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M'Kyuun

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  1. M'Kyuun
    Simple, they just politely requested the Uffizi Gallery to turn the painting around long enough to take a quick pic. You're welcome.
  2. M'Kyuun
    Wish they'd come through with Priss and her Motoslave. Of the Yamato BBC releases, I only have Linna, whose limbs fall off if you sneeze across the room. Their Motoslave isn't the sturdiest or most stable thing, either. I'd love to see what Figma can do with it.
  3. M'Kyuun
    That's good news; I'm still waiting for LEGO to finalize and ship, but hopefully it'll happen within the next day or so. I have two copies ordered, and I'm really looking forward to finally having them in hand. Yes; the old Technic figs were exceptionally well done and actually featured better articulation for the time than most other action figs. With the exception of a waist and thigh swivels, they meet today's standard of articulation. I'd love to see LEGO reintroduce them in their own new themes. They never should have been retired. Set 8252 Beach Buster is the only set I ever bought containing a Technic minifig. He's still in excellent condition with tight joints and no wear to his prints. I regret not picking up more.
  4. M'Kyuun
    Thanks, Mike! I vaguely remember seeing this, so I was likely watching the livestream. I have a goldfish memory, so stuff just sieves right on through to oblivion. anyway, my copies of Bee Movie Arcee and Ironhide showed up today and I've already been transforming them and putting them through their posability paces. My Ironhide, like my copy of Ratchet, barely has any friction at the hips or waist- it can hold a pose, but those things are way too loose for a new toy straight out of a sealed box. Very cool mold though- love the transformation, the sculpt work, and the overall chunky look of the fig. Even after perusing your review, @mikeszekely, I was pleasantly surprised by the intricacy of the transformation, although I find the tabbing friction of her torso a bit reduced after the initial transformation. I made sure both the internal tab and the two tabs that actually go from the backplate into the chest piece are all tabbed, but it takes very little effort to separate them. It's a shame they didn't copy Animated Prowl's arm design with the moveable arm guards that cover the hands- would've made a difference, methinks. Too, some sort of flap to fill in her neck hole would have helped disguise the fact that the back of her bike mode is her chest. but, FWIW, I still dig her quite a bit. I love the separating calf bits to which her feet are attached- the whole thing can pivot about 10 degrees toes up, which gives a nice range for posing, not to mention a cooler silhouette to the lower legs. She does have noticeably chunkier thighs than the CG concept art, and I have to wonder why when they were able to give Prime First Addition Arcee much thinner thighs in a taller heavier fig with comparable articulation. Who knows? In bike mode, I have the same complaints as Mike- the front wheels barely stay tabbed, and the obviousness of the shoulders and hands spoils the illusion a bit. It would have been nice had they adhered to the concept art for the bike a bit more, or instituted a few additional gimmicks to help disguise the obvious bot bits. I don't mind seeing alt mode parts on the bot mode as much as seeing bot bits on an alt mode. With the negatives out of the way, I think Has/Tak did a decent job of taking something that had no definitive alt mode and creating a really suitable and nice-looking one for her. I can best describe her body proportions as those of an Olympic gymnast- short stature with well-defined musculature, especially the legs, and I'm fine with it. The sculpt work is well-done, especially the mechanical details on her shoulder pods, her little exposed belly section above the waist, and on her arms and knee areas. It's a good reimagination of G1 Arcee, one that arguably works better than her original human-doll- with-shoulder-pods look that lacks the necessary mass to assume a car mode without a bit of animation magic or some very clever engineering (looking at you MMC Azalea).
  5. M'Kyuun
    Love that ep. Didn't realize who it was under all that makeup. Alas, David Warner has a rather impressive list of credits on IMDB- it's really amazing how so many of these actors have contributed to media, whether voicing a character in a toon or a documentary or piling on the makeup to morph into someone completely new. Mr. Warner left an indelible stamp on entertainment, giving unforgettable and significant performances that remain in memories long after the credits have rolled. We're all the poorer for his passing.
  6. M'Kyuun
    That's a really fair point- why even have the semblance of a cockpit or cabin if you're autonomous? But of course, the answer is that the engineering is going backwards, starting with Earth alts and projecting those vehicular characteristics onto their Cybertronian alts as a way of making them relatable. Hey Mike, where'd you see sketches of Arcee's proposed bike mode? I've expended the limits of my Google-Fu to no avail. TFW2005 has a whole thread on Bee Movie concept art, and after perusing every page of the thread, I didn't see it there either. If you have it saved, and you don't mind, please post it for reference. Thanks. Your review is the first where I really saw those arms and chest forming the back of the bike, and yeah, the arms are woefully obvious. Woulda made a difference if the hands weren't just hanging out there obviously. But then again, being a Cybertronian alt, like the cockpit question, would all bot bits really need to be hidden away in an alt mode? Maybe they transform as much for rapid locomotion as for disguise where having obvious bot bits wouldn't make a difference. I'm playing devil's advocate, of course. I'd prefer all obvious traces of the bot be hidden or disguised believably as part of the alt, but the practicality of hiding everything beggars questioning on a world of bots that can transform into this or that and not every bot is involved in fighting or requires a disguise, but where the alt is a practical extension of their occupation, perhaps. I dig this version of Arcee. Mine's allegedly in the mail and should reach me soon, and I'm anticipating her arrival. That said, I'm not at all crazy about the face design, which looks to me like a cross between a marionette with the chin cutout and Sil the Alien from Species. She's actually kinda creepy looking, IMHO. But, I do think the alt they designed for her ultimately fits her body design better than her traditional car alt. It's a shame they couldn't find a way to streamline her and hide more of her bot bits away in bike mode, but IIWII, and I still think she's a nice addition to the Bee Movie crew.
  7. M'Kyuun
    NASA's X-59 may pave the way for an American supersonic transport (at long last).
  8. M'Kyuun
    I wasn't clear in what I think a midi-fig, as I call it, should be: I think they should keep the same aesthetic as the original minifig, which I agree has its charm. But I wouldn't mind a slightly taller minifig with knees and elbows as well as jointed shoulders that allow for adduction/abduction. I think they should keep the same basic torso shape and size. I think a fig at this scale would still integrate well into most of LEGO's existing themes. Of course, seating would have to be adjusted somewhat to allow for the knees, but that would also introduce more realism. I don't think they should retire the original minifig- it's iconic. But in action themes, I think a more posable fig would prove its value.
  9. M'Kyuun
    You're welcome! Aw, thanks technoblue. It means a great deal to me. As for sharing my knowledge of LEGO, I enjoy sharing what I know if I think it'll make the experience for others more fulfilling and enjoyable. I sincerely hope it's helpful. I too get schooled by other fans as well, so I appreciate the give & take of info to make the hobby better for everyone. As for improved joints, LEGO's been making improvements here and there; this year alone has seen the release of 79505 and 80563 which I've long wished for, and which are sure to greatly improve joint integrity and function on larger mecha/creature builds. But the old Exo-Force ratcheting joint system, while wonderful in its compact form and range of motion, lacks the inherent strength to handle much weight and beggars improvement. I'd also like to see them improve the friction on their Technic cup and ball joint system. I've been wishing for a minifig with improved articulation for very long time. The minifig is a great design, but it's also an anachronism from the late 70s and it betrays its extreme limitations. After handling Mega Bloks' superb minifigs, with shoulder, elbow, wrist, head, waist, hip, and knee articulation at a similar size to the LEGO minifig, it only cements in my mind that not only is it possible, but it should be imperative, especially as LEGO continues to expand their action-based lines. More and more, the limitations of the minifig are manifest. Whatever your feelings towards Mega Bloks, you can't argue that the range of articulation capable with these figs wouldn't enhance your LEGO play experience.
  10. M'Kyuun
    That's a clever transformation system. I'm not crazy about the huge hump her car has as a result of using her legs to form the back of the car, but using her feet for seats is pretty cool. It's yet another clever take on one of the more difficult G1 characters to translate into toy form. Her bot mode is ace, and the compromises to her car mode are minimal. New age did a good job. I wonder if Magic Square has one in the works. I usually like to look at both offerings and make a decision on one or the other.
  11. M'Kyuun
    It is, but the Comanche just looks cooler. Whatever its detractors, it's a beautiful bird. He looks happy. I'm happy for him. 👍😊 Both look great. Fantastic! 🤣 I didn't know that, but not surprising. The F-104 was an incredible jet in its time- lots of records. With no regard towards Batplanes past, or their association with any particular company, that comic is hilarious.
  12. M'Kyuun
    That's a very well-elucidated critique, Lechuck. I like Skullface, but even by his own admission, transforming stuff isn't his forte, and I've watched any number of vids where he missed things on a review that earned his ire, and were later pointed out in the comments or by people he knows. He's generally good about admitting mistakes, though, which speaks to his character. However, your point that he's often overly critical and misses salient features of a toy he's reviewing is certainly valid. Bobby has his particular standards and opinions, so one must go into his reviews knowing that. Again, I appreciate your point-by-point critique- clear, concise, with well-stated counterarguments. Excellent. For transformations, EmGo is generally my go-to. Some may not care for his brand of humor (sometimes it's a bit much for me, too), but so far as skill in handling and explaining the toys he reviews, he's thorough, positive, and also willing to admit when he makes a mistake, which in my experience, isn't too often. Em comes prepared to his reviews, having handled the toy a fair bit prior to going on-camera. He's also not shy about pointing out the things that are wonky, tricky, or just unpleasant in handling a particular toy, which makes for a fair and balanced review regardless of his personal opinion towards the toy in question. I also enjoy Wotafa's reviews. Wotafa always offers a cheerful, exuberant presentation of the toy he's reviewing, and regardless of whether or not I care about the toy, Wotafa's performance alone is worth the watch even though I don't understand Japanese. He, too, always comes prepared, demonstrating the features and transformation with great skill and attention to detail. Always a fun watch that gives me a chuckle or three by the time I'm done watching. Love his positive and enthusiastic approach.
  13. M'Kyuun
    I get you. As I said, as with most of what LEGO does in their Creator Expert, Icons, and Ideas lines, I am in awe of the sheer talent manifest in the various models, and the Atari is no exception. The subject matter, however, has little appeal for me personally. By contrast, although I'm not a car guy, I appreciate models like the Volkswagon Beetle, the Ford Mustang, and the Mini Cooper, just to name the ones I have in my own collection. I'm tempted to add the James Bond Aston Martin DB-5 to that list- I think it's brilliant. Going further, I think the Botanical line is a brilliant as well; I don't own any, although I'm tempted to pick one or two up. They have a certain appeal- not for everyone, but I think it's cool that they're doing something so outside of their traditional norms. Likewise the Murals and Architecture lines. I was playing with LEGO before the minifig made its debut in '79, so I've seen a lot of evolution and progress over the years. I also remember the dark times in the early 00s when they were producing lackluster sets and nearly went bankrupt. They've had quite the journey, and I've been along for the ride. Thank goodness for Jorgen Knudstorp and LEGO's willingness to listen to his advice. From just going back to basics and making nice looking sets again focusing on the building experience to almost twenty years later with all the eclectic themes they now offer, I'm grateful that my favorite hobby has persisted and been so successful and open-minded. As a mecha MOC builder and articulation fiend, I do wish they'd make stronger and more varied joints, as well as a fully articulated midi-fig as an analog to the beloved minifig. Alas, their open-mindedness has its limits.
  14. M'Kyuun
    I don't resent Hasbro for these multiple releases, but I get where you're coming from. I wish they'd combined the ER and SS budgets to make one perfect Arcee with a well-engineered and very compact backpack. I would have happily paid a voyager price point for that, even at deluxe scale, with her T30 rifle thrown in. However, I'm glad they made this fig, as it's a marked improvement over the primary shortfall of ER, i.e. lack of transformation, and an improvement of the T30, utilizing its strongest engineering points for the torso while redesigning the lower body to improve the look of her hips and the rear section of her car mode, all the while improving her articulation. I still wish they could have compacted that backpack better, but as its greatest concession, it's forgivable. G1 Arcee is a tough bot to do well; I still hold the T30 in high regard as the first G1 Arcee fig ever released. That they got so much right w/ that fig is impressive. Moreover, since they had a limited budget for this fig, I support the direction they took creating a hybrid fig with an end goal of improving her accuracy and articulation. I think they succeeded. Although SS Arcee has more natural looking hips and a more accurate car mode, I still love the fact that T30's legs formed the rear fenders and sides of her car mode. I can live with the inaccurate car mode for the amount of her bot mode involved in its formation. I think she's well done given the animation model Takara had to work with. Floro Dery did toymakers no favors with her meager design, and yet we've still managed to get a few decently realized Arcee figs, both official and non.
  15. M'Kyuun
    Unlike the majority of my fellow geeky Americans, I did not grow up playing video games, so I have no nostalgia to anchor me to these console sets. They're cool, from an artistic standpoint, but considering you could probably buy the real thing from a Gamestop for less than the set, the appeal is somewhat lost on me. Alas, different strokes. For fans of Cameron's Avatar, LEGO's making a spate of sets (under the general Disney theme) due to release 1 October. I intend to get the AMP Suit set and the Samson VTOL from the first film. While I feel Avatar is an average sci-fi movie, regardless of the bucketloads of cash it made, there are any number of elements present that I like (mecha, spaceships, the VTOLs, floating rocks, alien critters/people). Too, I personally thought it a beautiful film to watch, regardless of the 3D effect. I like how LEGO captured some of the odd and colorful fauna of Pandora in these sets, and the Samson set disguises a flight stand for the eponymous craft as a floating rock. I dig it. I wish the designer had put articulated knees on the AMP Suit (it uses new non-articulated perma-bent 4+ leg elements instead, which sucks in a set geared towards older builders). Alas, non-articulated knees is the norm and a bit of a running joke at this point. LEGO seems permanently stuck in an 80s articulation frame of mind, and I wish they'd modernize their approach when it comes to mecha and the minifig. Speaking of which, Sigourney Weaver finally gets her own fig. 👍 But before October brings Avatar stuff to shelves, 1 August will see the release of the new 10497 Galaxy Explorer 90th Anniversary set, which is probably my most anticipated set for 2022, edging out Optimus Prime by an atom or two. Actually, it's probably my most anticipated set in 30 years- really excited to see Classic Space on shelves again, if only temporarily. (pics shamelessly leached from Bickfanatics.com) 2022 has been a momentous year for LEGO, and we're only halfway through. 😍
  16. M'Kyuun
    I'm with Mike so far as wanting at least the rest of the core mini-bots in deluxe scale, Shrapnel & Bombshell, a proper Earth mode Hound, Omnibots, and a new improved G1 Seeker design with a good jet mode. Pointblank looks decent, but what's up with that spaced out crotch? It definitely detracts. I didn't have the original, but I remember pouring over the toy brochures that came with the G1 toys and thinking PB had the coolest looking alt mode of the six '87 Targetmasters, Hot Rod coming in a close second. I'm glad they made him, but the bot mode's looking a little wonky. As for this wave, I'm down for Inferno, Pointblank, & Dead End.
  17. M'Kyuun
    I think he's got all the bases covered. Some of those variants I'm not familiar with. I've got the G1 pink version POed. Looking like she's going to be a fun little fig. Yesterday, I received my Go Better kits for ER Sunstreaker and the rotating toe mod for the upcoming Sludge fig. Upon installing Sunstreaker's various bits and transforming him into car mode to check out his snazzt new spoiler, I discoverd to my dismay that they installed two left spoiler linkages, which makes the right spoiler angle improperly and overlap the left. I fired off an email to TFSafari about it and hope to have a satisfying outcome. Not a bad kit beyond that bit of assembly error. The bits for both the legs and the spoilers that slide over the 5mm posts are a bit looser than I'd like, allowing them to pop off quite easily. I could glue them, but I won't. There's enough friction as to where they don't just fall off, but it takes very little to unseat them and I wish there was a little more friction there or some sort of snap to give them better purchase. This is my fist, AFAIK, 3D printed set, and I'm amazed at how solid it is. If weren't for the mild striations caused by the layering process, I'd swear it was injection molded. Def a great use of the technology.
  18. M'Kyuun
    The SDCC fanstream was done and over quickly. All they showed was Shattered Glass Flamewar, a repaint of Legacy Prime Arcee. Rather disappointing. Walmart link I didn't even see Cosmos listed. Hoping Pulse will restock, or that I stumble on him in-store. Shouldn't be this hard to buy a retail toy.
  19. M'Kyuun
    Unbelievable that Pulse is sold out on these new figs after only two hours. 😠 I wasn't even aware they were dropping today; just saw the posts here by happenstance. I managed to get Override on PO, but Clampdown and Cosmos, the fig I really was anticipating, is already sold out. Hopefully they'll do a restock. Not holding my breath, though. At least, fortunately, I see these things in stores with more regularity now than I have in probably the past 3-4 years. My Wally has been carrying core, deluxe, voyager, and leader class figs for the last year or so, so I do see them in the wild. That said, I prefer a sure-thing, so an early PO is much preferred. Looks like Pulse is doing a live SDCC thing today. Still waiting for them to start broadcasting at this time.
  20. M'Kyuun
    I I get your meaning; no disrespect taken. I'm retired Air Force and have had the opportunity to be around a rather eclectic array of aircraft, working on some, and seeing many more in action. The C-5 Galaxy is a standout in my mind; it's a building with wings on a giant set of wheels. It's positively cavernous inside the cargo bay, and the upstairs pax cabin is reminiscent of an airliner. The C-5 is notoriously high maintenance, often being down and delayed for maintenance issues. It's a comfortable ride, though. Looking at it from the ground, it's tough to wrap your head around the fact that this behemoth can fly- there's just so much aircraft to take in, and the engines, although huge, look undersized by comparison to the thing they need to propel into the sky. I live near a base, and I'm awed anytime I see a C-5 or a C-17 coming in for a landing. I highly recommend visiting an Air force air show to anyone who's never seen one of these aircraft, and many more, in person. Not all air shows may have it, but many do, and generally they have the plane knelt with both fore and aft cargo ramps extended so you can walk through from end to end. It's a neat experience. I also can't recommend the Air force Museum in Dayton, OH enough. If you like aircraft, you owe it to yourself to make the trip. I've been twice and enjoyed both trips thoroughly. While there, I got to say hello to the most beautiful fighter ever conceived by man, the YF-23 PAV I. The chubby bald guy sporting, ironically, a LEGO brick patent t-shirt is yours truly. My wife's there in the background. Planes aren't her thing, but she was cool about letting me geek out and looking at stuff that interested her.
  21. M'Kyuun
    I think so, too. The voyager SS fig was far better executed, which seems backwards given the disparity in budgets and scales.
  22. M'Kyuun
    I beg to differ; Fairchild built a lovely beast in the A-10. She was purpose-built to do one thing well, and she's proven her salt in war, with a rather impressive survivability record, many of which survived battle damage that would have incapacitated other aircraft. I see beauty where others see ugly. The tapered spine on that model is sublime. Kudos to the designers; they know their stuff. No interest in any of the tv show tie-in sets or the Atari. I grew up in the 80s during the video game boom, but the only console we ever had was a hand-me-down Atarai, which I sucked at royally. As such, I have little in the way of nostalgia for 80s video games. That said, for the millions who do, I'm glad they're making sets like this that speak to that nostalgia- it's a pretty neat thing that even a decade ago, I never would have thought we'd see from LEGO as an official product. Likewise Optimus Prime, but now it seems like nearly anything, barring real world military vehicles and weapons, are fair game for the set treatment. So many possibilities. Hoping a Macross submission will make the grade and become a set now that its available outside of Japan.
  23. M'Kyuun
    I hope so; this bot mode is absolutely beautiful and judging by the accuracy and virtually uncompromised alt modes, especially the Aegocopter, of their previous two figs, I'm totally down for a copy if it comes to fruition.
  24. M'Kyuun
    So, this guy is a mixed bag. I don't think the bot mode is terrible, but it's not great either, especially for some of the proportional differences you mentioned, Mike. The tiny hands and the huge feet especially look off-putting. I'm also not crazy about the deco, but I think the paint apps are pretty well done, and if it's an ancient Chinese armored warrior look they're going for, in my very limited knowledge of such things, I'd say they succeeded. Articulation sounds adequate; it very much has a dated quality to it, more of an early 90s feel than a post-millennial toy. That may be what they're going for, as well; for those who like vintage toys from the 80s and 90s, this would fit that niche well. Jet mode. So, I appreciate that it's a licensed toy, and I definitely appreciate the info concerning the J-15. My knowledge of foreign jets, especially China's, as well as all the variants of both theirs and the Soviets' fighters, is lacking, as I don't do much reading on the subject. However, gauging the toy by its own merits in correlation to my knowledge of the Flanker, one of the most beautiful fighters in existence, I'd have to give this thing a B- for its fidelity to the source. The top-down view, as with many of Has/Tak's fighter TFs, is the best view, betraying little of its true nature as a transforming bot. Sure, some seams can be seen, but overall, the silhouette is uninterrupted by bot bits, and it looks quite nice. From the front view, the intakes are not easily made out, and given their size and prominence on the real fighter, it diminishes both the accuracy and the aesthetic, IMHO. From the side, your copy looks stooped with the spine seemingly too bowed, but I think that's subsequent to a partial collapse of the front gear. Looking at pics of the real plane, if their gear bowed forward, the same effect would be in evidence. From that standpoint, intakes notwithstanding, I think Cangjiao does a good job of capturing the lines of the real jet in profile. It falls apart, however, with those protruding arms. It's a shame Bowu School couldn't or wouldn't find a better solution for secreting the arms into the fuselage in a manner that was flush and non-obtrusive. It's such a pretty jet and having those things jutting out from the sides diminishes it greatly. Looking at this, I'm reminded of TFC Toys' Craft Series in which a Flanker, or Flanker variant, has been teased, and I very much hope that figure will eventually see production. I passed on Lumitent, but I have their Aegopter, and it's an impressively engineered toy for its transformation and nigh seamless alt mode. I digress. Cangjiao, it seems to me, would appeal to most TF fans who've long grown accustomed and unperturbed by gross inaccuracies and egregiously obvious amounts of bot kibble visible in jet mode, and to fans of 90s era transforming toys. The arms being the major concession, I don't think it's all that bad relative to the many compromised jet alts we've seen both official and non over the years with Transformers. The quality doesn't sound the best, and the bot mode aesthetics don't grab me either, so it'd be a pass for me. But again, it's not the worst we've seen in terms of compromise, and as something different for a collection, it fills a certain niche for more cosmopolitan collectors looking to add some flavor to their display. Thanks for sharing, Mike, and for keeping me in mind. Also, linguistics fascinates me. While I have little faculty for picking up languages naturally, language itself is ever intriguing and I appreciate the in-depth explanation of the hanzi involved in the name, as well as probable explanations of how that hanzi may be interpreted.
  25. M'Kyuun
    Yeah, the splitting hood is a big question mark. It's not G1 accurate, serves no purpose for combined mode, and as you said, just makes it look unnecessarily busy. I intend to keep the hood together on my copy when it arrives. For toon accuracy purposes, I understand why they went with the frame design for Menasor; I'm not crazy about that approach, and I hope he's the only combiner where the limb-bots merely snap on rather than forming the limbs themselves. While it mimics the toon look, IMHO it negates the point of their being a combiner if all four limb-bots can be detached with little effect to the gestalt beyond aesthetics.
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