When I was a kid, Transformers have been a big part of my life. The very though of vehicles that can turn into robots was a big amusement for children at that age. It WAS the late eighties and not a lot of toys that can transform. And a toys that can both transform AND combine? Every kids would want to have them.
At that time only a few stores sells transformers, mostly small hobby shop. Even then, they don't have every kind. All the information I have for all the different TFs was from the brochure that came with each toy.
I, for one, spend most of my time oogling the brochure at the pretty robot pics and wish there's some relatives that are nice enough to bring me a new TF :P.
Funny thing is, I actually got couple of gestalt parts. Some relatives came and give me and my cousin parts from the same sets. So the only time I can succesfully combine them if we play nice with each other.
But, like most kids at that age, I didn't take good care of my toys. So I lost all of them growing up.
That's why, when I was presented with the opportunity to own a 'close to perfect' G1 Menasor gift set. I didn't hesitate even if it's against my 'no knock off' policy. Mind you, I never own a menasor parts, but the gestalts always intrigue me, especially since I saw them combined with metroplex to create a mighty cybertronian city.
Menasor come in a gift set box, and at the first glance looks exactly like the old original box. Although, at closer inspections, people with keen eye can tell it's if lower quality (a bit) than the original.
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| From Toy Review |
Back of the box is just like the original, even with the bots power sheet. They even gave you the red tinted plastic to read them!
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| From Toy Review |
When you open the box you'll have the toys presented just like the original, except for a couple of differences:
- in the original, the weapon come in plastic sprues. While here, they came in a bag of plastic
- the rub sign is missing from the bots, they actually include them in a sticker sheet so you can apply them yourselves.
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| From Toy Review |
Replica of the original stickers are included and even a really good reproduction of the original instruction.
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| From Toy Review |
I spent about 30 minutes applying the sticker. The quality of it are pretty nice, although a pair of scissors and art knife would come in handy trimming them to perfection.
Out of the box and with sticker applied, the toya feels almost as good as the originals (as far as I can remember) but well better than the original Bruticus encore (now I know why people talk crap about encore bruticus quality)
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| From Toy Review |
The surprising parts is that this knock off have die cast frame! I feel that is quite a feat for knocknoff. It sure add balance and overall niceness of each figure.
Deadend
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| From Toy Review |
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Breakdown
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Hasbro/Takara actually release a modern version of breakdown for the Hunt for the Decepticon
Movie Line, with new articulation, similar alt mode, in scout size.
If only they release the rest of them in modern form even in scout size.
Wildrider
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| From Toy Review |
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Modern day version of wildrider is a repaint of classic rodimus and released exclusively in Japan from E-Hobby
Dragstrip
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| From Toy Review |
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Drag strip is the racer of the groups. In IDW he's blurr's racer rival.
In modern day, hasbro repaint classic mirage into drag strip and released exclusively to asian markets.
Motormaster
Motormaster is the biggest of the stunticons, but also the brickiest in bot mode. It's essentially you turn thtruck trailer upright and flip the front part as feet. Lol!
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| From Toy Review |
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Combine to.....
Menasor!!!
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Ok, to be honest, this is not for everyone. Even before they combine, they already feels blocky.... Very blocky compared to today's standart.
Plastic quality is well above your average KO. They use a semi hard plastic and not the 'rubbery' ones, too make it as close as the originals.
They even preserve some of the small details of the originals. The only problem I had at first was fitting the sword into Menasor's (not motormaster's) hand. Nothing a bit of a force wouldn't help.
Still, it is a nice reproduction for people who likes such a thing. Especially when they combine with a certain TFs that can transform into a base.
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Ever since I saw the first preview of this product, I always knew I'm going to get it, especially the ravage one. Now after a long wait, we get to see the actual product photo and its packaging.
Truthfully? I think it's a rip off for a 2Gb Thumb Drive, really.
But the cool factor negates all logic (in my brain, at least). A thumb drive that transform to Ravage! Imagine that!
Pretty big for a thumb drive, isn't it?
The Packaging.
The back of the box shows the other in the line, which is USB Drive Ravage, Optical mouse Grimlock, and USB Hub Blaster. They said you could put a cassetron inside blaster.
Now THAT's tempting
I wonder if he comes with this clear stand?
Simple transformation, but cool nonetheless
The memory encase in it's head, you just have to flip it out to reveal the usb connector
Ravage & Tigatron together
I worked on Hoi Hoi San last night and finished her too. Boy, she's something alright. Took me about 4 hours doing her while watching a couple of episode of Ninkyo helper.
She's pretty good when finished, can't say I'm a fan of Kotobukiya plamo Quality though. Sometimes there are pieces that doesn't fit really well with each other and I need to cut a bit off in order for them to fit.
And no, this is not my first experience with Kotobukiya kit. My First one is a Hucklebein (from super robot war), even then the quality of material and mold is still far compared to Bandai.
Hoi Hoi San, 4 years later, have better quality than Hucklebein, to be honest. SO I have no regrets in getting her
Like Gundam, you start from the feet, up to her waist. Even building her panties too. No Problem so far, but the feet and the ankle does not fit snugly enough for my taste
I wish the skirt are made of rubber though, since it's plastic, though it's not flexible for articulation. It still look good.
Now this photo shows her torso opened. At first I had planned to fit a MP3 player onsode her. But seeing how small her torso is from the inside, Especially with the ball jointed waist, Now I'm not so sure. At least, I'm not so sure I can fit something inside of her AND keeping her articulation at the same time.
This shows the USB connector slot on the side, which the base of my idead, now I'm not so sure
Torso and Skirt assembled, showing details on her apron.
This is the 'face' that comes with her. At her promotion picture, I though there will be some kind of mechanism for her eye, I'm mistaken. Sadly :P
Head finished! If you notice, her eyelash and eyebrow are pre painted. but you got the water decal as well should you decide to paint her
This is the most troublesome part of HoiHoi San, The hair. The middle hair are two piece part,a hair and a ball joint connector. It's not molded together, and you HAVE to glue it together otherwise it'll fall off easily. Even the manual state so
Hoi Hoi San, ready for action!
Now Yotsuba-chan have a friend to play with
I'd say I'm really happy with my purchase, there are a few gripes, but they are minor. I'm pretty sure Kotobukiya surprised by her popularity and now decide to milk her dry, as evidenced by the last plamo show
