The Soapbox VII: The Top 10 Transformers of 2008

[STL]

It’s that time of year again where we start reflecting on the year that was, the toys that were. In 2008, we saw a litany of new toys hit the shelves. As the movie line drew to a close, an air of expectation was in the air. It was an exciting year, where we were exposed to a whole new engineering paradigm. Some greeted it with open contempt, some embraced it. Then there was the revitalization of Classics, something that the won the unanimous support of the entire collecting community. But what were the top 10 Transformers of 2008? Let’s have a look.

1.) City Commander: Classics 1.0 Ultra Magnus
This is perhaps the most contentious selection on this list at first glance. City Commander isn’t even a complete Transformer. It’s simply a piece of armour that transforms into a trailer. And while that argument is appreciated, City Commander cannot be viewed in isolation. It has one simple reason for its existence: Classics 1.0 Ultra Magnus. A mediocre repaint at best, Ultra Magnus did little to inspire.

But City Commander changed all that.

Since its announcement in the early part of the year, the unadulterated fervor that bubbled away in expectation was unmistakable. And once it reached the eager hands of fandom there was no turning back. City Commander is an amazing feat of engineering and creativity. It radiates nostalgia and it goes to the heart of Ultra Magnus’ character. The synergy of all that and its thoughtfulness, its subtle beauty, its packaging, its instructions all work together to produce an amazing representation of a G1 cornerstone.

And that’s not all. With City Commander, a new era in collecting began. Mass-market customisation projects have and will continue to follow because there is one certainty: get it right and there will be no shortage of demand. It’s a toy that sits heads and shoulders above the rest 2008 toys because it comes up tops in every category and that’s a feat few other toys will match this year.

2.) TFA Cybertron Optimus Prime
From City Commander, the list became harder to compose. But it was, quite sadly, very easy to look past TFM and Classics 2.0 to Animated to look for this year’s contenders. Cybertron Optimus Prime takes the cake for the best Animated toy. There’s a few other toys that vy for that title but they are each plagued with their inadequacies. Perhaps Cybertron Optimus Prime’s failing is that this mode is not the primary version of Optimus Prime in the cartoon. But that’s irrelevant.

Cybertron Prime is yet another amazing feat of engineering.

Engineering aside, the personality of this figure is so strong. It’s the only version that gives us the real face of Animated Optimus Prime. Not the Voyager’s strange compromise between faceplate and mouth, not the complete absence of his mouth in Supreme and Deluxe Earth mode. His curves give him that bulkiness of a leader in waiting, a soldier ready to step up though he’s not there yet. He’s a fighter and that is very much in line with his cartoon persona.

3.) TFA Ultra Magnus
A wonderful leader class toy. There’s a lot to like about this toy. It has presence and again, as is familiar with the Animated line, the toy captures the personality of the character exceptionally well. Armed to the teeth, full of authority in both modes, Leader Class Ultra Magnus is an absolute delight. The transformation is ingenious too. The way the leg folds are extremely original and the first instance I can think of that uses them so cleverly. The arms are somewhat frustrating, however, requiring more force than elegance to put them into place whether it is going from robot mode to alt mode and vice versa.

4.) Classics 2.0 Sunstreaker
Classics 2.0 has challenged the boundaries of TF engineering. To date, there have been mixed results which I feel will only inevitably lead to a better Classics 3.0 as TF engineering has progressed leaps and bounds since Armada. The best of the toys produced in my estimation is Sunstreaker. It has its deficiencies, the colours being the primary point of contention. But it really is a minor issue.

That issue aside, it is a very solid mold. Even more so though what this mould does incredibly well is open the door to various other molds. Punch/Counterpunch, Sideswipe and Red Alert. Normally something must be sacrificed to use a mold so much without it being a repaint but to me, this toy is a feat of engineering because it achieves all that without sacrificing the integrity of the toy.

But it doesn’t stop there. On top of the versatility, the toy just radiates character. The face mold is exceptional and captures that punk and brawling attitude of Sunstreaker. Then there’s the articulation which is so perfect. Balance is great. The gimmicks are stowable. The transformation is fun and very BT/Alternator like,

5.) Henkei D-02 Megatron
Necessary.

That’s probably the best way to sum up this toy. It followed Classics 1.0 Megatron by a long way, almost 2 years but there’s no doubting the necessity of this toy. It was very high on almost everyone’s acquisition list this year if they could afford it. We’re already acquainted with the engineering fun of this toy but the recolour gave us the real Megatron we know and love. It wasn’t perfect but you’d be hard pressed to find a collector who didn’t pursue it.

6.) TFA Oil Slick
A gem of a toy but unfortunately destined to be a shelfwarmer due to the periphery nature of the toy. Motorcycles have always been hard to design for Transformers. The first instance I ever remember of a Transformers motorcycle was G1 Grooves. Chunky and footless, a hardly admirable effort. Over the years there have been more efforts in the form of G1 Override, Armada Sideways, Energon Arcee, Cybertron Hightail, Cybertron Ransack, Cybertron Lugnutz, Marvel Crossovers Spider-Man etc. There’s always been an issue of juggling balance, solidity, evenness and articulation. Animated Prowl claim so close to being perfect but there was the lack of hinges/support at the back of his foot which means he has a propensity to tip over and fall flat on his face.

Oil Slick has no such issues. The toy is a wonderful and nasty looking toy with exceptional balance and articulation. There’s so much detail and thought behind the design that it’s hard not to like. The unique “Mr. Freeze” head mold is the first amongst Transformers that I can think of. I personally like the eerie look that it offers though I have fancied removing it to see what its like.

The things that really stand out about this mold is that it has a great brooding personality, almost sinister. You can already tell what type of personality he’ll have despite not having watched him once in the cartoon. The transformation is well executed. The way the front horns on the head of the bike fold which change them into arm decorations is just one of many examples of the thought put into designing this toy. There are also two mini-barrels that turn into weapons. The first barrel is a canister of some type or gun. It’s pretty useless and you unfortunately can’t really tell. But the second barrel splits into two haves connected by a chain, making it one of the most unique weapons that Transformers have ever had. It opens a great range of poses one can strike with the toy and just adds to the menacing feel of Oil Slick.

7.) Titanium War Within Grimlock
Not one that was easy to come into possession of, the Titanium line has been long maligned. Ironically, when it was first announced year’s back, there was a segment of fandom that joyously celebrated the return of diecast. The few dissenters pointed out that this could bring with it many problems relating to articulation and balance. They were not heard. Yet as the line began, those points were validated and the line was looked upon with contempt by most collectors.

The last few offerings of the Titanium line though have been increasingly better. With the passage of time, Hasbro seemed to get the mix right. Grimlock is among the best that the Titanium line has to offer. He’s not perfect, his alt mode could use improving but his robot mode is exceptional. It had very decent poseability and balance. The look is imposing and powerful and it reminds us of not only the War Within roots of this incarnation but the G1 goodness as well. There’s two weapons, both of which can be stored. And then there’s the little plate that comes with it which is great for display purposes. Unlike his earlier predecessors though, Titanium Grimlock is not just a toy for display, it has high playability and fun value too.

8.) Henkei C-10 Ironhide
A toy that initially fell out of favour with lots of fans. It’s not until you actually have it in your hands do you come to appreciate the reasons why the alt mode seems like a 1000 piece jigsaw. The gaps are inherently necessary to give Ironhide the full range of motion and poseability that his robot mode has. There’s no real way around it so in the end we do have a toy that is a compromise. That plagued with the Hasbro releases poor mis-coloured face, the need to apply a complex mod so that he actually looks up means rather than “depressed” meant no way the more easily available Hasbro version could make this list. It has to be the Henkei.

The Henkei has rich colours that capture the character and spirit of G1 Ironhide; giving real life and personality to the toy. The transformation with the legs and then the way the wheels fold into the backpack oozes of originality and just captures the imagination, easily compensating for the lack of a perfect alt mode. Then there’s the weapon which in the same manner as TFM ‘08 Camaro Bumblebee. Offers two distinct options. A blue blade or a gattling gun. It’s not a perfect toy but after you experience it, its pretty darn close. The unfortunate thing that holds it back is that even the Takara version needs the aforementioned mod.

9.) TFM Big Daddy
A repaint.

Strange as it is, this toy is among the necessary. There’s a strange allure to the toy. Based on a G1 Micromaster isn’t exactly the type of thing that draws the hard to win hearts of Transformers fans. Released as part of the movie line when it was actually intended for the ClassicsUniverse 2.0 line, that should’ve caused some confusion as to where this toy stood in the mind of collectors. However, not a collector was under any illusions as to where it belonged. It belonged with Classics.

On its own, the mold that Big Daddy comes from is Cybertron Downshift which was a very elegant Transformer in its own right. So Hasbro could not have chosen a better mold to use. On top of that, it was just so perfect for Big Daddy. Add the flame, the colours and voila, this is a modernization of G1 Big Daddy at Deluxe size. The two guns always offer a lot of play value in the way they can be attached in robot mode and alt mode. Then there’s the wonderful name that has been the butt of many jokes that only help to make this one heck of a memorable toy.

10.) TFA Voyager Lugnut
The best place to start would be one this year’s most memorable posts by Sky Shadow:
http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showpost.php?p=59012&postcount=5

That pretty much sums up my affection for this toy albeit with a touch of hyperbole.

A figure that was originally maligned for scale, it was a surpise as I, and many others, have fallen in love with. Not because of the character but because of the toy ingenuity of the toy. Its engineering is what stands out about it. The weapon which incorporates the mini-con gimmick is wonderfully executed and the transformation can be done with it in place or detached. And on its own, Lugnut looks great. He captures the loyal servant vibe that the cartoon character exhibits. His primary deficiency though is a large one. Scale. It takes a lot away from the displayability of the figure. For that reason, it sits lower on the list than I would personally like.

Honourable Mentions

Classics 2.0: Springer/Ratbat
A repaint yes but it was arguably one of the most well executed and thought out repaints of the year. Great molds, great articulation, great transformations, excellent packaging, you honestly cannot ask for much more than that. Neither could make the cut though as the synergy between the two figures was what made the two-pack so appealing. Especially given the War Within roots of Ratbat’s designed. Individually, there would not have been the same energy and enthusiasm for the two molds.

Animated Voyager Bulkhead
A toy whose engineering is exceptional but its scale lets it down far too much. For that reason alone, it will occupy a very lonely and forgotten corner of the TF Universe. Unless of course you use Activators with it which actually aren’t too bad but in its own right it was still a delightful toy to experience and discover.

Animated Leader Megatron
A very good leader as well. All the leaders were. It’s evil, has high play value, a strong alt mode, great scale and oozes character. The reason this one notched ahead of Bulkhead was because he had head articulation, his alt mode goes far closer to his cartoon mold and he has a far higher play value between the detachable fusion cannon, swords and the sounds. Very unlucky to miss out.

Animated Prowl
As alluded to above, he was a bundle of joy and so close to the cut but his lack of balance is quite severe. He has two great ninja stars but then there’s the out of nowhere traffic light. Would have made it if not for the lack of backwards support for the feet.

Encore Omega Supreme
This got the ball rolling for the Cityformers that many had said we’d never see due to cost of reinvesting in molds. It just goes to show how much any of us really know about the remolding. But with Omega Supreme came a lot of hope as well as the fulfillment of dreams that many once had of owning a perfect complete Omega Supreme. An oldie but a goodie.

[roller]

uh soapboxes are for London?:confused:

and dont exist anymore, well not wooden ones surely:D

im going with Henkei Thundercracker since he s like 1 of 3 toys i bought that were released this year

[STL]

im going with Henkei Thundercracker since he s like 1 of 3 toys i bought that were released this year

Ah good point, he should've made the cut too at least in honourable mentions. My memory of him is rather tainted by the fact that he and Skywarp suffered such poor QC so I guess that's why it was my inclination to leave him off. It was pretty frequent across all the boards (international and here) that he just wouldn't hold those guns and that did lead to him being overlooked though now in hindsight he was another very necessary toy for many.

[Golden Phoenix]

I don't know about Voyager Bulkhead. I much prefer the Leader version over the Voyager one. The only thing the Leader one needed was a wrecking ball instead of the buzz saw and to get rid of the turret and torpedos.

And no love for Animated Jazz? I though he was great. Very fun to play with and he came with some cool looking nun-chuks.
Only thing I didn't like was how fiddly he was to get back into Vehicle Mode

[STL]

And no love for Animated Jazz? I though he was great. Very fun to play with and he came with some cool looking nun-chuks.
Only thing I didn't like was how fiddly he was to get back into Vehicle Mode

And since ur the only person I know who can get him close to flush in vehicle mode, Scrawny, that's one of the reasons he didn't make it. :) Its a chore and a chore I haven't figured out despite spending a lot of time on it. I'd love for u to show it to me again. It's just a pain.

[Golden Phoenix]

And since ur the only person I know who can get him close to flush in vehicle mode, Scrawny, that's one of the reasons he didn't make it. :) Its a chore and a chore I haven't figured out despite spending a lot of time on it. I'd love for u to show it to me again. It's just a pain.

I'll bring one to the next meet for some transforming lessons

[STL]

I'll bring one to the next meet for some transforming lessons

The mighty and vaunted STL does not require assistance from the likes of you. He will simply oversee these "lessons" to ensure that it all runs smoothly.

[Golden Phoenix]

The mighty and vaunted STL does not require assistance from the likes of you. He will simply oversee these "lessons" to ensure that it all runs smoothly.

Oh but I am not sure if I can do them. Maybe you should show everyone since you are so mighty

[Paulbot]

Sorry STL, but City Commander won't be eligible as Top Transformer of 2008 in the Ozformer Awards since it's not an official Transformer

However since nearly every member on the board seemed to get one, and it is a such an impressive fan effort, it should get an honorary award, something like "Best fan toy that should be officially made by Hasbro/Takara".

Awards open for voting in three days and I'm sure this list will give people something to think about ;)

[/end shameless plug ]

[Golden Phoenix]

Sorry STL, but City Commander won't be eligible as Top Transformer of 2008 in the Ozformer Awards since it's not an official Transformer

However since nearly every member on the board seemed to get one, and it is a such an impressive fan effort, it should get an honorary award, something like "Best fan toy that should be officially made by Hasbro/Takara".

Awards open for voting in three days and I'm sure this list will give people something to think about ;)

"Best Transforming Toy that wasn't a Transformer"

[GoktimusPrime]

That would fall under merchandise, but even then, it's unofficial so it cannot count. City Commander is what's more commonly known as a garage kit.

[Paulbot]

It was just a shameless plug, no need to discuss the awards here. I'm just trying to divert some attention towards the awards where we'll see collectively what the best toys of the year were.

I'm not even sure what my top ten TFs of the year would be. I think I'd share some of STL's list but would never have even consider City Commander.

[Sky Shadow]

10.) TFA Voyager Lugnut
The best place to start would be one this year’s most memorable posts by Sky Shadow:
http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showpost.php?p=59012&postcount=5

That pretty much sums up my affection for this toy albeit with a touch of hyperbole.

:D My original Lugnut post was in the "Animated Lugnut - Love it or Hate it??" thread:

"The Animated Lugnut toy is a work of art. To explain Lugnut to people who only like other Transformers toys is like explaining a three dimensional object to someone who lives in a two-dimensional universe. He is a toybox homosapien amongst neanderthals. He combines fragile beauty with weight and smooth substance, together in perfect yin and yang. Lugnut's autotransformations and mace are pure love melted into a plastic mold and solidified. Like the cyan, magenta, yellow and black of the printing process, Lugnut is perfect four-colour harmony. The fact that Lugnut cannot turn his head is a necessary single flaw, as in an Islamic rug, because only Primus is perfect (but Lugnut is the next best thing)."

Three guesses who my favourite Transformer was this year. (You won't need the second two guesses.)

[GoktimusPrime]

I would like to place Animated Universe Time Warrior as #1 had HasTak bothered to make it. Grr!

[kup]

Well as far as its packaging is concerned, City Commander is its own unique character with his own story!

However that was probably done just to get around the copyright and to give us the most awesome instructions concept we have ever seen. It would be cool of TakTom merged the instructions with their comics in such a way.

[STL]

Okay, this thread didn't go the way I originally intended to. It was supposed to start a discussion of what people thought were the top 10 of 2008. Unless of course I was spot on, that is. (not that that happens very often, mind u)

[TheDirtyDigger]

Okay, this thread didn't go the way I originally intended to. It was supposed to start a discussion of what people thought were the top 10 of 2008. Unless of course I was spot on, that is. (not that that happens very often, mind u)

Why wasn't Encore Sky Lynx at number 1? :mad:

[roller]

Why wasn't Encore Sky Lynx at number 1? :mad:

is a national outrage!!! im gonna get Bob Hawke on the case!

[jaydisc]

Why wasn't Encore Sky Lynx at number 1? :mad:

http://lindalane.com/temporary/tf/vomitsmall.jpg

[GoktimusPrime]

im gonna get Bob Hawke on the case!
I'm sure he'll handle it as well as he did eliminating homelessness by 1990. ;)

[sideswipes brother]

Mine:
1. Encore Omega Supreme - always wanted one when i was a kid and now that im a big kid with moola a brand spankin fresh smelling one came my way..Ahhh bliss!!
2. Encore Metroplex - Same as Omega but not wanted as bad when i was a child.
3. Henkei Jetfire/Skyfire - That mold is just sex in a box.
4. Encore Skylinx - Didn't really want it as a kid but now that i have it, it is an excellent mold and much bigger than i expected. My daughter loves it too!
5. Encore Skywarp/Thundercracker - love the seeker jets. Nosecones are horrible but (what happened there i wonder?)
6 onwards....Rest of the Encores

As you can tell i pretty much only buy the G1 Reissues, but i HAD to have the Jetfire mold after i saw pictures on the web.
SB

[Bartrim]

I'm sorry STL but I have to ask where is animated Grimlock? I love that figure.

[GoktimusPrime]

I don't (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=2240&page=12).

[Lord_Zed]

Far as I'm concerned there hasn't been a really great Grimlock toy since G1, I'm hoping the new MP will be the one. :D

*crosses fingers*

[STL]

I'm sorry STL but I have to ask where is animated Grimlock? I love that figure.

I think Grimlock was an incredible fan favourite. I love the character and the nostalgic elements to it but I didnt' feel he could make the list b/c he was terrible from an engineering perspective. His arms are cumbersome and the lack of locks or solidity in alt mode added with the simplistic transformation is why I left it out.

There's a few toys in that category too in my opinion like Silverbolt which I personally love and is in my top 10 for the year but wouldn't make this list cos I tried to be objective as I could and seeing which had the best balance.

Actually, my personal top 10 is very different from the list I wrote above. :o I guess when I write a Soapbox it brings out a lot more objectivity in me. I think it also didn't help this year b/c there were so many great toys either and so choosing was a very difficult balancing act. I think 2007 would've been a very easy year to nail the top 10 on b/c it came a lot down to engineering since there's hardly nostalgia that one could feel for the 2007 Movie. 2008 was an awesome year to me b/c so many facets of collecting came to the fore in a technical sense (Bulkhead, Lugnut, Ironhide), a nostaglic sense (Most of Universe and even throw backs in Animated) and a fiction sense (Acid Storm army for me, the Ratbat repaint) etc.


Why wasn't Encore Sky Lynx at number 1? :mad:

Cos I had to spite somebody. :D

I think Encore Sky Lynx is a personal favourite of mine too but I think that his engineering is poor and his strength lies in his scale and nostalgia and the opportunity that Takara gave us, not in the strength of the toy itself and on its own merits. That said, I'm actually looking to buy another this year. :o


Mine:
1. Encore Omega Supreme - always wanted one when i was a kid and now that im a big kid with moola a brand spankin fresh smelling one came my way..Ahhh bliss!!
2. Encore Metroplex - Same as Omega but not wanted as bad when i was a child.
3. Henkei Jetfire/Skyfire - That mold is just sex in a box.
4. Encore Skylinx - Didn't really want it as a kid but now that i have it, it is an excellent mold and much bigger than i expected. My daughter loves it too!
5. Encore Skywarp/Thundercracker - love the seeker jets. Nosecones are horrible but (what happened there i wonder?)
6 onwards....Rest of the Encores

As you can tell i pretty much only buy the G1 Reissues, but i HAD to have the Jetfire mold after i saw pictures on the web.
SB

Do you like the Hasbro or Takara one more? I've tried and tried but for some reason I like the Hasbro more. I know the Takara one is the premium version but I dunno, that Hasbro one knocks my socks off every single time I look at it.

And since you got the ball rolling, my personal top 10 toys of 2008 were:

1.) Henkei Crystal Convoy
2.) City Commander
3.) Universe Ironhide (CF: modded and repainted face)
4.) Henkei Silverbolt
5.) Henkei Sunstreaker
6.) Marvel Crossovers Venom
7.) Animated Cybertron Prime
8.) Animated Lugnut
9.) Marvel Crossovers Iron Man
10.) Henkei Prowl

A strange list but a lot of nostaglia mixed w/ engineering drives my collecting and Silverbolt might have a poor transformation but I love everything else about him and how his persona comes out so clearly.

[GoktimusPrime]

I think Encore Sky Lynx is a personal favourite of mine too but I think that his engineering is poor and his strength lies in his scale and nostalgia and the opportunity that Takara gave us, not in the strength of the toy itself and on its own merits.
Would you say that the toy's engineering is poor and without merit within the context of 1986? You're right in saying that a big part of the appeal of the toy is nostalgia, but that's the entire point of reissues. They're not supposed to be G1 characters done in a way that is comparable with modern-day toy engineering, that's what Classics/Henkei/Universe is for.

By 1986 standards I wouldn't say that Sky Lynx is exceptional, but I would say that it's not bad either. Although it's loaded with gimmicks it still offers good play value as a Transformers action figure. It was also a big milestone in terms of being the first reissue that was not from a Takara mould, a precedent that allowed Omega Supreme being reissued and hopefully more non-Takara moulds being done later (bring on Encore Deluxe Insecticons!).

Personally for me I loved it because Sky Lynx was the only 1986 toy that I didn't have... and now the circle is complete. :D

[i_amtrunks]

Glad to see that Oils Slick and Lugnut made the list, both are two of my favourite figures ever, not just in 2008.

I think Black Arachnia deserves a mention, she herself is not the best toy of the year, but the ingenuity in the design will hopefully influence future designs in the next couple of years.

[Bartrim]

I think Grimlock was an incredible fan favourite. I love the character and the nostalgic elements to it but I didnt' feel he could make the list b/c he was terrible from an engineering perspective. His arms are cumbersome and the lack of locks or solidity in alt mode added with the simplistic transformation is why I left it out.



I guess thats fair enough. I just transform and pose my figures and he looks badass so I like him:D

[The_Damned]

my favourites are

#1 universe powerglide
#2 animated BumbleBee
#3 animated voyager optimus prime
#4 universe legends wave 2(hound, jazz &megs)
#5 animated soundwave
#6 universe sunstreaker
#7 animated cybertron optimus prime
#8 animated activator BumbleBee
#9 Henkei thundercracker
#10 animated leader ultra magnus.

lots of cool transformers came out last year, spent way to much money, looks like 2009 is going to be no different reckon i will have to get a second job....

[Defcon]

my personal fav top 10

1# Universe deluxe Sunstreaker/Sideswipe. Reason its a mold that will likely see alot of repaints. I prefer Sideswipe as I like red more than yellow.

2#Universe Ultra Onslaught. I really like how this is a big vehicle, seeing how alot of ultras are aircraft. The robot mode is cool looking especially with his big shield.

3#Universe 0verkill. This was an unexpected character homage of a cassette transformer, using the classics grimlock mold. The color scheme looks really fresh with the white and blue.

4#Universe Ratbat. A repaint of cybertron sideways. A decent homage for
another cassette transformer. Ratbat makes a great companion for my cybertron soundwave.

5#Animated Black Arachnia. I like this character. She reminds me of a ninja robot, like G1 Nightbird.

6#Universe Galvatron. A fairly complex transformation. I like the fact he is a tank, and his head mold is evil looking. If he was a voyager I would consider in the top 3.

7#Encore Omega Supreme. Surprised and welcome to see a reissue of this G1 toy. A great nostalgia piece, with working electronics and complete with box.

8#Universe Ironhide. A decent representation of the original G1 character. Let down with blue colored face and the fact that its looking down. Some use of metal on color scheme would of improved this figure overall.

9#Henkei Megatron. Classics megatron repainted to a much closer G1 color scheme. This figure perfect to display in box as figure is in robot mode.

10#Movie Jolt. A cybertron repaint. A sensible non eye gouging color scheme.

[GoktimusPrime]

She reminds me of a ninja robot, like G1 Nightbird.
...she should go the whole hog with being a Nightbird tribute and kill* Bumblebee and Sari! :D

*or otherwise cause their demise

[roller]

i dont know where Rotorstorm is

[GoktimusPrime]

He was exiled to your mum's house along with Machine Wars Sandstorm. :p

(j/ks)

[STL]

my favourites are

#1 universe powerglide
#2 animated BumbleBee


Very strange choices and I'm glad that someone joins me in liking those two toys as at the Melbourne BBQ there was no shortage of ire for those two, well BB particularly.


Would you say that the toy's engineering is poor and without merit within the context of 1986? You're right in saying that a big part of the appeal of the toy is nostalgia, but that's the entire point of reissues. They're not supposed to be G1 characters done in a way that is comparable with modern-day toy engineering, that's what Classics/Henkei/Universe is for.

By 1986 standards I wouldn't say that Sky Lynx is exceptional, but I would say that it's not bad either. Although it's loaded with gimmicks it still offers good play value as a Transformers action figure. It was also a big milestone in terms of being the first reissue that was not from a Takara mould, a precedent that allowed Omega Supreme being reissued and hopefully more non-Takara moulds being done later (bring on Encore Deluxe Insecticons!).

Personally for me I loved it because Sky Lynx was the only 1986 toy that I didn't have... and now the circle is complete. :D

I definitely agree that by 1986 standards he was decent but in the year of 2008 it's hard for me to make the assessment that a re-issue of a figure as htf as it used to be could make the list. Compared to G1 toys from his era, he wasn't very much better or worse. I'd say he was probably the equivalent of say Classics 2.0/Henkei Silverbolt whose price point was hard to justify since it was gimmick based.

For me too, I guess that it seems that while vintage collecting is stll a part of many older collectors, the majority of collectors are more orientated to the modern marvel of engineering and as I mentioned previously that's how I went about constructing that list, trying to balance nostaliga, fiction (comic or show) and engineering and I don't think it could make that list. Few re-issues in my mind will. Unless its Fortress Maximus or something of that uniqueness and calibre, I don't think an Encore will be gracing many top 10 lists with the exception of the vintage collecting portion of the fanbase which I estimate to be fairly small these days.

[GoktimusPrime]

I definitely agree that by 1986 standards he was decent but in the year of 2008 it's hard for me to make the assessment that a re-issue of a figure as htf as it used to be could make the list.
But assessing a G1 toy, even a reissue, by 2008 standards is looking at that toy out of context. That would be akin to:
+ Comparing a remastered version of Star Wars "A New Hope" with "Revenge of the Sith" and saying that the special effects in Episode IV are bad compared to 2005 standards.
+ Looking at a Samurai sword that was recently forged and saying that it's a terrible weapon compared to a modern day automatic assault rifle.
+ Looking at a reconstructed vintage sports car and saying that its performance and features are bad compared to modern day sports car.

G1 reissues are basically reproductions of vintage/classic toys. They're never intended to be on par with contemporary toy engineering - the entire point of the toy is the old-school authenticity. If they made Sky Lynx comparable with Classics/Universe/Henkei, then it simply would no longer be a G1 Sky Lynx toy, but something entirely different, which is wrong when you're aiming to be produce a historically accurate reproduction.

Again, it's a lot like participating in a Medieval and Renaissance event... you are required to dress, speak, eat etc. in period (with certain exceptions like modern hygiene :p). I gotta tell ya, Medieval and Renaissance European food tastes like crap (if I never have to eat plain couscous again it'll be too soon (-_-)), and eating in a hall purely by candle light is almost like eating in the freakin' dark when you're used to light bulbs. I now know how to pour a drink in the dark. ;) And most of these recreational societies choose to live like nobility - and even then it's pretty effed up... I shudder to think how most common folk would've lived (literally in their own filth). I used to be Herald... shouting at the top of my lungs to address an audience is no way near as effective as using a microphone! But the entire point (and fun) of participating in these events is to experience a piece of history. The more modern technology and practices we introduce the less authentic the experience becomes.

http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/th_sca.jpg (http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/sca.jpg)
Living like this (http://www.sca.org.au/) was bloody uncomfortable and inconvenient, but at the same time a lot of fun from a historical perspective

The same goes for reissues. People buy these toys hoping to experience history from their childhood. If you were to remake these toys with modern engineering, then you've lost the entire point and appeal of making reissues in the first place. Toywise Henkei Sunstreaker craps all over G1 Sunstreaker - but there's something Henkei/Universe Sunstreaker can never do... it can never be Generation 1!

There are two entirely different levels of appreciation when it comes to old school and new toys and one needs to appreciate them in their appropriate context. Think of your favourite toy from 2008. That toy may be considered utter garbage in 5-10 years' time. Is that to say that the toy is inherently bad? Of course not... by 2008 standards you might say it's a darn good toy, but by 2018 standards it might be rubbish... but of course, the toy wasn't designed in 2018!

Sky Lynx may have been reissued in 2008 but he was designed in the mid-1980s. The reissue, being faithful to the G1 design, remains relatively unchanged. The strength and appeal of a G1 reissue is its authenticity and historical accuracy.

I consider Apex Armour Optimus Prime to be a poor reissue because it's historically inaccurate and inauthentic to the original Optimus Prime toy, which is a very different toy from Ginrai. Likewise I don't consider Hasbro's Soundwave reissue to be a good reissue either because it's just a repainted reissue Soundblaster. A lot of people seem to think that 25th Anniversary Optimus Prime is a poor reissue of G1 Prime because of the newtered smokestacks, ridiculously oversized missiles and cartoonish bright colours (particularly the pink cab). In other words, these toys are not considered to be bad reissues because they're poorly engineered or because their designs don't match contemporary standards, but because within the context of being G1 reproductions they not authentic.

If people want a modern realisation of a G1 character, they'll buy Classics/Henkei/Universe. When they want an authentic reproduction of a G1 toy, they will look at reissues.

[kup]

I don't (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=2240&page=12).

Same

[Paulbot]

My personal top 10 of 2008:

1. Universe Deluxe Sideswipe: One of my favourite G1 characters gets a great new car toy that is modern without being over-complicated (like the Car Robots Autobot Brothers) and the paint styles are superior to his brother's.
2. Animated Leader Ultra Magnus: a great toy that blends the straight lines of a vehicle with the curved lines of Animated robot flawlessly. The particular trick with the wheels swapping around on the leg is great.
3. Henkei Sunstreaker: Henkei's nicer yellow and chrome engine gives it the advantage over the Universe toy, and Sideswipe rates better because I also prefer to post Sunstreaker in Sideswipe mode
4. Henkei Ironhide: the patchy vehicle mode is more than made up for by the robot mode Ironhide fans have wanted since the G1 cartoon (Henkei Ratchet should be high on my list next year)
5. Leader Bulkhead: both Voyager and Leader are nice, but Leader wins IMO for the added Headmaster fun, the slightly more complex transformation, and the voice capturing my fave Animated cartoon character.
6. Animated Deluxe Lockdown: a cool vehicle mode and his height is remarkable with a nifty transformation despite the iffy hands
7. Animated Deluxe Soundwave: nice reinterpretation of the character, good robot to vehicle mode transformation, and the Laserbeak guitar is a great accessory.
8. Universe Deluxe Tankor: there's a bit of a cheat with the weapon hiding flaws in both vehicle modes, but so did the original Octane. When I realised that you could change vehicle modes without removing the weapon I was truly impressed.
9. Animated Deluxe Prowl: for an impressive new design for a transforming motorbike, always a hard mode for the designers to do something with.
10. Animated Deluxe Bumblebee: that boot trick is a pain and the stingers don't retract so it's last on the list, but otherwise my first Animated toy is still one of my faves, fake chest and all.

I'm not surprised to find that most of my faves are Deluxe sized since I believe that's the optimal size for a Transformer toy.

Honourable mentions to:
Omega Supreme and Metroplex, who are great G1 figures it was fun to finally get.
Decepticon Fracture, for homaging one of the first female transforming robots and getting it so right
Henkei Astrotrain, a toy I already liked a lot but finally in the colours the catalogue and cartoon always said he should be.

[i_amtrunks]

My personal Top Ten for 2008 was a lot easier to decide on than than the previous 2 where Cybertron pumped out the good stuff, and then the movie made getting 10 figures I really liked harder than it should have been.

1. Classics Sideswipe/Sunstreaker: I don't know why I like these two so much, but I cannot stop putting them down, they are the transformers who constantly get taken down and transformed for no other reason than to do it. Subtle and clever transformations that are neither too simple or too hard, and great looking modes, even if the paint apps are a little off.
2. Animated Lugnut: Luggy was my fiddle figure before Sideswipe and Sunstreaker came along. Intuitive and fun transformation for a great show character. He is a rare figure that I have two of, one signed by Eric Siebenaler! :)
3. Animated Oilslick: Fantastic sculpt for this figure, and the second great Motorcycle in a row.
4. Activator Bumblebee, shows that bigger is not better. Lovely sculpt and clever transformation. he is so good that the gf has really nicked him and called him her own.
5. Animated Voyager Bulkhead: So good I have not needed the leader. Show accurate with a fun transformation and his gimmicks are great, I love the wrecking ball. Also my first Animated figure
6. Animated Ultra Magnus: Animated Megatron was nice, but Ultra Magnus blew him away with what can be done in a Leader Class toy, very smart transformation, and plenty of hidden weapons.
7. Classics Onslaught: Big and beefy, another good and not too simple transformation, sounds sucked, but otherwise a solid Ultra.
8. Movie Big Daddy: Excellent and fitting repaint of one of the best Cybertron toys.
9. Animated Prowl: A great motorcycle Transformer, something that had yet to be done until Prowl's release. Looking forward to the Sidecar version this year.
10. Legends Red Alert: A repaint done right. Really want to have the extra time and $ to try and repaint a Sideswipe into Red Alert.

Honourable Mentions go to Henkei Skywarp, Encore Omega Supreme for being fantastic re-issues, while Classics Prowl, Octane and Galvatron all had too many QC issues to make the list. Animated Ratchet, Jazz, leader Megatron and Soundwave had great toys of great characters but couldn't force their way onto the list.

[Stompy]

Woohoo! Lists!

My own personal 2008 Top 10:

10. Movie Stockade
Along with Incinerator, the last few original moulds from the first movie is amongst my favorite. Simple but yet elegant conversion, the gorrilla like arms with its extending punch gimmick and just a very solid frame and believable alt mode with great paintwork makes this just such a solid figure that quietly became a major favorite of mine.

9. TFA Prowl
Along with seeker jets, motorbike transformer engineering is one of the more challenging ones. Whilst Energon Arcee, Movie Arcee and Marvel Spiderman may have had similar conversions that was successful, it still had the problem of having the wheels just kibble around. Then came TFA Prowl. It's an amazing feat from an engineering perspective despite QC issues with loose joints. Those wheels just had to go somewhere and they placed it where it made sense and almost invisible. Legends TFA Prowl also gets props for being engineered well too.

8. TFA Activator Ratchet
Had always had a dream to have a slightly complex figure to transform at the touch of a button and the Activators range certainly fulfilled my dreams with some clever, spring, joints and gear engineering. While some ended up being not quite there (Bulkhead and Lockdown), to the ridiculous may-as-well-be-non-automatic-due-to-so-much-pre/post-conversion (Optimus Prime). While Starscream proudly displayed a nigh on perfect robot mode in the package bubble. I just cannot escape the presence of his arms dangling under the alt mode wings. So kudos to Ratchet for having a more believable alt mode and a perfectly proportioned bot mode with a great conversion and articulation makes him the best Activator out there.

7. Universe Galvatron
Yes, yes. I know the QC on this thing was terrible but from an engineering perspective he is just mindblowing. The folds and twists and bends during conversion that slowly revealed alt/bot mode was just superb. Well proportioned and asymmetrical. If only they made him Voyager or Ultra class with more secure joints and panels, this would have propelled this one to be more of a favorite than the lego-former-butt-of-jokes it is now. I for one love it despite its glaring flaws.

6. TFA Cybertron Optimus Prime
I've always loved Optimus Prime. His red and blue colours, his faceplate and unrelenting sense of justice and heroics just makes his a total package for me in the Transformer sense. I was a detractor of Animated the first time I saw pictures of the show and even more-so upon first viewing of the show. While I knew I would get curious about the toys I didn't expect to fall in love with the entire concept and stylized look of Animated until I got my hands on TFA Cyb Optimus. It challenged what I perceived OP to be. This OP looks young in both modes. His huge windshield just screams weakness, exposed and ready to be broken shows how fragile he is. His mouthplate-less human-like face reflects a more playful and duty-free persona of Prime compared to the heavy responsibilities and self-sacrificing persona he has in other series'. All this aptly reflecting his Animated persona of a young leader in the making. It wasn't until I converted him from angular alt mode to a curvey, spindly limbed robot mode that I realised the potential of not only where the future of TF engineering this series can bring but also the amount of character that transfers into the stylized curves. This stylized take enable exaggerated human traits like his shoulders-back chest-out stance with his feet behind his torso stature. Not to mention a weapon that converts with the figure. With the Earth Mode voyager losing a lot of character due to the bleak battle damage and mouthplate which ages his persona so much, while the Voyager mould ruined by (in my opinion) the failed experiment of a rotating waist conversion and let's not even get started on Roll-Out Prime. This OP takes the lead out of the 7 available int he Animated line. Pity he is just a tad small.

4. Marvel Crossover Hulk
Ahh Crossovers. The Star Wars ones left me severely underwhelmed bar a few (Death Star, Mill Falc, Grievous Starfighter). The Marvel crossovers was a very pleasant surprise. Sure the fisher price looking alt modes are an acquired taste but the engineering in this line so far are top notch. On the top of the heap for me is Hulk. Appropriate vehicle mode - a tank. While the canon part may seem inadequately small, its still a beefily proportioned alt mode. The magic then comes via conversion where a series of folding panels and twisting parts reveals that the tank treads themselves prove to be the showcase to create his signature muscle laden, extra large arms. The contrast in colour with his shorts and the perfectly sized legs to the moveable fingers from fist to open handed modes is just so wonderfully elegant in design that made this such a huge favorite with me. Ironman came a close second and the panel sandwich in Venom's torso had my head scratching needlessly.

3. Universe Ironhide
Wonderful figure. I knew that the broken eggshell look of the vehicle mode would reveal some wonderfully fun conversion and a strong and striking warrior of a robot mode. And it didn't disappoint. Despite seeing pictures, I was elated to see that the rear window becomes his chest with a simple but very effective automorph to raise the autobot insignia and mechanical parts through the window. Let's not forget, that in vehicle mode, that looking underneath that the middle is pretty much hollow. Thanks to the engineers for creating a dual use weapon too. I hope that Hasbro runs out of Allspark blue soon because having his face blue should leave Hasbro blue in the face themselves for doing so. ;)

2. TFA Ultra Magnus
The first TF that made me go "WOW! I NEED THAT FIGURE" when I saw the robot mode pictures. The huge chest, the oversized shoulders, chunky legs, giant hammer and the aged face. This iteration of Magnus just screams power. Not just physical power but also that of knowledge. His aged look belies wisdom and experience that all autobots should follow. Clearly these human-like features that they implemented more obviously in Animated attempts to create a more closer bond between viewer and fiction via familiarity of just being human. The angular vehicle mode, lights and sounds and all the hidden weapons just up play value. Making this a must have for me.

1. TFA Lockdown
Lockdown is hands-down my favorite TF figure ever. Sure the alt mode can be a little plain in features but from such a small compact vehicle into an surprisingly unbelievable tall robot mode with nary a kibble or obviously visible vehicle mode parts. Then there's his alien like looks due to his spindly lanky stature and his creepy disjointed hands (which I still believe to be purposefully bent to add to his outlandish character and not a design error). Then we have that cobra like neck lined with spikes/studs that creep over to his back and a skull like face sculpt with some intimidating facial features. Let's not forget the hook weapon just to make him even more outlandishly freaky. I'd gladly buy any and all repaints of this mould.


Phew. That was longer than I expected. Just got swept away with all my thoughts when I got started.

[GoktimusPrime]

My main gripes with Lockdown would be the lack of leg articulation and tendency for the legs to pop off. At least on mine anyhow.

[Hot Rodimus]

Stompy I totally agree with your summation regarding Galvatron. This is a toy that I love aswell despite it's short comings and I hadn't thought of the possiblity of it being voyager size but I love it, how cool would that be!

[STL]

Sky Lynx may have been reissued in 2008 but he was designed in the mid-1980s. The reissue, being faithful to the G1 design, remains relatively unchanged. The strength and appeal of a G1 reissue is its authenticity and historical accuracy.


I never said it wasn't. ;)


But assessing a G1 toy, even a reissue, by 2008 standards is looking at that toy out of context. That would be akin to:
+ Comparing a remastered version of Star Wars "A New Hope" with "Revenge of the Sith" and saying that the special effects in Episode IV are bad compared to 2005 standards.


Unfortunately, context doesn't always matter. It's important at times but others it can be utterly irrelevant. To a small segment of collectors, having G1 vintage toys is a very cool thing but as I've aluded to, the vintage collector is a dying breed. I think that everything realises that it will not be judged in context but by how people respond to it and that in all of its complexities is only fair. People do not sit down 20 years on and try to appreciate the context in which a said movie was made.

They watch it and either enjoy it or not. And I think the same applies to toys. And often there are a number of reasons as why a person likes a toy. I felt in composing my list that G1 reissues could not make the cut b/c while they fulfilled in 2008 a necessary and desirable niche, it didn't have the balance of nostalgia, engineering and fan/fiction appeal that other toys did. So yes, it fulfilled a criteria but it didn't satisfy others in my assessment where I tried to be as unbiased as possible b/c as you can see there are plenty of toys on my personal list that did a lot for me but just couldn't make the cut when I looked at it from a range of other factors..


Woohoo! Lists!
...

1. TFA Lockdown
Lockdown is hands-down my favorite TF figure ever. Sure the alt mode can be a little plain in features but from such a small compact vehicle into an surprisingly unbelievable tall robot mode with nary a kibble or obviously visible vehicle mode parts. Then there's his alien like looks due to his spindly lanky stature and his creepy disjointed hands (which I still believe to be purposefully bent to add to his outlandish character and not a design error). Then we have that cobra like neck lined with spikes/studs that creep over to his back and a skull like face sculpt with some intimidating facial features. Let's not forget the hook weapon just to make him even more outlandishly freaky. I'd gladly buy any and all repaints of this mould.


Phew. That was longer than I expected. Just got swept away with all my thoughts when I got started.

.

Great write up too, Stompy. While I'm very very surprised to see you pick Lockdown you've definitely helped me to appreciate the toy more b/c my original position was exactly the same as Gok's. I have too many QC issues with it to care. My legs always pop off no matter what I try and it has a tendency to flop down. But you've made some great points there about its uniqueness. A pleasure to read.

[GoktimusPrime]

Unfortunately, context doesn't always matter. It's important at times but others it can be utterly irrelevant. To a small segment of collectors, having G1 vintage toys is a very cool thing but as I've aluded to, the vintage collector is a dying breed.
Which is why G1 reissues are made in limited production runs - far smaller than regular line Transformers. They're also marketed directly to older collectors (or what Takara refers to as "high end"* collectors) - hence why they're all "For Ages 15 and Up" and they can ignore child-safety laws, which is why they have small missiles with super-strong launchers that can break the sound barrier.

Hasbro tries to market their toys at children as well as adults, and history has shown that Hasbro reissues flop -- remember how much TRU were slashing the prices of G1 reissues because they just shelf-warmed for so bloody long? They were just desperate to get rid of all that dead stock! Remember seeing G1 reissue Autobot cars reduced from $75 to $25?

And what makes you think that the G1 collector market is shrinking? If anything I'd say it's growing - the fact that we now have a live-action Transformers movie based on G1 (with a sequel on the way) is proof of that. When Beast Machines was out a Transfan in Canberra once told me that they should make a live-action Transformer movie. I laughed in his face and told him that it was downright impossible as we G1 fans are far too small and insignificant a niche market. I still cannot believe that we have a live-action movie and that Transformers has become "retro-cool" so that people walking around wearing TF clothes or with TF logos on their cars are not even necessarily Transfans! We have clearly become a much larger market and one to be reckoned with. The fact that the Classics/Henkei/Universe line is primarily based on G1/G2 tributes is also testament to the current influence of G1 fans. Look at all the G1 homages we had in the Armada trilogy. There was nothing like that in Beast Wars, Beast Machines or Car Robot (RiD).

Look at how our own community has grown. I attended a Transfan meet in Melbourne in 2001. There were three Transfans who attended that meet who were Melbournians - the rest of us were from Sydney, Adelaide and Tokyo. Now you guys have just multiplied phenomenally and having meets on a regular basis with turn out numbers that rival Sydney meets! This was unthinkable 8 years ago!

2001 Melbourne Meet
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/Transfan%20Meets/melbmeet.jpg

Sure, G1 fans are still a minority, but we are a growing and undeniably influential minority now.


I think that everything realises that it will not be judged in context but by how people respond to it and that in all of its complexities is only fair. People do not sit down 20 years on and try to appreciate the context in which a said movie was made.
Do you think that most people would watch "Seven Samurai" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRqUUfn-CiM) or "To Kill A Mockingbird" (http://www.wat.tv/video/atticus-finch-gregory-peck-pc45_oy2s_.html) and criticise it for having appallingly bad sound and picture quality by current film standards?

The original Star Wars trilogy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaHXIIyd8nM&feature=PlayList&p=557528AF7ACB1DD9&playnext=1&index=10)'s (1977-1983) effects are not as good as the prequel trilogy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AIvwODNB6A) (1999-2005), yet most Star Wars fans I've met consider the original trilogy to be better than the prequel trilogy - despite the fact that you can see the strings attached to the starfighters. :) I have the original trilogy DVD box set where they released 2 versions of each movie - unmastered (where you can even see the strings attached to the models) and digitally remastered (where they've used CGI to correct and remake a lot of effects shots). The fact that they've given collectors the option to watch the movies unmastered means that a lot of fans would like to watch the movies without corrections - but it doesn't mean that they would pan out things like the orange vaseline line underneath Luke's landspeeder... they're appreciating that these special effects were groundbreakingly awesome by 1970s/80s standards.


They watch it and either enjoy it or not. And I think the same applies to toys. And often there are a number of reasons as why a person likes a toy. I felt in composing my list that G1 reissues could not make the cut b/c while they fulfilled in 2008 a necessary and desirable niche, it didn't have the balance of nostalgia, engineering and fan/fiction appeal that other toys did.
+ Nostalgia appeal = absolutely there (you can't beat a G1 mould for nostalgia)
+ Engineering appeal = again, it's there so long as you take it in context. It's like appreciating the architectural engineering of say and ancient temple, castle, cathedral, palace etc. - in the context of its time these are impressive constructions.
+ Fan/fiction appeal = G1 absolutely has appeal to fans, especially if you're looking at the hardcore fandom. I'd say the majority of fans would cite G1 as their favourite TF canon. We'll have a better idea of this after we see the results of Paulbot's OzFormers TF awards. I'll be surprised if something else got voted as the most popular over G1.
+ Niche market = yes, G1 is aimed at a niche market. That doesn't mean it's bad. Transformers Animated is aimed at a niche market too - kids. Sure, it's a much bigger niche than G1, but it's there.


So yes, it fulfilled a criteria but it didn't satisfy others in my assessment where I tried to be as unbiased as possible b/c as you can see there are plenty of toys on my personal list that did a lot for me but just couldn't make the cut when I looked at it from a range of other factors.
Fair enough, but for me I found Encore Sky Lynx to be my most satisfying acquisition for 2008. I assess it under different criteria from say Animated and Universe/Henkei - because I think it's unreasonable to assess them all under the same criteria.

--------------
*Takara(TOMY)'s high-end TF lines include:
+ Reissues
+ Binaltech & Binaltech Asterisk
+ KISS Players
+ Masterpiece
+ Music Label
...all these lines are specifically labelled as 対象年齢15才以上 ("For Ages 15 and Up") and are not intended for children, and in the case of KISS Players, contains fictional content not suitable for children.

[STL]

Sure, G1 fans are still a minority, but we are a growing and undeniably influential minority now.


You've missed my point here. I'm talking about the vintage collector disappearing. I think its a shrinking part of the fanbase for the truly faithful and hardcore. I have a number of reasons for this but that's an issue I have lined up for the Soapbox at some point. As you've said, G1, the cartoo specifically, is the primary access for TFs and while I think that's strong, the vintage collector won't have the same strength.



Fair enough, but for me I found Encore Sky Lynx to be my most satisfying acquisition for 2008. I assess it under different criteria from say Animated and Universe/Henkei - because I think it's unreasonable to assess them all under the same criteria.


Would u believe I'm actually seeking an extra (3rd) Sky Lynx so he can be my Classics version? Lame but I do like the mold a lot.

[Paulbot]

Would u believe I'm actually seeking an extra (3rd) Sky Lynx so he can be my Classics version? Lame but I do like the mold a lot.

And a fourth for repainting as Fire Guts Sky Lynx (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=1096)? C'mon someone has to do it :D

[STL]

And a fourth for repainting as Fire Guts Sky Lynx (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=1096)? C'mon someone has to do it :D

You do the supplyin', I do the painting. :D

[GoktimusPrime]

I'm talking about the vintage collector disappearing. I think its a shrinking part of the fanbase for the truly faithful and hardcore.
I suppose it's inevitable that hardcore G1 collectors would shrink since G1 ended in 1993... it's only a matter of time before those of us who grew up with G1 end up completing our G1 collections.

[jaydisc]

Been putting this off way too long....

Animated Voyager Bulkhead
My first Animated figure, this guy has the most elegant transformation, utilizing two excellent auto-morphs, two great gimmicks in robot mode and just adorable in every mode. This guy is just pure love. Not for those who fixate on scale or try to only buy one of a character. This guy is one of my favorite toys ever!

Animated Cybertron Mode Optimus Prime
An incredibly modern young rethinking of the old stawart, Optimus Prime. Another cute Animated alt mode, whose transformation delivers a bot already three quarters of the way through plunging his axe into whatever awaits him. Unlike all of of the Animated Primes, this one suffers no identity crisis and boldly sheds the face shield completely. Extremely well articulated with great weapon stowability.

Animated Activator Bumbelebee
The Deluxe disappointed with a big head and poor colors. This little guy didn't fail in either area and ushered in a new class of Transformer, that being the [mostly] brilliantly engineered Activators. Yes, he's got jazz hands, but he can articulate them.

Animated Sentinel Prime
Great vibrant colors, a fantastically detailed, accurate head, a unique transformation and an absolutely adorable "Fisher Price" [looking] alt-mode. This guy rocks!

Henkei Sunstreaker
The Henkei version's better colors, paint-matching and use of chrome makes this fan favorite one of this fan's favorites.

Universe Sideswipe
Hasbro's best Universe effort rides right up there with his Henkei brother with great colors and the included nicely painted air intake.

Animated Ultra Magnus
Paulbot has described the marriage of hard lines and Animated styling perfectly. All three Animated Leaders were standouts, but this guy is the grand poobah.

Universe Springer
A new mold for me for a old, favorite character & toy. Great modes with arguably some of the best use of gimmicks on a TF.

Animated Blitzwing
The last of the original three triple changers reimagined and the first of those in the approriate Voyager Class, Blitzwing has shown to be a very divisive figure. Plane mode is bulky and gap-ridden, but with a fantastic tank mode, unique and fun transformation, a hidden Wall-E mode, and three faces, he's top 10 worthy to me.

Animated Lugnut
Another Animated winner with a fun transformation, good automorphs and great colors.

[kup]

"Best Transforming Toy that wasn't a Transformer"

That one is better since technically it isn't.

[liegeprime]

1. Encore Omega Supreme
2. TF Movie Fracture
3. Animated Prowl
4. Animated Activator Bumblebee
5. Animated Leader Ultra Magnus
6. TFU 2.0 Sunstreaker/ Sideswipe
7. Henkei Astrotrain
8. TFU Nemesis Prime
9. TFU 2.0 Ironhide
10. Animated Lockdown