Toy Review - Titans Return Roadburn (Chase)

[GoktimusPrime]

ROADBURN (Autobot Chase)
Series – Generations
Sub-line – Titans Return
Size/class - Legends
New/remould/redeco - Redeco of TR Bumblebee
Wave - 4
Released here – May, 2017
RRP – $19
Approximate Size - 9.5cm
Allegiance - Autobot
Main Features/Gimmicks - able to hold Titan Master pilot (not included)
Main Colours – Red, black
Main Accessories – None

Note: This toy is a redeco of Titans Return Bumblebee. Please see the TR Bumblebee review thread (http://otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=23817) for reviews on the original mould.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Titans%20Return/TR_chase01_zps254yducm.jpg

As someone who never got the original TR Bumblebee this is my first encounter with this mould. The colours chosen for Roadburn are a good homage to Chase. The new head sculpt is very accurate to the way that Chase is drawn in the G1 comics and cartoon - although the way that the Throttlebots' heads were drawn often varied between artists and animators (if TakaraTOMY made an MP Chase it would certainly come with a choice of variant heads). I personally prefer Chase's original G1 toy head (http://tfwiki.net/mediawiki/images2/3/3b/Chase_g1_boxart.jpg), but I'm probably in the minority of fans who prefer toy-accuracy. :o The black front bumper is also a nice homage to Chase's vehicle mode.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Titans%20Return/TR_chase02_zpsqzvrlulu.jpg

Roadburn is a great redeco of Bumblebee and a good way to reuse the mould to give us new characters for the Classicsverse not previously seen before. :D It is a HUGE improvement over Hasbro's Classics Cliffjumper back in 2006 which was nothing more than a repaint of Bumblebee with no changes made to the mould. Roadburn is a great example of how a few small changes can make a massive difference.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Titans%20Return/TR_chase03_zps7cdnz9aj.jpg

And I really hope that Hasbro are planning on milking this mould to give us more characters for CHUGUR, all with their own original heads:
* Cliffjumper
* Freeway
* Searchlight
* Hubcap
* Goldbug
↑I would buy ALL of those. :D
And in all honesty, they could probably get away with using Roadburn's head for Freeway and Searchlight. Then hopefully the money they make from these redecoes might help to offset the cost of developing a wholly new mould for a Legends Wideload. ;)

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Titans%20Return/TR_chase06_zpsxnbrzw0u.jpg

Overall: A great little redeco and the first new Chase toy. Highly recommended. :cool:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/avatars/th_jaam_yum.gif

Yeah, I'm not overtly thrilled about the name though. We know that it's got nothing to do with trademark, since Hasbro are using the name for the Rescue Bots character for the same name. The only other reason might be because Hasbro doesn't want kids to confuse Generations Chase for Rescue Bots Chase, but... c'mon...
a/ Kids aren't that stupid. In the 80s we even had characters from entirely different franchises with the same name, e.g. G.I. Joe's Skydive and Blaster, or Buzzsaw from the Silverhawks, there's a DC character named Bumblebee etc.
b/ There are plenty of other Transformers existing across different unrelated series (including Generations) with the same name and Hasbro doesn't seem to care about them. e.g.:
* Blades
* Blurr
* Bumblebee
* Hoist
* Optimus Prime
et al.

According to TFwiki earlier samples of this toy had "Autobot Chase" written as the toy's name, so... I'm gonna go with this in the Gokiverse. I don't dislike the name "Roadburn" mind you, but I think it was a missed opportunity. But hey, a Throttlebot by any other name... ;)

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Titans%20Return/TR_chase05_zpsfbzeangv.jpg

[FatalityPitt]

Not bad. For me, he's a great-to-have but not a must. I admit, this is a character who I never thought would get updated as a Generations figure - he's kind of obscure. For that, I voted yes since it's rare to see characters like this get love. That's one of the many great things about Titans Return! Obscure old-school faves finally getting the spotlight.

The head is strange. It's not totally un-Chase-like since he sported that head once in the Marvel comics (http://tfwiki.net/wiki/File:FinalTransformations_Chase_dies.JPG). But when I look at pictures of it, I feel like he's got a handle-bar mustache.. I'm not too fond of facial hair on Transformers - but that's my own personal revulsion.

I won't eagerly hunt him down, but if I see him on pegs and have the cash, I'll bite.

[GoktimusPrime]

The Obscure Transformers Website (http://s90690880.onlinehome.us/jhiaxus/) regards "Obscure" Transformers as those who have only ever appeared in one medium and no other. As G1 Chase has appeared in the:
* G1 toyline
* Marvel comics
* Sunbow cartoon & Toei anime
* IDW comics
* Generations toyline
...he is far from being 'obscure.' ;)

Time Warrior on the other hand... :D

[dirge]

Just found Brawn & Chase. Came home, Brawn remains unopened but I had to free this little guy right away. The Throttlebots have a special place in my heart... and I'm thrilled to bits with this guy.

The cockpit... NOT getting in the way of the Transformer. The fact that he FEELS like Chase & not Bumblebee (or Cliffjumper). So much win!

My only gripe is the tab on the grille in robot mode. But as a Chase retooling... <drool>.

[shockNwave]

I thought "Wouldn't it be good if there was a TR Cliffjumper as a break from this saturation of Bumblebees we have with series after series."

So it's even better that we have Roadburn, who has a good dose of black to go with the red (black and red is my favorite combo as shown by Galaxy Force Optimus) and a head sculpt that isn't a Bumblebee repainted but all new and a different color to stand out from the body. Definetly exceeds expectations.