Ode to a Grasshopper
2nd July 2012, 12:22 AM
So, here's a few pics (couldn't fit too many in the one post, and need to get some sleep for work tomorrow so no vehicle mode pics tonight, sorry) and some brief thoughts on Arms Micron Breakdown. I recommend seeing Peaugh's review (http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-video-reviews/621868-peaugh-reviews-am-12-breakdown.html), which is a lot more in-depth than this one.
Basically, he's pretty sweet, though IMO he doesn't quite warrant Peaugh's gushing-ness either. He is a really solid figure with good poseability, but being a Prime figure he has some pretty stiff competition in FE Starscream and PRiDE Vehicon and he doesn't quite reach those lofty heights. That said, he's still very much a decent figure and well worth getting if you're a fan of the character and/or series.
Robot mode is solid and bulky, though a little on the short side for a Voyager IMO - there's a certain amount of Bulkhead syndrome here, though not as bad as Animated Bulkhead and far better than Animated Lugnut. Another head or so taller and he'd be quite a bit more imposing. Even a little on the short side as he is, he's still rocking the bulk - this is obviously a strong-bot, and the oversized hand-hammer works to that effect. Articulation is great, as is stability - poseability-wise he does just fine, especially for a heavy-type character. He's no Classics Mirage to be sure, but he's definitely no Airachnid either. Head movement is restricted a little by his chin collar and low-set neck, but that's a pretty minor complaint. There's a bit of kibble there, but for the most part it's well integrated into the figure and doesn't spoil the look. The head sculpt - and the rest of the figure for that matter - is spot-on to the show likeness. The color scheme works well for both modes, and the Arms Micron works pretty well as his hand-hammer. Sadly he's missing his shoulder-cannon,but the Arms Micron can sort of double as a handgun weapon (or plug into his shoulder for an oversized, non-show-accurate shoulder cannon) so that's more or less excusable.
Transformation is pretty good. Not too hard and not too easy - once you've done it once or twice it shouldn't pose any problems. Getting all the tabs to lock in takes a little bit of fiddling but once that's done he's pretty tight.
Vehicle mode is also solid and a pretty decent size for a modern Voyager class. Happily his sticker applications seem to stay on better than AM Soundwave, though like AM Soundwave they can be a pain to apply. He scales fairly well with Knock Out in alt-mode (I don't have a Bulkhead for comparison, sorry), and looks the part of a bulky bruiser-type. His Arms Micron looks kind of out-of-place as they tend to do, but not as bad as many of them. He has lots of ports for the arms microns, but happily they're not that obtrusive (I'm looking at you, AM Knock Out :mad: ). There's not a heap of undercarriage clearance, so maybe don't take him off-road rolling if you want to keep the silver stickers on his feet pristine.
The Micron is OK, if a bit unconvincing in robot mode. Still, it makes a decent hammer and a not-too-bad blaster in alt-mode, so no complaints here. Also, if you only transform his handle from beast-mode you can stick him on vehicle Breakdown and have a joy-riding rhino, which is kind of amusing.:D
Unfortunately, if mine is typical then he gets stress-marks fairly easily, so be gentle if his head pops off and when inserting the Micron.
All in all, he's well worth picking up, especially if you can get him for a non-scalper-y price. As mentioned, I wouldn't quite put him up there with the heights of PRiDE Vehicon or FE Starscream but he's still pretty damn good. Definitely get him if you're a fan of Prime and/or the character, and if not have a look-see at someone else's and think about it.
Basically, he's pretty sweet, though IMO he doesn't quite warrant Peaugh's gushing-ness either. He is a really solid figure with good poseability, but being a Prime figure he has some pretty stiff competition in FE Starscream and PRiDE Vehicon and he doesn't quite reach those lofty heights. That said, he's still very much a decent figure and well worth getting if you're a fan of the character and/or series.
Robot mode is solid and bulky, though a little on the short side for a Voyager IMO - there's a certain amount of Bulkhead syndrome here, though not as bad as Animated Bulkhead and far better than Animated Lugnut. Another head or so taller and he'd be quite a bit more imposing. Even a little on the short side as he is, he's still rocking the bulk - this is obviously a strong-bot, and the oversized hand-hammer works to that effect. Articulation is great, as is stability - poseability-wise he does just fine, especially for a heavy-type character. He's no Classics Mirage to be sure, but he's definitely no Airachnid either. Head movement is restricted a little by his chin collar and low-set neck, but that's a pretty minor complaint. There's a bit of kibble there, but for the most part it's well integrated into the figure and doesn't spoil the look. The head sculpt - and the rest of the figure for that matter - is spot-on to the show likeness. The color scheme works well for both modes, and the Arms Micron works pretty well as his hand-hammer. Sadly he's missing his shoulder-cannon,but the Arms Micron can sort of double as a handgun weapon (or plug into his shoulder for an oversized, non-show-accurate shoulder cannon) so that's more or less excusable.
Transformation is pretty good. Not too hard and not too easy - once you've done it once or twice it shouldn't pose any problems. Getting all the tabs to lock in takes a little bit of fiddling but once that's done he's pretty tight.
Vehicle mode is also solid and a pretty decent size for a modern Voyager class. Happily his sticker applications seem to stay on better than AM Soundwave, though like AM Soundwave they can be a pain to apply. He scales fairly well with Knock Out in alt-mode (I don't have a Bulkhead for comparison, sorry), and looks the part of a bulky bruiser-type. His Arms Micron looks kind of out-of-place as they tend to do, but not as bad as many of them. He has lots of ports for the arms microns, but happily they're not that obtrusive (I'm looking at you, AM Knock Out :mad: ). There's not a heap of undercarriage clearance, so maybe don't take him off-road rolling if you want to keep the silver stickers on his feet pristine.
The Micron is OK, if a bit unconvincing in robot mode. Still, it makes a decent hammer and a not-too-bad blaster in alt-mode, so no complaints here. Also, if you only transform his handle from beast-mode you can stick him on vehicle Breakdown and have a joy-riding rhino, which is kind of amusing.:D
Unfortunately, if mine is typical then he gets stress-marks fairly easily, so be gentle if his head pops off and when inserting the Micron.
All in all, he's well worth picking up, especially if you can get him for a non-scalper-y price. As mentioned, I wouldn't quite put him up there with the heights of PRiDE Vehicon or FE Starscream but he's still pretty damn good. Definitely get him if you're a fan of Prime and/or the character, and if not have a look-see at someone else's and think about it.