Gamera 1995 (Bandai/Movie Monster Series)

Gamera is the Guardian of Earth, savior of children, protector of humanity... and completely ridiculous. He's a giant turtle with tusks that breathes fire and has jet engines that light up when he draws his arms and legs inside his shell. None of that is anywhere as crazy sounding as his roar. Ever been super emotional and stub your toe? It kinda sounds like the noise you'll make. His adventures usually revolve around rescuing some kids whom somehow found themselves in danger from some other giant monster or space aliens who specifically kidnapped them and have a giant monster. Despite how silly it sounds (and is)... Gamera is completely bad ass. His fights with other monsters are absolutely BRUTAL beat downs full of carnage.

In 1995, Gamera got a much grittier reboot with a new series of films that took away all the corniness of the older movies and gave the world the hardcore Gamera he always was. Gamera: Guardian of the Universe and it's sequels were amazing kaiju movies that I fondly watched after classes in college. They revitalized the big turtle and even though newer appearances (like the recent Netflix series) have returned him closer to his more friendly roots, nobody has forgotten how hardcore he is since. This soft vinyl of Gamera represents his appearance in Gamera: Guardian of the Universe. It's a newer figure, released around 2020 (I think) by Bandai (the best) in their Monster Movie Series. It was a Christmas gift from my wife who somehow tolerates all my nonsense. Gamera fits in wonderfully with my other Bandai kaiju and represents the character very well. His sculpt practically mirrors his on screen appearance and while articulation is the standard amount for a toy like this... it feels like all he needs. This is a great figure of our protector and I'm proud to call it mine. 

TF 40

Dear all Transformers fans 

"Transformers" is a 40-year partnership between Takara Tomy Co., Ltd. and HASBRO. We have created rare characters and numerous products that are loved by fans around the world. Since the creation of Optimus Prime (Convoy), which transforms from a vehicle into a robot, in 1984, To this day, "Transformers" has evolved into a global brand. 

Thanks to you, "Transformers" will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2024. Thank you for supporting "Transformers" over the years. The whole Transformers team would like to thank you. As we celebrate our 40th anniversary, At Takara Tomy, we would like to inherit and develop the tradition of "Transformers". 

We will continue to communicate with our fans who have spent 40 years with us. We cherish the "Transformers" "YOUR ORIGIN" that has become the origin of each fan, On the occasion of the 40th anniversary, all generations will come together and transform into “OUR ORIGIN” So that we can connect to even greater power, I hope that we can continue to move forward together with our fans. 

Takara Tomy Co., Ltd. Transformers team

Noah Diaz Exo-Suit (Studio Series/Core Class)

One of the more unique toys from Rise of the Beasts is this Core Class figure of Noah Diaz, one of the main human characters from the movie. Hoping not to spoil the movie for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, but this toy represents a scene when Noah wears an Exo-Suit for a battle scene (I'll leave out further details just in case). Like many others, I thought the suit looked cool and did an internal fist pump when the figure was announced and ecstatic to find out he was a Christmas gift from my wife. Core Class is becoming my favorite size class in modern Transformers and it's a good size range for a human figure. Unlike other Exo-Suit figures released in the past, however, this one's pretty unique. Unique as in... he's not really a Transformers is he? Of course the character isn't, but the toy doesn't exactly transform.

Technically the alt mode is a jet, however the jet can be fully removed from Noah and serve as it's own toy. Noah more or less wears it as a backpack. On his own, Noah is a fairly decent action figure with a respectable amount of articulation. He has a arm mounted sword molded into his right arm and a blaster that can be held or attached to the jet. 'Transformation' more or less is adjusting Noah under the jet and arranging some parts. Like i said above, the jet can also be removed as it's basically an accessory similar to an Action Master partner. I had made comparisons to Takara Sci Fi Land with prior Exo-Suits and will be doing so again here. It's hard not to notice the similarities between this toy and a modern Diaclone driver. He almost could pass for a 90's Microman, I've seen some attach the jet backpack to various Microman figures as well. That's neat! While I'm sure being human character and the lack of actual transformation would be a turn off for some... I think it's a neat toy. He's different, but in a cool way.

Monday's are Impossible

Oh dammit, it's already Monday. This weekend flew by just as I was getting used to it. I don't have much to report other than some weekly shopping and house work. Well, we watched 1000lbs Sisters. Not sure how many episodes this season has left, but it's been a doozy. Started watching MOTU Revolution as well, love it. I'll be sure to finish it up soon. I was initially apprehensive about a Kevin Smith He-Man cartoon, but he actually made a good show! There's also a new Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire trailer out today, let's take a look!

Man it looks great! My viewing will be delayed though. The movie actually comes out Toylanta weekend. HOWEVER, the following weekend is my birthday and the release of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. I'm going celebrate the Empire of old by watching both! 

Man, it's gonna be one hell of a week. Toylanta, Ghostbusters, Godzilla and Kong, and my birthday! Getting old is exciting! Not to mention Easter is the following Sunday! Dang! While I didn't get any Transformers this weekend, I did bring home toys related to this post! I picked up Vintage Collection Fright Features Winston (Target seems to just have one at a time) and Frozen Empire Fright Features Gary! The Mrs suprised me with a Jada Metalfig Godzilla from the new movie and I picked up Shimu from the same line later. These are mini figures similar to the Transformers or TMNT ones sold at Five Below. I really like them. Not to be outdone was a vs 2 pack of Evolution Godzilla vs Shimu which I think is Walmart exclusive. Speaking of TMNT, my Mom suprised me with a plush Leonardo!

January is almost over and Transform Squadron is running a little behind. It was actually a little busy this month and I'm also experimenting with a new recording set up. So, sorry for the delay, but it's coming eventually! I may not have a new podcast this week, but I do have a fun week planned. Thanks to everyone for reading Zone Base. If you like what I'm doing, thanks! Please share the site with your friends and let's all have great week! Mutual High Fives everyone!

Decepticon Slicer (Shattered Glass/Deluxe Class)

Since we've talked about Exo-Suit earlier, it seems like a good time to talk about Slicer, the toy it came with. Slicer is an update of a European exclusive Action Master figure that has enjoyed a solid fan following. Slicer also serves as two characters, like the BotCon 2010 version, this toy can either be Slicer OR Shattered Glass Wheeljack. The latter's look was based on Slicer, which would be why this toy comes in the Shattered Glass packaging. The toy can represent whichever you prefer. For simplicity sake, I'll be referring to him a Slicer though.

The way fiction will repurpose toys into two different characters can be confusing, so I'll try to keep this simple. I don't have an original Slicer, but do have the BotCon 2010 one mentioned above. I like how this update homages it with the dual red guns. The 2010 toy had them as a holdover from it's origins from the Energon Downshift toy mold. Making it the one Slicer not made from a Wheeljack toy, technically. 

This is a great toy. Using the Earthrise Wheeljack mold as a base, Slicer is a straight repaint improving an excellently designed toy with vibrant colors. Sometimes all you need is a fresh coat of paint. Slicer is well articulated and transforms into his race car alt mode fairly easily. For weapons he has the two red guns I spoke of earlier. They can be mounted to his vehicle mode thanks to some hinges. Slicer also has Wheeljack's rocket launcher. That can be held as a gun or mounted on his shoulder in classic Transformers style. You can add Exo-Suit to Slicer (or any other similar gimmick toy) in a variety of ways as weapons or armor. Get creative! For purposes of this post, I tried to mimic the 'official' armor mode (with some liberties). I'm currently on one of my off and on Spiral Zone kicks and found it similar. Though I hate using the work kick in that way. Ugh.

Slicer with Exo-Suit is an awesome set of toys. The variety of ways they can be used is really neat and their bright colors really pop. Exo-Suit is fun to work into a variety of uses while Slicer is a good old fashioned Transformer (they've been around 40 years for a reason). This was one of the gifts my wife gave me for Christmas and a really awesome one at that. For fans of the Shattered Glass universe, it's a new toy in a series that gets updates at random intervals. This is probably a set of toys a more hardcore fan would appreciate for the character and the history, but a casual fan would find just as much fun with the neatness of the toys. I wish more Weaponizer type figures came packaged with regular figures like this.Just seems natural.

Bios: Asurah

Role: Commander

Length: 27.52m

Maximum Diameter: 1.55m

Weight: 4,350kg

Maximum Speed: 191km / h

Armament: Duplicate Type Beam Gun

Godzilla '57 Silver Screen (Godzilla ReAction)

One really cool aspect of the Godzilla ReAction line is all the deep dives they do with the figures. Super7 always makes neat special editions and their Blind Box Godzilla figures really digs in. In the regular carded line is a figure of Godzilla '57. There's two special versions of that in the blind box series, today we're looking at the 'Silver Screen' version of the figure. As you can see, Godzilla is colored as he would appear projected onscreen in a black and white movie. What makes this '57 figure a deeper dive is that he represents a version of Godzilla from an unmade movie. The Volcano Monsters was a planned American made sequel to Godzilla, King of the Monsters. The movie would have used footage from Godzilla Raids Again combined with new footage to create a separate movie.

Toho assisted in this effort by making new suits of Godzilla and Anguirus for filming additional scenes. The suits looked a little different from the orignal ones used for Godzilla Raids Again, being hand made that tends to happen. The monsters would not have went by name on screen and instead would have been portrayed as dinosaur like monsters that were preserved in the volcano from the movies title. Those dinosaur like monsters would have awakened in modern times and wreck havoc.

The production company for The Volcano Monsters went out of business during production and instead Gigantis, the Fire Monster was made from the existing Godzilla Raids Again footage. Whatever happened to the suits is a mystery, but the Godzilla suit was named Gigantis Godzilla in various publications and merchandise like this toy. So you see, this little figure of Godzilla is pretty neat. The toy alone without all the history is pretty cool on it's own. The ReAction figure format really suits kaiju, making for a nice smaller toy. Trust me, kaiju toys can get BIG and take up A LOT of space. Thankfully the Mrs got me a bunch of these for Christmas. The sculpting is really well done. Godzilla has about 6 points of articulation (legs, shoulders, head and tail), what you'd expect from this type of figure. He's one of the more common figures in the Blind Box line, which is fitting being the main character and all. I'm really happy with it overall. How could I not be?

Exo-Suit (Shattered Glass/Deluxe Class)

Exo-Suit is a unique toy. Coming in a 2-Pack with Slicer (I'll get to him soon), Exo-Suit is an update of an Action Master vehicle as a Weaponizer. Using the Weaponizer gimmick means Exo-Suit can somewhat become an Exo-Suit for Slicer. It's vehicle mode doesn't really look like the original's... but it's still neat. As I understand, you can technically create a ride-able buggy for Slicer with this toy... but I didn't try it myself. The toy itself is a repaint of Black Roritchi (don't look at me, I didn't name it), which is a repaint and remold of Fasttrack. This toy has a lot of upfront explanation, but it's still a good regardless. I don't know if Exo-Suit is meant to be a drone or an individual character. Until some sort of characterization is given, I'm taking it as a drone. 

Exo-Suit is a very pretty toy in it's colors. A mixture of pink and red with some gray and black creates a very interesting robot mode. I like it!  My wife said it was a Valentines Day robot, and that works! (The set was a Christmas present from her) A lot of folks would call the deco G2, but it's really the colors the original toy had. Which was G1. The tail end of G1 in Europe (where Slicer hailed from) was converted into G2, so there's a lot of bleeding of one idea into another. The colors were really just a sign of the times. Exo-Suit is a Weaponizer as I said above. Meaning it can be pulled apart and made into armor or weapons for other Transformers figures. Even neater, the parts can be combined with other Weaponizers or similar gimmick figures to create something really unique. The gimmick is very similar to Mugenbine, which is ironic as Exo-Suit gives me strong Machine Robo vibes.

Exo-Suit is a cool toy. The Weaponizer gimmick is fun and works well with this figure. I can see some complaining about the parts forming needed to make the toy work and that'd be a fair complaint. Others like myself don't mind it, so it's really up to personal preferences. I REALLY like the colors. It gives Exo-Suit a distinct look and well... they're cool! There's two pistols that can be attached in other places and a neat little sword included. The little sword is very similar to the ones that would come with older Transformers. It's a neat little bit of flair. Vehicle mode is fun and makes me think of video games. For a figure that's basically a fancy accessory for Slicer, it's pretty great. Speaking of Slicer, we'll be looking at him in a few days.

Monday of the Brain

Dammit, it's Monday again. Let's all pour one out for another weekend gone. I spent mine taking the Mrs out for her birthday. We spent all Saturday taking in a bunch shops like Teso Life, Tokyo Kuma, and other similar shops. I bought her a bunch of fun stuff like Sanrio, stationary, treats, plushies, and other things she likes. It was a good time. I did pick up a few things for myself while out. Got 2 Popmart Transformers blind figures. Starscream and Galvatron. Galvatron came with a arm for the Devastator build-a-figure. Also picked up a BeastBox Jonsen. This was a limited edition version in unique colors and accessories. Neat! I also picked up a Chin Chan blind box, some Bikkuriman stickers, Demon Slayer, Hone Hone Zaurus, Ultraman, Gundam, Mario, and other goodies! 

I've got a fun week planned for you all. Thanks to each and every one of you for reading Zone Base. If you like what I'm doing, thanks! Please share the site with your friends. Mutal high fives everyone, let's get this week started and have a great week!

Autobot Hot Rod (Retro Series)

Like Hound, Hot Rod is another reissue of a classic G1 toy in cartoon accurate colors. This is a little extra special as G1 Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime toys have never been accurate to the 1986 movie. Instead of the dark reds we're all used too, Hot Rod was a more pinkish color in the film. With this release we've got a toy that nails that color scheme down pretty accurately. This is a special kind of toy as it's a 'finally' type of moment. Despite all sorts of Masterpieces and various updates... nobodies ever made what folks have been clamoring for. Pink Hot Rod. It's only fitting that when they've finally made one, it's the original toy. This is one of those neat moments that happen as a fan.

One thing I'm really thankful for is the lack of stickers. Not that I think they normally don't look good, it's just the paint and tampographs look amazing. That and regular G1 Hot Rod has these thigh stickers that always catch on his car knees when transforming... I've always hated that. Though the many reuses and recasts of this mold is showing. Hot Rod has some loose joints and that's... a little sad. I don't know how much work they're willing to put into maintaining this old toy mold. There's eventually going to be a point when it's retired or newer fixed toolings are going to start getting worse. I particularly like the almost pealescent white used for his dual guns and exhaust pipes. They really stand out from the brightness of the pink. This is a very BRIGHT toy that almost glows. I don't think they meant to hint at those Toxitron Collection colors when homaging the original movie Hot Rod... but they kinda did. This is a special toy. I would have expected this at a much higher price and exclusive to some higher ticket event. 

Bios: Warpath

A light-weight, heavy-weight! Built for maneuvrability and speed, Warpath races through the skies ready for battle.

He can appear out of nowhere, plow through a barrage of blasts, and not even receive a dent. But when he’s angry, he's an Apache Copter who's on the Warpath!

Medical Jet Jaguar (Godzilla ReAction/Blind Box)

Being a kaiju is hard work. You're constantly getting in fights with other kaiju, super heroes, the military... the list just goes on and on. Heck, even smashing a building can be rough on your body. That's where Medical Jet Jaguar comes in! Medical Jet Jaguar is a giant robot that G-Guard uses on Godzilla Island to keep all the monsters healthy! This toy is a super cool newer figure from Super 7's awesome Godzilla ReAction figure line. Specifically from the Blind Box series that features a slew of neat recolors based on various visages of classic monsters. I really like that 'old Star Wars' toy styling of ReAction figures for multiple reasons. With these kaiju toys, the size is really convenient. Some toys can really take up space, but you could put a bunch of these in a shoe box! Jet Jaguar itself is a perfect design for a ReAction Figure as well and the Medical variation looks ssssooooo cool.

Autobot Hound (Retro Series)

Reissues of older Transformers toys are nothing new. However when Walmart started selling them, it was a lot of fun as the availability got a better as did the pricing. Neatly enough, the 'Retro Series' over the past year had changed up the game a little. Instead of being close approximations of the original toys (there's a little difference here and there) in retro packaging. The newer 'old' toys are in a neat Transformers The Movie inspired line with cool movie versions of the retro packaging and the classic toys in cartoon colors. They've done 'anime' edition reissues before, but these are really close to the characters on the screen. Unfortunately distribution on these has been less than ideal as I'd love to get them all. Fortunately this lead to a few being marked down heavily recently. A special version of a G1 toy for $9? Sure! 

I've made my love for Hound known before. Obviously this was something I was wanting. This version uses the 2004 reissue mold sets. Which used repaired and recast toolings from the original Diaclone molds. There's some noticeable differences if you compare a 1984 Hound to this one aside from the colors. This one does have Official Jeep copyrights on it that prior versions didn't as does the box. G1 Hound's an Officially Licensed Jeep now! Neat. While it's not super noticeable to the naked eye, the cartoon accurate deco is miles apart from the toy version. The chrome, something I normally love, is gone. Green's are also softer. There's a really close match to the colors from the cartoon on robot bits that I'm really impressed by. Usually these are a sorta clay gray on toys. This really feels like a more premium edition of G1 Hound that I would expect to pay a lot more for. 

Hound also has all of his accessories from the G1 release. They're in matching cartoon colors, though it's worth noting his missile launcher does not fire. This is a holdover from those early 2000's reissues. Several Child Safety Laws had changed from the 80's and still are in place today. This lead for the American versions to either have extra long missiles or neutered ones like in this case. Frankly, I'd rather a kid not accidentally choke on a toy and would take a non-firing version over the longer missiles. In cases like Starscream's Null Rays, it looks fine. In other toys... not so much. Hound has a good bit of extra accessories from vehicle mode you'll take off to transform. Those older Diaclone toys were just full of features. I am kinda surprised there's no official Jeep branding on his spare tire. Speaking of, Hound has no stickers. They've all been replaced with tampographed on details. It really adds to the overall look... and I don't mind their absence. They look great when properly applied, but can be a hassle. The tampographs really blend into the overall cartoon accuracy better too. 

I am completely happy with this Hound toy. Admittedly I'm a fan of his, but this special edition is really nice. I'm sure his stubby arms would be a turn off for some and mine's front section doesn't want to lock in place well when not on the ground... but this is overall a great little figure. The die cast legs give this little toy some nice heft and it's just overall a great looking figure. Like I've said, the cartoon accurate colors really pop. I'd been happy paying full price, but glad to pay only $9. 

Bouldercrash (Legacy: United/Core Class)

When I first saw Bouldercrash listed , like others, I thought it was to be a new Generations version of Boulder. While homaging the line Boulder came from (Rock Lords), Bouldercrash is instead a brand new character from a new group of transforming rock toys- The Armorizers! As you are all aware, I was a fast fan of these guys and today we'll be looking at the other available Armorizer currently. Bouldercrash is a Core Class figure in the Transformers Legacy: United line that hails from the Infernac Universe as does Magneous (who we talked about earlier). My speculation that Infernac is a Hollow Earth type setting full of volcanoes seems to be true.That or this Infernac just might be the same Infernac from Inhumanoids as Bouldercrash is also a type of lava rock.

While Rock Lords are the most obvious referenced rock people toys of the Armorizers, of the two so far available, Bouldercrash feels more like one than Magneous. That's not a slam on Magneous (whom I love), but because of Bouldercrash's smaller size class. Rock Lords, like the Gobots they came from, were mostly smaller figures. Bouldercrash is a Core Class, a smaller Transformers size class, which is pretty close to the sizing of original Rock Lords. He could blend in with them pretty easily and pass as a modern day update that was obviously Takara Tomy designed instead of by Bandai (which he is).

Bouldercrash is pretty well articulated. He has the range of movent you's expect from the size class. No problems there! The cool mixture of reds and browns really look great with the extra brighter red details on the rock bits. His weapon is a sword/gun type weapon that's a carry over from alt mode. While Armorizers can be changed into rocks (with some imagination), their main alt modes are rocky vehicles. Bouldercrash turns into a stone trike style motorcycle. It's a unique vehicle mode that reminds me a little of the Stone Wing when the blade is flipped down. Speaking of that blade, Bouldercrash doesn't separate into parts for armor like Magneous does, but instead has a third weapon mode. The trike can be wielded as a sword type weapon. This mode is basically just the trike with said blade folded out that can be held by a larger toy (there's a handle on the back). It's not a particularly convincing weapon mode as at this point whomever is just hitting somebody with a motorcycle. I'd imagine that would hurt enough on it's own, but there's a big blade at the end for good measure. Additional weapon mode forms are usually a little silly and a bit of a stretch. I mean, look at this 'gun'.

Transformation from robot to vehicle (and back!) is pretty easy and everything tabs into place locking in securely. The windshield area of the motorcycle is the handle area of the weapon. You'll need to attach it while transforming which was my only difficulty during the process. I had a little trouble getting it on, but am sure it was myself doing it wrong. I'm still not sure what I was doing wrong, but I sure was doing it. The stone trike is pretty neat looking and pretty imaginative. I really like Boldercrash. To be fair, these fall squarely into the realm of stuff I like, but it IS a really neat toy. I'm sure more Armorizers are on the way and I really hope so. It's nice to have so many things come out the past few years that are exactly the kind of stuff I want. Armorizers make me excited in that ridiculous fan way that's hard to explain, hard to contain, and completely stupid to those who don't get it. It's a rock fact.

Load New Week

How was everyone's weekend? Mine was pretty good. Did some shopping with the Mrs and I assembled our new exercise bike. Got some cool stuff as well! The new Ghostbusters movie is coming soon, and with it cool toys! The retro series is continuing with reissues of the original Fright Features figures. I found Venkman with Gruesome Twosome. I hope to find the other three without any trouble. Not to be outdone, Target also had new Fright Features figures from the new movie! Like Afterlife, Frozen Empire Fright Features figures are a more basic/core type figure with the ghost partner figure having the 'Fright Feature'. I picked up Trevor with Slimer. The ghosts this time are stretchy toys that have some GREAT sculpts. This is going to be a fun line. I ultimately missed a few of the Afterlife figures, here's hoping they pop back up with this new movie. Speaking of, never found the vintage Ecto-1 either. Dangit.

There's also a new series of Ghostbusters blind box toys out. The toys are a mixture of Mini Pufts and Slimer toys in a variety of poses. I got a sneaky Mini Puft and looking forward to more. Speaking of, the box is patterned after the containment unit. I also grabbed a Micro Galaxy Squadron blind box from the new series 4. Got a Clone Trooper with a Speeder Bike. I've really got to start covering those more here. I've got quite the armory of tiny Star Wars vehicles thanks to this line. As far as Transformers go, I picked up the Jada Bumblebee mini figure at Five Below. There's 3 more in the assortment, but all they had was BB. Not complaining about starting the series with a favorite. I've got the Energon Megatron and Tasmania Kid Core Class figures on the way allegedly arriving today. Really enjoying how Legacy United is shaping up. I'm very excited about Armorizers. Normally I've got posts scheduled out a few weeks in advance, but rushed out Magneous and Bouldercrash posts as I just want to swim in my love for rock robot toys. Hope you all enjoy content bombing!  

I've got a fun week of content coming this week. Thank you for supporting Zone Base. I've got 2024 in mind to be the best year for the site yet! There's going to be plenty of robots, monsters, and misadventure all year! 2024 is looking chock-full of the kind of stuff this site is all about (I've seen upcoming Halloween stuff, it's going to be great!). If you like what I'm doing, thanks! Please share the site and let's all have a great week! Mutual High Fives!

Magneous (Legacy United/Deluxe Class)

Armorizers are finally here and it's time to celebrate. A whole new breed of transforming rock toys that homage Rock Lords, the rocky people of Daira, and Inhumanoids. I had ordered Magneous and Boldercrash at the same time from Amazon, though Boldercrash is taking a little longer to get here. That gave me ample time to enjoy Magneous all on his own first. I've been so excited for these since announcement that finally having them is just amazing. Right now the two I've ordered are the only ones known, but I'm sure more will come eventually. Deluxe Class Armorizers share the same gimmick as Junkions, Fossilizers, and Weaponizers did before.

They can split into parts and be attached onto other Transformers to create armor or weapons. Fictionally, they are a living race of robotic rock based shapeshifters that come from the Infernac Universe. As far as a location for Transformers, there's not really anything known about Infernac yet. However in prior uses, Infernac is where Metlar from Inhumanoids hails from. Part of me likes to envision a Hollow Earth type hellscape full of volcanoes and dinosaurs. Judging by the Legacy United packaging art, that setting doesn't seem far off.

The whole thing just ignites my imagination and give me a sense of pure excitement. As a fan, I'm enthralled. Let's take a look at Magneous as a toy, shall we? Magneous is a beefy guy with a pick axe style weapon that could also be a crossbow depending on how he holds it. This is a very Rock Lords style weapon that I feel should have a ridiculous name like 'Geode Saber'. It fits Magneous well and with his bulk appearance, give the toy a fantasy feel that I really like. Magneous is an Obsidian warrior, which is a type of igneous rock that from the cooling of viscous lava. Igneous rocks in general that are formed from molten rock and he has plenty of that detailing sculpted in. There's a variety of rocky surfaces forming a stone warrior armor  in a mix of blacks and dark grays. It looks great. Magneous is fairly articulated and can be dissembled (as I mentioned earlier) to form rock armor and weapons for other Transformers.

Despite the parts forming nature of the toy, Magneous can transform without disassembly. Transformation is fairly easy and everything goes where you'd expect. In his neat rock truck mode, Magneous looks wild. It's a mixture of post apocalyptic and pre history styles blended together. The pick axe weapon can store across the back end or bumper, I found the back end to be best. A stone based vehicle is pretty far out, but I like it. I've been told that it's possible to form a rock mode from his parts, which I plan to try out later. That's all sorts of fun. I love this toy and concept as you've probably gathered while reading this. It's cool to have transforming rocks again and if Magneous is an example of what's to come, this looks to be a great set of figures. I could see a variety of repaint toys made with this as a base. It's a great figure that firmly fits the concept. Armorizers have me excited in a way I haven't been in a very long time. It's cheesy to say something rocks, but Magneous does. It's a rock fact.

Bios: Beachcomber

"I never spotted a Decepticon I didn't dislike."

Beachcomber is a young Autobot warrior responsible for the seaside patrol of Ocean City, one of the Autobot bases of operation. He is programmed with infrared optic scanners that allow him to spot an approaching enemy up to five miles. Whether it is day or night, few Decepticons have been able to infiltrate Ocean City during Beachcomber's watch. Although he is very serious about his job as guardian, Beachcomber likes letting loose with his Autobot comrades. He is a known trickster and enjoys telling a joke or two...especially when the subject of the joke is Megatron.

Strength: 8 Intelligence: 7 Speed: 9 Endurance: 8
Rank: 5 Courage: 7 Fireblast: 7 Skill: 6

Mighty Man of Moss

I've had Moss Man on my mind a lot lately. Which is odd, because in the past I never paid him much attention (until I got the Origins one for Christmas from the wife). In some folks eyes, he's something of a cheap repaint/line filler type toy. Which is fair as many mold reuses as Masters of the Universe has, toys like Mossman can seem even more blatant. However, Like Stinkor, sometimes a 'cheap repaint' can still work out to something special. Moss Man, the toy, is a green Beastman with some extra details to differentiate the two. Most notably, he's flocked. This gives him that cool 'mossy' look. Also like Stinkor, he's scented.... but doesn't stink. Moss Man is pine scented, something I never noticed much as a kid. Of course I never had one of my own and most of my time spent with one was my specifically grubby cousins toy. So... maybe he was initially pine fresh.

I've always loved how each MOTU character has their own gimmick, even the 'cheap repaints' and this one is pretty inventive. Moss Man is a pretty decent reinvention of an established figure. For example, they put a little extra detail on his face. Beastman had an open mouth with fangs. The fangs are painted over a little to give Moss Man flat teeth (some versions still have the fangs) and his eyes are painted to be looking to the side. Now that open mouth looks more like a reaction to something over there. Pose him to the side and it could look like he's looking directly at whomever is about to get hit with his mace. Which was a brown version of one of the weapons originally included with Castle Grayskull.

In the orignal line, Moss Man was kinda just there. He had a bigger role in his introductory mini-comic, but was mainly an extra from there on. He did appear in the Filmation cartoon, but in mostly smaller appearances. I'm not the biggest fan of the 2002 MOTU, but do like how they used Moss Man. He was a bit of a bad ass. Not to mention, also something of a cryptid that joined up with the Heroic Warriors. It might just be the paranormal fan in me, but I look at Moss Man and that's exactly what I think. Some local legend that turned out to be true and joined forces with the good guys. He has a good bit of toys. I've mostly focused on the smaller ones until the more recent Origins release which is really awesome despite still being another Beastman repaint. For a 'just there' guy, Moss Man is pretty awesome on his own. That's a neat thing with MOTU, there's so many characters that ones I've prior looked over can be fun little rabbit holes on their own. 

Terran Twitch (EarthSpark/ Deluxe Class)

While I don't cover every toy I get on here, I did intend to talk about Twitch whom I bought almost a year ago. This particular toy of Twitch is a Deluxe Class figure from the EarthSpark toy line. Like other Deluxe figures, she comes with a part of Mandroid for build-a-figure fun. Something I think I'll make a point to complete. I've got almost all of them, so why not? Twitch is one of the Terrans introduced on the EarthSpark TV show. Terrans are a new group of Transformers born on Earth. While the concept has been done before, this is one of the more noteworthy times as it's on a mainstream show as opposed to media aimed at the fan crowd. It's great to see new characters in Transformers. 

Twitch is one of the first Terrans introduced early in the show. She transforms into a very bird-like drone. Thanks to some clever articulation, the drones wings can be moved around quite a bit. This makes me compare it to a bird even more. I can't help wondering if she shares engineering with an Airazor or other similar shaped figure. Probably not, but it's very similar. Twitch is very articulated in robot mode and heavily armed. There's the laser gun in drone mode as well as the flip out one on her arm. The stabilizing fins from the drone can be removed and held as swords. For character that's just a kid, Twitch is ready for a fight. I do not like the transformation from robot to vehicle. I can't quite place it, but I felt myself getting quite annoyed while maneuvering the parts around. Once in either mode though, no problems. Just that transformation though... dang. 

Twitch is a pleasant toy of a likeable character on an enjoyable show. Her colors are nice too. The reds and blacks look sharp while the yellows and blueish greys pop. The translucent yellows accent against the opaque body really well. I often compare newer toys with older ones and Twitch is a definite Microman/Micronaught homage. I'm not sure if it's intentional, but she looks A LOT like Space Glider. I'd like to see repaints of this toy that play more into that. That's a neat little extra in a already fun figure. Like the other EarthSpark toys, the Takara Tomy version has a more show accurate paint job. I don't find it super noticeable though, just small details that do make for a nicer looking toy overall... but not deal breaking for this version that I got locally. 

Optimus Prime (EarthSpark/1-Step Flipchanger)

Continuing our look at the 1-Step Flip Changers from EarthSpark is Optimus Prime.  You've probably noticed from the pics that he's pretty similar to Swindle. The two share engineering and transformation schemes, but have individual molded parts. This isn't uncommon for these smaller gimmick toys. Optimus did come before Swindle in the series 1st wave while Swindle was in wave 2. I'm obviously not covering these in any particular order. Think of it as a playlist set on random. Optimus turns from robot to semi truck by flipping in the air or pushing over face first in robot mode.

While simple, it's a pretty satisfying process. Like the other Flip Changers, he isn't articulated unfortunately. However he could hold a 5mm weapon if desired. I'd like to see this toy in Machine Wars colors holding that particular version of Optimus Prime's gun. I wish there was more to say, but Optimus looks like Optimus. The EarthSpark version of Optimus, of course, but it's still Optimus Prime tried and true. His colors are simple like the others, and the Takara Tomy version has a better paint deco like others. These Flip Changers are a fun and simple way to collect the characters from EarthSpark and you need Optimus Prime!

Monday of the Grave

The holidays are over and a new week on Planet Zone has come! I hope everyone had a good time over New Years and Christmas. I sure did. Between the intermittent work days and time off, I managed to get a good bit of rest. Also quite a bit of fun stuff as presents! Not just presents, despite not liking to buy myself stuff at the holidays, I managed to bring home a good bit of fun stuff for myself as well. Of course that means my toy backlog is even bigger... but that's pretty much how toy life goes!

2024 is off too a good start. I'm really excited for the Armorizers in Transformers Legacy United. I've got both of them arriving soon. My plans to to finally switch over to buying the bulk of my stuff on Amazon with physical retail for odds and ends is in effect. I probably should have already made the switch over, but I'm a little old school about some things. Tired of missing things I want, I guess. I did grab Tacticon Wheeljack from Walmart as well as some more Fierce Changers while there this weekend. Not to be outdone, Walmart also had the new Godzilla x Kong toys and I grabbed the Kong with B.E.A.S.T glove figure! 

My Mom suprised me with a MOTU Masterverse Zodak as well. It was a good weekend for toys! I bought some clothes and ordered a new exercise bike also, but that's not what you all came here for. We're here to talk about toys! What's Fierce Changers you ask? Fierce Changers are a fun new transfoming line of Jurrasic World toys from Mattel. I've managed to collect all the 'Hidden Hatchers' assortment currently available. These are small dinosaur toys that convert into eggs (me and egg bots is a vibe). There's the 'Double Danger' figures coming soon that change from one dinosaur to another (ala Beast Wars Mutants) and a larger 'Chase n' Roar' Tyrannosaurus Rex that turns into the classic Jurrasic Park jeep! It's a fun new set of transforming toys that so far are a lot of fun. We'll be looking at them soon enough here. It may be winter, but Beast Summer is never over! 

Well, I've got to end this update somewhere. I've got some household chores to do and toys to open before exercising and work. As soon as I finish this cup of coffee, that is. Thanks everyone for coming back for another year of robots, monsters, and misadventure here on Zone Base. Now that the holidays are over regularly scheduled posts will resume. It's my mission to make 2024 the best year yet! If you like what I'm doing, thanks! Please share the site and posts with your friends! Mutal high fives all around!

IronBlood and Loyal Heart BB-54 (BeastBox)

2023 was the year of the Rabbit, so it was only natural that this twin set of BeastBox Rabbits would be released. It feels fitting to welcome in 2024 with a look back at 2023. Like I just said and as you can see, this is a twin set of rabbits. I think Ironblood is the black one, while Loyal Heart is the white and pink one. I say that fully admitting that I'm not completely sure... but I think it's fairly obvious. Though the pink one being named Iron Blood would be pretty awesome. The rabbits are identical aside from colors and are very articulated. It's a lot of fun moving all their little parts around and putting them in a variety of poses.

There is an additional carrot gun available for the set in various special versions or if you'd be able to track down an individual release. I don't currently have that, but it'd be fun to incorporate with the two. Transformation isn't very hard... but did take a bit of getting everything just right. The two combine into one box, and I found myself fiddling a bit. Your mileage may vary. Regardless it's a cool little box once done and fits easily into their Box Charger. The Box Charger is red with gold lettering to commemorate the Year of the Rabbit. It's a nice touch and makes for a really cool presentation. This is just a great little set.

Happy New Year from Zone Base!

Happy New Year! It's hard to believe another year has come and gone already, but I'm ready to take 2024 HEAD ON! I've got some content planned for the week, but I'm sure you all understand I'll be taking most of the week off. Thanks to each and everyone of you for reading Zone Base!