Transformers Review: Convoy (Masterpiece MP-01 Last Shot)

Intro:

            Normally, I don’t do review twice, and that include remolds, unless it is really worthy of mentioning. MP-01 Convoy (Last Shot), or from this point forward, Last Shot Prime, does fall into the latter category.

            He is Convoy/ Optimus Prime, for crying out loud!!! This is literally, the face of the Transformers franchise we’re talking about here – no questions asked.

            Anyway, as most of you might know by now, this particular mould has been reissued repeatedly by both Hasbro and Takara-Tomy.  Takara-Tomy have previously reused/ reissued this mould 6(!) times, i.e. MP-01 Convoy (Original, Gold Version & Black Version (I like to call this one as Nemesis Prime)), MP-02 Ultra Magnus, and finally, MP-04 Perfect Edition (Original & Sleep Mode). Hasbro, on the other hands, has used the mould twice in the form of 20^th Anniversary Optimus Prime, and the 20^th Anniversary Optimus Prime (DVD Edition). 

            Now, since I have previously reviewed the 20^th Anniversary Optimus Prime (DVD Edition), which you can access via this address: 20^th Anniversary Optimus Prime (DVD Edition), I won’t be reviewing in details the articulations and common features shared by these two reissues. This time around, I would only be reviewing the additional features and improvements made on this particular figure.

Alternate Mode:

            The truck mode looks spot on, and to be honest, it feels equally as hefty as DVD Prime. The colors are a lot more vibrant, and I guess it tallies with the price. The smokestacks are evidently longer, and there are more chrome used, such as on the front grill & grill, the rims, smokestacks and also the side gas tanks.

 

Robot Mode:

DVD Prime vs Last Shot Prime

 

 

            What more can I say about the robot mode? The aesthetics are all the same, but the colors are very, very vibrant here. The longer smokestacks at the shoulder really add that oomph factor. Apart from the colors and smokestacks, one thing that was evident was the tightness of the joints and the overall construction of the figure. Somehow the screws and body pieces sticks together more tightly than on DVD Prime’s. QA/QC issues maybe?

 

            Another significant difference is the “Last Shot” marking on the little of Convoy’s back. I don’t what do they meant with “Last Shot”, but I guess it has something to do with this mould being used for the last time here. 

 

            Standing at about nearly 12-inch, this is a very menacing figure.

 

Gimmicks:

 

            Just as with DVD Prime, Last Shot Prime comes with a small Megatron replica in gun mode, the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, the Energon axe, the Ion Blaster and the Electronic Display Stand. Unlike the DVD Prime’s display stand, which “boasts” Peter Cullen’s voice, Last Shot Prime boasts the voice clips from Genda Tessho, who voiced Optimus Prime’s character in Japan. 

 

 

 

 

            The stand is black in color and at last count, I think it contains about 16 different voice clips. 

 

          

            Last Shot Prime also comes with the mounted com-link unit on both arms. On the left we have Bumblebee reporting in, and on the other, Starscream, probably trying in vain to broker a deal with Optimus to try to sabotage one of Megatron’s plans. 

 

Overall:

            What more can I say? Just like what I’ve said about DVD Prime, the same can be applied to Last Shot Prime, even more!!! I still believe until now, that this is literally the best Optimus Prime mould ever made and designed. This particular figure is literally a real-life masterpiece, and definitely should be the center piece of any collection.

Shame on you for calling yourself an Optimus or Transformers fan if you don’t have either one of the MP Convoy variants.

            Final verdict: 10+/10. 

Transformers Masterpiece Mp-01 Optimus Prime Convoy 

Transformers Review: ROTF Voyager-class Bludgeon

Intro:

            Welcome back to another edition of Transformers Review. This time around, we will be reviewing one of the classic characters from the old G1 Transformers comics. Back in the comics, Bludgeon was a Pretender, whose shell was that of a skeleton samurai warrior, while the inner robot transformed into a green tank. His old bio showed that he was well-verse in the ancient Cybertronian Martial Art called Metallikato – kinda like the Cybertronian version of “The Way of the Samurai”.

            He was one of the leader figures in the ranks of the Decepticons, and for a time, in the absence of Megatron, he briefly led the faction, but was eventually killed for its effort.

            So yeah, in theory, Bludgeon was a cool character, but in most cases, as with most Decepticon Pretenders, the Pretenders shells tends to be more universally recognizable (read: more famous) than its actual robot mode. As far as I was concerned, I won’t be able to recognize Bludgeon’s robot mode without the Pretender shell, because to me, he might as well be some common generic robot.

Alternate Mode:

The first thing that you would literally notice about Bludgeon alternate mode is the amount of details this figure has. I mean, the last time I’ve ever seen such exquisite details on a Voyager-class figure was the Cybertron/ Galaxy Force Vector Prime figure – and that particular figure was AWESOME!!! Compared to the many Tank-formers that we have had throughout the history of the franchise, this figure has got to be the most highly detailed one. Any more detailed, you might as well end up with the Leader-class Brawl figure, whose robot mode kinda dragged the points down for it. 

The details are amazing! You have spare wheels and threads carved onto the plastic; ladders, shovels, sledgehammer etc. Heck, even the grill/fencing behind the turret looked amazingly detailed. 

Shovel

Sledgehammer

Spare Tyre and Threads

Fencing Grill

The turret turns 360°, but unfortunately it isn’t able to tilt upward, which is a little bit of shame. 

I also absolutely love the rubber threads. Yes, I do wish it could function as it should, but eventually, you’ll learn to give some and take some. 

The small machine gun on the turret can also turn, adding more firepower to the existing main cannon and also the twin-missile launchers on either side. 

            It is also worth to note that there is a slight kibble beneath the tank, but it is totally ignorable. 

            Awesome tank mode, really.

Robot Mode:

            I just love Bludgeon’s robot mode. He’s just so darn unique – kinda looked like Skeletor (of Masters of the Universe fame), but with a hell lot more body armor. Skeletor… I mean Bludgeon is predominantly orange and green, with a touch of black here and there, which blends quite well together. I like the skeletal samurai-theme that is hugely noticeable here, which, no surprise here, harkens back to the G1 Pretender shell. The groin cover plate is a welcome touch, which I think really adds to the general outlook of the figure. The tank threads also manage to do a double take as armor plates. In this mode, Bludgeon only wields melee weapons, in this case, a Nodachi (Japanese long sword) and a Wakizashi (Japanese dagger). When not in use, you can also store those weapons in several available ports, as seen from the various photos attached. I also like the hip guards, which is darn awesome in my book. 

 

 

            The rotatable turret also passed as a backpack of sorts, which you can use to store the sword and dagger

 

            Articulation-wise, he’s not excellent, but not bad nonetheless. The head is not on a ball joint, hence it only rotates, which is always a disappointment. The shoulders rotate and there are also upward motions slightly below the shoulder pads. Right below the shoulders, the arms rotate. The elbows are surprisingly double-jointed, which is always a welcome, but unfortunately his wrists only move inward and outward, and non-rotatable.

            Bludgeon, unfortunately also lacks a waist joint, which could’ve add more value to an already awesome figure. The soft ratcheting hip joints move in all directions and the legs rotate slightly above the bendable knees. Although the knees aren’t double-jointed, they can sure bend all the way. Lastly, the ankles do not rotate – they only bend up and down. Oh, by the way, the feet also have a small heel joint each. 

            However, as awesome as the figure may sound, it doesn’t come without any complaints. I really got issues with the feet, although this may be a preferential issue on my part. They just looked too chicken-leggy for me. Also, the dangling tank-threads on the shoulder pads look kinda messy for my liking, although some may argue that it might pass as an armor accessory. But honestly, I don’t see the point of them being there. I also think that the 3 missing articulations: the ball-jointed head, waist joint and wrist joints are sorely missed here. They could’ve provided more posing dimensions for the figure. 

            Still, despite the complaints, it doesn’t really take away the value of this particular figure. 

Gimmicks:

            Since he is an ROTF figure, Bludgeon of course do feature a Mech-Alive gimmick. The gimmick does, however, managed to be absolutely insignificant. When you turn the lower legs, the bone-ish contraption within the thigh pieces turn as well – and that’s about it. It is rather a slight anti-climax to a brilliant figure.

Overall:

            The Voyager-class Bludgeon is definitely one of the better products of the Revenge of the Fallen line, and absolutely on a class of its own. I dare say that he is even better than the Voyager-class Optimus Prime itself.

            The details are amazing, the articulations have its highlights and lowlights, but either way, the good outweighs the bad by miles. It really doesn’t take a genius to tell you how much I love this figure.

Absolutely recommended – no doubt about it.

            Final verdict: 9.5/10. 

Transformers Mini-Review - Universe G1 Cosmos

Intro:



Based on G1 Cosmos...

Robot Mode

 Cute Robot Mode... standard Minicon-level artications, nothing fanciful. No head, waist and elbows articulations.

UFO Mode (View 1)

 Neat UFO mode... A re-imagination of the original UFO mode...

UFO Mode View 2

 Have a very Grandizer-feel to it...

Overall:

Got it on a cheap and absolutely worth it...

Final Verdict: 7/10

Transformers Review – Hunt for the Decepticons Sea Spray

Intro:

Sea Spray, in the long history of Transformers, has only appeared in one major Transformers series, i.e. Generation 1 and this of course doesn’t include the Transformers: Timelines series’ Shattered Glass universe. Even during the G1 era, Seaspray, or Sea Spray, was never a major character of the series. I would put him in the same category as Cosmos, Beachcomber, Gears and Powerglide, each of which has at least received 1 episode all to themselves. Thus, I really couldn’t understand the justification for characters like Powerglide and Sea Spray receiving an Ultra-class and a Voyager-class treatment respectively, in the Universe and Hunt of the Decepticons line respectively again. The problem starts when you start to display all of your updated G1 figures in a row, and you suddenly find Powerglide and Sea Spray being way bigger than Optimus Prime and Megatron, which is kinda awkward. If only they were in scale with the others… sigh…

Having said that, I have to admit that I really love Powerglide’s designs and it is quite ashamed really that I couldn’t get my hands on that particular figure. So, after having missed out on Powerglide (and plus coincidentally that there were huge discounts at Parkson Grand, Mahkota Parade, Malacca), I thought, why not get Sea Spray? And so, here we are again with another exciting review…

Car mode:

 

            Sea Spray’s hovercraft looks very cool. I don’t have that many sea-vehicles Transformers in my collection, save for Energon Mirage and Sharkticon (as far as I can recall right now). Also, I know for a fact that I don’t have any other hovercraft Transformers in my entire collection, so Sea Spray now have that honor. 

            The hovercraft looks believable and the craft are mainly white and blue in color, with a little bit of grey, silver and orange here and there, with a pair of black blasters on each side. The bed of his hovercraft mode is also able to hold several Minibots/ Minicons figures that you might have.  

 

            On each side of the hovercraft’s skirts, there is a label written as “SEA-S.P. RAY”, which is a kinda creative pun of the name. On top of the hull, which would eventually form the robot mode’s chest has an Autobot insignia and the same labeling on the skirts written on it.

            And of course, for play value, the hovercraft comes equipped with wheels underneath and also a pair of spring-loaded guns on each side.

Robot mode:

 

            For a Voyager-class figure, Sea Spray’s transformations are just too easy. Heck, I have some Deluxe-class figures that have given me more hard times than Sea Spray. To be honest, he doesn’t really look like his G1 namesake; in fact, he’s more like a total overhaul of the G1’s designs.

            Articulations-wise: the head rotates 360°. The shoulders are on soft ratcheting universal joints that provides them with a full range of motions. The arms rotate slightly above the bendable elbows, and there are also wrists movements. Sea Spray has no waist joint whatsoever, but the hips are made from heavy ratcheting universal joints. The knees bend and there are also slight ankle movements available, which allows a slight upward and downward motion. 

 

            The head sculpt is quite neat, which kinda looks like a diver with a scuba mask on, and also the duck feet. Overall, Sea Spray’s robot mode really has that diver-theme on it. Heck, even the blue-colored gun projectiles looked like harpoons. 

Overall:

            Sea Spray’s surprisingly look kinda neat. I just wished that he would be somewhat in scale with the rest of his G1 comrades, and I really couldn’t see the justifications of having him as a Voyager-class figure. Still, he looks awesome, and is definitely a must-have to those Sea Spray fan out there.

Final verdict, 7.5/10.

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