Enter the Nightbird

Here's a figure that came out of nowhere.  Nightbird isn't someone that I really felt needed a figure, but I guess I was wrong.  I've run across countless fan drawn art on the Internet depicting Nightbird as Megatron's consort, so I guess Takara is giving those fans something that they're always wanted.  Even though I wasn't expecting Nightbird, I'm glad that she was released.

Nightbird is a redeco and retool of Legends Arcee.  I really like the paint job Takara did with her, especially in vehicle mode.  The colors are highly evocative of Psycho, from the GoBots.

I know that it isn't obvious on first blush, but the sleek lines and all of the black and silver just shout "Psycho!" to me. 

At any rate, the details with the paint applications are just fantastic.  The purple seats and yellow windshield are fantastic.  Yes, this is just a redeco of Arcee, but it looks incredible.  I really cannot get enough of those purple seats.

Nightbird comes with Arcee's full complement of weapons, plus two sais.  To be perfectly honest, I could care less about the swords and the guns.  They looked funny with Arcee, and I believe they'd look even worse with Nightbird.  The stock photos showed Nightbird with weapons that are solid gold in color, but the release version features translucent yellow.  I like the translucent yellow, but the solid gold looks better.

The sais fit on Nightbird's wrists when not in use, and it's a nice look.  I prefer keeping one on the wrist, and one in hand.  The only down side is that Nightbird cannot hold a sais upside down, or at least I couldn't get her to.  I really like it when figures can hold sharp instruments upside down in a stabbing motion - it looks better that way. 

I realized that Masterpiece Track's flight stand worked well with Nightbird, so I snapped a few pics, trying to get some nice action poses.  I failed. 

I've seen some tutorials online showing how to take off the backpack kibble, but I think that's unnecessary.  The constant tinkering of toys is a tad annoying. 

Takara really knocked it out of the park with Nightbird.  The purple of the waist and mouthpiece really stand out.  So does the yellow on her waist.  For my last CHUG purchase, I think I could do a lot worse than Nightbird.  I'm actually a bit sad that I'm giving up CHUGs, but I have my priorities. 

Takara Legends Arcee

This is one of those figures that I kicked myself for not getting, but fortunately, Takara did another run of these figures and I was able to snag one.  When I got the Generations version, I was pretty impressed, but then Flywheels, from the Random Toy Review blog, pointed out all of the black that was on the figure and that the Takara version had a color scheme that was dead on to the animated model.  I can't believe that I didn't pick up on that, but I'm not the most observant person.  Well. at least I got my hands on the Legends version.  Spoiler warning: If you're looking for cheesecake style poses and pictures of a toy, you've come to the wrong place.

I was going to do this whole thing about how great the packaging on the figure was and all of the paperwork, but Random Toy Reviews does a much better job of it.  Check out his review here.  Instead, I'll just get into the figure itself.  There is so much pink on this figure!  I was really expecting the pink on the Takara version to be different shade than the Hasbro, but they're the exact same.  The grey wheels caught me off guard, for some reason.  It never dawned on me that the wheels are cartoon accurate.  It's still a bit jarring, however.  I mean, when was the last time that you saw a 2005 model pink car with grey tires?  Tires should be black!

Here's a shot of both the Legends and Generations version side by side in vehicle mode.  The differences are pretty striking.  The Generations version features blue headlights  and black trim whereas the Legends model has silver headlights and all of the blacks have been replaced with either pink or white.  Some of the pink highlights have been changed to pink for the Takara release as well.

The color palettes of the weapons have been changed as well.  Takara went with a pink large pistol, and a grey small gun.  Small changes, but pretty potent.

One final comparison shot of the two different figures.  Can you guess which one is which?  I have to say that not having the black on the joints for Arcee's hips seems to make a world of difference.  There's a subtle shade of pink on Arcee's hair buns on the Takara version, and a grayish color on the Hasbro one.  Other differences on the Legends Arcee include : grey instead of white on the torso, light pink forearms and hands, red on the torso that is otherwise left completely white on Hasbro's, pink kneecaps, grey ankles, white feet, an insignia on the chest, and redder lips.  The Takara version is a much better looking figure.

Like the Generations figure, Takara's Arcee cannot fit the handles for her weapons completely.  There was apparently a running change with the figure starting with Hasbro where Arcee's thumbs were shortened for unknown reasons.  The Legends figure is based of this version.  I completely forgot about the swivels in Arcee's thighs until I was taking pictures.  They really allow for some good poses.

Man, those guns sticking out of her hands are really off-putting.

I've never been a huge fan of figures wielding two guns at the same time.  Ever see someone in real life dual-wield a weapon and be effective with both of them?  Didn't think so.

I suppose a sword is a weapon that you can duel-wield, but Inigo Montoya only ever used one sword, and that's good enough for me.  Besides, I like the look of one sword in this pose.

Finally, a shot of the Genertions/Legends version of the Transformers: The Movie main cast.  There should really be new Deluxe versions of Hot Rod and Kup.  Just not based on Combiner Wars molds.  If you don't have a Legends Arcee, run, don't walk, to your nearest computer and order one.  What are you waiting for?

Takara United Ratbat

 

So I finally broke down and bought a Takara United figure.  What figure did I decide to get?  Why Senator Ratbat, of course!  Since he wasn't going to be available from Hasbro, I really didn't have any other options.  For my first ever United figure, I think I made a great choice.

Ratbat as anything other than a bat whose alt-mode is a cassette is a relatively new development in Transformers lore.  When those of us that grew up during the 1980's, Ratbat has always looked like this:

Picture from TFWiki

Even in his past, before Ratbat came to earth, that's what he always was: a bat that worked in service to Soundwave.  Sure, he usurped command of the Decepticons at one point and actually commanded Soundwave, but he was always a bat.  Always.

Then Dreamwave came around.  Specifically, Dreamwave's title The War Within happened.  In 2003, Dreamwave released The War Within: The Dark Ages.  Simon Furman was having lots of fun filling in the back story of the war on Cybertron and adding to the mythos.  One of the more lasting things that Furman added was Ratbat in a bipedal body. 

Picture from TFWiki

Seeing Ratbat like that was jarring to me.  Sure, he's purple, but can anyone honestly look at that and say "Hey!  Ratbat!"?  The face is vaguely bat-like, I suppose.  Then he was taken out of that body for some reason and put into his more familiar cassette body.  Since bankruptcy pretty much put an end to Dreamwave, the hows and whys of Ratbat's fall from command of the Ultracons to being Soundwave's pet. 

Once IDW got their hands on the Transformers license, they put out a miniseries titled Megatron: Origin, that was originally pitched to Dreamwave.  After some retooling, the series was put to print. Ratbat made his first IDW-verse appearance in issue 2 of that series. 

Alex Milne thought he was still at Dreamwave when he drew this

As a senator.  Yes, Senator Ratbat.  Ratbat didn't do what a senator does when we think of a senator.  He didn't introduce new legislation or attempt to fillibuster.  No, what Ratbat did was stoke the fires of unrest to suit his needs and fill his accounts, usually by directing Soundwave to do his bidding.  It was Ratbat's direct involvement that led to the rise of the Decepticons.  Ratbat's reward for helping Megatron?  He had his spark ripped out his body and placed into a cassette.  Hey, an explanation!

It's taken me a bit to feel comfortable with these, well, let's just call them retcons.  I didn't vomit pure hate of foam at the mouth, but I generally didn't understand the point of it all.  Ratbat's primary function is fuel scout so I'm not sure of the need to make him a faction leader or a corrupt senator.  At any rate, at least the senator design is pretty nifty.

The design led Takara, six years later, to release a Senator Ratbat figure in the United line.  The figure is a redeco of Generations Scourge with a new head.  I have to say, the wings on the back really do give it a bat-like appearance. 

The new head is really spot on to his appearance in Megatron: Origins.  It evokes the bat motif that the comic version had going for it.  It's just spot on and really great to look at.

While the cape isn't present, the wings still look great.  Have I mention the colors?  They are magnificent.  And the metallic paint for the gold highlights are pretty and shiny.  I'm just loving this figure.  More so than Scourge.

Like Scourge, Ratbat transforms into a jet that is reminiscent of a B-2 Stealth Bomber.  Whereas Scourge was predominantly blue and white, Ratbat is given a completely purple alt-mode.  Again, very shiny and very pretty.  I can't help but be thankful that the metallic finish was accomplished without the use of the metal flaked plastics that lead to GPS.  I'd hate for a figure this gorgeous to disintegrate.

Front view

Rear view

Senator Ratbat with his earless future self

 It's amazing how adding a new head and some shiny paint can really change a figure.  While I had never completely understood why someone would pay essentially 4 times the cost of a domestic release for a new figure, I can honestly see why now.  If you've been sitting on the fence about Senator Ratbat, get off of it now.  Seriously, you will not regret it.

Masterpiece Lambor

Oddly, there isn't one picture or review on the entirety of the Internet about the newly released Masterpiece Lambor, also known as MP-12 and Masterpiece Sideswipe. I guess this makes this the only blog or website to talk about him. He must not be popular or something. Try doing a Google search for MP-12 Sideswipe and not a thing pops up.

In all seriousness, this is probably the 534,698th review of this figure and most likely will wind up being the least read. Oh well.

I'm not going to go into all of the detail that everyone else has or will everywhere else. Why beat a dead horse? This will mainly be pictures.

I will say a few things about the figure before I start with the pics. After learning about the lack of die-cast, I was a little apprehensive. I understand that all-plastic figures are sturdier than those featuring die-cast parts, but I like the heft of a metal figure. That being said, for an all-plastic construction, this guy is solid. The lack of rubber tires had me concerned as well, but the plastic tires still look sharp.

I've seen online where MP-12 was essentially the size of a Classics figure which worried me greatly. Having finally gotten mine, I can say that the heights may be the same, but Sideswipe definitely has more girth and substance than a Classics figure. Just the poseability alone makes Sideswipe a worthy purchase. I love this figure. On to pics!

Gorgeous!

Wonder who's side he's on?

Dynamic!

Even the back is gorgeous

How's this scale?

The in-scale gang

Couldn't find my MP-10 box for comparison.  MP-09 will do.

Mine came with 2 cards!?

Dinobot Island

This has been a tough couple of weeks. I was going to get the three Dinobots that I didn't own, but wanted to wait until Isaac passed to order them, being worried about them getting lost in the mail. Well, I waited so long that the perfect Swoop I was watching got scooped out from me on eBay. Since I wanted to get Slag, Snarl and Swoop all at once, I was at a loss on what to do because I wanted more Transformers. All of the other Swoops I found were either potential K.O.s or had loose joints. Nothing but the best for Swoop. After two weeks, the seller who I was going to get Slag and Snarl from got a Swoop that was acceptable.

I kind of overpaid for all three of these guys, but I wanted to make sure that they all tight joints and were real. I do have a few questions, however. All three of them have just Takara 1980-1984 stamps on them. Slag's missile launcher shoots like a Takara version, but Snarl and Swoop seem to have the neutered launchers. Does this sound right? Did the Hasbro run have just the Takara stamp, or did I luck into Takara versions?

This is my second Slag. I still have the first one I got from that drunk kid lo those many years ago, but he wound up disintegrating. As soon as I picked him up ten years ago, the Triceratops head and tail just came off. Repair was not an option. Then again, all I had for that Slag was his gun, so I needed a complete one anyway.

The thing that I love most about Slag is that he's a Triceratops. Back when I entertained the idea of becoming a paleontologist, the Triceratops was always my favorite and that just translated to my love of Slag. Just look at that dinosaur mode. Lovely.

The second thing I like about Slag is the missile launcher. The thing I never really liked about the Dinobots were the handheld missile launchers. I'm more of a fan of shoulder mounted launchers, and while you can't mount Slag's to his shoulder, it does mount on his arm. And it rotates! Cool.

Swoop was one of my holy grails. I had never owned one, and all previous attempts had ended in either lost auctions, fear of K.O.s, or bad conditioned figures. He's just one of those fragile figures that are hard to find in decent condition. His wings are fragile and he has an insane amount of chrome. Add in the glut of K.O.s and you have a headache trying to find one.

"Swoop want good part!"

He's small, smaller than I would've imagined. I knew he was small, but damn. Thankfully, he's awesome, so that makes up for the petiteness of this figure. Maybe my excitement to finally have a Swoop in my hands after 27 years has something to do with it.

I'm actually afraid to handle Swoop because I'm worried that I'll break him. He's a beautiful figure. I can't believe that I waited 27 years to purchase this guy. There isn't any one thing that really stands out about him, but just looking at him, I'm impressed. He certainly has a simple transformation. A lot simpler than I would have imagined.

What can I say about Snarl? He's huge, for starters. His bulk is fitting for a Stegosaur. Snarl also comes with a rocket launcher that can be mounted on his leg while in Stegosaur mode. Transformation was a bit if a nice surprise - he's a waist twister! That makes Snarl a member of a great club that includes my beloved Datsuns like Bluestreak.

Snarl's spring loaded fists were another surprise. I pulled down his rear feet and out came the fists. I'm not complaining as I think that's neat. He's tall, taller than Grimlock. Just looking at him, Snarl is imposing, which suits his function as a desert warrior just fine.

Overall, I'm extremely impressed with these purchases. Finally after a long wait I have what were at one point the most popular Transformers on the planet. Now I just need to build an island diorama to display them.  Sorry about the poor picture quality, I couldn't find my camera so I just used my iPhone.

Never thought I'd get to take this group shot