Midnight Express~

Finished my long overdue review of Planet X's Genesis, maybe will be taking some normal stuff after this.

Was surprised to see that my Photobucket links are down due to fact that I exceeded the bandwith usage. Was MORE surprised that I reached the 16000 mark during last weekend.

Thank you all for the support! My hedgehog bid thee goodnight

Planet X Genesis - Pictorial Review

Everyone loves big bots! No one can deny that. Back in the 80's, aside for the combiners that ran around, destroying cities, there was Omega Supreme, one of the largest Autobots out there

Pic Credit : Web

Once a member of the legendary Guardians, Omega was in charge of guarding the Crystal City of Cybertron. Betrayed by his now-corrupted-to-evil friend, the city's creator, The Constructicons, Omega Supreme was taken aback while he watched the destructions of the city. Thus begin the million years hunt for revenge.

Pic Credit : Web

Omega Supreme can be considered lucky enough to be one of the characters that appeared in other continuity/timelines other that G1 itself. The character also appeared in Transformers Energon and Animated series, bearing the homage of the original Omega Supreme.

Much recently, through the popular third-person shooter video game by High Moon Studio in 2010, Omega Supreme also made an appearance in Transformers : War For Cybertron

He skipped leg-day
Pic Credit : Web

In 2012, a newcomer in 3rd Party league suddenly made an appearance, and amazed the fan. Planet X made their debut with teaser of their 1st project, Genesis. Being a literally unknown company, Genesis caught the fan's attention with this ambitious release.

Fansproject [Causality] CA-11 Down Force - Pictorial Review

First and foremost, thanks to 1 Toy for lending me this figure to be reviewed

Pic Credit : Web

The third member of the Stunticons, Drag Strip is the most competitive spark in the group. Winning no more becomes an option, it's a must for that he rather be obliterated than losing. Like the rest of his comrades, Drag Strip debut in the 2-part episode "The Key To Vector Sigma"

Drag Strip is one the recurring charatcters that showed up in almost all publications. He was originally voiced by Ronald Gans in the G1 animated series

Back in the days
Pic Credit : Web

In 2008, Drag Strip, a re-deco of Classics Deluxe Mirage was released under Universe Special Edition which only had 4 figures on its catalogue.

Now, let us continue with the 3rd release of Fansproject's Not-Stunticons, Down Force (Not-Drag Strip)

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...

Maketoys Mobine Series - Paladin/Chaos Pictorial Review

Been on a hiatus for quite some time already (doing review, not buying stuff, LOL) so I thought that this would be a good time to start off again. Been married and living in a new house for a month and a half now, setup my temporary photoshot set yesterday. Do let me know what you think about it.

Now, for something that's been in my hands for almost a month but before that, some introduction is in order.

Many of the mass audiences might remember the antagonist from the 2009's Live Action Movie, Revenge of the Fallen which was....The Fallen, the alien-like, kinda old, boring color who have to gave "his face" at the end movie. However, let us turn our attention the the other The Fallen (because honestly, the movie version sucks!), one of my favourite character, as told in Dreamwave's War Within Continuity.

Ancient Spirit of Evil! (LOL)
Pic Credit : Web

The Fallen (also known as Megatronus by some, inspiring Megatron's name) originated as one of the first 13 Transformers created by Primus during the long battle with Unicron, in-charge of overseeing destructions and rebirth. However, more enticed by the former than the latter, The Fallen slowly drifted away into the darkness, bringing him to Unicron and betrying his creator.

An attempt to sabotage his creator resulted him and his new master trapped for what seems to be forever.... Millions of years later, after a Space Bridge accident which caused Optimus Prime and Megatron to be lost, The Fallen returns, with Unbinding ceremony in his mind

Unbinding is a process of opening The Seal of Primus which required four Cybertronians, representing different angles of the Geometry of Dissolution. The said Cybertronians are Grimlock, Jetfire, Blitzwing and Hotspot

The Fallen VS Grimlock
Pic Credit : Web

The purpose of Unbinding is for Cybertron to be located by Unicron in which he did as evidenced by 1986's Transformers The Movie. Although successful, the distraction made by Jetfire gave Primus himself enough time to manifest and casting The Fallen into the Seal of Primus which forms anew.

Botcon 2013.....

It truly is a sad moment for me, being in Malaysia while Botcon is held in the land far-far away....how I wish to bought all those stuff... Damn It!

This year's Botcon set has been revealed with more and more figures surfaced...on Ebay... Let us start with the main set

The theme of Botcon 2013 is Machine Wars, the weird time (lol), with Termination Set featuring 5 figures in total

Termination Set
Pic Source : Duh, the Net, I'm not there, REMEMBER?!!

Pic Credit : Web

The box consist of 5 figures of Machine Wars characters which are [from left], Strika (Generations Warpath mold), Megaplex (TF:Prime Skyquake/Dreadwing mold), Obsidian (HFTD Highbrow mold), Skywarp (HFTD Dirge mold) and Hoist (Generations Kup mold)

Moving on, aside from the set, few other figures for Botcon 2013 would be

- Sandstorm (DOTM Sky Hammer mold) and Electron (Generations Kup mold) as 2-pack Souvenir

Pic Credit : Botcon Official Page

- Mirage (Classics Mirage mold) and Thundercracker (HFTD Dirge mold as 2-pack Souvenir

Pic Credit : Botcon Official Page

- Generations Warpath mold for Assembled Class Kit Figure

Pic Credit : Botcon Official Page

- Starscream (HFTD Terradive mold)(far left)

Pic Credit : Botcon Official Page

Last but not least (at least as of now)

- The Rainmakers, Sunstorm, Bitstream and Hotlink (Classics Starscream mold)

Pic Credit : Botcon Official Page

This year Botcon really made me cry, too many focused on the Classics/Henkei/United/Reveal The Shield/Generations (CHURGs) line.

As of now, here's my new list :-

- Botcon 2013 Hoist
- Botcon 2013 Strika
- Botcon 2013  Electron
- Botcon 2013 Mirage
- Botcon 2013 Rainmakers

These are not much BUT when you include 3 Metroplexes (Generations, Takara and Conventions), TFC Uranos, TFC Ares, Generations and United....

Expensive year indeed.....

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

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*