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M'Kyuun

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  1. M'Kyuun
    Yep; whoever thought a flying shoebox was a great design was sadly mistaken. All the toy companies and replica makers must have been like 'WTF' when Lucasfilms gave them early concepts to work from. Hell, they didn't even let LEGO know that Kylo Ren's ship, one of the better designs IMHO, could splay its wings in flight. But yeah, for a franchise known for cool ships, the last two Episode films were pretty lackluster. I like the U-Wing from Rogue One, though- neat ship, and it was a pretty nice set to boot. As for Tracker I, I got a TIE Defender vibe from it. The Tracker's cooler though, IMHO. The other ship LEGO created for the Freemaker series, The Arrowhead, is pretty sweet, too. I have yet to build it, but I love it on looks alone. Again, it's a far cooler design than most of what we've seen in the last two Episodes. That's a sad statement.
  2. M'Kyuun
    The Sunday over New Year's weekend, I saw four or five copies of the Saturn V at TRU. I was pleasantly surprised to see them, actually, although my TRU is pretty good about keeping Ideas sets in stock. Another place to check is Barnes and Noble; that's where I got mine months ago, with a nice member's discount no less. I must agree with Master Chen on his assessment; it's one of the most rewarding sets I've built, and I've built literally thousands of sets. If I may impart a slight detour; I just built the Tracker I set, which is a custom ship made by LEGO for its Freemaker Star Wars cartoon, and it shames just about every ship design in Force Awakens. It has a triangular cockpit which makes for a really neat build- one of the more notably enjoyable spaceship sets I've built. Sorry to derail. I think I'm gonna wait out the UCS Falcon until another double VIP point window, and hope I can get my order in before they sell out again. Fortunately, I have over $200 in VIP points that I've been saving to soften the blow, and I'll likely pad that a bit more between now and the next double point window. As for where to put it- I'm out of room to display small sets, let alone that monstrosity. So, time is good, as it'll give me time to come up with a solution.
  3. M'Kyuun
    If UFO Robo had been part of Revenge of Cronos, you may have gotten your wish, or at least a decent update anyway. Action Toys have been very slow to pump out their MR figures; it's been about a year since their proto for Turbo was shown, and has yet to show up for POs. As for Pathfinder's overall look, I think I still prefer the more 50's UFO look of Cosmos. Pathfinder (UFO Robo) looks more to me like a Buck Rogers or 70's Battlestar Galactica design- not a bad thing at all, but the classic UFO just appeals more to me. Anyway, if you have any building skills, Pathfinder could be realized fairly well with LEGO; it's not what you want, I know, but it's an alternate avenue.
  4. M'Kyuun
    Sweet pic. Man, it'd be nice to have a figure of that detail that does transform. Really makes me want to peek into the future maybe a decade or two and see where toy tech is compared to today, b/c unless there are new revolutionary materials brought to bear to allow extreme bending, twisting, folding, etc I can't imagine how it can really get much better than the engineering we see now. But, I'd still love to see an evolution akin to the 80's-to-present twenty years on.
  5. M'Kyuun
    IMHO, keeping the Japanese releases in line with Hasbro is a lowering of quality, for the most part. There are some figures where I prefer the Hasbro, but when you consider the addition of an entirely new figure, such as Blast-off or a deluxe sized Groove, or remolded arms and completely different articulated feet for Ginrai (PMP), or articulation for the Constructicons whose Hasbro counterparts were pretty limited, then quality goes beyond mere cosmetics. If decisions like these are stymied, then all collectors suffer, since a better official option is off the table. I think it's shrewd and slimy to tell the company who ultimately designs and produces your product that they can't make a superior version for their own market, as it both shines a light on their inferior product and woos a lot of Western collectors away from buying domestic. Instead of the Hasbro version, why not go for the Japanese versions instead? I know- money. I read years ago the difference between American marketing and Japanese is that America sets a price-point and keeps development within that box, regardless of end quality, and the Japanese develop the best product, within reason, and then settle on a price-point. I believe it. Alas, short of the new Dinos, not much of PotP is really appealing to me thus far. I wanted to like the Leader OP and Rodimus, but having watched reviews for both, I'm not really too crazy about either. I love what they were going for, but execution could have been better. Ah well, I'm sure they'll try it again someday, hopefully with better designs. Shrug.
  6. M'Kyuun
    Nice Valkyrie, len_d96. It's already been tried in Ideas, but didn't pass, most likely due to Macross licensing issues, esp here in North America where Harmony Gold still holds sway. Wait until 2021- things might be different then. Fingers crossed. len_d96, any insider word on a probable release date for Voltron? Looking forward to getting a copy, or two.
  7. M'Kyuun
    Lovely pic. Def digging Drift over that Prime (something about those tires on his hips bugs me, even though it's G1 toy accurate). As for PotP figures, from what I've read on TFW2005, it sounds like the toys are going to be the same without changes for the two markets. Not sure why. I'm sure that's got a lot of folks bummed. I've bought some Takara versions myself, when either paint jobs or mold differences appealed over the Hasbro version, so I can understand the thinking. I guess we'll see how well that goes as we chug along into 2018. Change of topic; I ordered MP-39 Sunstreaker through Anime Export, and have yet to receive any notification for shipping due. Curious if anyone else here used them and whether they've received any word from them. I do know that they just came off of a New Year's holiday, so they've only just been reopened for business since yesterday, but seeing all the reviews and pics being posted, I want my Sunstreaker, dammit! Any word one way or the other is appreciated (misery loves company, as they say). Thanks.
  8. M'Kyuun
    "Indeed. Very pleasing to my optic sensors" - Optimus Prime Really, a beautiful figure. Lovely photography, as always, Kuma. I'm guessing this is an newer iteration of Drift, as Classics Drift had a different look in bot mode and a completely different car mode (I looked at MMC's transformable version for comparison- nice toy, too, BTW). As JBO mentioned, and I agree, this version's bot mode doesn't really scream 'Transformer" as much as many other TF's, which boast their Earth vehicle parts rather obviously in their bot modes. This figure could be put in a lineup with Full Metal Panic, or some other similar mecha and fit right in. Nice design- I like it quite a bit.
  9. M'Kyuun
    Still love the figure. name's cool, too. Great photo, Tekering. Thanks for sharing. Hopefully I'll live long enough to see that entire lineup, with maybe the exception of Skyfire, as official figures. However, at the pace Takara's releasing them, probably not. For reference, I'm 46.
  10. M'Kyuun
    To that end, it's understandable why the transformation aspect isn't as important as the overall look, and articulation by extension, of the figure are important to you. Certainly, from a photography standpoint, the old 80's toys had to be a bit of a challenge to photograph while trying to impart any sense of dynamism, hence the more dynamic boxart. It worked; I bought Prowl, my first TF, despite the pics on the box of the actual toy, hoping that it could achieve a little of that look. Of course, he was a brick from the waist down, like the majority. Anyway, judging from your Drift pics, eschewing the tell-tale mechanics necessary to effect transformation has allowed for a stunning looking bot. Def getting a Chogokin vibe. Love those shoulders. For me, Transformers have always been about the transformation gimmick, although from the start, I always wanted and expected better articulation from the robot modes. Beast Wars was my first experience with decent articulation, and when Classics, TF:A, and the Bayformers came along, along with MP, I felt my vision for what TFs should be had come to pass. Now with articulation having become almost as important as the transformation itself in most TF toys, at least Generations and up, I'm glad my interest in transforming toys never waned, or I'd have missed out on a lot of really cool figures. Despite my bias, I have to say that some of the non-transforming statues and figures are brilliant objets d'art.
  11. M'Kyuun
    "Peg" still makes me smile. I agree with Mike, JBO, and Valkyrie Hunter- it's an old running joke here, and no offense was meant by calling him that in reference to your Drift review. Take it with a grain of salt; I still think of Drift as Peg- it's just something that stuck in the grey matter and won't go away. That said, I passed on the Classics Drift version of the toy in lieu of the Blurr recolor, as I usually just buy one version of a mold unless I really like it or there's enough difference between the toys to justify it. I have no formal connection to Drift, as I don't read the comics. That said, Kuma's pics of Drift look amazing; I dig the look of the character. It's a shame that figure doesn't transform, but I get that his bot mode is the focus. He looks good.
  12. M'Kyuun
    +1 Sweet photo, Kuma. That'd make for a beautiful box art shot. Hope the FH guys are paying attention. Nice little review for Sunsurge, Mike. I hadn't really noticed just how toy accurate BC's version was, as opposed to Spinout's more realistic Countach. Though I've not handled either third party version, having seen vids and pics, there are things about both that stand out, both good and bad. MP-39 bridges the alt mode dilemma, but pays for that feature with a significant backpack. As you said, it's good to have options.
  13. M'Kyuun
    I can respect that; I thought BC's Sunsurge and Omnigonix's Spinout, which I personally favor for its lack of cheating with the windshield and overall aesthetic, were both well done versions of the character. Spinout has issues, from what I've read, but again, from an aesthetics POV, I still like it better. That said, for reasons I can't understand myself, I typically favor official products, flaws and all. The general impression I've gotten from the pics and review I watched (not Chosen Prime's, but I might look at his, too) of Takara's version is that it's a good figure employing some neat engineering, and overall pays respectable homage to G1 Sunstreaker, combining elements of both toon and toy, more toon of course. Butt flaps and backpacks have become commonplace with a number of TF toys, both official and third party, and unless they are so disproportionately large or encumbering to the rest of the figure, I'm generally not bothered by them. Mileage varies, of course, and I don't fault anyone for not liking either of these things. Thank goodness for options. As for me, I'm still anxious for MP Sunstreaker.
  14. M'Kyuun
    I've been watching my email like a hawk in anticipation of Anime Export's MP Sunstreaker shipping notification. I've watched a couple of the vids out there, and he looks like a pretty interesting figure. The articulation is really impressive. (Really glad to see Takara honoring their stated desire to imbue these guys with increased ranges of articulation). The most obvious concession is his backpack, which is rather substantial on an otherwise svelte bot, but, honestly, it doesn't bother me, esp after seeing how much stuff is crammed in there, and how compact and well secured it is. He does have a small yet unobtrusive butt flap ( the center part of his car hood), which will likely earn some ire- again, doesn't bother me. His chest is a bit of a cheat, and though I'm usually not a fan of cheats, I can't argue with the look of the final bot. The full windshield wouldn't have served the aesthetics, and he would have looked like he was chugging a little too much motor oil, a la TFA's Constructicons. I appreciate that Takara put in the extra effort to give the car both its realistic look and also the ability to give it the G1 toy look, as far as the chromed engine intakes and the rear light area. They didn't have to, but they did, and that's pretty cool. Sunstreaker has never really been on my radar as a character so much, but everything about this figure is interesting to me as a fan of transformable mecha- it just looks like a fun figure to pose and explore with all of the features and functions built in. The evolution in design over the last five years is remarkably apparent when seeing him next to MP Sideswipe, the first MP car-bot for those who don't know. Anyway, I'm getting excited to get this figure, and just wanted to share it. Looking forward to hearing others' impressions once these start shipping.
  15. M'Kyuun
    I think they did a good job with Slash, too. I picked up Windcharger and Beachcomber at the same time, and was surprised at the size difference between the latter two and Slash. Slash is tiny. If they'd upscaled her slightly, they could have possibly improved her transformation to remove the large gap between her legs and chest in deino mode. (I'm feelin' ya, JBO). Alas, still a fun new addition to the Dino team, and despite being a femme-bot, she's not overtly designed to be humanly curvaceous. In fact, if they didn't tell me she was a she, I wouldn't have known. While I like all the G1 homages in the Prime Trilogy toy line, I like surprises like Slash to keep things fresh, somewhat. Hope they continue.
  16. M'Kyuun
    No denying MMC's cassettes are pricey, esp for their size, but I've always had a fascination with the cassettes, and these things are little engineering marvels. I hope they make them all in this scale.
  17. M'Kyuun
    The packaging is great- very apropos with just the right bit of nostalgia with that liner. Jaguar for me was, like MP Prowl, a dream toy. Ravage was always my favorite cassette bot, but the MP version left me feeling disappointed, especially after the condors were as nigh perfect as you can get at that size. Jaguar filled that void very well, and scale notwithstanding, he's pretty much the Ravage toy I've always wanted. For Ravage fans, he's a hard recommend from me; however, if you're rigidly of the mind that scale is very important, then he's likely not going to suit your sensibilities. Add to that, as Mike mentioned, he's a little pricey for the size. I've got MMC's Condor cassettes on PO, as well as their Rumble ( the blue one). I could live without the powered pile drivers, but I guess it's cool that they made that a feature. Like the MP Rumble and Frenzy, I'll probably install them once and then back in the box for eternity.
  18. M'Kyuun
    I saw it with my wife this morning, and really enjoyed it.
  19. M'Kyuun
    Nice how the core Optimus tidies up with the trailer panels to make that backpack. Clean and efficient. That core OP by itself makes me happy- love those feet with the vents. Pretty sweet figure. I wish Takara's had been more in line with this.
  20. M'Kyuun
    Obari's not a name I was familiar with; 'preciate the enlightenment. A general Google search of Obari-san's work really didn't bring up any good examples of the pose in question, but no matter. The influence is quite notable among numerous Japanese figure displays, so I gather it's been around for some time. Moreover, far be it from me to complain about any sort of articulation after growing up with 80's articulation, or lack thereof more often than not. Anyways, thanks for the info-knowing is half the battle.
  21. M'Kyuun
    Great photos of some great looking figures, Kuma. Gotta say though, I still don't get the whole pelvic thrust meme that has become prevalent with a lot of TF figures- it looks odd to me, personally. Ah well, to each his own. Some serious talent working for these third parties; if someone had told me there'd be toys on par, or sometimes better, than official on the market 15, 20 years ago, I wouldn't have believed it, just because of the logistics, know-how, and tech involved in producing complex toys of this nature. We live in fortunate times as collectors and as fans. Still get giddy when I look at my Fanstoys Phoenix and Dinobots- awesomeness. For those like me who only get to experience these figures through photography and reviews, thanks Kuma, Mike, and all you other folks who contribute. Much appreciated.
  22. M'Kyuun
    Well that's just Prime! 'Tis the season for miracles, as I found PotP Slash, Windcharger, Beachcomber, and Shrapnel at my local Wally today in one of those island setups with many bins for small toys. To say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement, as I liken finding new TFs there to finding an oasis in the Atacama. Anyway, just wanted to pass it on to folks who may be looking for these figs. Good luck!
  23. M'Kyuun
    I've been checking around, and so far all I've found was one copy of PotP Jazz at one Target, which I passed on. I'm after Windcharger, Beachcomber, and the dinos. If they do a Gobots Crasher-esque redeco of Jazz, though, I'll pick it up. RTS Jazz is still the toy to beat among Generations figs. Anyway, pulled up Hasbroshop and they have them all listed; however, when adding to cart, a message stating inadequate supply pops up for every one of them. Must be taking supply and demand lessons from LEGO (concerning the UCS Falcon). I've also been keeping an eye on TRU's online shop, as they have them listed, but without the ability to actually buy them yet. But you can view details.
  24. M'Kyuun
    I'll give it a chance; they've got a good cast for the main characters. As for the anime inspired eyes, it drives home the point that she's a robot, so the uncanny valley look of her is suitable. If the story, dialog, and overall feel of the film is well done (cleanliness notwithstanding; it should be a little grimier, IMHO), then I think the eyes won't be such a big deal, just part of who she is. It won't hurt, either, if there are other robots with similar eyes to establish a norm for that particular feature. Got a feeling that the gore is going to be seriously toned down, and that most of her battles will be with other robots, so the chunks of enemies will have a decidedly artificial look to them. It already feels sanitized. Then again, Robert Rodriguez is no stranger to blood and gore, so....
  25. M'Kyuun
    I have zero association with the comics, although I've bought a number of figures that I know originated as IDW designs (by virtue of this forum, mostly). I've never required any kind of back story to like a particular figure; I'm visual- if it looks cool, I'll buy it. I was never crazy about the Bayformer aesthetic, but some of the figs that came out, esp within the time frame of the first two movies, showcased a lot of ingenuity and engineering prowess on the part of the designers, and that was a huge part of the intrigue of those toys. Sometimes, they were too complex, admittedly. As I've oft stated, IMHO, the only positive that came out of the Bay movies was that it really pushed Takara to innovate beyond just about anything they'd done previously, and that's a plus for us.
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