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Stompy
11th March 2010, 01:20 PM
Just a quick pictorial review of the Kabaya Convoys. Only got the G1 and Classics Prime. I should have gotten Victory as well. Ah well. On with it...


SIZE COMPARISON with RotF DVD. About twice the thickness of a DVD:

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk269/StompBrother/Transformers/Kabaya/KabayaConvoys-DVDsizecomparison.jpg



THE BOX: Front, Back and Sides:

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk269/StompBrother/Transformers/Kabaya/KabayaConvoys-boxfront.jpg

Nice art for the featured Convoy with a boxout of what it looks like in both modes.

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk269/StompBrother/Transformers/Kabaya/KabayaConvoys-boxback.jpg

Nothing much up back but I assume its bio.

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk269/StompBrother/Transformers/Kabaya/KabayaConvoys-boxside.jpg

The side shows all the different Convoy's featured in the series.



UNBOXING:

Out of the box:
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk269/StompBrother/Transformers/Kabaya/KabayaConvoys-unboxed.jpg

As you can see these are kits and not a complete figure. The instructions are printed on the inside of the box. The two things in the middle is the chewing gum.



G1 Convoy contents:

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk269/StompBrother/Transformers/Kabaya/KabayaConvoys-G1contents.jpg

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk269/StompBrother/Transformers/Kabaya/KabayaConvoys-G1instructions.jpg



Classics Convoy contents:

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk269/StompBrother/Transformers/Kabaya/KabayaConvoys-Classicscontents.jpg

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk269/StompBrother/Transformers/Kabaya/KabayaConvoys-Classicsinstructions.jpg

As you can see they require snap-on assembly. Might want to use some nippers or mini-pliers to take them off the gates. 3 different colour of ABS (good) plastic used. There is a sticker sheet for all the detail.



PARTS:

G1:
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk269/StompBrother/Transformers/Kabaya/KabayaConvoys-G1parts.jpg

Classics:
http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk269/StompBrother/Transformers/Kabaya/KabayaConvoys-Classicsparts.jpg

Assembly is pretty simple with clear instructions for both modes. Everything is numbered including stickers. Conversion is good for the most part with the legs converting as you would expect with only the arms in both modes requiring some Legoforming.



THE FINISHED PRODUCT compared with its bigger daddy:

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk269/StompBrother/Transformers/Kabaya/KabayaConvoys-comparisonalt.jpg

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk269/StompBrother/Transformers/Kabaya/KabayaConvoys-comparisonaltback.jpg

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk269/StompBrother/Transformers/Kabaya/KabayaConvoys-comparisonbot.jpg

Looks pretty decent although they do have a "happy meal" feel to them. With the simple colours and the stickers help give a LOT of detail. But these are made well for the asking price (I think $2-$5 in Japan). Having the weapons and similar conversion from the originals are nice little details. They are bigger than Legends size but slightly smaller than Scouts. The back in bot mode are hollow tho. I will let the finished product above speak for itself really. Kit builders (Gunpla, Zoids, Kotobikuya) will enjoy it and these are certainly worthy for those who have a "Prime Shrine".




The aftermath:

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk269/StompBrother/Transformers/Kabaya/KabayaConvoys-aftermath.jpg

Chewing gum was nice. Slightly fruity and sweet as for a good 30 seconds. Noticed its the good soft variety and not those rock hard ones that tear your gums.

Vector Prime
11th March 2010, 01:58 PM
Wow great review mate... u went all out with the photos and all! :p

I bought a case of these and decided only to keep Star Saber and Classics Prime.

Yeah I agree that these are pretty cool and the only annoying thing (at least for me) were all the fiddly little stickers.

It's also a shame that the chewing gum flavor doesn't last longer than 30 secs...

Kyle
11th March 2010, 02:41 PM
Chewing gum was nice. Slightly fruity and sweet as for a good 30 seconds. Noticed its the good soft variety and not those rock hard ones that tear your gums.

Can this be our first TF food review? :D

GoktimusPrime
11th March 2010, 02:45 PM
Nothing much up back but I assume its bio.
Yeah, the text in the blue box explains what Transformers are and the text beneath with box art are the bios which includes name, function and which series they're from. Interestingly they've described G1 Convoy as 初代コンボイ("Shodai Convoy") which means "original generation Convoy." It's a term that Japanese fans usually use for G1 but in recent years the English term "Generation 1" or "G1" has entered currency. I still refer to G1 as "shodai" when speaking in Japanese but it's not often that I see that term pop up in official media/print. :)


Looks pretty decent although they do have a "happy meal" feel to them. With the simple colours and the stickers help give a LOT of detail.
Well they are candy toys. :)


But these are made well for the asking price (I think $2-$5 in Japan).
Yeah, they look a lot nicer than previous gum kits (e.g.: Beast Wars, Car Robot) - especially Henkei Convoy. I know they had Gum Kits during the Unicron Trilogy but I didn't get any so I can't compare.

It's a shame local Asian supermarkets in Sydney don't stock Transformer candy kits/toys anymore. :( I picked up all my Beast Wars Metals and Car Robot kits from local Sydney stores. These kinds of toys don't interest me enough to import them, but if I saw them in a local store I'd snap them up. :)

Tommy K
11th March 2010, 08:23 PM
i cant wait for a city commander of this guy! lmao

Jetfire
11th March 2010, 11:58 PM
Cool, great pix and a detailed review. Thanks for posting. Don't forget to brush.

kup
12th March 2010, 11:08 AM
I have all 3 and they are actually a pretty good scaling down and simplification of the larger figures. Several of them have 're-assembly' transformations but that's expected given their lack of proper joints. It's a good effort that they can transform to begin with give the price point.

Without the stickers they are really plain looking but that changes radically when you apply them.

OrionPax
17th March 2010, 09:57 PM
Can this be our first TF food review? :D

http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad32/OrionPax92/P170310_1658.jpg

Make this the second :D

excelonzero
20th March 2010, 12:49 AM
Goki said

It's a shame local Asian supermarkets in Sydney don't stock Transformer candy kits/toys anymore. I picked up all my Beast Wars Metals and Car Robot kits from local Sydney stores. These kinds of toys don't interest me enough to import them, but if I saw them in a local store I'd snap them up.

I grabbed mine from the mob in World Square.(next to Coles) for a measly $10.
I wasn't tempted to get Shodai Convoy, but I was tempted to get the other TF toys. I still swing randomly in case something comes thru. Oh Hobby dream in Technocity have them for $15 also..