Toy Review: Generations Brainstorm

[M-bot]

Name: Brainstorm
Size: Voyager
Gimmick/Accessories: X2 hand guns, pilot/Headmaster Arcana.

Vehicle mode: Based on Nick Roche's design from MTMTE, Brainstorm transforms into a stylised, sleek Cybertronian jet. He boasts some really nice lines, although his transformation is a little weak - the engineering is not too much more than the G1 toy displayed, with legs and arms basically folded up underneath him. I can't help noticing that he's a lot curvier than the angular Fansproject Smart Robin (a Brainstorm "homage") that was released not too long ago. The softer lines and aerodynamics are broken somewhat by the forearms and lower legs which just hang off the bottom of the aircraft. Arcana can ride in his cockpit, and looks mighty fine doing so. His robot mode guns store in vehicle mode by becoming part of the nosecone, giving him his traditional shape.

Robot Mode: Breaking the recent streak of smaller and smaller toys, Brainstorm is a really good size, feeling a lot more like a true voyager than some of the recent AOE toys (such as Evasion Mode Prime). His robot mode is stunning, with vivid colours which are balanced really well. A genius move on the part of the designers was to put the Headmaster's own head on a ball joint to make Brainstorm's head likewise ball jointed. Another neat addition is inside the chest, where he sports a "mini-tech specs", not unlike the original G1 toy, although the levels are static and not activated by the Headmaster. He sports some strong ratchet joints and has a good amount of articulation, and is able to strike some good poses. My Brainstorm's wrists are a little loose, but I suspect that might just be mine rather than a design flaw, and is an easy fix.

Headmaster: Here's where I have some issues. Other than the ball jointed neck, which I think is great, Arcana is a disappointment. His articulation is poor, especially in the arms which, as you can see from the pics, are basically the width of the head, looking side on. On mine, the legs are so loose they come off almost every time he's transformed. In addition, the legs are moulded in off-white and virtually completely covered in turquoise/blue paint, some of which scratched off with little encouragement on the very first time he was transformed into robot mode. I am at a loss why the legs weren't just moulded in blue in the first place. The moulding and paint apps on Arcana's forehead is also poor. As has been noted in other reviews I've seen, in Headmaster mode, the head is terrifically difficult to remove.

Overall: Despite the flaws in the Headmaster design, Brainstorm is a great sculpt, looks very good in both modes, has colours that pop, and will look fantastic displayed. I am encouraged by HasTak revisiting the Headmaster gimmick, and hoping they continue to expand this area of the Generations line in the near future. A good, solid figure, and well worth having in your collection.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7480/15908125779_fa5ae268e1_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qeKiyF)DSC_0066 (https://flic.kr/p/qeKiyF) by M-bot2011 (https://www.flickr.com/people/65295103@N08/)

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7471/15474531983_6817f91b6e_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/pzr2ez)DSC_0069 (https://flic.kr/p/pzr2ez) by M-bot2011 (https://www.flickr.com/people/65295103@N08/)

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7502/15906931030_1d668d9a76_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qeDbpy)DSC_0073 (https://flic.kr/p/qeDbpy) by M-bot2011 (https://www.flickr.com/people/65295103@N08/)

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7524/16068427526_c3fd515b09_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qtUTFU)DSC_0074 (https://flic.kr/p/qtUTFU) by M-bot2011 (https://www.flickr.com/people/65295103@N08/)

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7541/15908129169_8698f70566_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qeKjz8)DSC_0075 (https://flic.kr/p/qeKjz8) by M-bot2011 (https://www.flickr.com/people/65295103@N08/)

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7552/16093500572_5c42f3c797_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qw8p2N)DSC_0070 (https://flic.kr/p/qw8p2N) by M-bot2011 (https://www.flickr.com/people/65295103@N08/)

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7568/15906930410_dd4bcffa79_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qeDbdS)DSC_0072 (https://flic.kr/p/qeDbdS) by M-bot2011 (https://www.flickr.com/people/65295103@N08/)

[Bidoofdude]

After playing Star Fox 64 for the first time today, I love Brainstorm's alt mode.

[Trent]

After playing Star Fox 64 for the first time today, I love Brainstorm's alt mode.

For the first time??:eek:

Where have you been for the last 15 years?! Doing barrel rolls?:p

[Bidoofdude]

For the first time??:eek:

Where have you been for the last 15 years?! Doing barrel rolls?:p

I've been alive for the past 15 years... Notably, the 'barrel roll' in SF64 is not in fact a barrel roll, but an aileron roll. Game Theory covered it well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSQcPIt1BQU

[Trent]

I've been alive for the past 15 years... Notably, the 'barrel roll' in SF64 is not in fact a barrel roll, but an aileron roll. Game Theory covered it well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSQcPIt1BQU

Way to spoil the fun with all your techno hoo-ha.

[prjkt]

My Brainstorm is on the way. Looking forward to the arrival.

[Paulbot]

Santa's elves at BBTS delivered me one of these for this morning. He looks fantastic in robot mode, like a Milne drawing has stepped right off the page. His arms seem super poseable, a side effect/bonus of the transformation, and it makes him more expressive. Such a great robot mode, which is a good thing because I'm not sure I should transform him. I've read the stories of the tight connection and they aren't wrong. When I saw Arcanna's head look like it was going to come off I decided he'll be a robot for a bit longer.

[Bidoofdude]

Santa's elves at BBTS delivered me one of these for this morning. He looks fantastic in robot mode, like a Milne drawing has stepped right off the page. His arms seem super poseable, a side effect/bonus of the transformation, and it makes him more expressive. Such a great robot mode, which is a good thing because I'm not sure I should transform him. I've read the stories of the tight connection and they aren't wrong. When I saw Arcanna's head look like it was going to come off I decided he'll be a robot for a bit longer.

IIRC, you have to lever out the head with something thin.

[DELTAprime]

Cant wait to get him. I've ordered the Legends version.

[Paulbot]

I got his head off but it was a scary moment. I've not tried putting it back in yet, maybe I need to file the connector down first just in case? His vehicle mode is alright but this is a bot that shines in robot mode.

[prjkt]

Mine arrived yesterday, first thoughts: he's big.

Really big for a voyager, taller than Classics Prime, Jetfire and Universe Inferno. Towers over the two fembots that arrived at the same time

Simplistic transformation, probably why they could make him so large, but an awesome bot mode, really close to his comic form which is why I bought him.

Colour me satisfied.

[BigTransformerTrev]

Great review M-bot! There is nothing really I can add because I agree with everything you said :D:p

Really glad to have this figure as I don't have the G1 version of him and always wanted to represent the character, especially since his starring role in the MTMTE comics. He looks great and a great size too! For some reason I also really like his landing gear in that it looks more like the strut off a spaceship rather than the landing wheel of a jet.

I've found Arcana pretty easy to attach and detach - don't know why mine is so easy to do when other folks are having trouble with theirs. Probably a factory glitch that worked in my favor :p I do however have trouble getting him to sit right in the cockpit so that you can close it.

Overall really good! Very pleased to have this figure :)

[prjkt]

Trev, I guess I must be even luckier than you, as I e got no problem detaching Arcana or having him sit in the cockpit. You just have to remember to flip the tech specs back up.

[GoktimusPrime]

I'm expecting mine to arrive in 1987 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_travel). ;) :p

[prjkt]

now I've placed him in my collection, he's almost too big. Tallest voyager figure I have

[DELTAprime]

I got the TT version in the mail today. I'd love to have a look at a Hasbro version to compare the Headmaster port. I have no issue inserting Arcanna's head all the way into the port on Brainstorm and then removing him by pulling up and forwards.

[i_amtrunks]

He is as others have said; massive! Simple too, but not too much. Lots of fun and looks nice in both modes (if a little chunky on the undersides).

Reminds me of Cybertron Vector Prime, which was a great (albeit simplistic) figure.

Certainly worth picking up, especially with the latest MtMtE story revolving around the crazy genius.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Picked up mine from the shops the other day. Glad it was the Takara one, as he seems to have a few extra paint apps that Hasbros is missing (shoudler wings).

I really love it! The Headmasters were my favourite gimmick line of G1 and I want some more!Great size, decent posing, ankle tilts, light but not cheap feeling. This is a great toy. Sure Transformation is pretty much the same as his G1 self, but to keep the look of Brainstorm in robot and vehicle mode te same, it's probably a necessary evil. Unless you want to pay ridiculaous prices for him.

I really like it. No head joining issues with mine either.

Oh and the instructions name the pilot as "Kana"
WIN!

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Opened my TT version today, here's my 2 cents...

Before I start, the TT version has fixed the issues with the Headmaster not coming out, as have recent Hasbro releases. No issues with floppy wrists on mine either. The extra paint apps also really add a lot to him IMO. So yeah, if you're a Brainstorm fan (which I am), it's worth getting the TT version.

Anyway, thoughts on the toy in general.

He's big. As in, he towers over other Voyager figures, including older- and taller- Voyagers (eg. Classics Optimus Prime or Springer). In a way he's almost too big - he looks kind of out-of-place amongst most other Classics-type bots. This is the size that Cyclonus and/or Lugnut should have been, especially in bot-mode.
It also really makes you miss the older, larger Transformers we used to get. *sniff* :(

He's also very, very simple. If you need interesting/clever transformations, then skip this guy. Being a Transformer is kind of tangential to his main charm/selling point.

His Alt-mode is, well, kind of rubbish, albeit kind of reminiscent of a Star Fox Arwing, which I rather liked from a nostalgia point of view. Even so, the way HasTakTom just sort of left his arms and legs as great big chunks of kibble really lets down the alt-mode. The Headmaster, while a nice idea, is also, well, crap.
None of which really matters to me, because...

...the robot mode is just beautiful. This is IDW Brainstorm, looking like he just stepped right off the pages of the comics in the same way as Springer, only more so. As a Transformer he's kind of a let-down, but as MTMTE Brainstorm in toy form he's beautiful. Nicely poseable, solid construction, able to loom over and look down on other Autobots, perfect looks...all he needs is a briefcase. He really is less a Transformer, and more an action figure that happens to transform, with a neat little gimmick that pays homage to his original toy/character to boot.

If you're an MTMTE fan, or a Brainstorm fan (for me he's my favourite MTMTE character from what I've been able to read, and I like a lot of the characterisations in MTMTE), then he's a must-have. If you like HTT doing homages to old toy concepts and want to encourage them to do more, then he's worth picking up. If you like big TFs with nice robot-modes and don't care about the alt-mode all that much, then he's a nice addition to a collection. Otherwise, he's either a Pass or an Only-If-Cheap.

[prjkt]

He's big. As in, he towers over other Voyager figures, including older- and taller- Voyagers (eg. Classics Optimus Prime or Springer). In a way he's almost too big - he looks kind of out-of-place amongst most other Classics-type bots.

definitely. he is almost out of place here, especially standing next to Trailcutter & Whirl. He's almost (but not quite) taller than ROTF Lockdown, and FP City Commander.. but as you said, excellent posability, no desire to git rid of him.

I didn't go for the Takara release, instead just got the Reprolabels set which makes him even more MTMTE Brainstorm

[Alpha Supreme]

I love this figure. I was a little disappointed in the headmaster arms and paint application, which was a bit sloppy. I will be getting the reprolabels for him which will just give it that little extra oomph!

[prjkt]

I will be getting the reprolabels for him which will just give it that little extra oomph!

They do indeed
http://www.prjkt.net/gallery3/var/albums/Resources/cwcrew/IMG_7682.jpg
(Sorry, don't have a solo shot of just Brainstorm)

[GoktimusPrime]

Great homage to the IDW character and a really nice 'update' of the G1 toy. :) I really like how the head is so well articulated. Mine must be a later production run, as I have absolutely no problem removing the Headmaster from the Transtector. The instructions show the robot mode's official transformation with the wings spread out, but I like to fold them in to help make the robot mode look more different from the jet mode, as well as making the robot mode more practically streamlined (cos he's not gonna be able to walk abreast through too many doorways :p), and also because G1 Brainstorm has his wings folded back (http://www.botchthecrab.com/archive/instructions/autobot/1987/instr_brainstorm.jpg). :p

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/brainstorm1_zpsiksvuokv.jpg

I do wish that the hands were able to lock out into position. They're prone to collapsing if Brainstorm so much attempts to punch anything remotely solid. (-_-)

And something else... the Headmaster unit. IIRC it's only referred to as the "pilot". The name 'Arcana' isn't used and there doesn't appear to be any reference to the pilot even being a separately sentient/sapient being. For all we know it could just be a detachable/transformable drone, or maybe it's a small robot who's the real Brainstorm... much like the Headmasters in Japanese continuity. From an IDWverse POV, this might still work -- just as Minimus Ambus is a little robot inside a small robot inside Ultra Magnus, or maybe Brainstorm rebuilt himself with a detachable and transformable head that would allow him to better sneak about and get up to no good. ;) It's interesting to wonder if the Pilot has any capacity to think independently of Brainstorm, or if it's nothing more than an extension of his will.

G1/Generations comparison pic can be found here (http://otca.com.au/boards/showpost.php?p=460446&postcount=109).

[Bidoofdude]

Brainstorm is mine!

This figure rocks. He's quite a bit taller than expected. I got the 2nd production run (mine was from BBTS), so no Headmaster issues. The data display flipping up to a seat is awesome.

Robot mode is really IDW accurate. I'd say the only complaint is the clown feet, but they kind of suit the character, which is projected through this figure quite well.

[prjkt]

Yeah, definitely comic accurate, was having a play with mine earlier - I ended up getting the reprolabels set for him, adds a bit of "glow" making him even more comic accurate

[BigTransformerTrev]

now I've placed him in my collection, he's almost too big. Tallest voyager figure I have




He's big. As in, he towers over other Voyager figures, including older- and taller- Voyagers (eg. Classics Optimus Prime or Springer). In a way he's almost too big - he looks kind of out-of-place amongst most other Classics-type bots.


definitely. he is almost out of place here, especially standing next to Trailcutter & Whirl. He's almost (but not quite) taller than ROTF Lockdown, and FP City Commander.. but as you said, excellent posability, no desire to git rid of him.



Compared to the more recent CHUG figures then yeah he is too big, but if you place him with older ones like Hardhead then...


http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b615/BigAngryTrev/P1030181_zpstqsvl4es.jpg (http://s1294.photobucket.com/user/BigAngryTrev/media/P1030181_zpstqsvl4es.jpg.html)


... his size kinda works. He's only as tall as Hardhead and if you take their alt-modes into account these 5 that became Headmasters in S4 of the cartoon seem to actually be in proportion :)

Of course, it all falls down if you compare them to their comparitive sizes to each other in IDW :o

[prjkt]

that Hardhead was Ultra class, not Voyager wasn't he?

[BigTransformerTrev]

that Hardhead was Ultra class, not Voyager wasn't he?

Yeah but did Voyager class exist back then? I think they did but there was only a couple of bucks and a slight difference in size. Considering how much smaller toys are now compared to then, I reckon the Ultra back then is the equivalent of the Voyager now, same as a Deluxe from a few years ago looks twice as big as the Deluxes do today :(

Anyway, the pic was more to show how Brainstorm and Hardhead are a good scale match for each other (and also to show off some toys :p) :)

[GoktimusPrime]

that Hardhead was Ultra class, not Voyager wasn't he?
You are correct. By 2008, Ultras were retailing here for $70 whereas Voyagers (e.g. Animated Lugnut, Blitzwing etc.) were pretty much selling for the same RRP as Voyagers do today; $40.

BTW, I'm selling an MISB Brainstorm if anyone's interested. </shameless.plug> :p

[prjkt]

Am I the only one to display Brainstorm with a green marble in his chest cockpit?

[GoktimusPrime]

Am I the only one to display Brainstorm with a green marble in his chest cockpit?
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/avatars/iseewhatyoudidthere.jpg
Nice. ;) It'd also be cool to find a brief case that's in scale w/ Brainstorm (and that he could hold).

[philby]

It'd also be cool to find a brief case that's in scale w/ Brainstorm (and that he could hold).

http://www.shapeways.com/product/6S2QWBEAJ/briefcase-for-voyager-brainstorm

?

[GoktimusPrime]

...okay, maybe not for that price. :p A neat accessory for those who are willing to spend that much on it. :o

[Zommael]

I picked up Legends Brainstorm recently. I have to say this is one of the examples where a few extra paint apps on the Takara Tomy release make a big difference to how the product looks overall. I look at the Hasbro version and it looks just a little bit too plain, whereas the version I have is incredible.

I don't mind the simple transformation or slightly larger size. A complex Transformer is far from being the same thing as a good one, after all, and a bit of variation in height keeps the shelves from looking too homogeneous.

Brainstorm is one of those Transformers who managers to pull off looking more like a model than a toy - my wife's reaction was that he was halfway between a Gundam and a Transformer. That's reflected in the simple transformation scheme, which nevertheless produces a convincing alt mode.

The headmaster gimmick is take it or leave it. I can't see myself ever displaying Brainstorm without his head or in vehicle mode, but nonetheless it's a fun play feature which is nice to have and which the toy would have seemed half-hearted without.

I prefer to configure the guns in the over the shoulder position. That leaves his hands free to come up with interesting weaponry on the fly, I guess. I also prefer to fold back the shoulder wings for a more streamlined robot mode - it just seems to look so much better like that.

I would recommend Brainstorm as a worthy addition to anyone's collection, particularly a fan of MTMTE.