Sideswipe [Shining Version 02–Shining 1985]

Sideswipe is one of the original Autobots who’s kind of the everyday guy. In the original cartoon, he’s always there as part of the team, even if he doesn’t get a ton of spotlight.

He’s got a jet pack and pile driver arms, and while the show doesn’t always lean into it, he’s a bit reckless and not afraid to fight dirty—something that comes through more in the comics.

Alongside his brother Sunstreaker, they make up a solid duo, with Sideswipe being the more easygoing of the two.

This Shining Version kit from Blokees Transformers Blind Boxes is a really nice take on him. Like other Shining Versions, it’s an upgraded take on the Galaxy Version release, adding light-up features and some improved paint details.

Here, his eyes light up—and they look great. The LED is actually strong enough that you get a bit of light bleeding through the chest as well, which is a neat, unintended bonus.

He comes with the usual extras: open and closed hands, his laser gun, rocket launcher, display stand with symbol pegs, and an Energon Cube.

The standout here, though, is the jet pack. It’s a solid representation of the one he uses in the show, and it includes two blast effects to simulate the boosters firing as he takes off. It adds a lot to the overall look and gives you some fun posing options.

I tried to pose him like he was launching into flight in my photos… but it mostly looks like he’s about to go for a jumping high five.

I’m not what you’d call an expert photographer.

Kaiju Ranger Red Rodan [Godzilla VS Mighty Morphin Power Rangers]

This year, the stars have really aligned. For whatever reason, Zone Base’s 10th year feels like the universe decided, “yeah, let’s just give this guy everything he likes.”

Case in point: these new Playmates Toys figures based on Godzilla vs. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

I’ve talked about the bag clips before, but now that there are actual figures of these designs? It’s a little mind-blowing.

Like I said before, I haven’t even read the comics yet. I’m tempted, but I’ve been holding off. Still, as a fan of this stuff, this hits some very specific part of my brain I can’t quite explain.

Pure euphoria?
Yeah… something like that.

I’ve always had a huge soft spot for Rodan, going all the way back to my old Shogun Warriors toy as a kid. So seeing him reimagined as a Ranger—and of course as the Red Ranger—is just incredible.

And it works.

The design is such a perfect blend. The Rodan-inspired helmet is full-on monster and packed with character. The scaled body armor looks natural, and those wings coming off his back just sell the whole thing.

This feels like something that should have always existed.

Alright, let’s talk accessories so I’m not just saying “this is awesome” over and over again… even though it is.

He comes with the Red Ranger’s Power Sword and the Blade Blaster, which can be displayed in both blaster and blade modes. There’s also a display stand shaped like his Morpher Medallion, embossed with the Rodan symbol that Toho uses for the classic character.

That detail is so cool. I tried to show it off in the photos—and I was probably more impressed by it than any reasonable person should be.

I… love this thing.

Like, seriously love it.

This isn’t a constructive post.
It’s me fawning over a toy.

Ratchet [Shining Version 01–Shining Roll Out]

Despite the mountain of Blokees Transformers Blind Boxes kits I own, I’d never picked up any Shining Version blind boxes… until recently. I grabbed a few at Toylanta from my friends at Polaris Bros, and Ratchet here was one of them.

Shining Version kits are essentially upgraded Galaxy Version releases with light-up features. This Ratchet is based on his Galaxy Version 01 kit, which I never actually owned—though I do have the Shattered Glass version. That led to a brief moment of confusion where I could’ve sworn I’d built this before. Of course, Ratchet shares a lot of parts with Ironhide, which I have covered, so that probably didn’t help either.

Rather than retread familiar ground, I want to focus more on what makes the Shining Version different.

Ratchet is largely based on his original cartoon appearance, which I prefer as a cartoon guy. That said, it’s a little hypocritical on my part—my attachment to Ratchet actually comes more from his role in the early comics. It's complicated.

The standout feature is, of course, the light-up elements. His eyes and chest both illuminate, and it looks fantastic. The real highlight is the chest, which is formed from the windshield of his ambulance mode and features a readout on the surface. When lit up, it looks incredible. I keep finding myself imagining a little animated screen in there.

The eyes look great too, but the chest is absolutely the star of the show.

He doesn’t include the snap-on “pew pew” effect parts that came with the original kit (and with Ironhide), but he does come with an Energon Cube—one I somehow forgot to include in my photos. It’s the same cube included with several other kits, and I’m actually pretty fond of that accessory, so I’m a little annoyed with myself for leaving it out.

Another thing I did intentionally leave out is the display stand. I’ve gotten so used to newer Galaxy Version kits not including stands that I almost forgot they used to be standard. The Shining Version stands are a bit larger than the older Galaxy ones, which is a nice touch, and they include plug-in Autobots and Decepticon symbols still.

Overall, this is a really fun variation on the standard Galaxy Version kit. The added light-up feature gives it just enough extra presence—and, that chest readout really makes it all special.

Battle for Monday

Good morning Zone Base readers, thanks for coming back for another week of robots, monsters, and misadventure! I hope everyone had a good weekend, mine was a little chaotic thanks to a family emergency, but thankfully not terrible. The Mrs and I did manage to get some shopping done where I picked up Transformers Studio Series Devastation Bumblebee and a Godzilla blind box. I pulled a clear red chase MechaGodzilla! We watched some of the new Stranger Things Tales from '85 animated series and I played plenty of Pragmata. Next weekend hopefully things will get back to normal. I didn't even get to work on any models Sunday (dammit). Oh well, a little chaos every now and then is to be expected. I've got a fun week in store for you all. Thank you so much for reading Zone Base. Please remember to share it with your friends and be excellent to each other!