Toy Review - POTP Punch/Counterpunch

Punch/Counterpunch
Series - Generations
Sub-line - Power of the Primes
Size/class - Deluxe
New/remould/redeco - New mold
Released here - not yet (Amazon exclusive)
Approximate Retail Price - AU$37

CAR MODE:

https://i.imgur.com/2j5LVXZh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/l3BGODIh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/5Xn0KOHh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/7rbDn0Uh.jpg

This is one of the best car modes in over 10 years of the CHUG history IMHO, where the Hasbro designers have proven over and over their abilities to come up with sweet sweet mesh-ups of sports cars. What I particularly like here is they kept the same minimalist color scheme as the G1 toy while adding small details here and there to add to the realism, e.g.painted lights and front grill. Those painted red hub caps look real nice too. The overall design also reminds me a lot of the CW Deadend mold and its variations, which I also love. I can totally see this car driven by James Bond, befitting Punch's spy role; it's low-key yet powerful-looking.

https://i.imgur.com/P0clm88h.jpg

I couldn't care less about the Prime Master dude or the prime armor, especially when Punch doesn't even combine; but they're there.

TRANSFORMATION:

The engineering doesn't feel like far superior than typical retail Deluxe Transformers. The utilization of the roof panel mass as bottom of the feet is quite clever. Other than that, there's nothing really to write home about. I wish there was enough budget to give the two 'bot modes different arms like the G1 toy did.

I did the shoulder ball joint fix and yes, it's definitely a mis-assembly at the factory. I didn't particular liked how you have to flex the plastic to do it though. The plastic is quite malleable and of high quality but do be careful when you do it.

ROBOT MODES:

https://i.imgur.com/FC3Zcwfh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/PyFGGv1h.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/z3fT4vfh.jpg

Punch is excellent and unmistakably himself. All the visual ques are there with a modern feel. The head sculpt is up to Takara's usual high standards. The head uses the same tilting helmet mechanism to switch between Punch and Counterpunch; goes to show what a great design it was back then. What's nice is the chest panels in both Punch and Counterpunch configuration can fold down and cover the insignia not being used. This also reveals 5mm ports which is handy for weapon storage. Articulation is typical to a recent Deluxe figure. It's worth mentioning though there's a decent up and down range at the neck ball joint.

https://i.imgur.com/wYt21ezh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/dqXT38xh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/x7Hrlarh.jpg

It becomes evident in Counterpunch mode that they actually went for the Japanese Headmaster cartoon deco, with the red eyes and silver mouth. I personally think the G1 toy with no silver paint on the moth looks better though. I can see again they went for HM cartoon accuracy with only one gun and not double barreled like the G1 toy had, I still wish they ditched the prime armor and gave us a different gun for Counterpunch. But all in all, a well done robot mode.

https://i.imgur.com/TvcxZWth.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/OP3YAlTh.jpg

He looks a bit lanky with his small head and long legs standing next to the TR Headmaster/Targetmasters, but they do look great displayed together.

OVERALL:

It's the first true CHUG update to the my favorite G1 toy growing up, and aside from a couple of minor nitpicks, it's a wonderful little Deluxe figure.

Great review. I'm even more keen for mine...

...whats this shoulder fix of which you speak?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dirge

Great review. I'm even more keen for mine...

...whats this shoulder fix of which you speak?

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Thanks.

Peaugh did a good demonstration in his review about the shoulder fix.

An enjoyable read doublespy. Such crisp photos too.

I absolutely love mine, and can't stop transforming /switching allegiances. Really fun, but his orange pistol is quite puny. Where'd you grab that nice looking shotgun from for the photos? Existing toy, or shapeways printed?

It looks so good. I really appreciate the photos! Standing Punch next to Chromedome and Hardhead brings back a lot of memories.

Thanks guys,

Quote:

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Originally Posted by reillyd

Where'd you grab that nice looking shotgun from for the photos? Existing toy, or shapeways printed?

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Found it in my vault of TF weapons. I think it belongs to one of the first 3p Brawns. I just remember it was scout sized but sorry can't remember the name of the company now lol.

Great review and photos doublespy. Seriously considering picking this guy up.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by doublespy

Thanks guys,



Found it in my vault of TF weapons. I think it belongs to one of the first 3p Brawns. I just remember it was scout sized but sorry can't remember the name of the company now lol.

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Igear's Hench (you're right, a Brawn figure), I've got the same one. There's not enough identifiable shotguns for TFs - there was a sweet triple-barrel one for a few combiner wars figures but they're rare.

Punch/Counterpunch has the prime armour because he's a Power of the Primes deluxe, and the gimmick for Power of the Primes deluxes is to be able to 'wear' prime armour on the chest or to have it attach to the vehicle mode. As you observed, both modes have chest/back panels that swing open to reveal 5mm ports; those are actually meant for prime armour to be attached to the chest.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Magnus

Punch/Counterpunch has the prime armour because he's a Power of the Primes deluxe, and the gimmick for Power of the Primes deluxes is to be able to 'wear' prime armour on the chest or to have it attach to the vehicle mode. As you observed, both modes have chest/back panels that swing open to reveal 5mm ports; those are actually meant for prime armour to be attached to the chest.

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The Prime Armour in general is pretty daft - but it can work out ok on this one. Especially since it doesn't need to do double-duty as a foot/hand, you can just pop the two thumbs off altogether which leaves this one looking a lot like a jetpack - that'd be helpful in covering up the fairly obvious 'other robot' when looking at this figure from the back.

Great toy. I think in this instance, the higher price for the exclusive was worth it as it really feels like getting 2 toys for the price of one. Very clever engineering, a nice intuitive transformation and I like how the 2 robot modes look appropriately dissimilar, ie different hands by design rather than a single pair of hands that are used by both robot modes..

The flaps on the chests do more than just reveal a port for the Prime Armour - they also hide the opposing faction symbol on each robot mode’s back.

The only thing I think could’ve been executed a bit better is the lack of distinct feet on both robot modes.

...oh, and another thing - my shoulders were assembled correctly in package. Was fully prepared to do the mod, don’t have to.

Will be interesting to see what they do with the fist joint when they release whoever this figure is a pre-tool of (either Pointblank or Crosshairs could be made to work, and may as well get crazy and do Sureshot while they're at it, repeating the same trick they did with the Cons Targetmasters...).

I'm guessing the joint will swing around to reveal a port for the Targetmaster partner, similar to how it was on the old CHUG Cyclonus, emulating the Japanese cartoon's way of attaching the Targetmaster partner directly?

https://tfwiki.net/mediawiki/images2..._with_guns.jpg

https://tfwiki.net/mediawiki/images2...lugslinger.jpg

The more I look at the photos, the more I want.

I'm inspired to lock in an order... When Amazon restocks.

I won't be getting mine for a while. Could someone please post side by side comparison photos with G1 Punch/Counterpunch?

https://image.ibb.co/b4ATdA/punch-counterpunch01.jpghttps://image.ibb.co/gKzMyA/punch-counterpunch02.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/dqygyA/punch-counterpunch03.jpghttps://image.ibb.co/n74bWV/punch-counterpunch04.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/m8Q5Qq/punch-counterpunch05.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/jF4ArV/punch-counterpunch06.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/hxx8dA/punch-counterpunch07.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/fnKMyA/punch-counterpunch08.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/kxVTdA/punch-counterpunch09.jpg

Finally showed up from Amazon.au, but I'm rather impressed-picked this guy up to make a free shipping threshold but it's a pretty neat concept, and both robots and vehicles modes look nice.
His legs are a bit loose on mine and the lack of proper feet + the super tight/limited thigh swivels make posing a but hard, but I enjoy this figure!
The Prime Master is a nice touch, as is the box.
A solid Deluxe, esp for less than normal DLX RRP in AU :)

Just got this guy recently so as to make shipping costs for something else (Deluxe Skytread/Flywheels, couldn't find any in Oz) a bit easier to stomach, and he's great. Loose legs on mine, the shoulder articulation in Punch mode could be better (though I prefer it with the shoulders a little bit lower to make for a better profile IMO, which kind of hurts the articulation a little bit more), and I totally agree that different/better guns would have been better than a useless combiner fist (it does make a nice rocket pack for Counterpunch though), but yeah...I really like him all around. Even more than Skytread, who's a pretty sweet toy in his own right. Counterpunch mode looks great and the car totally gives off a 'spy-car' vibe.

He's expensive, but he pulls off a hard-to-do gimmick really well, and he's cool.