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M'Kyuun

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Everything posted by M'Kyuun

  1. M'Kyuun
    Sunstreaker pic above is priceless- good start to my morning. The happy countenance on MP Streaker's face is perfect, along with the posing. Thanks, Kuma. The new Star Wars TFs are mildly interesting; I don't feel the same enthusiasm for them, despite their being better than the originals, IMHO. I have the original Falcon, and this is an improvement in just about every way. Love Chewie's bot form, especially. I'll probably skip them, though, unless they do a new Tyderium or a better version of the Eta-2 Jedi Interceptor, or a decent Naboo fighter. Then again, I say this, but I often cave if I find these things in store where I can pick them up and look at them. I'm a sucker for this stuff. I'm still feeling non-buyer's remorse for passing up TR Blitzwing after finding him in-store. Now he's nigh impossible to find in stores, and internet pricing is exorbitant- I won't pay it. I was even contemplating just sucking it up and getting the Takara version, but he's double the US price or more- it's just crazy the pricing shenanigans. I've paid it before for Takara versions, but I'm getting to the point where I'm just willing to live without it. Speaking of overpriced TFs, I PO'd MP Dinobot at AmiAmi for 21340 Yen, one of the better priced options I found, but still expensive. He's going to be a pretty sizeable figure, though, looking at pics of him alongside Primal and Cheetor. Makes me wonder how big, and thusly how big the pricetag for, the eventual Megatron is going to be. Second mortgage.
  2. M'Kyuun
    I'm thinking the black hands are just a matter of cheap recycling, since they already cast them in black for Thundercracker. Moreover, as well as being a time expedient, the cost of purple plastic may be higher than black (I know this is the case with LEGO-black is the cheapest color for them to produce). As for the chest, intake, and pelvic areas, at first I thought it might be a trick of light due to the angle, but upon closer inspection, I think you're right, which is odd, as they should both be silver. Gotta agree with the general sentiment that the overall design is brilliant for Meteor- in just about every way, an improvement over the official MP (the hollow wing undersides stand out as a negative).
  3. M'Kyuun
    Concerning MP Sunstreaker, I think Takara set a new bar for themselves, especially in the articulation department. There was a lot of love and affection put into the car mode, too, even if some of that was mandated by Lamborghini, we got a nice dual option out of it. Yeah, he has a sizeable backpack as the price, but really, in-hand, it's compact and light and doesn't hinder the figure's poseability at all. It's a little unsightly at first, but after putting him through his paces, it's a compromise that I'm willing to accept for everything else that Takara did right. Of course, as they make their way through the pantheon of characters, the cost of progress is wishing that some of the older MP figs could be updated. Case in point, placing Sunstreaker next to his brother Sideswipe, the first of the MP carbots, really illuminates the progression in techniques and articulation. Looking forward to the next G1 release, whoever it may be.
  4. M'Kyuun
    My point exactly. He and Waspinator would make good counterpoints, esp if they changed Waspinator's personality to be more cunning, fierce, aggressive, defensive, and single-mindedly loyal to his 'queen'. If they included the rest of the Insecticons, Tarantulas, Scorponok, Inferno ("For the Royalty!"), and any other arthropods I'm forgetting, all in their natural scales, they'd make an interesting faction of mini-spies. Moreover, it'd be a fresh take, especially if all mass-shifting was eschewed.
  5. M'Kyuun
    I wasn't even aware of those T-Beast designs; pretty neat. Thanks, Kuma. I could totally get behind a reimagined Beast Wars, or a mashup of G1 and BW like they seem to be doing, as an animated show. Bumblebee's alt mode should be obvious, rather than the Zoids Liger-like design they did. After all, he is a mini-bot and a spy in G1, so that's an alt that would be really fitting.
  6. M'Kyuun
    Thigh restriction notwithstanding, that's a neat looking mecha-Primal. Reminds me of the Trans-metal versions of the characters, which I favored over the organic alts, from a more practical standpoint (that alt modes should be mechanical regardless of the forms they assume), much like the Dinobots. Alas, I still love Beast Wars, and they conjured up a decent excuse for the organic forms, impractical as they were. I wonder how BW would have played out had they gone totally mecha throughout, just making the beast forms look as close to their organic counterparts as possible while still retaining hints of their mechanical natures.
  7. M'Kyuun
    I thought Pacific Rim 2 and Ready Player One were both enjoyable movies; they do different things and tell different stories, but for a couple hours of over-the-top sci-fi concepts and action, they both offer a nice bit of escapism fit for nachos and a large blue-raspberry Icee. It seems like people like to analyze, or way over-analyze, their media of choice these days; I just take it at face value and try to enjoy what it offers. I'm generally a pretty content guy- I don't stress over camera flare, or too-orange/bluish color hues (which I didn't notice). Perhaps being a dullard helps me get more enjoyment out of my entertainment choices. In my case, ignorance truly is bliss. I feel sorry for all you smart people.
  8. M'Kyuun
    Saw it today with the wife. Definitely a love letter to the 80's, but there's so much more than that as far as pop culture references go. As for the film itself, it's a nice bit of sci-fi fun, nothing really new or original, but what it did do was entertaining and fun to watch. It's one of those movies that requires a few viewings to catch all the references Spielberg and the writers tucked in there. Seeing Kaneda's bike in action, not to mention Iron Giant and the Gundam, were highlights that make you want to see more. Great nerd-fare, this film. I was all smiles the whole way through. Loved Mark Rylance's performance in this movie, and Simon Pegg is always enjoyable. Really though, I felt the whole cast did a really good job. Kudos to all the artists behind the scenes, as at least half the film is rendered, and it was pretty neat to see so many disparate characters, vehicles, and other pop culture things brought to life in a single bit of media.
  9. M'Kyuun
    I have absolutely no problem whatsoever with setting the film either in China or Japan, esp the latter who created the whole Super Robot idea to start with. It's fitting, and I also appreciated that throughout the film, many of the characters spoke their native languages among themselves, and even to the foreigners who were working with them. It's such a rarity in American films to see that instead of everybody speaking English in faux accents, which bugs the crap out of me. I don't mind reading subtitles. I'm a white American guy who only speaks English, BTW, as mine isn't an ethnic bias so much as a practical one- no one speaks in a foreign language to his fellow countrymen in general, unless they enjoy it, want to improve proficiency, or are required to by virtue of environmental or transactional reasons, or if it's a common language shared by two or more people from different countries, or perhaps dialects. I'm sure there are other reasons, but as I said, in general, people speak their native language amongst their own countrymen. However, I'm sure the same thing happens in film and tv around the world, for simplicity's sake. Don't even get me started on sci-fi stuff where we go to another planet and everyone there speaks perfect English, no translators necessary. So dumb.
  10. M'Kyuun
    First time seeing it, too, but this is a good approach, IMHO. There's still a little bit of a fragmented look to the bots, but at least they look more coherent and both less shard-y and less skeletal. I figure much like insects, reptiles, and other critters with scales or some form of carapace, there needs to be separation between the exterior plating to allow for movement, otherwise they'd be statues. Moreover, it's a better, more realistic solution than having the metal bend and stretch like skin. Anyway, my G1 nostalgia overfloweth watching this; I have to admit, I'd be down to see this expanded into a full length film. I'd also be interested to see this approach taken to the reboot regardless of whether any of the G1 characters were even in it; marry this aesthetic to a good Transformers-focused story with well-written dialog, a good plot, Autobots waging their battle to destroy the evil forces of the Decepticons, and I'd buy a ticket to see that.
  11. M'Kyuun
    That Nerdist take is spot on- that trailer's more exciting than the actual movie. After this movie, I'm not sure how they can up the ante, unless they make bigger Jaegers, or turn them into combiners, which would be kinda cool.
  12. M'Kyuun
    Watched it tonight; gotta agree with its being a fun movie. The plot was decent, the kids were ok, and there were a number of 'Evangelion' moments in there that my wife and I noticed (and liked). Evangelion is especially fresh to me, as just yesterday I started watching the original with a friend who's never seen it before. Anyway, they raised the level of agility in the Jaegers compared to the first movie, which makes the action more dynamic. Having younger pilots works well to that end, and overall, it made it a fun movie to watch. They also built off of many of the established ideas from the first without lingering or over-explaining them, keeping the momentum of the movie going. I hate it when movies feel the need to expound on stuff at length by virtue of awkward dialog or some form of expository demonstration rather than explaining it naturally as the story unfolds. They did a good job of reintroducing the tech from the first, as well as new ideas, in a way that didn't bog the momentum. It was a good sequel, and I hope there's another, as this about as close as we've gotten to anime-style storytelling with mecha on the big screen, done well.
  13. M'Kyuun
    This is a blast from the past. I remember this, Galaxy Rangers, and Pole Position as being really enjoyable American and Japanese co-produced toons in the mid-80's. The art was par-excellence compared to all the American shows, and all three had catchy opening songs. Gotta say, that package art leaves a bit to be desired, but as long as the DVD quality is good, I'll definitely pick up a copy.
  14. M'Kyuun
    Yeah, it homages the blocky original, but unlike the Constructicons, who were all voyager scale, these guys all appear to have full range of articulation in their individual bot modes. I like how they did the elbows for Predaking, rather than having the thighs fully extended- makes him look more solid, even if it limits rotation a bit. Unfortunately, it looks like the animal modes are pretty much going to be bricks- big blocky bricks with oddly proportioned limbs relative to their bodies. Too, the combiner apparatus is rather large and looks a bit awkward on a few of the bots. All things considered, however, I think it's a decent update, at least as far as articulation goes, while still keeping the 80's look. I know that might not appeal to everyone, though.
  15. M'Kyuun
    Unless they do an Elint, I doubt I'll bite on their 1/72. By all appearances, though, it looks pretty good so far, but I think I'd wait for the inevitable reviews before committing. I'm not into collecting character figs, but I have to say I think KC did a nice job on their Minmei.
  16. M'Kyuun
    I was surprised to find the Robot Spirits Pacific Rim 2 figures at TRU last weekend, as I generally don't see Japanese toys there ( I generally have to check the Comic Book Store, Barnes & Noble, or other specialty stores to find Japanese and higher end collectible figures). Anyway, looking through the assortment, I was tempted; they were $30 a pop, but all figures were marked down 10 percent, so I would have saved a couple bucks. Alas, I've already way-overspent this month, and I had another armload of LEGO and the Die-cast Voltron set, so I left them on their pegs. They looked nice, though.
  17. M'Kyuun
    Yes. MGA Entertainment brokered a deal to buy all 82 Canadian stores, with the possibility of keeping 200 US stores. Personally, I hope he's successful, learns from the mistakes of the previous ownership, and makes what remains of the franchise into a successful venture. I don't want to see it die, even if our particular store isn't one of the 200 saved. Visited my local TRU yesterday, and what a difference from my last weekend's visit. They're now in full liquidation mode, and at least a good quarter of their LEGO stock was gone. LEGO is not on their list of liquidation sales, is clearly posted as not discounted, and whatever remains of their stock will return to LEGO when the stores finally close. I didn't see the same evidence of mass sales anywhere else, though. I visited the Star Wars isle and then onto Transformers. They still looked like they usually do. I bought the smaller die-cast versions of the Netflix Voltron Lions- not a bad little set, except Voltron can't turn his head, and his wings aren't hinged to allow them to spread behind his back properly. I think they used the product photography from the full sized combining toys on the packaging for these smaller figures- little shady. Still, the lions individually look pretty good, have decent articulation, and they combine to form Voltron, so I'm ok with it. It's my first ever Voltron figure, and I knew when I bought it I wasn't getting the premium set. Anyway, I also picked up some more LEGO for good measure.
  18. M'Kyuun
    There's a crowdfunding effort under way to save TRU, at least in part. https://www.gofundme.com/helpsavetoysrus
  19. M'Kyuun
    That's interesting. I don't recall there being a leader scaled mold of Blackout, as I probably would have bought it back when it was first released. Then again, looking at it now, there are things about it that don't appeal, like the fugly hands sans wrist joints, that give pause. So I may have skipped it and forgotten about it ; my memory is terrible anyway, so forgetting something that didn't grab my attention in the first place is par for the course. Alas, while the overall mold looks decent to me, I think I'll pass on the Studio and wait for a MP version. And if no MP version is forthcoming, it's money saved for something else, like more G1 MPs. Priorities! Good ol' Hasbro recycling molds. BUT, if it makes them money that goes towards Generations, then I say resell the crap out of those things. Edit: So pics of Studio Brawl showed up on Seibertron.com, and I tried to match it to a previous mold without success. Within the Movie mainline, they made deluxe and leader class versions, but my understanding is that this fig is closer to voyager. New mold? Moreover, the configuration of his treads is different from standard; they generally sit on his shoulders horizontally facing front to back, rather than parallel to the body. I thought his treads might actually roll looking at the pic, but then I noticed that the tread sections on his legs break up, so I guess not. Too bad, as rolling treads would have significantly bumped up my interest, and just generally made him a better toy. Anyway, I kinda dig this look for him. I like his deluxe version (never owned the leader class despite being mighty tempted. Brawl is one of the few Bayverse designs that appeals to me). To me, esp in this paint scheme, the Studio toy looks more like a variable military mecha concept than many of the more shard-heavy Bayformer designs. Anyway, this may end up being my guilty pleasure from this line. Slightly off-topic, but my ruminations on this figure made me think of future toys, and the hope that it'll become something of a standard to equip all treaded vehicles with rolling treads- it may take some new engineering ideas, but that's the kind of progress I hope to see in the next twenty to thirty years. Edit to the edit: Out of curiosity, I pulled up some images of the CG model for Brawl, and the Studio figure is correct in its placement of the treaded section vertically within the torso, which makes him the only mainline Movieverse Brawl toy to get it right, that I'm aware of anyway. And, after reading the accompanying article, it is indeed a new mold.
  20. M'Kyuun
    One last 'hurrah!' before it's officially, and may I add thankfully, dead. That's my thinking about it, anyway. The same applies to the Bayformers only just recently receiving the MP treatment. Trying to squeeze one last drop of grape juice from a raisin. I'm a bit confused, though, as there's a leader class Blackout that's been talked about, and then the Studio series, which I'm guessing is a smaller scale. IDK. If anybody has clarity on this, I'd appreciate some elucidation. Edit: As to your initial question whether this is the previous leader class toy, after looking at a vid for the Hunt for the Decepticons leader class figure, they're different. That figure had lights and sounds, the landing gear were in a different place in bot mode, there are a few differences between the studio's legs and the leader (the leader is far more detailed- really a lovely figure, TBH). That's what I see comparing the two. I'm sure there are more differences, but these were obvious enough for me to make my conclusion.
  21. M'Kyuun
    While I have little interest in any more Bayformers (jury's still out for Blackout, though), this is the level of engineering that I wish we saw in most of the Voyager, or even Leader class figures. Moreover, I wish Has/Tak were this creative incorporating the arms into the transformation in all their jet TFs instead of just having them hang off the sides as they've been doing. Engineering wise, I gotta admit, I'd enjoy transforming this guy; however, I'm just not that into the aesthetics, and I already own a few other Bayformer Starscream toys- I don't feel the need for any more. Bias aside, they did a nice job with this figure: looks really good in both modes, the articulation is pretty impressive, I really appreciate that the gear can fold, and they created a mildly complex, all-inclusive transformation that looks satisfying rather than frustrating. 'Preciate your sharing the video here, Scyla. Cheers!
  22. M'Kyuun
    Just returned from TRU, and though it was busier than what I'd expect a normal Friday morning to be, it wasn't mobbed, there are no 'store closing' signs, the shelves were well stocked, and when I queried the cashier as to their last day, she indicated she didn't know. Now, they may be told not to give any info as to the final date to patrons, which is kinda understandable to keep the chaos to a minimum. Personally, my own hope is that they'll be part of the potential Canadian TRU buyout and hopefully remain open, even if it's in a limited capacity. Fingers crossed. Managed to snag their last copy of the LEGO Saturn V, which I'm going to squirrel away. I was surprised it was still there, as there were only two copies last weekend, and I expected them to get scooped up through the week, esp given the circumstances. I've been regretting not picking one up all week. Fate is generally a heartless bastard, but today he smiled on me. I hope he smiles on our TRU, too. After my visit, I'm feeling rather melancholy over the eventual loss of TRU, and moreover, for the folks who are losing their jobs/careers due to the closures. It's a very disheartening turn of events.
  23. M'Kyuun
    We had at least three stores here in the Spokane area, that I'm aware of and have visited. My wife and I live about 10 miles from the nearest one, so our visits were occasional, but we liked the vibe of the place. Moreover, it was one of the last bastions of the video rental, esp anime. It was popular amongst the college crowd- nice chill place to study, get a coffee, browse for a book, get some vinyl, buy a cool tee, etc. Just a neat place- similar to Barnes & Noble, but not as stuffy. My wife and I miss it. Borders, too, while we're on the subject. Perhaps it's because I grew up in the 80's before everything was available online (Amazon and Ebay would have been good sci-fi filler to my younger self), but I still enjoy the visceral experience of walking into a store, checking the shelves, hoping for that pleasant thrill when something you want, and even better, some cool new thing unbeknownst to you, is discovered. I have bought things, which I picked up and handled, that I otherwise would have overlooked or ignored based on online browsing. I didn't grow up near a TRU; I was in my early to mid-twenties before venturing into a 'Toys Be We', as I jokingly call it, and was amazed. That initial 'wow' moment has passed, but I still like browsing the stuff I don't collect, as TRU are one of the last places to find all manner of collectible figures and toys- sometimes, I even look at the preschool stuff, as it's amazing how toys for little kids have evolved. I have none of my own, but my friends' kids keep me browsing the younger aged toys when birthdays arise. I'm pretty bummed that the situation has become this dire; I expected TRU would outlive me for future generations of kids. It's extremely disheartening to see all these stores that seemed like solid fixtures falling away one by one into oblivion. It's even moreso when there are guys like Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Elon Musk, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Mark Zuckerberg, etc ad nauseum, who have the finances to not only buy the company but a whole team of folks to put it on a profitable road and keep it sustainable for future generations. If I had the money, I wouldn't think twice.
  24. M'Kyuun
    The whole situation makes me sad and a bit annoyed. There are any number of billionaires out there who could easily save this company and hopefully turn it around, and yet it's hard to believe none of them have, not even out of a sense of nostalgia. We lost another retail store in 2016 called Hastings, which was a seller of multimedia, toys, games, collectible figures, as well as the largest comics retailer in the US. They also had a good café. They went through bankruptcy, but the folks at our favorite location remained hopeful right up to the end, as they were one of the best performing stores in our area. Alas, no buyer came forward to rescue them, and now they're gone, leaving a big hole. The same situation seems to be recurring at our TRU, as the associates I've spoken to have seemed optimistic, as again, theirs is a really well performing store (considering they get business from the eastern WA area, northern Idaho, and Canada). At one point, about a month ago, they told us not only are they hanging around, but they were slated to get a makeover. Guess not. It'd be great if they were able to save a select few stores, just to keep the franchise alive. We're losing too many of our American institutions- TRU is an iconic name globally, and it'll leave an unfillable void if it disappears completely. I still enjoy walking into the store, as it remains an experience that none of the other big box dept stores can match, and never will. However, if it comes down to losing our store, I'll snap up what I can in the LEGO dept, esp since they carry a number of themes and sets that no one else outside of LEGO themselves do. They had two copies of the Saturn V last weekend- I should have picked up another one. Gonna miss their selection (maybe not their markups) if they close. Unlike Tangled Thorns, I'll be collecting 'til I fall over dead.
  25. M'Kyuun
    Well said. He was an incredible human being given all his accomplishments, defying ALS for so long, being chief among them. Fortunately for us and future generations, he left a lasting legacy that will keep scientific minds searching and questioning. We were blessed to have him with us for 76 years. Godspeed, Dr. Hawking.
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