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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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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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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Replica of the original stickers are included and even a really good reproduction of the original instruction.
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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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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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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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Modern day version of wildrider is a repaint of classic rodimus and released exclusively in Japan from E-Hobby
Dragstrip
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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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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.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Nice review boss...
Nice review. I really like the gestalt concept and would like to see Hasbro/ Takara to revisit the concept once more (not half-implemented like in PCCs). FansProject has proven that a gestalt can still be cool, so I wait for their approach for this.
Those are really awesome Gift Sets.