Toy review - Grimlock (Studio Series 86)

[Kyle]

Grimlock
Series - Studio Series
Sub-line - 86
Size/class - Leader
New/remould/redeco - New
Wave - 1
Released here - February 2021
Approximate Retail Price - $90 - 100
Approximate Size - 21 cm
Allegiance - Autobot
Alt-mode - robotic T-Rex dinosaur
Main Features/Gimmicks - Wheelie figure can ride on Grimlock
Main Colours - grey, gold, black, red
Main Accessories - gun + non-transformable Wheelie figure

https://i.ibb.co/68MC05y/2021-02-05-22-05-33.jpg
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https://i.ibb.co/3fKsrvR/2021-02-05-22-06-46.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/NYQgb2K/2021-02-05-22-07-03.jpg
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https://i.ibb.co/rtPWYnZ/2021-02-05-22-09-19.jpg

This new Grimlock toy is clearly and heavily inspired by the older Masterpiece Grimlock toy. As this new toy has less gimmicks it actually feels like an improvement over the MP toy in a number of ways. I feel it has better proportions in robot mode and better shoulder articulations. The Wheelie figure (although non-transformable) is a very, very nice bonus.

The toy also has 5mm peg holes all over the body (shoulders, forearms, legs, feet, back), just like the Siege/Earthrise toys. So it's possible this was originally intended to be a WFC toy.

This toy feels large and dense compared to other leader class toys in more recent years. A very, very nice addition if you're already collecting other Earthrise or Studio Series 86 toys,

[Paulbot]

Wheelies arms and legs are fixed to those positions huh? No movement at elbows or knees.

[Kyle]

Wheelies arms and legs are fixed to those positions huh? No movement at elbows or knees.

Yes, rotational joint at the waist and ball joints at the neck, shoulders and hips. The range of movement at the shoulder ball joints are quite restricted. No joints elsewhere. He can only stand in a squatting stance (horse riding stance in martial arts).

The tiny slingshot is also removable.

Someone asked if I would prefer a sword for Grimlock instead of Wheelie. I would have said yes before receiving the toy. But now that I have the toy in hand I really like Wheelie as an accessory. He definitely does not stand on its own as a toy (pun unintended), but adds so much character to the Grimlock toy! I prefer to have both Wheelie and the sword.

[Tha_Phantom]

The toy also has 5mm peg holes all over the body (shoulders, forearms, legs, feet, back), just like the Siege/Earthrise toys. So it's possible this was originally intended to be a WFC toy.

I suspect this as well. Unlike Hot Rod, Scourge, Kup, Blurr and Jazz, this toy has so many non-toon details added to it. Very much MP-8 inspired as you said and some early promotional shots of it showed a clear dino neck.
Having said that, I'm not fussed personally as it looks like a sick Grimlock and I'm looking forward to getting mine, but it does stand out among the SS86 guys if the idea is meant to be that they jumped off the screen.

[Kyle]

I'm not fussed personally as it looks like a sick Grimlock

I'm also not fussed at all :)

This is a very, very nice toy.



Two new observations which I think are worth noting:

1) The front chest is one big piece of gold plastic, but thankfully not the swirly kind, so hopefully it won't suffer from gold plastic syndrome in the long run... (fingers crossed)

2) The tiny peg underneath Wheelie's thigh which plugs into Grimlock's robot mode shoulder, has created a minor stress whitening of the tiny hole on Grimlock's shoulder. However, the hole is not positioned on any joint, and serves no other purpose than for Wheelie to sit on, so I don't think it will break (maybe potential loosening...)

Wheelie sitting on Grimlock's shoulder somehow reminds me of Master Blaster from Mad Max, as well as Gilius and Goah from Golden Axe... :p

[reillyd]

Someone asked if I would prefer a sword for Grimlock instead of Wheelie. I would have said yes before receiving the toy. But now that I have the toy in hand I really like Wheelie as an accessory. He definitely does not stand on its own as a toy (pun unintended), but adds so much character to the Grimlock toy! I prefer to have both Wheelie and the sword.

You could always steal one from an earlier Grimlock figure, and I?m sure that there will be 3D-printed customs available. Grimlock *has* to have his sword, and I?ll be trying to track one down. I might just give him Netflix Scourge?s red sword for now though.

I was on the fence but after seeing the comparison pictures, you sold me!

[Kyle]

I might just give him Netflix Scourge?s red sword for now though.

Not a bad idea - that red sword would be a good substitute!

[sideswipes brother]

Had one in my hands today but put it back. Just looks too basic. Felt like i was looking at somthing i would pick up at the Reject shop.
Plus the lack of chrome or silver paint on the arms is inexcusable.

[Skyfire]

I love this version of Grimlock but the smoky chest plate is not G1 cartoon or 1986 movie accurate. It's an homage to the original G1 Grimlock. The funny thing is the Power of the Primes Grimlock doesn't have this plate, and that figure looks more like the G1 toy with his red eyes and leg stickers.

The chest plate is a small shame as it just adds an unnecessary cost and hides the Autobot insignia. I wonder if it could be pried off and applied to the POTP one.

[Bidoofdude]

I love this version of Grimlock but the smoky chest plate is not G1 cartoon or 1986 movie accurate. It's an homage to the original G1 Grimlock. The funny thing is the Power of the Primes Grimlock doesn't have this plate, and that figure looks more like the G1 toy with his red eyes and leg stickers.

The chest plate is a small shame as it just adds an unnecessary cost and hides the Autobot insignia. I wonder if it could be pried off and applied to the POTP one.

I was a much bigger fan of the custard cartoon yellow with a clear window, it really made him pop with the cartoon look he already has. Darn shame. Someone on the design team must keep pushing some of these weird decisions for otherwise cartoon-based designs. The bright yellow clear plastic neck looked great too, I thought. I really think the rest of the dinobots with predominantly yellow dino heads/necks would benefit from the brighter colours and no black pieces.

That said, seeing the aesthetic and simple heft of Grimlock, I am very excited to see the rest of them, especially Slag as my favourite Autobot. I'm just hoping the red face and white bits come through.

[Lint]

Objectively speaking SS86 Grimlock is a great toy. Unfortunately he is a toy many of us will have already.

PROS

Looks and scale are on point. (ignoring the smoky glass chest). This is G1 cartoon/movie Grimlock.
He comes with pegs and holes for the blast effects/accessories. They didn't have to do this, it is appreciated.



CONS

For all the extra articulation over the G1 he's still pretty wooden. In both modes.
Sculpted detail simply seems lacking compared to other SS86 and Kingdom offerings. A lot of surfaces are noticeably bare.
Poor accessories. The gun didn't appear in the film, Wheelie is kind of pointless. Throw in a breathing fire blast effect. If you're gonna break toon accuracy with the smoky chest, at least throw in a sword.
He doesn't deserve the Leader Class price point (acknowledging that few do) but Esp if you compare with fellow Leader Beast Megatron.


In fairness, it's really hard to improve on the G1 design for Grimlock which is one of the best of the era. If you don't own a G1 or Masterpiece Grimlock, perhaps this guy is your next best thing. Otherwise I have to say he's a pretty pedestrian offering in isolation. That said I'm still hopeful/excited to see the other Dinobots but won't be surprised if they all follow the same philosophy of upscale G1 + movie-esque accessory nobody asked for.

[Deano85]

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