KODX Black Convoy - Pictorial Review

First and foremost, this post merely act as a review and comparison between the original United Black Convoy and the new KODX Black Convoy, not endorsing it

Tracing back, the release of KO Optimus Prime mold started with the low-end quality version of Henkei Prime, Ultra Magnus (Blue Body) and Nemsis Prime (All black, silver thigh), then the KOLD (KO Lucky Draw) version which include KO Crystal Convoy, Gold and Silver Versions, Shattered Glass, Double Shattered Glass, Wonderfest, KO Wonderfest and few more iterations of the mold. Although better the quality is still below average.

The KODXs released end of December, currently consist of 4 version, KO Shattered Glass, KO Crystal Convoy, KO Henkei Convoy and KO Black Convoy

Toyworld TW-H01 Hardbone - Pictorial Review Part 2

Robot Mode

First of all, I'm gonna say it out loud. Hardbone's robot mode gave me a mix feeling. It might just be me, for you all to decide

Toyworld TW-H01 Hardbone - Pictorial Review Part 1

During Rebirth Part 1 - Part 3, the last 3 episodes of Transformers Generation 1 (Season 4, US version) in 1987, Brainstorm proposed the idea of experimenting the pairing of a Transformers with a human partner to enhance the capability of combat which was scrapped with sole purpose of not involving the human directly in the war (REALLY?!!)

However, the assault to the Autobots and the lost of The Key To Plasma Energy Chamber changed it all. Fighting for their life, Hardhead and some of his Autobots comrades crashed landed on Nebulos and taken captive by the resistance, soon joining them in the fight against their oppressor, the Hive. And the Headmaster project began.

They see me smilin, they hatin~
Pic Credit : Web

Being a soldier to the core, Hardhead was stubborn as a rock, believe in his strength but a great comrade nonetheless. Let see how he was back in the day

As tough as a brick!
Pic Credit : Web

In 2009, Hasbro decided to release a homage to Hardhead showing their recognition to the legendary character. But, the execution was underwhelming, with straight repaint of Universe Onslaught (he received an upgrade kit from Headrobot but we'll get to that after this)

As I always said, good mold but not Hardhead enough
Pic Credit : Web

Fansproject jumped in with their Function X release (started with Not-Chromedome) which to me was very poor in design, small figure with a hefty price tag. Toyworld answered the call, with the release of TW-H01 Hardbone (and later, not-Brainstorm)

The gimmicks!

In Transformers, there's a handfull of characters with gimmicks that will always be something the fans looked forward to, like Gestalts, Multi-changers (Triple Changer, Six Changer, etc), City Bots, Headmaster, Powermaster and Brainmaster.

Believe it or not, proper execution of these characters is consider are quick win for the fans. 3rd party dove into the gestalt's arena and almost all (ALMOST) releases hit the fan hard (financially)

The monster (I'd like it to be) in my closet
Pic Credit : Web

Fansprojects and HasTak (recently back in the game) tackled some Triple Changers which I see are quite sought after, not to mention the next Not-Sixshot, a Six-Phasers. 

HasTak getting back in the game
Pic Credit : Web

Magnus Killer!
Pic Credit : Web

Headmaster, Powermaster and Brainmaster are 3 gimmicks that were used widely in the Japanese G1 series of Headmasters, Masterforce and Victory. HasTak basically haven't even touch the surface of these in their Neo-G1/Classics releases which fans (me) turned to 3rd party companies.

Fansproject's take on Powermaster
Pic Credit: Web

The best of the bunch, would be the big bot to be release by HasTak

Generations Metroplex
Pic Credit : Web

Exciting time indeed!

Dreamworks Toy Factory Weapon Upgrading Kit - Pictorial Review

I'm going out of normal for awhile as I do this review, an upgrade kit for Transformers Prime 1st Edition Bulkhead.
(FE Bulkhead and Dreamworks kit courtesy of 2 dear friends)

LOL!

I did wrote on my first post here

People once ask me why I became a collector. Because I enjoyed it. A friend once asked me to join him, going overseas for holiday as (his word) it opened up your mind seeing the world, not sticking to this nonsense hobby.

I ask him, after his trip, what is left aside from few crappy photos? Me, I can get my money back if i sell everything, consider this as converting my money into assets. By the way, No, 3 days trip doesn't make you an insightful person, nor 'opened to the world'.

And my brother saw this on 9gag

It made my day

Fansproject [Causality] CA-10 T-Bone - Pictorial Review

Again, thanks to a dear friend who lent me this figure for review. I give you, Fansproject CA-10 T-Bone (Not-Wildrider) review

Pic Credit : Web

 A lot of you out there might see Wildrider in your daily life, office, college, home and most certainly, Facebook. A bot who's an Adrenaline junky but couldn't care less (if he could, he would), raising alarm even to his fellow Decepticons. But a loose cannon he ain't but crazy's his middle name

It's hard to match his personality with his toy

Fansproject [Causality] CA-09 Car Crash - Pictorial Review

In Transformers, there's always a pair, their arch nemesis, mortal enemy. You got Optimus Prime and Megatron, Metroplex and Trypticon, Soundwave and Blaster, so on and so forth. Autobots has always been the king of the road, having advantage of ground attack and defend against the force of Decepticons. When their scheme to steal a super fuel was rundown by the Autobots, Megatron opt to break this power gap and to take control of the ground from the Autobots, giving birth to the Stunticons

The Stunticons was created with 5 stolen earth vehicles, performed extremely well neutralizing Autobots ground advantage. Moving forward, as a countermeasure, Aerialbots were born

Rumble : Incredible, not even the Autobots can do that kind of stunt driving!
Megatron : Stunt driving? Yesss. Behold, the Stunticons!
Pic Credit : Web

After a long rest from their combiner release, Fansproject continue with the release of Not-Stunticons. Take note this figure was lent to me by a dear friend as I skipped the Fansproject-Scale combiners

Paranoid, the one word to describe Stunticons Breakdown, with the constant agitation that 'everyone' and 'everything' is watching him. However, on road, he should not be undermined, a worthy foe indeed

The Not-Combiners

It's a cruel time for Transformers collectors, it really is. Generations 3.0 has given us a promising debut with the releases of awesome characters especially Titan Class Metroplex. However, one thing that still lacking, the Combiners, where up until now, there's still no news of HasTak taking the wheel on this and delivering fair combiners to the fans. And so, we turn to 3rd Party companies. After the succesfull release of many ie Fansproject Crossfires, Maketoys Giant, TFC Hercules and Uranos, more combiners are shoved to us ie Maketoys Not-Computron, MMC Feral Rex (Not-Predaking), another from TFC yet to be named and of course, Fansproject Not-Menasor as apart of the Causality line.

Take note that there's 2 scale of combiners, one being the TFC's scale where we have Uranos, Hercules and MMC's Feral Rex. The other one being Fansproject Crossfires (Not-Bruticus and Not-Superion), Maketoys Giant and Not-Computron, etc. I choose the larger ones being that for combiners, I opt to the biggest scale available.

Reference, not accurately scaled
Pic Credit : Web

*Wishing for more combiners in TFC's scale*

Generations Voyager Springer - Pictorial Review [Part 2]

Robot Mode

Awesome design! Hasbro manage to take the IDW design and bring it to life. If you notice, the shoulder pads are made out of thin plastics. His rotor blades can be use a sword which is solid and design nicely, much better compared to Defender's

Generations Voyager Springer - Pictorial Review [Part 1]

First of all, I want to said, last time Generations halted during the screening of Transformers' Dark of the Moon, around June 2011, having release Junkheap and Sky Shadow. So for me, except from 3rd party releases, it's been constant repaint and repaint and repaint (including the Asia Exclusive figures) so hasn't been that much exciting for me. Even when I started Henkei/United this year, felt bored of the same mold

However, early this year, Toy Fair 2013 revealed what's on the table for the future and I was damn excited. One of the figure would be, Generations Voyager Springer

Pic Credit : web

First made his appearance in the 1986's Transformers The Movie, Springer became one of the new regulars (together with Kup, Arcee, Blur, etc) that took place post-Optimus Prime era. Springer, to me gave the impression of regular jock. Good build, skilled, but never really shines.

Springer was apart of a new group introduced, a triple-changer, along with a few others ie Sandstorm, Broadside and few others.

Pic Credit : Web

He received a fairly decent toy back in the days which to me is good enough if you look some of the other characters released. After Generation 1, a (somewhat) homage of him made an appearance in Transformers Superlink (Energon), named Sprung/Bulkhead. Toy wise, HasTak did make an effort of introducing him post-Unicron Trilogy under the Universe line A COUPLE OF TIME being repaint after repaint (not to mention Botcon release)

One of the many Springer
Pic Credit : Web

And in 2012, he was again released using Transformers Hunt for The Decepticon's Tomahawk mold and as I saw it, people seems happy to use it filling in for Classics Springer slot.

Despite all that, back in 2010, Fansproject kick-start their Warbot series with the release of Defender a coincidentally-homaging-Springer which was met with different reaction. Being the first full fledge figure, poeple still wondering whether the price is right for a small-voyager figure. Nonetheless, fan rejoice, we have our Springer!

I have to admit though, Defender comes with a few flaws, paint chip, loose joint and sometime-weird proportions. In early 2013, during Toyfair 2013, HasTak launch their 'counter attack', answering to fans wants and demands.