Bad Year for humans. Good year for robots.
Not much more to say about 2020. Trends in 2019 seemed mostly to continue, in both HasTak and 3rd party. But one thing that did occur to me is, I think we have let something very big slip by: the quiet demise of kibble. Not everywhere, and not completely. But having big chunks of alt mode hanging off a robot has become really rare. There were near-riots over MP Bumblebee 2.0's backtastrophe, and people even grumbled over MP44 Prime's modest sound chip block. I've seen almost nothing but negativity towards the upcoming MP Arcee. Most Earthrise, and even Cyberverse figures, are vast improvements over previous years in terms of integrating all their parts. Sorcery is the norm in 3rd party figures, with even Legends scale figures looking cleaner than Masterpiece-scaled counterparts. Even legends-scale cassettebots! Kibble has become something unacceptable. And the previous meaning of the term (bits necessary for one mode that don't store anywhere else) is practically extinct. Aside from "legacy kibble" like the "wings" on Prowl or Grimlock, I think this is the end of an era. Good riddance.
Now onto bots.
20 Cyberverse One-Step Repugnus & Whirl
Some automorphing figures are fiddly or have slipping/grinding gears, but these two manage to avoid those pitfalls. Both are surprisingly-excellent representations of their characters, and a lot of fun to flip back and forth. They even manage little grabby-gimmicks. Whirl looks even more like himself than the Generations Voyager. Repugnus is an adorable mischevious pest. And when I got him I was happily surprised that they DID paint his robot mode eyes!
19 Studio Series Blitzwing
The Studio Series line has made magic quite a few times, and this is one of their best. Jet mode is okay; got some visible arm syndrome, but what seekeresque figure doesn't? That Robot Mode Though!! The red paint breaks up the off-white just right, and the orange cockpit draws they eye straight to that masterwork headsculpt. Blitzy's mouth looking like a pilot's respiratory mask was a genius bit of design. All that and a transformation with some serious creativity in it.
18 DX9 Atilla/DX9 Guiliano
This set is not without problems (Kukinsky made my top 10 Disappointments list), but when all form together, Atilla's sheer presence is awe-inspiring. I do not normally go in for gigantic figures, so I keep getting dumbstruck every time I look at him. Getting him out of trailer mode feels like transforming the goddam Chrysler building. Plus the light-up eyes were a great decision, the sword's a beautiful mile long, and the bug-gun is a cherry on top. Best of all, Guiliano himself was a crescendo rather than a whimper. Some of the craziest, cleverest engineering in the bunch, and plastic that feels like it's up to the challenge. And his gold paint seems nearly invulnerable, given how not-gentle I've been in fiddling with him.
17 KFC Boxbomber
"Why would I spend money on a figure that's basically just the G1 toy with a little more articulation?" I thought. But then I reconsidered on a whim and I'm so glad I did. G1 Squawktalk is great, but he's got problems. Boxbomber fixes them. All of them. Specifically, his robot mode has NORMAL SHOULDERS! I probably should not be so overjoyed by that. But he also has elbows! A better-proportioned torso! And a head swivel!!! The little dude charmed my socks off, is what I'm saying.
16 TFC Poseidon/TFC Trinity Force
These two mighty gestalts have a lot of differences, but share enough criteria for enjoyment that I grouped them together. There is a LOT of fiddly panel-centric engineering going on here, especially when getting Raging Bull and Redknight into leg mode. But I'm astonished at how much care went into making sure every single part has a place to go in every mode. So many little tabs, keeping fins and limbs and doors and panels snug. Very, very good tolerances all around. Yummy ratchets on both torso figures. TFC puts a lot of personality into their facesculpts too. And when combined, Sweet Jesus!! Trinity Force bleeds speed, skill, and smarts. Love his gorgeous blue car-themed sword. And whichever way you assemble Poseidon (Can you effing believe that all five limbs are quintuple-changers!?), he's just a breathtaking beast. Dominates whatever space you put him in. Pity that it's a fool's errand trying to get him to hold up his gargantuan weaponry.
15 Unique Toys Destroyer
If 2021 really will see the very last Unique Toys figure, then they didn't just go out in a blaze of glory, but a lava flow. Challenger was the figure that (IIRC) started the phrase 'third party black magic'. This transformation is so brilliant, it boggles the mind trying to imagine what mind could imagine it. And surprisingly easy too. Aside from some irksome too-loose joints, there's no frustration in getting him from mode to mode. I love his face-swap gimmick. I love how curvy the truck mode is, and how it utterly vanishes into the robot mode. Plus, I got the Nemesis version, so I also love the perfectly-understated amounts of teal and blood red that pop like neon against the shimmering oily black.
14 G1 Piranacon
I'd collected Snaptrap, Seawing, and Nautilator over the years, almost by accident. Completing Piranacon was something I never really thought about. But after getting TFC Poseidon, I kinda got a fish itch. I eBay'd Skalor, Tentakil and Overbite one by one (I have a special affinity for the charmingly goofy little be-legged sharkdude), and all the combiner thingies. As soon as they were all together, I knew I'd made a good decision. This is some real high quality late-80s plastic. His coral-sword is impressively distinctive. And I think he might actually be the most successful G1 combiner in terms of looking like a character, not just 'little dudes crammed on a big dude'. The unified color scheme, overall proportions, and the limbs' alt modes being indistinct seafood bits rather than vehicles, all help. Best combiner head too. Fight me.
13 Siege Spinister
This transformation is so seamlessly genius, I really wonder if it just popped into some designer's head one day out of nowhere and he thanked his muse for a month. This is as good an upgrade as an obscure G1 Decepticon mook could hope for. I'm amused by the contrast in transformation.; how the legs are a Rubik's cube, and the chest is easy as A-B-C. The colors are mouthwatering. Makes me wanna eat Laffy Taffy. And oh man did they go the extra mile for that perfect paint on the head. Those beady yellow eyes definitely convey a depth of mystery, or profound emptiness, or both. This is one of the figures whose applause-worthy kibblelessness first made me notice the trend.
12 Mechanic Studio Flame Commander
Moving to a new state necessitated I thin my collection, and my Japanese MP09 Rodimus Prime was one of the casualties. Thankfully, Mech Fans stepped in with a tiny Roddy that does everything the Masterpiece did, and without being nightmarishly fragile! I really love the buttery-smooth joints all over him. Definitely an easier transformation than Papa Toys' Flame Warrior. He's a handsome little robot, a spiffy little car, and it's rad as hell that he can wad up and combine with the trailer to do the full Recreational Vehicle Of Having The Touch. They even added a teensy-weensy Targetmaster, and one of those Diaclone knockoff mech suit guys they're fond of sticking in with all their figs.
11 Siege Astrotrain
I'll give the same defense of Astrotrain that I did for Earthrise Cliffjumper (who came within a hair of making this list): I will accept a bit of cheating if it's in service of a really fun transformation, and I do not mind paying more for a smallish figure if the money goes into build quality. Yes, Astrotrain is a Voyager at a Leader class price. But the HEFT of him, man!! He is DENSE for a figure his size! Transformation is like good beef stew: lots of satisfying meaty chunks. Lots of solid connections in the tabbing too. And the designers were smart to put the compromises in the alt modes, resulting in a figure that feels a lot bigger than he is. More powerful. This was like an apology for the ambitious-yet-bizarre Titans Return iteration.
10 MakeToys Rioter Despotron
I've been after this figure for years. And I'm not sure I'd have liked him as much at his original price. He does have an awful lot of floppity joints, and the partsforming is borderline bullshit. But I happened across a Buy It Now for $45, priced so low because his butt-skirts broke off. I'll take it! And my expectations were totally exceeded. I absolutely admire the chutzpah in such a stylized design. As a robot, he reminds me of some of Michael Jackson's outfits. As a gun, he looks like something Mal Reynolds would wield (plus this mode locks together a lot more solidly than I expected). There's some impressively-nuts asymmetrical engineering in the transformation too. Oh, and I was in for a total shock when the fusion cannon popped apart and there was a badass purple sword inside! Sweet!
09 Studio Series Overload
Allright, Hasbro. Fine. You made us wait for months on end till we nearly had nervous breakdowns, but at least in the end it was worth it. Studio Series Devastator is a bit of a miracle in how well he holds together and forms a cohesive robot shape out of so many Bayformer lumps. The mile-wide feet give him great stability too. But naw; Overload's the real star here. He's a good pelvis, but an even better dumptruck-the-size-of-a-California-redwood. Hardcore vroom vrooms. And the robot mode is BONKERS AWESOME. The arms have joints up the wazoo, he stands quite well despite their stunning width, he's got a freakin' scorpion tail, and that crustacean face has an expression like he just adores being an asshole. I would have absolutely bought him as a standalone figure even if the other Constructicons were never made.
08 Earthrise Sunstreaker
Masterpiece Sunstreaker was such a total letdown. Fragile plastic, an unfinished-looking paintjob, and that ghastly clown face. How hard is it to make a Sunstreaker that looks good!? That's his whole thing!! Thank goodness for Earthrise. This figure is not only just what I want Sunstreaker to look like (the soul patch is a perfect touch; he is supposed to be a bit of a douche after all), but the transformation is a great example of the kind of minimalist brilliance they've been pulling off lately. I saw reviewers prying the windshield up to transform the legs first. NO. Arms and head first, then 180 swivel, move the chest, another 180 swivel, THEN the legs. Doing it that way is smooth as cream. I also have to mention the brilliant cheating of the hood-feet, the gorgeous translucent blue windows, and how the yellow paint and plastic actually do match pretty good in-hand.
07 Masterpiece Movie Starscream
In no sane universe should this figure be this good. There's been so many iffy or ecchy Masterpieces lately. MPM Jazz was allright, but no fun to mess with. MPM Ironhide was a war crime. And then... somehow... Starscream, the bloody Dorito-chicken-abomination, comes out amazing. It's incredible how just a few proportion tweaks made his bizarre design finally make sense to me. The jet mode feels a bit like an overstuffed Crunchwrap, but the robot mode could be a Three Zero statue it's so spot-on. And from every angle! Abundantly-adjustable wings and a sleek back. He even stands well thanks to some good strong leg ratchets and diecast feet. I think I'm most impressed by how fun the transformation is. These are solid Studio-Series-feeling joints and tabs, instead of the usual terrifyingly-tight MP hinges. Best of all, he retains the ROTF Leader figure's pectoral articulation! Neat!
06 TFC Astaroth
Every year, some inexplicably-handsome bad boy sweeps me off my feet. sigh How in the hell does a Sinnertwin figure look this amazing!? Let's start with the headsculpt, with its searingly-bright light piping and cocky, begrudging expression. Proportions suggest a muscled but agile brawler, and the colors remind me of Goku's Turtle School gi. Transformation really goes above and beyond, vacuuming up all of one mode's limbs to replace them with the other's. Beast mode has joints for days: eight in each leg, five in each neck, and three in each tail! Plus chompy little rawr mouths (and painted teeth!) for the dragon/rhino/foo lion heads. I am so happy that TFC is ignoring the trend of 'everything must be 100% Sunbow accurate'. This figure is stylized as hell and very obviously made with passion. I'm gonna buy the entire combiner, aren't I?
05 Newage Agamemnon
If any 3P company has sold their souls to the actual devil, it's Newage. They embarrass their competitors with how easy they make it look. 'Yes you CAN have figures this tiny that look incredible, with perfect proportions, AND they're sturdy and fun to play with!' I can't tell if they're using plastic or Vibranium. I could have put their Ironhide, Thundercracker and Soundwave on here too but I wanted to be fair to everyone else. Their Megatron is something special though. He looks as good as the MP, if not better, and is leagues easier to transform. I have the maniacal smile face and, ohhhhh boy, it looks great. After such a mad scramble between X-Transbots, MakeToys, DX9 and Takara to make the best Megatron, this little titan swaggers in and nukes them all to ashes with one shot.
04 Studio Series Leadfoot
I feel like I won the lottery. My favorite Bayverse design is also the best Studio Series toy. There are some that look more perfect, but are a fiddly, pointy, wince-fest to transform. There are some with more complexity, which still don't nail the alt and robot proportions as well as Leadfoot does. It's uncanny; they FINALLY made a toy of this guy that looks like the concept art. Even the bulky shin-slabs are fairly accurate. Car mode is a dazzling badass mess of excess. Robot mode's a squat dwarven Bubba with a world-class Energon gut. And the way the head and pecs flip out of the hood is one of my favorite transformation steps ever. Like unwrapping a tiny birthday gift. Steeljaw is a wonderful uglycute accessory too.
03 Transform Element Op Leader
Seems like a lot of times, a bunch of companies all make the same figure at once, all trying to outdo one another. This year we had the race for a better Optimus than MP10. Magic Square made a heroic, friendly-looking bot, but the truck mode is obviously wearing pants. Takara called upon voodoo for perfect accuracy, but with a price and transformation that scared off most people. And then in stepped Transform Element TE-01. Excellent proportions in both modes. Clean and sharp and kibbleless all over. A transformation that could have been dreamed up by advanced interdimensional beings, but with materials so good it didn't feel like a chore or a labyrinth (Seriously, I cannot gush enough about how the feel of the plastic makes me weak in the knees with satisfaction). A true landmark figure. All that, and I had the wonderful moment of not knowing how his slab legs could have foot posability, and then coming across the cleverest ankle tilt of all time.
02 Fans Hobby Double Evil
Overlord has gravitas and commands respect. His G1 toy's rarity and fragility just adds to his aloof, unattainable stature. I don't know if I'll ever own the G1. Thankfully, Fans Hobby decided to remake that toy, but better. Taller. More articulated. Smarter engineering. Top-notch tolerances. Tabs that actually hold parts of the base mode together! (What a concept!) Seriously, the amount of care that went into this figure is staggering. So many extra touches: Tiny flaps to fill gaps. The barrels of the jet mode guns extend. The rifle compacts satisfyingly to store in tank mode. Non-slip rubber on the feet. The absolute magic of the tank turret halves coming together and being able to rotate. Even the Powermasters are solidly constructed, and when you put them in his chest, They Do The Gimmicks!! Tank mode feels like holding a smooth, heavy mortar shell. The jet is so big I may have to buy a second house. And in robot mode, I'm gobsmacked to be in this figure's presence. This towering, cold, noble, cruel warrior.
01 Transform Element Speed Star
TE's Optimus was a jaw-dropping debut figure, as I've said, but he could have been a fluke. Many 3P companies show up, strike some sparks, then fade away. Transform Element's having none of that. They're doing whatever the fuck they feel like, and doing it all with bravado. Masterpiece G1? Yup. Bayverse? Yup. Beast Wars Legends? Yup. T-Beasts!? Yup. And back to G1, with a Mirage that knocks Ocular Max's Sphinx out of the solar system. This figure has some imperfections in manufacturing, but the design is so ambitious it feels like they're sending a declaration of intent. Halfway between a challenge and a threat. A new incredibly-high standard. The galaxy-brain transformation makes me wonder if time travelers stole him from the future. I'm especially impressed by how, once you unravel the optimal order of operations, there is always just enough clearance to never have to force any parts past each other. Zero kibble. Full articulation. Glossy plastic indistinguishable from a paintjob, and so dense it feels like diecast. The smoothest-rolling wheels of any MP-scale car I've ever owned. A headsculpt so handsome there should be anime roses surrounding it. And incorporating the missile launcher into the transformation is just showing off to a shameless level of magnificent bastardry. I cannot fathom what Transform Element is going to accomplish in 2021, but I'm incredibly excited to find out.
LAST MINUTE EMERGENCY ADDITION
00 Action Toys Machine Robo Tough Trailer
Normally I keep Christmas gifts off this list so the 'new toy factor' doesn't blind my judgement, but there's no way in hell I'm waiting a year to talk about this guy. WOW!!! He's a behemoth of beautiful blue. A brawny lad of a robot and an unending slab of power in truck mode. I love this plastic. Dense and thick and durable. What an amazing improvement over the weird floppy tolerances of the last Action Toys GoBot I had! Transformation definitely feels like it came from a different perspective from HasTak. Some very unexpected decisions. This can be both good and bad, as the bumper-to-feet TF is genius, but applying the toe with a single screw was boneheaded. Eh. I'll forgive it for a figure this attention-grabbing. Put this on your shelf and people will shout, "Who is THAT!?"
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TOP 4 FIGURES I RE-BOUGHT, AND AM GLAD TO HAVE BACK IN MY COLLECTION
04 Energon Downshift
03 Prime Voyager Ultra Magnus
02 Generations Sandstorm
01 Titans Return Seaspray
TOP 7 BROKEN BOTS REPAIRED, OR UPGRADED WITH A REPLACEMENT
07 Movie07 Longarm
06 Tiny Turbo Changers Cogman
05 ROTF Brimstone
04 RID Super Optimus Prime
03 Go-Bots Blockhead
02 G1 Hot Spot
01 Transmetals 2 Jawbreaker
TOP 4 REPAINTS
04 Titans Return Bumblebee
03 Generations FOC Thundercracker
02 Universe Whirl
01 Universe Frostbite
A special mention has to be made here for Transmetals 2 Jawbreaker and Universe Frostbite. Transmetals 2 is my favorite toyline, and Jawbreaker is my favorite figure from it, hands down. Might not be anyone else's, but he's mine. He's the pinnacle of that insane, overdesigned 90s aesthetic. Bristling with spikes and knives and cherry-red chrome. He's got the waxy black plastic though, which is prone to disintegrating, so this year I bought a busted one and Frankensteined him some new hinges and ball joints. Then sheer luck brought a Frostbite into my life, at a price that was NOT hundreds of dollars. One of the best repaints ever. So much effort went into highlighting all the opposite details on Jawbreaker, to really make Frostbite feel like a distinct figure. It was like finally completing the 'lost' member of TM2. Like attending a wedding, almost. With the lavender and violet, it's hard to not think Frostbite's a girl. Maybe the two of them are gonna make cyberpunk hyena cubs together.
Happy New Year, you clattering clan of calamitous cogs and camshafts!!!
