Takara Transformers

[pcsguy88]

TF-Direct. It's the unboxed version which shocked me when it arrived in the plastic tray.

https://tf-direct.com/3rd-wave-jinbao-robot-oversized-bruticus-without-box_p1617.html


The value per dollar is absolutely unheard of. The best part is they fixed every loose, wobbly and squeaky part of Warbotron in the process. Nothing has ever felt like it was going to break although I have caused hidden stress marks on Vortex's purple abdomen because I was REALLY yanking on it, not knowing it does not rotate. I wanted to paint him, but the plastic is just so nice to handle. It's the equivalent of cell-shaded videogame characters in plastic form.

I just wish Brawl's shoulders could flex out and that Vortex looked different. Never been a fan of this fantasy stylized helicopter.

 

[nacho]

My biggest hesitation is that I really have nowhere to display him. My toy collection is so out of control, I'm being really picky about my purchases these days, such that if I don't have a place for something, I don't want to spend the money just for it to sit in a box or closet. On the other hand, it looks great for the price, and I might have to displace something to make some room. Decisions, decisions.

 

[pcsguy88]

I'm going they them individually right now to really get to know them. I'll report my gripes.

 

[pcsguy88]

Ok, here we go.

Vortex is a decent figure all around, but I just don't like his style or colors. His arms have nowhere to go in helo mode, but I did manage to find a decent position in arm mode. Not the best ankle tilt.

Blast Off is by far my favorite. He looks great in bot and shuttle mode, but has the thigh gap and arms in the way when forming an arm. Go figure both arms have arms in the way. His wings fold several times, so kinda hard to keep them straight in shuttle mode.

Swindle is the 2nd best all around figure and has 2 different chest options in bot mode. You can have the Humvee grill on his chest (my preference) or you can flip it up and over his head to reveal his purple toon accurate chest. When you do this, it adds to his backpack and hurts his silhouette. The backpack is manageable since the panels fold up in several places and give you options. Humvee and leg modes are solid.

Brawl... I want to love him. As anyone on this board knows, I loooooooove tanks. His tank mode captures a Leopard 1 fairly well, but the turret is a bit wonky and the barrel has a huge hinge in the middle of it. A floppy hinge at that. In bot mode is where it falls apart completely. You can't get his shoulders out away from his chest so poses are extremely limited. This would be manageable, but his knees are too low which causes balance issues and then he has no functional heels. This is a problem since he is back heavy with the turret on, but even if you take it off, he still wants to fall backwards. He does have panels that rotate back to correct this, but mine are loose and do nothing. Man I hate Brawl because he really does look like he should be good.

Onslaught. He's a really badass truck and a good torso. Have no reason to even bother with bot mode.

There are paint dribbles in a few places on probably every figure, but I did not really notice them until really playing with each one. Some of the pegs for weapons are a bit too big and I caused stress marks on one of Blast Off's ports because I crammed a gun in there.

Overall, I have to keep going back to the fact that these five guys cost the same as most single third party figures and they form one of the largest combiners I know of. They all hover around Hasbro voyager class figures in complexity, but I'd say they are probably better quality. I'm happy. I'll never regret this purchase. He's just incredible when combined and towering over my MPs.

 

[nacho]

Made a new head for Spinout. I'm very pleased with myself.

 

[pcsguy88]

Huh, had to go look up why the ears were so far out. I didn't remember the g1 toy being that way, but obviously is. I'm so use to the animation that it looks odd to me, but definitely good execution.

I would have been lazy and stole this one.

 

[nacho]

The ears are more like the G1 toy as well as the Dreamwave and early IDW comics. The elf ears in his very brief toon appearances just always seemed a product of lazy / speedy animation, and I've never thought they were *supposed* to be that way. The fact that the upcoming MP figure has spock/elf ears absolutely galls me.

There were several proto heads when SO was first announced, one of which looked like this. I was really bummed when the G1-esque toy ears weren't part of the final product. So I tried to go for that same look on my own.

Nice guess BTW, where do you think I got the ears from?! I bought a junker CHUG streaker and grafted the ears onto the spinout head. I thought about using the whole CHUG head, but the face/helmet part is a bit small, making him pinheaded. But the ears are perfect, IMO. I couldn't be more happy.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

The fact that the upcoming MP figure has spock/elf ears absolutely galls me.

Can you imagine the amount of that would follow if they deviated from the toon head design?! They don't give a rats patoot if it looks like garbage so long as it's accurate to garbage.

 

[nacho]

There would be a lot of wailing from the toon-only crowd for sure. But I don't think they're nearly the majority that TT seems to think. I see more of the middle-of-the-road, best-of-all-worlds crowd on the boards. Most people seem to want the ultimate version, taking the best cues from the various historical forms.

The EPIC-FAIL-IF-IT-DOESN'T-LOOK-LIKE-IT-STEPPED-OUT-OF-CRAPPY-ANIMATION crowd is vocal for certain, but I'm not sure their numbers are that great. Those people can get bent. I kind of get it for characters like ratchet and ironhide, where the G1 toy was a hot mess that looked like nothing (and was also a terrible toy), but for most characters, wanting the chibi, rounded-corners, hastily-drawn, corners-cutting version of a character doesn't scream "masterpiece" to me. Maybe I'm so far in the minority that I don't know it, but I'm hoping the toonerific pendulum swings back toward the middle sooner than later.

 

[pcsguy88]

Takara Sunstreaker looks pretty with it's perfect Lambo mode, so maybe it's already swinging towards middle ground (probably more like Lambo forced them to do a perfect replica for the license). Definitely should have come with both heads. Doesn't matter though because I will never pay $100 for a car bot. The $80 for Ironhide and Gundog already pushed me beyond my comfort zone, but they are both superb figures.

 

[nacho]

If I get a TT sunstreaker, it'll be a sub-$40 KO. While the car looks nice, the bot has the Magnus butt-flap, a huge backpack, and just looks.... awkward. But if I can get a cheap one to modify, put on a new head, get the inevitable reprolabels to cover up the "plain", I'll give it a try.

TT's output just hasn't blown my skirt up in a while. I bought Tracks on clearance. I skipped Ratchet completely in favor of Voodoo. I bought a KO Ironhide to modify (but he's still in the box), but TFC's is on my shelf. I skipped Shockwave (still like Quakeblast much better), Megatron (prefer Despotron), Hotrod (way too short, huge backpack). And I skipped Star Saber, Road Rage, Grapple, Inferno, Delta Magnus, Artfire, and all the Beast Wars releases because whogivesafuck.

TT basically hasn't interested me since UM nearly 3 years ago. Unless they get a better lead designer, 3P will continue to get all my benjamins. I want to like official products, but they don't seem all that concerned with anything but lazy designs and repaints. They should be able to compete and destroy all these garage companies in terms of design and quality, yet they don't seem all that interested.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

The EPIC-FAIL-IF-IT-DOESN'T-LOOK-LIKE-IT-STEPPED-OUT-OF-CRAPPY-ANIMATION crowd is vocal for certain, but I'm not sure their numbers are that great.

They're significant enough that TT (and even a few 3Ps) is pandering directly to them and have forced us to "whogivesafuck".

 

[pcsguy88]

The only TT's I am waiting for are KO Megs, KO Grapple and KO Sunstreaker. Like Lego, the real thing just isnt worth it anymore. I got my real Prime with trailer and I'm done. I really do like the Megatron mold far more than the 3 3rd parties I've seen videos on. I have my fingers crossed for a silver KO, but honestly, I'm starting to prefer the grey. I think I've been watching my 30th Anv bluray too much.

 

[pcsguy88]

So big. Such a perfect scale. Sure hope a hip ratchet never gives for an 8ft free fall with Quakeblast. I reeeeeeaaaaaally need to get a background printed up.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

So big. Such a perfect size.

FTFY.

 

[pcsguy88]

Hasbro is going to get my money for chugs.

 

[nacho]

Dude, those are fugly! Snarl looks like a red-assed baboon. And what's up with Sludge's bot head?

These just make me glad I no longer collect CHUGs. I go big (MP/3P) and small (DX9/IF/MechPlanet/Revo). The middle ground of hollow hasbro deluxe figures is completely off my radar at this point.

That being said, I suppose that scale is long overdue to get some modern dinobots. These look like they're influenced by the IDW comics.

 

[pcsguy88]

It's simple really. My daughter can play with them and smash them around. They actually look and transform surprisingly close to the originals.

 

[nacho]

For kids, I agree they're not bad. If my son actually cared, I'd probably pick them up too.
For adult collecting, they aren't checking the boxes, but I recognize that I'm far from the target demographic for these.

 

[pcsguy88]

I've accepted I will never have an MP Dinotbot team since I just do not have the money to lay out $200 times 5. If they had been $100 and were not so big I have to replace my TT Grimlock, then I'd get one or 2, but as it stands, the 3rd parties F'd me on this one.

Never having a full set of Dino's as a kid, these very close looking CHUGs is extremely welcomed for screwing around with. Being dinosaurs, the daughter will smash them around and roll play just the same as she does with her Voltron. Win Win.

Funny that they combine into the abortion they are calling Volcano-something-something. :lmao:

 

[nacho]

I never paid $200 for any of them. $100 for red Soar, $125 for KO OS Rex, $150/ea for the other three during various sales. No way was I going to shell out a grand for Dinobots. I don't even like them THAT much (no brains, no disguises, WTF!). But they do look really nice on the shelf, so I don't regret getting them.

I only had Grimlock and Swoop as a kid, the leader and the one that could fly... easily the two best IMO. The other three were basically interchangeable in my kid-brain.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

Yeah, not caring about the dinobots at all saved me a lot of money. Just a ridiculous concept even IF the disguise was a real dinosaur. Even IF they were the right size.

Some of the 3P sets looked amazing (Giga's the most appealing to me), but certainly no worth the cost to someone who has no interest.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

Thanks for the subtle reminder.

 

[pcsguy88]

Can't wait to see this guy when he's finished. I might have to paint the trailer/torso silver or grey after seeing it.

Minor/Repaint: - WIP - OS Jinbao Bruticus | TFW2005 - The 2005 Boards

 

[nacho]

That is pretty darn impressive. Still thinking of pulling the trigger on this brute, but where do I put it? If I leave it combined, I can't enjoy the individual bots, but leaving them uncombined is just criminal.

Regardless, that's nice work. I want to be able to do stuff like that. I've been reading up on techniques, equipment, materials, and such. I just bought my first airbrush, tons of supplies, and now I'm cleaning my garage to make room to set it all up.

Alas, I fear that my skills won't be able to do any of it justice. I see crappy customs on the web and assume that's how mine will look. I know I probably just need patience and practice, but I don't have the attention span to re-do anything! I'm going to start with some Marvel Legends and go from there. I have a couple of TF customs about half-complete, so maybe I'll practice on them.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

Wish I had known you were looking for an airbrush. I used mine only a few times and gave up on it. I just don't have the skills. I think my issue was jumping straight to a double action brush with zero airbrushing skills.

 

[pcsguy88]

Airbrushing solid colors is easier than a rattle can, but just too much time for setup and clean up for me. Grab a couple of deluxe CHUGs to practice your painting/weathering skills and then go from there. All of your first ones are going to look silvery until you figure out the whole drybrushing thing. Practice is the only way to learn that trait and what looks good to your eye and on camera. Even I will not do a whole paint job like that guy on a transformer because I hate pulling pins and taking the entire thing apart. It's way more complex than a Joe or a 1:18th vehicle.

 

[nacho]

Wish I had known you were looking for an airbrush. I used mine only a few times and gave up on it. I just don't have the skills. I think my issue was jumping straight to a double action brush with zero airbrushing skills.

Oh man, all my research said not to waste my money on a single action that I would end up replacing for a better one in a few months. I bought an Iwata double action. D'oh!

The amazon reviews convinced me it was easy enough for a beginner, but I may be sorry.

I see all these custom ML figures that are done with airbrushes... then I see the ones done with a brush. It's night and day. One looks factory, and the other looks like a mexican KO. If I'm going to spend the money on base figures and spend the time to get them right, I want my stuff to not suck.

I do hate the idea of having to clean the airbrush, but from what I read, I'll save that extra time in not spending forever doing the priming and such.

It'll be an experiment one way or the other.

 

[pcsguy88]

You did right with a double action iwata and hopefully the matching studio pump. Hopefully it has detachable bottles instead of a cup for the paint so you can switch colors. The problem with learning how to airbrush is first learning how to vary the width of your spray which sounds easy enough (closer is thinner), but then you have to factor in the needle being used, how you thinned the paint, how much pressure the compressor is set for and finally how you press the trigger. There are so many variables so unless you are willing to watch a bunch of classes and then be detail oriented on you mixes, you will find it hard to repeat any success. Since I had to spray in my unheated garage, live in the Midwest tundra and have better shit to do when it’s nice out, I just never really learned. I still have it and next time I live in a big enough space, I will get a hood and I will learn. Probably take a class at the JuCo.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

With that double action, I kept drying out the paint in the tip in my attempt to get the air flow and paint flow just right. It ends up spitting paint because of the slight clog and I have to pull it all apart and clean it and start that process over. Pulling it apart and cleaning it over and over is really discouraging and annoying to the point that by the time I get it right, I'm in no mood to mess with it.

 

[nacho]

I didn't buy their pump, as I have a nice Porter-Cable compressor already. It has a regulator knob, but I don't know how precise it is.

I intentionally got the airbrush with the cup, as it was recommended to be the best for beginners, as well as being easier to clean (win-win). The recommendations did suggest the larger cup though, so that's the direction I went. I'm not trying to paint an automobile, so the ones with the bottles seemed like overkill for painting superheroes and robots.

Truthfully from what I've read, people who do this a lot and actually get good at it have many airbrushes. They have both kinds (cups/bottle). They have separate ones with different tips so they don't have to change them. These people are all-in to a degree that I doubt I'll ever reach. I have no delusions about being a serious "artist". I just want to save time priming and to not have gloppy brush marks.

 

[pcsguy88]

Huh, my double action iwata never had problems drying out paint in the tip. I have what seems to be 2oz and 4oz bottles for it and I keep one full of tamiya airbrush thinner $$$$ so I can just blow out the previous color and keep the needle unclogged. I do not see how having to clean out a fixed cup for each color change can possibly be more user friendly.

Mine looks like this:

 

[nacho]

I bought a big bottle of the Iwata cleaner, and it wasn't too bad, about half the price of the tamiya. I assume that since they make the airbrush, Iwata ought to know how to clean it.

Still, I'm excited to see what I can do. I know my limitations with a brush, but hopefully I'll get competent enough with this to add it to my arsenal. I'm trying to make a concerted effort to work on a few customs, rather than just dreaming them up, acquiring the pieces, and watching it all pile up until I forget what I was going to do with it.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

Maybe my issue was not using their cleaners/thinners. I just thought it was a gimmick and mineral spirits/rubbing alcohol/windex would work just as well. Pretty sure all of the vids I watched researching what to buy beforehand said as much.

 

[pcsguy88]

Depends on the paint you were trying to shove thru the needle. Walmart craft paint would need to be really thinned and even then... I always used tamiya acrylics, but will definitely try the Walmart/hobby lobby stuff since I’ve learned how to paint with it in the past few years.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

Tamiya or Model Masters are all I use.

 

[pcsguy88]

Definitely not the paint then and hence the “many variablesâ€￾ part that led me to never master the dang thing beyond solid base coats. I could not get consistent enough to do camo even on something as big as a 1:16 tank.

 

[nacho]

Hopefully I'll have time to finish cleaning my garage so I can give it a whirl this weekend.

I've seen people do this. Many of them did not seem like rocket scientists. I'm confident I can achieve some base level of competency, even if mastery truly involves more time and effort than I'm willing to put forth.

 

[pcsguy88]

Oh, you can. It's all in being detail oriented enough to be able to mix the paint the same way once you find a solution that works and then being able to develop muscle memory on how to spray a line exactly how you want it, when you want it. That is where I failed and got frustrated. I could not repeat desired results on demand (same reason I cannot swing a golf club). Just take the 2 seconds it takes to write down each paint recipe and then save the one that works.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

Definitely not the paint then and hence the “many variablesâ€￾ part that led me to never master the dang thing beyond solid base coats. I could not get consistent enough to do camo even on something as big as a 1:16 tank.

Yeah, consistency was my issue too. Just testing it out with the smallest needle tip, I was able to repeatedly write my name in cursive like I was using a pen. But the next time I got it out it, I dry it out over and over again. Practice makes perfect and I just am not motivated enough to get to the perfection place.