Dave's Japanese TF Rant: Micron Booster 4 GnashTeeth Mechi Version (Terrorsaur) Reptix (Swoop) IronLunge (Knockdown) Permalink: http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/BW/Japan/Micron4 Picture: http://www.dvandom.com/images/micron4.JPG Micron Booster 4 is a bunch of Classics Mini-Con recolors sold as Maximals and Predacons (well, Cybertrons and Destrons, but using the BW faction symbols for the beast modes) at convenience stores in Japan. Blind-packed, with chase versions. I got the three above from Wonkimus Major, who bought a bunch and had extras. :) [Later notes: GnashTeeth Mechi might also be named Chromebite. And Mechi/Mekki is Japanese for "plating". Reptix could also correctly be called Repticus.] http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/BW/Classic/Basic1 for my reviews of the original molds of the Dinobots. Some of the Booster set are recolors of figures from http://www.eyrie.org/~dvandom/BW/Classic/Basic2 as well. CAPSULES Gnashteeth: Good mold, the chromed version is rather snazzy, but even the regular version is a good BW Megatron homage. Worth seeking out, but don't pay too much, keep in mind that these sold for 300 Yen originally (although the chrome Chase would likely go for more even in Japan). Reptix and IronLunge: Good molds, but the recolors are really no better nor worse than the originals. I mean, if you're already getting stuff from Japan and think these won't increase the shipping costs, go for it, but they're not something to track down unless you're an obsessive dino-TF collector. RANTS General Comments: Unlike some Micron Boosters (like the Galaxy Force ones), these are blind packed. There's nine figures from five different Classics teams, the Dinobots are the only team fully represented. Thanks to Bete Noire of TFW2005.com for name and function translations. The faction I list for them is their American faction based on the symbol, I expect they're all Cybertrons and Destrons. 1. Rad Rogue (Strongarm) - Autobot, "Rushing Leader" 2. Gredator (Overbite) - Maximal, "One who coexists with nature" 3. Apexus (Snarl) - Maximal, "Anger's Fierce Tiger" 4. Windrazor (Dirt Rocket) - Autobot, Token Female 5. GnashTeeth (Terrorsaur) - Predacon, "God of Destruction" 6. Reptix (Swoop) - Predacon, "Sky-Soaring Thunderclap" 7. IronLunge (Knockdown) - Predacon, "Powerful Earth-Mover" 8. Refusor (Wideload) - Decepticon, "Maximum Weight/Big Compression" 9. Rock Blade (Sledge) - Decepticon, "Earth-shaving Rampaging Horse" 10. Rad Rogue Clear Version - Chase figure, clear colorless plastic 11. GnashTeeth Mechi Version - Chase figure, chrome plated The blind-packed boxes are 8cm by 5cm by 5cm (3"x2"x2"). The front side side shows Rad Rogue versus GnashTeeth, just photos of the toys on a G1-ish background. The top panel is a checklist of all the regular figures. Back and bottom are legal stuff. Left small panel is a list of stuff, dunno what it's for. The right small panel shows the chase variants. Each figure is in a black plastic baggie with an instructions sheet. The sheet that came with all of mine was the Destron sheet, with shrunken down instructions for the three Dinobots and the two Demolition Team guys. Presumably the other four figures came with the instructions for the rest. There's no trading cards or techspecs. Before going into the figures I have in more detail, a few comments based on the teeny pictures of the other ones. Rad Rogue: Very small differences from Strongarm, if any. [Wonkimus says just minor paint differences.] Gredator: Likewise, small differences from Overbite. Apexis: Made of bright yellow plastic instead of orange, paint masks look the same. Windrazor: Reddish orange body with black arms, looks to have black flames painted on the tank. Refusor: Looks about the same as Wideload. [Wonkimus says just some minor paint differences.] Rockblade: Light blue on the arms and torso. Black hips, scoop and driver's compartment. Green legs. Purple paint on the windows. Still a messed up weird color scheme, but a different one from Sledge. DESTRON: GNASHTEETH (MECHI VERSION) Altmode: Tyrannosaur Function: God of Destruction Previous Mold Use: Classics Terrorsaur Color Swaps: Green replaced by chromed purple plastic, gray by a sort of semi-metallic bronze plastic. This is clearly meant as a callback to Transmetal Megatron. Paint Apps: Same paint masks as Terrorsaur, but with red beast eyes and metallic teal where Terrorsaur has red. Silver parts are the same on both. The faction symbol is a printed silver Predacon symbol. Other Notes: The non-chrome version has pale purple instead of chrome purple and charcoal gray plastic instead of bronze, evoking "Barneytron" Beast Wars Megatron rather than Transmetal. The chroming feels nice and solid, and doesn't cause problems with fit on the tabs. However, the balance is slightly different, possibly due to the chromed plastic being of a different density. Where Terrorsaur can stay standing with an almost horizontal body, TeethGnash has to be raised up at least 40 degrees. Overall: Looks very nice, although the balance problems are an issue in beast mode. The Transmetal Megatron reference is nice. DESTRON: REPTIX Altmode: Pteradon Function: Sky-Soaring Thunderclap Previous Mold Use: Classics Swoop Color Swaps: The parts that are gray on Swoop become the same color red as Swoop's red parts. Meanwhile, the parts that are red on Swoop become a darker brick red. Paint Apps: Other than replacing the Autobot symbol with a purple Predacon symbol, the masking is the same. In fact, except for the face being silver and the eyes blue, the paint colors are the same too. Other Notes: Heh, since all the relevant parts are connected only with ball joints, you could pop this and Swoop apart and make a solid bright red version if you wanted, plus a brick-and-gray version. Overall: No better or worse than the original, really. The color scheme is a little more unified, but not really better. DESTRON: IRONLUNGE Altmode: Triceratops Function: Powerful Earth-Mover Previous Mold Use: Classics Knockdown Color Swaps: Replace the purplish light gray with bluish light gray, and the light brown with a medium-light blue. Paint Apps: Same masks as Knockdown. Yellow paint becomes metallic purple, metallic light blue becomes gold, purple (robot eyes) becomes blue. He also gains a metallic blue Predacon symbol on the left flank (left robot shoulderpad). Knockdown was notable for lacking a faction symbol. Other Notes: Odd choice of recolors here. It's not really much more unified, although at least it's all blue. But Slag's G2 recolors were green and red, not blue, so they couldn't have been shooting for a G2 homage here. And Guiledart was closer in colors to Knockdown. Nor does it look like they gang-molded any of the figures here, he doesn't share colors with any of the other Micron Booster 4 figures. Overall: "Better" in that it has a faction symbol, I suppose, otherwise this is another "just as good" treatment. Dave Van Domelen, also got Frenzy/Rumble headphones, will review those later.