Transformers X Nezha

I've been watching this line develop as much as I could since it was announced. A Chinese exclusive Transformers series, Transformers X Nezha will be a cartoon and toy line for the Chinese market involving Chinese mythology. Details have been pretty scarce. Mainly getting a 'it's coming' blurb occasionally without anything really concrete. Honestly I had assumed it would be mainly a new cartoon involving current Transformers toys in a new setting. Today images of the toys were leaked out and I can't lie. I'm interested.

The image above doesn't reflect the line as a whole. There could be all sorts of size classes and such. Right now all we have is a fuzzy picture of what looks like a 3 pack of Legend/Legion scale figures. My affinity for this size class isn't a secret, nor is my fondness for the more unique things that happen in Transformers. I've been wanting Terracotta Army Transformers forever, and while this isn't the same thing, it's close. That traditional old world Chinese armor looks GREAT and really lends itself to Transformers design. Optimus Prime is a Samurai, Megatron a Sphinx. Ancient Chinese armor? Perfect.

I hope these aren't to hard or expensive to get, as I want some. I'm not saying I plan on going whole hog or anything, but definitely want a few and plan to pay attention to this. It's neat, it's cool, and it's different. Seeing as Tu Xingsun looks to be using the Prime Knock Out legion/legend class mold to some extent... and I'm seeing other familiar parts on the other two... I wonder how many original toys will be produced for this series vs remolds and recolors. Either way, I like this.

Energon Charge Bumblebee

If it's one thing I love, it's Legend/Legion/Speed Class figures. Small, inexpensive, and usually available in a bazillion color variations making them fun to collect. The Bumblebee movie provided me with a whole new series of the tiny guys to hunt down and have a good time doing so. In Japan, TV Magazine is doing an exclusive version of the VW Bumblebee figure in translucent yellow. That's the kind of thing that drives me crazy as I'll likely never own one (there's also a red Optimus on the way). Adding to the overall neatness of the figure is a story line pitting the figure against the Red Megatron from another TV Magazine promotion from 2017. This is not a drill, this is awesome. Story pages and mini comics giving these little oddball toys a bit of fiction is something I'll forever embrace. Sure, you you it's just another use of a $5 toy with a different paint job. To me and others like me, it's something pretty dammed neat.

This clear yellow Bumblebee and his backstory are something pretty damned neat.

Battle Beast Former Saga

I don't make my fondness for Battle Beasts a mystery. Even of they weren't related to Transformers, I'd still love them dearly. What's not to love? Little animal dudes with cybernetic armor fighting it out using basic elemental powers in an eternal struggle of roshambo. It also doesn't hurt that they're great toys either. Thankfully for us Beastformer fans, Takara's latest Transformers Legends web comic includes the little fuzzy dudes beating the crap out of each other in good form.

Power of the Primes Battletrap

When I talked about Battleslash and Roadtrap, I said they were parts of a combiner that's the newest incarnation of Duocon Battletrap right? That's right I did and here is is in all his Trappin and Battlin glory! The two toys form a pretty well done new version of the classic character.

The two smaller robots form Battletrap who's roughly deluxe size. He's the sum of both parts and it shows as the two distinct forms show clearly, which is part of the Duocon theme after all. I can't find any fault with this approach and hope Flywheels gets similar treatment (I've always liked him).

As I've noted before, the two toys are nice looking, but are obviously intended to form a bigger mode and it really pay's off here. I can't really find any faults with the toy as he forms together pretty well. If I have anything negative to say, it's pretty minor. I'm not fond of how parts of Roadtrap come loose easily in leg form, making the knee's look a little messy without sticking them back together (that could also be just mine though) and that helicopter blade of Battleslash is just kinda stuck in the back of Battletrap kind of awkwardly (I did say I'm usually never happy with how helicopter blades work out). There is an attempt to stow it between parts, but the bottom half is still dangling.. I'm sure if the components were deluxe or larger, there would be an additional few steps to work this out better. As is, it's just part of the scales economy and not the end of the world. Two minor gripes in an overall great toy is pretty reasonable and there's always a little give and take with any combiner.

Power of the Primes Tailgate

It was a big relief when I stumbled onto POTP Legends class wave 2 at my local Walmart. The class is one of my favorites to buy and just like Titans Return, I don't want to miss a single one (still cheesed about the few Combiner Wars ones I missed). In all actuality, just like the Windcharger before it, I was a bit confused for a new Tailgate. Both Windcharger and Tailgate got new Legends scale figures not very long ago and I'd figure they'd want to use the resources towards new molds of other characters first. Though just like Windcharger, I was very pleased with the end result as the new mold is a big improvement over the prior toy. Actually, though Tailgate is basically the same toy with a different head and colors, I like him a lot better than Windcharger. Sometimes it's the little things than can make a big difference.

Tailgate is a short, squat little guy with plenty of articulation for his size. Sure, you can't roll him up into a ball, but he has a pleasant amount for a smaller figure that turns into a car. He also benefits from a  limited color deco being used wisely. Tailgate's always been pretty basic on the color front, but those basic colors look really nice here. He's just a good looking toy.

In his car mode, Tailgate is completely adequate. He looks exactly like he's supposed too with no real surprises, and that's ok. Some people have complained (take a shot) that Generations toys from the past few years are really just G1 toys with better articulation. Which is pretty much the same thing as complaining that water is wet. These are meant to be updates to classic characters, and just happen to be that. I'm sure if they would look up they might see the point sailing over their heads somewhere in orbit.

In all I'm really happy with Tailgate, more so than I thought I'd be. I'm a little surprised just how much I like him as I technically already have the toy since my wife got me Windcharger for Christmas. Like I said, sometimes it's really the little things that can make all the difference. It doesn't hurt that I've been in that frame of mind I get where I can see all sorts of different used I could get from a toy mold if I was in a position to come up with such things. This is a mold that I can see plenty of other uses for, and with the Tailgate head, I can get more out of it mentally.

I'm a very silly person

The weekend of the last BotCon, even though I couldn't make it, I still made a point to do a BotCon tradition just one more time. Have a Big Mac.Thanks to Facebook memories for bringing this picture back to my attention. I had been wondering where it went.

Authentic hunt

These guys, right?

I've mentioned here before just how excited for the new Authentics Transformers figures I am. In fact, probably pretty often. Well as news of them popping up at Dollar Generals started last week, I couldn't contain myself. I started hoping I'd find them only to no avail.

So, today while promising to run some errands for my wife,  I took it upon myself to hit up a variety of stores in hopes of getting my Evergreen on. I live in the rural outskirts, so fortunately there is plenty of the 'dollar' stores local.

I first did a Google search for Dollar Generals near me from my last errand stop. Amazingly there was one 5 minutes away that I never knew about prior.

An old man shot me the bird in the parking lot when I left

Well, I walked in and man this was one big Dollar General... it took me a minute to find the toys.

Farts, not yet

So, I walked around and Googled the next store local... oh the one one the way home. You know what, I'm going to the Family Dollar instead. I always liked those better anyway. There's even that new one just down the road.

Oh hey, not even busy.

So I walked in and looked around for a second and... and... well they had nothing new on the shelves. So, I think about where to go next and there they were just laying on the bottom shelf just out of site. I did a jump with an excited gasp.

The store employees were looking at me dissaprovingly as I took this. 

I snatched up one of each and then noticed there was no price to be found. I looked here and there and saw a price nowhere. So I went to the cashier for a price check. $5.75 each. The same price as legions at Family Dollar. Wondering if my theory that these will replace Legions (movie ones are $8 at my local Walmart, a dollar less than Legends, which really defeats the purpose and these match up to Legends in scale).

So I walked around with my robots as I waited for my wife to text me back incase I needed to grab anything else. Purchasing my robots the employee mumbled something about not understanding. I then left and went to the grocery to buy my wife Cellas. Thats where I took this selfie. Because I was proud of my find and shared it on Talk Transformers.

My eyes always look googly in selfies.

As I went home I wished that song about this is how we do it was on. I think it's called 'this is how we do it'. I'm not sure what the it they're talking about doing in that song is, but I'm sure they were buying Transformers as well.

POTP Legends wave 2 looks awesome

Over the past few days, pics of the next wave of Legends for Power of the Primes popped up and provided a neat holiday surprise. Legends are becoming one of my favorite things to buy in TF. They're the perfect size, perfect price, and they're genuinely great toys. The next batch looks pretty great. Roadtrip and Battleslash combine to a great looking Battletrap. That's super neat! Tailgate looks fun too and potentially a better update of him from the last version. I've got the current wave sitting in my toy room from my wife over Christmas, I should really get to opening them. I've been on vacation the past week and really just enjoying the down time.

Nothing says Christmas like Battle Beasts!

Having a super fun Christmas full of robots, rangers, and games. Hope everyone out there in Zone Base Land is having a happy holiday!

I'm literally screaming right now

Doesn't help I daydreamed this guy up a month ago. 

I'm salivating so very much over Primemasters that the site of one I'll never own is killing me.

SO RAD

I guess I'm psychic

Neat! Sounds familiar though ;)

Weekly Spotlight: Bumblebee and Blazemaster

Most Autobots are surprised by the partnership between Bumblebee and Blazemaster. Two warriors have never been less alike. Bumblebee prefers the discreet approach, while Blazemaster likes to be seen - especially by the enemy. It's only when you watch them together in the field that the partnership makes sense. Because while one distracts the enemy, the other takes quiet aim.

One step over the line, sweet Primus, one step over the line

Eating at McDonald's in a Walmart, One Step over the line.

I love One Step Changers. They're great little figures that change quickly from one mode to another. When they were introduced in the Age of Extinction toy line, I went nuts. I went close to completion, only slowing down towards the end. When the RID 2015 line started up and One Steps were part of the line, well, I've certainly bought my share.

I enjoy small toys. This isn't a secret. Honestly, there's a slim margin of chance that's keeping me from buying almost exclusively smaller toy scales. I'll miss a deluxe or a voyager, but I won't miss a legion. It's just one of those things that eventually, nothings going to make me buy more than the occasional larger TF toy while I switch most of my focus towards smaller toys. Right now, I'm pretty close. But things like wanting to build combiners in Combiner Wars, or being nuts about Titans Return (which is smaller toy focused as is). I buy the occasional warrior in RID, but don't miss a legion or those awesome smaller figure packs like the armor figures or Crash Combiners.  I buy plenty One Step Changers (I really wish they'd call them Hyper Changers, a name that looks to be going towards those twist and change TF's from the AOE line) and love it.

I've never been too concerned with a difficult transformation. I'll admit a novel or unique transformation will get my attention and appreciation. The One Steps change pretty quickly (despite the name, there's an occasional 2nd or 3rd step) and usually serve as a decent enough representation of a character for my liking. Honestly, I find simpler toys to be extremely similar to older toys. Something I don't mind at all. When they first came out, I bought Drift and found myself carrying him around with me for a few days. Just switching back and forth. My wife talked me into buying more and I got a Grimlock. I literally sat in bed watching TV next to her as she slept, changing the two back and forth. Just great little toys. If anything, I kinda wish they were smaller. I remember when they were first coming to stores, I had a misunderstanding that they were Hot Wheels sized. I still swear making them smaller would improve their overall neat-ness.

Now that The Last Knight movie toy line news is starting to leak out, I'm finding myself getting more and more excited for new movie One Steps. Like, I'm extremely excited to get my hands on them. Part of me wishes they came in blind bags or boxes with wacky color variants. At their size and price (10$ each), that's a hard bargain. But at my wished for Hot Wheels size, they could be sold that way for much less. While I'm not complaining about the class being sold in movies and RID toy lines, I'd love to see it in the Generations line. I could see G1/G2 characters working really well as One Steps and probably be extremely close to their original toys in the class. It could be packaged as a novelty retro thing and I'm pretty sure that would move pretty fast. In fact the more I think about it, the more I want it.

Damn, I really want that.

*Edit* A week later from when I posted this, at this year's Toy Fair, Hasbro showed off their new bling bag Transformers toyline called Tiny Turbo Changers. Which are small simple changing toys. They probably have more in common with Legion figures than One Step Changers. But considering that the one step is mostly gear driven and legions have one big step and a few smaller ones, they aren't too different. So basically my general idea here seems to be happening. So, I guess someone else had a similar idea.