Cliffjumper [AMK Mini Series 2]

There's one more Transformers AMK Mini from the Series 2 case I ordered that hasn't been talked about here yet — Cliffjumper, the brash Minibot who'll run headfirst into any situation ready to kick whoever's ass he needs to... no matter how much bigger they might be... which is usually 3/4 of the time.

Cliffjumper's original toy shares a skeleton with the original Bumblebee, making for two very similar-looking characters. In more recent years, Cliffjumper toys are generally direct repaints of Bumblebee toys. Funnily enough, this kit is completely original and doesn't reuse parts from the Mini Bumblebee from Series 1. All things considered, it would have been fair for them to do so... but that's how committed Yolopark seems to be to the improved articulation in Series 2.

Despite the two being so similar, efforts have been made over the years to differentiate their shape in some media. This Cliffjumper has a slightly different torso, for example. The improved articulation really shows here thanks to his admittedly simpler design (compared to the others in the series). He almost feels like an articulation demo, really putting it on display.

I've always liked Cliffjumper's red colors and can't help but enjoy this one quite a bit. He's got his big-ass bazooka that was introduced in the first episode of the original Transformers series — the one he seemingly just pulls out of his ass. All jokes aside, this is a great representation of Cliffjumper from Yolopark's extremely solid line of models.

Arcee [AMK Mini Series 2]

Returning to the Yolopark AMK Mini Series 2 kits is Arcee, one of the more famous G1 characters who famously didn’t get a proper toy until almost 20 years after her introduction. Well… that’s not completely true. There were attempts back in the day that never made it past the design stage, and a Garage Kit model that anyone around in the pre-movie era probably saw brought up in conversation way too often.

This AMK Mini, however, is one of several Arcee toys we’ve gotten in more recent years. Like the other AMK Minis, I’m really impressed with the finished product’s quality and articulation. At this point you’d think I’d be used to it… but nope. Yolopark’s models are genuinely impressive, and the Minis end up as very nice figures once completed.

Unlike the prior kits in this series, Arcee isn’t blocky and chonky. Closely following her classic appearance, she has smaller, sleeker proportions than the other bots in the line. They did a really solid job here, and I’m reminded of the Action Master Arcee that was intended to be a BotCon 1996 exclusive.

That one never made it past the mock-up stage, and part of me always goes into “what if” mode when I think about things like it. Funnily enough, it was made from modified Power Rangers Happy Meal figures. I was working at McDonald’s at the time and still remember taking a few of those home.

Articulation-wise, Arcee is excellent. Like the others in the series, she comes with open and closed hands. She’s also got two pistols, so the closed fists will probably see more use. This is a really neat little Arcee, but like Clear Hound, mine had a QC issue that’s chafing my ass a bit. I tried to pose her strategically for the post picture, but mine came with two upper left thighs and no right one. Not the end of the world… except her right leg looks wrong. I’ve written Yolopark customer service hoping for a replacement part. They’re located in Hong Kong and it’s February, so I’ll have to be patient. They’re a great company, so I’m hopeful it’ll get resolved.

Outside of that QC hiccup, this is a good Arcee. And just being honest, I dig the pink and white. Those colors just work. I’m looking forward to more Yolopark releases as I slowly dip my toes into their other size classes. Just all-around good stuff.

Hound (Standard & Clear) [AMK Mini Series 2]

With the AMK Mini Series 1 Yolopark kits, I bought figures mostly individually. Megatron and Optimus came as a two-pack, and the rest I picked up one by one… okay, Soundwave twice (I broke one). The option to buy them as a case was there, but I didn’t go that route. That’s something I changed for Series 2, and one of the bonuses for doing so wasn’t just getting all six figures in one whop, but also an additional bonus figure.

Now, if the blind box versions of the Minis were available to me, I’d also have access to chase figures like Shattered Glass Rodimus Prime. Then you add in BotCon exclusive kits and… what I’m saying is, it’s nice to finally get an exclusive bonus version when I’ve clearly missed out on a lot beyond the standard releases. For Series 2 (with Series 3 and 4 already on the way-seemingly much faster than Series 2 took), that bonus figure is a clear version of Hound. That. Is. Awesome.

Sites with ads and Patreons asking you to buy them coffee will tell you this was a preorder exclusive. *sigh* I bought mine a little later and was bummed that I thought I’d missed out-only to happily discover those reports were wrongity wrong wrong wrong. It looks like Series 3 and 4 will continue this trend, so yeah… I’ll be buying cases from now on.

So today we’re looking at both versions of Hound available in Series 2. They’re literally the same toy, with one being translucent, so doing two separate posts felt like overkill. I’ve mentioned before that I’m fond of Hound, so clearly (I swear I didn’t intend that pun, but I’m owning the fuck out of it) I was excited for both the standard release and the clear bonus version. I also like colorful translucent plastic, so please inject that directly into my veins.

As usual, these kits come as preassembled parts that you complete by snapping everything together. While the larger, more expensive Yolopark kits are pretty elaborate, the Minis are much simpler and come together in minutes. I assembled the entire case while watching The Fifth Element with the Mrs., which was a genuinely nice evening. Once assembled, you’ve got a very solid action figure. With Series 2, the articulation has been noticeably improved-and I will not stop saying that anytime soon. I think it’s neat.

Hound looks fantastic, complete with his signature hologram gun and shoulder rocket launcher. I love shoulder rocket launchers. Since he doesn’t transform, you’re left with a faithful interpretation of how he appears in the cartoon and comics. The clear version is just as accurate… just clear. And honestly, it looks great. The translucent plastic really suits the design.

The clear Hound is split across the boxes in the case, similar to a build-a-figure setup you’d see in other action figure lines. I do have one minor gripe, though: my clear version was missing one of the wheels that fits onto his ankle. On top of that, the Arcee in the same case (we’ll get to her later) came with two left upper thighs and no right one. Clearly accidents happen, and I get that-but it still chafes my ass. I’ve contacted Yolopark’s customer service and I’m hoping for a resolution. I’ve hidden the missing parts as best I can in the photos. Disappointing, sure, but it happens. Hopefully replacement parts are on the way.

That aside, this is my only real complaint-a whoopsie daisy. The kits themselves look amazing and honestly feel more premium than some actual premium items. These Minis are really nice. One day I’ll dip my toes into Yolopark’s other size classes (those Samurai Pizza Cats and Evangelion sets are calling to me), but for now, focusing on the Minis has been incredibly rewarding.

I’ve got a long-term organization project underway that will eventually make the Minis the bulk of my main display, centered around an acrylic Transformers logo, with everything else going into storage. I guess you could say… I really like these.

Prowl [AMK Mini Series 2]

Getting back to the Yolopark AMK Mini Series 2, we have Prowl-because I like him. I’ve said it several times before that I’m a fan of police car and similar decos… and yeah, I still am. This is also just a really good Prowl once assembled.

Like all Yolopark kits, the parts snap together easily, and these Mini kits don’t take very long to build. Once completed, you’ve got a nicely articulated Prowl ready for an assist by Chip Chase. I mentioned in the last AMK Mini Series 2 posts that these newer kits feel noticeably nicer than the Series 1 releases. There was a pretty long wait between Series 1 and Series 2, so I’m guessing they took the time to improve the product-and it shows.

Most notably, the articulation is improved. Prowl can move all over the place, and even his car-door wings are articulated. That’s neat, and for other Fairlady Z-based characters that will likely come later, it allows for a bit of customization and individuality. It's neat..

I learned something about Prowl recently that helped inspire today’s post. This model represents Prowl’s traditional look, so the rear windows of the car-covering his shin area-are molded in blue. On the original toy, however, you could actually see his shins through those rear windows. I recently read that the designer intended this as a reference to Henshin Cyborg, similar to how some of the Dinobots had clear heads. Since those were originally Diaclone toys-which directly followed Henshin Cyborg-the reference makes even more sense there. Still, that’s a super neat detail, and it had honestly never occurred to me before.

Like the other Minis, Prowl comes with both closed fists and open palms. The closed fists can hold his Acid Pellet Rifle, and he also includes his twin shoulder missile launchers, really nailing his classic look. This was the first kit I assembled from my Series 2 box, so it probably impressed me a little more than the others-but honestly, they really nailed Prowl’s traditional design here. Awesome job.

Optimus Primal Robot [Classic Class]

During Christmas last year, the beast mode companion to today’s post played the narrator in our Christmas Carol production. That’s ironic, because the robot mode kit of that same guy was one of the presents the Mrs. got me for Christmas. A neat bit of synchronicity, and a much-appreciated gift. These larger Blokees model kits are an absolute pleasure, and I really like having a small pile of them waiting in my backlog.

Optimus Primal’s robot mode wasn’t seen much in Rise of the Beasts, which honestly makes today’s kit even more fun. It lets us get a better look at the Maximal leader. Frankly, his robot mode isn’t all that dissimilar from his classic gorilla design. It’s a little more techno-organic, a little more live-action movie dark and gritty, but it’s mostly classic Optimus Primal. Really, a simple repaint in classic colors and he’d make a solid, ultra-serious update of the original toy. And yeah, I’m into that.

Building this kit was fun, though slightly more challenging than some of the other larger Blokees kits I’ve put together. There are a few smaller parts that took a moment to get just right — specifically a set of pins that insert into his knees to hold everything together. It’s not hard, exactly… but I’ve got big fingers. It was just awkward enough that my bent tweezers didn’t really help either. The first one took a few tries. The second went right in. I guess my fingers retained a little muscle memory.

His shoulders were a little odd as well. They use the normal jointing you expect from a Blokees kit - actually, like the Megatron we talked about a few weeks ago, he’s got the upper torso of a Shining Version at his core. That said, my Primal’s upper arms didn’t want to stay connected at first. I’d snap them on and they’d pop right back off. After a few cycles of snapping them on, them popping off, me cussing, and putting them back on, they finally stayed put. Weird, but fine. Blokees kits are made from a pleasantly softer material than a lot of other model kits, so I’m guessing the joint stretched just enough after a few tries.

Once assembled, Optimus Primal is a solid robot mode figure loaded with articulation. He shares the mostly inky black color scheme of his beast mode kit, but there’s silver detailing here and there, along with green glowing parts like his eyes and the Maximal symbol on his chest. My copy’s battery was apparently dead, so I’ll swap that out eventually. CVS keeps sending me those $4–$5 off coupons, so I’ll probably score one cheap… maybe even free.

Optimus comes with two alternate faces. One has the mouthplate like the one I’m using in the photos, and the other has the plate open enough to show his mouth, just like in the original cartoon. You can swap them out anytime, and combined with his articulation and the choice between open hands or closed fists, you can get a surprisingly expressive Optimus.

He also comes with the twin scimitars that his first two toys had. In the movie, he mostly wielded them combined as a double blade, so you might have thought he had a spear - but nope, they split apart and can be used individually. I’ve always really liked these swords, so of course this makes me a little giddy. As usual, there’s an included display stand with whooshing energy effects. Those work great in a display case, though they’re a little less practical around the base.

This is a great kit of Optimus Primal, just like the beast mode version was. And really… that’s just Prime.

Rodimus Prime [AMK Mini Series Wave 2]

Rodimus Prime is an Autobot leader whose own self-doubts often cloud his judgment. Considering he was practically thrown into the role unexpectedly… I don’t blame him. One day he’s just fishing with his little buddy Daniel, and the next he’s leading the Autobots after defeating Unicron. Add in his guilt over the death of Optimus Prime, and that’s a lot of weight to carry.

Honestly, I think Rodimus gets a bum rap over the whole Optimus situation. Megatron was already about to shoot Optimus while playing possum. Hot Rod tried to save him while everyone else just stood there. I’d like to think Optimus would’ve done the same — and decisions like that are probably why the Matrix chose Rodimus in the first place. After all, we all know how beaten down and war-weary Optimus Prime was. I’m sure he’d faced countless similar moments. Rodimus, though? He’s young, and literally was just fishing the other day.

Yolopark’s AMK Mini version of Rodimus Prime looks great and really captures his unique design. The detailing is well sculpted and he looks exactly like he should. They did a fantastic job with his flame deco, and I really like the chrome on his smokestack forearm guns. His twin Photon Lasers are also nicely represented and finished in that same chrome. That chrome means a lot to me for reasons I can’t fully explain — maybe because I’ve always loved how it was used on classic G1 toys.

The improved articulation introduced in AMK Mini Series Wave 2 really shines here. Combined with the included closed fists and open palm hands, you can pose Rodimus in just about any way you want. It’s especially fun to have him posed mid-speech, right before dealing with whatever nonsense the Quintessons or Decepticons are stirring up next. His colors look sharp against the angular sculpting, and the whole package feels very impressive — especially considering the kit assembles in just minutes.

There’s also a Shattered Glass variation available in the Wave 2 blind box releases, which is… awfully tempting. When they came up with that mirror-universe color scheme, they really struck gold. Sure, Rodimus may struggle with his own sense of self-worth most of the time, but at least he can feel confident knowing Yolopark made a great AMK Mini kit of him.

Jazz [AMK Mini Series Wave 2]

It’s been way too long since we’ve taken a look at a Yolopark kit here on the site, and AMK Mini Series Wave 2 feels like the perfect time. As some of you may recall, I was a big fan of AMK Mini Series Wave 1 a few years back and was anxiously waiting for this newest batch to drop. I’ve finally got a case in hand and I’m ready to start looking them over here with you all. We’re starting with Jazz, because… how do you not start with Jazz?

One of the most awesome members of the original crew, it’s impossible not to hear Scatman Crothers’ legendary voice in your head when you think of him. This AMK Mini is a great representation of Jazz. Since it’s been a bit since we’ve talked about these sets, they assemble a little differently than most model kits. Yolopark has pre-painted and pre-assembled many of the parts, and your job is to put everything together from there to form the completed figure.

Depending on the size class, this can take a while, as some of the larger kits are pretty intricate. These Minis aren’t too complex, though, so snapping one together doesn’t take very long. Wave 1 was already great, but they’ve really upped the quality with Wave 2. Jazz has more articulation, better paint apps, and an overall higher-quality feel. It’s genuinely impressive — once assembled, this feels like a premium action figure.

Of course, these don’t transform like a standard Transformers toy would… but that’s not why you’re buying them. These kits are all about representing the robots themselves, without the alt-mode kibble that comes with real transforming toys. Jazz looks just like his cartoon counterpart, and that’s something you can really appreciate when there’s no kibble to work around.

All of the Minis come with two sets of hands: closed fists for holding weapons (Jazz has his Photon Rifle) and open palms for more expressive poses. With the amount of articulation here, Jazz can emote just about anything. His color scheme is fairly simple — white, black,  a bit of blue and gray — but it’s a combination that really pops and looks fantastic on this kit. It’s hard enough not to like Jazz as it is, and Yolopark has somehow made an AMK Mini version that’s completely impossible to hate.

Megatron (2007 Movie Version) [Classic Class]

Megatron’s movie design was a bit of a departure from his original looks. That goes without saying. To me, there was always some King Walder and Acroyear DNA in his new appearance. Considering the 2000s Microman line and Cool Girl — which had a heavy Diaclone influence — were being produced by Takara around the same time those first movie toys were being designed, I wouldn’t doubt there was some cross-pollination. I’ve also always found him a little similar to the Guyver. Not completely, but just enough to notice. Of course, Megatron got a new design in each movie, but today we’re looking specifically at the 2007 version.

I got this model kit among a mountain of others at Christmas from the Mrs., who absolutely spoils me. Considering how many redesigns Megatron gets throughout the movie series, I was eager to spend some time with the 2007 one, so building it was a real treat. As a Classic Class kit, Megatron is larger than the Galaxy and Defender Versions that are really popular right now. Once assembled, you end up with a pretty premium-looking figure that just looks amazing. It’s easy to forget how neat his 2007 design actually was. There’s a lot of detailed alien design packed into all those sharp points, and I’ve always appreciated the more feral look of the Decepticons in the earlier movies. I’ve felt for a long time that part of the design philosophy was to make them feel like living creatures. Honestly, the live-action designs always felt like a continuation of Beast Machines to me. Part of me likes to think that if things had continued as originally planned, something like the Bayverse designs could’ve ended up on a Saturday morning cartoon.

This kit looked like it would take longer to assemble than it actually did — and that’s not a complaint. With all the intricate pieces that make up Megatron’s armor, I assumed I’d be building tiny sub-assemblies forever. While there are sections like that, especially in the arms and legs, the process flows pretty smoothly: assemble the forearm, attach armor parts, connect it to the upper arm, attach more armor, and so on. I do find it amusing that at the core of Megatron is a standard Blokees Shining Version upper torso piece. The entire much larger figure builds outward from it, which I just find funny. That core also houses the components for Megatron’s light-up features.

Speaking of his upper torso, you get a choice of chest pieces. There’s the standard chest armor like the one shown in the photos, or an alternate piece depicting his death at the end of the movie. There’s even a tiny Allspark Cube included.

Megatron comes with his Fusion Cannon, which can be held in either hand. You can’t quite combine both arms into the exact pose he used in the movie — maybe an approximation, but not a perfect match. It honestly didn’t bother me. When held in one hand, it almost reads more like a rifle, and that works just fine here. His eyes light up a really satisfying red, which surprised me with how much I liked it. It genuinely breathes a little life into the finished kit.

It’s probably been a bit too long since I spent real time with the 2007 design. Building this made me appreciate the layering of silver over bronze parts much more than I ever did back then. A lot of the toys released around the movie glossed over those details, and I haven’t handled a newer take on this design until now. I always thought it looked cool, but its intricacies are standing out more to me this time around.

His head is amusingly a mix of the final movie design and elements from the abandoned earlier look. It’s funny — what we ended up with was considered to be more “G1.” I can kind of see it, but it’s still very much its own thing. At the time, Megatron getting a new design every incarnation was pretty much expected. So it was pretty status quo at the time. Thinking back, that stretch from 2003 — when the movie was first announced — to its release in 2007 was strange. News came and went, things were constantly in flux, and part of me is still surprised it ever actually came out.

I really like his animalistic face. There’s definitely some H.R. Giger influence there, and the part of me that loves bio-horror is all over it. A display stand with whoosh effects is included, but I found Megatron perfectly capable of standing on his own without it. This was a cool build and a great experience overall. The finished product looks fantastic, and it was genuinely fun reflecting on this version of Megatron while assembling it. At this point, I’m convinced Blokees is incapable of making a product I don’t like — and what kind of idiot would complain about that?

Unicron Head (Clear) [Galaxy Version]

The big bad of all Transformers, Unicron, got a Blokees model kit all his own in Galaxy Version 08: One Shall Fall. A special translucent version was also made available, which originally had to be acquired by scanning QR codes from nine different figures within the set. A little later, Blokees outright put the translucent version up for direct purchase on their site (I wonder if that pissed anyone off?), leading to today’s post.

As of now, I’ve only picked up Hot Rod from Galaxy Version 08, so either completing the set the normal way or scanning all the QR codes has eluded me thus far. When ordering some Defender Version cases with Christmas money, the translucent Unicron Head found its way into the cart (The Mrs added it, thankfully).

Like I’ve said before, I was there opening weekend in 1986 when Transformers: The Movie hit the big screen. Unicron was—and always has been—one of the most awesome things ever created in my mind. While I haven’t collected all of his merchandise, there are just some things I’ve got to have, and a version of this head is definitely one of them.

This translucent version, being more of a special edition, is a really neat representation of Unicron’s head floating through space. Its clear nature gives it a more ghostly appearance, which I absolutely love.

This was a pretty fun, quick build. I’m used to Galaxy Version kits using shared parts to make builds work, but here the only returning part was the display plate. I was expecting some kind of torso bit at the center of the head, like you often see with alt-mode kits such as the Dinobots, but that wasn’t the case.

Being translucent adds a little extra challenge, as some of the parts aren’t immediately obvious. The clear plastic makes things blend together visually. There’s a central core piece that everything builds up from, and one step I found endlessly entertaining was discovering that they gave Unicron a skull.

Before you attach his face parts, you construct his internal facial structure, which looks very similar to the robotic skulls you see when a Transformer suffers facial trauma. He even has eyeballs that fit into the sockets, adding a level of detail that would probably go unnoticed. Unicron’s mouth opens and closes, with the entire mechanism formed around this skull. I spent way too much time making him chomp his spooky skeleton teeth before finally attaching the face parts.

Speaking of the face parts, you’ll need to insert his normal eyes before attaching the face to the skull. Those tiny eye pieces are a little tricky if you’ve got big fingers like me. Due to how they connect, I didn’t try using tweezers, though in hindsight I wonder if they might have helped.

Once assembled, Unicron’s head can be displayed on the included stand with a support arm. It’s actually pretty large all things considered—not huge, but bigger than I expected going in. Also included is a tiny Autobot Shuttle, which you can pose flying past his head as it drifts near Cybertron. If they brought Daniel along, this whole situation probably gives him the willies.

This is a really neat little kit. Hopefully I’ll get more of Galaxy Version 08 soon, or maybe even an entire case, as I prefer to buy these that way. Ideally, I’d like to have both the clear and normal versions of Unicron. As it stands, this translucent version is already something special. It’s always nice owning a special edition of anything—but especially of him.

It really does feel awesome owning it.

IDW Optimus Prime [Galaxy Version 06 – Parallel Universe]

What is Megatron without Optimus Prime? Also in that Galaxy Version 06 – Parallel Universe case I bought a bit back was an IDW Optimus Prime, naturally. Optimus represents his Cybertronian form as seen in the IDW Transformers: Stormbringer comics. To be completely honest, I never paid this design much attention back then. No real reason — I guess my mind just glazed over it. However, when assembling this kit, I found myself appreciating it quite a lot.

This is another one of those Blokees Galaxy Version kits that feels a little more deluxe than the others. There’s even a chase version of it as Orion Pax that looks spectacular as well, but there’s really no beating a good Optimus Prime, and that’s exactly what we’ve got here.

Optimus looks pretty stocky, which is funny since he’s not the squared-up version we’re used to thanks to his Earth-based designs. Actually, pre-Earth designs for him are usually extra stocky or at least adjacent to his traditional look. This one feels like it stepped straight out of a mecha shooter game. I could totally see him in something like Virtual On. Actually, does anyone remember that SNES Generation 2 game that got cancelled? Obviously he would’ve looked more traditional in that, but a design like this would have been amazing in something like that.

I’m pretty fond of his forearm blasters — come to think of it, I think I always like forearm weapons. They just look cool, you know? Optimus also has twin blasters mounted on his back, which look super cool as well. They create a nice parallel to his smokestacks in more traditional designs.

I know it’s just the standard mix of red, blue, and gray with some yellow highlights, but the classic Optimus Prime colors really pop on this design. They’re a little brighter and give him an almost electric look. Optimus has a variation of his Ion Blaster, which may be intended as a different rifle, but it’s what I associate with him by default. It’s a pretty rad-looking gun, and honestly, Optimus looks pretty hardcore. You know — for a pacifist… he’ll absolutely kill the shit out of something.

Of course, he’s got the standard set of Galaxy Version hands and the display stand. Like Megatron, he also came with a pew-pew blast effect that I didn’t include in the photos. I actually took the pictures and noticed it sitting off to the side afterward. I know some folks really like those effects, but I’m admittedly a little indifferent.

This is just a really sharp-looking Optimus Prime once you’ve got him assembled. Galaxy Version, being a blind box series, really benefits from all these alternate takes on familiar characters. Someone like Optimus has had a million different forms over the years, and that could get boring in a regular toy line — but it’s fun here. The design looks great, and in Blokees’ signature style it really shines. It’s a solid Super Robot look — a mix of tech and ornamental design that just works for me, man.

IDW Megatron [Galaxy Version 06 – Parallel Universe]

Megatron had a pretty fun design in the More Than Meets the Eye comics, so seeing it represented as a Blokees Galaxy Version kit is pretty great. I lucked up on a case of Series 06 – Parallel Universe at a local Target not too long ago, and he seemed like a great choice for today’s post. Today’s post is, of course, the first toy post of Zone Base’s 10th year — well, aside from the regular weekly update on Monday — but I think you get the idea. For the start of Zone Base’s 10th year, he felt like the right pick.

I’m not sure if you reading this are aware of where Megatron was in the IDW Transformers comics around the time this design represents, but he had switched sides and joined the Autobots, eventually finding a home among the misfit crew of the Lost Light and its adventures. More recently, Megatron also switched sides in the Transformers: EarthSpark cartoon series. The “bad guy becomes a good guy” trope gets reused a lot, but I don’t mind it when it’s done well. My personal favorite version of this is still the G2 Marvel comics, when he and Optimus teamed up to battle Jhiaxus. Sure, if that comic had continued, Megatron probably would have gone back to his old ways eventually — but he really came off well in those issues.

As a Blokees Galaxy Version kit, Megatron comes out great. Admittedly, I can’t really find fault in anything Blokees does, but their signature style matches his design especially well. I’ve compared the Galaxy Version look before to a Mega Man X–style design. There’s just something very 16-bit game energy about these figures once the model is built. Megatron feels like he should’ve been in a PC Engine CD-ROM game. Galaxy Version 06 uses the sturdier bodies with improved construction that I’ve raved about in prior Blokees posts. There have been more waves with that improvement than without at this point, and I still can’t stop talking about it. This Megatron is one of the nicer Galaxy Versions, with a more deluxe set of parts — you start to get a feel for that sort of thing once you’ve built enough of these. It’s a really nice kit, and I especially like his backpack. Even though these don’t transform, the alt-mode kibble displays really nicely.

Megatron, of course, comes with the standard closed fists and open palms for a variety of poses, as well as the display stand that Galaxy Version kits included up until recently. He also comes with a purple blast effect that plugs into his cannon. I didn’t include it in my photos (total brain fart), but it’s a newer version of the pew-pew laser effect that comes with some of these kits. In addition to his standard parts, he also has a new set of forearms unique to this version, which are more comic-accurate than the usual Galaxy Version forearms.

Overall, Megatron just feels more extra than what you normally expect — and I like that. It’s neat that some of these figures are nicer than others; it makes the blind-box nature of the line a little more exciting, you know? There’s also an all-white version of this Megatron that was produced as an exclusive for a campaign at the Toys “R” Us in the Power Plant Mall in the Philippines. That would be super neat to own, but unfortunately it’s a little out of the way for me. Thankfully, the standard version is excellent in its own right. This was a satisfying experience all around.

Optimus Primal Beast [Classic Class]

Megatron was as dead as a door-nail. This must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come of the story I am about to relate. I don't mean to say that I know, of my own knowledge, what exactly is so dead about a door-nail. Death and suffering meant nothing to the grumpy one. Punishment and enslavement were the credo of his ilk. Yet on one Christmas Eve… as the fleshlings called it… while in his chamber, the grumpy one heard a voice.

“I am here tonight to warn you, that you have yet a chance and hope of escaping my fate.”

I've been sitting on this kit from Transformers: Rise of the Beasts far too long — at least a year — and I assembled it one night during my Thanksgiving holiday break. I am so glad I did, because it was so fun to do. One thing that makes these model kits so enjoyable is watching the process come together. You just have a bunch of parts, and one by one, it assembles into this nice action figure once everything is all done. Some kits are more involved than others, some more difficult as well. Blokees are known to be easy builds, but their larger kits are much more involved than the blind-box releases we usually look at here on the site. Honestly, I assumed Optimus here would just be a few parts based on his beast mode, and was happy to be wrong.

This is a Classic Class, which seems to be the naming system used for the larger Blokees kits from the movies, as opposed to the Action Class used for kits like G1 Soundwave. It's a much nicer and larger figure once completed. Of course they don't transform, so this is Optimus Primal in his beast mode, with another kit that represents the robot mode also available. One thing that really stands out is the light in his head that lights up his eyes and mouth. I find that very neat, and really like the green glow it casts. The light is activated by shaking Optimus and turns off on its own. Thankfully, instructions for changing its battery were included, as I’m sure it’ll burn through it fast with that activation method.

One thing I noticed is the plastic used in this kit is a little softer than what you'd find in a Flame Toys or Bandai kit. When I'd clip a part off the sprue with my nippers, it was a clean cut. There wasn't much cleanup required on the part itself. I'm not sure if that was due to the softer material... but I liked it. It reminded me a little of the vinyl model kits companies like Screamin put out in the 90's. I saw a Jason Voorhees kit of theirs at Toylanta a few years back, still sealed in its box. Considering those things were made of vinyl, I still wonder if it was melted into one giant lump inside that box. Fortunately, Optimus isn't made of vinyl, but that softer plastic makes it impossible not to compare.

Speaking of the plastic, Optimus is all one color aside from the green light in his head. Before anyone scoffs about that, it's true to his movie appearance, which this kit is based on. In fact, the sculpting is pretty on par with his CGI model. It's really sharp looking, and the black color has an inky tone I found really nice. If it was just a standard black color, the details of the sculpt would get easily lost and the whole thing would just look cheap.

Optimus is very well articulated once assembled. He can stand on his rear legs or walk on his knuckles like a real gorilla. Even his mouth opens, which shows off more of that wonderful green light! There are 3 sets of interchangeable hands as well: closed fists for punching, a variation of those fists with his thumb splayed out for a more natural look when walking on all fours, and a nice open-palmed set to give more expression in poses where you can see him talking. In fact, the entire thing is so expressive, you can really see him narrating a story.

I didn't include his base in the pictures, but there's a nice one included for display purposes, complete with decals and swoosh effects. Overall this is a really nice model kit that becomes a high-quality action figure once assembled. It's a very faithful version of Optimus Primal in beast mode as he appeared in Rise of the Beasts, and I'm sure it could recreate a number of his scenes. Admittedly, I find it impossible to take any fault with a Blokees product... but this one is really good. I kind of regret taking so long to build him, but pretty glad I did it on Thanksgiving. Almost made for a perfect analogy for the holiday, you know.

Devastator [Defender Version]

Today we’ll be looking at the Blokees Defender Version of Devastator, which was a bit of a project to take on. The vehicle mode Constructicons were released across Defender Version series 01–03. These are blind boxes, so that could be a challenge unless you buy the entire case — which is what I try to do. Then you’re required to buy the combining parts kit to merge the vehicles into Devastator. That doesn’t sound like a lot here as I’m typing it, but explaining it can be confusing for some folks.

People get hung up on the whole Defender Version vs Galaxy Version thing, too. The devil’s in the details, and somewhere somebody’s so confused they’re trying to buy hot dogs at Arby’s and getting really pissed off in the process.

One thing to be mindful of when buying the parts kit is that it’s only $4.99 from Blokees themselves. I’ve seen shady dealers trying to pass it off for a lot more — in some cases around $50. I’ve also seen various sources claiming Blokees isn’t allowed to sell it in America or other countries. That isn’t true for the U.S. anymore, as I easily bought it. Just be careful out there and make good decisions. Some of these assholes are trying to rip you off. 

Once you have all the needed parts, you can assemble the MIGHTY DEVASTATOR!

Before we do that, let’s take a quick look at the individual Constructicons themselves. Some of the characters are available in robot mode as either Defender or Galaxy Versions. They’re really neat, but I feel like the vehicles are pretty great too. They’re about the size of a Mini-Con in alt mode, and there’s just something undeniably charming about a set of six little construction vehicles. They’re fun to push around all on their own. I’m particularly fond of Mixmaster’s tiny mixing drum.

The parts kit comes with an instruction manual that I ended up using more than I thought I would. Some parts need to be removed and will not get reused in the final product, so make sure you store them somewhere safe for later. For the most part, the arm guys (Bonecrusher and Scavenger) plug right into place with the lower arms attaching. Scrapper and Mixmaster form the lower legs and it’s not super difficult. Scrapper’s combined mode is fairly reminiscent of the G1 toy, which I liked. You’ll have to remove Mixmaster’s front wheels for Devastator’s stability — you can leave them on, but it creates an uneven foot.

The thighs plug into the leg guys and then into the hips. Devastator’s torso is formed from Hook and Long Haul… really the whole process is very similar to combining the G1 toy. You’ll have to assemble Devastator’s Solar Energy Beam Rifle. Transformers fans of a certain age probably see this weapon when their eyes are closed. I’m glad it was included — sometimes these older weapons get replaced with a generic blaster, and this one is an unmistakable shape.

When assembling Devastator’s head, you get two choices: a static toy-style face or an angry RAWR face. I went with the latter, but you can swap them out as you please. Once assembled, Devastator is AWESOME. He forms a much larger kit than you’d assume given the smaller components — around Voyager-size — and has plenty of articulation. It’s pretty impressive just how expressive he is… especially with the angry face. Normally combiners are a mixed bag when it comes to movement. Classic ones were pretty basic due to their construction. Newer ones have a decent range of motion, but stability tends to negate that. This version, however, is basically an action figure that can hit all sorts of poses. Neat!

I doubt I’ll ever stop singing the praises of Blokees, and considering they’ve got a team of Combaticons coming next… the music is probably never ending. I’m really impressed by this set, and completing it feels like an achievement. Feels good man.

Hot Rod [Galaxy Version 08– One Shall Fall]

It’s been a little while since I’ve covered a Galaxy Version Blokees kit here — honestly, a little too long, considering my pile of unassembled Blokees continues to grow — but it’s time to fix that with a look at Hot Rod from Galaxy Version 08 – One Shall Fall. As the name of this case suggests, there’s a heavy 1986 movie flavor to this set, and I am absolutely here for it.

You know, I like Blokees for several reasons. For example: I enjoy building robot models, I like blind boxes, and I obviously love Transformers — to name just a few. But another big reason is that they remind me a little of the Takara Transformers SCF figures from the early 2000s. Of course, those were PVC figurines and not AMK kits, but the blind boxes, themed series, and proportions give them a similar charm. I loved those and I love these. Honestly, I would've been totally content back then just buying SCF figures… and I’m kinda leaning that way these days with Blokees. They're clearly singing a song I want to hear.

I haven’t gotten any of the 08 kits yet, but while ordering the Devastator parts kit, I snuck in an 08 to tide me over until getting a full case. Lucky for me, inside the mystery box was the new Hot Rod figure — and boy, was I excited! Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime is among my favorites in Transformers, and a specifically 1986 representation of Hot Rod is going to get me excited in the way only a rabid fan can. Careful, I’ve got a box knife.

One particularly fun addition to this figure is Hot Rod’s fishing pole. When he first appears in the movie, Hot Rod is fishing with Daniel and catches a big one. It’s a cozy little scene that helps show their relationship. However, his “big one” in Blokees form is a tiny Sharkticon! I didn’t notice it immediately from promo pictures, but upon opening the box I was ecstatic to see the little creature dangling from the end of his line. Seriously, be careful — I’ll cut someone. The dragon commands it.

We can’t ignore the elephant in the room, because it’s an elephant. They’re huge. Who even let it in here anyway? Don’t they know I have a box knife and a dragon giving orders? It hungers. Obvious to fans of the 1986 movie is that Hot Rod has his traditional colors here and not the pink/fuchsia colors he appears in the film with. All his toys and his Season 3 appearances use the darker red/magenta we’re used to. There’s been very little merchandise in his show-accurate colors — most notably the Retro Series release from a while back. Luckily, most folks don’t really care either way, which is good because it allows us to carry on and not get bogged down in semantics.

One huge difference in the new kits in 08 is another round of improvements. The past few Galaxy Version series had adopted a newer construction style that provided a more stable build. As far as I can tell, starting with this series, they’ve improved the kits even more! Not only does Hot Rod have the stronger upper torso, but now the hips and thighs feature more articulation. There are thigh swivels, and the hips allow for greater torso movement. Hot Rod’s abdomen can even dip into the waist, allowing for more expressive and dynamic poses. I’m extremely impressed with this innovation — this is something that generally costs 5–6 bucks and features articulation usually reserved for more expensive toys. That’s neat!

Hot Rod comes with the aforementioned fishing pole as well as his saw blade attachment. He used it fighting off underwater creatures after he and Kup crash-landed in a body of water on Quintessa. The blade spins, and maybe he plans to use it on that Sharkticon at the end of his fishing line. The saw blade plugs into the forearm where one of the included hands would go. Of course, those hands are the typical closed fists and open palms normally included with Blokees kits.

Not included, however, is the display base — something I’ve been expecting to eventually disappear. At some point, the little Autobot/Decepticon symbols for the bases were discontinued, and now the base itself is gone completely. I’m not sure if that started in 08 or happened during 07, which I still haven’t gotten yet. I’m not terribly sad to see the base go, but I always thought its inclusion was neat. I’m assuming the new parts ate into the budget.

This is an awesome AMK kit of Hot Rod that’s full of character and expression. I continually can’t find anything I don’t like in Blokees products, and the ongoing improvements just keep making them better overall. Not to mention — dude, Hot Rod. I like him.

Rodimus (IDW ver.) [Flame Toys Furai Model]

Flame Toys Furai Models are model kits that, once assembled, result in high-quality action figures full of detail and style. I’ve got a few, and for whatever reason, haven’t really talked about them here. My intention to feature more models over the past few years has already brought in kits from Blokees and Yolopark. Both brands I outright love. I’m pretty fond of Flame Toys as well.

Being our first post after this year’s epic Halloween season seems like the perfect time to look at one of their offerings. I’ve been sitting on this Rodimus kit for quite some time after buying it earlier this year, and spent a few Sunday nights in October building it. I’ve admittedly gotten used to Blokees’ simpler kits, as Rodimus seemingly had a million parts. I think I spent two hours one night just working on his legs.

“Intricate” is the word here, as each body part is composed of several tiny pieces joined together. Of particular note are the joints where his legs meet at the waist—holy crap, I had a hard time with those. What you see as ball shapes were actually the halves of that ball, with a joining piece in the middle. There’s a little peg that inserts into a little hole in each of those halves. That doesn’t sound too bad, but those holes were very tight, and the small parts were just the right size to not fit well in my fingertips. I’m used to a little pain after assembling a model, but those freaking joints had my thumb tips sore for a few days. *Ow, dammit*

That’s all part of the process, though—taking a bunch of parts and assembling such an ornate figure. It’s really therapeutic going through the sprues with my nippers and putting it all together piece by piece. Sore fingertips regardless.

The IDW Comics incarnation of Rodimus, as he famously appeared in the Lost Light series, is a very stylized design. Being a model kit and not a toy sharing an aisle with Paw Patrol allows for a much more accurate finished product. All those points and edges would have to be rounded off for safety purposes otherwise. Thankfully, that’s not the case here. Rodimus both looks and is very sharp.

*Also pointy. Very pointy*

Once fully assembled, our Autobot Cavalier stands just under six inches tall and features more than fifty points of articulation. All those movable joints make for one expressive robot. Adding to that are three different sets of hands: closed fists, slightly open poses that can be used in a variety of ways, and a kung-fu-grip style for holding his guns.

Those guns are a particularly clever detail. Some of you may remember the original G1 Hot Rod toy came with two pistols, while the G1 Rodimus Prime had a rifle. This gun can separate into two pistols or join together into one rifle. I don’t recall if that was something used in the comics this kit is based on, but it’s neat regardless.

His stickers took a bit of extra skill, and thankfully I had my curved-tip tweezers handy to apply them—especially those little black dots on his upper thighs. They look great, but putting them on took a lot of patience. I think the Autobot symbol came out a little crooked, but that’s okay. Sometimes they’re like that when applied in factories.

Speaking of tools, I misplaced my hobby knife, so it was absent from this project. Normally I use it to shave off that little excess of plastic left from the sprues. For the most part, I was able to trim it away with my nippers, but there are a few parts that could use the extra precision of the knife. Whenever I locate it, that’ll be a small task to revisit later.

In the end, Rodimus came out looking great. Despite all the trouble assembling him, the finished product looks amazing. I’ve got a few more Flame Toys kits in my model backlog that’ll make for great future projects.

Welcome aboard. Maybe you’re not good. But you’re sure as hell good enough.

Glittering Shockwave [Defender Version 03-Heavy Metal War]

Purple is one of the colors associated with Halloween, so it's only logical that we take a look at Glittering Shockwave from Blokees Defender Version 03-Heavy Metal War today. It's neat that his classic design works as well in the Defender body type. Like Ironhide, Shockwave is a 'Glittering' version. Glittering is what they've been calling these neat translucent variations. I'd figure they'd call them Stealth... but look at Blokees doing their own thing. *Like this site*

Like all Defender Versions, Shockwave is well articulated once assembled. He's got his ray gun left hand and a little hose, matching his traditional look. It makes me think of Action master Shockwave and how fans used to use the hoses from GI JOE figures to give theirs one. Allegedly there was one in prototype stages that didn't get included in the released toy. It had the places to connect one. Fortunately Blokees included a hose with theirs. I'd hate to try and track down one tiny enough to fit this guy.

Shockwave's head is one piece and doesn't have the little neck part that also tints the robot's eyes. It's a unique sculpted part, so that makes sense. Though after assembling so many of these... something like that stands out. I really like the translucent plastic and how nice the colors look in it. The purples and grays really pop, damn, I wish Blokees would do Microman/Micronauts. I just know they'd do a great job.

Soundwave with Ravage (Special Galaxy Type) [Defender Version 03-Heavy Metal War]

Buying Blokees by the box tends to get you at least one special version. Defender Versions you get 12 in the box, at least 1 will be one of the various specials. *Neat!* In 03 Heavy Metal War, I got the Special Galaxy Type Soundwave. He's in a metallic paint and comes with Ravage. *Awesome!* Being Halloween time, it's the perfect time to focus on a Ravage toy and this is a good one to take a look at. The Defender Type design fits Soundwave's classic design pretty well.

His classic boxy design combined with the Defender cuteness looks really good. It's got the standard articulation you expect from a Defender... which is a pretty good bit. These little shits can really move. Nicely enough, he's got both his traditional shoulder Concussion Blaster and Rocket Launcher. No generic laser like several of the others have. These weapons were made from the original G1 toy's batteries and are a part of Soundwave's classic image. At this point I shouldn't be surprised in regards to Blokees attention to detail, but I would have been fine if he came with the regular laser. The extra mile taken is much appreciated, however. This is a nice little mini-figure after assembled. The Special Galaxy Type is painted in a metallic paint that just makes him feel more premium. It's super shiny.

Also as a special version, a tiny Ravage is included. Ravage is static and non-articulated, but his inclusion is just really freaking neat! Like, when you think of Soundwave, Ravage is almost always in that mental picture. I don't think I've ever had anything negative to say about a Blokees product, they're definitely in my favorite category when talking about the current state of Transformers. While I'm enamored by anything they do, I think at this point Defender Types may be my favorite thing they do. This little blind box model kit with it's extras feels more important than whatever high end unit is available is out at the moment. Just look at that Ravage!

SG-Sideswipe [Defender Version 01- Galaxy Shining]

When I first saw that the Transformers Shattered Glass version of Sideswipe would be represented as a Defender Version Blokees, I was sold on the spot. Admittedly I'm pretty much instantly sold on anything Blokees at this point, especially Defender Version Blokees, but this was a cool one for them to do. Long time readers may remember me talking about his colors and what makes it so cool.

So I won't go into super detail about that here as that's one of my longer posts and hey... feel free to check that out if you're interested. It's literally one of those times several things are referenced and branch off from. Kinda neat. Shattered Glass Sideswipe toys are usually made from Armada Wheeljack toys. Because they look A LOT like Sideswipe and that particular Wheeljack has a backstory that the name Sideswipe really fits.*sigh* Obviously this SG- Sideswipe is made from an upcoming standard Sideswipe Defender kit and gives me hopes that all the different recolors made from Sideswipe toys get represented.

Because they're cool.

Considering SG-Sideswipe is very similar to Armada Wheeljack's backstory, the more eagle eyes ones of you out there probably noticed the lack of chest would scratching out the Autobot symbol and new Decepticon symbol underneath it. That leads one to think this kit represents a pre-turn version of Sideswipe. Which is also pretty cool. I'm also appreciating the colors unmarred by the scar as not only is it a really nice color scheme, but I love G2 Drench's colors. If I had an extra one of these, I'd definitely make a project out of bringing a Defender version of him to life.

Of course these Defender kits assemble super fast and result in a very pose able mini figure. Sideswipe has the standard Defender laser, which kinda resembles classic Sideswipes laser gun. He also has the rocket launcher G1 Sideswipe has... and it really looks great. I've always been a fan of Diaclone shoulder rockets and they really translate to the Defender Version style very well. This is one of those times where a lot of things I like are combined into one thing I like. I really like that sort of thing.

Prowl [Defender Version 01- Galaxy Shining]

The neat thing about Defender Version Blokees is how they take a really well know looking bot and just make it look fresh thanks to their style. Prowl is one of the original 1984 cast whom originated as a Diaclone mold with other Autobots that share his base mold. It's like the Autobots version of the Seeker. As a Defender Version, what was already a good looking design is now level'd up thanks to the sizes signature look.

Somehow it's both adorable and beefy at the same time. I've always liked the Police deco on robot toys. The white and black tend to look great on the boxy bodies. Prowl, I guess, is the first Police Type Transformer. His characterization tends to fluctuate as time passes. He's normally a by the book type, but how big of an asshole he is depends on the writer. As usual, I usually focus on the original cartoon. The, he's just one of the Autobots and usually fighting the Decepticons alongside the gang. The standard generic Defender Version laser makes a good double for his Acid Pellet Gun, though he doesn't have the traditional shoulder missiles. I really like how the car door wings and his head with chevron looks as a Defender Version. The visual style makes them pop. These are pleasant little models kits that result in a well articulated mini figure. Prowl makes a good showing here, if only he had his Turbo Cycle.

SG Optimus Prime robot & vehicle [Defender Type 03- Heavy Metal War]

Shattered Glass is a fun Transformers mirror universe setting. Evil Autobots vs Good Decepticons with plenty of role reversals and neat paint decos inspired by other characters. It's fun. Personally, I've mainly enjoyed the concept and the look of the characters over the actual fiction used. That's not a slam, just a take. I like to view the alternate universe more as a Cybertronian version of the Upside Down. Several of the Autobots mare made to be a little scary... so it's fitting.

Defender Type series 03 features kits of SG Optimus Prime as a robot and vehicle and it's nice to have the matching set. They are repaints of the Optimus Prime robot and vehicle from Defender Type series 01. I've only talked about the vehicle kit here so far, so let's focus on the robot mode more. The vehicle is pretty much a match for the robot mode as you can see, but man I do love the way it looks with the Combat Deck Auto-Launcher attached. Gives me Blaster Master vibes.

I've got a few different versions of the Defender Type Optimus Prime mold and it's pretty spectacular. The unique look these Blokees kits have really make for one adorably hardcore looking robot. This Optimus is about to kick Megatron's ass and walk a oil puddle through it. Despite his small size, he's well articulated and has one beefy version of the trademark Ion Cannon. It looks out of Metal Slug and that pairs so well with the overall look of the figure.

Like I've said, I really like the look of Shattered Glass Transformers and the purple and black on Optimus is just great. Black versions of Optimus have always looked cool, but the purple is just so very much better. The black parts contrast with it in a way really pops. SG Autobots usually have busted windshields (because it's ShAtTeReD gLaSs), which both of the Optimus kits we're looking at have. It's a good contrast against the slick purple and black colors. It works with my Upside Down take on the universe as well. SG Optimus's voice is supposed to sound like Venger... but Vecna works too. Dang, just imagine if one of Vecna's visions were the SG equivalent of a Matrix Vision? That's be more than five faces of darkness.