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M'Kyuun

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  1. M'Kyuun
    Technoblue, concerning customs and gun restrictions, I can speak from personal experience getting Apollyon. He arrived completely unmolested from the sender, so my thinking is that Customs folks are simply scanning the packages. It helps, too, that Apollyon, at least, is packaged in robot mode, so when they scan it, that's all they see. Now if one of these companies packages their not-Megatron in gun mode, I suspect they might not make it through customs unscathed. But, I'm guessing most of the 3rd party folks are aware of the restrictions on guns, including toy guns, and will act accordingly to elicit the least amount of scrutiny, at least for U.S. imports. Hoping POs open for MMC's Trailbreaker soon. That truck mode is incredible, and they did a great job eliminating the beer belly while still maintaining his overall look. I'm really pleased with my copy of Sphinx, I passed on Backdraft in favor of the official MP Inferno, but TT are a bit slow in getting these G1 characters out, and honestly, I'm not sure what they could do to really improve on MMC's design. Plus die-cast and rubber tires. These toys feel more like MP quality to me than the official toys.
  2. M'Kyuun
    That triple changing Prime/ Octane's alt modes both look heavily compromised and just really poor. The truck might look better from a different angle and with all the weapons removed, but there's little help for that stretch Harrier. After seeing Megatron/future Blitzwing, which looks pretty decent to me in all modes, I was anticipating a new Octane, having passed on the Classics version. I daresay, the Classics looked better to me than this thing. I don't think Prime's color scheme is helping it much, either. It looks gaudy, and more like a preschool toy. With all the experience they have between TT and Hasbro, I'd have thought they'd come up with a much better design. Finally, Kickback. Kinda odd that they didn't make the thighs fold into the lower legs, as they look a bit odd, as do his wing connections, in locust mode. Weird design choices aside, they got the likeness to his G1 figure down pretty well, and I'm stoked that they finally made him. Rodimus looks to be a worthy successor to his Classics figure. His arms look a bit large, or maybe too long- I get an apish vibe from it, but otherwise, in both modes, I think he looks pretty good. IMHO, his bot mode proportions are better than the MP. So when, I wonder, are they going to make a new G1 inspired Dinobot team? I just don't want them as headmasters, but updated voyager scaled figures would be great.
  3. M'Kyuun
    I also have Apollyon, and out of the three here, I still think he has the best overall proportions. However, I like the look of Despotron; he's a little chunky, but still a nice looking Megatron. I kinda wish he was Voyager scaled for the CHUGs. Looking forward to reviews.
  4. M'Kyuun
    The entire RiD and Unicron Trilogy, as well as the Bay films, are dead spots in my personal TF universe. I couldn't get into any of the Japanese toons, and the toys were so-so. I have a number of them, but ultimately, few of them have any value to me today. They remain boxed up and out of sight. As for Bay, the one positive that came from his involvement in the franchise was the increase in complexity of the toys, without which to pave the way, I doubt the TF:Animated toys would have turned out as well as they did. TT and Hasbro have simplified things a bit in the last few years, but every now and then, esp in the MP line, they surprise with a nice bit of ingenious engineering. So far, Cheetor looks like he benefits from some of that ingenious engineering.
  5. M'Kyuun
    Another big monster movie full of the same old cliches. When is Sam Jackson not extreme in a film these days? Like it or not, it's his schtick. It's being produced by the creators of Godzilla, so I'd assume it's in the same universe. Hopefully, they'll make me care more for the characters in this film, but I doubt it. Really, though, I kinda empathize with folks trying to create a kaiju movie- I'm not sure what can be done to make it fresh without totally screwing it up. I think Attack on Titan succeeded in this regard- while they're not fighting traditional big monsters, the basic premise is the same, but the approach of having slayers using cables and swords to achieve the necessary verticality, while realistically improbable, makes for a new approach with some nifty action. I like the idea of using the military, but honestly, maybe a more near future sci-fi, or steam/ dieselpunk, approach would give the needed revitalization this kind of movie needs to make it interesting again. But yeah, the cliched helicopter approach has lost its impact, as well as shooting at it with useless M-16s, etc ad nauseum. Evangelion, to me, illustrates the best example of the humans vs large monster scenario done well in a sci-fi setting. Pacific Rim was ok, but there was more I didn't like than I liked in that film.
  6. M'Kyuun
    I'm a BW fan- alt modes aside, I think it's one of the best TF shows in terms of writing and character development- from start to finish, it's a fun show to watch. That said, I'm with those who are 'meh' concerning MP Primal. For a MP figure, I didn't feel he was quite MP material, but a solid Voyager in the Generations line. I still think it'd have been cool had TT gone with faux fur and various other materials to make them feel more authentic as animals, but that ship has sailed. Anyway, Cheetor has me far more convinced, even at the gray-mold stage. This colored version really sells him, and he's a must-buy in my book, which also means that, sometime down the road, I'll likely cave and get 'Big Bot' for my little BW collection. I'm curious how many of these guys TT are going to make; I imagine the challenges are far dreater to make these characters look like their animation models in both modes without greatly compromising one for the other. Dinobot, especially, comes to mind; he was a pivotal character in the show and needs a good revision, as all past figures have pretty much been crap. Bought TR Wheelie yesterday; Cool little figure with two caveats: first, his arms don't lock very well, and rely solely on friction, both at the elbow ball joint and the forward silver painted area( basically a small tongue and groove joint), and a tab by the hand, to keep the arms in place in car mode. The tongue and groove joint on mine doesn't lock in flush very well and takes some fidgeting to compress it . Second, the rear of the car is just an open area where the head and shoulder joints are clearly visible. It would have been cool had they made a small cover plate, and there's room enough for a small panel, but I guess they didn't have enough budget for another piece or two. That bit of negativity aside, it's a great likeness in both modes to the G1 character, is decently poseable (shoulders are pretty limited), and the way the body folds to allow a Titan Master to sit in the car, and then the robot body to compress, is very well done. Glad I got him. For those eyeing the TT version, IMO, not worth the extra money. Oh, just thought of a third negative- he doesn't come with a weapon, specifically his iconic slingshot, even though his card art shows him with it. I'm sure third parties are already working on solutions.
  7. M'Kyuun
    Not sure if I'm all that interested in a new Japanese Godzilla movie, but I can understand Anno's becoming a bit burnt out on Evangelion. I hope he enjoys his time away from it, recharges, and come back to finish it with a sense of care and delight, rather than a feeling of dread and pressure to complete it. Even stuff you care deeply about can seem a burden if you stay at it too long, or you begin doing it out of a sense of obligation rather than enjoyment. I enjoyed the first three Rebuild movies, and I look forward to the fourth once Anno-san returns to complete it.
  8. M'Kyuun
    I have the Takara version of UM, and IMO, he's a pretty nice figure. He's not without his flaws, but few things are. He gets the job done for me, and scales well with the rest of my CHUG collection. As for Super Ginrai, there are things I like and things I don't. Overall aesthetically, I prefer the chunkier look and stylish cab on the Hasbro toy. However, Ginrai has much more poseable, albeit uglier, feet. The Hasbro version's trailer looks better, as it resembles the G1 trailer from front to back, whereas Ginrai's big red armatures for the arms take up the first third of the trailer- not as nice looking, IMO. Ginrai doesn't suffer from as much hollow limb syndrome as the Hasbro version. In the end, since I have UM, I'll likely go with Ginrai, since the changes are much more extensive, and although I don't care for how the feet look, from what I can see, it looks like they do a better job of folding out of sight in truck mode. I'll wait for the inevitable reviews of both before ordering. Looking through the SDCC pics over on TFW2005, the new triple changer Megatron looks interesting, and will no doubt see a Blitzwing repaint. I wish they'd done Astrotrain G1 style- Sentinal Prime and his Astrotrain repaint both look beyond terrible to me. Also-Sharkticon and new Bumblebee (which looks alot like the previous CHUG version) look really good. I'm surprised they didn't make a G1 Kup figure in the line, since most of the other movie figs have been covered. And, still no Kickback to complete the Insecticons. Overall, though, I very much appreciate all the G1 inspired toys since 2015, this year, and carrying on into 2017. My CHUG shelf is becoming more crowded as my wallet becomes more desolate.
  9. M'Kyuun
    The advertising for Combiner Wars just feels like advertising- a bit too melodramatic and un-natural to my ears. Also, the voices for both Starscream and Windblade don't fit the characters. Windblade would have sounded much more convincing with a Japanese VA to go with her aesthetic, IMHO. And neo-British Starscream doesn't ring true to me either. I can buy his turning over a new leaf before I can accept the voice. Nostalgia, I suppose, but as I've mentioned, I think Tom Kenny's, and even Steve Blums's, takes on the character were better.
  10. M'Kyuun
    I can understand not double dipping, whether it be official or 3P figs. I'm generally reluctant to buy more than one of a mold, unless the differences are significant enough to warrant it, or if I just really like it (as with MP Prowl and the Fairlady variants, all of which I have, and love). I still like a lot of what Takara and Hasbro are producing, esp in the Generations line. I'm certainly appreciating the G1 homages this year, even if most of the TR figures were made into Headmasters (a dumb gimmick that I could live without). So I'll likely collect official toys until I croak. But there is something to be said for the 3P toys, a great many of which are surpassing the official toys in terms of materials, build, complexity, and innovation, at a price of course. I tend towards official, but when a really good 3P fig comes along, like Ocular Max Sphinx, or Apollyon, well I have to bite. It's all a matter of opinion and financial capability. Unfortunately, I have much more of the former, so I've become quite choosy. Thing is, I love the puzzle aspect of transforming toys, and with both official and 3P versions of the same figures being produced, I have a tendency to watch reviews of a lot of these toys, whether I actually plan to get them or not. I just love seeing the various engineering solutions employed, as well as features that each company imparts to try and set it apart and enrich the functionality or play-ability. I get a nice vicarious enjoyment from it. It's not quite the same as having it in your hands, but still an opportunity to enjoy the figure.
  11. M'Kyuun
    I was thinking the same thing- they all look like the official mold. I'd like to see an all new mold with a G1 transformation (where the arms rotate inward and form the plane's spine behind the cockpit, and where the nose section(i.e. head mount) sits below the chest intakes. Something about that nose section sitting above the intakes on the MP mold just bugs the crap out of me. That MP Seeker mold has been around for quite some time; a fresh take would be most welcome. It'd be cool, too, if they could engineer in proper F-15 landing gear. I think it could be done, esp if the designers eschew a leg sliding mechanism in lieu of folding the thighs into the legs similar to the CW jets, or MP Prowl. Lot's of cool 3P stuff coming...wish I could afford alot more of it. I'm constantly amazed by the pool of talented and creative folks out there, and, even if I can't buy a great deal of what's offered, I greatly appreciate all the TF toy options they've made available to the fandom. If any of you are reading this, my hat's off to you. Thanks!
  12. M'Kyuun
    I passed on the TR version of Blurr for the Legends- the TR is just too monochromatic, and I have little talent for painting. I did pick up the Hasbro releases of Scourge, Skullcruncher, and Hardhead. I think the Legends release of Scourge looks better, but as I've never been that fond of the 'space boat' alt mode, I didn't feel like like spending the extra money for the TT release. They're all simple but decent figs- fun toys. My Skullcruncher's hips and thigh rotation joints are very loose. He'll stand ok, but dynamic poses are nigh impossible. I'll have to apply some polish or superglue to make them tighter. I wasn't going to get Skullcruncher, but that tongue in the croc's mouth won me over. I kinda think of him as a transforming Zoid. Looking forward to Wolfwire (Hasbro's Weirdwolf). I'm anticipating the Legends release of Galvatron this month (hopefully). I've got UW Bruticus sitting in private warehouse and I want to ship it with Galvy. I had the Hasbro toy in my hands at TRU, but as I already had the Legends PO'd, I put it back. Went back to TRU yesterday, and they had zip for Titans Return figs- just a few RiD figs, none of the new ones, which I was looking for. I'm waiting to see a colored pic of Super Ginrai (TT's heavy remold of the upcoming Powermaster Prime, itself a heavy remold of CW Ultra Magnus) before I decide which version I'm going to get. Likely I'll go with the Takara-it has a more G1 ish cab section and the bot mode has ankle tilts. Ankle tilts on a figure this size should be a requisite.
  13. M'Kyuun
    I think FT's is much more faithful to the art than TW. That said, the alts for G1 Springer don't really appeal to me as much as they once did, and I prefer the Generations toy over both of these.
  14. M'Kyuun
    I have Shuttle Adventure, the first edition of that set. A second version was released addressing weak or unstable areas. Anyway, I think I like the original version better, and it is a great set, one I couldn't pass up when it was first released. I'm currently reading Into the Black by Rowland White about the development of the Shuttle and its lesser known role of placing DoD and NRO satellites in orbit. Anyway, when I read or watch anything about the Shuttle, I'm often tempted to pull that set out and give it a good swoosh. Edit: Wow, that VF-1 is Impressive. Huge props to the builder. I love how it can fit one of those excellent old-schoool Technic figures. I wish they still made those guys- so much potential. Good find, Danth!
  15. M'Kyuun
    Lookin' sharp, Swoosh! Ideas sets are hit and miss for me; the two latest models to be accepted for production are the Beatles' Yellow Submarine (how this got 10K votes, and how it met LEGO's standards are beyond me), and the Saturn V Rocket. If they make it with all the various stages, including Command Module and LEM, I'll pony up.
  16. M'Kyuun
    Lights and sound, too. Pretty cool. The Ideas sets are on a strict budget, which generally precludes sound bricks and such, but it would have been great had they been able to sneak an official sound brick into the new Ecto-1 set. You'll have to post a vid when you have it all wired up. It'll make an already cool display piece all the more dynamic.
  17. M'Kyuun
    Nobody will ever do Starscream like Chris Latta; this version sounds a little too British. Tom Kenny's take was better, IMO. I hope they make a toy based on how he looks in the show, and keep him streamlined in fighter.
  18. M'Kyuun
    Impressive model- over 4000 pieces. It also has a full interior. Kudos to the designer(s).
  19. M'Kyuun
    KFC's would be nigh perfect if they made those shoulder slopes open into MiG-25 style intakes, and made a full round exhaust nozzle. Their tank mode is pretty impressive for a triple changer, and the fighter , while sacrificed a bit, still looks pretty passable. Gerwalt's is well done, rather complex, but I think they could have found a better solution for hiding the head and fighter canopy in tank mode. Their tank mode just doesn't look that good to me, either. If I were looking to get one of these not-Blitzwings, I think I'd go for Keith's design.
  20. M'Kyuun
    Wow, nice collection, sh9000. Personally, the G1 toys don't do much for me anymore as a collector and as a toy guy. I feel a twinge of nostalgia, but quite honestly, I felt disappointed with them back in the '80s due to their lack of poseability. Modern stuff for me. But, there's something to be said for Hasbro's packaging that really sold, and still sells, those old toys; the amazing boxart for Prowl just captivated me back in '84 (still does), which made my decision an easy one for first TF. (My funds at 13 were extremely limited, so I only had enough money for one 'deluxe' figure). Disappointment soon followed, however, as I unboxed him in the car on our way home and discovered that his leg was a solid piece and that lovely art was a beautiful lie. Innocence was shattered, replaced by jaded cynicism. 30 years later, MP Prowl restored my faith. Kinda wish Hasbro would return to the old style of packaging with nice artwork, tech specs, the whole spiel. It takes up more room, and I guess most folks just throw it away, but it definitely makes a visual impact. I keep the packaging for all my TF toys, and well done packaging just enriches the experience of collecting these things, IMHO.
  21. M'Kyuun
    Looks too Mad Max-ish for my tastes, but if it floats your boat, great. I tend more towards realistic alts.
  22. M'Kyuun
    Also PO'd Inferno- the various feature shots sold me on it. It doesn't hurt that AmiAmi's PO price is just a smidge over Backdraft's, and I'm a sucker for the official stuff. I like the TT Inferno proportions a little better than Backdraft, esp the waist--it seems a little more compact, not as elongated to me, and I like the more squat look it imparts. The more I look at the pics, the less the plain legs bother me; there are still some nice details, and overall it captures the look of the character really well. Nice how they made his stabilizers deploy in truck mode- they didn't have to, but it's cool that they did. Also, he's pretty poseable for his size...always a good thing.
  23. M'Kyuun
    I was surprised by the price tag for MP Inferno, as well. Still waiting to see what HLJ will PO it for. It's unusual for the official stuff to cost more than the third party, but in this case Backdraft is edging out the official toy both in terms of detail and pricing.
  24. M'Kyuun
    I don't own a cell phone, and I only have Dish, so I guess I'll wait for DVD release. MP Inferno, on the whole, looks ok to me. I think Backdraft does look a little better due to better detailing. I dig the ladder stowage-neat bit of bot-enhancing engineering that TT didn't have to do, but I'm glad they did. Inferno has never really been on my radar- he's exists on the periphery to me, much like Tracks, so I'm a bit meh. I wish they'd finish out the remaining first season characters before going on to second, third, and Movie figs. Probably not the most popular opinion, but there it is. I'm waiting on some better pics of MP Cheetor; I want a better look at his back legs in beast mode. After looking at the pics shown this morning on TFW2005 http://news.tfw2005.com/2016/06/25/figure-king-no-221-scans-mp-inferno-mp-cheetor-lg-fortress-maximus-shogo-hasui-interview-317957, I think his cat-head chest is a cheat to better flatten and streamline it. I could be wrong, but that's how it looks to me.
  25. M'Kyuun
    Thanks for the info, Mike. I was aware that Burden seemed to be getting the lion's share of attention as far as issues, but I wasn't certain about the rest of the team. G1 Scavenger and Long Haul are the only two Constructicons I own (I don't count the crappy Energon ones), so I was looking forward to getting Unearth and Burden before snapping up the rest. I guess I'll revise that plan and wait for TW to make whatever improvements need to be done. I hope they get it resolved soon; I absolutely love the look of Burden. Oh, and good luck with your replacement Burden.
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