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mikeszekely

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  1. mikeszekely
    I think that's the crux with Hegemon. He's better than every other Megatron toy out there, pretty much, but still not good enough.
  2. mikeszekely
    Ok, Hegemon. Well, for starters, like Mania King he's a good size for a CHUG. The sculpt is pretty good. I mean, he's clearly Megatron, and unlike the MP or original G1 toy, it does a good job of giving him bulk. The face is a little muddy, though, and he's really lacking in color on his abdomen. He's also a good size match with Mania King, being ever-so-slightly taller for those of us who like to think of them as separate characters, but close enough in size for the Galvatron-is-Megatron crowd. (Oh, when taking this photo, I noticed pins in Mania King's hands. I discovered that his fists can't rotate, but his hands open and close). The plastic Toy World uses is a little funky, though. In fact, there's what looks to be a scratch across the side of his chest (his right, our left), but it's actually a swirl in the paint. Joints, especially his ankles, seem a little loose. If he were to hold his arms out to the sides, the weight of his Fusion Cannon would cause his right arm to droop. He's got pretty good posability as far as his joints go, but they're sometimes hindered by other parts. For example, the gun barrel on his back gets in the way of his shoulder. Some fiddling will get him in the pose that you want, though, and he looks solid from the front. The back is a different story. He's got kibble bits on his butt and a giant trigger in addition to his gun barrel. Also not sure why the backs of his legs are clear red plastic. You can improve things a little by removing the trigger, which pops off a peg. His Fusion Cannon and gun barrel are also pegged on, although he's designed so he can transform without removing any parts. Speaking of, transformation is a tad involved. It reminds me of a mix of MP Megatron and Classics Megatron. It's not particularly fun, but it's not too bad. I had a tougher time getting parts to fit where they should and pegging into place than I did with Mania King. And the result is... mixed. The top looks about right, but the grip is huge! And, some of his robot abs are showing. The version I got is the re-release (labeled TW-01b). The big difference seems to be that you don't get the silencer and stock (bummer) or the sword (meh). Instead, you get a second head with yellow light piping and a black helmet, like his Marvel Comics look (kinda cool). He does still come with his Energon morning star (cool). Hegemon is tough to judge. Objectively, he's not as good as Mania King, who I will highly recommend. He's definitely got his faults. Likewise, the CHUG he replaces wasn't as bad as Generations Galvatron (especially if you have the Henkei version without the Lex Luthor paint job). That being said, Hegemon is still probably the best toy of Megatron, with a bulkier bot mode and better balance than the MP, a more G1 look with better articulation than the Classics/Henkei, a better sculpt than the upcoming Leader-class Generations, and a better size than the Deluxe Generations. I'd say get him if you're not satisfied with the three CHUG versions for your CHUG collection, but pass otherwise.
  3. mikeszekely
    Eh... I kind of don't blame him. I mean, I loved Turn A Gundam... and I've grown to love the Turn A itself... but it's the Gundam that's the least Gundam.
  4. mikeszekely
    Well, nearly three months after I ordered them, I finally have my first 3P toys. (Excuse crappy cellphone pics of toys my my bedroom dresser.) First up is Mania King. Hugely impressed with the box! It's made from a hard cardboard, like a hardback book cover, and seems like the kind of box you'd expect boutique electronics in, not a toy. Inside, there's a layer of cushioning foam at the bottom, with a second layer of foam with a Mania King-shaped hole in it. Mania King is packaged snugly inside that foam layer. I know that some people didn't like the colors, and I respect that (that's probably why Unique Toys is doing a second "Vintage Colors" run, but I actually like the darker purple (it's almost identical to the purple Hasbro used for Generations Galvatron). The white could stand to be a light gray, though. Transformation is fairly simple once you figure it out, but the included instructions aren't much help. Essentially, his legs go to a sitting pose, the lower legs open up, rotate around, then cover the thighs. The front part of his arm cannon pegs into slots between his legs. Then, his back opens up, the cannons treads and rear support unfold from inside while his actual back pegs onto his waist. The bit on his back that looks like it could be the rear support (and was on the G1 toy) is actually the part that stands up on the top of the cannon , with some flaps that cover some gaps in the top. His arms fold up a bit to fold up a bit, and the back of the arm cannon pegs in above them to form the rear of the cannon. Everything pegs together pretty tightly, too, which is nice. The cannon mode seems a tad short, but still manages to show off most of the G1 cartoon's elements while having a totally different transformation. My only real complaint is that he way his chest and head fold up leaves his face still obviously visible. As for bot mode, I was one of the people who didn't think a rotating wrist was necessary for a great toy, but at the same time, I'm not sure that a rotating wrist would have impeded his transformation in anyway. Still, it's hard to complain too much. He's got really good articulation, especially in the ankles. One thing I like is that, due to his transformation, his knee armor is on the thigh. On a Hasbro toy, it wouldn't bend at all, but UT put a joint on the armor, so after you bend Mania King's knee you can move the knee armor to match. He's got a few ratchets, but some of the joints that aren't ratchets feel a little loose. Despite feeling a little loose, though, he's remained in any position I put him in, so they're not so loose that they sag under the toys weight. But best of all, the sculpt is fantastic. He's tall and looks buff, but not too buff. He fits in best with the CHUGs... he's about the same height as Evasion Mode Optimus Prime (Generations Galvatron, BTW, comes up to about the top of the red on Mania King's abdomen). All of the Galvatron details are there, his arm cannon is just the right size, and his head looks perfect. Amazingly, there's almost no kibble. Even from the back, he looks fantastic. In short, he's pretty much the perfect Galvatron. He's so good that I'm almost regretting my decision to stop collecting Transformers. What's most impressive, though, is that it's mostly careful choices in the plastic color and some very clever engineering. I don't see any reason Hasbro couldn't have made this exact toy, mass-produced, at a Voyager price point. But, therein lies the rub. Hasbro's toys, which were getting better for awhile, have turned to crap lately, getting smaller with more hollow parts and fewer paint apps to save a buck, but also more simply engineered. If other 3P toys are even half as good as Mania King, then they're clearly a much better alternative. But, while I'm willing to spend a bit of money to get really good versions of my favorite or important characters, I don't want to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on combiner teams I don't have shelf space for. But I digress. Next up will be Hegemon, aka the reason I didn't get Mania King back in June when I ordered them.
  5. mikeszekely
    Hasn't it been up?Since MP-10, TRU's been greedy. Hasbro said $99.99, demand was insane, TRU jacked it up to $130. Not sure what price Hasbro would have suggested for Prowl, but considering you can import the Takara version for less, I'm betting it wasn't $80.
  6. mikeszekely
    Two modes I didn't bother with in NHL 14. Seriously, I started a Be a Pro left wing, finished a season with the Plymouth Whalers in the OHL, got drafted by the Sabres, requested a trade, went to Carolina secured them the President's Trophy, they trade me to Washington. Three seasons later I took a contract with the Jets... Then finally decided to play something else.
  7. mikeszekely
    I didn't receive a reply, but after emailing them I magically got a shipping notice.
  8. mikeszekely
    Your experience isn't helping me feel good about mine, technoblue. Seeing the CP sticker on your box compelled me to check on my order, which was paid for all the way back on 6-7. To recap, I'd ordered a Mania King, and preordered the one of the new run of Hegemon, with an expected ship date of July. When July came and went, I'd asked about Hegemon on Twitter, and they said there was a problem at the factory or something. OK, not their fault. Now it's the end of summer, and I see Hegemon is listed as in stock. (Mania King, BTW, isn't even listed on their site anymore, so I hope to Primus they remembered to put one aside for me since they took my freaking money for it almost three freaking months ago.) I haven't gotten any emails about them shipping, though, and my order status is still sitting at "Paid, pending preorder item" on their website.
  9. mikeszekely
    Thinking about it. I've been spending a lot on Gunpla lately, though, and my hockey nerd side wants to get NHL 15, since it's the first NHL game on the PS4. Since that's in two weeks, if I get Diablo III, it won't be soon.
  10. mikeszekely
    I think you guys are on the wrong track. Mrs. Iori went a whole season without battling, or even showing an interest in Gunpla, Gunpla Battle, or Gundam. This, despite marrying a Gunpla Battler who loves Gunpla so much that he travels the world teaching kids to built Gunpla instead of staying home with his family, and despite living above and owning a shop that sells nothing but Gunpla. That'd be a lot to put up with for someone who isn't interested in those things... ...unless she is interested. And the reason you never see her stuff is because she's the big guns, the Gunpla of last resort. So my vote? A customized Nadleeh with Nekko Basara's front-mounted twin GN drive... in a Neo Zeong.
  11. mikeszekely
    That's it?The first loop is like a freebie, teaching you that the objective is to get through the door. Every other loop, though, the door is locked. The real meat of the game is figuring out how to unlock it and go to the next loop. And it gets way more intense than banging doors...
  12. mikeszekely
    Yeah, I really liked the Zaku... like, 2nd after the Mk-II. The green one's a little more fun, because they give you a lot more options for customizing it with the decals. Started the GP01fb. When I say started, though, I mean I got the Core Fighter done and that's it. It's really frustrating that the red line stickers around the beam sabers don't stay down. Not a knock against the GP01fb, because if I look back pretty much every Gundam with a round-hilted beam saber has that sticker coming off. If anybody has a technique for keeping the stickers down, I'd like to know it. I'll be a tad busier this week, but I still hope to have the GP01fb done by Thursday... then I guess I'm taking a break from Gunpla until the RG Z'Gok is either sold or fulfilled by Amazon. At that point, I'll grab it and the Skygrasper, and finish the RG line off.
  13. mikeszekely
    Rising something... All in all, I'm looking forward to the new series, since the first one was more fun than I thought it'd be. Between that, The Origin, and Reconguista, it's going to be a very Gundam year.
  14. mikeszekely
    I'm also a big fan of the Mk-IIs. I was a little disappointed that the decals were, aside from replacing the AEUG stickers with Titans ones and throwing in some numbers, basically white versions of the AEUG Mk-II's gray ones. The Zakus have different markings, after all. I guess they make up for it by including "Test Type" parts. Not sure where they got the idea for the Test Type look; the first appearance of the Mk-II in the first episode of Zeta Gundam looks like the standard build. The differences are subtle; different thrusters on the outside of the legs, slightly larger shoulder armor with a different thrusters inside, and chest vents with only two slats instead of three. Despite not matching the anime, I opted to use the Test Type parts anyway, to help make the Mk-II's more visually distinct beyond the colors.
  15. mikeszekely
    Keith, I enjoyed that Gouf Troop video way more than a person has a right to. Re: Mrs. Iori - hot milf is hot milf.Tieria's not really doing it for me, though. And honestly, even though Gundam Seed/Destiny is probably my least favorite Gundam series, my favorite female in the franchise is Lunamaria Hawke.
  16. mikeszekely
    You should be almost done, but the last "level" seems pretty random. Hope you're enjoying it, though.
  17. mikeszekely
    Did you finish? Did you at least find the flashlight? Probably. I love Japanese horror films, but the only zombie movies I've ever liked were the original Night of the Living Dead and Shaun of the Dead.
  18. mikeszekely
    How is running supposed to help when and the "totally nonthreatening" thing coming for your is ? I mean, I do get where you're coming from. There are some things you think you should have at least a chance to fight off in games that don't allow it, like the lunatics in Outlast. All I'm saying is that a weapon and something that can die is less scary. It's why I prefer ghost stories to zombie flicks.
  19. mikeszekely
    Yeah, this game is going to eff with you then.
  20. mikeszekely
    I take it you didn't get around to playing it, then? A word of advice... even though the entire game takes place in the same hallway, things will change. If nothing has, you haven't solved the puzzle for that "level." Some of the solutions, especially the final one, aren't entirely obvious. If/when you die, or feel frustrated, keep at it! The game isn't over until you get the Silent Hills trailer. Limiting your RPG ammo is an arbitrary handicap to artificially increase tension. The tension that comes from an implacable, unbeatable horror that you can only avoid isn't artificial, nor is it arbitrary. It's a deliberate choice (and one that makes sense, because zombies and space monsters might keep killable but how are you going to beat a ghost without a proton pack?).
  21. mikeszekely
    Well, that's the thing I think a lot of us, especially in the West, sort of forget about China. Our window into China is Beijing or Shanghai, modern cities where the residents enjoy a reasonable standard of living and the usual things we associate with modern living. But, our window is their capital and cities designated "special economic zones," and a lot of the country is actually still living in third world conditions. Workers in those factories are actually making more than a lot of the other people in their area, despite bringing home a monthly amount that a Beijinger would be embarrassed to make in a week. And, even though the workers might be working 12-hour shifts 7 days a week in conditions that would absolutely get them shut down in the US or Europe, they may not be evading any Chinese labor laws. The ones that are aren't likely to get more than a slap on the wrist. As long as it's not happening in Beijing or one of the special economic zones, it's not worth the hassle.
  22. mikeszekely
    I'm tempted. If I buy the Skygrasper and Char's Z'Gok, I'll have all 16 of the regular releases. And I'd gladly shell out $55 for an RG RX-78-3... but to be honest, I've always thought the Casval Gundam is kind of ugly. Oh, I want the Zeta 3, too... just not $80 worth.
  23. mikeszekely
    Having a weapon gives you some feeling of power or control that detracts from the horror. The more powerful your weapons, the less scary the game is. Games like Resident Evil and Dead Space, they're fun games with some decent jump scares, but I don't think they're really scary. Not like P.T. BTW, Old_Nash, Outlast was good times, but I swear it's like a summer day at the beach compared to P.T.
  24. mikeszekely
    Really?
  25. mikeszekely
    The RX-178 is better. I think the RX-78 has some issues with the engineering. Unlike Nekko Basara, I enjoyed everything about the Mk-II better than the RX-78. I had the same issues with parts coming off, but I also had issues where the RG gimmick wouldn't just separate pieces as the inner frame moved, it'd bend them. I wound up with cracks on the shield arm and the front right thigh. As long as you don't move it, though, the regular RX-78 looks fantastic once it's done. My advice would be to skip the Casval version and buy the regular one for like half the cost.
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