Toy Review - Studio Series Shatter (car type)

SHATTER
Series - Generations
Sub-line - Studio Series
Size/class - Deluxe
New/remould/redeco - New
Wave - 6
Released here - May 2019
Approximate Retail Price - $29
Approximate Size - 13cm
Allegiance - Decepticon
Alt-mode - 1971 Plymouth GTX
Main Features/Gimmicks - falls apart^N/A
Main Colours - red, black
Main Accessories - x2 guns

Photos:
https://i.ibb.co/5jXQ7jq/shatter-SS01.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/BHDCnfs/shatter-SS02.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/Q8WF4MF/shatter-SS03.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/QDQxfyS/shatter-SS04.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/N3MG0P8/shatter-SS05.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/4sfyj7G/shatter-SS06.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/TwP8PYH/shatter-SS07.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/DGdkGvt/shatter-SS08.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/NpCb22b/shatter-SS09.jpg

[u]Overall Thoughts[/b]
* Looks great in both robot and vehicle mode, although I would've preferred a "clean face" head rather than a battle masked one. Hopefully the Jet Type SS will feature this (and have a head that's cross compatible with the Car Type SS).
* No faction logos (a problem that plagues many Studio Series figures)
* Transformation is a pain in the butt as this toy is prone to falling apart
https://i.ibb.co/C5p6LN7/shatter-SS-shattered.jpg
↑This is the most significant flaw with this toy and really lets the figure down.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y22..._shoulders.gif

Those leg-body proportions are really bad. Reminds me of a Family Guy cutaway gag featuring Peter's aunt 'Legs go all the way up' Griffin.

I kept having the right arm and right bonnet piece of mine pop off. Probably at least 5 times for each.

Really like how this gal looks but yep, mine has arms that don't stay on and legs with messed up ball joints that also pop off :S

But as a 'don't fiddle with me much' figure she's pretty neat. Hoping for a jet that fixes these issues (like Dropkick's ver 2)

Looks awesome in both modes but the shoulders constantly popping off, as well as the front fenders detaching, are really aggravating. The hips are also very limited in articulation due to design. Not sure how it got past the testing phase but it makes me not want to transform her ever again.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ode to a Grasshopper

Those leg-body proportions are really bad. Reminds me of a Family Guy cutaway gag featuring Peter's aunt 'Legs go all the way up' Griffin.

---

I find the proportions to be fairly close to the screen model, so I don't have a problem with this aspect of the toy.
https://i.ibb.co/YXfxBQX/temp.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dimi194

But as a 'don't fiddle with me much' figure she's pretty neat.

---

Isn't that kinda akin to a:
* "just don't eat me" food
* "just don't watch me" movie
* "just don't read me" book
* "just don't drive/ride me" car
* "just don't read this" reply
etc. :p

IMO a toy that sucks to play with is failing at its core function as a toy

I have to admit I found myself wondering whether the shoulder joints were meant to come off.

We all know modern Transformers are designed for parts to pop off and be put back on again if needed. And those shoulder joints go through a wide arc during transformation without much room to play with. I get the feeling that there were a lot of broken shoulders in testing.

I get the same feeling for the fenders. A joint that could have been a simple pin looks pretty elaborate.

Maybe it should have been sent back to the drawing board as too elaborate for a small Deluxe. Those red flaps on the shoulders moving around in a couple of axis seems unusual at this size.

I think it's a QC issue rather than a design issue, as in if the ball part of the ball-socket joint were a bit thicker then it may not be so prone to disconnecting. I might try to thicken it with a layer of super glue or something.

Quote:

---

https://i.ibb.co/NpCb22b/shatter-SS09.jpg

---

This photo reminds me why I don’t like Dropkick’s helicopter toy - it doesn’t look like the character in the movie. It’s doubly noticeable next to a more screen accurate Shatter.

Shatter is a figure I REALLY wanted to like, but unfortunately she is very appropriately named. :(
IMO she looks great in both modes, but transformation between the two feels like SS-01 all over again.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Paulbot

This photo reminds me why I don’t like Dropkick’s helicopter toy - it doesn’t look like the character in the movie. It’s doubly noticeable next to a more screen accurate Shatter.

---

Agreed. I bought heli Dropkick simply out of obligation to complete the four (assuming a jet Shatter comes along after car Dropkick).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime

I think it's a QC issue rather than a design issue, as in if the ball part of the ball-socket joint were a bit thicker then it may not be so prone to disconnecting. I might try to thicken it with a layer of super glue or something.

---

I have just put clear nail polish around the rim of the socket. Much firmer in robot mode.

I am still having trouble freeing the arms from car mode. Pushing to the side to unpeg them puts pressure on a weak part of the ball joint. Maybe I should unpeg then open the fenders before moving the arms out? I have just put another coat of polish on so will test in an hour or two when it is solidly dry.

Im in agreeable. Shatter is fragile. I love the look of the car, and the robot is nice although i like to see her face. But she is prone to falling apart.

I was planning on trying nail polish on the bonnet piece. Glad to hear it helps.

Okay. Arms are staying on well now. When transforming from car mode, untab the red panels then lower the arms out from the underside. Untab the fenders from the bumper bar and move them out of the road. Lift the roof/windscreen and you are off to the races. It is just gentle tweaking from there.

Now the fenders are a different story. A clip and a circle of plastic. I am not sure how we can tighten that up. But they are proving key to everything. That includes posing the legs and arms in robot mode.

I have to say she is a good looking Con. Really imposing. Show a bit of care while transforming and posing and she works.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jellico

Show a bit of care while transforming and posing and she works.

---

...which makes her bad as a toy because during actual toy play you don't want to be handling her with gloves like something that's really fragile. I mean, when you want to make Bumblebee and her go to to toe in the middle of an exciting fight, come on... having to slow down and handle her with care just takes a lot of the fun out of it. :(

I'll have to try that clear nail polish trick.

"Oh... its the name not the gimmick, I stuffed that one up"

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Autocon

"Oh... its the name not the gimmick, I stuffed that one up"

---

Shatter by name, shatter by nature ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime

Main Features/Gimmicks - falls apart^N/A

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Autocon

"Oh... its the name not the gimmick, I stuffed that one up"

---

I almost spit tea everywhere. Well done!

Very very mixed feelings on this.

I love the new things that it does in the transformation. There are some extra steps there that are not usually present on deluxe class figures. I love the way the lower legs spin and unfurl, and I adore the wheel flip so that it ends up inside her calves. Tolerances aside I also really like the way that a part of the hood ends up on her shoulder.

The robot mode looks great, and I love the accessories.

BUT

Aside from the well known tolerance issues in the shoulders, I find the articulation to be impeded. Legs are quite limited, and the shoulders have to be futzed with because the folded away door panels bash against the wheels on the shoulders if you're not careful.

I've found all three of the BB movie Studio Series figures I own to be quite ambitious in their engineering (BB, Dropkick, and this), and this is the one figure that is tangibly held back by it unfortunately.

Shatter is one of my favourite new characters added to Transformers Cannon, but every toy they have released of her is crap. That`head looks nothing like her face or even the box art. I'm very disappointed with her paint apps, but hope they make an accurate head for the jet version. I'm a completist and had to buy her, but not happy Hasbro :mad:

Both her and Dropkick, and VW Bumblebee to a degree, really sully the 'Studio Series' brand for me. Nearly every other release in Studio Series is an exercise in attempting to make the perfect (mass retail) version of the movie characters. They're not always perfect toys, but damn if they don't generally nail the look of the robot modes.

But these guys...man. So inaccurate. They just needed to hold off and release these a year later. If they were desperate to get something on to the shelves then they should have just focused on the simpler kid toys and left the adult collectibles till later.

She's not as bad as Dropkick for screen inaccuracy, but that robot mode head is inexcusable. Such a missed opportunity.

Also, I notice that a lot of people have her knees fully extended for bot mode, which makes the long-leg problem much worse. Looks better (to me) with the knees compacted down into a standard movie Con 'goat' stance. It seems to be intended to go that way since that joint movement has no transformation function.

Got around finally to opening mine today.

She is the WORST SS toy I’ve ever played with! I got her 90% transformed and got so friggin sick of putting all the various pieces back on that kept detaching I just turned her back, put her on a shelf and don’t think I’ll ever play with her again.

I’d make some ‘Shatter’ jokes but they’ve already been done and she deserved every one of them :mad:

Finally they realised you can’t make perfection.
Like our old G1 we jus expcectex obe mould ( robot or vehicle) yo he good😊

If anyone was at all curious, I can confirm that the Buzzworthy Bumblebee rerelease of Shatter has tighter joints than the original. Some bits still fall off but it's nowhere near as bad. The arms don't fall off at all which were the most annoying bit on the first one.
I'm not suggesting everyone go out and replace their existing Shatter (unless it reeeeeeaally annoyed you like it did with me) but if you skipped the first release because of the QC I'd suggest you give this one a chance.
In every other way that I can tell, this toy is identical to the first release as far as plastic colours, paint apps, etc.