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Seibertron's 2023 Year End Review: Best Transformers Toys and Media

Date: Friday, January 5th 2024 3:06pm CST
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 61,401

Seibertron's Year End Review

It's time to look back at 2023 in all things Transformers. Below you will find the picks from staff members Scotty P, D-Maximus Primal, Bounti76 and myself, william-james88, for the toys we found best in various categories along with our favourite bits of Transformers media and what we look forward to most for next. Please let us know your pics too. And now, on with the list!

Best Overall Transformers Toy

Deathsaurus is beyond a shadow of a doubt the toy of the year. While it was indeed much pricier than any toy his size in a Generations line, this toy showed what the designers at Hasbro could do if they had all the budget they needed to make our beloved toys as great as possible. And they didn't disapoint in any way. I love this toy and wish every Transformers fan could experience him. -william-james88

BURNING CHAINCLAW LET'S F****** GO jk it's Haslab Deathsaurus, soaring to the top of my 2023 pile at the very last minute. Part of my brain is screaming at me that this choice is pure recency bias. It may prove to be, but right now I'm more confident than not that it's the correct choice. Deathsaurus reminds me in many ways of the toys we saw from around 2005 - 2010. He's big, is (mostly) made from materials that feel solid, has tons of satisfying, clicky ratchet joints, and generally looks how I personally want Transformers to look. Best of all, and this is what nudged him past Suiken at the last minute, Deathsaurus looks great on a shelf while also including massive amounts of optional, well integrated play value. There's a plethora of stuff to do if you want to, and if you don't, you can slap that stuff on the back of his chair or in most cases, on his back.
Take your Victory lap, Deathsaurus, Eaglebreast and Tigerbreast. You've earned it.
-ScottyP

ROTB Optimus Prime. I managed to get one from Pulse, and he's fantastic. Tabs and fits together well in both modes, and it's fun to transform. -Bounti76

Legacy Armada Optimus Prime - This toy hit my hands, and I knew from there that this was the best things would get this year. He is so good, just so good! The alt mode screams power and bulk, and I love it. Main robot mode is very solid, very good looking, very well painted and molded, it is just lovely. And then the super mode is just so awesome. They could not have nailed this any better. and the fact that he is compatible with the old Overload is just the cherry on top. Well done team, this one was perfection incarnate. -D-Maximal_Primal

Best Legacy Toy

Sicko-Mode Powerlinx Hot Shot with Jolt. Take a fun Hot Shot, make it three times faster, give it extra guns and finally include a Mini-Con with an Armada toy homage and you get a super fun afternoon. This is the one Armada themed release from this year that tops its forebear in every possible way. -ScottyP

Tarn. I've wanted a toy of Tarn ever since I saw the design. I always appreciated that Alex Milne designed the character in a way that you could see exactly how it would work as a toy and I admit, I thought of getting a third party version many timed (but the total cost was always prohibitive for me). I'm glad I waited, because Hasbro aced it with this version. Looks like the comic character come to life. -william-james88

Tie between Nemesis and Antagony. Nemesis' altmode is straight out of the G1 cartoon, and they managed to make her robot mode look surprisingly good considering the starship was the priority for the toy. And I'm a sucker for obscure fembots, so Antagony definitely fits that bill, while wearing the mold better than Inferno, IMO. -Bounti76

Prime Dreadwing - After the first year of Legacy, the Prime figures were definitely the weakest link, with pretty poor efforts overall. This year, they shined. Skyquake was really good, and a lot of fun, but then they repainted him like Dreadwing, who is one of my all time favorite Decepticons, and I screamed. He is good, he is beautiful, and I am thankful my boy got another toy. -D-Maximal_Primal

Best Studio Series Toy

SS86: Snarl, Movie SS: Noah Diaz. Snarl is just great, and yes I wish the gold matched the other dinobots, but outside of that I couldn't ask for more from a Generations incarnation of Snarl. Well, maybe a gun, but aside from that, yes, entirely satisfied. It was a tough choice between this and Magnus, but my love of dinobots won out. I wasn't sure how granular answers in this category should be, but Movie SS and SS86 feel like two entirely different toylines, so I'm picking a separate Movie entry and that is Core Class Noah Diaz. Yes, really. This is a fun toy that takes some liberties with the film's exo-suit, but do you care? Not when it's this fun. It even avoids the weird no-face of recent things like the SS86 exo-suit by just painting over the visor. Maybe not an ideal solution, but better than a bad one! The rest of Movie Studio Series was disqualified for not being very fun. - ScottyP

SS Rhinox. This line felt off this year due to having toys based on non final designs for ROTB and making missteps with every single release of the Gamer Edition subline. But voyager Rhinox turned out awesome. Hasbro was able to make a last minute change to the colours right before it hit the stage of mass production, making this the most accurate ROTB toy this year, and thus the epitome of what the line is meant to be, accurate figures from the live action films. -william-james88

SS 86 Brawn. Another "stepped-out-of-the-cartoon" design, with a cool altmode and the perfect size to fit in with the other Deluxe "mini"bots. -Bounti76

This is probably my hardest category this year. SS was super polarizing this year for me, between Mirage AKA my favorite movie character, Gamer Megatron, and SS86 Snarl being my 2 biggest disappointments of the year, yet RotB Bee being the best SS Bee figure, Gamer Prime rocking out, core Noah being far superior to any other core, it was hard. But for me, Leader Scourge will be my pick. I loved Scourge in the movie, and his toy is pretty solid. It has a slenderman feel to it, with that awesome claw and grill chest. He is fun to pose, and he can look menacing in many different ways. He is just good, I liked him a lot. -D-Maximal_Primal

Best Earthspark Toy

Deluxe Nightshade, pick your deco (Hasbro or Takara). Not since Transformers: Prime, at least generally speaking, have the design teams for Transformers toys needed to make sleek, stylistic, potentially impossible character designs into toys. Sometimes these aren't successful but in the case of Nightshade, they knocked them out of the park. It's also been entirely too many years since an owl was used for an alt mode. The combination of novelty from that non-traditional alt mode plus a surprising level of quality and fun makes for the best output of the Earthspark lineup so far. - ScottyP

Warrior Thrash surprised me as it fit the bill of deluxes of old. I really like motorcycle Transformers since they usually give you a sleek robot with an imaginative transformation and that it exactly what we got. -william-james88

Nightshade. Transformation is a bit more intricate than I expected for an Earthspark toy, but they have a decent robot mode, and their owl mode is unusual and unique. -Bounti76

Warrior Jawbreaker - I adore Jawbreaker in the series, and his toy is no exception. It is fun but simple, elegant yet well painted. I adore him, he is cute and fun. They managed to make a great warrior here that wasn't compromised. -D-Maximal_Primal

Best ROTB Toy

Takara Optimus Primal. The "mainline" for Rise of the Beasts was surprisingly fun, and while not totally devoid of segments overly hampered by one-note gimmicks, it was a big improvement over the Bumblebee movie's tiny, mostly soulless effort. The main standout from the line has to be Takara's $60-ish Optimus Primal, a big rendition of the Maximal leader that fits right in with the "Leader Class" of years gone by and even the Legendary Optimus Prime they put out for the Bumblebee movie. A great sculpt, fun transformation, and even excellent compatibility with the Beast Battle Masters all adds up to what Transformers could be more often, if only they weren't so darn expensive. - ScottyP

Optimus Primal seems to have gotten the preferential treatment in the ROTB line, with most of his figures being the best of their specific class. The voyager, for instance, was the best of the three, and I really like that deluxe sized weaponizer figure. That was an excellent option for younger kids, providing an easy transformation but still providing good old ball joint articulation from the later Beast era. -william-james88

Voyager Optimus Prime - I am an oddball here, but i didn't like the SS (Buzzworthy Bumblebee) voyager that much. but the main movie voyager? That one was super strong. I like him a lot! It has some really nice little cues here and there that make him proportionally a little better looking than the movie model (which needs smaller thighs, more abs, and less square shoulders) and just makes him a superior toy. I love him, he definitely stood out this year. -D-Maximal_Primal

Best MP Toy

MPG-04 Suiken is the best of the very slim roster of MP toys released in 2023. All of the Trainbots have had a high degree of elegance in their designs, but the execution hasn't always been on par - just search the internet and social media for pictures of Yukikaze's knees. Suiken and the extremely similar Seizan offer both, in my opinion, with Suiken winning out for a unique color scheme and a headsculpt that completely nails the era the character comes from. The backpack kibble may be an issue for some, but for me it's super easy to just take it off and set it to the side if a slimmer profile is desired.
Honorable mention to MP-57 Skyfire, which would have won this if Takara Tomy hadn't designed him with exploding feet in service of a gerwalk mode that we don't need in Transformers because this isn't Macross and this figure doesn't even use the G1 toy design and ohmygodwhatweretheythinking

-ScottyP

MPM Bonecrusher and MP-56 Trailbreaker. I really tried to pick one of them, I did, but I just could not do it, they are so utterly different and accomplish things so completely different. They are just really good. Trailbreaker makes a great cartoon Trailbreaker, with some cool effects and a nice alt mode. Bonecrusher is huge, posable, but perfectly balanced with wonderful flame effects for movie scene recreations as well as a the highly posable claw and weathering. They are both top notch, and they both deserve a mention. -D-Maximal_Primal

Best TF Media

Earthspark, which probably edged out Rise of the Beasts for me just due to length as there's more here to savor. An entire team of totally new Transformers in a show with a decent budget? When do we get more? The villains of this entry scrape the barrel, but the rest is the most fun you can have with Transformers this year. - ScottyP

I really enjoyed the first comic from the new series. You can read my review here: /transformers ... und/47912/ -william-james88

Rise of the Beasts. While not as good as Bumblebee, still a solid follow-up with some actual good character development for the Autobots, and great voice acting work for the Autobots, Terrorcons, and Maximals. -Bounti76

Skybound comics - This one was also a surprise, I really enjoyed Rise of the Beasts, but the new skybound comics are just so strong. I was very wary of them, but then I heard about issue 1, decided to read it, and now I am hooked. This comic is so good you guys, they know what they are doing. It is a blast, and I cannot recommend it enough.
-D-Maximal_Primal

What you are looking forward to next year?

Titan Tidal Wave, and hopefully, Hasbro CEO Chris C. (whose entire name I can't type because of the profanity filter, which is honestly kind of hilarious) being fired.
-ScottyP

Magmatron, easy. I never had the original figure but always wanted it since I love Dinosaurs. And now I will own the ultimate version of that figure with modern articulation (a big weakness of the original). -william-james88

Honestly, not a lot of what has been revealed so far interests me, so I hope Hasbro has some amazing things coming up for the 40th Anniversary of the brand. -Bounti76

I am gonna say 2 different Masterpiece releases next year, specifically MPG Kaen and MPM Brawl. Kaen will finally complete Raiden, a project I have long been waiting to complete, ever since it was announced really. And Brawl will, with the exception of the Frenzy we really need, complete the MP 07 movie cast, which I am so excited for! Especially since the cons have been really solid, with Bonecrusher proving to be such a solid entry this year. -D-Maximal_Primal

2022 Year End Review : Y'all got anymore of them Cosmos?

Date: Thursday, January 5th 2023 12:33am CST
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 92,413

2022 Year in Review

Y'all got anymore of them Cosmos?

We won't beat around the bush, 2022 was one of the worst years for Transformers collecting due to atrocious distribution that was worse than what we saw during the pandemic. Even now, several 2022 toys have never been found at US brick and mortar retail like the AOE Crosshairs wave from Studio Series, and the Earthspark line which is still a no show anywhere in the US even though it was meant to be released at the same time as the show, for the holiday season (you know, that time of the year when most toys are purchased). We basically ended up with shelves looking very similar for the majority of the year with stores having so much Legacy wave 1. Plus there was the headache many had with exclusives around the world (still no indication of an Asian release for Galaxy Shuttle). Some fared better of course and those who buy principally online did get most of the 2022 toys (but still, no Earthspark and very little Cosmos), so we still have quite a bit to look back on (although next year will be PACKED with 2 more lines on the shelves). Below are the picks for the year from the various staff members here on Seibertron.com. Please tell us your pics for toy of the year, best exclusive, best Legacy toy, best SS toy and what you look forward to most in 2023 Transformers wise.

Transformers Toy of the Year

It's a tie between Victory Saber and MPM Blackout for me, but since I'll talk about Blackout later, I'll stick for Victory Saber here. While mine does have one of the more common issues with the filled in peg hole (giggidy) that didn’t stop me from enjoying my toy in all its facets, that’s how good this toy is. I love going from the giant spaceship to his different robot modes. You have the the tiny brain master becoming a larger robot who then combines with a giant suit which then also combines with a mechanical lion to either be a giant robot or starship. It is a glorious super robot, I can see so much love went into designing this toy and I feel I got my money's worth (the whole package was cheaper than what Legacy Metroplex retails for). Now if Hasbro could send me a replacement copy for my single defect, that would be great. - William-James88

Legacy Jhiaxus. Legacy has been a line embracing the chaos of what Transformers fans really want: a little bit of nonsense. It's only right that not-quite 30 years later, this line brings us a toy of G2 Jhiaxus for the first time. The first time. No really, grab your Foreigner belt because it really feels like the first time this time! Those orange things are just for show. It also helps that Legacy's Jhiaxus is one of the best figures in the entire line, with a transformation that hits just the right balance between fun and involvement, great articulation and an imposing presence suitable to the character. The alt mode weapon storage is really up to your imagination, but weapons inappropriately sticking out of nice-looking vehicles is extremely on-brand for G2 so this isn't a problem.

Legacy Voyager Class Jihaxus. Just a fun toy to mess with. He's a solid figure and it's nice to get the G2 version after all these years. A haslab Liege Maximo when Hasbro? - ZeroWolf

Legacy Metroplex. I was very excited for this figure this year, and it did not let me down in any capacity. Metroplex is big like he should be, scales with the Unicron trilogy like he should be, and he looks like he should. The colors and paint work on him are magnificent. All the joints they added to make him super duper posable are amazing. What they did with his head is amazing. How they worked Sparkdrinker to split, adding so many new fun things to do with him, was beyond great. He ruled, there is no ifs, ands, or buts about it. He ruled the year. - D-Maximal_Primal

HasLab Victory Saber. It's the best and most accessible version of the character(s) that I'll own, and was worth the wait. - Bounti76

Favourite Legacy toy

Blaster. The final wave of Kingdom was a crapshoot at retail for me, so it's a good thing Blaster was rereleased in Legacy. While wave 1 seemed to be overordered, the repacked Blaster didn't stick around too long whenever it was restocked and I can see why, this toy is a beauty. Blaster has always been an independent toy from Soundwave, so I am so glad he finally gets his own dedicated mold. Plus, we now have a proper voyager sized blaster in the generations line with a proper alt mode and he's even compatible with cassettes released from the past 4 years. Plus, he comes with a cassette while at the same price point. Basically, he's a perfect. - William-James88

Y'all know I have to get in my annual double-dip, so while Jhiaxus is what I'd consider the overall tops for the year and most definitive representative of 2022 Transformers, my personal favorite for the Legacy lineup is the Titan Class entry: Cybertron Metroplex. It's really tough to re-do some Cybertron/Galaxy Force characters as toys with any real improvements, but some of them do exist. I wasn't sure upon its initial reveal if Metroplex was one of them, but that feeling was wrong. Not only does the size of this toy scale wonderfully with other Cybertron toys, but he looks even more accurate to the cartoon than his original, very heavily "inspired by the show's CGI" Leader Class entry from 2006. While the lack of Drill Bit and a Cyber Key are still major oversights, the toy's so fun overall that I can look past them - assuming that obvious spot for Drill Bit gets utilized at some point through Core Class. - ScottyP

Transmetal II Megatron. I had a really tough time with this, as Jhiaxus, Megatron, and Metroplex were by far the 3 best Legacy figures this year. But I saw everyone else giving Jhiaxus love, so I felt comfortable going this way. Megatron is a true Leader Class figure, with size, complexity, and presence to him. He is so very good. Initial images were questionable, but in hand, he absolutely rules. This right here is a royally grand toy. - D-Maximal_Primal

Commander Class Motormaster. He's just so well done. Fun to transform back and forth (the trick with the feet is cool), appropriately hefty, and looks great in both modes. - Bounti76

Favourite Studio Series toy

Bumblebee Ratchet/Ironhide. I really liked the beginning scene from the Bumblebee movie so it was cool to see Hasbro go all in on those designs for the Studio Series toyline. I like that they got to make up their own alt modes, giving the designers more agency than with any other movie design since all they had to adhere to was a robot mode. And that's the part that amazes me because it could have all gone the Soundwave route where the alt mode feels really secondary but with the Ratchet/Ionhide mode, we got wonderful Cybertronian alt modes that are a great reimagining of their typical van alt mode, with one of my favourite transformations. I'm a sucker for inside out transformations where the robot folds within the alt mode, it just feels so satisfying and provides distinct details for each mode without giving extraneous kibble. - William-James88

Core Class Laserbeak. I mean it even (sort of) includes a Tea Party backdrop! Haters of this toy (hi, r/transformers) have bad taste and need to go back to fun school. Sure, it's barely a step up in molding from the old Legends Class movie Bumblebees of yesteryear, but dude, daddy's home. - ScottyP

For this, I'm choosing the Fallen. Despite its many, many flaws, I do have a soft spot for the Revenge of the Fallen movie. This toy is everything I wanted in a representation of the character. - ZeroWolf

TLK Hot Rod - This was a good year for SS, and I think the king of that is Hot Rod. The Fallen getting a magnificent leader toy is certainly up there, as is the fun of Brawn, but Hot Rod was definitely a case of "oh finally!" come to life. As someone who owns several official and 3P Hot Rods, this toy gives us the proper TLK Hot Rod design that TLK did not give us, coupled with the design choices of a 3P but made to a deluxe price point, and made for almost a mini-MP figure. This is a dang good figure, and worth your time to check out. Kibble management, smart transformation, the look in both modes down, they gave us the full package here. Well done. - D-Maximal_Primal

Leader Class Sludge. This is the Sludge I've waited for since I never got the G1 toy at Christmas in 1985. Big, hefty, fairly poseable, nice transformation, and that gorgeous dino mode. A few minor things (hollow dino mode belly, less than tight joints) don't detract at all from my enjoyment of this figure. - Bounti76

Favourite Masterpiece toy

MPM Blackout. This guy came right at the end of the year for me since my best option was importing the Takara release and he basically eclipsed almost all other toys I had the pleasure of handling in 2023. Of course, he was one of the most expensive ones but when something is pricey you do expect it to match your expectations, something the MPM line has not done consistently (still disappointed with that Prime we got). Well, MPM Blackout is worth every penny. The Transformation is fully original and finally concludes that imaginary contract I made with Bay/Paramount when I first saw the designs back in 2007 and expected it as a transforming toy. - William-james88

From a jam-packed field of :checks notes: five entire Masterpiece figures released in 2022 it was hard to pick one stand-out, because they're all equally close to one another in presence and quality. I'm going with the first Trainbot, Shouki, but that pick is probably based more on the novelty of a train alt mode than anything else. Getsuei, Nightbird, Crosscut and even MPM Blackout were all pretty darn great too in their own ways. I like quality and quantity, but if I have to pick only one, then quality is fine. - ScottyP

Senator Crosscut. It's incredibly well done so and I ended up taking a step back from Raiden for cost concerns. - ZeroWolf

MPM Blackout. I was excited for this toy coming into the year, and it lived up to the hype. It is a big figure that has a truly impressive copter mode that looks great from every angle (including bottom!) and that has a super robot mode that is an imposing size and also very posable. There are so many smart little cues in the transformation and robot mode, like the way the check and cockpit windows work, that makes him truly stand above the MPGs this year. - D-Maximal_Primal

Masterpiece Clutch. That we got a Senator Crosscut with him (who's the best looking of that mold) is just icing on the cake. - Bounti76

Favourite Exclusive

Cosmos. It’s really a pity not everyone who wants one can get one because this little bot is a joy to transform and discover. I also really liked how the Velocitron Blurr turned out, a very welcome surprise. - William-James88

Override. The exclusive channel was a great place to be this year. Not only were there great and sometimes wacky repaints, but just about all of them complemented either Kingdom or Legacy (or both) in what felt like very natural ways. There were even some new molds among Walmart's Velocitron sub-line, and this is where my favorite exclusive for the year was contained: Override, or if you prefer, Nitro Convoy. Basically all of my notes from Metroplex apply here as well, though Override's at least got Cyber Planet Key compatibility of a sorts which is a big positive. Speedia's leading lady is another example of a smaller sized Voyager Class toy with an expanded budget hitting a really sweet spot quality-wise in the "main" line, and though this isn't the most popular opinion I hope we see many more toys like her in the future. - ScottyP

I'm going with plucky little Cosmos here. I was down on him at first but after having him in hand, he's won me over (okay, being the only one I ended up with from the line may factor in here). - ZeroWolf

Wreck N' Rule Springer. This one really surprised me, and is why I want to include him here. I didn't get Siege Springer, as the old T30 is still far superior to that figure. But this one, I wanted to get the Wrecker Hammer, and he had a big ole Wreckers symbol, so why not. And he is real nice in hand. The colors and paint work help him stand so far apart from both T30 and Siege, and he owns this mold. He is real nice, glad I got this one in particular. - D-Maximal_Primal

Tie between Cosmos and Minerva. I was lucky enough to get a Cosmos right out of the case as he was being unpacked, and I've never seen another one since (why 1 to a case, Walmart??). Despite his hella rarity, he's a fun toy in all regards and is the perfect scale with the other small-deluxe Minibots so far (Netfix Bumblebee, Kingdom Warpath, Selects Hubcap, etc.) - Bounti76

And despite only NOW showing up at physical Walgreens (I saw 6 yesterday alone), it's nice to FINALLY own a retail release of the first female Autobot toy ever released, since (barring a reissue of Minerva's G1 toy), her original 1988 figure is prohibitively expensive. She's got a fun mold, a satisfying transformation, and her body actually becomes a decent portion of her altmode, aka she isn't a huge shellformer. - Bounti76

Favourite piece of Transformers Fiction

Earthspark was perfectly fine for the kid show it was. It gave us an excellent take on Megatron, easily my favourite character in the show (too bad his toy isn’t that great)- William-James88

The percentage of good stuff proportionate to the amount of Transformers fiction released this year would point to it being a really great year for the stories that give depth to our Cybertronian friends. That probably can't be said in general though, as the overall amount of output delivered was collectively tiny, especially as compared to some other recent years. While the Beast Wars comic and TV's Earthspark provided some super fun material, the best of the heap this year was Nick Roche and EJ Su's Last Bot Standing. Simultaneously a send-off to everything that came before and a challenge to everything that is to come, this book imagines what the real end-game for the Cybertronian race could look like. Whatever your expectations were of it, you were likely not prepared for the tough questions this story attempts to answer. I doubt we'll ever see a Transformers story like this one again, but thank goodness this happened.

But dang Hasbro, we all love Moon but why'd you force Waddlepop out of it? That's the kind of uncomfortable stuff I want to read! - ScottyP

IDW Last Bot Standing - Anyone who knows me knows I almost never buy individual issues of comics, i buy trades. So, the fact that this series got me to buy all 4 individual issues should say something. This comic was pure joy to read, a great de-construction of Rodimus and the story of countless endgames finally reaching a logical conclusion. The story helped solidify Rodimus as one of my all time favorites, while also giving such a nice breath of air with the Pack of Antagonists. It was a great time, and a true sendoff to the IDW era of Transformers. - D-Maximal_Primal

EarthSpark. It's a fun show, with some nice callbacks to other TF fiction that manages to still do its own thing. - Bounti76

Best TF related Moment

Watching Earthspark with my kids while my son was playing with the new Earthspark toys (we got them up in Canada). If there's a heaven, I can't imagine it being better than that. - William-James88

I should begin elaborating with a point of clarity: I'm not happy about IDW's license to make Tranformers comics not being renewed. They made most of my favorite Transformers stories over the years, and losing the ongoing Beast Wars series from Burnham and Burcham (among many others) is a great loss.

What I am celebrating, in a way, is the end of the least interesting Transformers ongoing comic in a very long time. With the wider universe of the TF 2019 continuity wrapping up so early compared to other books and side projects, it feels like this was inevitable even if IDW's contract had been met with a renewal. Interesting side stories like most of Galaxies and the brief, probably-intended-as-a-toy-pack-in Wreckers series never felt like they fit alongside Optimus Prime and Megatron's boring, planet-wide war about, uh, stuff they probably could have talked out. Then there's Exarchon, an attempt at the "villain that could unify all Cybertronians" trope that was handled so awkwardly it led to me dropping my subscription for the book. I eventually did grab and read the rest after its cancellation was announced - my message had been sent - but the damage was done at that point. The book had committed a far greater sin than being actively bad, it was inactively just a thing that existed with no soul to be found in the story. The primary emotional response I had to it wasn't anger or frustration, it was ennui. Was the sometimes bizarre lack of direction and cohesion due to Hasbro interference, editorial shuffling, a lack of long-term planning, or even some combination of those things? One day we might know, but whatever the cause, this run ultimately failed. I mean no disrespect to the creators, sometimes the best efforts we put forth just don't work. The 2019 Transformers comic continuity ending was a mercy and hopefully leads to better things in the future for both TF comics and the creators that worked hard on this latest iteration. - ScottyP

HasLab Deathsaurus reveal. On one hand, it felt inevitable given the HasLab Star Saber, but seeing Hasbro going full throttle with the character (that someone on the design team clearly loves) was pitch perfect. - ZeroWolf

If I had to choose a 2nd one, it would have been the drop of the teaser trailer for Rise of the Beasts, letting us see a glimpse of how the beast wars gang look on the big screen. - ZeroWolf

Deathsaurus announcement - Deathsaurus has been a very specific character i have longed to see done right, and his announcement in Haslab was a huge highlight. Couple that with how well he turned out in the colored renders, painted prototypes, and all the accessories he will come with at his very impressive size, and I am super excited for him. His announcement was a truly great moment of the year. - D-Maximal_Primal

Seeing "bad bot" characters outnumber good bots and sell very well. Deathsaurus become HasLab's most popular figure ever, and the main Legacy lineup was at least 50-75% Decepticons and Predacons (Deluxe figures 8-4, Core 6-2, Voyager 4-2, and Leader 3-1 ratios). - Bounti76

The reveal of HasLab Deathsaurus, specifically Thew's reaction. I'm a latecomer to his content and his appearance on the Pulse livestream was tremendously entertaining! And this single stream led me to finally watching the various anime for the first time.- Rotostormnz

What are you looking forward to most next year

I have been fascinated by Hasbro’s ability to push the release of the ready made Rise of the Beasts toyline and the effect it will cause. Instead of seeing two different sets of toys for the same characters released a year apart, we will see similar characters in similar price points on the shelves at the same time and I’m looking forward to seeing the difference between those toys and the different approaches taken. - William-James88

Whenever I try to be optimistic about Transformers in 2023, I remember there's a movie coming out and it all comes crashing down. I know that more of the MPG Trainbots are on the way, so let's go with those. - ScottyP

There's a lot coming out that I really want to see but most of all? Commander Class Armada Optimus Prime. The original is a brick, no getting around it, but it also has a lot of charm. It'll be interesting to see how Hasbro handle it with the technological improvements of the past couple of decades (*sniff* has it really been that long already?*sniff*). - ZeroWolf

Rise of the Beasts - I always love a movie year, and with what we have seen so far, I am very excited for Rise of the Beasts. I won't let you movie haters knock me down! Particularly, the Terrorcons, Maximals, and Mirage have me very excited for the new movie. I cannot wait. - D-Maximal_Primal

Hopefully getting the first female Titan toy, if the rumors about the Nemesis are realized. Since Lodestar is the first female Titan in fiction, maybe she could be a remold of Nemesis? - Bounti76

The releases of Legacy Evolution Voyager Tarn and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. I'm very curious to see what other G1 Retro reissues we get (fingers firmly crossed for Mirage!) as well as a handful of leaked listings that would make me very, very happy if they came true. - Rotorstormnz

Top 5 Best Transformers Minicon Partners

Date: Saturday, November 12th 2022 7:49pm CST
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: rikkomba

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Hello everybody! Welcome back for the second part of this series focused on minicons.
You can find part 1, focused on minicon teams, here.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of what has been one of the most influential Transformers toylines ever created, whose wild success eventually opened the door to investing in the Bayverse.
Armada introduced us to minicons as the “third faction”. Spawn of Unicron and pokemon of the week, these tiny robots were hunted down by both Autobots and Decepticons as “power ups” for larger Transformers.

Minicon toys came in two flavours: teams, sold, in 3-packs, and partner minicons sold together with their bigger partner. Today we’ll focus on the latter.

Minicons have been defined as “feature-activating micromasters”. Partner minicons are meant to integrate with their “bulk” best buddy, unlocking secret powerups and otherwise unaccessible features. This is important: the partner minicon should provide a significant upgrade.

In ranking these teams, 1-10 scores were given for:
Integration in alt mode: how well does the minicon integrate in the bulk’s alt mode?
Integration in robot mode: same, for the robot mode.
Powerlinx gimmicks: how well does the minicon play into the main gimmick?
Engineering: how well was this toy built?
Transformation: how original and well executed is the transformation?

We also add a note on the best repaint out of several available, and we ask the question: which minicons were truly essential for its partner? Not as many as you think…

The list includes all 34 partner minicon molds: 20 from Armada, 4 from Cybertron, 1 from Universe 2.0 and 9 from Power Core Combiners.

It might be strange to see Armada and PCC minicons together, but the underlying concept is really one and the same. How well did PCC execute that concept… we’ll see.
Let’s get started!

#5 Comettor (with Armada Jetfire) (39/50)
Integration, alt mode: 10, Comettor, like Rollout, is an essential part of Jetfire’s alt mode.
Integration, robot mode: 7, Comettor looks the part on top of Jetfire’s blaster, but nothing more.
Powerlinx gimmick: 7, the pop-out wings look awesome, even if other minicons could be used as well.
Engineering: 7, considering the complexity of the transformation, the result is as great as it could have been.
Transformation: 8, original and not trivial.
Versions: 4
Best version: Armada Powerlinx.
Essential? Yes.

#4 Rollout (with Armada Overload) (41/50)
Integration, alt mode: 8, differently from Comettor, Rollout is not an option for Overload’s alt mode.
Integration, robot mode: 7, the “breastmaster + headmaster” gimmick is fun, but minicons are meant to be optional partners, and Rollout is not an option as it carries Overload’s head. Compare with Sideways, which comes with its own independent head.
Powerlinx gimmick: 8, that G1 transformation sounds still plays after 20 years.
Engineering: 9, the four modes don’t require much effort, but that’s no guarantee for success, see Universe Jolt.
Transformation: 9, simple but effective, across all four modes. The gun mode is just smart.
Versions: 7
Best version: Energon CostCo.
Essential? Yes.

#3 Stripmine (with Cybertron Quickmix) (42/50)
Integration, alt mode: 10, at this stage of the Unicron Trilogy nobody expected such a level of minicon interaction, but Stripmine delivered, almost turning Quickmix into a playset. The combination of Cyber Key gimmick and minicon is unique.
Integration, robot mode: 8, just like Leader-1, Stripmine can turn into a handheld gun.
Powerlinx gimmick: 7, while the main gimmick depends on a Cyber Key, Stripmine takes the whole toy to the next level.
Engineering: 9, it all works flawlessly.
Transformation: 8, not trivial, and solid.
Versions: 2
Best version: Cybertron.
Essential? Yes.

#2 Rook and Crosswise (with Armada Sideways) (43/50)
Integration, alt mode: 10, these two minicons can’t really be separated, and their combined Kamen Rider mode is pure genius.
Integration, robot mode: 10, the revival of the Headmasters gimmick, which also involved Overload, started here. A homage to Punch/Counterpunch, Kamen Rider, headmasters AND Unicron, all in one? Mind-blowing.
Powerlinx gimmick: 10, activating a different faction symbol per head is still lots of fun. Remember, the first run of Armada Sideways had the gimmick inverted.
Engineering: 7, it’s all functional, but many things could have been better.
Transformation: 6, this is primarily one humanoid figure whose alt mode is two minicons.
Versions: 4
Best version: Armada (second run).
Essential? Yes.

#1 Leader-1 (with Armada Megatron) (46/50)
Integration, alt mode: 7, Leader-1 unlocking extra missile launchers while doubling up as a gun pod always puts a smile on my face. The activation of “rat-tat-tat” sounds has the opposite effect.
Integration, robot mode: 10, Leader-1 can turn into a handheld gun, connect to a shoulder as a missile pod or enter a “not so secret compartment” to physically integrate into Megatron’s robot mode. Awesome.
Powerlinx gimmick: 10, the alt mode gimmicks also work in robot mode, and make Leader-1 a memorable partner.
Engineering: 10, it’s possible to achieve great things even with a simple execution - something that eluded most similar efforts in the Unicron Trilogy (see Cybertron Drill Bit).
Transformation: 9, simple, effective and elegant.
Versions: 3
Best version: Armada.
Essential? Yes.

Megatron truly reigns supreme over mini-cons. With the top 5 done, let’s find out which mini-con is truly the worst partner a Transformer could ask for!

Now, we also have the rest of the rankings for those curious of who'd be the runners up and which would be the worst one.

#6 Inferno (with Armada Thrust) 1 / 0 / 0 / 2 / 5
Universe Jolt is an abomination, and a warning to all Tfans asking for modern versions of UT toys. The most iconic powerlink port of the entire Unicron Trilogy, connecting Jolt to Hot Shot’s car mode, has been removed, replaced by friction and luck. Plastic feels cheaper than most KOs, and would not pass the test for a Kinder Suprise toy. How anybody approved this is beyond human comprehension.
Versions: 3
Best version: TFCC Cop-tur, at least it’s a new character.
Essential? No.

Top 5 Best Wheeljack Transformers Toys

Date: Tuesday, July 19th 2022 12:06pm CDT
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 109,310

Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.

Top 5 Best Wheeljack Transformers Toys

Wheeljack is the seminal Autobot. He was the very first Transformers character we see in the G1 cartoon and he has been around for several incarnations of the brand, and no matter how redefined his character may be, there is always a throughline in terms of design cues for the toys, similar to Optimus Prime. To keep things simple for this list, we will simply look at toys labelled as Wheeljack with the Wheeljack design cues. Now let's get to it!

5. Transformers G1 1984 Wheeljack

One of the better original toys from the 84 line. Unlike other Diaclone toys, G1 Wheeljack works very well as a toy meant to convey a sentient robot, and he has no partsforming. He has that very recognizable headsculpt and since this is a Diaclone toy, the alt mode is perfect.

4. Transformers War for Cybertron: Earthrise Wheeljack

It was a toss up between this and the "Classics/Generations" version but in the end, the Earthrise toy makes the previous Generations Wheeljack obsolete due to the better proportions. While I love how the chest transforms to get a different shape in robot mode from what we see in the alt mode, that does cause him to be extra fiddly, which was also an issue with the "Classics" toy, and that's why he is not higher on the list. Looks great though!

3. Studio Series Bumblebee Movie Wheeljack

Man, what a breath of fresh air these Bumblebee designs were. Firstly in terms of looks, showing us that there can be a middle ground between G1 and the designs in the early Bay films, when it comes to live action. And secondly in terms of toys where the Hasbro team gave us completely new alt modes that they designed themselves to fit with the already conceived robot mode. So you end up with an interesting bot mode, giving a more realistic take on the G1 design and a really cool alt mode, that gives us a new take on a Cyertronian version of the Wheeljack's alt mode. And the transformation to get from one mode to the next is perfect, showing that after decades of car formers, Hasbro can still give us new transformations. Hats off to everyone who had a hand in making this toy.

2. Transformers Prime: Robots In Disguise Wheeljack

With all the accolades I gave to the number 3 pick, the next two should be damn near perfect right? Well they are. Starting with Prime Wheeljack. Stellar transformation that is still as intricate as ever and a very screen accurate toy in both modes. Plus it's a new take on Wheeljack, personality wise, with a new set of accessories/weapons not typically associated to Wheeljack. The toy gives us two options for weapon storage, including an offensive car mode.

1. Transformers Masterpiece Wheeljack

Perfect. I mean I could go on, but do I need to? This is the ultimate MP toy for me. A nice meaty transformation, not fiddly, turning a real world alt mode (like the G1 toy) into a screen accurate bot mode. This was truly the toy to satisfy any fan.

Honourable mentions: Cybertron Downshift is a great toy but I had to be clear with this list so he didn't really fit. Still I wanted to mention him so here's the best spot. Really cool alt mode, solid toy, and non intrusive gimmick. A great example of why he Cybertron line was aces.

Transformers Cybertron Downshift Gallery

Seibertron's Year End Review Where we Look at the Best Toys of 2021

Date: Thursday, January 6th 2022 3:07pm CST
Categories: Toy News, Site Articles, Editorials
Posted by: william-james88

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Seibertron's 2021 Year End Review

So here we are, another year is over and done with and while looking back on 2021 might not be of high importance on everyone's list of things to do, we did get some pretty cool figures. So the staff team at Seibertron got together to share what they liked best of the year in different categories and we invite you to join in on the fun and give us your pick for each category. Now, here we go!

Figure of the year

Transformers News: Seibertron's 2021 Year End Review

william-james88: Kingdom Rodimus Prime. As part of the standard Kingdom line, spending $80 on a voyager sized figure is rough. BUT if the same toy was released as a special "Gen MP" release, which was a line of toys with MP level engineering made to fit in with the current classics scale line, and he came with a trailer, turret platform, accessories (matrix, sword of Primus, effect parts) fans would be all "take my money" and the fact that it's below $100 would sound almost incredulous. Well that's what this Rodimus Prime toy is, truly. More complex than MP-10 with similar number of accessories. And since he's chug scale, he's 80$ instead of 150$ (hell, this released these days in MP scale and MP quality, we'd be looking at $250). I for one thank our Hasbro overlords for trusting me to understand what I am getting in this 80$ package. Obviously, if you find it on sale, then that's even more awesome but that's the same for any great toy.

Scotty P: MP-52 Starscream and/or MP-52+ Thundercracker. I suppose Skywarp makes the cut here too, though end of December releases get tricky, especially with the slower pace of international shipping these days. Anyhow, this third version of a Masterpiece seeker mold delivers the pinnacle, thus far, of the "Sunbow" style design aesthetic for the MP line. Delivering a complex transformation that is, for once, pretty easy to learn while still achieving a superb sculpt with all the articulation you need made this a slam dunk. I didn't need any more Masterpiece seekers but given what the final product is in this case, I can say in retrospect this is something I really wanted.

Bounti76: Unicron. The sheer scale of the figure and the PRESENCE he has is worth the cost.

ZeroWolf: I was conflicted here. Part of me wanted to give this to Unicron but then I couldn't think of a good reason why compared to others. So instead I'm going to say...Transformers Kingdom Core Class Rattrap. Sure, his shoulders are awkward but any toy I can return to and fiddle with constantly are a win for me.

Kanrabat: Definitely Masterpiece Reboost. Not only it's an original character for once (at least in the TF universe) but it's an AFFORDABLE MP with a simple transformation that is FUN to do. I was blown away by this truly Masterpiece of a Masterpiece.

Favourite Kingdom toy

william-james88: Even though this was the best year ever for my favourite series, Beast Wars, none of the beasts impressed me as much as Cyclonus. That transformation was amazing, truly going from one completely different form to another.

Scotty P: Rodimus Prime. Kingdom was an excellent line overall and this nearly went to Dinobot with even Huffer getting some consideration in my mind. Rodimus Prime is something like a dream which is why it gets the nod here for me. Some fans are understandably apprehensive about the switch from size classes to price classes even now, years after it happened, and Rodimus Prime certainly can be looked at as the poster child of this when comparing the robot mode to previous releases such as Jetfire. This is a case where size just doesn't matter when the toy uses that additional budget to be so darn good. Rodimus borrows cues from several previous iterations of the character and even MP-44 for the under-trailer accessory storage, has every feature he needs and even possesses the best headsculpt we've seen for this character ever. It's not perfect, as the trailer tab tolerances are a little frustratingly off and the packaging itself caused paint woes, but this is one of those topics asking for a "favorite" and not "best", so Commander Class Rodimus Prime was an easy pick.

Bounti76: Tie between Slammer and Cyclonus. Slammer is great fun to transform and feels solid, and Cyclonus not only looks the part, but is an engineering slam dunk.

ZeroWolf: this was going to be Airazor but Tigatron nipped her to the post.

Kanrabat: Very hard to decide. I guess Leader Beast Megatron is my favorite of the bunch. A fantastic mold with amazing poseability and great show accuracy. Why pay 400$+ for the MP when you can have this one?

Favourite Studio Series toy

william-james88: Slug, it was really great to finally get another big dinobot that wasn't Grimlock for a change. I love how beefy he is and I feel these leaders (both he and Grimlock) give us what we all want in a leader class release.

Scotty P: Studio Series 86 Grimlock. If Studio Series' branding being co-opted by The Transformers: The Movie wasn't enough, the toys released for this section of the line have been far superior, delivering pleasant and high-quality figures with 90% less of that frustrating 'panel massage action' when compared to their movie universe peers. Ignoring Wheelie, who should have been replaced with a sword, this is very nearly the definitive Classics-style Grimlock I've always wanted. An excellent companion piece in Slag makes me very excited for the inevitable releases of Sludge, Snarl and Swoop.

Bounti76: Tie between Dino and Jolt. We FINALLY got screen accurate versions of these two... only 10 years after the movie they were in came out. Technically, Dino's car mode isn't a Ferrari, but licensing issues aside, still looks great.

ZeroWolf: Grimlock, has to be...Who can resist a robot dinosaur?

Kanrabat: SS86 Grimlock. Simple, yet so perfect. Another mini MP.

Favourite Cyberverse toy

william-james88: I really didn't like deluxe Soundwave when he was first shown. The character has a great model on the show but it seemed ruined with some offputting kibble. But in hand, most of the issues went away. Not physically, everything I disliked was still there, but I just loved transforming and posing him that they didn't matter as much.

Scotty P: Deluxe Slug. Sometimes you have so many toys of a given character (or character archetype) that you feel like there are no surprises left to be had. Cyberverse Slug takes away some of the jaded feelings this old-timer gets on occasion by delivering two expressive modes that have a process to transform between the two that lives up to the brand's "More Than Meets the Eye" tagline.

Bounti76: Deluxe Class Arcee. Screen accurate robot (minus the back kibble) that actually feels decently made, and not be a "kiddie" toy, designed more to be cheap.

ZeroWolf: Deluxe Class Dinobot Slug...see previous answer.

Kanrabat: I didn't bought much Cyberverses so I'll cheat a bit because he was re-released in 2021. Ultra Skullcrunsher. This one blow both the OG G1 and the TR update away. Sure, he's no headmaster but the whole package just works. He's fun to transform, have a logical gimmick and he do MORE than the previous versions. Truly impressive.

Favourite Masterpiece toy

Scotty P: MP-53 Reboost. As is tradition, I've managed to pick two MP toys in this list once again. It's true though, while I don't think this is on the same objective level of nicety as the new Starscream, Reboost is an amalgamation of so many cool ingredients at once that he quickly became my unexpected favorite Transformer for the last little while. Start with the equally great MP-52 Skids, give him a cool red repaint, extra accessories, the soul of Diaclone and a headsculpt with the energy of Alternity and you get an amazing piece that feels like a celebration of everything that went into making it a reality. The fact that Reboost is a "literally nobody" type of character could be a knock against it, but in this era of Total Brand Awareness where everyone in the brand's A and B tiers gets done ad nauseum, these are the types of Transformers that spark the imagination and keep me invested.

Bounti76: Skids. Out of nowhere, and he and Reboost bring me back to the things I loved about Masterpiece in the early 2010s- fun transformation and durability of the figures without being overly complex.

ZeroWolf: Skids, thanks to not having to rely on cartoon accuracy, they instead made a fantastic toy that shines in both modes.

Kanrabat: I'll say MP Reboost again.

Favourite Exclusive

william-james88: We had great exclusives this year. I FINALLY got my coneheads but I can't use that for the best exclusives of this year since they were supposed to arrive in 2020. With beasts being absent from this Beast Wars fan's year end list, it's about time I changed that as I claim Covert Agent Ravage as my favourite exclusive. This was not cheap but it is the best toy of the character we ever got and none of those were ever cheap. I appreciate how he transforms different from Cheetor at parts and looks very different in robot mode. It's also a really cool package with a fun spin on how incredulous his transformation was on the show.

Scotty P: Buzzworthy Bumblebee's "Worlds Collide" set. This feels like a throwback to the exclusives of 20 years ago and I love it. One set manages to provide a killer black and teal repaint of a "good guy faction" leader that hasn't been done 19,000 times already, Blackarachnia in her weekend clubbin' outfit, a re-use of the awesome Earthrise Cliffjumper tooling as Bumblebee to fill in your kinda-sorta-Mini-Bot-homage ranks and a toy that should've been released years ago in Fangry. In a time where store exclusives are becoming as large a part of the overall Transformers toy line as the main series releases, this stood out as a uniquely fun and creative set that provided great value.

Bounti76: Tie between Tyrannocon Rex and Puffer and Road Ranger. The first female Leader Class figure. An official toy of a European version of a character that used another character's mold, and an official toy of an eHobby exclusive that brought GoBots into the Transformers family. I'm all about firsts and obscurity.

ZeroWolf: Origin Bee. Despite not being a G1 purist, I know a fun toy when I see one.

Kanrabat: Agent Ravage. A great package for a relatively reasonable price, with a superb figure. The engineering on the Agen Ravage is quite something.

Favourite piece of Transformers fiction from 2021

william-james88: My kids and I had a blast with the two Cyberverse films. I really wish we had a Volcanicus that transforms as he does on the show.

Scotty P: Cyberverse special 2 "The Perfect Decepticon". Honestly, it was such a bad year for Transformers fiction that nothing even came close except for the other Cyberverse special, but I picked this second one because the first one focused on one of the worst concepts in Transformers: combining Dinobots :shudders: Additionally, this special accomplished something that was very questionably possible by managing to make Tarn a character that worked in an all-ages piece of media while still keeping true to the character and his truly menacing personality. Add in fantastic roles for characters such as Soundwave and Hot Rod while providing moments to almost every character that mattered previously in the series at some point and you get "The Perfect Decepticon", which was the perfect finale for the best Transformers cartoon series since Armada.

Bounti76: Light/Star, the Transformers Annual for 2021. It strongly featured the first ever female Titan to have appeared in fiction, but also saw the "birth" of Computron (my favorite childhood combiner) in IDW.

ZeroWolf: The Transformers Cyberverse conclusion (thanks to Pop! On Sky TV for airing the specials in the UK!)

What are you looking forward to most next year

william-james88: Seeing what will happen toy wise with the change in release schedule for Transformers Rise of the Beasts. This delay was way too late in the toy development cycle so I am curious if Hasbro will release what was done already and rerelease it later. And I am also curious as to how different the toys will be from the final models now that there is even more time spent in post production between toy designs and final movie designs.

Scotty P: The chaos that ensues from RotB's delay. Necessity is the father of innovation. Mother of invention. Cousin of filler toy lines? Something like that. Bring me all the weird repaints and previously canceled molds. They're probably better than all the movie toys were going to be anyhow.

Bounti76: Finally/hopefully getting a G1 Elita One, and saving money- Legacy looks to be an easy pass for me so far, based on what I've seen.

ZeroWolf: A toss up from looking at what the line after Legacy looks like, and more MP Raiden reveals

Kanrabat: The toys being better distributed with fewer QC issues. But I think I'm asking for the moon.

An Update on John Warden's Latest Mecha Endeavours at Hasbro

Date: Friday, December 31st 2021 8:41pm CST
Categories: People News, Company News, Editorials
Posted by: william-james88

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2021 was a big year for Hasbro's mecha toylines. The ever growing Transformers toylines gave us a lot of product (Kingdom, Studio Series, Cyberverse, MP, MPM, Shaterred Glass, Netflix, Buzzworthy Bumblebee, Rescue Bots, Generations Selects, Crossover) and Hasbro finally released the first Power Rangers zords developed under John Warden, the man who got the Transformers brand where it is now. For those curious as to how Hasbro's other transforming/combining robot themed toyline went, we have an update.

For a quick recap of the Power Ranges toyline, when it first got to North American shores, the toys were based on the same toys previously sold in Japan and as time went on, there were more and more differences between the Japanese version of toys (done by Bandai) and the American version (done by Bandai of America). It wasn't like with Transformers where the Takara version would have a slightly different deco, it was far more extensive. For the past 10 years at least, the toys in Japan for the same mecha were bigger and had electronics. To sell at a lower price point, Bandai of America would literally make a new mold, usually smaller and with less parts. There was even one time in Power Rangers Samurai, where the Japanese version of the 5 animal combiner had 3 modes (limb mode, animal mode, and geometric shape mode) and the American version scrapped the shape mode for 4/5 animals, which made it look ridiculous (Japanese on the left, American on the right).

Now when Hasbro bought the brand, they would do the same, remake new molds for their Power Ranger toyline and hired John Warden as the head of the design team to make these new molds. The first toyline fully developed under John Warden was Dino Fury and fans finally got to experience the zords in the later half of 2021.

And it turns out that for the first time in the history of the brand, the American versions are on par with the Japanese version, or even preferred by fans. While still a toyline for kids, Hasbro went for a more collector oriented mindset in what they favoured. It did not have electronics, and the zords are slightly smaller, but they have more articulation than their Japanese counterparts and the main zord has better proportions, a more detailed sculpt and greater show accuracy. Yes, the American version of the toy is more show accurate. It is also more dynamic and works well as a mecha action figure rather than being a brick (which all Power Ranger/Super Sentai mecha were in the past). So congrats to John Warden and his team on that, it is no small feat (Hasbro on the left, Bandai on the right).

Of course, it does help that Hasbro's mecha came out well after the original series aired in Japan, so they could replicate any show detail the original Japanese toys didn't have. Also, Hasbro's combining system for the zords is not as kid friendly as the Japanese version since it requires more force to connect and disconnect. The original Japanese toys had ports similar to lego bricks with similar ease of building but that also means connections on the Hasbro versions are tighter and less likely to undo while posing the figure (something the Japanese toys never had to worry about). So far, 5 zords have been released with more on the way in 2022, and all can combine together in various ways. Below is an example of combining 4 of them together along with using an extra head that comes with the villain action figure.

What does have to do with both is Hasbro upcoming collector oriented Megazord line. This is the stuff of dreams. It's basically Hasbro creating a Masterpiece Megazord line (something similar to Soul of Chogokin) in the west. The price is along those MP level prices of course, being $165 USD for the original Dino Megazord.

This has a lot of fans excited, not just for this release but for what they will do next. Although the fan enthusiasm for the black repaint was not great, since that purchase was behind an NFT wall.

And now you are all caught up.

Top 5 Best Transformers Thrust Toys

Date: Thursday, December 23rd 2021 3:47pm CST
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 172,588

Every month or so, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.

Top 5 Best Thrust Transformers Toys

While he might seem like just another seeker type bot in the Decepticon ranks, Thrust has become a legacy character with prominent roles outside of G1. He got quite the spotlight in Armada and thus eventually in the Legends Universe where that incarnation became part of the Grand Galvatron combiner. He was even in the Bayverse toyline and in Cyberverse (though only in the English dub since he is Red Wing in Japan). Now after over 30 years of Thrusting, let's check out the best toys out there.

5. Transformers G1 1985 Thrust

I am way more lenient with the G1 seeker mode when it comes to the coneheads due to the added variety of the molding, with the idiosyncratic wings and weapons. Sure, they have double the partsforming of regular seekers but the way I see it, if you're gonna partsform either go big or go home. Thrust was a G1 mainstay, getting constantly reissued in the 80s and I can see why he was popular. He is afterall my favourite G1 seeker. I just love the addition of the VTOL fans on the wings, along with the burgundy colour scheme.

Transformers News: Top 5 Best Thrust Transformers Toys

4. Transformers Masterpiece MP-11NT Thrust

The masterpiece toy does a good job at conveying the Thrust we all know and love though that mold makes the bot mode look too busy depending the angle. I do like that the MP conehead retool gives that extra transformation step of rotating the nosecone chest so that it is tapered properly. The retooling does lead to the unfortunate fact that the "real" nosecone kibble does end up between the robot's legs, so I guess it's a give and take with this dated mold. I do have an extra gripe with this release concerning Thrust, you can't switch his face out with an open mouth look to recreate the scene where Prime rams him (probably his most iconic scene). I almost felt so petty about it that I wasn't going to include the MP on this list. But there aren't that many Thrust toys out there.

3. Studio Series 76 Bumblebee Movie Thrust

While the Armada toy is not on this list, I do find it very interesting that he was the conehead to break through the pack and become his own character in that continuity. And it's had a lasting impact, as we can see with this toy that borrows the colour scheme from Thrust's Armada version rather than the G1 counterpart. And he is singled out again in the Bumblebee movie by being the only conehead to join the seekers in taking down the tower at the very beginning of the film. The toy itself is very good, much better than the Blitzwing mold, which looked similar at first. Everything connects in a very solid way in both molds and while the bottom of the Cybertronian jet is a bit more chunky than I would like, it does come together well in giving us a new type of Cybertronian alt mode for the seekers. And I love that extra touch of giving him that triangular design behind his head to distinguish him from the other seekers and refer to his conehead roots. Also, of many toys released today, he really has all I would expect from a voyager class mold, with greater complexity and mass (we tend to only get one or the other sometimes).

2. Transformers Unite Warriors Curse Armada Thrust

Does this mean that a combiner wars limb is better than an MP? Hell yeah it does! The deco here is just absolutely sublime. I really like the headsculpt which is a G1ified version of the Armada face and I think it looks better. He's a wonderful homage in one of the coolest combiner sets we have ever gotten. While I am not a fan of the Armada toy, I did like how Thrust distinguished himself as his own character rather than being just another seeker, so I find it a real treat to have a great looking version of that character.

1. Transformers Generations War for Cybertron Earthrise Thrust

The classics mold was good, and I think the Henkei Thrust (Japanese version of the classics toy) looked especially glorious. And while I do really give props to having the head actually be the nose cone, I admit it did mess with the jet mode, both by being too short and seeing a robot face underneath. This new version gives us the ultimate Thrust toy. We get proper proportions in all modes and makes the classics version feel obsolete (I mean, I personally sold mine). It's a shame he was tough to get for some but that turned out to be the case for most of the coneheads.

Top 5 Best Sunstreaker Transformers Toys

Date: Wednesday, November 3rd 2021 8:52am CDT
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

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Views: 119,229

Every month now, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.

Top 5 Best Sunstreaker Transformers Toys

One thing I realized while writing this list, there are not a lot of Sunstreaker toys out there. Unlike many G1 characters, including his brother Sideswipe, he isn't a legacy character. Meaning that he, and any toy based on him, only ever appears in a G1 context. There isn't a version of him in the Aligned continuity, or the Unicron trilogy or even the films, and he doesn't even have extra g1 toys, like an action master. He is a very singular character and so this list is almost all there is to him, or at least all that is worth remembering and celebrating. So let's get to it!

5. Transformers Alternators Sunstreaker

There is an amount of sameness with all the Alternators designs and transformations but when looked at individually, this complaint melts away. It will forever be a wonderful concept, favoring an MP level licensed alt mode at a standard retail price point, bringing in both transformers fans and car model fans. And Sustreaker is one of the best ones since the transformation does land the windshield on his torso and it gives us a fun headsculpt.

4. Transformers G1 1984 Sunstreaker

The sunstreaker design will always be a fun one and this is where it all started.

3. Transformers Universe - Classics 2.0 Sunstreaker

This design was so ambitious and downright revolutionary. To have the two lambo brothers share the same mold and yet have their distinct robot modes is mind blowing.

2. Transformers War for Cybertron Earthrise Sunstreaker

What a stellar toy to get in a mainline at retail, especially in terms of transformation. I love how there is minimal use of fake parts (only his toes, which I also find genius since it's the underside of the car's front instead) and he just looks great in both modes. I was satisfied with my Siege Sideswipe at first, but when this Sunsreaker came out with that more squarish alt mode, I just needed something similar for Sideswipe (which luckily we did get).

1. Transformers MP-39 Masterpiece Sunstreaker

Takara went all out on this Masterpiece figure. While you can have the standard clean Countash mode, you can also turn it into a more G1 accurate super car mode in the back half. The alt mode also has pop up lights at the front. The robot ends up looking very sleek with Takara being smart in having the robot mode chest still line up with the larger car roof in alt mode giving the illusion that parts of the car morph to give him a sleeker silhouette in robot mode.

Top 5 Best Ramjet Transformers Toys

Date: Tuesday, October 12th 2021 12:28am CDT
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

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4.Transformers Masterpiece Ramjet

While I am far more lenient on the conehead version of the MP mold, due to all the extra retooling you get for each of the coneheads' unique wing patterns, I have to address the elephant in the room. The initial batch of Masterpiece Ramjet toys were misassembled the the point of not being able to convert the toy. Paying $200 for a dated mold is already not fun but for it to have such bad QC is shameful. But the toy did get corrected and it since retailers were told to keep the bad copies, they could have been obtained for really cheap by any fan willing to try to fix it themselves. So good news for some in a sea of bad news. MP Ramjet being on this list takes none of that QC in consideration and looks at the toy as intended and as I hope he is in your collection. And what he is, is fine. I like the retooling, love that jet mode, love that secret door paneling on the wings that rotates, I like the step of flipping the cockpit chest to be more screen accurate, and I loathe the giant dong it gives him and the other coneheads.

3. Transformers Classics Ramjet

I really like the classics version of the mold for the coneheads over the seekers for the lack of kibble behind the head in robot mode. That's something even the (better) Earthrise mold couldn't do. And, as with the other coneheads, Hasbro does go all out by giving Ramjet the different wings he should have.

2. Transformers Universe Ramjet

This is an absolutely gorgeous looking Transformers toy. That deco is slick. While the white element is part of the G1 deco, this set just kicks it up a notch with adding a lot of blue highlights making this the most unique deco on the list (yeah, even more than that G2 one, purple ain't that rare a colour for bad guys). Plus this mold comes with all the extras we got from the Skywarp retooling of the original Armada Starscream mold. Plus this Toysrus Exclusive boxset came with a bunch of minicons for added fun.

1. Transformers War for Cybertron Earthrise Ramjet

This mold rocks. It took an excellent mold as a basis and made it the right size, and added the necessary articulation. It's the ideal mode to collect now to have the full array of seekers on your shelf, and at the right scale.

Honourable mention

Transformers Club Exclusives G2 Ramjet and Selects G2 Ramjet

The G2 colours were pretty rad and I find it fun that they keep coming up with this toy. Now we have both the Classics and Earthrise mold with this particular deco.

Top 5 Best Dirge Transformers Toys

Date: Thursday, September 2nd 2021 11:46pm CDT
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top Lists
Posted by: william-james88

Discuss This Topic · Permanent Link
Views: 139,660

Every month, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.

Top 5 Best Dirge Transformers Toys

So we made a list for the three main seekers already, now we tackle the coneheads! Dirge is first simply by random choice. Since many of these molds have already been visited in the past, the blurbs for each will be rather brief. While writing the lists for the coneheads, what I did find interesting was that each of them had at least one toy where only that specific conehead was used as a redeco. Like this first one here...

5. Transformers Universe - Classics 2.0 Dirge

It's thanks to this release that we can actually call that wonderful Cyberteron voyager Starscream mold a seeker mold. On the show, Starscream and Thundercracker didn't share the same body type And that happened way later in a different line. Of course, since the Starsream toy had 2 different decos (standard in Japan and Thrust like maroon in the US), there was some variation, but Dirge (of all characters) was the only other character to use this mold. It's too bad there is 0 remolding to make him distinct, especially for his head, but the deco does give us a different looking face. The deco is stellar all around, giving us the right blues and browns of the G1 toy but onto this Cybertronian design. And as stated, you can still have a nice mix of colours to make it look like you have a group of seekers with this mold on your shelf.

4. Transformers G1 1985 Dirge

It might be a controversial statement but here it is: I much prefer the G1 coneheads over the three main seekers. I love how different they are from one to the next in terms of wings and weapons. Plus, with that conehead you reduce your kibble in robot mode.

3. Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Dirge

This one is super fun and it reminds me of an era I really miss. Ever since G1, going into Beast Wars the Transformers brand has a rich history of giving us toy only characters. These toy were not a material representation of a character from a show, it was just a toy to be enjoyed for what it was with it's own distinct design. ROTF Dirge is one of those toys. And it's pretty awesome since it is a movie verse interpretation of the coneheads. And I would say it is much more in line with what fans would have liked from these movies. While the design is still busy for a more "real life" aesthetic, this Dirge feels a lot more like a reimagining of the G1 design/character rather than a name slapped onto a bot. They give him the bare essentials like his conehead, the cockpit chest design and the right colour scheme and then just go wild after that, but in a fun way. There were several movie toys from that era which were of non movie characters and they often were far more interesting than the toys representing on screen characters. It's something I miss from movie toy lines.

Masterpiece MP-11ND Dirge

The masterpiece mold was dated by the time it came out but that didn't stop Takara from releasing all the coneheads with it. And I feel my thoughts on the pros of the G1 toys also work here. I like the variety that the coneheads offer with the wings and weapons. And while I really like that the cockpit chest rotates to be in the right direction in robot mode, it's unfortunate that the remainder of the jet nose juts out between his legs, which also removes the illusion that his head is the nosecone. It's a really nice representation of Dirge regardless.

1. Transformers Earthrise/Generations (classics) Dirge

Honestly, I think both are great. The Earthrise mold refines a lot of aspects of the classics mold and improves on articulation but I still think classics Dirge looks amazing. And without it, we wouldn't have the Earthrise one. And once again the same reason I preffer the G1 coneheads over the other seekers applies to these molds too, with the better treatment of kibble (on the Classics one) and variety of distinguishing features from one remold to the next. These molds rock. I know it, you know it, easy number 1 pick.