Starscream [BMK Series 1]

Ending out Yolopark’s first series of BMK simple model kits is Starscream, everyone’s favorite Seeker.

Starscream might also be the most complex figure in the series, with a larger part count than the others. Like the rest, though, he’s built around a main torso piece that includes the legs down to the knees. The rest of the legs attach below that, adding some extra ankle articulation.

The arms come together separately and are fairly well articulated, as is the head. The remaining parts are his wings, which attach to the back, and the null rays that connect to the arms.

Once assembled, you get a solid representation of Starscream. Like the other BMK kits, articulation is limited, but it still looks pretty good on display.

I’ve been seeing people customizing him into the other Seekers, which is predictable—but I’ll wait for Yolopark to get around to those. There’s also been some detailing work and repainting, especially giving him the more familiar gray face. I get it—most fans are used to that look—but his original toy (and often in the comics) had a black face. That never bothered me. If anything, it brings back memories.

When I was in kindergarten, that first Transformers commercial aired one afternoon after I’d come inside from playing. The Seekers had black faces in it. The next day at school, during some kind of standardized testing, I found myself daydreaming about what I’d just seen. For whatever reason, I’d decided those “jet guys” were basically monsters. Looking back now, part of me wonders how much of those early animation models were still pulling from the original idea of the Decepticons as electronic life-forms.

Anyway, this is a great little simple model that’ll look good on my future display—something that’s now shifted from “end of a long organization project” to more of a “when I get moved in” kind of thing.

Bumblebee [BMK Series 1]

If it’s not completely obvious, Yolopark started their BMK range with the old standbys — classic Transformers characters recognizable to everyone. While I know it’s uber cool to pretend to only like deep cuts… I like the main guys too. I’m also not cool, and I’m cool with that. Not to mention, I love classic Bumblebee.

Spending a little time with him in this BMK kit is exactly what I needed after a hectic few weeks.

BMK stands for Beginner Model Kit, and that’s very obvious when assembling one. Ideally, these are for a younger audience, but as I’ve said before, they’re just right for a future display I have in mind. They’re solid representations of classic characters at a pleasant size — exactly what I’m looking for.

So far, all the BMK kits I’ve assembled have followed the same general format. You’ve got a torso piece that includes the character’s waist and legs down to the knees. The lower legs, arms, and head are separate pieces that snap into place to complete the build. It’s done in seconds — maybe minutes if you’ve got some tight joints or distractions, like an insane cat going nuts while you’re trying to do something.

That was me. Her name is Miso, and she’s a tiny force of nature.

Cat chaos aside, Bumblebee looks great once assembled. His arms and head have a decent range of motion, and while the legs are mostly static, there’s a swivel at the knee and an ankle joint that give his stance a little life.

Bumblebee comes with his pistol — something you might catch him using if you flip across the Transformers channel. It’s an iconic look for him, even though his original toy never had a weapon.

Completed, it’s a nice, satisfying Bumblebee that looks like he just stepped off the screen. I’m really liking this BMK display idea of mine… now I just need to make some more progress on that room organization.

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.

Optimus Prime [BMK Series 1]

You don't get Transformers without Optimus Prime. You just don't. He's the main character and is always going to show up in some way. In other news, water is wet. So it's not surprising that he's in the first series of Yolopark's BMK kits, and you know what? It's a nice looking Optimus Prime.

Assembly is really easy, even for a BMK kit. Calves connect at the knees, arms on the shoulders, and the head pops onto the neck. This is one of those times where it really can't get any simpler than that.

Optimus comes with his standard Ion Blaster that can be held in either hand... though it only feels natural in his right one. The right hand, not the right hand for the job... which is still the right hand...

This is obviously a simple build, but it results in a satisfying looking classic Optimus Prime and I'm thinking he'll look great in that eventual display.

Megatron [BMK Series 1]

I had been meaning to dip my toes into Yolopark’s newer BMK line of simplified model kits. Meant for younger children, these are extremely easy snap-together kits that are just right for getting them started without overwhelming them with a large part count. Snap together a handful of pieces and you’ve got a solid figure of the classic Transformers, looking like they just stepped out of the TV.

Considering I’m not exactly a younger kid and have been handling toys and models my entire life, what do these hold to make me want them? For one, they remind me a little of older garage kits. More importantly, they make for great representations of the main characters, and a long-term goal of mine is to have a decent representation of the cast on a shelf, with almost all my stuff in a more organized storage solution. Initially, I intended to use the Yolopark minis for this… but I do like the BMK kits’ size. So I’m thinking these, paired with a small acrylic Transformers logo stand, will work pretty well.

Seeing as the word “Mega” has flavored this week, Megatron seems like the ideal starting point to look at in this series. So far (in Series 1 anyway), the BMK kits seem to follow the same template: legs from the knee down, arms, head, and accessories all connect into the central torso. For the most part, they snap into place easily, though some of the heads take a bit of pressure to seat properly. The joints are tight and the plastic quality is pretty solid — maybe a little too solid. Megatron’s left arm squeaked loudly when I moved it.

Once assembled, Megatron looks great. There’s a reasonable amount of arm articulation, along with movement in the neck and feet, plus a waist swivel. While the finished product may be basic, it looks sharp, and the larger size should look good in that future display.

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.

Monday (call a priest)

Someone didn't salt Sunday evening again because it’s Monday and we've got a new week ahead of us readers. I hope everyone had a great weekend, mine sure was! Busy, but great. Saturday the Mrs and I took my old car to a dealership and purchased a new car. We traded in my old car and I'll be using her old one as my daily driver, leaving the new one for her. She loves it and it looks to be a great new vehicle.

Afterwards we had lunch at her dad's house before stopping at a McDonald's for last chance Changeables. I got 7 that I haven't gotten yet. Kurtis the Divine, Galla, Pterabagdyl, Sizzlesaurus, D1V4, and Min-EE are joining my ranks as the promotion comes to an end. Hopefully I can score the missing members without much trouble. After getting home we ran out to Walmart for a few household things and stuff for her new car. While there I picked up Age of the Primes Wreck-Gar. We got home, watched a little TV and I passed out within minutes of eating dinner. I was wiped out. 

Sunday we made a Target run hoping to find the new Godzilla Power Rangers and Cyberworld figures. Came up empty handed, but left with collapsing crates for our car trunks. I ran into Michael's for a few supplies for future backdrops and checked out their model section... which is mostly cars with a small amount of Gundams. It's nice to have another place to purchase supplies, but they won't be replacing my dependable sources.

A stop by Publix for some work week lunches for the Mrs and we were home! After the busy week I had, some rest was needed. I finally played the copy of Resident Evil Requiem we bought Friday and really enjoyed it. Looking forward to spending more time with it and the adventures of Grace and Leon. I also ordered the Blokees Wheels Optimus Prime with trailer set, getting my Wheels collection up to date until series 2 releases. The Mrs made us tacos for dinner, which were enjoyed while assembling the Yolopark BMK series 1 kits that came in during the week. Afterwards I finished the last Wheels Series 1 kits that weren't assembled yet.

Well, I've got some errands to run (site post pictures were taken yesterday) and hopefully some episodes of Kamen Rider Zeztz to watch before work this evening. We're going to have a fun week on the site full of robots, monsters, and misadventure. Thank you all for reading. Please don't forget to share with your friends and be excellent to each other. 

Go Go Go (away) Monday!

Monday again? Crap. I guess it's time to start a new week of robots, monsters, and misadventure. I hope you all had a good weekend, mine was busy, but good. I've actually got a busy week ahead of me... next weekend will be forever away. Saturday, the Mrs took me to Visionworks for an eye exam and some new glasses with us doing a little shopping after. We enjoyed a delicious supper from one of our favorite restaurants that night. I got what's become my favorite sushi combination. Spicy yellow tail rolls paired with sweet potato rolls and of course cucumber rolls. Paired with some fried rice we shared, wonderful. Sunday was spent cleaning out my car and giving it a good wash. We'll be trading it in next weekend, so it'll need to be clean. We're getting a new car, which will be the Mrs's daily driver while I take over her old car. My graveyard shift working hours and short commute make it just right. My old car was great, but I've had it for 12 years. It's time for a change, thank you for your service Ford Fusion. I'm sure the Corolla will be proud to fill your shoes. 

Mom came over for dinner and we ordered pizza while watching 1000lbs Sisters. Not sure how many episodes are left in this season, but Tammy is out of control. It's ridiculous. Both nights I fell asleep long after the Mrs, my face buried in the Atari Gamestation Go. PC Engine games never get old. 

As for toys this weekend, I got a few. A stop by McDonald's for Changeables (they let me buy individuals) resulted in 2 Torrus's making my total 3 of him and a Drinkobius-999. I'm happy to finally get a new mold. It's awesome that McDonald's brought them back, but their stores are trying their best to ruin it for everyone. Target had 3 Razorclaws, meaning they had 3 Big Convoys at some point... one day I'll get one. Disappointment aside, I did pick up a SD Heroes Caesar Legend Gundam and a Zoids RZ-009 Command Wolf Realize Model kit. I also got another hobby knife that will be an extra whenever I find the missing one. Not to be left out, I also picked up a pack of coasters that have Gameboy box art on them. They'll never get used as coasters, but will be cherished. I also ordered the first wave of Yolopark Basic Transformers as I've been meaning to check that scale out. Not to be left out is the Maximal sticker for the Corolla, no car of mine is complete without proper alignment. The new Cyberworld toys are starting to show up and I'm actively salivating over getting them. Models my be taking the main focus here (it's a blog, they're more fun to write about... and I can tell you guys like reading about them more), but I'll still be talking toys and Cyberworld is something I intend to completely cover. 

Well, it's time to do some chores and site work done. Thank you all for reading Zone Base. Please remember to share the site with your friends and be excellent to each other. 

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.

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.

I'm so glad it's Monday (said no one ever)

Time to peel away the weekend and face Monday head on Zone Base readers. A new week is here and it's time we punch it right in the face! I hope everyone had a great weekend, I sure did! The Mrs and I had a fun time not doing a lot... and it was great! I actually had a little cold and needed some downtime with plenty of Coricidin, Ricola, and nose spray. I didn't buy any toys, but did get some Micro SD cards for my Atari Gamestation Go. Actually, this coming weekend the Mrs and I have a lot of shopping in mind, so I held off ordering anything in anticipation of our upcoming shopping trip. 

I assembled my Yolopark Transformers AMK Mini wave 2 models and about 9 Blokees Transformers Defender Version series 04 Sunday. That was a lot of fun. I can't get enough Defender Version and Yolopark seems to have stepped up the minis since wave 1. Wave 1 was great... but these just feel better, though I did have a little QC issues that required an email to Yolopark. Arcee came with 2 left upper thighs and no right one and the bonus Clear Hound was missing 1 wheel. I'm sure they'll replace them, but that sure was a bummer. Still, I can't wait to get wave 3! Speaking of can't wait, news leaked of an upcoming new series of McDonald's Food Changeables coming soon! I try to watch my diet, so I'm sure I'll be opting for the buy a toy without the meal options more than Happy Meals. Still, another great thing to look out for! It's like the universe is celebrating Zone Base's 10th anniversary!

Well, I've got a busy day ahead of me. I've got a lot to do. Household chores and some toy pictures to take for upcoming posts. I hope everyone has an awesome week. Mondays, right? Please look forward to a fun week of robots, monsters, and misadventure here on the site. Don't forget to share with your friends and be excellent to one another!

Bah Monday

Good Morning Zone Base readers and welcome back for another week of robots, monsters, and misadventure! Christmas time is in full swing here on Planet Zone and there's plenty of Rock Lording around the Christmas tree going on! The weekend went by way to fast for my liking, but I can still say it was a pretty good and productive one. I hope you all had a great weekend as well, but let me tell you about mine. Saturday the Mrs and I did our weekly shopping. For whatever reason, the grocery order at our local stores has been terrible so we did that in person again. I'd love to get back on our normal routine, but these are things that are out of my hands. I've been saying for years now that our most local store needs new management, so hopefully this will lead to some improvements. It's so bad that stores in other towns are being affected negatively and I'm sure that's causing some uproar behind the scenes. Christmas just isn't the time for retail to drop the ball!

I got some Christmas shopping done and I'm feeling pretty positive about this holiday season. Normally it's a more stressful time, but this year has thankfully been a breeze. It's nice to just enjoy Christmas without the black cloud hanging over my head. Sunday, I finally got my yard decorated. I know it's still early in the month, but seeing as this task is usually done Thanksgiving weekend, it was really bothering me. I got started early and really feel like I did a great job. It's a lot of work, but you can really stand back and admire the prettiness of it all once done. We've got a pretty cozy theme with our decorations and I love it. 

Mom came over for Sunday dinner and the Mrs made an excellent spaghetti meal! It was pretty cold outside, so after spending most of the day stapling lights to my house as well as some car maintenance, the warm meal tasted extra great! We watched the second episode of Stranger Things season 5 with Mom who is very concerned about Dustin. Rewatching it after the initial binge watch on release is great. I'm definitely enjoying the chance to digest it fully before the new episodes. After she left, the Mrs and I watched Home Alone while she played a game and I started work on building a BeastDrive. I've got a big backlog and it's fun to spend a little time building a kit on the weekend. I probably could have finished it, but took my time. I was a little tired after the busy day. Maybe next weekend it'll get completed, there's no rush.

Being Christmas time, I didn't buy myself anything, but didn't come away empty handed! I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I had won a Yolopark giveaway on Threads and am looking forward to receiving a randomly selected kit in the mail! It's been far too long since I've looked at Yolopark's products here on the site, and there's no way this won't be a future post! There was also a few fan events in Japan that I greatly enjoyed looking at pictures from. Most notably, a Diaclone meetup that featured some hand made items that looked so great! I found myself really liking the custom pilots created. It's really funny, while not a lot of pictures were taken at the event (a sign everyone was having a great time), plenty were taken afterwards at various convenience stores. It's impossible not to love toy pictures while someone is enjoying a quick snack! 

Well, I've got a fun week planned for you Zone Base readers. Thank you all for reading and supporting the site. I really appreciate it and am so humbled and honored to see so many people take time out of their day to read my posts. Please don't forget to share the site with your friends and be excellent to one another. It's time to do some household chores and take toy pictures for upcoming updates. The normal Monday morning for me, but I should really watch the new Earthspark movies on Paramount Plus. I'm really surprised they made additional content for the series and am looking forward to Hot Rod and Liege Maximo! Mutal High Fives everyone, let's get this week started!

Welcome to... Monday

Welcome back for another week of robots, monsters, and misadventure here on Zone Base! I hope everyone had a great weekend, I sure did! This week is the first full week of October and officially the rest of the world is also celebrating Halloween. Of course we've been going strong since August here on Zone Base and there's one more month of Pumpkin Spiced Mayhem to run wild with. If you use Instagram, please check out me out! This year, the Mrs and I acquired a Simpsons Treehouse of Horror advent calendar and I'm posting each days spooky surprise. Give me a follow too if you want. That's my main social media account where I have all sorts of fun.

This weekend was a fun one, albeit a little laid back. The Mrs and I took my Mom with us Saturday to Walmart to pick up a few things. Saturday evening was a relaxing one at home with Sunday being a nice rainy fall day. After a quick run to the grocery store for a few things, I spent the day playing the Silent Hill 2 remake that came out not long ago. I had bought it for the Mrs on release, but it's largely been unplayed. Since she's been working her way through the new Silent Hill F, she asked if I could play 2 so she could watch. No problem, 2 is easily my favorite Silent Hill game and it's been a long time since I've played the original version. 

I planned to organize the cords on our Halloween lights a little better this weekend, but a rainy day wasn't ideal for that task. Next weekend for sure. Wonderfest Shanghai this weekend and some really cool stuff was shown off. Of course various companies had assorted Transformers merchandise on display. Both Yolopark and Blokees made a great showing. Speaking of Blokees, they introduced Defender Version series 5. It looks great, damn I really need to get some series 4! 52toys had a great display as well. Of course there's some good BeastBox and BeastDrive bots coming, but what really has my attention is Roboforce. Roboforce is a new transforming robot toy series from 52toys that looks amazing! Hopefully they'll be easy to get here in the states. I usually don't have a problem, but every once and awhile there's a turd.

As for toys, I picked up Onyx Prime from Transformers Age of the Primes. Walmart had something new! They also had the new Voyager wave, but seeing as it wouldn't scan... I decided to wait for another time. Sometimes they just don't enter them in the system correctly and it won't ring up at the cashier. There's nothing more infuriating than being denied purchases due to someone else's incompetence. Hopefully I'll be able to buy them soon as well as the newest Target 4 pack that should be showing up this week. I've got to get in my new toy purchases in soon. After October, my annual tradition of not buying myself toys during November and December will be in effect. I'll be swimming in new stuff on Christmas, but will be spending money on others during the season. I've got quite a lot of toys still for us to look at, so content won't be lacking here on the site. I've never considered Zone Base to be a new toy review site anyway. This is a place to enjoy our fandom together and I'm flattered that you chose to spend some time here with me. It's time to get this week started Zone Base readers. Mutual High Fives everyone and please remember to share with your friends!

New Week 2000

Hello Zone Base readers! Welcome back for another week of robots, monsters, and misadventure! I hope everyone had a great weekend, I sure did! I enjoyed a low key weekend with the Mrs, enjoyed her great cooking, watched Stranger Things with her and Mom, worked on more Halloween backdrops for toy pics here on the site, and played Donkey Kong Bananza! Once again my Walmart didn't have any new toys, but I ordered Cyberworld Bumblebee and Snarl! Bumblebee will be here later this week, but Snarl won't arrive until a little later. I have no clue why he's the harder of the initial batch of Cyberworld toys to get, but I happily got one for standard retail.

My most recent Blokees order came in Sunday and the Mrs and I had fun opening the boxes and checking the trading card to see who as inside! I've got 2 cases of Galaxy Version Defender kits to start work on soon. I'll probably order another soon as well, I really love the Defender type kits and feel like they're perfect for site content. In a conversation on Blokees Facebook page, another poster suggested they do Battle Beasts in the Defender range. What a great idea! Part of me majorly prefers things like Blokees and Yolopark kits these days to traditional Transformers toys. I spent years of my youth painting miniatures and building models and Zoids. I guess these just vibe with that part of my brain. 

Speaking of vibing with my brain, both SCCC and Wonderfest Summer was this weekend. I definitely enjoyed the new toy reveals at SDCC. Transformers, Masters of The Universe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Godzilla, and others made a great showing with tons of exciting new releases in store. While I appreciate that, I won't lie, it feels like another official reveal like these companies do all year. It's exciting, for sure, but what really gets my heart going is the pictures from Wonderfest. I spent hours this weekend looking them over and wishing I were there. 

Well, I've got a fun week in store for you all. This is the prelude before Pumpkin Spiced Mayhem starts next week! I'm so excited that I swapped the site over to fall colors last week! It's good to freshen things up occasionally and with the 100+ degree heat I'm having...  the cooler temperatures of fall feels forever away. It's about to get extra spooky around Planet Zone for the next 3 months and I'm excited! Well, thank you all for reading Zone Base. Your support means so very much to me. This isn't one of those corporate sites that just want your money and you all are real ones for just wanting to enjoy our hobbies. Please be sure to share the site with your friends and Mutual High Fives everyone!

Grimlock [AMK Mini Series]

It goes without saying that Grimlock is one of the most popular characters in Transformers. Dinosaurs are cool, but robot dinosaurs are even cooler. Add in the lovable speech impediment and you've got a hole in one. Initially in the cartoon, Grimlock was more of a stubborn turd before becoming more adorable in the movie. His personality is either one or the other in other media, but that specific portrayal is what people hang onto to this day. My mother can't remember most of these things, but she'll say 'Me, Grimlock' when seeing him. These models have been a fun way for me to spotlight the 40 year Anniversary of Transformers on a site that's mostly about Transformers. Grimlock may not have arrived until 1985, but he's as integral to the franchise as any other.

This Yolopark AMK Mini model is quite fun. Like the others, Grimlock doesn't transform. Instead you build a very nice looking, display ready version of the character. Unlike the other models, Grimlock is in his alternate mode... which is perfect. From the 1986 movie and through the following season, Grimlock was mostly in his T-Rex mode which is how many envision him. Grimlock assembles fairly easily and is decently articulated. I really enjoy his jaw. While there's nothing groundbreaking there, you can close it too much giving him a hilarious overbite.

Soundwave [AMK Mini Series]

If you ask a random person what they remember about Transformers, usually someone will bring up Soundwave. He's one of the more iconic characters from the franchise thanks to his way cool cassette partners and trademark speech pattern. It also doesn't hurt that his head is the design of the villain faction. This AMK Mini Series model of him is a really great representation of the character with plenty of articulation and hand alternatives (open, closed, or pointing) for classic poses and lot's of expressiveness. Soundwave is also packing his trademark shoulder and handheld guns. Unfortunately there's no cassette minions included to round out the package. Considering he doesn't transform, that's not surprising and it doesn't take away from the figure. Like the other Mini kits, parts snap together quickly and easily. These are really simple models that result in great results

Bumblebee [AMK Mini Series]

Since 2007, we're all used to Bumblebee being one of the main characters in Transformers. Before that, however, the Autobots little buddy often served a a bridging character so kids watching could relate to the characters on screen. He was often paired with Spike in little wacky adventures. This Yolopark AMK mini model of him really captures the look of Bee from the old cartoon really well. Those screen accurate looks combine with great articulation resulting on one pleasant representation of Bumblebee. Like other Yolopark AMK Minis, he has 3 sets of hands. Open palm, pointing fingers, and closed fists that can hold his laser pistol. These models snap together really easily and it just took a few minutes to get Bee assembled.

I'm really impressed with the proportions of this kit. Bumblebee is a small guy, but those feet are pretty substantial. That's sometimes downplayed in various figures. Not so much here, these feet are satisfyingly large. This is all around a great AMK kit.

Optimus Prime [AMK Mini Series]

The main man of the franchise himself is a solid entry in Yolopark's awesome AMK Mini series and seems like just the bot to look at today. He features plentiful articulation and is easy to build. Like the other Mini kits, there is three pairs of hands. Open fists that can hold his iconic rifle, open palms to hold a basketball that's sadly absent, and pointing fingers to direct the Autobots into action. This is a really good representation of Optimus, which is to no surprise as all of these Yolopark kits have been really great. They assemble into really nice action figures without any glue or painting necessary. That's pretty neat. Getting into these was a good decision, I've been having a great time and look forward to getting more.