You mean MT Hound? And MMC has a good looking Cliffjumper coming. Ya know, if you like those way out scale kind of figures.
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Takara Transformers
- Thread starter Bravestarr
- Start date
You wouldn’t believe how solid and heavy the jet mode is Eddie. I think getting a proper head would be the cherry on top. So far the only issue with mine is the loose balls leading to limp wrists.
I hemmed and hawed on him quite a bit. In the end I decided if it's meant to be, they'll do a toy deco.
Yeah, there’s no reason they couldn’t give him some leg armor to clip onto those metallic red vents, that’s really all that’s needed with the head. I wouldn’t want the black stripe on this mold personally.
So, after much back-and-forth, I decided to order the Zeta Aerialbots. The price, combined with FT's overly cartoony fisher-price head sculpt on their Air Raid render broke me. I still wasn't sold on the Zeta heads either, but for the price, I felt compelled to give them a shot. I got Air Raid in the mail yesterday, and I like him even more in person. He feels like a real steal at $60. While I wouldn't be opposed to some alternate noggins in future releases, the head is better in person too. Overall, totally worth it so far. Zeta Fireflight is in my PoL, so I'll get my hands on that one eventually.
The only downside is that it makes me regret owning TFC Uranos even more.
The only downside is that it makes me regret owning TFC Uranos even more.
As much as I would love to have Zeta's Aerialbots, I feel I made the right choice. Messing around with Skyfire the past 2 days has quashed any desire for more bots. I no longer have that nagging urge to fill whatever made up hole there is in my collection. MP-36 and Skyfire were one helluva a way to end.
(of course I'll still get a KO Sunstreaker when they hit)
(of course I'll still get a KO Sunstreaker when they hit)
Oh, if you had to choose, Phoenix was an obvious choice, both from a price and "importance" standpoint, IMO.
But since I had previously stated that I would probably skip the Zeta jets, I just wanted to report that they're really nice for the price.
Yeah, I might get a KO Streaker and put my custom Omni head on him - that official Takara face is just ass. But I'm still trying to get over his huge backpack. Other than QC, I don't think the official (or KO) offers much improvement over Omni. I'm torn, but for $30, I'll probably give it a go just because.
But since I had previously stated that I would probably skip the Zeta jets, I just wanted to report that they're really nice for the price.
Yeah, I might get a KO Streaker and put my custom Omni head on him - that official Takara face is just ass. But I'm still trying to get over his huge backpack. Other than QC, I don't think the official (or KO) offers much improvement over Omni. I'm torn, but for $30, I'll probably give it a go just because.
All the reviews have said Streaker is awesome, but not worth upgrading for. I agree, the face is a damn joke compared to the other carbots (even Ironhide), but it is what it is. I will buy the cheapest option available once the KO hits the market around the fall just to have the Lambo brothers since I actually owned the originals as a kid.
Sadly Skyfire is a step back in bot articulation after getting MP-36 and Ironhide, but his big clumsy ass in the cartoon kinda justifies his immobility from the waist down. Hard for me to accept I like his jetmode far more than any Valk I have ever owned. Goddamn it is perfect. Almost as big and definitely heavier than a Skystriker.
Sadly Skyfire is a step back in bot articulation after getting MP-36 and Ironhide, but his big clumsy ass in the cartoon kinda justifies his immobility from the waist down. Hard for me to accept I like his jetmode far more than any Valk I have ever owned. Goddamn it is perfect. Almost as big and definitely heavier than a Skystriker.
I like the Zeta figs, but they remind me WAY too much of the TFC figs. Like they're the same designers who updated them a bit.
In hand they don't feel any more like tfc than constructor's bots did. They feel like every other TW figure I've owned, except they're more refined than TW's early output. For $60, it was worth trying one, and I'm glad I did.
I want to like their Bruticus, but the bots just aren't G1 enough to suit me. Maybe V2....
I want to like their Bruticus, but the bots just aren't G1 enough to suit me. Maybe V2....
Amazing how they could crap the bed so badly on Bruticus and then kick out Superior Superion side by side.
TW's typical aesthetic was not very G1. they had their own scale and style. Constructor only achieved wild popularity after they made G1-esque replacement parts and the subsequent G1 box-set. I suspect that the combaticons were already well under way and too far along to scrap. The aerialbots got a later start, and thus TW/Zeta had gotten the message that they could sell WAY more by catering to the G1-lover market. This shouldn't have been a major revelation, but TW was busy doing their own thing.
Plus, now that they're not under TW's thumb, the Zeta designers may have more say in the aesthetic choices. Bruticus seems to have been caught in the transition to a degree. It's a weird dynamic when a company changes ownership/leadership mid-stream. I'm hoping for Blastoff and Vortex to get revision figures that are a little more traditional in appearance. I can live with Brawl and Swindle as they are, but I'm not buying any of them until I see how it shakes out. I waited for Constructor G1 set and was glad I did. The aerialbots are so cheap and well-received that I'm taking a chance. Time will tell. When the cheaper G1 aerialbot gift-pack comes out, I'll be sufficiently irritated, but eh, life.
Plus, now that they're not under TW's thumb, the Zeta designers may have more say in the aesthetic choices. Bruticus seems to have been caught in the transition to a degree. It's a weird dynamic when a company changes ownership/leadership mid-stream. I'm hoping for Blastoff and Vortex to get revision figures that are a little more traditional in appearance. I can live with Brawl and Swindle as they are, but I'm not buying any of them until I see how it shakes out. I waited for Constructor G1 set and was glad I did. The aerialbots are so cheap and well-received that I'm taking a chance. Time will tell. When the cheaper G1 aerialbot gift-pack comes out, I'll be sufficiently irritated, but eh, life.
I know one day I will buy the Zeta red Phantom because the jet body actually hides the bot. I bet their Harrier turns out pretty good too, but the F-15 is just garbage from the side and bottom and that nosecone...
Still loving my $120 WeiJang Bruticus. So good when combined.
Still loving my $120 WeiJang Bruticus. So good when combined.
I understand from a jet-fan perspective not liking the boxy body underneath the jet... but it's consistent with the G1 toy and toon, so I'm not fussed by it in the least. Eh.
I accept nothing less since MP-3. Talk about knocking my socks off all those years ago.
Turns out getting screwed fixed Skyfire’s limp wrist syndrome. He’s now ready to jerk around the hardest of enemies.
Yeah, whichever one their new Devy is based on. I’m not sure I can resist if the plastic is truly better than the already good Bruticus and the price stays below $150 for the set with no boxes.
The Gravity builder KO is a bit small for MPs, but he should be about the same size as the KO Bruticus. As much as you love that set, seems like a no-brainer.
I'm not sure since I was really late to that game, but I will not start buying JinBao's GB until they are all out. Fingers crossed for another gift set!
GB looks to be as tall as my Bruticus which in turn is perfectly Masterpiece scale.
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JinBao's warbo and upcoming GB are knock-ups that are supposed to be the same size as one another, but they're substantially shorter than Constructor, Zeta Superion, and the upcoming XTB Menasor, which in my head have collectively set the bar for MP-scale combiners. Having Bruticus be 4" (about 20%) shorter would just be bizarre looking on the shelf.
Obviously YMMV, especially if you've already bought into that scale and not the larger one. I don't blame you a bit. But once you go bigger, you never go back..... (that's what she said!)
Obviously YMMV, especially if you've already bought into that scale and not the larger one. I don't blame you a bit. But once you go bigger, you never go back..... (that's what she said!)
I wouldn’t want bigger considering KOKU Warbotron individual figures are already Seeker sized with Onslaught being MP-10 sized. Not that they’ll ever be separated again, but still...
Glad I dodged the Zeta Superion if he is truly that much taller than my Bruticus.
Glad I dodged the Zeta Superion if he is truly that much taller than my Bruticus.
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Zuperion is supposed to be the same size as constructor, whom I measured at 22", just a head shorter than Generations Metroplex.
TW/Zeta bots are basically seeker-sized as well. I think the difference is largely due to TW/Zeta using more partsforming. Constructor had lots of extra external parts for combined mode, a la G1. The all-in-one crowd had a shit, but the end result was a bigger combined bot that was more stable and had far better range of movement supposedly. (I say *supposedly* because I don't have any other non-TFC combiners to compare Constructor to, so I'm just taking others' word for it.) But if Zeta's gestalts turn out as good as Constructor, I'm going to be thrilled.
I'll just be waiting on Jinbao or Weijang to KU the UT Bruticus. It's very G1, but it's about the size of KU Warbo. Zeta Bruticus just deviates too much for me. UT looks the best, but it's too short and too expensive for my tastes. If I never get a bruticus, I'll live. Devy, Superion, and Menasor are musts... the others are gravy.
TW/Zeta bots are basically seeker-sized as well. I think the difference is largely due to TW/Zeta using more partsforming. Constructor had lots of extra external parts for combined mode, a la G1. The all-in-one crowd had a shit, but the end result was a bigger combined bot that was more stable and had far better range of movement supposedly. (I say *supposedly* because I don't have any other non-TFC combiners to compare Constructor to, so I'm just taking others' word for it.) But if Zeta's gestalts turn out as good as Constructor, I'm going to be thrilled.
I'll just be waiting on Jinbao or Weijang to KU the UT Bruticus. It's very G1, but it's about the size of KU Warbo. Zeta Bruticus just deviates too much for me. UT looks the best, but it's too short and too expensive for my tastes. If I never get a bruticus, I'll live. Devy, Superion, and Menasor are musts... the others are gravy.
I much prefer parts forming on combiners to achieve that stability and toon look.
Agreed. Having all the parts contained within the figures compromises pretty much all other modes for the sake of something that really isn't important to most fans. The all-in-one crowd is annoyingly vocal (because combiner parts appearing from nowhere is the biggest gripe you have? really?), but thankfully I think they're a small minority . Most fans just want it to look it's best and still be able to pose/play nicely.
My fault. I thought that you were referring to the individual bot sizes that I see most TF fans talking about.
Firefly is beautiful. Bet he looks amazing next to Skyfire...
He’d look even better with his wingtip up. Dumbass photog.
He’d look even better with his wingtip up. Dumbass photog.
They do look substantially better than TFC's. But looking back like that makes me think that if I wait longer I'll be looking back on Zeta's like I now do TFC's...
Maybe... eventually. FT's look pretty, but I certainly don't think they look twice as good (I really don't like FT's toon heads). Maybe TT will eventually get around to these, and maybe they'll be better. I can only assume that would be so far away I will have moved on to other hobbies by then. But when I think about how I spent $100 each for chafa TFC bots... getting these infinitely better ones for $59 each really eases the fears of some kind of potential future remorse.
If these were expensive, I'd be more apprehensive, but as it stands, even if something better comes along, I won't have enough in them to lose a lot of sleep.
If these were expensive, I'd be more apprehensive, but as it stands, even if something better comes along, I won't have enough in them to lose a lot of sleep.
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You make a very good point. I guess that's what makes the TFC purchase sting even more. I spent so much money and time weathering (2 of) them and adding scale accurate decals with plans, of course, to do all five. But now? I want to toss them in a bin, but knowing that I spent that money and time on them...
I think Firefly is good enough to own as a stand-alone figure. If 3 of the 5 are this good, then I will consider all of them.
I didn't weather mine, but Herc and Uranos are up high on a bookshelf, nowhere near the rest of my collection... and I get a little pissed every time I see them. I really should take them down, but they're not even worth the effort. 