Transformers Reviews Archive
	Japanese Toy Line - Reviews
	Last Updated 7/4/22 with Street Fighter II x Transformers Ken/Chun-Li set.

• Transformers Animated and later - The Japanese version of the successful three-season series, plus later stuff that doesn't go in any categories below, since I'm not getting as many imports.
• PVCs - Various PVCs and other mini-statues.
• Live Action Movies - And related promos.
• Transformers Label - Sports Label, Music Label, Disney Label, Device Label, etc.
• Galaxy Force - What became Cybertron in America.
• "Neo G1" - Anything that recapitulates G1 in some way, be it Revoltech, Robot Masters, Henkei Henkei, etc.
• Superlink - What became Armada in America.
• World's Smallest Transformers - Tiny and often delicate versions of G1 toys, mostly.
• Sixteams - Micromaster combiner teams, which have been reissued, redecoed and bootlegged all over the place.
• Webdiver - A non-Transformers series from Takara during the interval between G1 and Beast Wars.
• Car Robots - The line that became Robots in Disguise in America.
• Beast Wars Metals - The Transmetals era of Beast Wars, with tweaks.
• GaoGaiGar - Another interval line for Takara, the year before Webdiver.
• Beast Wars Neo - A lot of new beast molds, many of which eventually got released in America.
• Beast Wars II - A few new molds, mostly recolors.

    Proper exclusive molds got pretty rare starting with the adaptation of Animated, usually just redecos and a few minor retools not worth the import fees to me.

• TAV08 Greejeeber/Gregevor: RiD Strongarm redecoed into an homage to a member of Baldigus from Car Robots, for the Transformers Adventure line.
• TA-20 Blackout: The movie helicopter redesigned with an Animated aesthetic.
• TF:A Chibi Keychains: In 100Y vending machines, I never did get around to reviewing them, but I did a fair amount of kitbashing with them.
• Street Fighter II x Transformers: Hot Rodimus [Ken] vs. Arcee [Chun-Li]: A weird combination of US and Japanese toolings for Titans Return Hot Rod and Thrilling 30 Arcee as a couple of Street Fighter II characters. Good molds, but bad choice of tooling combinations.

    Various bits of plastic that don't fit better under other headers. Combining a few things that used to have their own categories.

• Boss Coffee G1 Promo: Attached to the tops of cans of iced coffee. 10/20/08: Updated with Astrotrain, Shockwave and Craydon.
• K-T Collection Series 1: Mostly G1, except where noted. Convoy bust, Rumble and Frenzy, Devastator diorama, AI (from Car Robots) diorama.
• MyClone Transformers - G1 characters in Kubrick-style chibi figure form. Arcee, Grimlock, Jazz, Soundwave, Starscream, Trypticon, Ultra Magnus and Wreck-Gar.

    Stuff sold as tie-ins to the movies, either directly (like recolored movie toys) or in the slipstream (like Micron Boosters).

• Micron Booster 4: Dinobot recolors reviewed in some detail, with comments on the rest, these are recolors of various Classics Mini-Cons. (2007)
• Hyper Hobby Bumblebee: A "free with magazine" recolor of Legends Movie Bumblebee. (2007)
• EZ Collection Constructicons: Non-blindpacked (hence "EZ" to collect) Legends-class Constructicons that combine into Devastator. I only managed to get six of them, but the existence of a U.S. release softened the blow. :) (Revenge of the Fallen)
• Air Raid: A Japanese-exclusive MechTech retool of the 2007 Thrust mold. Guest review by Wonkimus Major. (Dark of the Moon)
• Decepticon Vortex: A Japanese-exclusive MechTech retool of the 2010 Tomahawk mold. Guest review by Wonkimus Major. (Dark of the Moon)
• Kero Kero Ace Starscream: A cheap, garish redeco of the first movie Legends Starscream in Sgt. Frog (Keroro Gunsou) colors.

    Sports Label, Music Label...various TakaraTomy cross-promotional projects.

• Sports Label:
  • Megatron feat. Nike Free 7.0: The Megashoe! Mold also comes in Convoy variety with a headswap and different colors, but I only wanted one. Updated with a quartet of 2/3 size knockoffs.
• Music Label:
  • Soundwave MP3 Player: I probably won't be getting this, as it's kinda expensive and I already have an iPod. However, Dio Soth sent a guest review of the Soundblaster black recolor.
  • Convoy iPod Speakers: G1 Optimus Prime with a trailer that acts as a speaker deck for iPods. Definitely not getting this.
  • Frenzy/Rumble Headphones: One earpiece turns into Frenzy, the other into Rumble. A FIRRIB/FIBRIR you can wear!
• Disney Label:
  • Mickey Mouse Trailer: Mickey Mouse meets Optimus Prime. Nice idea, not so good execution.
  • Donald Duck/Bumblebee: Nice idea, merging Donald Duck with G1 Bumblebee, but it's even a stronger case of "nice idea, bad execution" than Mickey.
• Device Label:
  • Tigatron USB Jumpdrive: Also available in Ravage colors, and later in Cheetor colors. I don't plan to get the optical mouse (Grimlock or Trypticon) or USB hub (Blaster into a faux mini-laptop).
    • Knockoff Ravage USB Drive: Only available in black, but it comes in 2GB, 4GB and 8GB sizes. Surprisingly good quality for a knockoff, but still lacking in many ways. Cheap enough to grab a 2GB for the novelty value, though.
  • Dinosaurer Optical Mouse: A working two-button mouse with track wheel that turns into a Trypticon-colored dinosaur that otherwise doesn't really look like Trypticon. I got it at half off, and figure it was worth about that much. There's also a Grimlock deco scheme, but word is that it was originally intended to be Dinobot (which it still doesn't look a lot like, but it's closer).

    Released as Transformers: Cybertron in the US, I picked up a couple figures on clearance before the domestic release, and may later pick up some Japan-only stuff.

• Dino Shout and Inch Up: Dinosaur and monster truck Destrons, GD-08 and GD-06 respectively.
• Backpack: Halftrack missile truck Cybertron, assigned to Earth. GC-06.
• Kabaya Galaxy Micron set 1: Hop, Bumper, Bullet and Roots. The first four new Mini-Cons from the set (called Jolt, Reverb, Sixspeed and Safeguard in the US), released individually with mystery gum by Kabaya.
• "Ramble": Three color versions of a little quad mech named, sorta, after Rumble. I've named the three variants Frenzy, Rumble and Riot.
• Kabaya Block Armor set 1: Capsule-toy-style peg-together versions of Galaxy Convoy, Ligerjack, Nitro Convoy, Flame Convoy and Live Convoy. With gum.

    Revoltech, Robot Masters, Henkei Henkei, United...basically, stuff that's meant to redo G1 without a significant other theme of its own for me to stick it in.

• RM-13 Smokesniper: Picked this up in the same order I got Dino Force and Inch Up from, not really feeling like doing a full review. Good mold, nice recolor, I liked being able to buy it separately since I don't like the Dreadwing mold as much.
• RM-17 Victory Sabre Set: A box set of the shrunken Star Sabre and the shrunken Victory Leo. Star Sabre is good, Victory Leo is not.
• RM-21 Burning Beast Convoy and Revoltech Convoy: The latter isn't a RobotMasters figure, but I decided to review 'em both at once, since I got them in the same trade. BBC is a clear red shrunken down Optimus Primal (original Ultra gorilla), while Revoltech Convoy is a highly poseable but non-transforming "non scale action figure".
• RM-24 Reverse Convoy/Rebirth Megatron: Really nice remold of Hero Megatron without the looseness problems of RiD Bludgeon. Has two heads, a Convoy head and a Megatron head, with a clever swapping mechanism.
• Revoltech Megatron: Shiny and oddly designed, Revoltech Convoy is a little better.
• Battle of Star Gate Manga: A short capsule review of the collected version of the 2003 manga that sort of stitches together the first two seasons of G1 and the 1986 movie.
• Alternity Megatron: 1:32 scale successor to Binaltech, with an aggressively cross-time slant.
• Henkei Smokescreen: Significantly different from the Universe version, I have it and will review it at some point. Or not. The chrome bits were kinda disappointing.
• UN-20 United Frenzy and Rumble: Recast as tiny antiaircraft tanks, with piledriver arms available in robot mode. Insanely hard to find, due to being tail end charlies for United (and being unreleased in America, at least at the time).
• UN-27 United Windcharger vs. Wipe-Out: The ultra-rare Reveal the Shield Windcharger packaged with a black and blue redeco of the mold.

    Superlink is the Japanese name for Transformers: Energon (just as they called Transformers: Armada "Micron Legend"). They've got a few toys here and there that we either won't get, or might not get for a while after Japanese release.

• Kicker - The squishy sidekick of the series, he gets his own armor and gets to boss Mini-Cons around.
• Microman 2004 - Okay, not Transformers. Although the good guys are Masterforce. :) Same basic mold as Kicker, different heads and accessories, and lots of extra hands. Updated 5/14 after I got the rest of the set.
• Nightscream Reverse - Part of a review of Energon SWAT Team, this is a G1-ish recolor of Energon Starscream.

    More "blind purchase" toys, these are tiny (2 inch or so) versions of classic G1 toys.

• Set 1: Sideswipe, Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Starscream and Soundwave. Set also includes "chase" figures of Prime's trailer, red Bumblebee and Skywarp. I didn't get any chase figures in my case, sob.
• Set 2: I've gotten a few from this set (Bluestreak, Thrust, Megatron) but never bothered to review 'em, sorry. Bluestreak's nice.
• Atari x Autorooper: This is actually part of the Kiss Players line, but as Autorooper is WST-size and I have no plans to get any other Kiss Players stuff, I'm putting the review here. ;)
• WST Slag - I got this fan-made toy, and may even review it someday. Part of a line of "knockoffs" that's very carefully avoiding the letter of the law.

    Takara started getting back into the "grocery counter toys" thing for Transformers with the PVC sets, but in 2002 expanded by putting out the SixTeam combiner Micromasters in collectible form. SixLiner was first, but I didn't get it because I already own the slight remold SixTrain (I never fully reviewed it, but click here for translated techspecs and some comments).

• Liner Team: Not purchased, came out in the Star Convoy line and inspired the four SixTeams that came out in the next year.
• Turbo Team: Six Micromasters that combine into the Super Warrior SixTurbo. Originally sold as a box set, reissued individually in small boxes like the PVCs.
• Train Team: Remold of Liner Team, form SixTrain. Didn't get it.
• Wing Team: Six aircraft that combine to form SixWing. Reissued, haven't gotten it.
• Builder Team: Six construction vehicles that merge into SixBuilder. I've bought it, but don't feel like reviewing it. It looks nice, but is rather floppy, especially the crane and track hoe bits on the shoulders.

    Takara took a brief break from the Transformers brand again around 2000, coming out with the video game based Webdiver series. This was followed by another game-related line that did pretty poorly, so they went back to Transformers.

• Jagua-on, Shark-on, Griffi-on and Garyuun: The first four weapon-addon guys. Jagua-on is a car/tigerman, Shark-on is a hovercraft/sharkman, Griffi-on is a jet/griffin, and Garyuun (Galleon plus Ryu = dragon) is a pirate galleon/dragonman. The names in the body of the review are wrong, the ones here have been corrected with the help of Doug Dlin.
• Phoenic-on: Another weapon warrior, a phoenix/train. Commonly called Feniquon or variants thereon.
• Orthrion, Cerberion and Golem-on: Two monstrous hounds out of Greek Legend (Orthrus and Cerberus) who can do a symmetric docking merge to form the hulking humanoid Golem-on.
• Gradion: The big train-bot himself. Review covers the toy as well as the videogame built into it.
• Dragon and Wyvernion: The huge dragon truck and the medium dragon seaplane. (Note: Dragon is more properly spelled Drag-on or Dragion or Doragon, but I'm not keen on any of those spellings.)
• Pegasion, Ligaon and Daedalion: Also known as Daitalion, Daedalion is a sort of Headmaster/Targetmaster that can use Pegasion and Ligaon as spare heads or forearms. The last of the transforming toys for the line.
• Cute Little Robots: Various WebDiver sets (Heroes, Flash-Docking Gradion, little PVC sets), GaoGaiGar and GaoFighGar Kubricks and Choro-Q Optimus Prime are covered here. A big pile of little robots.

    To follow Metals will be another line like BWII, with some new molds and some recolors. For various reasons, the Beast Wars name is being dropped in Japan, although the line will continue to use recolored Beast Wars toys. The Cybertrons will have the most new molds, with Fire Convoy, three Deluxe cars and an upcoming three-train combiner. The Destrongers will be led by Gigatron and contain mostly TMII recolors. Click HERE for Doug Dlin's translation of info put up on a site in Japan shortly after the unveiling of the line at the big Toy Fair.

• Battle Convoy: The recolor of Laser Optimus Prime Octane, minus the LED gimmick. Yes, the official name is Black Convoy, but I prefer either Battle Convoy or Black Battle Convoy. Special Bonus Review: My original 1995 review of Laser Optimus Prime!
• Devil Gigatron and Generation One PVCs: The recolor and slight remold of Gigatron, plus some of the three inch tall PVC statues of Generation One characters. Unfortunately, I can't find my Gigatron, so the DG review doesn't go into too much detail on the differences. Later Note: I found Gigatron, and my comparisons in the review are correct. Two little slots were cut in the wing unit so that the elephant trunk could lock in.
• Brave Maximus: Review of a borrowed Brave Maximus, the accessory-less Fortress Maximus recolor. URLs for pictures included in the review.
• God Fire Convoy: Reviews of Super Fire Convoy, God Magnus, and their combined form, God Fire Convoy! Big and expensive, with lots of noisemakers.
• Build King: Perhaps the most ambitious combiner team ever, combining the swapping flexibility of the old G1-style combiners with the poseability and complexity of BW era combiners. The execution needs work, but it's worth a look just for the concepts. Blacklight Build King picture. Build King has a lot of colors that glow under UV, and this picture is my attempt at capturing that look. Had to manually cover the flash, though.
• JRX: Three trains combining into a big robot. My brother got this for me while he was on tour with the Glenn Miller Orchestra in Japan in May, but it took him a while to get around to mailing it to me.
• SpyChangers: GoBot recolors that I managed to get on the cheap. Missing X-car, as he sold out before I got to the bargain bin.
• Speed Breaker and Mach Alert reviews - Okay, I found them for $20 each at Origins, so I picked up the other two Car Brothers.
• Wildride review - Because of shortage of space and a general desire not to spend money like a drunken sailor as I gear up to move out to some other city (graduation looms), I'm not getting many of this line. But I wanted to get one of the Deluxe-size cars, and I picked the SUV, as it seemed the least "kibble-master-ish" of the lot. According to Spencer Orbell, it's a Mercedes Benz ML 320. The other two cars are easier to ID, a Laborghini Diablo (also used for Gobot Firecracker) and a Dodge Viper.
• Gigatron - The first poseable sixchanger, woo. Okay, so the Gigabat mode blows energon chunks, there's still two okay modes (Gigadragon and Gigajet) and three good ones (Gigatron, Gigaformula and Gigahand). NOTE: For the upcoming Devil Gigatron, they figured out four more modes without, apparently, changing the molds. Gigaelephant is particularly clever, using the wings as ears and the tail as a trunk.

    Metals is almost entirely recolors or straight reissues with only the names changed (the names printed on the TM toys were changed to just Cybertron or Destron). However, Takara did take the TM Cheetor mold and change it to make a Jaguar (Ravage) toy from the Agenda three-parter. Click HERE for a review. Pics can be found in the TV Magazine and Comics Bon-Bon sections.

    No, this isn't a new Beast Wars variant you haven't heard about. GaoGaiGar was the last show/toy line Takara put out in Japan before bringing in Beast Wars, back in 1997-8. But I recently got some nifty toys from his line (I've also had a cruddy knockoff I didn't bother reviewing) from (URL removed because it's been squatted by porn).com, so I figured I'd put them up here.

    Review of the two side-by-sides. UPDATE 1/1/00: Someone who watched the show sent me a bit of info I added at the end of this review. Also, it looks like (URL removed).com has already sold out of these two toys. Good thing I pounced when I did. UPDATE 1/21: Michael Robinson tells me that the green/red combo is named Goryujin (Strong Dragon God) and the blue/yellow combo is named Genryujin (Phantom Dragon God). UPDATE 5/14/01: Fire Dragon is Enryu, Ice Dragon is Horyu, Wind Dragon is Furyu and Storm Dragon is Rairyu. I've got the series on DVD and may be reviewing it soon. Also got more of the toys over the past few months (Big Volfogg, King J-Der) but haven't felt like reviewing 'em.

    Thanks to some large trades with Makiya Torigoe, I have a lot of BW Neo toys.

• Longrack: The deputy leader of the Cybertrons, Longrack is a giraffe that turns into a robot or into a pile of body parts. Well, it's supposed to be a tank or something.
• Heinrad: The time-controlling and time-controlled tanuki (a raccoon-like dog) of the Cybertrons. This review also includes comments on packaging for the line. Note: Contrary to statements in the review, the alarm clock function can only be used in robot mode.
• Break, Dead End, Stampy and Sling: The four new Basics of the line. The other four Basics are recolors or outright repackages of U.S. toys.
• Sabreback and Guiledart: The Stegosaur and Triceratops of the Destrons. NOTE: Re-released with new colors in the U.S. as Striker and Triceradon.
• Big Convoy and Magmatron: If you can only get one, I'd recommend Magmatron over Big Convoy. But both are really good toys.
• Killerpunch and Corahda: No real link between these, I just happened to get them in the same order. Killerpunch is a remold of Guiledart, while Corahda is a "Deluxe" Cybertron counterpart to Sabreback. Purchased from astrotoys.com.
• Archadis VS Mach Kick: The winners of the fan design contest given form. Archadis the archeopteryx and Mach Kick the horse. NOTE: Archadis re-released with new colors in the U.S. as Airraptor.
• Bazooka: Basic-sized Ankylosaurus magniventris. Ordered in the same batch as Killerpunch, Corahda, Archadis and Mach Kick, but delivered over six months later. Whee.

    Reviews of the Japanese toys I got prior to Beast Wars Neo.

• Thanks to Raksha, I have some of the smaller BWII toys: Scuba, Thrust and Dirge. Click here for a review.
• Eggbeasts: Cheap little keychain toys, spheres that turn into robots and animals. Check the TV Magazine section for pictures (way down at the end of February).
• Clear Convoy and Lioconvoy: A clear plastic variant of Optimus Primal and the leader of the BWII Cybertrons. I got them in a trade with Kazunori Asada in Japan.
• Galvatron: The triple-changing leader of the Destrons! Acquired in a trade with Makiya Torigoe.
  • Hector Zapata pointed out to me that Galvatron's drill unit is removable, and can be held like a gun in the robot mode's hand. Pull out lightly on the sides where the puny claws are attached and you can pop the drill out of its peg holes.
• God Neptune: Recolors of the G1 Seacons, minus Nautilator and all the individual weapons. I got God Neptune in a trade with Raksha.
• Cyborg Beasts: Remolds of some older BW toys, these are the altered states of the Destron Jets. Now they are Hellscream (Cybershark), Max B (K-9), Thrustol (Dinobot) and DirgeGun (Waspinator). Acquired in a trade with Makiya Torigoe.
• Autorollers: The unreleased G2 Autorollers, released in Japan as Autostinger and Autolauncher. Got them from VicegripX's "Looking For Work" sale.
• "Decoys": A set of ten unpainted, clear blue plastic figures of BWII characters that I got from gamecave.com.