Silverbolt [Age of the Primes/Commander Class]

I'm putting a solid effort to complete all the current combiner teams. Not finishing Menasaur a few years ago left a bad taste in my mouth, so it feels like an accomplishment to be so close with Superion. We'll be looking at Silverbolt today, he's the leader of the Aerialbots and the core component of Superion. While the toy is sold as a Commander Class, Silverbolt is closer to a Voyager Class toy. The price difference comes from the extra parts that are used to for Superion in conjunction with the other Aerialbots.

Fortunately these parts do serve a purpose when standing alone. They can form something of a battle station or combine with Silverbolt's jet mode to form a larger aircraft. Initially I was a little snarky over them, but grew more fond of them once I started folding them into these forms. You can combine them with Silverbolt to form a skeletal Superion, but I won't be showing that today. Instead that'll be for a completed set post after I get the other two later this year.

Silverbolt is pleasantly articulated and really feels like an evolution of his original toy. He's got a cool little blaster that matches the rest of his team. Speaking of the team, while they tend to be a bunch of buttheads, he's a lot more cool and collective. He tends to try and teach them lessons and be a positive role model. Unfortunately... he's afraid a heights. Considering he transforms into a Concord jet and leads a team of jet buttheads, that's not so great. He does get over it, but it was that initial fear that prompted Optimus to put him in charge of the team.

What the hell Optimus?

Transformation to jet mode isn't hard, but it does take a lot of extra folding. Silverbolt's arms halfway go inside of his upper torso, while his legs do a bit of a pretzel fold around them. It works well, but might take a minute to get in place. It's worth noting that Superion's head folds into that same upper torso in robot mode, and it's got to be just right or won't work. Lots of precise folding going on here. When completed, you've got a pretty decent looking Concord jet... with a giant block of robot kibble underneath.

The extra parts for Superion can connect and form a super jet that does look pretty neat. I appreciate the effort even if mine kept coming apart. It's a good use of the parts and Superion's big gun. Like I said, those same parts can form something of a battle station as well. It's not much, but an effort was made. I definitely like the super jet use better. Overall Silverbolt is a fun toy that manages to use some extra parts creatively. I'm really looking forward to completing the team. Superion is a great looking robot and so are the individual Aerialbots. Not bad.

Still Going

It's probably hard for some in today's world of rechargeable devices to imagine it. That there was a time that keeping batteries around the house was absolutely necessary. These days I just keep some around for the Roku remote, but everything else just takes a USB charger. If anything, it's just a struggle to find a charging box sometimes. But back in the day, just about everything needed them and not an old one that lost it's power in the junk drawer. Once again seasonal appropriate commercials were there to remind you of the things you needed anyway... but with a little flair.

Duracell batteries last a long time, just like Dracula! This Halloween, you damn well better have a flashlight (or glow stick) on hand to light your way while trick or treating. For whatever reason the neighborhoods side walks become death traps and the ability to operate a car competently just escapes most drivers. YOU NEED THAT LIGHT. Hopefully there's a Duracell in it to ensure that not only will you be able to safely trick or treat... but also the rest of the year when your mom keeps it on her nightstand in case the power goes out.

Triceratops [Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Re-Ignition/Combinable Dinozord]

One problem with combiner teams is that there is compromises in the individual members to create the combined form. The Triceratops is a pretty good example of that, it's usually a giant brick. A cool brick, but a brick non-the-less. Fortunately, that works in it's favor. The Triceratops is essentially a tank that also becomes a leg, Playmates did just that. It's a simple toy, but pleasant.

The dino head has a decent range of movement which will come in hand for the combined Megazord. The tail features the double laser tip that doubles as a firing missile. It folds flush into the dino body during conversion, but I'd be careful. Loosing a missile sucks as is, but when the missile is part of the the toys visual aesthetic... ugh. Like I said, it may be a brick... but it's a cool brick. The simple styling and colors look great. There's a timeless quality to some of these old robots. Just a good looking robot tank dinosaur that becomes a leg.

Don't be a Halloweenie

Growing up is hard, especially in those early teenage years in that limbo of leaving childhood and becoming an adult. I was the youngest of my siblings, so there never was that little brother or sister still doing those things I was now 'too old' for. Big Pete, well, he has Little Pete to deal with. You try resisting him. Little Pete wants to set a new world record for most houses visited for trick or treat. Sounds awesome right? Well it is, but he needs help... and the only one who can do it is Big Pete... whose now 'too old'. Good thing he can wear a mask to hide his embarrassment right? Well... Halloween is a dangerous holiday sometimes. One such danger is older kids who like to bully Halloweenies.

originally posted 9/8/23 

Optimus Prime Type MFS-3 MechaGodzilla [Synergenex]

It was starting to feel like this toy would never come. I had pre-ordered it with the Godzilla Type Megatron we looked at a little while back. For whatever reason, it was a month a half before this one shipped. That was weird. Regardless, today, we'll be looking at the second half of the Transformers X Godzilla toys from Takara Tomy's Synergenex line. Optimus Prime has followed Megatron to Earth through the Space Bride. Megatron had scanned Godzilla, resulting in one pretty big threat.

To confront this, Optimus used the power of the Matrix to scan MechaGodzilla Kiryu and incorporated his technology into his body. Now teamed with the Japan Self-Defense Forces, Optimus Prime Type MFS-3 MechaGodzilla prepares to face The Emperor of Destruction. One thing certainly on the J.S.D.F's mind must be, is Optimus Prime now haunted by the spirit of the original Godzilla as Kiryu was?

Like Godzilla Type Megatron, Optimus is a repaint of a prior toy. This is a straight repaint of the Legacy Laser Optimus Prime that just looks outstanding. In truck mode his cab is a mix of Kiryu's colors and the trailer in a military green. The trailer converts into a battle station that I can see the J.S.D.F utilizing in the field. The battle platform has a robotic arm and laser cannon that I imagine utilizes the Twin Maser Cannon's abilities. The Laser Optimus Prime mold is a good base for a version of Optimus equipped with Kiryu's technology.

His laser sword and energy axe make for a good use of the Maser Blade abilities. The Maser Blade could deliver a strong electrical surge into Godzilla's body when stabbed. Kiryu's Back Unit is clearly represented by shoulder missile launchers. Like many Optimus Prime toys, Laser Optimus Prime has an opening chest with a removable Matrix of Autobot Leadership. This makes a good placement for Kiryu's Absolute Zero Cannon. While many were turned off by this toy when it was revealed, I think it really is a good fit for the concept.

I'm very fond of Optimus in this deco. The silver, gray, and blue look really great and the green trailer contrasts nicely. The sword, axe, and Matrix are cast in a very nice translucent yellow that matches the electrical energy output from Kiryu's weaponry. The MFS-3 (Multipurpose Fighting System Type-3) markings look sharp and the MechaGodzilla badge on his chest is awesome. My favorite bit is the red interior of Optimus's helmet, which matches Kiryu's 'blood tears' facial detail. A more cynical person may see this as a cheap repaint, but they really knocked the concept out of the park. A lot of complaints towards this set have been that they wished Takara Tomy would have done more, but I'm really happy with what they did.

I Vant to Betamax your Neck!

As someone who works the graveyard shift, I'm all too familiar with recording my shows and watching them later. Of course in today's streaming world that's given way to in demand video, but the sentiment remains. Whenever I watch a commercial these days, it's usually some for incontinence medication. Long gone are the hokey spots where Dracula would sell you a VCR, and that's a damn shame.

Get a Grip this Week

Oh crap, it's Monday. I could have used a little more weekend, but it's great to see all you Zone Base readers back for another week of robots, monsters, and misadventure! We've got a fun week of content coming, but let me tell you about my weekend. Saturday, the Mrs and I did some weekly shopping and enjoyed a homemade pizza. Sunday, our local Spirit Halloween had it's grand opening! We took Mom and had fun looking around before more Stranger Things and Sunday dinner! This coming weekend is Labor Day weekend and I'm looking forward to the little break. 

As for toys, I got a few this weekend. Ordered the Sabertooth Tiger Zord and Cyberworld Chop-Shop which both should arrive today. We got some fun stuff at Spirit, but most related to this is a pack of Tiny Mights GhostFace series! I've been looking forward to getting some of these as Tiny Mights have been all over my Instagram... but never at any local stores. Their horror series have been slated to appear and I was worried about finding any. The GhostFace set is keshi based on the killer from Scream in a variety of colors and poses. It's a cool idea for a keshi series and I'm glad to seen Tiny Mights keeping little rubber guys alive! I ended Sunday building Blokees and spending some quality time with the Mrs.

It looks like you all are enjoying the Pumpkin Spiced Mayhem, August may be almost over, but we've still got two months of Halloween to celebrate! Well, I've got a busy day ahead of me. There's household chores to be done and site post pictures to take. It's amazing to see the site views continue to rise even without all the seo optimization! Thank you all for reading, and don't forget to share the site with your friends! Mutal High Fives everyone!

Dinobot Snarl [Cyberworld/Cyber Changers]

It's always a treat for me to talk about a Snarl toy around Halloween. As I've mentioned many more times than any of you probably care about, I was Snarl for Halloween in the 2nd grade. Ever since then, he's not only been associated with the holiday, but also kept a special place in my heart. Cozy vibes, know what I mean?

This newest version of Snarl from Transformers Cyberworld is a fun new take on the Desert Warrior. He's painted more in traditional Junkion colors as opposed to the bright red and silver we're used to normally seeing him in. He's also got a slight Mad Max look, which is something recent Junkions from Legacy had. A Mad Max vibe fits a Desert Warrior pretty well.

I dig it.

Snarl has the same uniformity other Cyber Changers have and engineering template Megatron and Galvatron use. Between the shared engineering and uniformity, the designers clearly found a way to keep it Cyberworld cost effective. There's a neat GI JOE-ness to this line, it's like what Action masters would have been like if the figures transformed. I really like the smallness of the figures. Not just because I like small toys, but there's a real pleasantness in them. There's been other lines that I thought were too big for their designs. This is just right, the size and simpleness is downright satisfying.

They're neat.

Snarl's weapon is a spiked club type thing made from the dinosaurs tail.
Non-de script melee weapons are pretty on brand for beast warriors and this looks like it'd hurt like hell if he hit you with it. In the Cartoon, Snarl runs like Naruto. Part of me likes to imagine him being a ninja, which is hilarious considering this giant weapon. Though it definitely fits Cyberworld's video game setting. His stegosaurus mode reminds me of a Starrior like Galvatron did. There's older toy DNA in these designs and I really appreciate it.

Candy Corn and Vengeance

This move seemed to always play on a local station on random Saturday afternoons when I was a kid. I'd usually flip across it during a scary part, watch for a second, and get told to mow the grass. I really appreciate it as an adult. It's a great little movie where the bad guys are the main characters. Last year, I watched it on Halloween night after all the trick or treaters stopped coming. The Mrs had fallen asleep on the couch and I had a bag of candy corn. It made for a very pleasant way to close out the spooky season. Think I'll spend another pumpkin spiced night with it this year again. Just need some candy corn.

Tyrannosaurus [Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Re-Ignition/Combinable Dinozord]

It's odd. Feels just like the other day I was welcoming Hasbro's Power Ranger toys with open arms only to be doing that now for Playmates take on the teenagers with attitude. It's an odd change, but one of the steps we're seeing of Hasbro being more of an IP owner than a toy manufacturer. I don't know how far this walk will end up being, but it's fascinating to watch. Regardless, it's good news because Playmates makes GREAT toys. Power Rangers goes in line with their Monsterverse Kaiju action figures and so far they seem to be on a pretty positive path.

My main focal point with their MMPR output for the time being is their Dinozords. Next year they have a pretty interesting mini line coming that I want to get my hands on... but that's next year. This current set of Zords are a combinable team that once completed will form the Dino Megazord from the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Or for you Super Sentai fans, Daizyuzin from Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger. I'm not 100% sure, but it feels like the same design team that made Playmates Voltron were behind this set. I liked their Voltron toys, so that's a positive. Like those Lions, these are big chunky bots that are very similar to the Bandai designs that came before them. There's obviously some differences, but that original DNA is still here.

Today we'll be taking a look at the Tyrannosaurus. The Tyrannosaurus is a Deluxe figure from the assortment with the Deluxe classification owing to it's size. It and the Mastodon are larger toys. All the Dinozords cost $23.98 at my local Walmart, so I'm not sure if deluxes are intended to cost more or not. There's probably some tariff offsetting in that pricing to be fair. Still, $120 for all five isn't bad. Considering the size (they're BIG), I'm not complaining. Tyrannosaurus is a nice hefty dino full of big chonky robot vibes. There's a decent amount of articulation in his legs that clicks satisfyingly when moved. Earlier I said the Bandai DNA is present and it really is. This feels 100% like holding a big ass Gobot and I fucking love it. They did a great job and I'm really looking forward to the rest of the set and building the Megazord.

1-900-660-UGLY

It's Friday night. You're warming up a frozen pizza in the oven while playing SEGA. Maybe after the pizza is done, you'll watch a scary movie. It's Halloween time after all, time for some creepy fun. Hey... how about calling that scary phone hotline? Heck yeah! This will be great! Time to take a JOURNEY INTO TERROR!

originally posted 9/30/22 

Bumblebee [Cyberworld/Armored Cyber Changers]

In the Cyberworld, Bumblebee finds himself in some challenging predicaments. As an Armored Cyber Changer, he's packing a big gun that he acquired in a loot box around episode 3. It's uh... normal gun sized in the show. It's also worth nothing, Optimus gets his traditional energy axe in the same episode, but the toy doesn't come with one. I really wonder what all got left on the drawing board with this series.

Of course an Armored Cyber Changer is a Cyber Changer toy with a big honking accessory, which is the big gun I was just talking about. It's kinda neat, if a little hard to describe. Basically, it's a big... block with two bladed weapons plugged into the sides. The bladed weapons can sit to the side or be positioned on top of the block, which is suggested as intended for vehicle mode. The blades can detach and held individually or plugged into the sides of his arms. When doing this, the block can store on his back and kind of looks like a jet pack. To be honest, I'm a little confused by this gun as it's basically a bunch of parts stuck together. There's a peg in the front which makes me wonder if a gimmick of combining these was planned. Just like the ports along the Cyber Changer bodies. Either something using them was planned... or is on the way. I think the gun works better in vehicle mode, just seems to fit naturally.

Bumblebee looks to be in the standard 'car bot' template that according to leaks will be the norm. Like the other Cyber Changers, he's firmly in the uniformity of the line. I really like that uniformity with these Cyber Chagers and I can't quite place why. Articulation is basic, yet serviceable. Articulation for arms at shoulders, legs at waist with knee joints. They're satisfyingly simple. Bumblebee (and other car bots) makes me think of G2 toys like Rapido, Gobots, Drench, Deluge, etc. There's a similarity despite having a little more articulation. I'd love to see some of those characters in Cyberworld. I really like Bumblebee's sculpt, though it's a little hidden in the yellow. I'm sure customizers out there will paint theirs up to bring out that detail.

Transformation is easy and goes exactly the way you'd expect. Sports car mode is blocky and reminds me a little of Armada Hot Shot. As mentioned prior, the gun looks a lot better in vehicle mode and with those ports can be used in a variety of ways. I swear there's a modular play pattern that isn't completely pointed out for some reason. I understand Cyberworld isn't going to be for everyone, but I'm loving it's creative designs and satisfyingly simple toys. Bumblebee is the first of the standard Autobot car bot and leads as a positive example. I'm really looking forward to future cars that follow.

Jaseiken Necromancer? I hardly know you!

A scary video game is just the right thing to spend an evening with during the spooky season. If you're like me, you'll love older games like Jaseiken Necromancer. Between it's H.R Giger art (which was all the rage at the time) and scary twist on the RPG video game formula, it stood out. I really love the commercial itself too. The excellent miniatures and stop motion monsters really create a cool and creepy production. Just pure character in atmosphere.

Tag, you're Monday

Hey Zone Base readers, it's time for another week of robots, monsters, and misadventure! I had a great weekend and hope you did too! It was a pretty relaxing weekend spent with the Mrs. Saturday, after dinner, I put together a new shelf for her Popmart and similar toys. Sunday was spent playing video games, building Blokees, and dinner with Mom watching Stranger Things. The Mrs made a wonderful chicken dinner that I'm definitely taking leftovers to work!

As for toys, there was some great finds. The Synergex MechaGodzilla Optimus Prime FINALLY came in. I have no clue what took so long, but now G-Force has help with that Godzilla version Megatron running amuck. I also got the Cyberworld Scorponok toy who is HUGE. I've been talking about the older robot toy DNA in Cyberworld and Scorponok is full of it. Speaking of old robot DNA, I picked up the Studio Series 86 Constructicons 2 pack. Just 3 more to complete that set! Speaking of halfway there, I grabbed the Triceratops Dinozord for the Playmates Megazord.

Next weekend I plan to get the Sabertooth Tiger, which may be the extent of Zords for a minute. The Mastodon and Pterodactyl seem to be in a second wave, so some waiting looks to be in the cards. Last but not least, a trip to Five Below for Halloween Peeler candy led to some fun. I got a Halloween Peanuts set of figures and a Boo Hollow figurine. Spooky fun! I also finally found the bootleg robot toys many had been speaking about online. I grabbed Mad Whirler, a helicopter bot whoms source mold I can't determine yet. Looks familiar though. 

Well, it's time for me to run some errands before taking some pictures for upcoming posts. My plan for more model posts is still in play, but planning is also in order. I think it'll be fun. Clearly you all like the Blokees posts and I love them! We're just 2 weeks into the Halloween party with even more to go! It's so fun making Zone Base, thank you all for reading! It means so much that all of you take time to enjoy our fandom together. Mutual High Fives everyone, please share the site with your friends! 

Sky-Byte [Age of the Primes/Voyager Class]

It's pretty cool that I get to talk about two different new Sky-Byte toys this close to one another. Even better, both are really neat. Today we'll be talking about the new Voyager Sky-Byte figure from Transformers Age of the Primes. Like most Generations releases, this is an update of the original toy using modern engineering... and they nailed it! This is literally the original Sky-Byte toy with a bunch of extra articulation.

The improvements are specifically noticeable in shark mode, where his head can be moved around to mimic his appearance in the show Robots in Disguise (2001) in which he stole the fan bases heart. It's funny, considering the original toy was a repaint of a Beast Wars toy (Transmetal 2 Cybershark) that sat on clearance for quite some time. Yet later reached stardom thanks to that show. It's still one of my favorites and is always good to see one of the characters get some attention in the mainline.

Like I said, this new figure improves upon the original adding a great deal of articulation and improving on other things. Most noticeably, the sharks body is no longer curved. The sides of the shark become giant dramatic shoulder armor in robot mode. Not being curved makes this much more pleasant, look better, and not potentially get in the way of the arms. Those shoulder pads plug into place, so you can wiggle them around while transforming for extra part clearance. Sky-Byte has a something extra in terms of weapons as well. Those pectoral fins can be used as little swords... which I found pretty neat. His gun no longer features firing missiles but still retains the originals look. I've never cared much for it, but appreciate the effort. Honestly this is a near perfect update of the beloved original toy.

My only complaint isn't a complaint about the actual toy itself, just wishing it had paint apps the original had. Being such an improvement of the original... I can't help but to wish he had that fabulous chrome. I know it can flake over time, but it looks marvelous. That and it'd been nice if his Spark Crystal had been painted. I really liked the Spark Crystals from Transmetal 2 and when they carried over with reuses of those molds it just made me happy. So really, that's it. No actual complaints. Just wishing for a few extras that would have been appreciated. Sky-Byte was such a great character that he's managed to become a mainstay of the Transformers brand. Part of me hopes they release a Cybershark version of this new mold... just because the original's paint apps came off almost instantly. I don't know if Sky-Byte will ever get a much more premium figure... but this one feels like a Missing Link version of the original in some ways. Maybe they can release a special edition with some chrome.

What's going on with Igor?

A.1. is delicious, everyone loves it. Know who else everyone loves? Boris Karloff. Boris has been Frankenstein's monster most famously, but has starred in countless movies and shows. He's a perfect pitchman to sell A.1 during the spooky season, speaking of... A.1 has 13 seasonings! Spooky mad scientist aside, what the hell is going on with Igor?

Upside-Down Glow Demogorgan [Stranger Things/Bandai]

Zombie Boy Will Byers was just heading home after playing some Dungeons & Dragons with his friends one night when he was kidnapped by the Demogorgan and taken to the Upside-Down. Stranger Things is one of my favorite TV shows and with it's final season drawing near, now feels like the perfect time to look at more of the various toys I've acquired since it premiered. You all know how much I love my sofubi and nobody does it better than Bandai.

This Demogorgan figure is part of a Stranger Things series from Bandai that came out a few years ago. It's 7" tall with excellent sculpting and paint with articulation in the shoulders. Did you take notice of the figures name? Yes, there was a regular and glow in the dark version... that's the one we're looking at right now! The glow is a specifically spooky blue color that I wish shown up better in my pictures (I tried) that really invokes the visage of those Upside-Down scenes. Bandai really nailed it with this figure. They normally do, but this time they went a step above. Hey... has anyone seen Barb?

Beware of the Terror House!

I'm mostly aware of Takeshi Kitano from Most Extreme Elimination Challenge, a funny dub job of the show Takeshi's Castle that was on in my early 20's. I still watch it regularly and it introduced me to Takeshi Kitano. Who's been in so many things... it's hard to list them all. It's no wonder why Bandai asked him to help sell their line of handheld LCD games in 1982, he's a big star. This one in particular is perfect for a spooky night with a horror marathon on in the background. Or something creepy to do in between handing out candy to kids on Halloween night.  Known here as Terror House and in Japan as Akuryo no Yakata, the game has some pretty great spooky graphics. I kinda want to play it right now.

originally posted 9/27/23

Autobot Devcon [Legacy/Deluxe Class]

Back in the day, Devcon was a name that came up pretty often. Like other show only characters, he built up quite a fan base appearing in tons of fanart and fanfic. Despite all that, he's only gotten 2 toys. A BotCon exclusive and today's subject. Originally released a few years ago in Legacy, this Devcon toy was recently re-released as a Target exclusive. I was both thankful for the second chance to get him and for my wife picking him up for me while out.

Using the Studio Series 86 Blurr as a base with some heavy remolding, we've got a pretty screen accurate Devcon! You know, it's funny how Blurr can look so unique... yet his toys end up getting made into so many other characters. Devcon is looking pretty good here with his bright blues and reds. Like the base mold, he has a decent amount of articulation giving his far out looks plenty of range for expressiveness. He's got a blaster which can be held or plugged into his forearm (like in the show). There's also two boosters from alt mode that can plug into the blaster for some extra firepower.

Transformation is pretty easy, like Blurr. Evey thing just folds up into place and out of the way. Those little boosters plug into the rear and the blaster right under the nosecone. Alt mode is a non-de script Cybertronian aircraft. The Gambler was a season 2 episode that took place in space, but his design could easily fit into season 3's space opera setting. It's pretty cool looking and a little different. Originally this toy was near impossible to locate, but thankfully with the re-release many will finally get a chance to own one. It's nice to finally own a toy of Devcon, who despite being around so long and being so favored by so many, has hardly gotten any toys. Though I guess it's only fitting that his only toys have been harder to get. Thankfully this is  a good toy and a solid representation of him as he appeared in the cartoon. Who knows if they'll be another?

Epoch Marks on your Neck

LCD games were a lot of fun back in the day. Sure, what we have now is much better... but there was just an appeal about these little units you either did or just didn't get. This Dracula one is definitely neat. The game itself looks pretty complex for one from 1982 as well. It's hard not to love Dracula and I can see somebody playing there's in between bursts of trick or treaters while the local TV horror marathon plays. There's probably a slice of pizza and a soda on the same table. Good times.

Building a New Week

It's time for another week of robots, monsters, and misadventure to begin here on Zone Base. I hope you all enjoyed the first week of this years Halloween party! We'll be trick or treating for the next 3 months, so settle yourselves in for Pumpkin Spiced Mayhem running wild! This weekend I spent some quality time with the Mrs. I honestly started out not feeling so great, so after a little shopping, we spent the rest of it at home. I sure enjoyed the rest and relaxation. We ordered a pizza and watched some spooky shit.

Both TFNation and Otakon took place this weekend providing fun information from their panels. Some looks at the pitch for what could have been the Transformers original cartoon was shown at TFNation and it looks like as fun deep dive in the future for me. I love the cartoon we got, but what could have been is a fun subject to explore. Speaking of fun subjects, I spent some time assembling Blokees. I've got 3 boxes of Defender version kits and just having a little assembling jam was really fun. No pictures, no pressure, just assembling. I'll be making posts of them in the future, but planning it all out is pretty important. 

I do have intentions to increase the coverage of Blokees and other similar kits here on the site. Not that I haven't been showing them off, but making them more of the sites regular content. Looks at regular toys are not going away, it's just that these are lot of fun to blog about. Like the Cyberworld posts, you all sure seem to be enjoying and those are so much fun to write about! I grew up assembling Zoids at the kitchen table with my brother and having fun with garage kits and models in my room. Spending a Saturday night building a super robot paper model was a regular occurrence and that sense of hands on is embeded in me as part of how my fandom works. Since Zone Base is about enjoying my hobbies with you, I feel that really getting into more than the surface level is what it's all about. I don't know if that made any sense, but part of my intention this past year of getting the site back to it's roots and is seemingly on course. 

As for toys purchased this weekend, I got some great ones! During the week some stuff ordered prior arrived. Another case of Blokees and Cyberworld Snarl finally came! Ironically after I've ordered all but Scorponok, they were at Target Saturday. Oh well, guess I'll buy him at physical retail... maybe. Target did have Commander Class Silverbolt bringing me almost all the way to a new Superion! Oddly I still haven't gotten any more of the new Constructicons. Here's hoping I can complete Devastator. I also picked up a new Halloween Star Wars figure. We'll be looking at him later on, but it's a great ghostly take on the Royal Guard. Target also had Power Rangers vs Godzilla blind bag bag clip figures. I got a King Caesar Zord! More of these are definitely getting bought. Filling out the weekends toy purchases was the new Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Tyrannosaurus Megazord from Playmates. They have a new series releasing in stores and I plan to buy one Zord a week until completing the Megazord!

I think this set is designed by the same team who made their Voltron toys, and that was great! It looks to be a pretty big Megazord, so this will be fun! Well, speaking of fun, that's the kind of week we've got in store. Please look forward to robots, monsters, and a healthy dose of the spooky season! Thank you all for reading and please don't forget to share with your friends. Mutual High Fives everyone!

Galvatron [Cyberworld/Armored Cyber Changers]

If you've been reading my posts revolving around the new Transformers Cyberworld toys, you've probably picked up that I really enjoy the creative designs. With that in mind, today's bot has the creative design thing out the wazoo. Galvatron arrives in the Cyberworld with one awesome look by transforming from robot into a mechanical dragon. He's also a Armored Cyber Changer, which is a step up from the standard Cyber Changers in that they come with a large accessories that works with both modes.

Galvatron's Armored Up bit is a gun/flamethrower that forms into a rocket pack for the dragon. Now that I think about it, these Armored upgrades are essentially the same idea as Mech Tech weapons from Dark of the Moon. I don't remember if I've made the comparisons to Action Masters before, but I really feel it with Galvatron. Thanks to the uniformity the Cyber Changers have, they're very similar to Action Masters in a lot of ways... except they Transform. The robot modes resemble them to me. Galvatron could have really been any other character. Part of me wonders if he originally was intended to be another bot. There is a resemblance to Skyscorchers in robot mode, just with the dragon head in place of a cockpit.

It's a cool beastly mechanical look. Add in his visor and handlebar mustache and he's basically an air brushed bit of art on a 80's metal band shirt. Pretty far out, I heard he worships the devil. The dragons tail and the Armored pack are weapons that can be held or pegged into the ports on his arms. It's not clear if the tail is meant to be a gun or a melee weapon, but after years of Beast Wars toys, I'm used to tails being used as non-de script weapons. The Armored pack can be either a gun, or with the flip of a switch a flame thrower. The flames can be rotated for appearances. It's a huge weapon that's a little heavy on his joints. Get ready for him to aim at the ground a lot.

Transformation is a lot like Bull Megatron. Like I said in that post, I'm pretty sure there's some shared engineering across similar shaped bots. It's not exactly the same, but a lot of it's very much the same. Dragon mode is really neat, his little mouth opens! Mechanical beast modes aren't new, and there's a certain old school charm about his design. Dragon mode feels like a combination of an old Tomy design, weird video game boss, and once again... inner robot Pretender alt mode. A very cool touch is the jet style wings. Toy's like G1 Sky Lynx or Twinferno from Robots in Disguise (2015) have the same idea and it's something I've always found cool. The tail plugs into his rear between the legs and that big Armored pack plugs in on top becoming a giant rocker booster. This toy is super far out and I love it. Cyberworld is turning out to be a lot of fun.

Happy Gorzack Fall Y'all

Despite being super into toys... I admittedly have tunnel vision sometimes and something can completely pass me by. Gorzack came out in 1994 and I never learned of him until adulthood. It's hard not to see how cool this guy is, a giant fantasy warrior werewolf? While not specifically Halloween in nature... he's totally seasonally appropriate. Like Masters of the Universe, Gorzack is basically a Halloween decoration made into a toy. I think I've seen similar looking monsters in At Home.

Godzilla 2023 (Odo Island) [Godzilla Monster Series 5"]

Bandai's 5" sofubi line continues to pump out banger after banger with the Odo Island version of Godzilla from Minus One. Godzilla Minus One being such an amazing movie, it's to no surprises that more toys of him would be desirable. I remember sitting in that theater after finally finding a local showtime (that was oddly difficult), drinking my Pepsi Zero Sugar and marveling out loud when Godzilla first appeared on Odo Island.

At this stage he hadn't mutated to the super beast we all know, and was more of a local creature the natives had to deal with. I was super impressed with the way he looked. Normally younger Godzilla's are kinda cute or more similar to dinosaurs. Since Shin Godzilla, however, they're depicted more monstrous and frightening. This is one freaky looking thing that would scare the absolute shit out of anyone who saw it.

That's awesome.

This just might be the best sculpted monster from the 5" series that I've seen. At least so far. After becoming aware of him in the winter, I had just recently found the toy at my local Target. I paid $12, though it looks to be a little more online depending on the store. Just try to find the best price. Articulation isn't something you normally buy a sofubi for, but I feel he's got a fair amount for the 5" series. Arms and legs. Despite being in basic colors, they feel impactful and look sharp.

There's a lot of detail in the sculpt that stands out even if it isn't highlighted. This is nice. I'm admittedly smitten with Bandai and have a general love for all things Godzilla... and hell. Have a generally positive outlook on everything I post about here. That's because I buy these toys and do this site for fun. It'd be pretty stupid to waste my time here on things I don't like. This, however, is something I'm genuinely smitten with. Minus One is just pure euphoria and frankly something I get pretty emotional about. A good figure of an important moment?

Outstanding.

Garret Rising

You take the good. You take the bad. You take so much of Joe's crap and there you have... what the crap? Holy Crap. Days in and out of tending to the girls has lead to something horrible. Somewhere between un-clogging the toilet (she pronounces it 'turlette') after another one of Natalie's 'special episodes' and Tootie microwaving another fork... Mrs Garret apparently snapped. Turns out all that head wobbling was an early sign.

originally posted 8/2/22 

Megatron [Cyberworld/Cyber Changers]

The initial leaked blurry image of 'Megabull' sold me instantly, so I'm more than happy today to be looking at Megatron from Transformers Cyberworld. Megatron is a Cyber Changer, the standard class of Cyberworld and like I've said in the prior two posts, kind of like an up sized Legend/Legion class toy with a uniformity across the line. One of the reasons I was hooked from the start with this line was the creative designs.

Megatron, as you can see, turns into a bull. This alt mode is reflected in his robot mode wonderfully. Looking like an unused bit of early Beast Wars concept art, Megatron is delightfully beastly and full of character. I really appreciate his dark blue color. It reminds me of older robot toys that often came in similar colors as well as thanks to the bull alt mode, Noctorro from Beast Wars. Of course being a Cyberworld toy, he's a little limited in articulation and detail, so reminding me of older robot toys is on brand. While I'm comparing him to older toys, he makes me think of an AcroMonster too.

Transformers is a 41 year old toy line with a family tree that goes back longer, it's almost impossible not to see the heritage from the lines history. Megatron originally being a Microman toy, it's only fitting that this newest figure reminds me of another Microman toy. Megatron comes with a unique axe weapon that he uses on the cartoon. It's an oddly shaped axe with a curved blade that rises out from the middle. The weapon attaches to the bulls rear end, cleaning it up a little and giving him a tail. The shape of it's handle makes me wonder if there was a handle attachment planned at some point and dropped. Maybe it was originally the head of a spear?

Megatron has the standard Cyber Changer articulation and transformation is pretty simple. From what I've deduced, there seems to be some shared engineering with him and other similar shaped alt modes (we'll see it later). His arms becomes the bulls front legs, while the body folds into itself forming the body. His legs form the rear legs by folding onto themselves and compacting. Like I mentioned earlier, the axe weapon connects on his rear and creates a tail.

While there's sculpted hooves, there's no hiding robot modes hands at certain angles (like in the pic). This is sure to annoy some folks, I'm just writing it off as part of a cheaper toys budget. Yes, it costs what a deluxe once did... but we all observe rising prices over time. It is what it is. The simpler nature of bull mode makes me think of G1 toys. This feels like the alt mode of a Pretender inner robot. Megatron is full of character and charm. It's nice to see the creativity Cyberworld is bringing to the table and I'm enjoying it. Honestly, no bull.

Even Monsters need their Vitamins

I take my vitamins every day. Men's One-a-Day gummies, which the recommended daily dosage is 2 gummies despite the name. I've been taking vitamins daily ever since I was a small child, initially Flintstones and later this big jar of Dinosaur shaped ones I shared with my brother. While scouring for Halloween related things I came across this wonderfully charming ad for Monster Vitamins. These were out before I was alive, so I really missed out. Even now, I'd still be taking them. Just look at that haunted house box! I love the original animation and the production overall. This one just warms my heart. Trick or treating is a pretty physical thing to do, so taking your vitamins would be a pretty good idea to do Halloween morning. Monster Vitamins would be just the thing!

Shin Pumpkin Spiced Mayhem

~The red moon has appeared in the skies of Planet Zone as it has since named Planet Micro. With it the Bloody Zone opens and it's foulest contents pours out. Till all are none.~

Trick or Treat Zone Base readers, it's time again for the annual Zone Base Halloween party! It's my favorite time of year and I love to spend it with you all! It's Halloween on the site and we're going to spend the next 3 months trick or treating with robots and monsters! 

It's too early?

Hogwash.

Halloween starts appearing at stores in JUNE, there's literally spooky shit at your local stores right now. Not to mention, August is generally a spooky time in some Asian countries. Telling ghost stories is a surefire way to send a chill up your spine on a hot summer night. There's Obon in Japan, Hungry Ghost Festival in others... this Halloween party isn't too early, just others are late. Late to the party, but we're not because it starts right now! Thank you all for reading Zone Base. We've got a fun spooky season ahead. Please don't forget to share your treats with your friends and Monster High Fives everyone!