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Agreed. He was (is?) a talented artist. In addition to what you wrote, there was one other thing that struck me way back when about his work: the fashion design. For example the consistency in the clothes worn by the two characters in the manga above—they're different, but one gets a sense of the in-universe fashion trends. Even though he didn't go into as much detail about them as say the weapons and mecha, they greatly added to the world-building in his manga.

Ok, now that TFOne is out of the way... it's G1 the rest of the week, baby! We're bouncing back to Age of the Primes first, and it's Deluxe-class Sureshot. Why start with Sureshot? He's barely even G1, but I want to save the best stuff for last. He was barely in "The Rebirth," and even in The Headmasters he was a bit player. He arguably has the most fiction in the Marvel G1 comic. Fortunately, his appearance across all three late G1 mediums is pretty much the same (his JG1 head was a bit closer to the toy, with little ears and regular eyes instead of shades), which makes it pretty easy to point out that he looks pretty good, for the most part. He had more of a pelvis in his fictional appearances, which kind of makes me wish they'd done his hips a bit differently, and his shins have a ton of greebles that I could have done without, but his head and torso are pretty spot-on (for US G1) and the colors are all in the right places. Hasbro did move his tires from the sides of his legs to his calves. While this is arguably not US G1 accurate or toy accurate, I think this vibes ok with The Headmasters. Now, I couldn't find a good image of his backside in the cartoons/comics, but based on the G1 toy, the back is where things are getting different. There are wheels on his back still, but they're higher up on his back where the G1 toy's were basically on his butt. The G1 toy also had a backpack made from his engine and spoiler, but what we have on the AOTP toy is a backpack that's his alt mode's nose. The spoiler's still there, but it's moved to his shoulders. I'm not sure it was the best choice. As a Targetmaster, Sureshot comes with a gun that looks about right. The barrels fold back, then the whole thing uncurls to reveal Sureshot's partner, Spoilsport. Aside from having a black face instead of a red one he looks about right, but like Peacemaker he has no articulation, plus his back side is super hollow. And to be honest, I don't know how I feel about that. One the one hand, I've never been a big fan of the Targetmaster concept. I mean, all of the -masters are kind of dumb in US G1, but the JG1 idea that the actual Transformers are the heads and they just drive vehicles that turn into larger robot bodies for them to pilot kind of worked. Especially because the Headmasters all have little cockpits for their heads to ride in. But the Targetmasters need to be a gun for the robot to shoot, but also a gun to plug into a port on the alt mode. And if they're going to be guns all the time, who cares how bad the robot mode is? But at the same time, we had a pretty decently-articulated Targetmaster in Nightstick all the way back in 2008. But I digress. Sureshot's head is on a ball joint with very limited ability to look down or tilt sideways, but it swivels and he can look straight up 90 degrees. His shoulders swivel and move laterally 90 degrees. His biceps swivel, and his elbows bend a little more than 90 degrees. No wrist articulation, but his waist swivels. His hips go 90 degrees forward, and just shy of that backward due to his backpack getting in the way, not the joint itself. His hips spread laterally over 90 degrees. His thighs swivel, but only about 45 degrees out, and his knees bend 90 degrees. His feet have a very slight downward tilt, tons of upward tilt, and about 45 degrees of ankle pivot. Sureshot can hold Spoilsport in either hand, plus he's got 5mm ports on his forearms, under his feet, on the outside of his knees, on the back of his legs just below the tires, and on his back. Technically on the backs of his shoulders, too, because his spoiler is just plugged in. Despite all those ports, storage for Spoilsport is achieved by plugging notches in his heels onto two small tabs on Sureshot's backpack. I'll also note that unlike Peacemaker, Spoilsport does not an extra 5mm port on the back. It's my guess that Peacemaker had it because they originally wanted to include the JG1 gimmick where the Targetmaster attached to the wrist instead of being held, and retained it even after Pointblank was reworked due to being over budget. Then they didn't even bother trying to include the gimmick here. And they probably figured early that they wouldn't have the budget for such a gimmick because Sureshot has a very ambitious transformation. Swivel his forearms so the holes on them are facing forward, and rotate his waist 180 degrees. Use the hinges inside his torso to pull his head, chest, and shoulders away from his back. As you do, you'll need to rotate the stuff you're pulling away, then use the hinges to line up the bottom of his chest with the top of his back. Make sure when you do that the orange part of the armature with the two tabs is flat inside his chest. Turn his head 180 degrees and pull it down a little, then his shoulder untabs from his side and starts to swing outward. As you do, the shoulder assembly will also fold back, with the desired result being the tops of both shoulders tabbing into the top of his chest with the spoiler lined up, then you can tilt his head up into the space between his shoulders. Fold his feet up so that they tab into his shins, fold out the wheels on his calves and get them out of the way, then combiner wars-style shift his lower legs up over his thighs. Now you can bend the waist back, so the legs tab into what's turning out to be the underside of the vehicle. Bend his elbows 90 degrees so that notches near his wrists plug into tabs on his heels, then you can plug the wheels into the 5mm ports on his forearms. Finally, take his backpack wheels and swing them around so the nose of the vehicle is in place. The resulting car is a bit sleeker than the G1 toy, and the raised detail on his hood is red instead of orange, but both of those things seem to match his character models. Rather than just having exposed hinges he's got a molded red grill. There's a bit more orange on the nose, as the front spoiler and axle are one. He's got his spoiler, but there's no engine, no real space for one, between the wings, and rather than having his forearms curl up on top of his biceps to form the top of the rear, his shoulders are the top of the rear and his forearms just dangle on the back of the car. They don't even bother to hide is wrists! I think changing his arm transformation might have been necessary to slim the car down; the G1 toy's cockpit sticks up much further than this version's does, and there's at least molded venting on his forearms. But, I really wish they'd have designed his hands to fold into his (largely hollow) forearms so they wouldn't be visible, and I wish instead of limply plugging the halves of his spoiler into his shoulders that they'd given him a proper engine/spoiler (though, it couldn't have been a backpack... maybe it could have been tucked into his chest?). In any case, he rolls without issue. There are 5mm ports alone the sides of the car, but Spoilsport is meant to plug into the 5mm port on the hood in front of the cockpit. Which, again, it's kind of dumb that Spoilsport needs to be a gun for Sureshot's robot mode but also a gun for Sureshot's alt mode... like why even have a gun that transforms? Credit where it's due, this is an ambitious figure with a brand new mold for a character that hasn't had a new toy in nearly 40 years, and while I have some gripes and wish they could have executed some things a bit better, Sureshot's a pretty good figure overall, definitely a big improvement over the retooled Siege Ironhide that was poor Crosshairs. What's more (although you do have to go back a little before Siege to Titans Return and Thrilling 30), he's the last of the '87 Targetmasters to get an update, with just Quickmix and Landfill to round out the '88 cast left to go (though I'd like a Stepper/Ricochet from the SS86 Jazz mold, please). Unless you're a strict Season 1/2/3 (or stricter season 1/2/Movie) collector only, Sureshot's worth a look.

🤣🤣🤣🤣

Yellow’s estranged brother will fly that green and gold Legioss, and his name will be . . . . . . LANCER!

Okay, now we need a new anime. But would we have enough material for that? Hey Look, M7 reference XD

So, who’s gonna be the psycho “idiot” that’s gonna a put a weapon on every single one of those ports/holes? 😅

@M'Kyuun - Growing up in the 80's in Texas, I only had Robotech, GI Joe, Transformers and Voltron, so as a kid who didn't have any exposure to anything "international" growing up in the 80s (other than seeing odd Japanese model kits in old dusty hobby shops that I didn't really understand what they were, I was only looking for anything Robotech back then), I'm really enjoying the artwork being presented here. I love the detail in some of the landscapes pictured above. Keep em coming!

When a drunken night between a YF-29 and a Legioss happens, THIS is the result....🤣🫣

Up at HLJ https://www.hlj.com/toyr-se-afc-01x-delta-legioss-delta-tkt08283 Nin-nin game https://www.nin-nin-game.com/en/takara-tomy/216368-toyrise-afc-01x-legioss-delta-takara-tomy-.html

Lots more images of the AFC-01X Δ on the official page: https://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/tsparkofficial/toyrise/legioss/ (make sure to click on the AFC-01X Δ tab). Plus some info on the mecha: AFC-01X Δ Regios Delta The head, equipped with enhanced sensors based on operational data from the Omega, is synchronized with the radome, providing high search and analysis capabilities. The aircraft features forward-swept wings and canards, improving aerodynamic maneuverability. The Impact Lance is a close-combat weapon with high armor-penetrating power that uses high-frequency vibrations to concentrate energy at a single point, resulting in a highly maneuverable aircraft with a wide variety of weapons, from search and attack. The armament includes an Impact Lance , 11-barreled micromissiles, a twin-barreled laser cannon, and an anti-inbit pulse radar.

Well I concur, but I also look at these particular affected sets in the perspective that they are aimed at young children (ages 6, 8, and 9 respectively). The problem, of course, is the costs of these sets. Already, you're dealing with the Lucasfilm markup, but then the additional cost of the new technology makes them a hard pill to swallow. For AFOLs/TFOLs who are more advanced in their tastes and building ability, these sets, admittedly offer little bang for the buck, with simpler builds and low piece counts. If kids are interested, I feel bad for the parents, grandparents, aunts, or uncles buying these for them due to that high price tag. And if the kids lose interest after five minutes, like many do, it'll be a monumental waste of money for a so-so gimmick. It's a shame that LEGO didn't introduce this technology in a homegrown theme like Creator or Friends where costs could be minimized by virtue of the lack of licenses. The smart tech would have affected prices, sure, but perhaps the financial impact wouldn't be so severe. That said, I wouldn't judge the entirety of the year's success based on one new technology. LEGO has plenty of very successful themes, and if the January wave is anything to judge the rest of the year by, I foresee another successful and profitable year for them, as they can afford to absorb some amount of loss through experimentation. Friends was an experiment, too, after multiple failures, so I wouldn't write anything off yet. Who knows, SMART Play may end up being a roaring success, especially if they unveil AFOL oriented applications of the technology later in the year.

Impressive work, @F18LEGIOSS2. I haven't the wherewithal to produce my own toys whole cloth like this (which is probably a good thing b/c I barely have room for all the toys I own that other companies have produced). The closest I come is designing my own transforming mecha with LEGO, a completely different approach, and one that's nowhere nearly as refined or complex. I wish you continued success on this project. Thanks for sharing the process with us; it makes the final result all the more impressive for all the work we see being put into it.

Some nice upgrades in that list. I'll buy one when they're available to ship.

I don't mind that color scheme. However, I don't like the fugly beavertail behind the wings. I think it would've looked much better had they just continued the angle of the trailing edge all the way in to just behind the arms. Those canards are ludicrous. 😄 Not at all a fan of the giant jousting lance, either, but then I've never been much of a fan of melee weapons with mecha. It seems to me if you have the tech to build a mecha, the weapons should be equal to or surpass that technology, so clubs, swords, axes, hammers, etc, no thanks. Give me energy weapons or those that fire projectiles. I do like that these are being made to be playable- more toy than collector's pieces. However, from what I've seen, I'm not crazy about the foot design nor the apparent lack of a retracting mechanism for them in jet mode. They did an admirable job elsewise capturing the look of the Legioss, so it boggles why they'd make such a departure with the feet. Anyway, props to Toyrise for making Legioss, er, Alpha toys that are indeed meant to be played with. As for me, I'm gambling, most expensively, on the Pose+ scratching that itch, as it, too, seems to be made with easier handling in mind. It offers quite a bit more than that, but then it should for the asking price. It's a very faithful capture, building, IMHO, on the advances manifest in the Sentinel Legioss, and that's what I want on my shelf. I am curious, however, to see a review of the Toyrise Alpha, especially to see if, in fact, the feet can spread to achieve a normal Legioss standing pose. If so, I may have to nab one of their variants down the road as it looks like a fun line with many a liberty taken. If they did a low-viz, I'd definitely be interested in that.

Recon BattlePod Key Features: - Premium spray‑paint finish - High diecast construction, concentrated in the legs - Openable cockpit design (Pilot not included) - Super‑bright sci‑fi cockpit glow lighting - Multiple thruster lighting effects - Fully articulated structure - Front‑mounted recon unit featuring 7 distinct scanning light effects * Lighting effects simulate laser scanning and electronic signal reconnaissance, inspired by modern military‑grade detection systems Small Recon Device - Built‑in 5 × Type‑C power ports - Capable of supplying power to up to 5 Recon BattlePods simultaneously - Alternative power via Type‑C connection to a household power source - Effectively reduces power consumption caused by cockpit lighting Cockpit Lighting & Power Design - All lighting effects are activated via a magnetic control system - BattlePods may operate independently using onboard batteries - The Small Recon Device also functions as a centralized power supply for multiple BattlePods Estimated shipping: late April 2026.

Well, SS MTMTE Hound is yet another PO I had no idea about and missed on Pulse and Target. I really wish Hasbro would send some kind of notification the day before POs go up for members- it's the least they could do since we're paying for the privilege.

The thing is kinda growing on me, I’m still not buying it, but something odd about it makes me kinda like it. I think when they get around to the more anime designs, I’ll get them. Still a bit in the fence though. Maybe if the reviews sound fun on the current ones might push me in that direction

I do find it amusing that the front canards are bigger than AND as tall as the tailfins. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Any progress on your projects, MT?

Looking at what's beend unveiled so far, the quality, and the price point I get the feeling this is going to be a very terrible year for them. These sets so far are terrible with terrible gimmicks, and way overpriced for what you get.

The wings look like a flying squirrel.

Not a fan of this particular variation, but if they do a delta wing I might be into it. Hopefully withOUT yellow/gold/orange this time.