This page contains affiliate links. We may earn commissions when readers interact with or purchase items through these links. For more information, see our affiliate disclosures here.
Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are our opinions 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 Firetruck Transformers Toys
As I was writing this list I realized something interesting: Quite a few of the best Transformers toys of all time turn into fire trucks. Sure you can say that about other alt modes, like sports cars and jets, but a firetruck is a bit more distinctive. However as distictive as that type of truck is, the amazing fire truck toys we have gotten over the years all showcase different types of firetrucks, from different nations.
Don't let this being number 5 take away anything from the fact that this is one of the best Optimus Prime toys out there. It was a new design with some nice homages and while the articulation is lacking, it has fun play features, looks imposing and has this nice chunky feel to him. However, when it comes to its firetruck alt mode there is a lot to be desired. While the show is called Cybertron, this was actually supposed to be a (futuristic?) earth vehicle, specifically a fire truck. I see it enough to let it be on this list, especially given how great the toy is, but the alt mode is clearly not one fo this figure's strongest points.
This is one of the best molds from the Universe line. I really love how efficient the paneling is at filling in some crucial alt mode details to cover the robot bits and then dissapearing in robot mode. I love the itty bitty toes transforming to give the alt mode smoother surface in the back, and I love the bold firetruck front in bot mode. The G1 headsculpt is fun too and it is simply a great update to the Inferno design within a neo g1 line especially in its alt mode which is of a firetruck that is far more recognisable to western fans today. It is one of the toys I keep coming back to for a fun transformation experience and its great redecos and retools out there give us even more reasons to have it in one's collection multiple times.
While I am certain this toy could be redone to day to be mroe stable, the quality and look here is probably better than anything we could hope for today. It just looks great thanks to the use of chrome, clear plastic and generous paint. I really like the super form's head sculpt too which was a very different version of a Prime headsculpt but still has some call backs to both Optimus Prime and Optimus Primal. And this is the Transformers firetruck which has by far the most awesome ladder. It can extend to a ludicrous degree, become one hell of a canon in robot mode and it has a series of pop out missiles to boot.
This is a masterpiece in all but name. The engineering is masterful and this is the last great movie leader we got with its imposing size and complexity. When Transformers toys are compared to origami and rearanging parts to create another form, I think of this toy (and MP 36 Megatron) most. Anyone who loves Transformer toys, regardless of their opinions on live action movie designs, owes it to themselves to transform this bot and see how the robot feet and chest come toform in a series minute steps which take parts seen in the alt mode and flip, turn or fold them to create something new. There are no fake parts on this bot which is also very impressive.
1. Transformers Masterpiece Inferno and Artfire as a Mitsubishi Fuso F-Series FT fire ladder truck
We have none other than site owner Seibertron to thank for the following review:
While I still think the legs are in need of some much needed line/panel details to make it look a little less cartoony (ala Masterpiece Grapple), I can't express enough how impressed I am by this toy. Every now and then, there's an ingenious new Transformers figure that just blows me away. Masterpiece Wheeljack comes to mind, Masterpiece Prowl, Transformers Prime RID Vehicon (love the accordion style transformation), Transformers Prime First Edition Cliffjumper, and I'm sure there are a few others but those immediately jump out at me as some of my favorites from the past 5 years.
Inferno is now one of those. Not only is there "ladder magic" happening here, part of the "ladder magic" happens extremely early as in the first step or two of his transformation. There are several really cool things going on with him to achieve a realistic vehicle mode and his beautiful robot mode. While the shoulders/upper arms have a very unique transformation going on (once I figure out how to do them), I would advise caution with this part of his transformation as I foresee broken arms on future loose samples of Masterpiece Inferno and Grapple. Still a very clever transformation, as are the various panels on his legs and cab, the hoses repositioning lower in robot mode, etc. He's also very large. I don't have Ironhide out at the moment but I'm assuming he's as tall if not taller than Ironhide.
Masterpiece MP-33 Inferno is a great, great, great figure. I haven't been this excited about a Masterpiece figure since Wheeljack or Prowl, so it's great to see them do something that really amazes me once again, enough so that I have to come on here to share my excitement.
David Copperfield would be impressed. - Seibertron
Honourable Mention: Transformers Power Core Combiners Smolder as a fire department brush truck. I like that this is not a typical firetruck but still serves the same purpose. I always like when Transformers intriduce new alt modes. There is a nice fire rescue theme with the robot too with the minicon turning into an axe and the combiner head having a curved visor helmet with tubes near the mouth making it look like a cybertronian version of the oxygen supply mask on firefighter equipment.
Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are our opinions 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 Transformers Toys Japan Never Got at Retail: Characters/Decos
Last time, we looked at molds which never got released in Japan. This time, we are looking at specific decos/redecos that never saw a release there. I am not talking about instances where the Hasbro deco is better than the Takara deco, we already have a list on that. I'm referring to a release that never made it there, like when they redeco a toy to sell it as a different character (which is mainly the case for most of these). It will make more sense as we go through the list, enjoy!
This may not be the best mold from the Prime line but it is still an original mold for a new toy only character, with one hell of an original Pirate design. Well only in the Hasbro toyline. While the mold was released in Japan, it was not released as its intended new character but instead as not one but two Primes (Lio Prime and Go Prime). The decos are nice, but they aren’t that of the original character this mold is supposed to be and that head really does not work for Leo Prime.
This list wasn't easy for some reason. I really had to think it through. There are lots of redecos only Hasbro has but which ones actually made sense, which ones mattered? Prime Kup? No, that mold wasn’t even made with him in mind. Titans Return Krok? Eh, he seems to really love warming those shelves. But a Guardian robot redeco of Energon Omega Supreme ? Hell yes! It of course works with the idea that these drone type robots share the same body as Omega Supreme in blue, and here we have a new Omega Supreme toy so why not give it that colour scheme. And for those who have space, this is a far more affordable army builder than the one based on the G1 mold (and isn't this mold better? Come on, you know it's true).
3. Stalker
Japan got most of the G1 (or G1.5) Predators but not this one. Which is a pity because it is the most fun of them all. Most of the Predators are jets and then you get this awesome missile tank that can do more damage than all the others combined. He is a great design and while Japan got the mold through its later redecos, it never got the original which was for an original character (and not Soundwave). It is to this day the only rendition of Stalker we have.
2. Generations G2 Combiners
Japan never got the original G2 combiners back in the day. That might have been a blessing in disguise and avoided a lot of young Japanese tears. However, that did not mean there was no excitement from this part of the world when the G2 redecos of the Combiner Wars combiners were announced. Everyone was excited, Hasbro really went all out on the redecos making them as slavish as possible. It was a beautiful love letter to an era that is often ignored (and even looked down upon sometimes by some very uncool dudes). Sadly, those were never released by Takara so Japanese fans had to go to their local import shops and pay double. And they sold out very quickly even at those high prices. This really put a lot of my collecting woes into perspective.
It seems obvious now, but the idea of Jetfre did not come to me immediately. Macross is deeply associated to Japan so to think that they would not have access to Jetfire was almost unthinkable. But it's true. Because Macross is Japanese, the classic Valkyrie mold could only be released as a Macross toy in Japan. Hasbro, on the other hand, was able to import that figure and incorporate it within the Transformers line as Jetfire, one of the best toys of the entire G1 toyline. Japan never saw that Macross toy in the glorious red and white deco as Jetfire, and most likely never will.
Honourable Mentions:
For all you fangirls/boys out there, I will give him a mention here: Alpha Bravo. Though designed by Takara Tomy, it never made it onto the Japanese market directly.
And man, this list was HARD to write. Unlike Hasbro, Takara released most redecos thought to be exclusive through E-Hobby or other toy initiatives. And here is a great one that I thought Japan never got, but indeed they did.
This toy has always been a fan favourite and I ca see why. That G1 Optimus colour scheme works really well with it, and they go all out with it too. It's not just red and blue paint, you have parts that are translucent, chromed and some cool gradient effect on the chest and feet. Just take a look at the images below, they speak for themselves.
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 Giant Transformers Toys
Remember that scene in the Transformers movie where Unicron transformed? The whole time you just saw a big planet that destroyed other planets ala Death star. But then it Transformed and our notions of the limit to Transformers flew out the window. This was the instance where we all gazed at the wonder of this brand and saw that it was boundless. Since then, there have been many giant Transformers in the fiction and better yet, we eventually got their toys.
And this is what this list is all about. This is about those awe inspiring towering Transformers from the fiction and their wonderful toys. A quick note, this post was started January 2015. But with Hasbro announcing a yearly Titan class toy, I figured I should wait. Turns out nothing really changed from my initial thoughts of over 3 years ago.
One of the largest G1 Decepticon toy ever, he pulls off his three modes pretty well despite how simple he is and has loads of fun play features. His robot mode is huge and menacing, his scorpion mode looks very much like a giant mechanical scorpion, with moving legs and ratcheted pincers, and his base mode looks as good as any other base mode of the era with fun ramps for your cars to climb and exit from.
It is still crazy to think that we actually got a Unicron toy in the end. Not getting G1 Arcee was nonsensical since it was all about business and not getting any female transformer toys. But we all knew that a Unicron toy was unfeasible on a whole other level. And yet we got one, a HUGE one, and he was quite accurate (though not perfect) with a bunch of action features, a nice beard, and an actual planet mode that had pincers and a mouth. My personal favourite aspect is how they were able to give the planet rings and have them transform into his wings. He is also the most complex toy of his (supreme) size class.
I just love everything about this toy. It is an excellent homage to Omega Supreme while also being a totally new take. The transformation is simple, as is the case for many of these bigger bots, and yet feel dynamic. It brings back the element of parts-forming the original had but tones it down. The alt modes which serve double duty as weapon platforms can also fuse together to get you a really long armoured train which looks kinda crazy but in a fun way. Plus you have a headmaster unit which can interact with the two combining alt modes and its modeled after the Omega Supreme G1 Action Master. So this is homaging all interpretations of the past (at the time). While headmasters have come back in a big way since, it was a real treat to see a bot like this back in the day. This mold has also been very successful in different decos with Omega Sentinel and War for Cybertron Omega Supreme (which is still the de facto G1 Omega Supreme for CHUG enthusiasts).
Can you believe it, there is actually a Primus toy out there for any Transformers fan to own! And he doesnt disappoint. He is the best planet former out there with really cool details in that mode (including the city of Iacon and Kaon) and it is pretty incredible to get such a traditional looking robot mode from a spherical alt mode, with much less kibble than Unicron. The transformation is neat and uses the key gimmick well, you really feel you are unlocking the secrets to Cybertron with the Omega Lock. And as a true defender of the Cybertronian race, he is loaded with cannons and missile launchers (definitely puts Titans Return Fortress Maximus to shame in that department). And I cannot get over just how cool the robot detail is with the designers going out of their way to show you that he is made of Cybertron's inner workings. On the shoulders, for instance you can see beams, tubes and vents along with Cybertronian writing. The headsculpt is one of the best conveying hints to both Optimus Prime (with the antenna) and Rodimus (with the V shape crest), which ties into the very first appearance of Primus having callbacks to Rodimus. This toy is one for the ages.
I didn't think a G1 toys would be number one on this list. You would think that after all these years, Hasbro and Takara could outdo themselves with a nice new city transformer but Fort Max is still the undisputed champion of that category. Unlike the other G1 city formers, he is truly massive and also looks like an actual city, or at least the small downtown section of one (he actually reminds me of a level from Zone of the Enders: 2nd Runner). Just put him next to Metroplex or Trypticon and they just pale in comparison. Plus, this city transformers into a battle station, filled with an insane amount of weaponry and hidden guns, making him really a fortress. He also comes with smaller bots and fiddly bits which make him as much a playset as a figure. And not just any figure, but a headmaster. And not just any headmaster but a double headmaster. Which means the head of the big city robot transforms into a robot who's head also transforms into a smaller figure. And since an Encore version exists, a complete FortMax is now more a possibility to have than ever before. Also, to those who like to go one step beyond, feel free to substitute this number 1 pick with Grand Maximus.
Honourable mentions: Quite a few actually. Even though there are fewer giant Transformers than any other size class, the few that get approved are usually very good. As you can see, none of the Metroplexes are there and that is simply because I do not find that any of them have had a decent alt mode thus far that doesn't just look like them in some odd pose. Tidal Wave is pretty awesome but rather small compared to other bots that are supposed to be giant and while I like Trypticon fine, there was nothing truly mind blowing about him. His base mode has always been, at best, as good as Scorponok's to me. Yet that is his main alt mode, while Scorponok has a whole robot mode and beast mode as well.
Every 2 weeks, Seibertron.com brings to you a Top 5 and occasional Top 10 list written by william-james88. But this week, we are gonna shake some things up a teensy bit. Guest analysis D-Maximus_Primal is here to give you a Top 5 list centered not on toys, but on the fiction that we all love to read and then buy the toys as a result. These are all the opinions of 1 person, so treat them as such as you read along. The point of these sorts of things is to have a lot of fun as well as get the community to tell us what you really think of the shape-shifting toys and characters that we all love. So strap in tight folks! All previous lists can be found here.
Top 5 Transformers Who Abandoned Their Faction
Now when it comes to Transformers, we generally have the 2 opposing factions, whether they be Autobot/Decepticon, Maximal/Predacon, Autobot/Predacon, Rescuebot/Morbot, etc. We usually like to think of the characters being dedicated to one side and only that side, and eventually winning or losing to their respective rivals. But oh so often this is nowhere near the case. Transformers are not black and white; rather, they have so many shades of gray that there are times that you can never truly be sure of a character's true sides and motive. For this reason, we have many different characters that have left their respective faction, whether it be from anger, sadness, betrayal, confusion, and occasionally mind control.
The purpose of this list is to look into those many characters that have left their faction in favor of either another faction or to abandon factions altogether. The list takes into account how important to the overall story the Transformer in question is with his/her actions and how this changed the course of that Transformers Series.
5. IDW Thundercracker
Our list starts off with the blue version of the original Seeker trio. When it came to TV shows, Thundercracker never got a good rap seeing as how he was simply a look-alike to one of the bigger shows stars and basically was second bananas to most everyone else in the show. Now the comics have done him far more justice. Initially joining up with the Decepticons to fight against inequality and to rule by means of "Peace Through Tyranny," All Hail Megatron showed us a different Thundercracker. Thundercracker hated slaughtering people and he realized that the Decepticons were not fighting those worthy of their attention. Realizing just how lost they had all become, he abandoned his Decepticon counterparts as Megatron fell to Optimus Prime and Spike Witwicky to save the humans and Autobots still in New York city. He took a hold of the nuclear missile aimed at them, took it to space, and destroyed it. All he got in return was a blast to the face from an angry Skywarp.
He would go on to play pivotal parts in the 2009-2011 ongoing, serving as air reinforcement for the Autobots at times and even turning down an invitation to rejoin the Decepticons. After the war ended, he simply chose to live on Earth, away from Cybertron, until the Cybertronians returned, and he once again stood more Autobot than Decepticon, helping save the humans from a zombie Thrust/Ramjet armada, interpreting Buster the dogs speech to show that Blackrock was shady and that the Autobots were not bad, and even saving Sunstreaker from Galvatron's mighty fusion cannon after combining with him among others against his will.
Thundercracker has done a lot to make up for what he had been a part of, and has proven to be an honorable character that, while gruff, is a good person at Spark.
4. Prime Dreadwing
Dreadwing was always my favorite Decepticon from Transformers: Prime, and I'll tell you why: he was never a truly bad guy. He may have fought for the bad guy and he may have been an explosives expert who blew up people, occasionally without them even knowing it, but he had something that no other Decepticon had: Honor. He cared deeply for his brother, and when he felt his death, he flew all the way to Earth to look for who had killed him and he would avenge his brother. Once he arrived though, he showed a distinct difference from his fellow Decepticons. He served Megatron with honor, preferring to get his mission done and preferably do it as clean as possible, even if it meant letting some Autobots live.
As Season 2 went on, we saw Dreadwing, now serving as second-in-command, gradually progress as a character. He went on questionable missions with Megatron, such as stealing Liege Maximo's arm. He also began to see that Megatron was not as morally balanced as he thought, as he dealt with Megatron not only letting Starscream live, but also welcoming him back into his ranks with full repairs, all after finding out Starscream had revived his brother as a zombie. The final straw broke, He decided the Decepticons were no longer the right people for him, but he refused to join the Autobots. So he did the only thing he could: He stole the Forge of Solus Prime, gave it to the Autobots, tried to kill Starscream to avenge his brother, and finally falling to Megatron in response to his threat against Starscream, one of the saddest deaths in Prime. But, as a result of his actions, the Autobots were able to make it to Cybertron and thus prevent Megatron from gaining total victory.
Dreadwing proved to be a conflicted character, between his brother and the Decepticons. And he made the tough choice and he made it when it counted. He is the reason Prime even went on from this point for had he not, Earth would be simply a new Cybertron. His betrayal ultimately led to Earth's salvation.
3. Dark of the Moon Sentinel Prime
Now this is a character that had to make his impact fast as he only had 2 and half hours to do so, and an impact he did make. In the past, Sentinel Prime had proven to be a jerk when he was given characterization or Optimus Prime's predecessor when he wasn't given it. When we came into the movie, Sentinel was assumed to be the ultimate good, the thing that would turn the tide against Megatron and the new and all-powerful Shockwave! But then, Sentinel outdid both of them. Quickly. Without any sort of warning, he turns out to be Megatron's partner, kills Ironhide (and Mudflap and Skids technically), teleports an armada of Decepticons to Earth, seemingly removes and destroys the rest of the Autobots, and begins to enslave humanity, not caring even a bit.
While ultimately falling in battle, Sentinel made a huge impact in the movie-verse. For one thing, he was the first bot to turn out to be a bad guy. For another, he declared that he was the Autobots, essentially helping to set up the Autobots future troubles since they too could be the big bad that brings about Armageddon. But, probably biggest of all, he shattered Optimus Prime, showing him what he thought had to be done and doing it with no regards for others, and then almost succeeding with the side effect of destroying part of Cybertron in the process. Sentinel has proven to be the traitor to his kind that the movies will be known by (at least so far).
2. IDW Megatron
If you thought this one would be left off the list, then you really don't know how big this one gets. Megatron. An Autobot.
Yes that's right. How best to finish off a 12 issue crossover event that shattered the multiverse and set up Season 2 for both Ex-RiD and MTMTE? Make the big bad from Transformers lore a good guy. Yep, that'll work!
Megatron, finally realizing how far he had fallen from his days of peaceful reform, took up the badge of his friend Bumblebee and made it his own. In the 2 years and some odd months since, Megatron has proven to be an interesting character. He finds it hard to resist at first, letting slip his hatred for organics and his desire to see himself survive. But then the wake-up calls start hitting hard and fast. Within 6 months of each other, he finds out that the Universe would be vastly better had he not existed, and that he is responsible for so many dead that is is almost unfathomable. And then he is given the showdown with the very figurehead of his evil and the notion that he will not survive. And we see just how far he has come. He hates who he was and he hates seeing what he created. He now rejects violence and he simply wants nothing more than to make up for his past mistakes, something almost no one is willing to let him do.
And his actions have had far reaching consequences. As a result of what has happened, Galvatron has taken over and the Decepticons are in shambles, some even choosing to go the route of doing good or just trying to live on in the post-war era. Soundwave feels so betrayed that he turns the humans against the Autobots thanks to Megatron's defection. Even the Decepticon Justice Division now reforms for the sole reason of picking up where he left off, after killing him first.
So Autobot Megatron has shattered his own world, his home universe, and the fiction behind Transformers. The ultimate evil is now the good. This is almost good enough to make number 1, but there is a very obvious reason why Megatron is not #1...
1. Beast Wars Dinobot
This character was a no-brainer really. This Beast War combatant started out as a Predacon, became a Maximal, switched back and then returned to the Maximals, and everytime he did switch something significant happened. The first time he switched sides, he evened the odds of Maximal to Predacon, and would go on to make a big battlefield difference due to him being a warrior. When he switched back, he would harbor in the Golden Disk saga which would eventually lead to Megatron learning he was on Prehistoric Earth and that he could change history. And when he changed to Maximal one last time, he faced down his former Predacons and won, destroying the Golden Disk and severely damaging Megatron's plans, at the cost of his own life. And when he died, it was with honor and he proved to be one of Cybertron's greatest heroes.
Few Transformers characters have proven to be as popular and as important as Dinobot. He was a Beast Wars star and still is to this day. He is the ultimate example of a bot who changed sides, and in the end made the biggest difference he could while proving to be true to the side that he joined with and died for.
Honorable Mentions
Prime Knockout is worthy of note considering he is the only Transformers: Prime character to officially switch sides and he did so to help stop Starscream and enable the Autobots to actually fight back against Unicron in Predacons Rising.
Armada Wheeljack was also up for consideration, but ultimately while he and Hot Shot had a lot of issues and eventually he got mostly over them, he didn't play the pivotal role I felt the others played in their respective series.
Revenge of the Fallen Jetfire was also a pivotal character as he helped the Autobots actually find the Matrix in the movie and essentially revived Optimus and then gave him a power boost, but there was much more that could have been done with him. He needed a bit more to live up to his potential.
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 Personal Weapons
This is actually a list inspired by a request from Seibertron's own Rodimus Prime, the first request I ever got. What I tried my best to do with this list was have a strong link between how special the weapon is in toy form and in the fiction and how it's associated to the character. It was tricky but I am very satisfied with this list, even though I didn't include Optimus Prime's Ion Blaster. So of course, there will be a lot of varying opinions.
Armada Starscream was a major update from the G1 character and a very different interpretation. One of the biggest changes was making him more of a master swordsman and this was reflected in his sleeker look and the need to incorporate the sword theme in his toy. One of his wings could actually become a sword!
The sword motif became such an important component of the character at the time that the first Masterpiece Starscream toy took influence from this change in the character by integrating sword sheaths in the design. When a new version of the character was released in toy form for the generations line, the swords were also the biggest change and update between the toys. Instead of having his wing become a sword, Hasbro found a way of storing not one but two swords under his wings for a more complete swordsman look in robot mode.
This is just a really fun weapon that is perfectly associated with the character. He's a flying dog and thus has feathered wings. And in robot mode his largest feathers become swords, or batons, and they still look like feathers. And that effect is perfectly recreated in the toy. It's such a unique weapon for this big softy!
The G1 Springer toy was pretty smart to not only have the helicopter transform into a car and a robot but to have its propeller transform into a sword for the robot. Not only did it simultaneously reduce kibble in robot mode while being able to store the weapon in alt mode by being part of the transformation, but it also made for a pretty cool weapon. Since then, Springer has been linked to that sword. The triple changer generations update of Springer kept that very same motif and the propeller sword looked even better than ever. It's a little engineering marvel on that toy. The Springer release that really seals the deal in terms of his association with his sword is the GDO retool of Hunt For The Decepticons Tomahawk. That's because unlike a standard retool of changing the colour and the head, but they also added a sword to the package, made just for him.
I don't know if anyone predicted this would be first but when this topic was brought up by fellow board member Rodimus Prime, my first thought was this entry, the number one spot: The Chainguns of Doom. The Beast Wars toys were made before the show and thus the character model was based off the toy with some changes, and his personality was totally different than the brutish beast depicted in the toy's bio and tech specs. Instead, Beast Wars Rhinox was a calm and gentle giant, as well as the backbone of the team. However, the toy did come with a pretty cool weapon that was assembled using four components hidden all throughout the beast mode such as chains, a saw blade and a motor. While this badass weapon may have conflicted with the kind of character he was initially portrayed to be, it made for a greater impact when the showrunners had Rhinox use not one but two of these weapons on the show as part of his main artillery. He may be calm and strategic but he would not stand for tyranny and understood that you needed to cover your friends sometimes, by using giant machine guns with chains and spiked balls attached to them. Not only did he have a big brain but he had the firepower to go with it, helping him protect his friends and all he held dear. The Generations figure updated him to finally be the right size, as well as making him more accurate to how he looked like on the show including, you guessed it, giving him TWO chainguns of doom!
You know, I didn't think of this at first. All these other weapons could be wielded by others and usually have 5 mm pegs. But with Megatron, that fusion cannon is just fused to the guy. It's an extension of his body and what he unleashes his immense firepower from. It is probably the most powerful weapon (bar the Matrix) and definitely the most personal one. Also far more iconic than Optimus' black rifle, personal opinion of course. And now, here is a showcase of the many interpretations, enjoy!
If anyone cares, I was going to put Optimus' Ion Blaster here but I changed my mind. Even though I have my fair share of Optimus toys, which include his blaster, I never really liked it with Optimus. It feels so impersonal and partly uncharacteristic, and it was never a great looking or distinctive gun. It's just a big black gun that this wise and honourable emissary of peace (which is what he's been portrayed as in recent attempts to carry on G1 fiction) carries around with him. Would he really use a big gun to just blast someone's head off?
Well, the third Bay movie answered that quite well. BUT though his actions are hard to debate (there isn't much subtlety to Optimus murdering a defeated Sentinel Prime), I found it really interesting how he did it using Megatron's gun. You see, that giant impersonal gun is something Megatron would have lieing around and suits him far more than Optimus. My favourite part of all this is how this whole scenario played out in the toyline. This big shotgun in the pictures below did not come with the Megatron toy in the Dark of the Moon toyline (for the film this scene comes from). It didn't come with Optimus either. It actually came from the next movie's toyline (Age of Extinction), three years later, even though it was never featured in that film. And it came as Optimus' gun without any mention of Megatron, even though it is compatible with the old Megatron toy (see the pictures). So not only was that murder scene fans were up in arms about reinforced by cementing Optimus' connection with this giant shotgun, but it could also now be reenacted three years later with official Hasbro merchansidise. This gets the number 5 spot because it's just such an odd choice to go the extra mile in adding to Optimus' connection with this weapon and this attitude of his, even though it's uncharacteristic of the character to begin with. In the end, it's pretty awesome how this all played out.
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 Transformers Movie Toys of Onscreen Characters (first trilogy)
Regardless of your thoughts on the Transformers films themselves, no one can deny that the movie era pushed the engineering of Transformers toys to new heights. The quest to reverse engineer CG! models that cheated in their transformation resulted in the most detailed and complex toys we have ever seen. This list is very simple, it simply lists the best toys of characters that were seen in the movies. To show the result of the sometimes impossible task of having these CGI models become toys, I have included these models, or shots from the films. The parallel is what will really sell my point of view on each toy and I encourage anyone who doesn't have these toys to click on their image and see the gallery in full. These toys are all perfect or near perfect in terms of accuracy and they are all feats in their own way
We don't see him much in Revenge of the Fallen, but the toy captures his likeness well. I like how unique the transformation is and how impressive it is to see that both modes are quite tight while neither share many of the same parts and details (something very common in the movie line). He also has a bunch of fun features like flip out swords, a working open box bed that can be lifted, and working gears and pistons in robot mode. Gorgeous detailing all around and a unique transformation. He also has a stellar redeco as Payload who has a paint job that would make any of today's toys jealous.
This toy is insane. There is a reason this mold is still used years after the film and it is the ultimate mold for the movie rendition of the Optimus Prime character (even more so than the actual movie Ultimate Optimus). Simply said, this is the best movie Optimus toy from the initial movie trilogy, every fan should experience it.
While Optimus Prime is great, I am more impressed by this mold and how the chest transforms. It is probably the most intricate version of the now typical windshield on chest transformation. Everything contorts and reshapes itself to become new robot mode detail. He is also the best shellformer from the movie line (a line which saw a resurgence of shellformers, which laid dormant since the end of beast wars), turning his shell into a cape, an effect that painstakingly translates well from the silver screen to the toy. Its success is proven through the failure of the voyager release which shows us how tricky this design can be.
This is a perfect movie toy in every sense. The transformation is smart, satisfying and never annoying. Plus, the details are excellent, just look at how close they got to the CG model. They even give us the flip down visor which is the icing on the cake.
Any fan of this brand cannot ever truly hate everything about the movies with this toy being a part of it. With no hyperbole, this toy is absolutely perfect. It was tough getting there though. Firstly, the revamped Starscream design was so far from the original character design that he would be unrecognizable if not named. Also, every toy of his had major issues. He ether had no hands or hands which were far too apparent, making me wonder if there was even a point to this more realistic take on Starscream if they weren't going to give us a realistic jet with no robot kibble. We eventually did get this toy though and, at least for me, all was forgiven. Finally, the arms (who have hands, a gatling gun and missiles) are were well disguised to the point of completely disappearing in jet mode. Speaking of the jet mode, it didn't have any protruding robot kibble, everything was nice and smooth and it had a nice uniform undercarriage filling out the plane and not really giving a hint at robot parts (but rather mechanical detail). Also, and this point is more important than you might realize, this is the best example of cockpit integration with 0 left over kibble, ever found on a fighter jet. If you look at the generic seeker design all through Transformers history, you will see that the key is to have the cockpit run vertically along the chest but not show the nosecone. The G1 toys had to push the nosecone to the back behind the head and so did the classics version. Even the Masterpiece seeker mold is left with a massive amount of protruding jet kibble on the back to store the nosecone. However this toy hides it away elegantly and effortlessly.
This toy is relentlessly detailed and screen accurate. There are many separate pieces which shift in perspective by being moving from the background to foreground while transforming him. It really feels like there is a robot inside the jet made up of all the jet parts and you uncover him through the transformation leaving no extra pieces behind. Unlike other intricate toys, what amazes me about this one is how sturdy it is. It welcomes your desire to transform it and play with it while also being a perfect display piece. While it is complex, the transformation is intuitive. Think of the satisfaction you get when transforming MP 10 (Masterpiece Optimus Prime) only this lasts longer. Speaking of Masterpiece toys, I consider this the accomplishment of the concept started by Shōji Kawamori (the man who designed G1 Optimus and YF 1 Valkyrie), who wanted to create the perfect Transformers jet toy with minimal robot kibble. His attempt was Masterpiece Starscream, which didn't work out since the underside was still very visibly a robot. He had found that he would be unable to have it transform into a robot with the likeness of the character. This toy however achieves that great looking jet mode with a less obvious undercarriage and plus, it looks exactly like the character it is portraying.
Speaking of Masterpiece Transformers, this toy shares far more with the post MP 10 (Optimus) line with it's strive for screen accuracy, licensed alt mode (like with the MP cars), attention to detail, clever transformation and overall sturdiness. Well, that would only make sense since it was designed and engineered by none other than the very same guy at Takara who made the following masterpiece molds: MP 10 (Optimus), MP 12 (Sideswipe), MP 13 (Soundwave), MP 17 (Prowl), MP 20 (Wheeljack), and MP 21 (Bumblebee) among others. He even contributed to our dear Human Alliance Jazz right above. In short, this toy only lacks the name Masterpiece on the box to say that this is what it truly is. Oh wait, the Takara version does have that written on the box, I guess that settles it then.
Honourable Mentions: While there are other great toys out there, there are two that need to be mentioned because if not it would be a glaring omission. I do not own HA Barricade due to how hard he is to find and his price (hence why he isn't an easy recommendation), but the Seibertron Staff wanted me to point him out as also being a true Masterpiece level achievement in execution.
Also, I wanted to add DOTM Megatron to this list but I just couldn't think of anyone that should be kicked off to include him. I really love how this is a very original design for Megatron and a breath of fresh air to his usual movie aesthetic with a nice sold earth alt mode. His Transformation is perfect, and so is his weapon integration in vehicle mode. While the scarf hiding his face makes for a really nice effect when you get it right, it isn't the easiest thing to keep in place and it makes his head really small if you take it off. I would have also much preferred him to be leader size so that we could have a beautiful display alongside the three leader figures mentioned above.
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 Shockwave Transformers Toys
Full disclosure, this list actually started as "Top 5 great robot modes with subpar alt modes". However, I realized I was mostly coming up with Shockwave figures. I mean after G1, when he could not be a gun, all the attention of that toy was towards its robot mode with the alt mode being secondary. While that is too bad for a toy that started out having quite the legendary alt mode (a laser gun with lights and sound) at least the robot modes have been worth it. While I do not believe we have had a perfect Shockwave figure yet, the Masterpiece figure is coming soon. So while waiting, let us go through the best Shockwaves we have so far.
This is a solid and great feeling toy. He has a hulking robot mode with the widest chest/shoulders found on any Shockwave design. Unlike most versions, this mad scientist seems to be as strong as he is intelligent. I included both the voyager and cyberverse figure because they transform just about the same way. While that makes for a great smaller figure, that means that the transformation is a bit lackluster for a voyager class figure. The alt mode is thus not much to go on but as stated in the intro, Shockwave toys are usually more about the robot mode and this one works well. I especially like how they hide the hose as a tank thread in the voyager, as well as the working wheels found under the feet that only touch the ground in alt mode, it’s very well done. Speaking of things that were well done, the cyberverse version of the mold was surprisingly well served as Bludgeon.
A big reason why this toy is relegated to 5th place even if the robot mode is perfectly fine is due to there being a problem with the cannon arm in alt mode. For some reason, certain batches of this figure couldn’t plug the cannon so that it could be straight. You would have to disassemble his cannon arm and attach the cannon separately for it to look good from the front. That is quite a misstep in engineering. Also, this toy does pale in comparison to the other toys found in the Prime line (which is slowly starting to gain the legitimacy it deserves).
Now this is a fun figure and a nice new take on Shockwave. He has all that you would expect from a Shockwave figure such as a gun arm (the biggest he has ever had!), a perfect headsculpt, and a hexagonal chest. This is a solid figure where everything perfectly clicks and fits together just fine. What I really love is how his cybertronian cannon mode has his head and chest visible (since as with most Shockwaves, the alt modes are rearranged robot parts with no new alt mode detail) but the angle of his head is flush with his shoulder making a smooth uninterrupted surface, hiding the head in plain sight. The robot chest also blends well by being mirrored on the back, adding a nice sense of symmetry and integrating the chest as the alt mode’s body. This figure is an interesting study of contrast between symmetry in the alt mode and asymmetry in the robot mode. It’s like Shockwave himself, perfectly logical, but dark and twisted.
Speaking of no new alt mode detail, that isn’t entirely the case with this toy. He includes a third mode which is just as serviceable as his cannon mode with 8 solar panels flipping from all over the place turning him into a satellite that fares just as well (in my book) as movie Soundwave.
And for fun, he also has a 4th fan mode that works ok.
Say what you want about the Bay movies, the design for Shockwave was pretty spot on for that world. He fared far better than most in his transfer to the silver screen since his cybertronian appearance worked well for the aesthetic combination of realism and alien life forms. Pretty much, he looked like a badass sci fi robot. The portrayal is another story, but the movie design translated perfectly well into the toy, who looked a bit smoother than the usual movie figures up to that point. I especially like his hands and feet and how they fold onto themselves in the alt mode. It is simple but quite ingenious (especially with the feet). It’s too bad his signature cannon couldn’t be placed in the middle of his alt mode, making it look a bit odd, but at least it brought back the hose idea which is always a nice touch to go with Shockwave. Along with Leader Sentinel Prime and Voyager Skyhammer, this is one of the best of the Dark of the Moon line.
This toy is unlike any other Transformer ever designed by Hasbro. Spoilers for the Transformers Animated series abound. The idea behind this toy is for it to be Shockwave disguised as an Autobot who looks completely different with a different alt mode. While the alt modes are not much to run home about (shocker!) the real fun is converting him from small stocky Autobot Longarm into the Decepticon Shockwave.
Shockwave is at his most evil and conniving in this show and the toy brings that out in spades. The little hands turn into claws, the normal looking autobot face loses his mouth, nose and eyes for only the red cyclops eye to remain and the stocky limbs lengthen to reveal a tall and lean creepy silhouette. Speaking of height, this is a tall voyager figure, just look at that picture of him next to Megatron. I can’t think of that many Transformers which had as much value as this one which turns from Shockwave (who transforms into a tank) to Longarm (who transforms into a crane). Definitely one of the best Transformer toy designs of all time.
The G1 toy is still an amazing toy and the fact that all the upcoming MP does is incorporate the partsforming and add some articulation speaks wonder to how much this 80s toy still holds up. He is so different from the rest of his brethren and for a reason. You see, this was not done by the same company (Takara) who brought us Optimus, Soundwave and almost everyone else. This was a lazer gun that could then transform into a cyclopean robot (who has a lazer gun hand) and was first a Radio Shack toy in the west (the rights to this toy are somewhere in the ether, as well as in some copyright lawyer’s nightmares). So yeah, definitely in a different league of the rest. Any lack in articulation is offset by the playability factor and heft. It's an awesome space gun that turns into a cool looking robot, the argument stops right there!
Honourable Mentions: While the Combiner Wars Legends Shockwave is a perfectly fine Legends class toy, the size just doesn't cut it for a top 5 list of this imposing master of doom. I still wanted to mention him here though since he does deserve some praise. The toy I had a hard time not including though was Cloud Shockwave, who instead is a perfect size, but I stay away from exclusive redecos since they are not as easy to come by for most people reading these lists. And plus, these lists are to generate discussion and if I write about a super exclusive/expensive toy that fewer people own, there isn't really a point. This is why I have this section where I can write whatever I want and for now, I want to write about Cloud Shockwave. What impresses me so much about this figure is how it is a straight redeco (all the parts are the same) and yet he totally owns that Whirl mold he is from. Shockwave always had this cold creepy mad scientist vibe to him and the tall lanky bot mode just works so well for him. He ends up with the same perfect headsculpt which is very reminiscent of Energon Shockblast and the claw hands (reminiscent of Animated Shockwave) lend themselves perfectly to this bot who is always known for having odd appendages. Oh and him being a redeco of Whirl means that for this rare occasion, his alt mode is better than sub par. He is currently the best scale and style for a collection of updated toys from the G1 era, at least in my opinion.
Here are a few pics to see how well he fits in a collection as compared to the others, let me know what you guys think!
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 Shellformers
Shellformers get a bad rap among the community due to the loads of panels which end up clumsily gathered around the robot mode. However, they can also make for very interesting and effective transformations by helping conceal the robot element. They help add the "disguise" part of "robots in disguise" and it is a treat to see the lengths designers will go to make the shell work in robot mode. The last list was about how they could go terribly wrong, so this week we look at how a good toy can come from this design approach.
This toy has flaws, sure (the Hasbro deco doesn’t help), but no one complains about its shell. This is a shellformer done right by using the shell to help disguise the robot and enhance the alt mode while not distracting from the robot in robot mode. It gets the top 5 spot by being a great improvement in terms of the shell over its original toy. What used to look like an amazon canopy in the back is now reduced to two small wings that can be rearranged any way that suits you making it customizable kibble. And if you add that sweet Takara deco, then that's just the icing on the cake (chocolate icing with bits of Reese and Toblerone crumbled across it).
Leader Sentinel Prime makes it on this list simply because we know how horribly wrong this could have gone if poorly executed. Unlike the voyager class figure, which relies on a fake kibble chest and does nothing with the shell, the Leader version owns up to his shellformer self and wears his shell with pride and dignity. Firstly, the front of the firetruck folds away inside his chest cavity and the window front contorts to create a stylish chest. The top of the firetruck splits into several panels to circle the figure and create an intergalactic cape which does not look like just the the roof of a firetruck. It adds to the complexity of the figure, and makes this one of the most arduous transformations you will ever undertake. That complex transformation shows how much the designers and engineers wanted to integrate the shell and use it to embellish the robot mode instead of detracting from it.
Probably one of the biggest example of a shellformer. Yet, you can’t help yourself but marvel at the awe that is Big Convoy. This is one of the most interesting forms Prime/Convoy has ever taken. The sculpt is filled to the brim with the most amount of minute details I have ever seen (to this day). The details are asymmetrical all over the place (chest, arms, thighs, shoulder-pad missile holes) yet it all looks uniform at the same time. And he is the first Convoy to ever have a removable matrix! This amazed fellow reviewer Ben Yee so much that he was a bit let down with Fire Convoy (another amazing toy) not having one. This is a fun toy to transform and despite all that kibble, he is super poseable. The fact that he is totally covered up enhances the transformation process by uncovering one of the most imposing robot modes from the beast era and the most detailed sculpt ever made. This is what shellformers are all about, having two incredible modes that look nothing alike and uncovering different colours and aesthetics without being lazy in design. This guy knows he is a shell former and does so with great pride. Most of the shell becomes a gigantic gun, freeing up the robot mode, and the rest is worn like the total Nordic badass he is.
Both of these deserve the number two spot because they are there for the same reason. The use of the shell in both of these is genius. They both have great alt mode integration in the form of arms and feet that stick out but the shell surrounds the contortioned robot in a way to give the complete illusion that everything is cohesive and all part of the very same object. In both cases, you can’t tell where the shell starts and ends until further scrutiny. In both cases, the shell goes onto the robot’s back giving the mode a more regal appearance. These are shellformers done right. They also happen to both be Megatrons. Yessss
This is a shellformer, think about that for a second. Isn’t that pretty amazing? The shellformer without the shell gets the easy number 1 pick. No shell was ever managed and stored this effectively and I doubt we'll be seeing anything like this again for a long time.
Honourable mentions: I was hard pressed to not be able to include Beast Wars Cybershark as he is another great example of a shellformer done right, however it results in a restrictive alt mode and both Megatrons are similar toys but more accomplished. Also, I didn’t want to include more than one shark on this list.
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 Worst Shellformers Transformers Toys
As Beast Wars fan, I grew up on shellformers. Since an animal is not metallic in nature (they soon found a way around that)it always made sense to me that part of the animal couldn't integrate completely into the robot mode. I only realized later that they got a bad rap and I understand why now: it can yield to very lazy and unattractive designs. Shelformers are a sad sight when you know it's possible for the robot to have some alt mode integration or, even worse, when the character model shows alt mode integration. In that scenario, a fake piece of kibble is made to make up for the shell kibble that they couldn't bother integrating. That's DOUBLE KIBBLE!!!! Before I pull an aneurysm, let's just get to the list...
The extent of how poor a shellformer this is, is entirely due to the contrast against the leader size mold of this character that actually uses the shell in a far more interesting way. For one, this toy doesn't incorporate the shell into the figure in any way. While the leader version uses the front of the firetruck as his chest, this one resorts to leaving the front of the truck to fold on it's back and relies on a fake kibble piece to make up the chest. Also, while the leader figure uses the shell of the truck to create a stylish cape or celestial garment of sorts, the voyager just has the entire truck shell just stay unfolded in it's back making it look like a robot just skinned a truck to wear it like a tortoise shell. It also makes a horrible backpack that is placed far from the figure as if neither modes want anything to do with one another.
What did I write above again? Oh, right: Using a shell can result in a very lazy looking and unattractive design. It is made worse when the excess shell kibble results in a massive backpack, which detracts from the sleek robot. Man, Sideswipe here must be studying for all his courses tonight because look at the big backpack he needs to carry all his books!
3. Beast Wars Neo Break
While the Beast Wars Neo line took the idea of a shellformer to a whole other level, the results were usually very intriguing, and sometimes pretty bad ass, making its use of kibble endearing to the line as a whole. But Beast Wars Neo's Break is just too much to bear. While animals disguised as robots may get more of a pass over being a shellformer, due to necessity, this guy just pushes it too far. He looks like a giant kinder surprise egg that someone smash opened to find a robot inside. Without hyperbole, this is the equivalent of a G1 Pretender who's robot mode had pieces of the outer pretender shell glued all over it. That penguin head just sitting there among the debris right in the open is the icing on this terribly tasting cake.
You would think that by 2014, robots entirely covered by a shell and just brought to the back would be a thing of the past. But no, they were (are) still alive and well and that year even gave us one of the biggest shellformer offenders. There are even photos all over the internet showing both the robot and truck mode of First Editions AOE Optimus side by side, WHILE USING THE SAME TOY!
This is an extremely inefficient transformer whose body length shell serves as the main disguise to a robot that doesn’t pose at all. It also has barely no alt mode integration (only her feet). The joke of having a robot surprise in a shell that is usually done to poor Break above is brought to the extreme here. The shell is so big and overwhelming that she can’t stand on her own and it limits any motion she might have. If anyone cares, this mini review was quite easy as I simply used something I had written for Beast Wars Cybershark and just wrote the opposite of every positive aspect about that figure. And Thunderblast came out 10 years after that figure! I really could not think of a better toy to show how bad shellforming could be.
Honourable mentions: I didn't want to fill this list entirely with Beast Wars Neo figures for several reasons. Firstly, as mentioned in the intro, the use of a shell for robots disguised as animals makes sense. If you went for total alt mode integration, Long Rack would look like a buffoon (more so). However, as you saw I couldn't resist but include the biggest shellformer offender that line had to offer. I would say Beast Wars Ironhide is probably the most intense shellformer ever but it works for the awesome combined form of Magnaboss and I didn't find it fair to fault him on that.
I would like to thank Cobotron for the image.
In two weeks, the BEST Shellformers. Talk to you then!
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.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was written in early January 2015.
Top 5 Celebrity voice actors in Transformers
Celebrities have lent their voice to Transformers characters in the media since the G1 era. It's always a treat regardless if it's for a few shows or just a few minutes. It's especially fun when the voice fits perfectly with the character. From Monty Python's Eric Idle to Boy Meets World's Will Friedle, we will now count down the best celebrity voice actors of all Transformers history starting with...
5. Dwayne the Rock Johnson as Cliff Jumper in Transformers Prime
Oh man, it's THE ROCK! And they totally emphasise it by using the theme of his horns referring to both the the Brahma Bull and Clifjumper's badass Prime design. Of course, a mega celeb like this could only be a guest star and this is what this role truly is even though he plays a main character of the world we are being introduced to. Using The Rock was a great way for us to fall in love with this doomed character, adding to the impact. If you don't know what I am talking about, just watch the first episode of Transformers Prime titled "Darkness Rising, Part 1".
4. Weird Al Yankovic as Wreck-Gar in Transformers Animated
Can there be a more perfect casting (yes, because this is number 4) than pairing up weird Al with this Transformers nutcase. Actually the Wreck-Gar character has had some great talent voice him, like Eric Idle. However, Weird Al tops that performance in part due to the improved speech pattern he gets to play with. He definitely helped Wreck Gar be as odd, hyper, passionate and as weird as he was supposed to be, while giving him a sweet and sympathetic side that helps from the shtick getting too annoying.
3. Orson Wells as Unicron in The Transformers Movie
This is the most solemn voice you could ever hear. It evokes power and certitude in anything it whispers and it is both the voice of the most powerful threat in Transformers history as well as the voice of the greatest filmmaker that ever lived, Orson Welles (if anyone doesn't know, at age 25 he directed "Citizen Kane" which is believed by film critics to be the best film of all time). You can't help but believe everything uttered by that voice and the fact that it speaks of tearing worlds apart can't make you see anything but doom. It was used sparingly but to amazing effect.
2. Tony Todd as Dreadwing in Transformers Prime
When I first heard Dreadwing speak, I took a step back. It was both deep and steely, it could bring a chill down your spine. And of course, it had to be by one of the scariest guys ever, Tony Todd, the Candy Man himself. His deep voice also worked with adding to the characters sense of honour, pride and determination since you knew that he meant every word he spoke. And the best part is that it doesn't take anything away from the character by being invassive or distracting. It just works. This is exactly what this no nonsense character would sound like and no one could have done a better job. But number one is kind of special...
1. Leanard Nimoy as Galvatron (not sentinel Prime) in The Transformers Movie
Was this too predictable? Firstly, the use of a different voice for Galvatron was very well done. It emphasised that this was a new version of the character with a new unhinged personality (think Doctor Who), and what we were comfortable with before had just flown out the window. Galvatron was more ruthless than Megatron ever was, and far more psychotic, to the point of even doublecrossing Unicron (WHO DOES THAT!?!?!). Leanard Nimoy conveys this transition perfectly, giving a great balance of power and insanity. This works so well in setting the tone of the film, and of the character, and it's also Leanard freaken Nimoy. Way to start the new age of G1 with a bang!
Honourable mentions: My number 5 was a hard choice between my pick and George Takei as Alpha Trion. I was so amused and surprised when I heard George Takei's unmistakable voice on the show, but that's kinda the problem. His voice was so obvious that I couldn't see Alpha Trion talking to Optimus, I just heard George Takei, hence why this guest voice wasn't the one chosen. Also, the previously mentioned Eric Idle.
Goto Page: 1, 2>> 11 total news articles in this section, 10 per page.
* Price and quantities subject to change. Shipping costs, taxes and other fees not included in cost shown. Refer to listing for current price and availability.
![[Valid RSS]](/images/rss/valid-rss.png "Validate Seibertron.com's RSS feed"){kind=small}
