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.

Gridman Universe

New Week On The Grid

Monday sure can kick your giga butt, butt don't worry, Zone Base is here with an all new week of fun! There's an all new episode of 'Not As Brightly Lit' up to scare away that weekday boredom and I've got a fun week of new posts in mind. Thanks for continuing to read Zone Base and as always, please share with your friends!

New Week Combine!

It's time for another exciting week here on Zone Base! There's a new episode of Not as Brightly Lit available in case you missed it. They'll be another every Thursday, so please check that out. I've got some neat stuff to talk about this week. As always, please share with your friends!

Diaclone X Gridman

SSSS.DYNAZENON!!!!!!!!

完全新作アニメーション『SSSS.DYNAZENON』の制作が決定！
原作：グリッドマン
監督：雨宮 哲
脚本：長谷川圭一
キャラクターデザイン：坂本 勝
音楽：鷺巣詩郎
アニメーション制作：TRIGGERhttps://t.co/eX4Su9yp0l#SSSS_DYNAZENON pic.twitter.com/BBtXyhPHbR

— SSSS.DYNAZENON公式アカウント (@SSSS_PROJECT) December 14, 2019

Production of completely new animation "SSSS.DYNAZENON" has been decided! Original: Gridman Director: Satoru Amemiya Screenplay: Junichi Hasegawa Character design: Masaru Sakamoto Music: Shiro Konosu Animation Production: TRIGGER https://dynazenon.net#SSSS_DYNAZENON

Looks like the follow up to last years AWESOME SSSS Gridman is on it's way and looks great!

SSSS. Gridman x Ultraman

Tsuburaya recently put out this little short clip as sort of a segway from SSSS. Gridman into the new Ultraman anime movie. It's a neat enough little clip, not that I needed anymore reason to look forward to the movie, but who am I to not appreciate a good bit of marketing?

SSSS. Gridman

I watched the final episode of SSSS. Gridman over my Christmas break. Wow, what a crazy ride this series has been. It started off weird and funny, only to end weird and a little sad. I won't go into too many details as I'm sure not everyone has had a chance to see it yet, but the ending wasn't what I expected. I certainly did like the way everything came together and feel just as confused at the same time. I don't know if that's a good thing, but I'm not complaining either way. It was great to see something I've always liked get a new life 20-ish years later and to see it done so well was nice. I really thought the overall vibe of the show was fun. Like others, the Transformers references in the character designs was something I found neat (though the weekly pointing out of it did get a bit old, just in time for the ones pointing it out to move onto something else to do fortunately). I hope to see more of Gridman in the future, and with the Ultraman anime movie showing up on Netflix in the spring, I will at least have something else to take it's place.

OxT [UNION] (SSSS. Gridman intro music)

Two more episodes to go, what a crazy ride!

Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad German intro

 

treten Sie etwas Gigabutt

Transform Squadron episode 3

Transform Squadron Episode 3

In this November 2018 edition of Transform Squadron: Rob talks up Gridman and upcoming Hasbro Zoids and Micronauts lines before looking back at the Walmart Dinobots.

Good Ideas

You just can't keep a good idea down. Drench from Transformers Generation 2 has just a great look. That green striped into black, the yellow spoiler with that 'TURBO' graphic. It's just a super sharp deco that makes for a really good looking toy. So good looking that...

It was planned for a Universe update around 2004, made from the Armada Wheeljack mold, which was a really good figure with a pretty similar car mode. Sadly the toy was never made, but you just can't keep a good idea down.

As you can tell from the test shot, and might remember from the time, Wheeljack wasn't the best name for the mold as Sideswipe would have been a better choice. It looks like Sideswipe and the name would better suit the 'traitor' character. Such an obvious oversight that...

In 2008, Shattered Glass Sideswipe was inspired by the idea. Shattered Glass being a mirror universe with evil Autobots and heroic Decepticons. Characters had different colors and looks than they traditionally had, with Sideswipe jumping to the Decepticons, it just worked. Making for a great looking toy, with a great deco that payed homage to past Transformers. Perfect for a Transformers convention exclusive. I mean look at that car mode. It's a perfect homage to G2 Drench, a nod to the unreleased toy, and a good use of the mold.

But we're not done here. Nope, not at all. Surprisingly 10 years later, in the anime SSSS. Gridman, the deco popped back up. Many of the human characters were designed to pay homage to various Transformers (not to mention other random homages) and...

Well... you just can't keep a good idea down.

SSSS. Gridman intro

I may be a little enamored.

SSSS. Gridman

This weekend I was able to catch up on the first two episodes of a series I've been anticipating for awhile now, SSSS. Gridman. This is an anime Gridman series that's an all new cannon, but the creators insist isn't a reboot or remake. Gridman, of course, is a classic tokusatsu show from the 90's that was released in America (with new teenager scenes in the vein of Power Rangers) as Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad (something I've talked about quite a bit here). In short, I loved it. It has a different vibe from the original series. It's a little sad, with a touch of comedy. For instance in one scene, as Gridman was fighting a kaiju, his partner Sho was trying to find a weak spot on the kaiju leading a quip that they always have a weak spot in the Ultra series (both are made by Tsuburaya and have obvious similarities).

Adding to the drama is that our hero, Yuta, has amnesia and cannot remember his past. He can see kaiju before they materialize, leading to foreboding shadows in the background. The whole show has a great fever dream like quality which matches the somber mood and how I can imagine life would be for an amnesiac. He's drawn to the computer in which Gridman communicates with him and understands enough that he's part of the whole Hyper Agent scene. I really dig the who dreariness of the show. It's got a charm of it's own and making the entire story kind of haunting. A show like this can be a little over the top, so giving it that downer mood sets it apart and gives it character.

I'm sure if you're in the same circles I am, you've probably seen all the posts about the large number of Transformers Easter Eggs in the character design. There's tons of it, with more getting found practically every hour. I wonder if that's going to continue or if it will curb off at some point. That was super fun to spot out. Joy kills magically had a problem with it (heaven forbid something be popular), but it was great to watch so many people point it out with pure joy. I know I was personally thrilled with it and continue to do so as more and more gets pointed out. It's kinda amazing.

It's great to see something I've liked since I was a kid make a return after 20 something years. I still remember waking up early every day to watch SSSS before going to school. I still watch old episodes of it regularly, as goofy as it may be. I hope to get some of the new toys from this series as the updates to the classic designs look great. I suggest that if you haven't already checked it out to do so. The show kicks gigabutt.

What the heck did I do this weekend?

 

Honestly it was a pretty low key weekend. Aside from getting groceries and a little shopping at Walmart, we didn't really do much. Did some more clean up on my toy room, ate pizza and BBQ. I did watch the first 2 episodes of SSSS. Gridman, which was AWESOME and full of random TF Easter Eggs. Cyberverse wasn't as good as last week, but still ok. Super Ninja Steel was funny. I'll give a more in depth post about Gridman a little later. Didn't find the G1 Minibots, but brought home Power Series Megatron as well as some Nano Metalfigs, some swank Universal Monsters cups and the most rad Halloween Star Wars cup I've ever bought for a dollar.

Also ordered some stuff from Godbeast. Godbeast is awesome. Today (Monday) I went out to vote (early voting began today in my area, as a night shift worker it's generally my best option) which was a bit of a drag as they were having machine problems and it took a lot longer than I'm used too. After that a trip to Walmart again to order some contacts before my prescription expires and my insurance renews (my vision hasn't changed in over a decade), figuring I'll take a new exam after the new year and get some new glasses. While there I took a bag of pennies I found while cleaning my toy room to the Coinstar and bought Power Series Bumblebee. They had actually restocked since Saturday, I was tempted to grab Acid Storm but decided to hold off until next weekend. I have no real reason why.

I think I said Gridman more than 'uh' or 'like' the entire weekend. Which is a new record.

Woo Hoo Gridman!

SSSS. Gridman had it's debut episode earlier this week! If you're like me, you plan to watch it this weekend. I've already seen some keen Transformers Easter Eggs that are in the show, so now I'm even more excited for the chance to finally watch it. As a Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad fan, I'm super pumped to finally get something new from something that's been over for what... 20 something years?