Megatron [Cyberworld Energon Surge/ Armored Cyber Changer & Cyber Changer]

@robfromzonebase Megatron [Cyberworld Energon Surge/Cyber Changers] #zonebase #transformers #cyberworld #energonsurge #cyberchangers ♬ 月が見えなくても愛して - Nebelhaus & MAD JAMIE

Today we have a tale of two Megatrons as we look at the two most recent Megatron figures in Transformers Cyberworld under the Energon Surge sub-line. This time we've got the all-new Armored Cyber Changer Megatron and a reissue of the excellent Bull Megatron Cyber Changer as an Energon Surge figure. Both are super cool and share a similar palette, which is appropriate.

Of course, I'll be spending more time with the Armored Cyber Changer. I've been giving the Energon Surge editions of prior Cyber Changers a look as part of my quest to cover all of Cyberworld, but obviously they don't need an entire post of their own.

In his Armored Cyber Changer debut, Megatron transforms from a more traditional version of himself into a drill tank. Apparently he shares engineering with Optimus Primal, which is something I didn't initially notice thanks to his arms, where the drill becomes his right arm. Looking at his core and torso, though... yeah, I see it now. That's pretty clever.

Cyber Changers are obviously really simple toys, so it's pretty neat seeing how they can reuse engineering so creatively. It gives their designs a modular feel. A lot of folks think a transformation needs to be super complex to have impressive engineering, when something simple can be just as impressive. They've managed to churn out a variety of toys with completely different alt modes using just a few basic skeletons to make them work. Neat.

Like I said, Megatron's right arm is the drill from the tank and even has elbow/wrist articulation (it's a little vague) in addition to the drill being able to spin. It's pretty neat. It's easy to compare a tank Megatron with his Generation 2 version, but this one is so unique that it's kind of its own thing. If anything, I'm a little reminded of the tank Megatron from the 2006 "Ultimate Battle" two-pack with Optimus Prime. That tank has a similar shape, and the robot also features a spinning arm weapon gimmick.

In robot mode, Megatron is nicely beefy, as someone who turns into a tank should be. That right arm with a giant drill makes him look a little crazy, too.

One thing I absolutely love about this toy is that it's an Armored Cyber Changer where the additional accessories are actually armor. Last year, when I was looking at the original batch of Cyber Changers, I kept saying how the multiple ports looked as if they were designed for some sort of gimmick. With prior Armored Cyber Changers, the "armored" part was essentially a giant Mech Tech-style weapon. Here, Megatron actually has armor for both robot and tank modes!

The armor pieces are made from a nice translucent purple that matches Megatron's body and look like a mixture of Energon shards and some form of energy armor. It looks neat in robot mode, but I really enjoy the way it looks on the tank. Thinking about it, if the toy were silver, it'd resemble the earlier live-action movie look for Megatron. There's even a gun that he can hold or plug into one of the many ports. This is a really fun toy, and it's awesome to finally see those ports getting utilized.

@robfromzonebase Megatron [Cyberworld Energon Surge/Cyber Changers] #zonebase #transformers #cyberworld #energonsurge #cyberchangers ♬ 불꽃으로 / Bulkkoch Eulo - past self

The Bull Megatron is the same toy I talked about before, and that's a good thing because it's a great figure. Definitely one of my favorite Cyber Changers and the toy that initially sold me on the line. I really like the new blue color used on this version in conjunction with the translucent purple. It's a nice new outfit, so to speak.

One thing about Cyberworld is that, despite their limited articulation, they remind me of Microman in the way the figures interact with the larger toys. Now that the Energon Surge toys are getting these translucent bodies, the comparison is even harder to ignore. I'm outright comparing them to '90s Microman, because regardless of the limited articulation, they visually match. Bull Megatron would make a fine Acrobeast!

Like I've said before, Cyber Changers are so much fun to collect and blog about. The new Megatron was an absolute treat to fiddle around with, while the Bull Megatron was like going on a new adventure with an old friend.

This mission of mine to blog the entirety of Cyberworld continues to be a great decision. 

You Wana try it?

Wana Wana is a game by TOMY that... why does this exist?

Seriously... it's a toy bear trap that you stick your head in. Essentially, you and your friends play chicken with this thing, taking turns sticking your heads in it until it snaps on the loser.

You know what? Forget what I said... that looks amazing!!

Plasma SpaceGodzilla [Godziburst]

@robfromzonebase Plasma Space Godzilla [Godziburst] #zonebase #godzilla #godziburst #kaiju #monsters ♬ VENGEANT - Uz:ME

I was overjoyed when Bandai announced they would begin selling Godziburst toys here in the States. The toys have been available in Japan since last year, but thanks to various issues, certain imports are a little more affordable than others. Thankfully, they're now as close as my local GameStop and Target, both of which are only a short drive away.

Godziburst is a fun new expression of Toho's classic kaiju as small action figures in fun colors with unique add-on armor. The armor can be used on other kaiju as well as combined with each other, and the kaiju themselves have parts that can be swapped around, allowing you to create all sorts of custom designs. They're also super cheap, with a base price of $9.99 at Target and GameStop, putting them in roughly the same category as Transformers Cyberverse. Fun, imaginative, and affordable. What's not to love?

Clearly, these are right up my alley, and you can expect to see me talking about them a lot here on the site. I mean... they're literally made of Zone Base DNA.

To my knowledge, there isn't an ongoing fiction behind Godziburst, which is something I'd love to be wrong about. If you've read something about one and know otherwise, please let me know. I don't have a Patreon or ads, so I don't mind being corrected. Currently, the closest thing to any fiction I've seen is this blurb on the back of the packaging:

"GODZIBURST, the place where battles no one has ever seen unfold..."

That tells me Godziburst is a physical place of some sort, and I love the idea that there's possibly an entire town. There's a mayor of Godziburst. There's apparently a Walmart. Honestly, the basis of the line just being monsters fighting is pretty much on par for anything Godzilla.

Here's a pink and teal Godzilla with enormous cannons beating a completely translucent Gigan with weed whackers until his brains hang out of his ears.

Honestly, I was joking when I wrote that last bit... but it's also completely on brand for Godziburst, and now I want those toys.

The first toy we're looking at is Plasma SpaceGodzilla because... I like SpaceGodzilla.

Plasma SpaceGodzilla is colored in a brilliant purple that's much brighter than he's normally colored in, with vibrant gold and... a pretty pearl color on his feet. He's got pretty feets!

Painted-on lightning detail is a recurring theme with these Godziburst toys, and they've done it particularly cleverly with this one. In the post video, I have his accessories attached, so you can't see this, but his left shoulder crystal is unpainted. This is obviously for budget reasons, and the shoulder lightning covers it anyway. However, the right one is painted with that vibrant gold, and the lightning detail spreads out from it, giving a little visual story to the deco that I love so very much.

OMG, this line is awesome.

SpaceGodzilla is actually fairly articulated, and that's something that has stood out to me. Godziburst toys have a surprisingly decent range of movement for small, inexpensive figures. SpaceGodzilla's accessories are these large energy lightning effects that attach to his shoulder crystals, making for a much more dramatic-looking monster.

With that lightning spreading across his chest, he's clearly radiating all that energy and preparing to strike. This is a rather dramatic amount of energy to radiate off of someone, clearly giving him the look of a big attack that's about to happen. It looks great.

SpaceGodzilla is an absolute pleasure and the ideal introduction to what will be ongoing Godziburst coverage here on the site. Not only is he pure kaiju bliss, but he's also one of the more simple figures in the assortment, allowing me to introduce the line without writing an entire novel as a post.

DOUBLE TROUBLE!

In case my abundant excitement wasn't clear, I am overjoyed with Godziburst. These little monster toys are awesome.

If I were on stage, I'd drop the mic... assuming I didn't pay for it. Because microphones are expensive...

UNLIKE GODZIBURST TOYS!

Ultra-Spooky Tiga! (4kids edition)

Oh no! There's a witch causing problems for children on Halloween! What do we do! SEND IN ULTRAMAN! It's Halloween and the GUTS team suspects a monster. The team investigates (in costumes, it's Halloween... duh) and soon discovers a witch handing out lollipops to children. Trick or Treat? It's a TRICK! The witch is stealing the children's dreams and converting them into energy! Good thing Ultraman Tiga is here to save Halloween!

Originally Posted 9/16/2022 *now with the 4kids version of the episode*

Weekly Update 8/31/26- See You Around Peter

It's the beginning of a new week here on Zone Base, and like many of you, I was saddened to learn about the passing of Peter Cullen last week. It's an unfortunate part of life that even the best of us will one day have to leave. Despite knowing the inevitability, it's never expected or wanted, and it's always a shock. Peter left his footprint in so many of our minds and hearts by being the voice of so many characters that stuck with us.

I had the honor of meeting Peter at different times at different conventions. Of course, most of those encounters were the usual shake-hands-and-meet-and-greet sort of thing, but there's one particular time that has stuck with me for almost twenty years.

BotCon 2007.

This was just before the release of the first live-action Transformers movie, which, as I've said countless times, changed everything in the Transformers world. With the movie coming out, that year's BotCon was basically one giant media event, including an advanced showing of the film for attendees. It was a huge treat to see it that way, and thanks to the way the seating worked out, I got to watch it with a group of friends, including my best friend since childhood, who came with me that year. That trip is a story within itself.

The showing was Friday night, with the annual convention dinner taking place Saturday night. As was tradition, my group of friends went out for karaoke after dinner, which was only a short walk from the venue. On the way back, while walking with a group of friends, we ran into Peter.

He was standing outside the hotel smoking a cigarette with his agent.

We ended up talking with Peter, who told us all sorts of stories and talked about how much he loved meeting all the fans. It wasn't some big organized convention appearance. We were just a bunch of fans who happened to run into him outside the hotel, and he was happy to talk with us for a few minutes.

Eventually, his agent excused us and took him back inside. Before he left, Peter took a moment to shake our hands and thank us for enjoying his work.

Of course, we were absolutely glowing afterward.

We made our way back into the hotel lobby and started chatting with some of the other friends who were around hanging out. At some point, Peter and his agent were heading up the nearby escalator when the entire lobby of people suddenly yelled:

"GOODNIGHT, PETER!"

It was pretty late.

Peter looked back at everyone and yelled:

"Goodnight... go to bed!"

Form Blazing Candle

The wording of this commercial gives me pause. "Pre-Halloween?" I'm assuming that's meant to say they're showing it a few days before? I dunno.

Jack O'Lantern is a pretty fun cartoon that's a bit wild. Jack is a pumpkin-headed guy who arrives on the scene and immediately gets into one hell of a fight with a witch and her crew.

Jack is actually a leprechaun piloting the pumpkin guy... it's weird.

What is cool is the fact that it's a Rankin/Bass production, meaning it was outsourced to Japanese animation studios. Either Topcraft or Mushi Productions animated this little special, and it looks really good.

While I doubt the studio had anything to do with the script, part of me can't help but find what's essentially a Pumpkin Super Robot cartoon hilarious.

R.I.P. Peter Cullen

Gigastorm and BW Galvatron [Defender Version 07- Power of the Beast]

@robfromzonebase BW Galvatron [Transformers Blokees Defender Version 07-Power of the Beast] #zonebase #transformers #blokees #blokeestransformers #beastwars ♬ rondo - Uz:ME

Admittedly, I get pretty excited for just about every character Blokees includes in a Transformers Defender Version assortment. Of course, like the other Beast Wars characters they've released, I was ecstatic when these two were revealed. With Defender Version 07: Power of the Beast, Blokees dipped into the Japanese-exclusive Beast Wars series and included characters that have always been a really big deal to me. I was blown away to see both Galvatron and Gigastorm from Beast Wars II included. Frankly, it surprised me since there was already a version of G1 Galvatron in the assortment, and I never expected them to tackle something like Trypticon or Gigastorm in the Defender Version size class. This one still kind of blows my mind.

Galvatron serves as Lio Convoy's counterpart and the main villain of Beast Wars II. The Emperor of Destruction eventually becomes corrupted by Angolmois Energy and later falls under Unicron's influence during Beast Wars Neo. Depending on how you look at it, that technically makes his original toy the first Unicron action figure. For a long time, the original Beast Wars II Galvatron toy was considered one of the greatest Transformers toys ever made, and mine is still very special to me. I'm hoping to pick up the new version soon, but just like the other Beast Wars characters in this assortment, there's a lot of love attached to him. The kit itself does a great job capturing the character's look and even includes his signature Galva-Axe rather than a generic weapon.

In Beast Wars II, Galvatron has a younger brother named Megastorm, whose toy was a reuse of the original Generation 2 Megatron mold. Thanks to the effects of that pesky Angolmois Energy, he and several other Destrons were mutated into gnarly cyborg beast warriors. Megastorm became Gigastorm, who was created from a remold of the original Generation 1 Trypticon toy. At the time, both Megastorm and Gigastorm became affordable ways for fans to obtain molds they might have otherwise missed. Around the early 2000s, these toys seemed to sit on clearance at online retailers forever. Gigastorm was especially fun because he featured a large nose horn that somehow made an already giant dinosaur even more kaiju-like than Trypticon had been.

@robfromzonebase Gigastorm [Transformers Blokees Defender Version 07-Power of the Beast] #zonebase #transformers #blokees #blokeestransformers #blindbox ♬ 苦悩の聖人 (Saint of Suffering) - Akuma Dollz

Gigastorm is an especially impressive kit. While building him, I kept finding myself impressed by just how well Blokees adapted the design. Assembly follows a similar approach to other beast and dinosaur Defender Version kits, with a central frame surrounded by shell pieces that form the body. The limbs then plug into place around that structure. While this certainly isn't a Master Grade-style build or anything, I really enjoyed assembling the head. The horns fit through slots in the upper head section, which also houses the eyes. The lower jaw then attaches before the completed head connects to the neck and upper body. It's not especially complex, but it feels involved in a satisfying way.

I had actually built Dino Mode Sludge right before Gigastorm, whose head wasn't much simpler, yet somehow Gigastorm's assembly felt more substantial. The neck section is particularly fun, as it can be connected regardless of position but only looks correct when oriented properly. It's a small touch, but one I appreciated.

Another detail I absolutely loved was the inclusion of the tiny Gigascouter attached to his body, just like on the original toy. That's the sort of detail Blokees could have easily skipped, but they didn't. If you remove it, you'll even find a tiny molded Predacon/Destron symbol underneath. Again, they didn't have to do that, but they did. Those little extra touches are one of the reasons I enjoy these kits so much. Blokees could cut corners, but they usually don't.

Of course, seeing Gigastorm in this line immediately gets my imagination running wild. If they can do Gigastorm, then surely a Defender Version Trypticon can't be too far behind. I'd be completely on board with that. Honestly, I've always wanted a red Trypticon. Maybe they could even do a special version inspired by Starriors Cosmittor or Zoids Rex. I also hope Gigastorm's inclusion eventually leads to Megastorm, which in turn could pave the way for a proper Generation 2 Megatron.

That would be awesome.

Splatter in your House

I'll never forget that one morning as I was getting ready for school. I was in the 6th grade... and miserable. Middle school and high school were not happy times for me, and I dragged my feet each morning, watching cartoons before leaving for the day.

I was watching The New Adventures of He-Man when this AWESOME little spot for the TurboGrafx-16 version of Splatterhouse came on, farming all the aura possible. Splatterhouse was a game that felt like an urban legend. Either you'd seen it or you hadn't, and nobody believed you if you said you had.

ME? I'd played it at the Circle K by my grandmother's house and was blown away... and still am to this day. It's wild they allowed a game like this to happen at the time, and this particular version got some pretty crazy edits to play it safe. Still, I mentally default to this versions red horror mask whenever I think of the game.

It's the perfect way to spend an evening during the spooky season.

X-Ray Men from Space

Earlier today, while doing my daily five miles on the exercise bike, I found myself thinking about X-Ray Man from Fisher-Price Adventure People. More specifically, the astronaut version my brother had that came with the Firestar 1 and Alpha Star 1 sets.

Alongside Clawtron, X-Ray Man and X-Ray Woman were some of the line's resident space adventurers and featured some pretty far-out designs. Of course, they were clever repaints of existing Adventure People figures, but let's be honest: some of the coolest toys ever made have been repaints. Don't be a hater.

My older brother and I were big Adventure People fans back in the day, so it shouldn't be much of a surprise that we had quite a few of them. I've mentioned Clawtron before as one of those figures that remained on his bookshelf well into adulthood, and I still fondly remember his Firestar 1 battling my Alpha Interceptor during countless imaginary space conflicts.

Sometimes I wish the astronaut version of X-Ray Man got a little more attention. He was a fun design, looked great alongside the other space-themed Adventure People figures, and honestly deserves a little more love than he gets.

The Long Ass Halloween

Somebody, somewhere decided having kids trick or treat with a character would be a fun thing to do. In theory they were right. In practice they get your drunk Uncle dressed as Batman. In this special community event where a handful of kids get to meet the caped crusader and receive "a pot of gold". You know, it's hard to poop all over something like this... but something about... somebody help those kids. Not Batman.

Originally Posted 8/25/2022

Weekly Update 8/24/26 — Kaiju, and Dragons, and Gatcha Oh My!

It's time to start a new week of robots, monsters, and misadventures here on Zone Base! I hope everyone had a great weekend! Pumpkin Spiced Mayhem 2026 is chugging along nicely, with the fun just getting started. We still have two more months!

It's still August, which means there's plenty of fun ghost stories coming out of some Asian regions. Zone Base gets a lot of its readership from those areas, and I not only appreciate my friends from that side of the world supporting the site (thanks, guys!), but really enjoy their ghost season. As usual, I've been partaking in the various podcasts and videos from those areas and enjoying the spooky stories.

Japanese car camping videos are also a guilty pleasure of mine, and so many of them have been "Horror Camping" during the month. It's been fun watching people find themselves in scary situations while cooking ramen noodles in the back of their cars. 

Me? I've been busy getting my new place arranged. Being a graveyard-shift CNC programmer means I work some odd hours, so a lot of tasks like arranging shelves tend to wait until the weekend, and even then they have to wait until after everything else gets done. I'm setting up my new desk space inside the house while simultaneously organizing the storage space where the bulk of my toys are. Eventually it'll be nice, but right now it's just poorly organized chaos.

You know, I never think I have a lot of toys until it's time to move. Then I just stare at the boxes like I'm in that warehouse at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Transformers- It seems we're not done talking about Jada Metalfigs or blind boxes, as Jada Transformers Nano Metalfigs and Nano Rides have been spotted for sale individually in blind bags. Just when I was lamenting the glory days of individual Nano Metalfigs, they return! Hopefully they'll make an appearance at my stores soon!

Target has recently been expanding its blind box section, while Five Below, which has always been a good source for them, has started putting an even bigger emphasis on blind boxes as well. Hopefully the bags will pop up there soon, as I'd love to get some gatcha of my favorite characters!

A new Godzilla x Transformers collaboration also seems to be in the works, as listings for two figures have surfaced recently. Obviously, this is in part due to the upcoming releases of Godzilla Minus Zero and Godzilla Supernova. Part of me wonders if they're rereleases of the Takara ones from last year. Hopefully they're all new and... not a struggle to get.

A Target exclusive 30" Optimus Prime figure was shown off in conjunction with a Target end cap tied to the 40th Anniversary showing of TFTM next month. Here's hoping they don't vanish before I can get one. I'm looking forward to attending a showing of the movie and a trip to Target afterwards sounds awesome!

Blokees- The new Wheels Motormaster truck and trailer kit was shown off and I definitely want it. I would have never thought Wheels would be something I enjoy so much, but it is and I love these trailer sets.

Godzilla- Speaking of Godzilla, the new Godzilla x Hello Kitty collaboration Happy Meals have launched at McDonald's and they're pretty great! The toys are figurines of various Sanrio characters dressed as Godzilla and his fellow monsters. Kaiju fans are practically stalking their local McDonald's, just like with the Changeables from February. I'm going to spend some cheat meals with Ronald! Hopefully I get Rodan/Badtz-Maru!

Power Rangers- The MMPR Re-Ignition Dragonzord has been a hot topic lately. Like many of you, I felt his absence last year while completing the Re-Ignition Dino Megazord and was pleased, if not a little perplexed, to see Playmates offer it through a Kickstarter. I pledged right away on launch day, as I definitely need him to go along with my set. The base toy comes with a mini Green Ranger to boot, and there are plenty of add-ons and additional packages available when you pledge. Here's hoping he meets the goal!

The Re-Ignition Thunder Megazord is also now showing up on store shelves, and I'm looking forward to building it. The Thunder Megazord has always been a favorite of mine. Hopefully the blind box MMPR minis will show up soon, too. I really want those.

Man, blind boxes are all over this week's update.

The Weekend (written from my phone Monday morning)- It was a pretty low key weekend with not much going on. I hit a few McDonald's trying to get some of the Godzilla x Hello Kitty toys and got Rodan and Godzilla. Hopefully I can get more, my local stores aren't great and have some pretty terrible customer service, so these things can be tricky. A stop by Gamestop resulted in me finally getting some Godziburst figures and Godzilla Scramble eggs. I picked up 2 of each with plans to get more. I got the cupcake and Jet Jaguar Godzilla toys in the eggs. In Godziburst I picked up Plasma Space Godzilla and Formula Type 3 Kiryu. At Walmart, I grabbed 2 more Transformers Blokees Galaxy Version blind boxes from the Transformers One wave 2 case... and got Elita-1 and Starscream again... ugh. CVS sent me a great coupon for a metalic poster print that combined with rewards points was free. I've now got a great poster of the site badge (mobile readers, check out the desktop version!) and thanks to a slight scuff on the first print, got two! The scuffed one will go in the storage space as it gets organized. A little later after I originally wrote this, my mom stopped by and gave me a Wold Cup x Transformers Breakaway she had purchased on clearance. You know, I'm not a sports guy, but he's kinda neat!

I got some gaming in, dropping back into Resident Evil Requim after not playing it for too long and gave Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare for Gameboy (via Switch Online) a try and had fun with it. Definitely putting some more time into that. Built the Mrs's new hutch this weekend and more Blokees Wheels from the backlog. Well, I guess it wasn't the most momentous weekend, but they don't always have to be. It's time to get the week started Zone Base readers. Thank you all for your support. Please don't forget to share the site with your friends and be excellent to each other.

Davey's Night

Trick or Treat isn't just fun words to say, they're words to live by. Davey, Sallie, and Goliath must have got one too many of those nasty peanut butter chews- because it's hell on earth this hallows eve! Some kids and a talking dog just want to watch the world BURN! Come to think about it, know who else was advised by a talking dog? DAVID BERKOWITZ! Wait... David... Davey... well shit. It all makes sense now.

Originally Posted 10/06/2022

Cheetor and Jazz [Cyberworld Energon Surge/Cyber Changers]

@robfromzonebase Cheetor [Transformers Cyberworld Energon Surge/Cyber Changers] no, not Tigatron #cyberchangers #energonsurge #transformers #cyberworld #zonebase ♬ Catcat Heaven - The Lethal Weapons

One of the things that first got my attention with Cyberworld was the Bull Megatron design. It reminded me so much of early Beast Wars that even if I hadn't jumped headfirst into my "get them all" quest, I probably would have gotten every version of him anyway. A year later, the Energon Surge toys are continuing that vibe with today's subjects: Cheetor and Jazz.

Both come with little caveats that make you pause for a second before you realize exactly what they're doing. Cheetor is white, while Jazz has a beast mode. Those little details lean even harder into that early Beast Wars vibe I was talking about.

You see, when Beast Wars first started, the fiction we know today wasn't there yet. It was essentially Transformers Generation 3, with familiar characters taking on a new gimmick. If you find any of the old concept art, that idea becomes pretty clear.

Cheetor originally began life as a new Prowl toy. That's pretty obvious when you look at the original toy's head sculpt, and I've always thought the cat-head chest was reminiscent of the car-hood chests of the G1 toys.

While this Cheetor is a mixture of white and translucent blue, it's a little hard for me not to think about that original Prowl destination.

Jazz, on the other hand, isn't a character I remember seeing in that original concept art, but I've always thought Polar Claw's head sculpt looked very Jazz-like. That makes Jazz's beast mode, which is a polar bear, stand out even more to me. Then there's the fact that we're taking a classic G1 character and putting his traditional head on a clearly beast-warrior body. That's exactly the kind of weirdness I love.

Part of me hopes they make a black bear Ricochet version of this toy.

@robfromzonebase Jazz [Transformers Cyberworld Energon Surge/Cyber Changers] yes, he's a polar bear #zonebase #transformers #cyberworld #energonsurge #cyberchangers ♬ VISIONS Theme Song of "KAMEN RIDER ZEZTZ" - NAQT VANE

It's worth noting that Cheetor is supposed to be a snow leopard and not a cheetah, despite his card placing him in the Jungle biome rather than the Arctic biome that Jazz comes from. Considering the arrival of the Maximal stasis pods shown in an Arctic region of the Cyberworld during the season-ending episode, it's pretty clear that the upcoming monster truck Optimus Primal is going to have a non-traditional crew of Beast Warriors. I'm really looking forward to seeing what they do with them.

Like other Cyber Changers, Cheetor and Jazz share engineering. That's clearly part of the model behind Cyber Changers: keep the price low through shared engineering and a universal silhouette that allows the smaller figures to interact with the larger toys in the line.

I really hope Cyber Changers continues beyond Cyberworld. Imagine having figures that can interact with each other for years regardless of what series they come from. Since these are the mainline toys aimed at younger kids (and loved by old farts like me), it's entirely possible that a kid could receive one from their grandparents years from now, bought from a liquidation or discount store, and have it work with whatever the current iteration of the kids' line happens to be.

I'd love to see straightforward versions of classic characters as Cyber Changers. The white-box general line already has Deluxe Class figures of traditional characters, so why not make some of those characters in this format as well?

There are differences between Cheetor and Jazz, though. They're not simply the same mold with different heads. Both have unique sculpting and deco. They're both primarily white and translucent blue, but their other colors are different, as is their glow-in-the-dark paint. One fun little tradition that carries over to Cheetor is having his beast-mode tail become his weapon. He has a tail that turns into a sword. Neat!

I do wish Jazz had a gun, though. I'll probably pair him with one eventually. It just feels right, you know?

The slight auto-transformation that most Cyber Changers have is present here as well, shifting their upright robot bodies into a more quadrupedal beast form. While writing the earlier paragraph about the original Beast Wars designs, I started thinking about the Manta Ray Optimus Prime sketch and the obvious comparison to Manta Ray from the McDonald's Beast Wars Happy Meal toys.

Man, I'd love to see that design fleshed out as a Cyber Changer.

I'd also love to see the Panther from those Happy Meal toys become the obvious eventual Ravage repaint of this Cheetor. Honestly, I might just make one myself. The sculpt is too similar. Which makes me think that toy really was originally intended to be Prowl, especially since Manta Ray was so clearly intended to be Optimus Prime.

And now I've had another thought.

A Cyberworld Happy Meal would be amazing.

I wonder if the toys would hold up to the Beast Wars-era Happy Meal toys. Probably not. But wouldn't that be amazing?

Another Mansion, Another Mystery

Halloween is around the corner and we're having company over. We're having fondue and someone brought out Mystery Mansion to play. Who did it? Who knows—maybe look in the parlor.

Neatly enough, this is one of those games with the electronic voice box that gives out clues when you enter the number from a randomly drawn card.

Uh oh… someone lost the electronic talking box and put the one from their sister’s copy of Dream Phone in instead. Whatever, let’s make the most of it.

Turns out Corey has a crush on me!

Takeda Shingen (white) [Sembo Block X Mosho Toys Progenitor Effect]

@robfromzonebase Takeda Shingen (white) [Sembo Block X Mosho Toys] #zonebase #semboblock #moshotoys #blindbox #sembo ♬ 復讐の呪い (Curse of Vengeance) - Akuma Dollz

It's always fun discovering something new, or at least new to you. Recently, my wife went on a blind box shopping trip with a friend and picked up a few Sembo Block kits. Sembo Block is a company similar to Blokees that started out producing building block sets before moving into model kits. Like Blokees, they also offer blind box sets. I've been seeing Sembo Block kits in various robot model groups for a while now and have been curious about them, so I was pretty excited to finally get my hands on some.

Recently, I assembled the first of the kits the Mrs. got me: Takeda Shingen from a collaboration with Mosho Toys. Takeda Shingen is from the Progenitor Effect mecha series, which I know absolutely nothing about. I wish I did, though, because the designs are really neat. This particular character is normally red, but because this was a blind box, I ended up with the white version. From what I can tell, there's also another white version with some teal. All of the color variations look fantastic, though, and I'm really happy with the one I got.

The lion design on the white version immediately makes me think of Liger Zero from Zoids. Takeda Shingen's overall design is really neat, looking like an oni wearing lion-themed samurai armor. The combination of the armor and mechanical lion elements gives me plenty of Zoids vibes, while the hair sticking out from behind his helmet makes me think a little of Digimon. I definitely plan to learn more about Progenitor Effect.

He also came with two different trading cards featuring some really great artwork. I'm not sure if they're part of a game or just included as collectibles, but I love it when model kits and toys come with cards or stickers. Or both!

Assembly was pretty neat and a little more involved than I expected going in. There's a mixture of parts on sprues and loose pieces, along with a nice instruction manual that's mostly easy to understand even though it's in another language. I did have a little trouble figuring out a few of the parts, but that was mostly because I had a variant and the colors shown in the instructions were more generalized. Nothing was actually wrong with the instructions. It was more of a "Oh yeah, I have a different version" moment.

The only actual complaint I have is that the plastic quality was a little lacking on two parts. The ball joint that Takeda Shingen's head sits on is a little loose. That could either be because of the grade of plastic or because the socket in his helmet is slightly too large. It's an easy fix, so it's not a huge problem, but it's worth mentioning.

The only major problem was one of his hip armor plates, which arrived with a faulty connector. The plastic was misshapen in the box and couldn't connect properly. For now, I've got it held in place with a tiny nub of sticky tack until I can properly repair it with some wire and glue. It'll probably always be a little loose, but at least it'll be functional.

Aside from those two points, this is a very sharp-looking kit, and the finished figure has a surprising amount of articulation. It's pretty impressive! I especially enjoy the basic skeleton that needs to be assembled before the armor is added. That's not unique to Sembo Block, but it's something I can really appreciate. It reminds me of trying to make figures with Sculpey by starting with a little wire skeleton.

Sometimes I wish I'd continued with that project. I managed to make a Grimlock and Shockwave, which are probably now in pieces at the bottom of a box somewhere. I have no idea what happened to them. 

Takeda Shingen comes with open and closed hands, along with two katanas and a naginata. The katanas can also be stored on his armor. Thanks to the impressive articulation, he can wield all of them in some really neat poses.

Overall, my first experience with Sembo Block was a pleasant one. I've got a few more kits waiting for me, so I'm looking forward to seeing what they're like. Hopefully they don't have the same little issues this one did, but even with those problems, Takeda Shingen was a really fun kit to put together.

Now I just need to figure out what the hell Progenitor Effect is.

Light Your Way At Burger King

I've said it a few times and for land's sake I mean it. You need a good light when out trick or treating. It's just the right thing to do. There's this weird paradox in which driving a car on Halloween night makes the driver unable to see people not normally in the street dressed as Power Rangers. All caution is to the wind and the only thing keeping you safe is a good light.

Fortunately Burger King is here with free flashlights and treat bags to use when you go trick or treating. Assuming the manager didn't take them all home. In all honesty, that's a pretty great freebie for a fast food place. Those are the type of flashlights normally sold at stores. Not too shabby Burger King! You might recognize it as the old flashlight your grandmother keeps by her bed.

So take your flashlight and be safe out there. Later, your parents will happily take your new flashlight and keep it by their bed. Another word of advice, wait until it's night time to use your flashlight. That damn kid's going to run out the battery before sunset.

Originally Posted 9/01/2020

Weekly Update 8/17/26

Monday rears its ugly head once again, threatening the sanctity of peaceful vibes the weekend gave us. Don't fear, Zone Base readers! I've got another fun week of robots, monsters, and misadventure lined up for your eyeballs.

Pumpkin Spiced Mayhem is spooking right along as our annual Halloween party gets underway. You know, sometimes people wonder why I start celebrating Halloween so early, yet every year by late July everyone seems to be chomping at the bit for spooky season. I originally started doing it because it was fun, but now I honestly don't understand why more don't. Maybe it's because I'm not monetizing the site and spending all my time trying to capitalize on my readers. 

As I've mentioned before, August is ghost month in several Asian countries. Japan celebrates Obon while other regions hold Hungry Ghost Festivals, and I always enjoy the influx of spooky stories that appear around this time of year. Lately I've been watching VHS transfers of older Japanese paranormal television shows uploaded to YouTube. Back during my tape trading days, I ended up with quite a few of these through various J-Horror circles. I've always preferred the reenactment-style ghost shows, and Japan produced some really fun examples of the format. Funnily enough, many of them were hosted by either Count Takeshi or Junji Inagawa, who many of you might recognize as Vic Romano and Guy LeDouche from "Most Extreme Elimination Challenge". Junji Inagawa is actually a famous ghost storyteller in Japan as well as a television personality, but it's almost impossible for me to see him without expecting him to say something completely ridiculous. Thinking back to those tape trading days, I probably watched more than a few questionable recordings copied from questionable recordings of questionable recordings. Hopefully I didn't accidentally end up cursed.

There's something else I'd like to tell you all about from last week. Some of you probably saw the Transformers: The Movie 40th Anniversary press boxes that have been showing up on various toy and news sites. Several months ago, I was contacted by the PR agency handling them and asked if I'd like to be considered for one. Of course I said yes. Unfortunately, I didn't end up receiving one.

Now, to be fair, these things are extremely limited and the email even makes it clear that receiving one isn't guaranteed. Still, I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a little disappointing to realize I had been passed over.

The Mrs. apparently noticed.

Earlier this week, while I was at work, she messaged me and told me some package had arrived from "PR People" and that I should open it when I got home. Sure enough, sitting there was a box covered in Transformers stickers with the words "PR BOX" written across it in pink marker.

Inside were several Cyberworld Cyber Changers and the Transformers Icons Optimus Prime figure.

To this day she's maintaining that she has absolutely no idea where it came from.

I can't begin to tell you how great that surprise felt.

Know what?

I got the better PR Box.

Transformers- News has been relatively quiet this week outside of retailer solicitations. Dear news sites: affiliate links are not news. Then again, considering how overwhelming San Diego Comic-Con season can be, a slower week is honestly kind of refreshing.

One item that did catch my attention was the discovery of the new Transformers Vaultz Big Heads blind boxes at some Walmart locations. These are stylized chibi-like Transformers figures that immediately caught my eye. You all know how much I love blind boxes, so of course I'm interested. The designs remind me quite a bit of the Bikkuriman-style artwork I'm so fond of, and from what I've seen they use the Evergreen character designs, which I'm perfectly happy with.

Even better, they appear to include both a trading card and a sticker.

That combination appeases me greatly.

From what I understand there are variants as well. The news originally came from someone who pulled a glow-in-the-dark Megatron.

That.

Is.

Awesome.

I fully expect to end up with several of these, and any extras will almost certainly become desk bots at work.

Also along similar lines, Jada has shown off their new Transformers: The Movie 40th Anniversary Metalfigs assortment. These continue to use the roughly 2¾-inch scale they've stuck with for previous releases, which I'm happy about. It's a great size for the price point, and the die-cast metal gives them a satisfying heft. I've picked up quite a few of these over the years and am really looking forward to this movie-themed wave, which appears to contain mostly new characters.

Man, I really miss the days when Metalfigs Nanos were sold individually for a dollar.

Blokees- Adding to my excitement for the next Transformers Defender Version series (Battlestars MOFO!) is the news that Astral Rally Defender Version 01 and Transformers Wheels C04 are now available to order. I fully plan on picking up a case of each and adding them to the ever-growing backlog. I'm still working through Transformers Defender Version 07, Wheels C02, and Wheels C03, not to mention several other kits patiently waiting their turn on the build pile. I'll get to them eventually... probably.

The newest Wheels assortment includes a train mode Astrotrain, and that alone has me excited. Astrotrain has always been my favorite Triple Changer, so seeing his classic locomotive mode represented as a Wheels kit makes me ridiculously happy. There's just something about that original train design that I love. That said, I do hope Blokees eventually revisits the 2006 Classics version as well. I've always been fond of that design and would love to see it translated into kit form. 

The Weekend (written on my phone while I ate breakfast Monday morning)- This weekend was a good one, albeit super hot. It was that reverse hot that we opted to stay in the air conditioning and not go to the pool. We did get some weekend shopping in which included a trip to Five Below to pick through Over the Garden Wall blind boxes and looking at Halloween decor at TJ Max.  I managed to build my new new shelf for my desk, it's a great little spot for storage that will work just great by my desk. I built some Blokees and played my Atari Gamestation Go. Comiket was also this weeked  I'm enjoying the pictures from the show as their posted. That's another show I'd love to attend, definitely a Zone Base type of con. Good weekend.

As for toy pick ups, unfortunately Walmart had sold out of Mega Zarak whom I'll definitely order soon. I did pick up Nexus Prime who've I been wanting and putting off. Also another Blokees TF One part two blind, another Starscream, he's going into the custom pile. I also grabbed a Funko Mini Pops Dragonzord with tiny Green Ranger figure to pilot on clearance. I got the regular Megazord a few years ago, this will be a nice companion.

Speaking of that "PR Box" the Mrs gave me, it had Icons Optimus Prime (who I think looks great) and Cyberworld Cyber Changers Energon Surge Bull Megatron, Optimus Primal, Tank Megatron, and a Cyberworld blind bag that ended up being Skybite (woo)! In addition, I got a Five Nights at Freddy's Tiny Mights capsule that ended up a red Springtrap Freddy and a 3D printed skeleton keychain. Overall a good weekend haul.

Man, what did Usher's House ever do?

I don't always have a joke for these. Okay, usually I have something to say... but this is just a really great animation based on Edgar Allan Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher", and it's cool as hell.

Happy Halloween.

Overlord (Plane and Tank) [Wheels CT-02: Wreck n' Rule]

@robfromzonebase Overlord (plane and tank) [Transformers Blokees Wheels CO2- Wreck 'n Rule] #zonebase #transformers #blokees #blokeestransformers ##blindbox ♬ Catcat Heaven - The Lethal Weapons

I know I talk about "back in the day" a lot around here, but I'm going to do it again for just a minute.

Overlord is one of those really big-deal Transformers characters. No matter how many toys get made of him, every new release feels like an event. That goes all the way back to his introduction in Transformers: Masterforce as one of the series' original characters and toys. Aside from a European release of the original figure, Overlord didn't really get a worldwide release until around 2003, when his Super Collection Figure PVC was released under Hasbro's Heroes of Cybertron line named Powermaster Gigatron. Even then, it was pretty much a one-off until Overlord exploded in popularity thanks to Last Stand of the Wreckers in 2010. That IDW incarnation won over a whole new generation of fans and has led to a steady stream of new toys ever since.

Today we're looking at the Plane and Tank kits from Blokees Transformers Wheels CT-02: Wreck n' Rule.

It's been a little while since I've talked about a Blokees Wheels kit here, and honestly, I've built up a bit of a backlog. Thanks to the move, I've still got most of CT-02 sitting unbuilt and CT-03 completely untouched. Like a few other things I've yet to cover here, expect the TikTok and Instagram pages to suddenly get flooded with assembled Wheels kits. I hate to be one of those guys, but if you'd like to follow me over there, I'd really appreciate it. Those pages have become an extension of Zone Base and are a fun way to share things that don't always become full blog posts.

For those unfamiliar with them, the Wheels series focuses entirely on vehicle modes. In the case of Transformers, that means building the alternate modes instead of the robots. It's a surprisingly fun twist, and while they share some similarities with the Defender Version vehicle kits, they're definitely their own thing.

The tank is a simpler build than the plane, although I did struggle with the instructions a bit. Like the Defender Version kits, Wheels uses those tiny instruction cards, and sometimes the illustrations are just a little too small to make out clearly. For the most part I did fine, but the Universal Chassis Connector, the rear tread assembly, and one tiny black piece that fits beneath the turret all had me scratching my head for a few minutes. Once everything finally clicked together, though... it just worked.

The tank also uses some of that wonderfully satisfying Solidex, which immediately made me forget any frustration I'd had. I really do appreciate that stuff.

The plane, unfortunately, doesn't use any Solidex.

Blokees...

Why?

I honestly can't even tell you exactly where it would have been useful. I just know I'd have appreciated more of that magical material. What if they made an entire kit out of Solidex?

Whoa.

The jet itself assembles fairly easily. Once again, I stumbled a little on the Universal Chassis Connector, though I have to admit that's mostly a me problem. I seem to trip over that step on almost every Wheels kit I build, so I can only blame the instructions so much. If the Universal Chassis System were made of Solidex, I'd probably get it right every time.

My only real complaint with the plane is the landing gear. It's awesome that they included working landing gear, but the pieces have a tendency to pop off pretty easily.

It's also worth mentioning that these kits represent the IDW Comics version of Overlord rather than his original G1 design. The tank isn't dramatically different, but the jet is much sleeker and honestly looks like something straight out of a 16-bit shooter.

Everyone take a shot.

I compared a toy to a non-related video game.

Of course, these kits don't combine into Overlord's robot mode or city mode.

They do, however, combine into two different super jets that I think look absolutely fantastic.

You can replace the tank's treads with the plane's wings to create one heavy duty looking fighter, or attach the treads to the jet itself before combining everything into a much larger super aircraft. Once again, my brain immediately goes to old shooter games. These things just have that aesthetic. I'm convinced they'd have starred in some long-forgotten multi-platform shooter with several sequels, brutal difficulty, and incredible music.

Naturally, the CD-ROM version would have fully animated cutscenes.

I've probably spent way too much time on that analogy, but that's honestly how strongly these designs hit that part of my brain.

Speaking of the designs, Overlord's classic black and teal color scheme looks absolutely fantastic on these kits. They're sharp-looking models, and while I understand that blind-box packaging makes special editions a little less practical, I'd still love to see alternate versions someday. Cast them in translucent plastic. Give them metallic paint. Throw some glitter in there.

The possibilities are endless.

Awesome job, Blokees.