front they seem to be the swords’ blades. You can also spread them to some extent and achieve this split-coat or bladed-cape look which is also both aesthetically pleasing and fits the character. But you might remember the G1 version’s raised wings posture and if you miss it…

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…there you go! The wings can be positioned just like the original Kickback wore his: raised and extended towards the back. But there is one more option…

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA And this is another look that I dig a lot. While before Backfiery had this elegant feel to him, like a warrior wearing a cape along with an armor, now he seems more bad-ass, like in an attack mode, encouraging enemies to come get some good ol’ back-kicking and fire-breathing.

Since we’re already focusing on his back area, let’s take a full look to check if the kibble problem is present.

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I say it’s fine. Yes, the grasshopper head is there but the four insect legs effectively cover it up forming a small and unobtrusive backpack. Also, regardless of how you pose the wings they will always be present as well to help in retaining the visual cleanness.

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Time for more size comparisons. Again with G2 Grimlock. Oh my, did Transformers robot designs change over the years! The improvement is extremely obvious and astounding.

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And now next to his Decepticon companions, Generations Megatron and Classics Starscream. They are both of Deluxe Size Class and he seems to fit this scale as well, that’s why I put ‘Deluxe-ish’ in the description at the beginning of the review, even though this of course is a classification system concerning only official Transformers figures. Let me also mention here that Backfiery feels like he’s made from a more flimsy, softer plastic than older figures. In terms of material he is much more like Generations Megatron here than Classics Starscream. Now, that’s not especially a bad thing, as this plastic seems to offer more flexibility in terms of details and design, but at the same time it’s bound to be less durable and more prone to breakage. I’d say that this is an ideal opportunity for a blatant blog’s name drop again: this is not a toy. This definitely feels more like a collectible item. I’m not saying the figure’s gonna break while you transform it, pose it or even play with it, no way. Its quality is just fine, I experienced no issues whatsoever. I am just clearly stating: if anybody got this strange idea of buying a 3rd Party Transformer (a hard to find and expensive purchase, mind you!) as a kid’s toy – don’t! It’s designed to be handled… maybe not even with care but with respect.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Speaking of respect… Here’s our 3rd Party bug next to one of the most beloved and admired Transformers from the times when Hasbro started this trend of new designs and tooling for well known characters: Classics Mirage. He was praised for his then superb posability and slick design and that’s why I show him here. I think he aged ok, but one can notice where the today’s figure-making technology comes in and what can now be achieved: Backfiery is even less blocky and even more human-like and his ‘spare parts’ left from transformation are hidden better. Mirage is yet another Deluxe and is noticeably taller than not-Kickback, but if you’re wondering whether our flaming grasshopper shouldn’t be considered a smaller Class instead…

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Here you go, a comparison with (rather tall for his Class) Generations Optimus Prime of Legends Class. Backfiery is too tall and also too advanced, complex to be thought of as a Scout. He’s a Deluxe, no doubt about it, just a short one.

Ok, some final remarks. First of all, let me state it clearly: I get how 3rd Parties’ products work and why they are scarce and pricey. And this is something that you have to be aware of and prepared for if you are considering buying one. This guy set me back £45 (around OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA$72) and that’s approximately the price I see on him in online stores. Providing he is not tagged with Sold Out status. And that’s the thing – I know he is expensive, probably too expensive for a figure of that size, articulation and design, but 3rd Party Transformers are like that. You either agree to it or not. And if not, then you have official Hasbro’s merchandise to get for more reasonable prices. Generally what I’m trying to say here is: I will evaluate and rate him not as a regular Transformer but as a rare collectible Transformer-like item, which means I do mention the high price here but I won’t list it in the Summary section and won’t use it as a factor lowering his Final Grade. Because then each 3rd Party product would get minus 1 point off the bat, which doesn’t make sense.

With that clarified, what do I think of Backfiery, as the figure itself? I like him a lot. He has his flaws and I will list them below, but for me they don’t manage to counterbalance his merits. On his plus side I would first of all bring up the fun factor. Yes, I know I mentioned it in Generations Optimus review as well, but to be honest I had the same feeling of fun while handling and posing Backfiery. But while before it derived from the idea of a little yet posable figure, this time it’s simpler: not-Kickback just works. Yes, his alt mode is meh, but it’s due to it being a boring grasshopper – and no way around it. But in robot mode he truly shines, in my opinion gracefully pulling off this concept of a ninja-Transformer, delivering cool design and this unique slick charm whenever his articulation falls short. I am really glad I got him, even for that price, and I look forward to not only having him displayed on my shelf (where he looks just bad-ass wielding those darn knives), but also to future occasions to take him out and pose and perhaps photograph again.

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On the other hand I realize he may disappoint some – being a bit more delicate than older sturdier Transformers toys (but on par with recent Generations line depicting IDW designs)  and at the same time lacking some of the joints that you’d like him to have to achieve all the ideal poses you can expect from a high-class collectible figure. I’d say I can recommend him if you really like either the character or the design of his robot mode. I do and I deem him a valuable addition to my collection. I think that if you like what you see on the pictures here and don’t mind the financial aspect of acquiring a 3rd Party Transformer, then you’re going to enjoy Backfiery. But he is not a universal omg_everybody_instantly_loves_him figure.

 

Summary

Strong and weak points:

+ neat design of a slick and agile character in robot mode

+ fantastic arms articulation

+ decent legs articulation

+ compact and consistent robot form

+ intriguing idea of six knives as weapons, all of hem mountable on the robot body

+ easily recognizable representation of the original G1 character

– boring alt mode

– lacking few articulation points that would come in handy in both modes (especially waist joint in robot mode and ‘elbow’ joints in insect mode, double-jointed knees would also be welcome for a ninja)

– softer plastic means more delicate figure than older Hasbro ones (not recommended as a toy)

– presence of a small ‘backpack’ in robot mode

– no laser gun/firearm of any kind mind trouble some

Who will like it:

collectors wanting a modern posable representation of Kickback; those who are into this manga-ish robot aesthetics; those digging the concept of a ninja-Transformer and keen on having a figure that pulls off this look

Who won’t like it:

those seeking a sturdy and solid Transformer that can be safely handed to a kid; those expecting a more dynamic and interesting alt mode; those wanting utmost human-like posability

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GEN Optimus Prime (Legends Class, Hasbro)

Name: Optimus Prime

Line: Transformers

Series: Generations

Size Class: Legends

Producer: Hasbro

Year of release: 2013

I am Optimus Prime!, proclaimed proudly my favorite Transformers toy, which was (can you guess??)… Optimus Prime, namely G2 version. And at this moment I really wish I hadn’t sold him as he would be perfect for comparisons for this particular review due to obvious inspiration drawn from the old Opie that influenced this modern guy’s design. But don’t worry, since my old red and blue pal is long gone living with someone else, I have found a decent replacement. Before we get to that let’s take a look at the hero of the day – Generations Optimus Prime.

I’ll start with his vehicle form.

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Now tell me this doesn’t bring instant memories of the G1/G2 design. Even the Optimus’es rifle is there, with the option to mount it on the roof, just like I remember.

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I amused myself lately with an online guide giving advice on how to write a successful toy review and it was strongly stressed there not to describe what the readers can see on the picture. So… Generations Prime uses an alt form of the very classic truck with a flat engine compartment, red cab, blue back and nice silver paints apps, which all can be seen here, BUT what you don’t know is that the wheels are perfectly functional so the truck rolls just fine (whew, close save!).

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The overall shape and details like front grill or side… barrel-like silver thingies (Ok, I will come clean: I don’t know a thing about trucks! I’m sorry!! I guess those are fuel tanks but in case they are the Obvious-Truck-Technology-Components-Shaped-Like-Cylinders-That-Do-Things and the Everybody-Knows-What-Those-Are-I-Can’t-Believe-You-Don’t rule is in force here – I choose to go with ‘thingies’) all scream ‘G1 Optimus!’ and only the dual headlights and the aero-dynamic fairing element bring the taste of a more modern design to the table. So what IS the big difference here? Coz surely Hasbro didn’t just release almost the same old toy again, right? Now THEY wouldn’t do something like THAT, now would they? Actually they would and did many times but the factor here is… size.

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Oh great Primus, he is so SMALL!! Not sure if you shouted that (in my imagination) while seeing the photo or if it was me remembering my first reaction to this guy, but yeah: HE IS SMALL.

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Here is a comparison with Optimus from the Classics line, a replacement for the G2 one that I mentioned. Since the Classics Optimus is a re-imagination and a modern-figure-technology retooling of the old Opie himself, we can use him to kinda complete the circle of classical Primes. A bit scary how it all adds up, isn’t it?

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The vehicle modes together form a cute truck and truckling family – so similar you can almost feel their Sparks pounding with need to transform and roll out! Or just roll out since they are in the vehicle modes already… I didn’t choose the best moment to use that classic line, now did I?

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The cabs feature a number of similar elements, yet here you can see why Classics Optimus isn’t just the G1 one with new articulation and transformation. Ironically the small freshly released guy is the more old-fashioned one of the duo.

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Checkin’ the rears of those puppies proves that scaling down the size didn’t involve making the back of the new Optimus’es cab look much worse. No robot parts are showing and even if it doesn’t exactly mimic a truck’s back to the perfect degree, the thing is – neither does the Classics one. The one thing the Generations Prime is lacking is swivel joints in the feet that could make him stretch them out in truck mode, like his bigger pal does here. And his legs could click together so the truck would retain more stability. Instead they only have these tiny molded edgings that guide the parts together but don’t lock them in one position. But it’s no biggie, really.

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It’s funny how they even both share the same imperfection: the visible blue back of robot’s head in the roof, which the larger Prime usually camouflages with his own truck fairing attached on top of the vehicle mode. Man, this is a bit like watching the toy-making technology take yet another step. First we get the Classics version which fixes a number of the original G1’s flaws and now a much smaller Transformer pulls off almost the same look! But hey, we’ve all seen this before: a fantastic vehicle mode, even of a small scale toy, and then the robot mode tries to convince us a sew-random-looking-parts-in-random-places-together look is the new thing. No, it’s not and that is what made me hate so many movie Transformers designs. Aaanyway, this guy. Robot mode!

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Here he is. In all his glory. And I’m not being sarcastic – I really like this look, especially considering his size. You can instantly identify him as THE Optimus Prime – the colors, the shapes, the head sculpt – it’s all there. Even the rifle looks familiar.

The chest is another spot where lack of one set position that the parts could click into is a bit of an issue – the pieces tend to move further away from and closer towards each other to some extent when you fiddle with the figure.

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I would say that in robot mode he reminds me more of modern designs. The chest seems to have this Classics version’s fake truck front thing going on, with painted ‘headlights’ and some faint sculpting around the stomach area that MIGHT be a hint of the fake grill element. And his split chest immediately makes me think of the Prime version of… Prime (yes, fishing for easy and pathetic jokes here but I also deem the show’s title really low in creativity department).

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One thing that differentiates those two Opimuses the most is the Autobot emblem placed between the small guy’s chest pieces. However, if you wish to mend that for some reason, you can push his head just a bit forward and down, as if he is nodding (a joint resulting from the transformation), and then it’s possible to form what looks like a full chest.

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Ok, let the big Opie put the lil one down so we can assess his size by comparing the two in robot modes.

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Pals for life! And now a comparison with a modern G.I. Joe figure.

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Not that much of a difference any more! Also, Optimus is quite posable. He can pull off action poses…

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…high-kick thanks to ball-jointed hips…

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…swivel his chest area thanks to a transformation joint there to… walk like an Egyptian, I suppose..?

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And he can sit down, which isn’t that obvious for many Transformers. So you can start preparing a sitting place on your desk for the leader of Autobots! Don’t worry, he doesn’t take much. Also, he uses ball joints everywhere but none popped out in my figure yet so here’s hoping that they do and will fit tight enough. The leg joints can be a bit loose when trying to pull a pose that depends on some more extravagant balancing, though.

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A quick look at the robot’s back as the infamous ‘kibble’ effect (parts left from transformation forming a huge ‘backpack’) often ruins that section of Transformers.

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Luckily everything is in order here. Yes, there is a small hunch but it doesn’t do the overall silhouette much wrong. You can also leave that cab’s front part hanging down instead but that makes Optimus sport a kind of partial skirt which I don’t like so I prefer to follow the official  instructions on this one.

A look back at Classics’… back shows more similarities in design – they both carry an extra baggage on their back but it’s really nothing to write Cybertron about.

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Soo… we can move on to the conclusion section, right? … What’s that? He came with an accessory? One apart from his rifle? Oh, slag, right, THAT thing. I almost forgot about it following taking it out of the packaging and putting aside. All right then. Here comes… Roller.

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Yup, THE Roller, the scout vehicle that Optimus used to drag around in his trailer and almost never let out to, you know, scout things because he had Bumblebee for that. Well, I guess if you’re a wise leader of giant space robots then you just gotta be extra prepared. Even if you’re not so giant in this incarnation.

Roller traditionally has six wheels and is blue. Yes, I stated the obvious there, this review is now officially doomed.

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The most important question, that you are undoubtedly asking, is: Does Roller roll? If you mean the sheer movement – yes it does, even if somewhat reluctantly due to middle wheels being sculpted on fakes. If, however, you mean his overall coolness, awesomeness level and wow factor… well, read on.

You see, Roller is more than meets the eye (see what I did there?? not too obvious? well timed? booyah!). It… or more appropriately (?) he… transforms.

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I know it’s not the first transforming Roller out there but I’m still not sure how to handle that idea. Is it…he a sentient robot now? Or a drone? And why am I even pondering – just look at him! If you think that his transformation process didn’t do much and that his robot form is just the vehicle standing on the rear and that it totally sucks then… well, then you are not alone. Hasbro, come on! I mean, come on! Really?? In 2013 you give us a tiny Optimus that is almost a scaled down Classics and THIS?? You couldn’t even make his legs extend?! Oh yeah, as for his articulation (can’t believe I actually used that word concerning this thingie) he can raise his arms. Sigh. Could someone just please put the poor thing down?

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Oh and if you’re desperately out of action toys or REALLY miss the late 80s, then you can have Roller be your retro Micromaster and wield Optimus’es rifle… coz why not, right?

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But wait, there’s more! The excitement continues because Roller has an alternate transformation mode! It’s a… just look at it…

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A GIANT rifle. I…I got nothing. A giant rifle. There you have it.

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Sure, Optimus can wield it…a little. Finding poses involving Da R(ev)oll(v)er that don’t make Opie fall is challenging but possible. The question is: what for? Seeing this in package I hoped for a new scaled down version of a Targetmaster set but it hardly works. Maybe as some Desperate-Measures-Last-Resort-Doomsday-Gun to face the most powerful opponents? But only if you’re willing to far-fetch it A LOT.

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But you know what? There is one use that good old-new Roller here can be put to and I mean besides following Prime in that oh-so-exciting vehicle mode. Thanks to the universal peg being used as the handle you can give him to the big guys.

When I was a kid and the chance to acquire any Transformers -master toy around here was exactly 0.00% I dreamed of having a Headmaster or a Targetmaster and trust me, I would have been ecstatic to have this little guy around then. And even nowadays Hasbro is for some reason excessively economical on -masters Transformers so one may consider overlooking Roller’s obvious flaws if one wants Cyclonus to have other Targetmaster pals or foes.

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So, to sum up, how does Generations Optimus Prime of Legends size class stand? In my opinion he is great – with certain uses in mind. He rocks as a tiny Transformers figure that you put on your desk (and that’s exactly what I bought him for). He can be a funny OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAaddition to your Transformers shelf standing next to a larger Optimus or perhaps punching big Megatron’s leg. You can use him as a small and mobile toy to entertain your kid while on a car trip or during a prolonging wait at the doctor’s. Or you could buy him as a perfect little gift for your cousin’s son if you want something of good quality and moderate price. As a Tranformers toy on his own, one to play with etc – well, he can work depending on your preferences and standards. He IS small and a bit fragile (just a bit, really) and his articulation is ok but not fantastic compared to larger modern Transformers. Still, he does transform to a nice looking truck and is fun to handle, to put it a bit awkward. You’ll understand if you choose to get him, trust me. He just has that… fun factor to him. And he is a tiny mighty Autobot Leader, there’s always that. I am really happy that I bought him but I can see reasons why he is not the perfect choice for everybody.

 

Summary

Strong and weak points:

+ very neat looking vehicle mode

+ slick robot mode with good articulation (for that size)

+ small size enabling a number of various mobile uses

+ opportunity for great comedic uses

+ the overall ‘fun factor’ (a tiny transformable Optimus Prime!)

+ Roller works as a Targetmaster companion for larger robots

– lack of parts clicking into set positions causes some instability (legs/back in truck mode and chest pieces in robot mode)

– articulation depends solely on ball joints so is as limited as can be expected

– leg joints are already a bit loose on some poses so that might become a problem later on

– Roller is rather meh in vehicle mode, is ridiculously ugly and limited in ‘robot mode’ (!), its gun mode looks merely ok (and not from every angle) and its addition to the set undoubtedly boosts up the price

Who will like it:

those looking for a typical parody-toy or a desk-toy; those looking for a small Transformer with a nice looking alt mode and good robot quality and articulation (considering the size); those who would use Roller as an old-style Targetmaster companion

Who won’t like it:

those expecting a superb-articulated and fully posable Transformer

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Land Rover Defender (1:16, Bruder)

Name: Land Rover Defender

Line: Construction

Series: Professional

Scale: 1:16

Producer: Bruder

Year of release: 2012

Those of you who heard of the company Bruder probably just thought to themselves What?! Does he mean the Bruder that makes toys for small kids, toys meant to be played with in a friggin sandbox?? Ok, I gave this Jon-Sohn dude the benefit of the doubt before but now I’m outta here! Wait up, guys! Yes, Bruder is a German company (whose name means ‘brother’, by the way) which makes toys for younger children and yes, surprisingly this thing here IS meant to be played out in the backyard, driving through sand and grass and transporting pebbles and hit’n’running Barbies strolling back from a dolls tea party. But bear in mind the company’s slogan: ‘just like the real thing’ and trust me on this one, it’s worth at least looking into.

So take a look at this sweet ride, bros, and tell me: now ain’t she a beaut?!

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Marvel at all those delicious details and tell me: did your childhood sandbox toys looked anything like that?! Coz mine sure as hell didn’t and I bet neither did yours! Bruder has this whole philosophy laid out at their website about how kids learn best by playing with things that resemble the reality as close as possible but all a collector sees is a diorama/photo-shoot eye-candy.

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And what a treat it is! Outside the SUV has every detail one would expect from a high-class model: headlights, indicators, a grill with a hint of an engine behind, even a sticker depicting the Land Rover logo in the very shape and at the exact spot where it can be found on the real life Defender. And a license plate is there too, you bet ya!

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I could gush over the silhouette of the SUV but I’d be complementing the designers of Land Rover rather than those of Bruder because this toy is almost identical to the real thing in terms of shape, details, proportions and even the trademark color. Notice how the polished plastic actually resembles a real life car’s metallic surface. Also check the cool fumes funnel raising this baby to the extreme outdoor level – just what it needs to be crossing those streams and creeks left after the last rain that flooded your backyard. Safety first!

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Thought the rear has less details? Think again! There’s another plate, taillights, indicator lights, mudflaps and even a spare tire featuring some serial number and a cleverly placed Bruder’s logo disguised as a tire producer’s name. And don’t even get me started on the side windows: larger ones being accompanied by those awesome thin stripes of transparent plastic. The back door window is missing but I think that’s intended to make opening of the door easier. You know, for clumsy tiny kids’ fingers? As opposed to clumsy large collectors’ fingers heh heh

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And on to the opening doors, then. First let’s peek inside the front seats area. There are all kinds of interior details present here that you might want (well unless you actually expect a super-expensive exclusive high-grade-class model): a steering wheel, foot pedals, a gear lever and a hint of various gauges, clocks and buttons sculpted accurately enough to provide content and perhaps guidelines for customizers.

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Here’s another shot of the interior. The seats and floor have satisfying details as well. There is also this thingie in the middle that looks like a holder for a KFC bucket, more on that later. As you can see the door can be swung wide open, wider than an actual car’s door but the purpose is again the ease of use, which also means no ‘glass’ in the front side windows. This photo reveals two more facts about the Bruder Defender. First, the mirrors are there but their reflecting surface is a mere piece of polished plastic so go, customizers, go! Second, all the transparent plastic functioning as glass is a terrible fingerprints magnet. I swear I wiped all those a number of times between shots but there you go – messy!

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A shot of the rear interior space and just like the real Defender it IS all about space. The floor begs to be cluttered with some heavy payload and the side seats, though visibly uncomfortable, offer sitting places for passengers.

Speaking of passengers… Many of you probably think Ok, all this is nice and neat but we are figures collectors. Sure, a scaled-down car can come in handy as part of a diorama or as a background detail in a photograph aimed at realism but we got Bburago, Welly, Maisto and other die-cast car models that can do the trick and have even more details. True, but if you already explored that territory then you do know what I have learned: the 1:18-scaled figures do not fit into those, even though the scale is theoretically a match.

You see, I was looking for a realistic automobile design that could hold four modern G.I. Joe figures for the sake of dio-photography. I explored a number of gorgeous models that even had cute tiny gauges, speedometers and car radio displays. But so what if an average Hasbro’s Joe can’t even fit into hard top ones and convertibles at best offer very limited space for an awkward crouching pose which in no way can add quality to the scene in a picture. Sure, I did manage to get a hold of a BBI’s Hummer and as far as Hummers go I also have the Steel Crusher, a really nice Cobra SUV which I think is the most realistic non-military vehicle design done by Hasbro up to this day. At least on the outside. You know what I mean, right? Yeah, the infamous back space… or lack of thereof. And there goes a four-figure-holding car idea!

Anyway, I finally stumbled upon Bruder’s toys. Having seen the pictures and videos I was ecstatic in terms of the looks but what about the scale? The data clearly says ‘1:16’ so even the modern G.I. Joe that are slightly taller than your average 1:18 figures are bound to have Bruder cars towering over them, right? Well… yes and no. The thing is Bruder, even though so great in translating real life details and designs into toy form, sometimes fails when it comes down to size. I was considering getting a Jeep Wrangler aiming at a versatile use or a Mercedes Benz Sprinter to turn it into a stick-up van but those tuned out to be just… huge! On the other hand I found online pictures depicting a Bruder Man truck that looked great with a team of Joes inside (try googling ‘Bruder G.I. Joe’ under Images or search for ‘Bruder’ at Hiss Tank to find the images yourselves). So the scale is a tad different when comparing various models of the same toy line. You can’t really estimate it looking at photos or the promo clips that don’t show figures you know next to a certain vehicle. I recommend taking a Joe figure with you to the store and doing a size comparison yourself. That is, if Bruder toys can be found around your place – I read those are hard to come by in retail stateside. In such a case – you’ve always got me! Well at least as long as I manage to succeed myself since I haven’t been able to for example locate one of the gorgeous Mack trucks anywhere around. [UPDATE: Me and rehael checked the local TRU’s stock of Bruder vehicles and had the opportunity to compare the size of a MAN truck (that we know is suitable for modern G.I. Joe figures) and a Scania truck. Unfortunately the Scania mold, even though similar in overall shape of cab, is visually larger than MAN, so it will be significantly overscaled for you Joes. That means another Bruder model that doesn’t match Hasbro’s 1:18 scale.]

Ok, so you already know which two Bruder vehicle models to avoid if you want your 1:18-ers to go along with them. And how about the Defender? To properly establish this we’re going to need some help from professionals.

I proudly present to you members of the Multi Objective OverKill Squad, a team of high-class specialists that only Cobra can afford to employ and dare to deploy for action! The M.O.O.K.S are: Steve Kubowski, Marvin Jones and Lee Hochenbauer.

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Steve is the explosives specialist and the specialist title means that he can make it go boom, no matter what it is.

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Marvin is the bad-ass marksmanship expert who makes sure that this time the black guy does not go down first.

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Lee is the fearless military stunt driver, always there to provide means of transport or pre-planned retreat for the squad.

 

 

 

All right, let’s get down to business…

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The figures look… not bad next to the Defender. You don’t get the feeling that they are seriously underscaled, yet there is an odd discomfort here, hard to pinpoint at the moment.

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The feeling is gone once we start putting figures inside. Lee fits in there perfectly, sitting in a natural position, with both hands on the wheel holding it firmly if you so choose. Which is cool considering turning the wheel makes the SUV’s wheels turn.

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His feet rest on the floor – to be honest I couldn’t be bothered to place them on the pedals but I think it could be done if someone wants THAT level of accuracy. Time to add some ebony coolness to the equation.

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The passenger also fits in comfortably in no way bothering or being bothered by the driver.

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You can place two modern Joes in this 80s-cop-buddies-movie pose to have them exchange smart-ass remarks or, like Marvin and Lee, being the real MEN they are, sit there enjoying tough manly silence.

That looks pretty natural, doesn’t it? And it doesn’t seem like they have too much space inside. If the car was two scales smaller so to speak (so 1:18 instead of 1:16) it would surely at least make them uncomfortably crammed inside or most probably they wouldn’t fit in at all. So what’s the deal here? Why did we get this feeling of slightly mismatched scales at the beginning and it looks just fine now?

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There are two factors at work here, at least I see it that way. First, plastic figures are… made of plastic (you can quote me there!) and not flesh, which makes them much less posable – not in terms of articulation but in terms of adjusting the whole body’s shape to the immediate surroundings. What I mean by that is that a human body ‘fills gaps’ to an extent, sits comfortably, relaxing and thus taking less space, especially in terms of height. Plastic figures are condemned to unnatural upright poses, even if you work those chest joints of modern Joes. They won’t loosen up their muscle tension – always ready for action, just as action figures should be. So if you took a tiny 31/4” human and put him inside this toy he would probably seem a bit too small for it. Not much though, as the Defender seems to be in fact more of 1:17 scale than of 1:16 one. The result is the Bruder’s SUV is a bit overscaled here, but it works to the advantage of not-so-flexible plastic people.

The second thing is… the wheels. As long as you keep your figures inside they look ok. But when you take them out and stand next to the car they seem to fall a bit short. I browsed through a number of real life Defender pictures and I came to the conclusion that, even apart from the scale, Bruder’s model’s wheels are too large. And I get it why they did it that way: larger wheels mean easier maneuvering and better offroad performance when the vehicle is pushed using a far-from-sophisticated child’s hand. That is also the reason why both axes have working suspension – pure play value. Yes, remember this is still a TOY, a young kid’s toy – keep that in mind while speed-browsing through this review already planning e-bay shopping-spree when your wife goes to sleep, all fellow mature collectors! But back to the wheels. Is it very bad that they are that way? Naah, it can be easily dealt with if you’re willing to lower your realism-based standards a notch: establish your Defender as a heavy-duty offroad custom version of the SUV if you use it for a dio-story or cover up parts of the wheels with mud, sand, bushes or whatever your diorama set has in store if their size bothers you too much. Other than that – this is THE most perfect 1:18-ish representation of a Land Rover Defender which can comfortably hold figures inside that you’re gonna get, so I say: let it go, stop over-analyzing and just enjoy what you get.

With that out of the way we can continue the review. Moving on to more practical uses of the SUV. Remember the back area?

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Let’s explore the load out capabilities with a little help from Steve.

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The figure can fit in there but there is again the factor of plastic body flexibility. Yes, you can bend his knees 90 degrees or more so that his feet won’t take so much space and maybe, MAYBE you could fit three or even four non-armored figures inside, as the benches are long enough, but it’s a pain. I decided to give it a rest after a number of frustrating attempts, especially seeing how natural and relaxed Steve looks sitting there like that.

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For the sake of this review the M.O.O.K.S have been assigned a special advisor, no other than the best of the best among Cobra lines: the spectacular white ninja himself, Storm Shadow! He will help us assess the amount of room in the back with TWO passengers on board.

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And again, I am a fan of the resting your feet comfortably solution here. It looks fine and doesn’t really require much fiddling to get both the figures seated.

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That way you can also have both figures visible even from a longer distance in your dio-pictures. Of course I could’ve made this shot better plot-wise by seating the figures facing the same side but…

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…this one should make up for it. Moving on to some extra features now.

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You may have noticed the sunroof in previous photos. Yes, it’s there and it provides, well, sun or more important: LIGHT around the front seats area inside but it sadly doesn’t do much more. It does slide open but only to form a tiny opening with extra pieces of clear plastic blocking the rest. So it’s up to customizers again to provide means for emergency abandoning the vehicle or action-packed emptying your uzi while half-sitting inside. The reason for that is…OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

…an extra steering wheel on a column?? Yes, it’s a play feature (a kid’s toy, remember?) that enables you to turn the wheels comfortably from up here instead of having to stick your fingers inside via the driver’s door and working it from there. You put the column through the sun roof and insert it into the ‘KFC bucket holder’ between the front seats. Not much use for collectors who are not into ‘driving’ their scaled cars around the table so we can easily discard that object. Or put it back in place.

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Which is here, underneath the Defender. See it stuck in the middle? Notice also the quite not bad set of details in this area which allows for some workshop-repairs-seen-from-underneath photo themes if that’s your thing. And in such a case you might also wanna consider…

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…popping the hood open to take a look at…

 

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…the engine. It is not an accurate representation of all the mechanisms there but it’s far from a bland block of plastic either – some paint applications here and there should work wonders. Notice a functional holder that swings out and latches onto the hood to keep it open. Safety first, remember?

 

Let’s go back to the rear section for a while. We already tested the personnel transport capability but how about goods? Steve, could you please demonstrate?

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Looks promising…

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I’m afraid we’re going to run out of crates and Steve’s stamina before we run out of Defender’s loading space.

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The benches can be removed to make even more room for whatever you wanna put in there. And you can put there a lot.

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…using this hook you can attach a trailer of your choice from the wide range of Bruder’s accessories, many of them coming in sets and combinations with specific vehicles. I don’t have anything to attach here yet but due to choosing the right Defender set I got…

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…a roof rack. And sure, you can stack up your figures’ luggage here or even more boxes and crates but wouldn’t it be more fun to use it in a creative way?

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Just think of the possibilities! The M.O.O.K.S. return from a recon trip to Joes base unaware of a little souvenir that they are bringing back home…

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Now only the special advisor can rescue out team from the terrible fate of not having enough storage space up on their roof!

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The duel rages on! Ok, this shot doesn’t add anything useful to the roof rack subject but you gotta admit it’s distantly cool so just imagine where you can go with your own Defender roof experience.

Anyway, to further elaborate on the size matter a comparison shot or two.

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Defender next to a 1:18-scaled bike model made by one of the major companies (Welly, I believe). As a person who had the opportunity to actually ride this very bike (Yamaha Virago) in real life I confirm that it has a really low construction so this comparison works pretty good in my opinion.

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Ok, this is worse. The large truck comes from Indiana Jones line (with extra customization done by my friend, rehael) and yeah… look at what I wrote just now: ‘large’. It should be larger than an SUV, even one fitted with super-outdoor-bump-munching wheels but here it’s the other way around.

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The Indy truck is an old WWII design so it’s no huge Mack but it’s obvious that the Defender shouldn’t overshadow it with size like that.

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On the other hand the guys look just perfect inside and I can hardly imagine a smaller scale vehicle that would fit modern Joes so comfortably inside – without any need for customizations, cutting off pieces to gain additional space or figures pressing tops of their heads against the car’s inner ceiling.

And I think this is going to be my final conclusion: you have to decide what’s your priority. You can choose a Hasbro vehicle that was designed as a toy to carry that type of figures – which usually involves some cleverly shaped inside to accommodate just the amount of room needed, but is seriously lacking in terms of realism and details and usually doesn’t look like anything you might actually encounter in the streets. You can go with the very opposite and get an incredibly accurate beautiful model that oozes sweet tiny details and resembles the original as close as it gets in such scale – but you just won’t fit your figures there any way that doesn’t look extremely awkward (and in most cases you won’t do even that). So if you are looking for a realistically designed vehicle for your Joes that is nicely detailed but remains a toy and can easily fit figures but is slightly over-scaled – look into Bruder. I am not saying there are no other toy lines like that out there but I myself found none (I mean a non-military design, mind you, as BBI delivers quite nicely in the army transport department). Also be aware of the randomly varying scale inside Bruder’s own assortment – and always make sure prior to purchase that the specific Bruder vehicle matches your figures’ size as good as the Defender does.

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Summary

Strong and weak points:

+ incredibly accurate outside design, details and paintjob

+ decent inside detailing viewable via opening doors and accessible engine compartment

+ comfortably fits 4 figures with a number of accessories or a truckful of payload inside

+ sturdy and solid construction, designed to be played with by kids in an outdoor environment

+ play features: turning front wheels, working suspension on both axes

+ can be upgraded using other Bruder accessories (trailers or the roof rack)

– slightly overscaled for 31/4” figures

– wheels are a bit too big, even for the SUV’s own scale

– inside details are not at high-class 1:18 scale models’ level of design

Who will like it:

practically everybody who wants both a realistic-looking and fully usable non-military vehicle for their modern Joes and can look past (or find a way to justify) the slight scale mismatch

Who won’t like it:

I’d say either those who expect insane expensive-die-cast-model-class level of details inside or those bent on strictly matching the scale willing to sacrifice the ability to actually have their figures use the vehicle

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TCW Boba Fett (1:18, Hasbro)

Name: Boba Fett

Line: Star Wars

Series: The Clone Wars

Scale: 1:18

Producer: Hasbro

Year of release: 2010

As this is my first actual review let me start by explaining a thing about packaging. In short: I don’t care about it. I know many reviewers start their reviews by showing the packaging but those I buy always get ripped to pieces and go straight to the trash bin, unless it’s some elaborate Japanese figure’s box handy for storing 30 spare palms, faces and accessories. Other than that: no MITB or MOC for me! I often buy figures that were already open for cheaper shipping or used ones if I manage to find rares in good shape. I only care about displaying them in a way I enjoy them and occasional photo shoots.

Ok, with that out of the way let’s start the review with the picture of the packa… GOT YA! Naah, I’ll get right down to the figure. This one is for some reason disliked by many collectors. Actually I know the reason, I just can’t justify this figure not being liked or at least not being given credit where its due.

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Oooh, many of you probably shouted, THAT Boba Fett! Yup, that one. The kiddo. But before you leave uninterested – give him a chance. Why do you cross him out to begin with? Because he’s just a kid, you say.

BOB_02Ok, fair enough, he is. But he also is… a Mandalorian kid! And one raised by Jango Fett himself.

Remember that it was THIS guy, this very kid, who grew up to be… well, Boba Fett, the man we all fear and love.

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BOB_04And how did he get there? We all know now that he wasn’t either speed-grew as clone troopers were and he started his rough bounty hunter life rather early. So it’s obvious that the foundations of his character and future awesomeness lie in the past, in his early teenage years. In the harsh training performed by his father.

[click the comic’s page to enlarge it]

I really like that aspect of Boba’s life, part of which was described in the Blood Ties comic book that I keep referring to here in form of screenshots. And this figure really fits that image.

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The figure itself has an interesting design. Boba’s face is based both on the image of actor Daniel Logan, who played him in Attack of the Clones and on the animated model from the Clone Wars series. The result is the mixture of both: a kid who looks mean and bitter but can also raise sympathy as a child trying hard to be tough in the cruel galaxy. He sports what seems like a part of a Mandalorian armor, namely the twin chest pieces and is packing his dad’s pistols (or ones just like them).

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BOB_07I heard people calling that both cute and ridiculous but I think it does make sense: after all Jango wanted his ‘son’ to learn the ways of Mandalorians, so why not start the teachings by making him accustomed to the tools of the trade, piece by piece?

[click the comic’s page to enlarge it]

As for those who wonder why he is wearing only a part of the whole armor… you really have to ask? Here you can also see that a Mandalorian helmet seems in scale with him even though he sadly can’t wear it without having the hair sculpt modified.

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If you really hate the armor you can take it off and… the figure still looks really neat. Underneath he sports a dark grey jumpsuit with realistic details in the chest area, like wrinkles, a small collar and visible seams. Dressed like that he fits nicely with his father not wearing the armor either which can translate to them attending a martial arms training or simply spending time together (like they did before Obi-Wan so rudely interrupted them on Kamino).

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I guess one could consider taking the belt off and aiming for the look of Boba posing as a Republic clone cadet in the Clone Wars series (or simply – use him as a young clone), but I haven’t found any info on the belt being completely removable (some customizers did cut the lower part off, though) and I was too afraid to destroy the figure so I haven’t tried that. I know, weak of me, sorry to disappoint.

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In terms of poseability Boba just rocks – he’s even got ball-hinged hips and despite small size can compete with the best Star Wars figures up-to-date.

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He’s got a jetpack, which is a tad smaller than his father’s, which doesn’t exactly correspond with the whole ‘using Jango’s equipment’ idea, but I don’t mind seeing how it doesn’t impede his poseability even one bit, making him perfect for action poses wearing full gear.

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Time to check how lil Boba fits in with other, adult, Mandalorians.

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Now, in my book that looks just great, like a scene straight from an Open Seasons comic book or a novel by Karen Traviss. But if you are more a fan of George Lucas’ vision and are not into Mandalorians depicted as a clan of warriors-mercenaries, then you might consider this figure rather in the aspect of the Clone Wars TV series, namely the awesome Boba’s 3-episode mini story arc from Season 2. Here is an image attempting to represent the scene where Boba talks to Aurra Sing in a shady cantina:

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Ok, I think that I did what I could to convince those of you who won’t brush this figure off just for being a kid. I think it works both as a young Mandalorian learning his trade and a teenage bounty hunter staring his career. It also has some generic uses, considering his face is that of a young Republic clone. And if you liked Boba in the Clone Wars series and/or in the Attack of the Clones movie then this figure is for sure the best 1:18-scaled version of that character in that time of his life – and I highly doubt they will upgrade him – he’s that good.

 

Summary

Strong and weak points:

+ great representation of a character from the movie and the TV series

+ neat and believable design of a Mandalorian gear for young members of the clan

+ fantastic poseability

+ holds his weapons and wears his jetpack without any problems looking great all the time

+ can be used as a young clone

– features a kid

– not sure if the belt comes off completely (probably not)

– can’t wear a Mandalorian helmet (due to the hair sculpt)

– the jetpack is not the size of other Mandalorian figures’ packs (slightly smaller)

Who will like it:

all seeking a young Mandalorian or clone character: customizers, dioramas and dio-stories creators; those who want such a character displayed on their shelf; those who like to play with their figures and need a poseable young Boba for certain scenes and setups.

Who won’t like it:

those who are more into a ‘tough and cool’ characters as this IS a figure of a kid, no doubt about it.

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