Magmatron [Defender Version 07 – Power of the Beast]

@robfromzonebase Magmatron (Blokees Transformers Defender Version 07- Power of the Beast) #zonebase #transformers #blokees #models #beastwars ♬ ChainsawGirl - RinRin

It's been a little too long since I've talked about a Blokees kit here on the site and, since it's Beast Summer (damn, it feels good to say that again), we're getting back into the swing of things with one of Beast Wars' standouts, Magmatron.

Magmatron is the leader of the Predacons in Beast Wars Neo, who later joins the Beast Machines Dinobots. That's actually how I acquired my original Magmatron, as the Japanese release was a little out of reach for a broke college student. However, when Hasbro made him a member of the new Dinobots, he was released as a Target exclusive that I immediately jumped on.

Magmatron is a very interesting Transformer. He's composed of three different dinosaurs—Landsaurus, Seasaurus, and Skysaurus—that combine to form his robot mode. The combination of those three distinct dinosaurs makes for one of the most unique robot designs in the franchise.

Since Blokees obviously don't transform, we don't have to worry about that here. However, it does make for a slightly more involved build than you'd normally expect from a Defender Version kit.

I definitely enjoy the different dinosaur heads on his shoulders. On the original toy, they're beast mode kibble that becomes ornamental in robot mode. Here, Blokees could have easily skipped them altogether, but they didn't. Little touches like that help Magmatron feel more premium than your average Defender Version release.

I especially appreciate Skysaurus's wings on his back. Once again, they're an important part of his design, but they really pop on this kit. Since he doesn't transform, Magmatron's robot head also isn't tied to Skysaurus's transformation and is able to articulate independently. Defender Version kits are already well-articulated once assembled, and that extra freedom really benefits a design that's usually limited by the realities of being a transforming toy.

Another really nice touch is the inclusion of his Magma Blade and Magma Shield. They're appropriately oversized compared to the smaller figure, giving him a much more imposing presence than I'm used to seeing from Magmatron. They're large weapons on the original toy as well, but at this scale they almost make him feel like a miniature fantasy warrior.

The crazy thing is that this isn't even one of the chase figures in the assortment.

It's just a standard release.

That's honestly a little mind-blowing.

This is such a nice little kit that, if I needed a single figure to sell me on the entire Defender Version line, Magmatron would probably be it.

Beast Warriors in GB Missions

Look, I don't know if my fondness for Beast Wars has been noticed or not. But uh... I really like Beast Wars. I also like video games. There was a few Beast Wars video games that came out during the beast era. I'm apparently in the mood for Gameboy games this week so I've got a great BW game to talk about. Duel Fight! Transformers Beast Wars: Beast Warriors' Strongest Decisive Battle was released for the Gameboy Color in 1999. Developed by Gaibrain and published by Takara only in Japan.

As the name would imply, the game takes place during the Beast Wars, but features casts of Beast Wars, Beast Wars 2, and Beast Wars Neo. Beast Machines wasn't released in Japan until a few years later, I'm not sure why the Transmetal/Metals versions of characters were excluded. I presume it's so everybody matches thematically, but I don't know. Maybe. The game is a pretty decent 2D fighter, probably not up to snuff for hardcore fighting game players, but solid enough to have a good time. There's a few game modes and a pretty large cast of characters. I've always been impressed by that, you'd think a cartoon tie in game for kids would be basic shovel ware. But no, this is a pretty solid effort. Moon and Artemis are secret characters, and I'm always up for Moon.

Visual Kei Robots or when I name something for no reason

I was thinking today about a specific look in robots and don't think I quite know how to word it. I really like the visuals of beast themed robots when drawn a certain way. Compare Beast Wars Neo to Beast Wars season one. The season one gang is very traditional Transformer in looks and design. Beast Wars Neo designs have a particular flair, look at the picture of Break for example. Homeboy is pretty and he knows it. I'm definitely fond of both looks that I'm poorly describing. It's a style all it's own that I just want to appreciate a little right now.

The look isn't cemented in a certain time frame or series either. Look at the Lio Kaiser members in Transformers Victory. These designs are pretty similar to Saint Seiya or Ronin Warriors. Maybe it's a particular look or style that I just don't know the name of. I'm just a fan not an expert. Think I'll just refer to them as visual kei robots. Because they're glam rock. I got my order of Mugenbine candy toys in today and the box art just got my brain going. I'm not a very stylish man, I dress painfully casual. But dude, I can appreciate those fancy pants robots.

A mammoth of a big deal

When I was in college Japanese Beast Wars was one of the coolest things to me. Still is. At the time the world was so new to me still and thanks to the internet becoming more and more a thing, Transformers from around the planet suddenly started becoming a big deal. I already loved Beast Wars, but I've always preferred traditional animation. Suddenly there was more Beast Wars with traditional animation. It didn't hurt that it looked so amazing either.

Big Convoy and Magmatron were just so bad ass that they became a rather big deal to me. Chances are if you're a Transformers fan, you enjoy the look of Optimus Prime. He's always been a really good looking robot and the combination of that Optimus look and the mammoth elements was awesome. After all these years it's still one of the most impressive looking Transformers toys in my eyes.

Then you have Magmatron, we've established I like dinosaurs and dinosaur based robots. Well, what if we had a dinosaur based team of villains led by a pile of dinosaurs? I knew you'd understand. Magmatron just looks crazy and imposing. Crazy, imposing, and amazing. It was hard to imagine such a figure that was made of three different dinosaurs at the time. How did it even work? Well, pretty complicatedly, but ultimately rewarding when I transformed mine for the first time.

Beast Wars Neo with English subtitles now availible!

Beast Machines Dinobots

Earlier this week, I talked about one of my favorite Transformers sub-groups, today I'm going to talk about another. Around the same time as the Mutant Beast Wars toys were released, Hasbro also put out the Beast Machines Dinobots. In fact both were previewed at that years Toy Fair and were something I had eagerly anticipated. The toys were made using dinosaur based molds from Beast Wars recolored and sold as new characters except for Magmatron, who was a straight release as the Japanese character on US shelves.

While the idea of a team made solely of repaints may not excite some, hear me out. This was a time when getting toys from Japan wasn't as easy as it is today and four of the toys used molds from Beast Wars Neo. Magmatron was basically the Japanese toy in US packaging (it even says so on the box) while others used the BW Neo molds to create new characters. At the time you usually either waited for BotCon or hopefully could score Japanese toys online. Getting one of the Japanese molds easily at your local store was pretty welcome for most fans.

 Fictionally, they didn't do much. A little here and there in the 3H BotCon fiction and a text blurb on the back of the box. There's not much reason as to why I like them as much as I do, I just do. I like the molds, the colors, and the idea of a next generation of Dinobots. Maybe it was just the right thing at just the right time. The team is pretty obscure these days, obviously overshadowed by the regular Dinobots, and that's ok. Every once and awhile a new Dinosaur based TF will come along and I silently hope for one to be repainted into some sort of homage and of course it never happens. Fortunately there's plenty of Dinobot toys with a surprising amount of variety (movie, Generations, random toys) so I can't complain too much. Just in a world where fans have grown tired of Stepper (who ever would imagine that) one could hope another semi obscure weird batch of homages could see the light.

Big Blue Wonder

At Wonderfest this past weekend, Takara showed off the upcoming Encore Big Convoy figure. I'm pretty tempted to get him as he's in show accurate colors, but what I really want is that blue version in the picture. There was several versions of that mold already back then and even a few in the US. So far I've got the Korean version of the original. The Nemesis Prime version from Target, and the Ultra Mammoth from the TFCC a few years back (it was something I had wanted since beast era was going on). I hope the Encore blue version is easily obtainable because, seriously, when it's too hard to get something that's currently available. I don't want to bother. There's no reason for that anymore. Convention exclusive, well that's fair. But if it's just online in a second and sold out the next... well, I ain't playing. I'm 40 years old and have a fairly busy personal and professional life. I can't sit in front of a web store all day and refresh it every few seconds hoping to get a purchase in when it's available and before it sells out. I don't feel like being punished for being a functional adult and won't be. So, hopefully that blue version is not too hard to get, because I'd really like to get one.

This is one of my favorite molds, so obviously I'm tempted to get it again.

Must see beast TV

Big Convoy vs Magmatron

Since I'm talking Lio Convoy, I can't not talk Big Convoy. Beast Wars Neo had a ton of new molds that many were very frustrating to transform, but ultimately really good looking and very beloved by me. Big Convoy to this day is one of the best looking Transformers in my opinion. It's just this amazing looking robot made of kick ass. Magmatron isn't anything to sneeze at either. Just this big, imposing robot made of three dinosaurs. Beast Wars Neo was just a showstopper.

Beast Wars Neo intro