Transformers Prime Deluxe Airachnid Pictorial Review
Monday, June 4th, 2012 3:11PM CDT
Categories: Cartoon News, Toy NewsPosted by: El Duque Views: 45,055
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I got my shipment of Wave 4 in today from Kapow Toys in the UK.
Here are some of my views on Transformers Prime: Deluxe Airachnid.
Sadly I think she could be the poorest in the whole TFP line. In that statment I include RID Bumblebee and Optimus, which are ok figures essentially if not as good as the FE ones.
I need to check out more pics of her but the copter mode is good. Pretty accurate and has an opening cockpit with seat! The rotors spin easily.
It's quite a compact alt form but about the same length as Starscream.
The stinger guns have 2 handle pegs so can stick out or go flush against the sides. I think it looks better without them on at all or storing to the side. I don't really think the weapons work well at all. An interesting design but I suppose we've seen worse.
The robot mode is not much fun. She has half a head! Which slides up from the chest with the rear of the cockpit. It's actually attached to the seat. So this means a large hood backpack which spoils the whole look. There has to have been a better way. If they let it pop out like Ratchet it would have been nicer.
The face is quite a good representation but that's what it is, a face not a head. Due to the backpack it can hardly move from left to right. The backpack spoils it looking like the show for me. I think it's on a ball joint but it's pointless. Even if you pulled it off there is still the seat stuck on. Light piping doesn't seem very effective on her too.
As for articulation: No waist swivel, the legs bend nice at the knees. The hips can not move so the legs can sit straight forward. It's basically just to the side from transformation. No kneeling poses for her. It's this or nothing really.
The arms have a weird fold out elbow. It barely extends any further. Shoulders are on a ball joint but all the panels get in the way. Across her chest is about all you can do.
The hands look terrible, really well childish. They fold out and have peg holes in the middle. So essentially the whole arm is a wafer thin panel and 1 joint connecting 2 panels.
Triple battle sword? Um not really. Rotors do come off and are reasonable movable. There is a joint on each arm to bend them. They are supposed to lock onto her back but it barely has a large enough peg and constantly comes undone.
She has 2 paint apps, black with some purple. I've just seen the box back shows purple and yellow on the legs which is photoshop BS. Only other paint is silver face and yellow on the guns. The guns are nicely detailed.
Overall this needs a Voyager size remake in the spider mode. I dunno what the Takara AM Micron labels could add to this but will be interesting to see them try.
I give Airachnid a 4/10 for effort and will see how it grows on me.
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Posted by Bumblevivisector on June 4th, 2012 @ 3:23pm CDT
Looks like even a 3rd Party upgrade kit can't solve her biggest problems; just the rotors.
Posted by Daggor on June 4th, 2012 @ 3:47pm CDT
Posted by MINDVVIPE on June 4th, 2012 @ 4:22pm CDT
I would urge others who are on the fence to hold off, giving them a better reason to make a new mould, but I think that would actually work against that goal. I think the more people that show they like Airachnid, the more attention will be given to her in the future.
Figure is a little too horrendous for me to purchase on that basis alone, though.
Posted by Mindmaster on June 4th, 2012 @ 4:28pm CDT
Posted by necr0blivion on June 4th, 2012 @ 5:05pm CDT
The completionist in me will still get her, wish something could be done with that big goofy hands. I wish we could see a "voyager-class" figure of her with the spider mode.
In that last picture, "one of these things is not like the other...." One of these 'Cons is LOUD!
Posted by craggy on June 4th, 2012 @ 5:27pm CDT
Ah well, at least Dead End looks hideously awesome. Can't wait to get my hands on him.
Posted by YoungPrime on June 4th, 2012 @ 5:29pm CDT
Posted by dirk2243 on June 4th, 2012 @ 6:02pm CDT
so far that would be
soundwave, a vehicon, bulkhead, breakdown (pending seeing it) and if they make an insecticon for sure.
I was looking forward to Airachnid....but now..... an easy pass. (a voyager would be sweet if done right in/with spider alt mode)
Posted by Azrail on June 4th, 2012 @ 6:20pm CDT
But I didn't even bother opening Shadow Strike Bumbleebee Lol
Posted by Sodan-1 on June 4th, 2012 @ 7:49pm CDT
Nice!Azrail wrote:But I didn't even bother opening Shadow Strike Bumbleebee Lol
Yeah, she's definitely the weakest of the RiD figures. I'll pick her up cheap just so I have the complete set.
Posted by kirbenvost on June 4th, 2012 @ 7:50pm CDT
I think I'll hold out and hope for a Voyager or at least wait for a Seibertron gallery.
It's not like we'll see this wave in Canada anytime soon anyway...
Posted by Evil_the_Nub on June 4th, 2012 @ 8:09pm CDT
Posted by quickmixed on June 4th, 2012 @ 9:15pm CDT
I cant get past those arms with the flip out hands. Seems like a really lazy figure. Pass for me.
Posted by gavinfuzzy on June 4th, 2012 @ 9:28pm CDT
Also, I just realized this but Dead End is more common than Night-strike BB... I have not seen any NSBB recently...
Posted by Doctor McGrath on June 4th, 2012 @ 9:48pm CDT
Posted by Azrail on June 4th, 2012 @ 9:50pm CDT
kirbenvost wrote:Her hips have no forward/backward articulation? Seriously? Something is terribly wrong when Hasbro can't even give deluxe figures basic articulation. They're killing this line almost as badly as DOTM.
I've added some more information and tweaked the review a little. See below.
Unusual by the rest of the RID standards is she has 2 molded on Decepticon purple logos. 1 tiny one on the cockpit nose and 1 on her chest. Something that has been missing from everyone until now.
As for articulation: No waist swivel, the legs bend nice at the knees.
The hips can move but it's tiny. They are on a seriously useless ball joint.
The side black panels go up to the top of the waist so the slightest movement backwards makes them hit the backpack. Move the leg forward and it hits the waist area. Push too far and it pops off the joint.
The leg can swing out and the knee is on a pin joint. You can basically have her leg slightly bent in front of her posed and that's it. I think this is where it fails the most. No kneeling poses for her. It's this or nothing really.
The arms have a weird fold out elbow. It barely extends any further. Shoulders are on a ball joint but all the panels get in the way. Across her chest is about all you can do.
The hands look terrible, really well childish. They fold out and have peg holes in the middle. So essentially the whole arm is a wafer thin panel and 1 joint connecting 2 panels.
I think they look really silly holding the stingers too. As it's pegged through the hand rather than a fist.
Triple battle sword? Um not really. Rotors do come off and are reasonable movable. There is a joint on each arm to bend them. They are supposed to lock onto her back but it barely has a large enough peg and constantly comes undone. This is a serious annoyance to me. With the smallest effort it comes out of the peg and rotates down. You can't really pose it in many ways. If you have the blades touching the ground she has to be leaning back.
Posted by Noideaforaname on June 4th, 2012 @ 11:46pm CDT
Posted by Evil_the_Nub on June 5th, 2012 @ 1:04am CDT
Noideaforaname wrote:That opening cockpit gimmick really drags down the figure. Can anything even ride in it? Legends? HA humans? Minicons? Even smaller figures?
That does seem to be the biggest offender, why put it there for a character who's very rarely in alt mode in the first place?
Posted by Transhunter on June 5th, 2012 @ 2:26am CDT
Anyway for those having problem locating both PRID Vehicon and Arachnid I have spotted some on UK ebay check it out:
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?siteid=0&pub=5574891718&campid=5336631220&customid=&toolid=10001&mkevt=1&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fitm%2FRare-Hasbro-V%20...%20522wt_1401%3C%2Fa%3E%3F
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?siteid=0&pub=5574891718&campid=5336631220&customid=&toolid=10001&mkevt=1&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fitm%2FRare-Hasbro-B%20...%20366wt_1401%3C%2Fa%3E%3F
So if you are interested have a look I know its not cheap but its doen't look like it going to be any easier acquiring for good price in the near future Why hasbro with the cray distribution OH WHY!!!! .
Posted by Mykltron on June 5th, 2012 @ 6:10am CDT
Noideaforaname wrote:That opening cockpit gimmick really drags down the figure. Can anything even ride in it? Legends? HA humans? Minicons? Even smaller figures?
It's a deluxe. She's too small for any of those. I doubt even MP Scream's Dr. Arkeville would fit.
Posted by Azrail on June 5th, 2012 @ 9:31am CDT
Noideaforaname wrote:That opening cockpit gimmick really drags down the figure. Can anything even ride in it? Legends? HA humans? Minicons? Even smaller figures?
I just tried a Dr Arkeville and he is too big as I thought. If it was made a little better he would be almost the right scale.
A Zoids pilot may fit in but the main problem is there's nowhere for the feet to go anyway.
It's not the opening cockpit that affects the liking of the toy. It's Hasbro still using this "Revealer" gimmick. They didn't need to stick the seat to the back of the head. If they made it so the backpack went down and the head was revealed rather than the other way it would be much better.
It seems to me with her and others they are making the Alt mode look the best it can and then figuring how to make it transform. The First Edition line went for robot accuracy more.
Posted by Mykltron on June 5th, 2012 @ 12:14pm CDT
Azrail wrote:It seems to me with her and others they are making the Alt mode look the best it can and then figuring how to make it transform. The First Edition line went for robot accuracy more.
They didn't sacrifice the alt mode though. With the exception of Weaponizer OP I think they always start with the alt mode.