Toy Review - Generations Red Alert

[griffin]

(Please post comments, photos or even a fully comprehensive review - these are just brief details to start you off)

Toy Review - Red Alert


Series - Generations
Sub-line - (Generation 1)
Size/class - Deluxe
New/remould/redeco - minor remould
Wave - 3
Released here - not yet (expected here Aug/Sep - released globally August)
Approximate Retail Price - $25-30
Approximate Size - 16cm
Allegiance - Autobot
Alt-mode - Fire Rescue car
Main Features/Gimmicks - none
Main Colours - White, red, black.
Main Accessories - Gun.


http://www.toycollectors.com.au/tftoys/gen08.jpg

[griffin]

I like this mould enough to want to get it... again.
(Haven't got it yet, but had a play with Justowen's.)

[gamblor916]

Is this guy going to be released at retail or do we have to import?

[SharkyMcShark]

The solid light bar turns me off.

[griffin]

Is this guy going to be released at retail or do we have to import?

It should be here... eventually.

[LordCyrusOmega]

Missed out on the first version of this so can't wait.

[Grievous]

Missed out on the first version of this so can't wait.
I second that...No Sunstreaker or Sideswipe for me...So I'm really
looking forward too finally owning this mold...I have a spot next too
Inferno on my Classics shelf ready.

[1AZRAEL1]

I too can't wait for this one. Glad I held off on hunting the Henkei version. At least I did for this figure unlike Dirge and Thrust :p (but I can't really complain about that, they are cool figures in their own right)

[i_amtrunks]

Nabbed him last night and spent ages playing with him while watching the swimming.

I was worried about mold degradation, since the quality of the seekers got worse over time, but other than a very loose waist (which my sunstreaker had as well, but not sideswipe) my copy seems to be in very good condition. The gun does not want to stay clipped into the bottom as the exhaust, but if I was fussed, I could easily fix that with a little shaving down of the plastic.

Paint apps are very good, while I am not a massive fan of the font chosen for the text on the doors, I think the toy would have looked a little plain without it. Full colour light bar is alright, I think all red suits better than having any other colours, but I think having it as light piping/translucent plastic would have been marginally better.

My Red Alert has the most washed out light blue light piping for the eyes of any figure I have ever owned, but I am comparing this to mainly turbomasters/predators who had dayglo light piped eyes...

Overall a solid figure, if you have Sunstreaker/sideswipe/punch-counterpunch or any of the other repaints, you know what to expect (including knowing that the engine does not attach to the gun in any way shape or form.)

[LordCyrusOmega]

Is there any difference between this one and the Henkai version. I got the Gears of War Pack and am hoping this Red Alerts shoulder supports the launcher

[i_amtrunks]

Is there any difference between this one and the Henkai version. I got the Gears of War Pack and am hoping this Red Alerts shoulder supports the launcher

Cant tell you about the henkei version, as I do not own it, but since they share a mold I cannot see why the shoulder launcher would not fit.

[jaydisc]

Henkei has a red head, a siren that doesn't obstruct the engine mount and BLING!

[VERT]

Also all the markings on the Takara are G1 all the way. Much better looking if you ask me to. Will only be getting the Hasbro one if cheap or board.

[jaydisc]

Yeah, if price isn't an obstacle (and it should start to be less of one), I way prefer Henkei.

[Soundwarp]

Nice!

[gekisou]

Query: My Red Alert is a little loose about his right wrist and legs. Is that a general thing or a luck of the draw thing?

[Doubledealer]

My Alerts right leg is not quite as tight as his left but it's by no means loose. Both fists seem to be okay on mine also. Having said that, mine disappointingly has scuffing and scratches on the front Fire Rescue emblem and on another small part of the bonnet.

[SamLoi888]

Henkei version is better.

[dirge]

Henkei version is better.

I happen to agree with you, but can you give us any insight as to _why_ you believe this is the case?

For me:

- the red head
- the "fire chief" details are more G1 accurate

[Doubledealer]

Having seen Tinyjazz's Henkei Alert I'd have to agree that it blows the Generations release outta the water. It just has a lot more 'pop' factor, especially when paired with that shoulder cannon accessory. :)

[SamLoi888]

I happen to agree with you, but can you give us any insight as to _why_ you believe this is the case?

For me:

- the red head
- the "fire chief" details are more G1 accurate

I happen to agree with you!

- the red head....looks better and more cartoony. Red head also differentiates from his mould brothers a lot more.
- the "fire chief" details are more G1 accurate...and the Hasbro version writing looks unprofessional. It reminds me of nothing you'd see on a vehicle in real life.

Overall the Hasbro one feels a little bland. I'm sure I'd like it more if the Henkei one didn't reek of casual superiority.

[Decepticon]

very annoying i must say! body doesnt clip in well in robot mode. and that stupid engine/handgun combination is pathetic! He looks a bit tall/lanky also

[Grievous]

I must say its great too finally own this mold...
but I must say I'm kinda surprised how tall and
bulky the robot mode is...and the "flared trouser"
leg kibble doesn't look too bad in person...
;)

[Sky Shadow]

If they never use this mould again, it will still be too soon.

[5FDP]

Saw Red Alert yesterday at my local Target. Meh! He remains at my local target :p

[LordCyrusOmega]

Was lookinh forward to getting Red Alert but i must say i'm a little dissapointed.

The Roof came off as soon as i took it out of it's package and had trouble transforming him due to tight joints.

Mind you he looks good standing next to Inferno

[GoktimusPrime]

The Roof came off as soon as i took it out of it's package and had trouble transforming him due to tight joints.
Same thing happened to me!! :(

[Sky Shadow]

Here's one thing that some people may want to do with this toy:

http://www.reprolabels.com/Classics/redalert.php
http://www.reprolabels.com/Classics/Classics/Mapcredalert.jpg

[1AZRAEL1]

Here's one thing that some people may want to do with this toy:

http://www.reprolabels.com/Classics/redalert.php
http://www.reprolabels.com/Classics/Classics/Mapcredalert.jpg

Heh, was already planning on that. I'm gonna make a big repro label order soon, they have alot of classics stickers that will look nice on my figures (Cyclonus, Hot Rod...)

[GoktimusPrime]

I noticed this pretty much as soon as I started playing with the toy, but I keep forgetting to mention it on the board -- this mould is a retooled hybrid between the Sideswipe and Sunstreaker moulds. On one hand it has Sideswipe's body because of the head and hand positions, but it also has Sunstreaker's shoulder joints - as in, the hole where you would place the gun on Sideswipe to make it a shoulder-mounted weapon.

I discovered this when I tried to place Red Alert's gun onto his shoulder, but of course, it wouldn't fit. At first I thought maybe it was mould degradation, but then I realised that I'd never tried putting Sunstreaker's gun on his shoulder either (since G1 Sunstreaker doesn't have a mounted gun like that) - so I tried putting my Henkei Sunstreaker's gun onto his shoulder and lo and behold it wouldn't fit! I then tried putting Red Alert's gun onto Sideswipe's shoulder, and it fitted. Then I tried putting Sideswipe's gun onto Red Alert's shoulder and it wouldn't fit and so on.

So it seems that Red Alert is a retooled (cos of the strobe lights) of a hybrid cross between Sideswipe and Sunstreaker! How odd though... it makes no sense to me. Wouldn't it be easier to do a straight repaint of Sideswipe? (t'would make more sense too considering that it would make the toy a better G1 homage if the gun could be shoulder mounted).

What about Henkei Alert... can his gun be shoulder mounted?

[jaydisc]

What about Henkei Alert... can his gun be shoulder mounted?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3336/3513927552_eec6953902.jpg

[GoktimusPrime]

Wow, the missile is painted red-chrome too. Damn. So Henkei Alert is evidently a straight redeco of Lambor (Sideswipe), whereas Generations Red Alert is a hybrid mould. I was glancing at Deceptic_Optic's Henkei Alert and noticed that the plastic around the head is white and not red like on Gen. Red Alert... which is pretty cool as it off-sets the red head better. Overall it seems that Henkei Alert is the nicer toy, but Gen. Red Alert is definitely easier to get atm (he seems to be peg warming in some stores I frequent).

[primatives]

i tried fitting universe sideswipes gun on his shoulder and it fit :) u just have to twist it as u push down and it goes in.

[Seraphim Prime]

i tried fitting universe sideswipes gun on his shoulder and it fit :) u just have to twist it as u push down and it goes in.

And I tested it with my Sunstreaker and found that the gun went into Sunstreaker's shoulder. i think you might just need to give it a little more work Gok.

[STL]

The one good thing about Generations Red Alert is he sits a lot nicer next to Classics 2.0 Inferno. Henkei Red Alert looked just weird next to him. The lack of bling makes the two a better pairing.

My preference though is definitely the Henkei pairing.

[jaydisc]

I concur. Consistency is king.

[GoktimusPrime]

And I tested it with my Sunstreaker and found that the gun went into Sunstreaker's shoulder. i think you might just need to give it a little more work Gok.
How easily did it go into Sunstreaker's shoulder? Cos I find that my Lambor's gun slides in heaps easy but my Henkei Sunstreaker's won't - and I don't feel like forcing it since it's chrome. I tried putting my Gen. Red Alert's gun in Lambor's shoulder and that fitted fine, but when I tried it on Sunstreaker it wouldn't fit.

I'll try jiggling Red Alert's weapon into Red Alert and Sunstreaker's shoulders. I find it curious that only Lambor's shoulder hole easily accepts Lambor's, Sunstreaker's and Red Alert's guns, but Sunstreaker and Red Alert's shoulders don't. It's led me too suspect that Red Alert may be a hybrid mould, but I'll run some more "tests" as per suggestions made here. :)

[Mr Ed]

I bought Red Alert Generations yesterday.

Worst of all the roof did fall off. But the red twisty thing broke.

So back to Kmart for an exchange.

Lovely toy though!

[GoktimusPrime]

I bought Red Alert Generations yesterday.

Worst of all the roof did fall off.
The roof fell off on mine initially but it was easy enough to put back on. <shrug> But yeah, I certainly never had that problem with Henkei Lambor or Sunstreaker.


But the red twisty thing broke.
quoi? :confused:


So back to Kmart for an exchange.
<thumbs.up> :)

[Fonecrusher]

I like him, although the Henkei version completely blows it out of the water, Generations Red Alert is still a good figure, especially for those like me who missed out on this mold a couple years back.

[GoktimusPrime]

I found Henkei Alert sold out pretty quickly in online stores like HLJ, so I personally skipped it because I already had Henkei Lambor and Sunstreaker... wasn't prepared to go to extra effort or expense for a repaint. Generations Red Alert on the other hand is really easy to find (he's still peg warms in some stores), so it was a great opportunity for me. :)

I like Generation Red Alert's black head as it's more G1 accurate (as the toy and comic had black heads), although as a group display Henkei Alert's red head does off set pretty nicely against Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. As you said, while Henkei Alert is much nicer than Generations Red Alert, Gen. RA is okay too.

[Fonecrusher]

I found Henkei Alert sold out pretty quickly in online stores like HLJ, so I personally skipped it because I already had Henkei Lambor and Sunstreaker... wasn't prepared to go to extra effort or expense for a repaint. Generations Red Alert on the other hand is really easy to find (he's still peg warms in some stores), so it was a great opportunity for me. :)

I like Generation Red Alert's black head as it's more G1 accurate (as the toy and comic had black heads), although as a group display Henkei Alert's red head does off set pretty nicely against Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. As you said, while Henkei Alert is much nicer than Generations Red Alert, Gen. RA is okay too.

Yeah I pretty much agree 100%, good toy and he's easy to find not much more you can ask for!:D

[Mr Ed]

:D
The roof fell off on mine initially but it was easy enough to put back on. <shrug> But yeah, I certainly never had that problem with Henkei Lambor or Sunstreaker.


quoi? :confused:


<thumbs.up> :)

On Red Alert, when you twist the roof to raise his head, well the roof fell off. What's worse was the bolt holding the twisty thing fell off. Pretty much after that the head could not move up and down.

I attempted to unscrew everything and fix the head, however, it was ok, but the roof was not aligned to Red Alert as a robot.

Kmart happily exchanged it for me and I am ultra careful. The new one I got was ok!

This is a great toy. Maybe I like it as it seems similar to the old G1s and it was pretty easy to transform too!

[UltraMarginal]

I bought this a while ago and only opened it up this last week, I found the conversion really novel, especially with the twist system for raising the head.

I have had a lot of trouble getting the engine to clip onto the gun, I can see how it's supposed to work, and can get it to sit there but as soon as I pick it up it tends to fall off.

the gun on this one does fit into the shoulder hole, it's a bit tight but it fits, if you look at the post you can tell it has a slight necking near the bottom of the post. so it should fit, just need to be careful and not push it too far or you could damage the shoulder.

overall I really like it, everything clips into place well, I like the head reveal, the gun is OK, and it's my first and only version of this mold.

[Seraphim Prime]

I have had a lot of trouble getting the engine to clip onto the gun, I can see how it's supposed to work, and can get it to sit there but as soon as I pick it up it tends to fall off.

It was never really designed to fit around the gun, but somebody figured that it could, and some people started doing so, and then Hasbro needing a place to fit the engine (considering the lightbar now blocked it) decided to pace it around the gun. So it knda works, but not really.

[UltraMarginal]

It was never really designed to fit around the gun, but somebody figured that it could, and some people started doing so, and then Hasbro needing a place to fit the engine (considering the lightbar now blocked it) decided to pace it around the gun. So it knda works, but not really.

that has got to be one of the most convoluted design process... evar.:eek:

[tjparkside]

this is a great figure...good updated version while still plenty of g1 refs...