TFC AV-8B Harrier II [Project Uranos] - Pictorial Review

It's been 4 months since the last update on Project Uranos. It might be old news already for some, I've just received the 4th member, AV-8B Harrier II (Not-Slingshot)

Pic Credit : Web

A selfish jerk! That pretty much summed him up. Slingshot, along with other members of the Aerialbots, was created as countermeasure and answer to The Stunticons threats. However, Slingshot made it clear that the safety of the earth, human and fellow Autobots are none of his concerns. Not to mention his zero respect to his commander, Silverbolt.

Despite having his opinion about the Autobots and protecting the innocence changed, Slingshot admired the Decepticons Jets and more, Megatron himself. It didn't last as Slingshot and the rest of the Aerialbots went back in time to Cybertron's pre-war era and watched with their own optics as past-Megatron casually destroy past-Orion Pax.

Pic Credit : Web

With that, he declared that Megatron will never be able to run from the Aerialbots ever again! Which Megatron did...over and over again...

Generations Hoist - Pictorial Review

Generations 3.0 continues, now with 2 additional Deluxes through the 2nd Wave release, Generations Hoist and Thundercracker. Sadly though, Thundercracker is FOC Starscream's repaint which by default, I won't buy it. So that left me with Hoist. Who is Hoist?

Pic Credit : Web

A familiar face to the fan (maybe because he looks like Trailbreaker), Hoist is one of the favorite recurring character in the G1 cartoon. Most notable episode would be "The Master Builder" where upon rejection, Hoist and his trouble-mate, Grapple, turns to the Constructicons for help so they could build the Solar Power Tower (which back then, was a big deal)

Although not apparent, Hoist was a doctor to the Autobots, almost as much as Ratchet was. Hoist never really played a big role throughout the series but he were there for the most of it. Before we move on, here's a blast from the past

G1 Hoist
Pic Credit : Web

Okay...moving on.....fast

Generations IDW Orion Pax - Pictorial Review

Now, for the best of the bunch, the last of Generations 3.0 First Wave Deluxe, the most anticipated (I know I did), iconic and obscure character in the G1 continuity.

Before there was a Soldier, there was a civilian, before there was war, there was peace, before there was the greatest leader Autobots had ever had, there was the run-of-the-mill bot, Orion Pax

Orion Pax and Ariel (the former Elita-One)
Pic Credit : Web

Based on the G1 continuity, before the war broke out and devastate Cybertron, bringing the inhabitants to the brink of extinction, Optimus Prime was known as Orion Pax, hard-working dock worker that knew nothing about war, let alone commanding one side of it.

Towards the end of Golden Age of Cybertron, a new generation of Cybertronian surfaced, more powerful  with the new robot-mode flight, lead by the one and only, Megatron. Fate brought them together, Megatron took interest in the dock warehouse where Orion Pax was at and the clash begin...but ended shortly with Orion Pax and Ariel being critically wounded. 

End of Orion Pax
Pic Credit : Web

Brought to Alpha Trion who in return, helped to save them, Orion Pax and Ariel were both used as the first subject to his new reconstruction process, restructuring and reconfiguring them as Optimus Prime and Elita-One respectively. (Elita One's name shares the same root meaning as Optimus Prime's: "Best First")

G1 Orion Pax and Dion
Pic Credit : Web

Generations Trailcutter - Pictorial Review

Next, let's go back to basic to one of the key characters that was there since the beginning of G1 Series, Trailcutter

Not, it's not a hat

Trailcutter (formerly known as Trailbreaker, changed due to trademark issue) was part of the Autobots crew on board of the Ark that stranded on earth for millions of years. Awakened in 1984, Trailcutter was reformatted with Toyota 4WD Camper Truck as his Alt Mode

Stop watching the TV!
Pic Credit : Web

Trailcutter assumed quite a number of role in the cartoon, from strategist, spy, you name it. However, his most notable role would be saving all the Autobots with his force field from being disintegrated by the sun in "Megatron's Master Plan Part 2"

Generations IDW Megatron - Pictorial Review

Now, let us move forward to the character whose design mesmerize the fan during his debut in the IDW The Transformers (Ongoing Series), Megatron

Pic Credit : Web

In the event of All Hail Megatron Series, the Autobots counter attack after their previous defeat, and manage to stop the Decepticons. Evil as he was, Megatron ordered the Decepticons to flee and let the Autobots get nuked by the human. However, distractions cost him his life and Optimus Prime landed the final blow.

Picked up by Starscream (yes, Starscream) and retreat, Megatron was put on life support and given a new body, a much powerful body.

Generations IDW Bumblebee - Pictorial Review

Generations 3.0 deluxes made their debut months ago and was frequently discussed on the net. Let us continue the Thrilling 30 line!

This character need no introduction (well, maybe just a little), he was the star of the show in the Micheal Bay incarnations of Transformers and the trend spreads to Transformers Animated and Transformers Prime (up to the Finale, WTF?)

Pic Credit : Web

Bumblebee is a character that strive, that pretty much sums it up. He was since the beginning, one of the characters that received more G1 toy treatment than any other characters. But, Hasbro lost their favorite player right about the time Beast Wars and Beast Machines aired. Apparently, BEAST Wars and BEAST Machines era weren't really kind to him, BumbleBEE

Botcon 2013 The Rainmakers - Pictorial Review

Last year, Takara released their MP11-S, Sunstorm and then Hasbro announced their MP Acid Storm as TRU Exclusive and it got me thinking, will there be official CHURGs Rainmakers? Why not, we already have Universe Acid Storm.

Since the start of CHURGs, Seekers and/or Coneheads will always released (at least once) in the line, nothing new about that. Classics - Starscream, Skywarp, Ramjet, Henkei - Starscream, Skywarp, Thundercracker, Ramjet, Thrust, Dirge, Ghost Starscream, Universe 2.0 - Starscream, Acid Storm, Generations - Thundercracker, Thrust, Dirge and United - The Aces and The Elite Sets. They even had Botcon releases which are 2007's Games of Deception for Thundercracker, Dirge and Thrust then 2011's Shattered Glass Thundercracker while from TFCC, 2011's G2 Ramjet. 

Up to that point, there's been 26 variants of the Seekers/Coneheads mold (I thought of them as the same, using the same base) released and with the start of Generations 3.0, I thought to myself, "Yeap, they are coming" and they did. They release an official version of The Rainmakers....as Botcon 2013's figures...and I wept.

The Rainmakers (mentioned by Bluestreak) are Megatron secret forced on Cybertron which have a special ability of creating an Acid Rain that can damage the circuitry of the Autobots but no...not human... (see G1's Divide and Counquer )

Pic Credit : Web

Presenting, the 27th - 29th used of the mold

Botcon 2012 SG Straxus -Pictorial Review

During the debut of Generations line, fans were met with a few obscure characters that gave refreshing breath to the line. Aside from the new hero-in-the-making Drift, we were given a character well known in the Marvel UK continuity. Some characters are called Commander, some are Captain, Lieutenant, so on and so forth. But him, we call Lord High Governor Straxus.

Despite all that....he's still a fearsome dictator!

Bow to no one, not even Megatron himself, Straxus rule with iron fist on his throne, Darkmount. As he would say, "Mercy is not dispensed here, fools...only death!"

At the other end of this spark-ribbing, gut-wrenching menace, comes the most venerated poet ever known, the cybertronian-Shakespeare, Shattered Glass Straxus, the Bard of Darkmount.

I glow therefor we go
Pic Credit : Web

Attendee freebie at Botcon 2012, SG Straxus was part of the Invasion story arc.

Botcon 2013 Machine Wars Mirage - Pictorial Review

Botcon 2013 is behind me, leaving me nothing other than utterly...broke! Of all the figures that are on my list, I manage to secure 5 out of 7 and walk out alive. This review is for 2013's Machine Wars Mirage

A little back story, Machine Wars : Transformers was released in 1997 as an attempt to bring back Transformers in vehicular mode with mostly well known characters (with new design but of pre-existing molds) to succeed its predecessor, the Beast Wars. A sub-continuity, only one wave of figures totaling in 12 characters, was produced

A former member of affluent Cybertron society, Mirage isn't like most of the Autobots. Being among the top of the hierarchical chain, the war was the last thing he'd ever hoped for to happen. But it did and Mirage had to choose side which wasn't easy, being with a group of commoners he couldn't really understand.

Sir Mirage, if you will
Pic Credit : Web

Machine Wars Mirage transforms into a green-ish and white Ligier JS39 F1 race car. The mold was originally design of Generations 2 Mirage which explain it having a head sculpt similar to his G1 form.

A flipchanger, like Animated's Activators

Now for the best part...

New Chapter

It's been awhile since I updated my blog. It's has been almost 3 weeks that I've become a husband, can't believe that it finally happened and I'm as happy as I can ever be

Family Picture

For years I've been focusing on the Neo-G1 line and I'm proud to own what I owned now.

Received Universe 2.0 Starscream from a dear friend as a wedding gift, completing my Starscream variants. However, I'm still far behind in completing the seekers mold, still looking for Thundercracker and Skywarp's variants

Completed my Onslaught's mold with Henkei Onslaught. Still looking for Henkei Powerglide and Wal-Mart Exclusive Powerglide. My completed molds are

1- Optimus Prime (7 Variants, not including Lucky Draw and Unreleased)
2- Silverbolts (3 Variants)
3- Jetfire (5 Variants)
4- Inferno (7 Variants)
5-Onslaught (4 Variants)
6- Warpath (2 Variants, excluding Strika)
7- Rodimus (8 Variants)
8- Astrotrain (2 Variants)

Still looooong way to go. Got around 7 new Henkeis coming in 2-3 months, with that, Hotshot and Sideswipe will be complete

Damn, 2013 is the Revival of Generations year, must survive this!

PS : I luv my wife

1st quarter of 2013

In a blink of an eye, 3 months of 2013 has passed, didn't even realize it. Aside of marriage stuff, collection wise, been narrowing down in terms of 3rd party release and focusing more on the leftovers of Henkei/United to complete all the molds.

These (and a few more) are the ones from this pass couple of months

not in pic : United Warpath, United Stepper, Henkei Astrotrain

A good start, won't you say?

Xovergen Trailerforce TF-01 Masterarmor - Pictorial Review

Xovergen perhaps is one the few 3rd party companies that doesn't release 2-3 figures per year hence reducing the damage to my wallet. They first annouced their debut project with STC-GP Grand Patriot which was annouced in June 2010.

Pic - Credit

Xovergen STC-GP Grand Patriot was release circa 2011, a release inspired by a concept art by artist don Figueroa, a Transformers-G.I Joe Crossover design of Optimus Prime as Rolling Thunder.

It received several releases of green and red colors but not great reception by the fans (especially green color version) as there were issues of quality of the plastic and the design itself.




However, not giving up, Xovergen teased us in 2011 with their plan of producing on of the iconic characters in Transformers fandom (and haven't received any release since he last appearance in 1988), Super Ginrai of Transformers : Super-God Masterforce

Super Ginrai
Pic Credit : Web

Transformers : Super-God Masterforce was the 2nd series that wasn't released by the US after Transformers Headmaster.

There are a few version of the story which gave different explanations of the event happening during Masterforce (not to mention how Ginrai looked like Optimus Prime) so I'll be skipping it.

But you can just easily google it for either the TV Series, the Marvel Comic or the Japan Comic versions





So, let us start!

First of all, the top left is Super Ginrai in Alt Mode, bottom left is his Powermaster, center is Ginrai with the trailer as Battle Station and lastly Super Ginrai. Xovergen Trailerforce TF-01 Masterarmor is an add-on homaging Super Ginrai with either using Classics/Henkei Optimus Prime, Masterforce Ginrai or G1 Optimus Prime.

Clash of the Titans

These few months had been so kind, I've gotten a lot of the figures that I aimed. To name a few, United Artfire, United Stepper, Botcon G2 Breakdown, Toyworld Grindrod and a lot more. However, I'm pretty far behind on my photo sessions, need to catch up as well as post the older ones. But before that, enjoy The Clash Of The Titans!

Xovergen Trailerforce TF-01 (Not-Powermaster Prime)

Been busy for weeks, not to mention caught a flu that seems doesn't want to go away. Missed my fiancee also. Tough week

Tokyo Toy Show 2012 United Black Henkei Convoy

Here's a review of a repaint of Classic Voyager Optimus Prime, United Black Henkei Convoy

In Package - Front View

Packed in a white box, different from normal United releases (even if compared to United WFC Darkside).Comparing the cost, it's just a bit more expensive than normal United Voyagers.