Intro:
Throughout
history, Megatron have had a variety of alternates modes – race car,
Cybertronian fighter jets, trucks, weird creatures (i.e. RiD series), dragons
& dinosaurs (i.e. Beast Wars/ Machines, although technically, it’s a
totally unrelated Megatron), tanks and of course, the iconic gun.
No
matter how many reincarnations of Megatron that we may had, or will have, to
me, Megatron will always be synonymous with the gun, just like how I will always
associate Optimus with a truck; Starscream with a jet; and Soundwave as that
mini-cassette deck, however so obsolete that may be.
When
you think about it though, it makes more sense for Megatron to be a
power-packed tank rather than a small time hand gun. Still, being a tank still
means that he is technically still a gun-esque contraption – a ginormous gun
that moves.
In
line with the release of G2 Laser Optimus Prime in the United line, it makes
sense that his counterpart is released as well , hence here we are with the
review of this figure.
Alternate
Mode:
G2
Megatron transforms into a deep-purple-colored tank, instead of the overall
green-colored jungle theme that he sported back in the 80’s.
Typically
of all Takara-Tomy releases, the color applications are bright and
eye-catching. The details are good – you could see all the small details carved
straight onto the body of the vehicle.
The
main gun moves up (and I do mean REAL up) and back down. The small gun attached
to the turret can rotate, while the entire turret itself can rotate, albeit
very loosely. Finally, the entire tank rolls quite smoothly.
While
I am kinda okay with the overall design, as well as still trying to get used to
the color scheme, the main gun itself doesn’t fit in snuggly onto the turret,
thus causing the main gun to detach from the turret if certain pressure is
applied.
Overall,
it is a neat little tank mode.
Robot
Mode:
The
transformation from tank mode to robot mode is insultingly easy – you’d
probably be able to transform him in less than 1 minute!
The
head sculpt is dead on – definitely Megatron.
Articulation-wise:
the head rotates; the shoulders rotate and swing outward; the elbows bend and
rotate; there is also an existing waist joint and also what looks like an abs
crunch; the hips are ball-jointed, and a very loose one at that; the knees bend;
the legs rotate slightly below the hips; and finally the ankles pivot.
Overall,
I’m really not too impressed with the articulations and I think based on
Takara-Tomy’s own standard, they definitely could do much better, especially with
the loose joints and all.
I love to say
that this figure is good, since he is the Emperor of Destruction, but I just
can’t due to several issues plaguing this him.
For
one, the right arm is awkwardly designed. That arm was meant to have a rotating
arm from the elbow downward. There is a small peg on the upper arm, triggering
of which will cause the lower arm to rotate in a helicopter rotor motion. I don’t
have that much issue with the gimmick (though I don’t necessarily have to like
it either), the elbow joint is a bit too low compared to his left arm. So while
the left arm bends naturally, the right arm bends awkwardly.
Also,
that same lower arm detaches way too easily for my liking, especially when you
try to bend the elbows.
And
also the gun – while I think it’s good that the blaster in tank mode can be
wielded as a gun in robot mode, you’d probably ask: why on Earth does Megatron,
who already has a freaking powerful fusion cannon at his disposable, ever need
another pipsqueak gun anyway? It just seems so redundant.
I
really think that Takara-Tomy could’ve done way better did than this. Loose joints
and bad designs really plague this figure.
Overall:
Tank-formers
are cool – most of the time, and so far, the Top 3 best tank –former that I ever
have, in my opinion are 2007-movie Leader-class Brawl, United Warpath, and ROTF
Voyager Bludgeon. This G2 Megatron is not even close.
It’s
such a shame that this figure fails to deliver its promises and I would’ve
loved to love and recommend this figure, but I can’t.
Final
verdict: 4.5/10.
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