Transformer of the Day for March 17, 2009
BLUE BACCHUS
-Faction: Decepticon (Crossformer)
-Era: Generation One (1984-1992)
-Function: Space Gunman
-Motto: “Piracy is About My Means… And Your Ends”
-Notable Toy: Standard (Takara, 1989)
Notes: Blue Bacchus is the Destron recast of the North American Ultra Pretender, Crossblades, a toy where both the inner robot and protective shell could both transform and merge into a super vehicle. Partnered with Black Shadow, the Destron recast of Decepticon Thunderwing, they make excellent additions to any collection. Notably, the face of the Destron version is remoulded into a more robotic appearance.
(Apologies and thanks to Fredsworkshop and BotchtheCrab.com for the images.)
Transformer of the Day for March 16, 2009
OVERRIDE (G1)
-Faction: Autobot
-Era: Generation One (1984-1992)
-Function: Scout
-Motto: “Let Your Actions Do The Talking and No One Will Misunderstand You“
-Notable Toy: Basic (Hasbro, 1988)
Notes: The original Override was one of six spring-loaded Triggerbots/Triggercons. I loved that both hero and villain subgroups used the same prefix. Override was particularly cool because his sidegun function meant his guns dropped into his hands, which also meant he was one of the few basic figures that had hand-held weapons of any kind. Plus they didn’t get lost, always a plus when designed for kids!
Transformer of the Day for March 15, 2009
AQUABLAST
-Faction: Decepticon
-Era: “Generation Two (1993-1995)
-Function: Engineer
-Motto: “Listen! That’s the Music of One of My Super-Tuned, Ultra-Hot Engines! And Think what Terror it Must Strike In the Hearts of Those Autobot Cowards…”
-Notable Toy: Stormtrooper (Hasbro, 1993)
Notes: Aquablast was the first Transformer which I acquired through an exchange (in his case, for a Beast Wars figure the specifics of which now allude me). He was also one of the first I ever contemplated leaving mint on card. But he is simply too lovely a figure to remain in packaging forever.
So Takara/Tomy has updated their website and so we finally can take a look at the Japanese version of Classics Dinobot.
Funny. He looks like Dinobot. Huh.
ActionFig.com recently uploaded its March Q&A and one of their questions was on the subject of the Hasbro North American Dinobot (and Cheetor). Specifically, “when the figures hit the market, it seemed like neither design lived up to its potential with multiple issues in both bot and beast modes.”
To put it mildly.
I don’t know about the other problems, since I could not bring myself to buy the rare copy that has yet to make its way across the border. Because the paint job was… well… gross! It makes me really question Hasbro’s response: “While we do an excellent job of listening to our fan base and incorporating characters and features that fans look for, we always have to keep in mind that our toys are meant to be played with - the overall intention of Universe was to improve on the overall designs of the original toy versions and still deliver an enjoyable Transformers experience for fans and children.”
How does giving Dinobot an appealing colour hurt his playability? Or his marketability, given that kids might, just might, get their hands on an old copy of the Beast Wars cartoon and recognize the piece on the shelves is the same one from the show? It shouldn’t. Explaining that that the Takara repaint is more expensive and Hasbro didn’t want to front the cost would be an answer. Or that there are too many other similar looking Dinobots out there and we wanted to make this one unique. That would be an answer. Neither of them very good but as least they could be understood.
But somehow expecting us to believe that they are “listening to our fan base” and allowing this traversy of a dungbot to happen at the same time just isn’t on. In any case, it is one more example of how Takara is getting Universe right. While about half of the figures could go either way, it seems when Hasbro falls, it really falls down hard.
Transformer of the Day for March 14, 2009
OVERRIDE
-Faction: Autobot
-Era: Armada-Energon-Cybertron (2002-2006)
-Function: Leader
-Motto: “I’ll Leave Any Bot in My Dust“
-Notable Toy: Exclusive Mini-Con Pack (Hasbro, 2006)
Notes: Although male and known as Nitro Convoy in Japan, Cybertron Override turned out to be the leader of the planet Velocitron and female. And to think we actually found a fembot who did not need to be built with high heels. Astonishing really! Although the boxed toy is identical to the carded version, the inclusion of a mini-con upsized the packaging. And free stuff = good.
Transformer of the Day for March 13, 2009
SCORPONOK
-Faction: Decepticon (Headmaster)
-Era: “Generation One”(1984-1992)
-Function: Headmaster Commander
-Motto: “Kindness is No Virtue… and Cruelty is No Vice”
-Notable Toy: Leader (Hasbro, 1987)
Notes: Given that the headmaster concept of atonomous robot and head was hard to grasp, Scorponok’s personality varied wildly depending on who was writing him. Unlike the other headmasters in the North American cartoon, he is little more than a vessel for the meglomania of Lord Zarak, similar to his position in Japan which saw the robots as exo-suits for original cybertronians. In the comics he went from envious evil to noble nemesis. Regardless, the toy rocks!
Transformer of the Day for March 12, 2009
OMEGA SENTINEL
-Faction: Autobot
-Era: Armada-Energon-Cybertron (2002-2006)
-Function: Guardian
-Motto: “When in battle, a superior tactician employs logic and reason to achieve victory
-Notable Toy: Powerlink Battles (Hasbro, 2004)
Notes: Long before eHobby blessed us with a Generation One-style Guardian, Omega Sentinel arrived to offer us both an expensive repaint of the Unicron Trilogy-era Omega Supreme and the possibility of staging a mock Defense of Cybertron diarama. Provided of course you wanted to buy a handful of Sentinels at that particular price point. Interestingly, his head is actually a head master, useful for making space for a oddly conceived combiner mode with Energon Optimus Prime.
Transformer of the Day for March 11, 2009
TAKE-OFF
-Faction: Decepticon
-Era: Generation One (1984-1992)
-Function: Aerial Reconnaissance
-Motto: “There’s Nothing like Divebombing Autobots from 60,000 Feet”
-Notable Toy: Action Master (Hasbro, 1991)
Notes: Mainframe aside, we’re probably a long time away from every seeing non-screen Action Masters on the screen anytime soon. Further away when it comes to European-only Action Masters, the non-transforming Transformers that never made it to North America. It’s a shame because there is a lot of potential for a lot of these characters, like Take-Off, to find their way back into the mainstream universe. Now there’s an idea for a convention exclusive!
fairplaythings.com is pleased to welcome Andrew to the daily Transformer of the Day listing. Andrew, you can catch up on the last two and a half months of Transformers at this link. Be sure to comment on your favourites, and check out the other links around the site!
Transformer of the Day for March 10, 2009
ROADBUSTER
-Faction: Autobot
-Era: Generation One (1984-1992)
-Function: Ground Assault Commander
-Motto: “War is a Dirty Business… and I’m as Dirty as they Come“
-Notable Toy: Universe Two-Pack (Hasbro, 2008)
Notes: Roadbuster has non-Takara origins, specifically the Japanese Dorvack toyline. And until 2008, other than a few notable turns in Transformers U.K. as a member of the Wreckers, that original release was all we saw of him. But Hasbro saw virtue in Cybertron Defence Hot Shot mould and partnered the resulting repaint with a super rendering of Dirge. Still, to really get him right, you need to get the fan-produced hardware available through natobot.com.
