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M'Kyuun

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  1. M'Kyuun
    Seemed like it was going to be more serious than RWBY until the girl and the professor started talking- same vibe, different dressing. I'd kinda like it to be more serious, but I really enjoy RWBY, so I'll give it a chance. Mechanical design is fair- no new ground being broken thus far, but it's still mecha, so I'm interested.
  2. M'Kyuun
    Another nice review, Mike. Neat little figure. I PO'd New Age's Prowl, as it invokes the G1 toy marvelously . Fortunately, from the pics I've seen, it looks like it'll be a step up from Flipper, who's a pretty good representation at this scale. If MS get around to doing Bee, I hope they stick to a similar G1 toy aesthetic. At this point, I doubt we'll ever get another legends sized VW Beetle Bumblebee from Has/Tak, so I'm willing to wait for a decent 3P figure. I thought about getting Flipper, but the articulation is pretty limited and the molded wheels just kinda turned me off to him. However, I'm kinda digging their take on Cosmos over MS's- just has a more squat toon look- yeah, it has a butt flap, which MS managed to turn into a backpack, but overall, it just captures the character to me. I have the old IGear version, and like the Generations Cosmos, liberties were taken with the design making it a cool toy, but not very toon accurate. This one hits the mark for me, and the MS version is runner up. I hope either these guys or MS make a decent Cliffjumper- that's one fig I'm missing from my CHUG shelf b/c I don't want repaints of Bee- I want a fig that looks like G1 CJ, with his own car mode, and we've yet to get that officially. Although I'm leaning towards the NA takes for Prowl and Cosmos, I do think MS is doing a great job with their legends figs- very evocative of the G1 likenesses, with some cool engineering brought to bear, nice paintwork, very little to no ball joints employed, and really good sculpt work for the scale. I'm considering their Strongman (Huffer) as an update to my old IGear Huffer, who's still a fun little fig, albeit a bit dated. I like the engineering MS employed in the legs- I'm a little iffy on the arms, and from the pics I've seen, the front end sits lower than the backend, giving it a bit of a hot rod look that makes it look like there may be clearance issues. I'll have to check a few more reviews before committing. If was collecting legends full time, that MS Prime would be so bought- just an incredible looking figure. So my MS-01 should be arriving tomorrow, and I'm looking forward to it, although, by now I've watched so many vids and read several reviews that all the mystery is pretty much gone. Deciphering the transformation is part and parcel to these toys, and I've kinda spoiled it for myself. Ah well, first world problem.
  3. M'Kyuun
    Concerning MP-44's voluminous backpack, it's mostly comprised, based on the transformation pics, of the panels forming the lower front half of the cab face. There's also potential for it to encapsulate the electronics module, featuring the Japanese voice actor saying various phrases from the show. Other than some gaps in the torso and some messiness in the hitch section, it's really the glaring flaw of MP-44. Well, that and the price. I agree with Mike. MP-10 still stands as a good representation, albeit with proportional and aesthetic differences that made it not quite the screen accurate version many wanted. I think Magic Square got that, and so produced what is essentially an MP-10 update, 'fixing' those elements that weren't quite right. Essentially, MS-01 is the Prime toy I wish we'd gotten from Takara instead. However, for a design dating back to 2012, MP-10 has been a very successful toy, probably the most successful Optimus Prime toy ever made, given all its iterations and rereleases. Not a bad basis for an upgrade. Watched Bobby Skulface's review on MS-01, and his major nitpick was the lack of paint, but paint is a bit of a requisite to Skullface, so take that for what you will. It's not important to me, especially on a figure with multiple moving parts that may rub. As long as the plastic used gets close in hue, is uniform, and durable, I'm good with it. To me, fit and function are the biggies when dealing with a transformable figure- strong joints, preferably multi-detented ratchets, and effective tabs and locks make or break them, as well as a high range of articulation throughout. Judging from the reviews I've watched and read, Magic Square checked the boxes. But getting back to paint, I think all the necessities are there, minus the leg vents, which I vehemently wish were silver, but I get what they were going for. Presumably, Toyhax to the rescue. I wanted to remark on the use of blue paint that differs somewhat from the base plastic on the legs, which Bobby thought 'Bizarre'. It's something I noticed early on, and appreciate, for subtly breaking up what would otherwise be big mono-blue slabs. I also like the little bit of mechanical detail molded and painted on the insides of the legs- it's a nice touch, unnecessary, but I'm glad they did it. I also like the little hydraulic cylinder detail in the knees; it hearkens back to MP-01, which I loved for all its mechanical detail, even if the truck mode suffered for it. Overall, it strikes me thus far as a pretty good update for venerable old MP-10. While it's not without flaws (no Matrix cover, visible mushroom pegs in the hands, no hitching ability for MP-10's trailer, large hitch deck and prominent waist in truck mode, potentially problematic windshield wipers), what it gets right trumps the flaws, most of which I imagine will see fixes from one source or another over time. I'm hoping my anticipation will be rewarded; if this turns out to be a good figure over the long run, I'm curious to see what the future holds for Magic Square in the MP realm. Hopefully not govt C&D.
  4. M'Kyuun
    Won't be the same without Harold Ramis, in front or behind the camera. While I like Jeff Goldblum, I'm not sure I'd care for him as a fill in. It'd be better, I think, if Egon died and they payed some fitting tribute to him in the movie. What's sad is that Bill Murray, who I assume is going to reprise his role as Peter Venkman, likely wouldn't have agreed to do the movie if Mr. Ramis was still with us and was going to be in it, as apparently he had a falling out with Ramis, and holds a grudge. Anyway, I'm cautiously optimistic, especially if Dan Aykroyd is part of the writing team. Just this trailer evokes the original films, so if they can keep that going...
  5. M'Kyuun
    Great review, Mike. I'm surprised to find out that MP-10's trailer doesn't actually hitch up, as I thought that was the point of those rotating shin vents as well. Alas, beyond completing Optimus' look in truck mode, I never really felt it to be very relevant, beyond containing Roller. My MP-10 trailer has spent the duration in the box, and at this point is buried under the boxes of all the other TFs I've bought since, so I appreciate the mention of it in the review. If MS are planning to make their own trailer, I think I'll be skipping it. It does, however, beg the question why they didn't just make a separate fifth wheel attachment like TE; it's a cheap and easy way to achieve compatibility without compromising the sculpt. Anyway, looking forward to getting my copy this weekend.
  6. M'Kyuun
    Good luck; hopefully you got a good deal. As for me, I'm awaiting the arrival of my Magic Square Prime on Saturday. Looking forward to it.
  7. M'Kyuun
    That vid with the Ark, Prime, Powerglide, Wheeljack, and Grimlock all prove that Bay's argument that these things couldn't adhere to their G1 look and still look realistic was inherently flawed. Moreover, Travis Knight was able to pull off some decent looking G1 bots, too, although I have to agree that the posted vid does it better. I continually hold out hope that more movies are made using the G1 aesthetic, and that, with good storytelling and CG work, they'll prove far more successful than the terrible Bay films. Although I detest the Bay films, I must grudgingly concede Xigfrid's observation of historical points forming a basis for some of the plots to Bay's films. It was the only worthwhile thing in any of his TF films.
  8. M'Kyuun
    I wish they were making these in 1/60 scale; if they make a VE-1, I'll likely get one, and it'd be great if it scaled along with my Yamato, Arcadia & Bandai valks. But yeah, I hope these things are solid, as they look good so far. Love the panel lining and tampo. The head sticking down a bit in fighter doesn't really bother me, at least on the VF-1S shown there. I can live without light gimmicks- fortunately that's an easy option. Also wish they'd figured out a way to make the intake covers fold and stow- at this point, it should be a given. As for that stand-yikes! I wonder why they didn't do a clear stand like they used for their SD valks? Good thing I keep my valks in battroid.
  9. M'Kyuun
    Neither the SS nor the MPM versions of Movie Bee looked good to me. Now, I'm probably in the minority, but I like the SS Dropkick figure. Reading Mike's review above, he makes valid points (lots of kibble, the intakes flop about a bit, the hollow guns when the barrels are extended, etc). What I like about the figure is that they pretty much completely ignored the triple changer aspect and concentrated on giving it a decent helicopter mode, essentially eschewing any pretense of car kibble. I think it was the right way to go, as making this a triple changer would have introduced too many compromises. I wish they'd given Shatter her Harrier mode instead of the muscle car- we've had like how many car modes over the years? To wit, we've never had an accurate Harrier mode, and, as it's one of my favorite military planes, I would have welcomed it. Anyway, concerning Dropkick, I found it to be a fun figure and I really like the transformation. It'd be nice if Has/Tak and the producers of these movies talked about feasibility when designing the onscreen counterparts for these characters. I wish they'd design the toy first, use that transformation format, with some embellishments. As for triple changers, I think they're cool, but I think the alt modes should compliment in terms of basic size and shape. That isn't the case with Shatter or Dropkick, and that's why we'll likely never see triple changing toys of them. Too much CG magic with little regard to logic.
  10. M'Kyuun
    Too true; you can't beat the price of these Prime toys. MS's is a little more, but I got it for $108 shipped, which is still better than the vast majority of third party figures. I didn't see that MS Prowl. It's like MP Prowl's mini-me. Still, I find myself gravitating towards the New Age, as it gives me a strong G1 toy vibe (Prowl was my first TF toy, so I have an attachment), and I don't mind the ball jointed elbows. Options are nice, though.
  11. M'Kyuun
    While your recycling idea has its charm, the reviewer is correct. LEGO designers frequently use off-colored parts, relative to the primary color of the model, to ease the building process, taking into consideration that a five year old child may be building it who's not familiar with all the elements at hand. When said parts are buried, I generally don't mind, but I hate it when said 'fillers' are visible in the final model. This used to be a big issue in the early to mid 2000s in Star Wars, where red, yellow, or blue parts were oft used within the build and, amidst all that grey and dark grey, some primary colors peeked through. It still happens on occasion, although I think the designers are more cognizant of it . It's not just a Star Wars set issue, either; it's endemic throughout themes, just very noticeable in SW sets. I'll add that 'fillers' (my term, not official LEGO) come in all sorts of colors these days, as the both the color and shape palettes have expanded a lot over the last five or six years. That's a positive so long as LEGO continues to turn a profit. Hope I didn't dampen your enjoyment of building . LEGO's all about imagination, and there's nothing that says you can't continue to imagine that all those odd colored bits are just odds and ends from the scrap heap- better to use them than to melt them down. So I built Sweet Mayhem's Systar Starship this morning (from the upcoming LEGO Movie Pt 2), and what a fun and interesting build it turned out to be. I love the Sweet Mayhem minidoll in all her space regalia; I've been secretly hoping Friends would eventually venture into space, and this is definitely a step in the right direction. https://www.lego.com/en-us/themes/the-lego-movie-2/products/sweet-mayhems-systar-starship-70830 I received the Overwatch Watchpoint: Gibraltar set today, and will probably build it tomorrow. Looking forward to this set, as it not only makes for a lovely ship, but it features some new sloped parts that I've been wishing for for a long time. https://shop.lego.com/en-US/product/Watchpoint-Gibraltar-75975?p=75975 Leg godt!
  12. M'Kyuun
    Fair warning: I think this is the guy's first time transforming it, and it's a bit painful to watch. He mis-transforms the arms, as the window bits are supposed to rotate to the backs of the arms. Reviewers ineptitude aside, it's a satisfyingly complex transformation, with both modes looking pretty good. I dig it.
  13. M'Kyuun
    Before they ventured into the MP realm with MS-01, I think Magic Square were primarily known for their very G1esque legends sized figs. I've seen pics from a convention or two, and they always impress. I wish they were deluxe, as many of them would fill gaps on the CHUG shelves. Why does no-one do deluxe figs? Third Party seems to go either MP or legends, with little in between. Speaking of impressive legends figs, have you seen this Prowl from New Age? https://showzstore.com/pre-order-newage-new-age-na-h3-harry-prowl_p1188.html I so wish this was deluxe, as CHUG Prowl just never really satisfied. Even at legends scale, I'm very tempted, as this thing is amazing.
  14. M'Kyuun
    I also prefer the matte finish to TE's more plasticky look. The blue plastic they used just doesn't look right to me- kinda cheap looking. And while the knees aren't the best (although I do like how that little center bit is part of the knee block and moves with it), the ratchets all around in his legs and hips give me more confidence that it'll hold up better over the long haul. I believe TE's legs ratchet fore and aft, but IIRC the lateral movement is friction, which will likely wear over time. I love MS's paint accents throughout the legs, and still wish they had painted his leg vents silver instead of leaving them blue. I'll either attempt to paint them myself, or wait to see if Toyhax make a decent set of labels to fix it. I'm not much of a painter, so I'll likely opt for the latter. The only other real niggle I have with MS-01 is the lack of a Matrix chamber cover. TE did a great job with that, and with the back details. My MS Optimus is on its way, and I'm pretty excited to have it in hand. This will be my first product from them, and I really hope it's a solid toy. If it and the TE versions both turn out well, it opens the MP-scale door to two more companies, provided the Chinese authorities don't C&D them out of business. It strikes me that there is a lot of talent behind these third party companies; while I appreciate what they do for us fans, especially in light of the ever increasing pricey-ness of the MP line, it's a shame they can't, don't, or won't pool their resources and produce their own transforming toy IP. I suppose it's easier to piggyback on an established franchise with a built-in fanbase, but it just seems to me, especially with Hasbro and the Chinese govt enforcing the protection of their IP, that it'd be wise to do an original project. I'd welcome a new show featuring transforming robots or mecha apart from Macross and Transformers, accompanied by a well-engineered toyline.
  15. M'Kyuun
    In terms of this being a prologue to Bayverse, if I were Bee, I think I would have said f**k Sam & Co, I'm going back to Charlie- they were much better company. I think the storytelling waters were muddied a bit by their trying to tie it to Bayverse, while simultaneously setting a completely different tone and adopting a more cohesive look for the TF characters. I think Knight did the best he could to put his stamp on it, and I think we clearly see what he really wanted to do in the opening scenes. But, in the end, I think he made an enjoyable live action TF movie (the first, IMHO), and set a more optimistic and apropos tone for future movies to follow. I vehemently hope Knight has more autonomy in the next film, and is able to sever ties with Bayverse altogether.
  16. M'Kyuun
    For toon accuracy, especially compared to that lineart, TE just nailed it aesthetically, down to how the joints look when articulated (def beat MS in that area). I don't care for the white thighs, but I think they look fine proportionally. And they managed to get a much more 'realistically' proportionate cab out of it, especially the thinner hitch deck, which requires an add-on fifth-wheel hitch be installed to enable hitching up MP-10's trailer. Honestly, that little bit of partsforming is forgivable, especially to maintain the clean look of his bot mode, which would be my preference to having it shoehorned in there somewhere where it might disrupt the sculpt. I'd surmise that most of us probably don't display our MP Prime with his trailer anyway- I don't. I went with Magic Square, as I like the chunkier look of him and his somewhat better articulation (especially in the shoulders- impressive range of motion), but I've certainly come around towards appreciating TE's version as well. Bottom line, if both turn out to be durable toys, I don't think either will be disappointing in hand. Moreover, I think both look better than V3, especially in profile. I'm looking forward to getting my copy and spending some time putting him through his paces.
  17. M'Kyuun
    Between yesterday and the first, I've been to two of the local Targets in my area, and they pretty much have nothing for Siege, except maybe some of the micro guys. I have yet to see anything over deluxe size. Anyway, I can't argue with how good the bot mode looks for this iteration of Prime- by far the best representation since the G1 toy, which itself didn't look much like its highly stylized toon representation. I still find its Cybertronian truck mode abhorrent, though. I vehemently hope that Siege is followed up by a wave or three of all our favorite G1 characters given their Earth alt modes, essentially a low cost analogy to MP, which I think is what many of us have wanted all along from the Generations line.
  18. M'Kyuun
    Agree- looks great. Shame the grill's not chromed to give that nice reflection of Thrust like the scene. TE did a really nice job on their Matrix chamber, the overall look of his back, and the truck mode. The transformation is rather involved, but brilliant. It's a nice looking figure, but I ultimately went for Magic Square's OP, as I like the bot proportions, the leg detail, and the superior articulation. TE did a great job capturing the toon look, though, and IMHO, both 3P offerings look better than MP-44, especially in side profile. It's good that the two companies took different aesthetic cues, as options are nice based upon one's preferences. Hoping they turn out to be excellent figures in hand.
  19. M'Kyuun
    MS-01 paid- can't wait to get it. For $107, that's a pretty good deal for a really nice looking Prime.
  20. M'Kyuun
    Pertaining to scale, I highly doubt this will be oversized, as it's intended to be a replacement for MP-10 within that scale. To upsize him would mean starting a whole new line of MP figs to match, and I think Takara are satisfied with the current scale, not to mention us collectors with budgets and inadequate space for our burgeoning collections.
  21. M'Kyuun
    And I doubt "Unchained Melody" was a random choice for that scene, although Ghost this was not. And concerning the dude (Memo, or however it's spelled), the crush was obviously one-sided from start to finish. I have no problem with that, as the story was really about the relationship between Charlie and Bumblebee. I think Memo was in there to give her another human to relate to, who just happens to be a teen male, for humor, and to maybe soften the blow at the end when Bee goes off on his mission. At least this way, she has a friend to share the experience with and confide in, with relationship potential. It was also nice to see Charlie becoming closer to her family, so in the end, amidst a sad separation, there's still support for Charlie on two fronts. Seeing Bee driving next to a very G1 looking Prime was pretty sweet- I was all smiles. I'm hoping Knight will get the opportunity to make another film, and that Bay's influence will continue to wane unto the point of nonexistence. In Travis I trust.
  22. M'Kyuun
    I'm in the same boat concerning the almost gratuitously complex transformation, as neat and impressive as it is. Storing the front wheels in the crotch, and folding the face of the cab into his innards were standout moments in the transformation to me. I think it has the best truck mode, even if it isn't based on any particular real world model. Honestly, that doesn't bother me in the least. I really like how they were able to incorporate the waist into the cab and thin out the hitch deck. It doesn't look right to me without the silver stripe, though. In bot mode, I'm not crazy about the color or shape of the grey section of his torso, and something about his waist bugs me, although I can't quite put my finger on what it is. However, Magic Square's has TE beat in articulation, and I also like the chunkier proportions and sculpt- it's bot mode just looks amazing to me. Moreover, judging from the vid, MS-01's joints are more robust, especially in the legs and hips. The plastic looks better to me, and it has more paint apps. The transformation is similar to MP-10's with a few new tricks thrown in to hide the back wheels , which was always my biggest niggle with MP-10. This is my first time viewing TE's OP, and having watched a few different MS-01 vids now, I've no regrets going with Magic Square for my MP OP update.
  23. M'Kyuun
    I hadn't really thought of the Shape of Water analogy, as there was, if not explicitly shown, a definite implication that the lady and her beloved creature consummated their relationship, and the tone of that movie was certainly darker. But then again, there were hints that perhaps they had more in common genetically, too. Neither is true for Bumblebee, although it does layer on the affection between Charlie and Bee like wedding cake frosting. However, I think it was done tactfully, and it made sense in the context of these two characters who are essentially loners by circumstance, brought together by chance, even if it is scripted chance. I certainly enjoyed the lightheartedness and the bonding between them far more than the superficiality of the '07 film between Sam and Bee, where Bee is more of a possession than a friend to Sam. At least Knight made Bee feel like a person in this film, and that's an accomplishment Bay couldn't do in five. I suppose, too, that it makes a none too subtle statement that love transcends all barriers. It worked for E.T., and this is a similar story from a young adult's POV.
  24. M'Kyuun
    Both Magic Square's and Transform Element's OPs look good, but there are things I like better about the MS version, which I have PO'd. My only real gripe with it thus far is that the leg vents were left unpainted. I realize that's toon accurate, but damn the toon- they should be silver. Alas I may have to try painting them- not my forte by any means, but they just don't look right to me being blue..
  25. M'Kyuun
    I also think, if they keep the line alive, they should stick to the 3-3/4" figs, both for space and vehicle compatibility reasons (and cost). As I mentioned, I think Hasbro would do well to reissue some of the old vehicle molds, as the vast majority of those toys still look viable today. Perhaps the Skystriker could be updated to more closely resemble the F-22, but otherwise, straight reissues in most cases would serve and save on new molds and machining, allowing more of the line's budget go into figure designs/accessories. Sigma 6 was a 6" figure line, and I don't recall there being much in the way of vehicles for the figures, although the figures came with some cool accessories. IIRC, the line didn't do well, although I personally thought the figures were cool. I still have my Snake Eyes around here somewhere. Mog's mentioning the original 12" figs brings to mind a rather poignant point: Hasbro was just a small company that primarily existed off of its board games until someone at the company saw potential in some articulated wooden art dolls, creating military uniforms and guns for them. The line became a big hit, and in the 80's following Kenner's lead with their 3-3/4 Star Wars figs, went the same direction. They owe their early success and growth into a major corporation to GI Joe, so I hope that they don't let that legacy die.
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