UPCOMING TEASER RELEASE : BOTCON 2012 'GIGATRON'/ OVERLORD!

12:07 AM in Botcon 2012, Exclusive Repaint, G1 HOMAGE, OVERLORD, Remake, reminiscent

Hello folks! Sincere apologies for not updating my blog, been busy on the travelling side as I visited Beijing, China sometime last week. Back and refreshed from my trip, here to preview another anticipated release, this time straight hot off the highly anticipated upcoming annual USA-themed Transformers Convention- Botcon, which is slated to take place sometime in April 2012. 

The Overlord@ 'Gigatron'  homage was the first reveal from the Themed Boxed Set of 6 remoulded/ repainted Classics/ Henkei figures, this time with Fun Publications utilizing the Classics Bludgeon/Banzaitron mould.  Today, courtersy of

Hong Kong Fans Group - '

Transformers Galaxy', we get to examine up-close the detailed changes made in terms of how the color scheme matches the original Generation One Masterforce Overlord. 

This incarnation of Overlord is derived from the inspiration of how uber Transformers artist Nick Roche, depicted the Emperor of Destruction is the highly acclaimed and mind-blowingly rated Transformers Graphic novel: 'Last Stand of The Wreckers' (LSOTW)

When TFW2005 picked up this story on their front page news, and I knew I had to feature this on my blog  for one of two reasons: First: It's the very first time, ever, that the Overlord character was remade into a homage in toy incarnation since it's original 1989 release; and two, when the first pictures surfaced, the majority of fickle Transformers fans reaction of the chosen mould- Bludgeon, was received with much scorn and trepidation. Admittedly, I was one of those who thought that the great history and reverence of such an important character such as Overlord in the fandom should at the very least receive the  highest form of treatment it deserved. The head sculpt then, looked certainly quite unfitting on Bludgeons body, but oh how perceptions can change once better and clearer quality pictures of this toy surfaced.  He certainly looks miles better and the sculpt is nothing short of fantastic- pouty lips and all- in the same vein as Roche's depiction as seen in LSOTW- 

Tank mode is pretty spot on, because it works- while looking menacingly like his original Generation 1 predecessor, albeit without the 'Mega-Jet' portion to combine into his robot mode. I have to admit that using the tank-mode from Bludgeon is a stroke of genius.  The colors pay a great homage to the 'Giga-Tank' original, and works well in both modes. As his Bio is shown,  from Transformers Wiki.com, he has a ruthless history littered with violence and anarchy. True to his namesake, he is merciless and unrepentant...all the qualities of a tyrannical Decepticon leader.  

Dreamwave Generation 1 comics

Gigatron was an ancient Cybertronian, who developed an idea to allow Decepticons to survive on alien planets by biologically integrating local inhabitants into their systems. In modern times, Gigatron's records were uncovered and used to develop the Powermaster process. More than Meets the Eye #8

[IDW Generation 1 comics 

“	A good strategist is half psychologist and half sadist. And I was the best.	”
—Overlord, Last Stand of the Wreckers #3

Hey, he appeared as a rabid fan of gladiatorial combat in a crowd shot once. Wouldn't it be awesome if someone built a whole character round that?.

In the days before the Cybertronian civil war, Overlord was an avid spectator of Megatron's gladiatorial matches. Like many, this led him to join the charismatic pit fighter's army and bear the badge of the Decepticons. Megatron Origin #2

However, Overlord perhaps didn't join for the right reasons. He was enthralled not with the loftiness of the Decepticon cause that Megatron espoused, but more with the glorious excess of the gladiator battles and the freedom of making entire worlds his arena. ToOverlord, the ends didn't matter overly much when the means themselves were this pleasurable. As a result his tactics developed a reputation as unsound, and his schemes as nothing more than flights of brutal whimsy. Unlike many other powerful Decepticons, he had no interest in command, only in taking his slaughter to the next stage. Megatron was not convinced, however, believing the image of Overlord as simply interested in killing to be a façade, and began searching for a way to exert greater control over him.

Final thoughts: A very excellent homage which will test the resolve of Masterforce fan-boys and give them a valid reason to go all out and purchase him.  I know I will certainly try and achieve and strike up a deal to get Botcon 2012 Overlord. 

Last Stand Of The Wreckers/ Overlord Copyright IDW Publishing'/ Hasbro & Takara 2011

Read more

WING SABER TOYZ SNEAK PEEK: DARK OF THE MOON VOYAGER-CLASS DECEPTICON GENERAL =SHOCKWAVE! DESTRUCTIVE FORCE!

9:36 PM in Cybertronian Tank, DARK OF THE MOON, G1 HOMAGE, Just Arrived, JUST BOUGHT, NOT IN COLLECTION, Shockwave, VOYAGER, Yet To Arrive, YET TO BE RELEASED

Hey there, peoples! Welcome to another blog post from yours truly WSX! I would like to kick off the month of April with another one of those pre-released Dark of the Moon Live Action Transformers movie toys which has yet to hit the mass retail market. As it is now pretty much confirmed and known for sometime now, the main villain from the third Transformers movie franchise by Micheal Bay- will be none other than the old Marvel UK comics/ Generation 1 stalwart- the one-eyed and commanding DECEPTICON  Military Operations Commander - Shockwave. Got him loose from a seller on Ebay, shipped last week and received this in the mail recently. Came packaged loose with bubble-wrap, but one hinge in his right sole to clip his legs in his Cybertronian tank mode went missing for some reason....methinks it was 'taken out' and smuggled from the factory..but it still transforms well, save for the small gap in tank mode. A slight peeve, but all in all happy and glad to finally receive him. 

HE IS TO SERVE AND GAIN FOR HIMSELF! 

''Throughout his incarnations, Shockwave is usually distinguished by a laser cannon in lieu of one of his hands and his distinctive face, which is featureless save a single robotic eye.^[2]

As the Decepticons' military operations commander, Shockwave's power is second only to Megatron's Army, and even that is disputed. His actions are carried out with the cold, brutal clarity and perfection one would expect of a purely mechanical being — his way is not that of blood lust, like so many other Decepticons, but rather that of a scientist attempting to solve a problem. And that problem is: how can he use his abilities to most effectively eliminate the greatest number of enemies? Unfortunately for the Autobots, it is rare that Shockwave does not find an answer.

Decepticon
Sub-group	Triple Changers, Voyager
Alternate Modes	AH-64 Apache/Gun emplacement/Cybertronian war tank
Series	Transformers film series
English voice actor	Daniel Riordan (Transformers The Game)

Unlike most early Transformers Shockwave was not modified into an Earthly form, and retains his Cybertron alternate mode — a 35-foot-long ray gun. He possesses the power of flight in both modes, and commands the totality of the electromagnetic spectrum allowing him to emit beams of energy in a wide variety of forms. His high energy output makes him particularly fuel inefficient, but radioactive fuel sources stored in the reactor in his chest can help Shockwave to overcome this problem. Although his logical brain center is usually an advantage, human adversaries often pose more of a difficulty to Shockwave, as more intuitive and emotional thought processes often confound him.

While the animated series established Shockwave as fanatically loyal to Megatron, Shockwave's original bio and most fiction since have described him as coldly and patiently looking for ways to overthrow Megatron, not for personal power (as Starscream would) but simply because it was logical for him to do so. Shockwave concluded that he should rule so that no emotion should prevent the DECEPTICONS from conquering the universe. This was retained in most comic books, where Shockwave became leader of the Decepticons.

Unusually for a 1985 (second year) toy, Shockwave was past in Transformers fiction from the first year, appearing in both the original cartoon pilot and 4-issue comic book miniseries.'' 

^ Text on Shockwave is credited and linked to Wikipedia.com

FINAL THOUGHTS: 

A decently made homage for a sinister DECEPTICON character,  he is definitely one of the must buy releases from the Dark of the Moon toyline when it officially hits retail outlets worldwide sometime in the middle of May 2011. Love his giant cannon, more menacing and a whole lot bigger and powerful from hos Generation1 predecessor.  It came in the usual flat grey plastic used to make his thighs, arms and shoulders...so to make up for the dull look, cue Gundam weathering markers for instant remedy! Repainted the after-mentioned parts, and voila! - Shockwave has not looked more menacing and better in person! Very highly recommended! A- for Voyager class size (slightly on the small side) but A+ on homage, colour--it's purple! and simple yet effective transformation! 

Shockwave and Dark of the Moon  Copyright 2011- Paramount/ Hasbro & Takaratomy- 

Read more

WING SABER TOYZ UPCOMING RELEASE: TRANSFORMERS UNITED UN-13: AUTOBOT WARRIOR TRACKS (UN-13 オートボットトラックス)!

10:33 AM in G1 HOMAGE, Japan exclusive, JUST BOUGHT, NOT IN COLLECTION, TAKARATOMY, Tracks, Yet To Arrive

Hi there folks! Really sorry for the lack of updates on my blog. Making up- 'tracks'-ahem for lost time, so today I am proud to feature another cool toy which has yet to arrive, but have already purchased, to be added in my burgeoning collectibles shelve. This was not really an impulse buy per say, but one that has been in the works ever since word came out that TAKARA-Tomy would release a much more superior paint scheme (G1 Flame Deco!) and shiny deep blue- both solid finishes to their Transformers United (@Reveal The Shield / ''RTS'') line-up that is UN-13: Autobot Warrior Tracks, this purchase was a non issue for me. I am not slagging off Hasbro Inc, for their less than inspiring release of the Turbo Tracks incarnation, but we serious collectors are accustomed that anything or most of the time- toys released for the Japanese collectors market always almost tends to be highly sought after. 

TRACKS IS BACK, BABY!

BIO: 

''If there’s one thing AUTOBOT TRACKS loves, it’s himself. In his opinion, nothing is quite so fine as the glint of sunlight of his perfectly polished chrome, or the looks humans give his sweet paint job as he rolls by. He’s no coward, but he avoids battle all the same, if only to protect his precious body from getting scuffed or, even worse, dented.''

TAKARA-TOMY TRIUMPHS! 

The folks at Takaratomy have basically chosen to stay rooted to the G1 inspired re-deco for UN-13 Autobot Warrior Tracks. I can safely say that this release is the most definitive release that most fans have been clamoring for. The aesthetic differences are right off the bat- are glaringly obvious. The 'tribal' tattoo-inspired flames for the RTS version of Tracks is pretty messy on the hood. Add to the usage of rub-sign stickers for the Autobot symbol on his roof/ robot chest, and it makes the toy look rather dull-- But obviously, Hasbro's niche market caters for the casual collectors and their numero uno target audience: KIDS.  

I can understand fully the reasoning behind the much more generic releases, as to maximize their distribution and sales scope.  

ROBOTKINGDOM ROCKS! 

Getting stuff from HK-based toy company and distributer, Robotkingdom is pretty hassle free and convenient in terms of reasonable shipping cost. I recommend buying from them if you wish to complete the collection gap of your beloved Transformers figures.  The fact that they are based in Hong Kong makes it the more better to receive your stuff and shipment is pretty safe and accurate. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

For collectors who don't mind paying the extra USD $12 or so to get a much more accurate and shiny representation of the Tracks mould. It's even got the bonus and very dubious but highly G1-centric 'flying-car' mode. Awesome. Highly recommended! 

All pictures linked, credited to TFW2005 member Masabon,  Amazon Japan.com/ Takaratomy/ Hasbro/ ToyWorld-HK.

Tracks and Transformers Copyright Takara & Hasbro 

Read more

WS-TOYZ FEATURE COLLECTION: 2009 CHARA HOBBY JAPAN EXCLUSIVE SOUNDWAVE = LIMITED VER.! =

6:02 PM in Black Repaint, Chara. Hobby, G1 HOMAGE, Limited, Soundwave

Doraemon' in the Japanese Dailies! Cute! =_=
 

 

UPDATE! BOY ARE ONLINE JAPANESE SHOPS FAST AND PRECISE IN THEIR SHIPPING TIME ESTIMATES! TOOK ONLY LESS THAN 5 DAYS TO ARRIVE AT MY DOOR-STEP! PICTURES OF IN HAND TOY ARE NOW FOR EVERYBODY'S VIEWING PLEASURE! ONE THING IS FOR CERTAIN, I WILL BE BUYING FROM THEM AGAIN! SATISFACTORY SHIPPING IS ONE FACTOR-- BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT IS THE REASONABLE PRICES. I DID NOT HAVE TO SHELL OUT RM350 FOR THIS BAD-BOY, AND ITS PRETTY AWESOME, TO SAY THE LEAST! CHEERS!

Hello there, fellow followers!  A very warm Welcome to another random blog-post from yours truly, WSX! Once again, I have managed to get a fairly decent deal for a limited release Transformer toy. The item in question is none other than the recently released: 2009 Chara. Hobby Japan Exclusive Deluxe Class Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Soundwave with the awesome  Black/Red/ Gold re-deco!

Place-holder pictures are humbly credited to both board-member Optimus747 of the tfw2005.com boards and  toywiz.com! As usual, the Japanese web-page/ online store  from which I bought this Limited Edition Soundwave off cheaply -- (under RM200!!) from, has just shipped the item about two days ago. My guess is that its estimated arrival will be in a couple of days, most probably by next Monday--22nd February 2010. Hold on till then, peoples! WSX will be taking some shots of the MOSC -- that's "Mint Sealed On Card" once it arrive in my hand! Some local  toy specialty shops in KL are scalping this supposedly "limited" release at insane prices-- hovering between a minimum -- yes minimum-- of RM350 to a whopping fee of RM500!! Only one Special Edition toy can trump this releases-- that is Henkei Wildrider-- also another Japan-only exclusive repaint of Henkei Hotrod, currently selling at an insane level of RM650 a piece!!

Tech Spec
Stationed in orbit above Earth, Soundwave swiftly taps into  every satellite  within range. Within minutes, communications,  data traffic, weather information, and  high-resolution spy photography flood  his sensor net.  The spill of data fills him  with pleasure, and one by one, the humans'  systems come under his complete control.  From his seat on high, he is in a position to control the destiny of mankind without their knowledge...or to run their civilization into the ground.
Strength	Intelligence	Speed	Endurance	Rank	Courage	Fireblast	Skill
4	9	8	5	8	7	9	9

 Taken from the official TakaraTomy.co.jp page

 CHARACTER MOVIE BACKGROUND

Courtesy of  tfwiki.com

• Soundwave (Deluxe, 2009) 
• Japanese ID number: RD-04
  
  
  
  • Accessories: 1 Ravage missile

Part of the initial Movie Preview wave, Soundwave is a Triple Changer, transforming into a satellite and a Cybertron jet, which are not exactly what could be described as "distinct" from one another. In all three modes, Soundwave features a spring-loaded missile launcher which fires a missile intended to resemble Ravage, in reference to the scene in the film in which he launches the feline fiend down at Earth. In his (rather stocky) robot mode, Soundwave has blue light piping in his visor, but it is disabled, having been painted over in red; his other modes feature a second, armored version of his face, which is stored on the back of his robot mode. Probably to avoid giving the toy a very obviously two-headed robot mode, the alternate face lacks any paint details, and has an unpainted blue visor. Soundwave features numerous red and gold paint applications which are very cleverly and subtly positioned around his body to replicate similarly-colored and -positioned details on the original Soundwave toy.      

     

The configuration for the satellite mode depicted in the toy's instructions is not the way Soundwave appears in the film, featuring a different angling for the panels on his shoulders. It's not a big change, but transforming the toy in accordance with his movie appearance does help to distinguish the jet from the satellite a little, since otherwise, virtually the only difference is in the positioning of the large panel "wings". 

ROBOT MODE

Bulky but menacing in this re-made colour scheme,I personally feel that the combination of these dark and bright colours doesn't clash with this incarnation of movie Soundwave. In fact,the whole idea about selling so-called "limited" edition molds of a rather under-utilized, and let's face it-- (rabid fandom aside) unpopular representation of the beloved Generation One "cassette-deck"--this design isn't the most popular representation, but the redone paint scheme has made this a must for any fan and collector of this character. The dace that it pays homage to his re-birth self "Soundblaster"..makes it even more sought after collector's edition. A++

"Soundwave: Acknowledge!"


SATELLITE MODE

Essentially, for me its just a very simplistic after-thought the part of the designers when he is transformed into his alternate mode. Handy in the movie-verse or should I say-- Bay-verse --LOL! as a communications spy and saboteur-- it fits perfectly with his overall function and role. It also very reminiscent to a space-cruiser-- Awesome. A+

FINAL THOUGHTS

Chara. Hobby Japan 2009 Soundwave is miles above the other of the many repaints/ re-deco which has been hitting the market like crazy. Even the recently released Hasbro Infiltration Soundwave  version with Battle Ops. Bumblebee is literally a "pale" comparison with this superior version made exclusively for fans and by the fans.  Get him on the cheap from the Japanese online stores--without breaking your wallet and budget. It costs between ¥4,000 to ¥7,000 a piece, and that's only after a couple of months after its initial release sometime last year. Highly recommended!! A++

Read more

MIGHTY GALE FORCE: TRANSFORMERS SUPERLINK SC-17 WING-SABER!!!

8:12 AM in CYBERTRONINAN JET, ENERGON, G1 HOMAGE, POWER-UP, STAR SABER, Superlink, WING SABER

A very warm hello to those oversea readers who have stopped by my humble blog. Many sincere thanks and gratitude. Well, yours truly WSX is here again to post a mini-rant/ review and personal musings on yet another toy which is collecting dust on my display shelve... LOL! Overall the window styled packaging is always geared towards the bigger classed toys and the Superlink and Energon toy lines are some of the most awesome/ dynamic Transformer lines ever to grace the fandom.

Today is a great honor to feature yet another homage type character, one which also forms the basis of my blog sphere and internet pseudonym. The awesome Transformer featured this time around is none other than the Super General Warrior for the Cybertrons/Autobots: TRANSFORMERS SUPER LINK SC-17 WING SABER!! Wing Saber's tech-spec is taken from one of my most favorite online sources for all things Transformers related, none other than www.tfuinfo.com . Hmm, by the looks of his tech spec/ bio data, he is akin to a chivalrous Lancelot-archetype. Brave, strong and fiercely loyal to his superiors. In short, everything desired in a second in command warrior.

TECH SPEC:
"Courage and fortitude are the foundations of a true warrior."
Wing Saber served as a first class transport for members of Cybertron's high council before he discovered his true calling as a warrior. His incredible speed and aerial skills have made him a valued member of the Autobot team. In Cybertronian Jet mode, his stealth abilities allow for long range attack that have given the Autobots the upper hand during many offensive maneuvers. Wing Saber takes great pride in his standing with the Autobots and has proven his loyalty and devotion to Optimus Prime on many occasions. His ability to Powerlinx with Optimus gives their combined robot form impressive flight capabilities. Megatron has kept an admiring eye on Wing Saber and hopes to someday sway this great Autobot warrior to the side of the Decepticons.
Strength	Intelligence	Speed	Endurance	Rank	Courage	Fireblast	Skill
9	7	10	8	8	9	10	9

"WING-BLADE"/CYBERTRONIAN JET MODE:

His overall look is reminiscent of his Transformers Victory Generation One Japanese namesake, the mighty Autobot Commander : C-324 Star Saber. Basically, Wing Saber's alternate aerial mode looks like a stealth jet, compact and sleek. This mode is also does a decent homage in channeling the whole G1 Star Saber huge jet mode vibe, obviously save for the omission of mid-sized plane which can attach to the huge unit. I always have a keen liking for any toy which incorporates the usage of translucent plastic parts-- and Wing Saber's deep red area really lends an added feel of exclusivity / individuality to the character. He comes with two spring loaded missile ports and a pair of gray missiles. If there is another major influence in the propagation and passion for collecting our plastic crack--its undoubtedly the sharpest and most comprehensive archiving of Transformers toys ever in Asia-- The following toy pictures of Wing Saber provided is courtesy and credited to Hong Kong super-collector Remy--of the hugely popular website of premier Transformers photo shoots: www.TFkenkon.com

Overall, its for me a rather "hit and miss" kinda scenario-- essentially a folded and compacted Wing Saber robot mode, although looks sharp and attractive and the "homage" to Victory Star Saber is the saving grace for this mode. A-



ROBOT MODE


Brickish- and limited posability, as expected he can only move his elbows and bend at an angle in the knees. To me, this slight drawback doesn't hamper the overall bulky and strong look of the toy. He's in the "Mega" class figure category, and his plastic body has a nice feeling of weight on him. In terms of paint job wise, his head is a copper/gold sprayed on type, with neon green eyes to reflect the CG-stylized version from the Energon/Superlink series. This little attention to detail and other molded parts really shows the level of effort the designers at Takara/Hasbro put in to increase the physical appeal of Wing Saber . Appreciative fans like myself who subscribe to the "old-school" of thought-- will always be massive fans of Japanese-Inspired mecha designs, Wing Saber included. Again, since this was released sometime or approximately SIX years ago in 2004, I wont be tempted to go into the mechanics of Transformation, as it is readily available online to the general public consumers at the Hasbro website.
A+


Next we move on to the piece de' resistance --and the whole reason why this makes e for such an ingenious toy.


WING SABER : COMBINATION / SUPER LINK MODE


As some of you are aware by now, Wing Saber is the reborn Autobot drone, Wing Dagger-- Now this time his sole purpose is to serve as the Power-Link armor to Optimus Prime. An irony is that Transformers Victory Star Saber was the main leader and relied on Victory Leo for additional fire-power. Now Wing Saber can be halved and made to become both the Flight Mode/Attack Mode as depicted above. A major role reversal if you are looking at Wing Saber's role in the Transformer Superlink/Energon time-line.

FINAL THOUGHTS:


While the nostalgic nod to G1 Star Saber is evident, down to his color combination and the fact that Wing Saber shares similar traits in blocky- body design, he is a pretty decent addition to your collection, if you ever manage to obtain one. His gimmick and appeal no doubt is his main asset of being essentially a "power-up" MacGuffin to Super Link Convoy--akin to many other Super robot/Mecha elements from those kookier Japanese noggins! Lastly, the neat and poignant Transformers Victory homage seals the deal for me, really. This is the "closest" rendition that us Transformers fans can ever hope to obtain with our grubby little fingers-- of an "updated" version of the Star Saber lore. Period.
For more of a closer look at the Energon version of Wing Saber, please visit this link

Read more