This is going to be pretty in depth - in fact it's turned into a photo review by stealth, but here goes.
A bit of history first.
Diabattles was originally a part of a toyline known as Diaclone, one of the 2 main toylines which Hasbro drew on when creating Transformers.
This is the original figure, produced back in 1980, the first non-base type converting robot in the line which would ultimately produce the figures which would later become Optimus Prime, the Seeker mould, the Autobot Car Moulds, Devastator, the Omnibots, the Dinobots, the Trianbots, Ultra Magnus and the Insecticons:
http://1501bc.com/pretf/pictures/dia...diabattles.jpg
Unfortunately when Transformers became the runaway hit, Takara reimported it, and sold it alongside Diaclone and the Micro Change line. However due to the brand confusion, Takara killed off the Diaclone and Microchange lines, incorporating all remaining unused designs into the Transformers line.
As much as many of us who have come to know and love the history of Transformers had wished otherwise, the line appeared all but dead and buried - never to be seen again in its own right.
Then at Wonderfest 2015, someone
took a video of this on their phone.
Naturally it was a "shut up and take my money" moment for us. However to be honest, for me, for the most part it was more an interest thing from an historical perspective than "must have". Then it arrived in the mail earlier this week. When it arrived, I was getting excited - more excited than for the Masterpiece Ratchet figure that was coming in the same delivery. Poor Masterpiece Ratchet - a great figure, but it never stood a chance this time round in terms of being geeked out by it.
I had no idea what Takara had made and spectacular doesn't even begin to cover it.
To start off with, here are images of the front, back and sides of the box, as well as the insert. Nothing too out of the ordinary, but definitely what I'd associate more with a Soul of Chogokin release, which I'd be paying double the price for.
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...ps43yntpkp.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psyma8s5ps.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psbocsnjks.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psaabwcqfn.jpg
Also included are its instruction booklet:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psiyiqjjej.jpg
As well as the unexpected bonus of an 8 page side-story companion guide:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...pspx513j1x.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2xnktblb.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...pslokfbbgz.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psdc4yb8ov.jpg
Now for surprise number 1, but before that, a bit of backstory. You know those cockpits in not only Optimus, the Decepticon Jets and the Autobot Cars, but also the Dinobots and Insecticons? They're remnants of the Diaclone design where the toys were piloted mecha which came with pilots (Dianauts), who looked like this and had 4 points of articulation - shoulder bend and hip bend:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psv9nuk5x4.jpg
The V2.0 Dianauts are about the same size and look like this:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psrg9e0qsx.jpg
As you can see, they're about 2.8cm tall, so tiny (2.54cm=1 inch for the metrically challenged):
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psig6oenpm.jpg
However what blew me away is that they managed to cram 5 points of articulation into them- ball jointed shoulders, elbow bend, ball jointed hips, knee bend and an ab crunch:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psncmdsvle.jpg
Yes, you read that correctly, they gave a 2.8cm figure, an
ab crunch!
Of course that only the beginning of the surprises.
Much like the original, there are 3 vehicles:
- Battles01:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psih2wojhv.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1wqbjaq6.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psdjbg2jpi.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psel1en4xr.jpg
Battles01 also has interchangeable weapons, but I'll get to that later on.
-Battles02:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psjl8ngsv3.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psvgon7rnw.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psftveihvn.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psy63k8fok.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...pskdhkxq3q.jpg
The cockpit for Battles02 is also a mini-jet capable of detaching from Battles02 and operating independently from it:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9az8p5qw.jpg
- Battles03, which unlike the others, is a 2-seater mobile armour:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psposggnzg.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...pswtfurndb.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psn7dwij9a.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psazrng3xw.jpg
And with the press of a button:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psyz7vx6vk.jpg
As with Battles02, the cockpit for Battles03 is also a mini-jet capable of detaching from Battles03 and operating independently from it:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8mpnindm.jpg
It has articulated landing gear, which includes transforming wings:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psu2oddgmz.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psmlwn74bf.jpg
It can also dock with Battles02:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psbwz4ailu.jpg
And combine with the minijet from Battles02 to form the Bullet Fighter:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psfhogaivl.jpg
It also has another surprise in the hidden rear cargo bay:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7inmwdyz.jpg
The Road-Viper (anyone else thinking "TETSUO"?):
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1mrggc8n.jpg
Able to be ridden by a Dia-naut:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psdfvhlgav.jpg
I could transform him into a Robot, but let's same that for last. For now, here's every other combined form, first starting with Hopper mode, a combination of Battles01 and Battles03:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9dcsgjct.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psskmugmsw.jpg
Hopper mode is also able to convert to Crawler Mode- without changing combination:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...pshrdqzluj.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psvdezfyej.jpg
Then there's Glide mode, a combination of Battles02 and Battles03:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psqs2d3vy8.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psjqndgylo.jpg
Which when docked with the minijet of Battles03, becomes Fortress Mode:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...pssdas1s3r.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...pslymxqcmh.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...pso4whzbdn.jpg
When Fortress mode combines with Battle01 by way of the undercarriage on Battles01 being on a swivel joint, it becomes Battles Triser:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...pswmxaym29.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psvwv3kldj.jpg
Which looks even more impressive when you attach different blasters into his top hardpoints:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...pswbnzhex7.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...pssh5yik3n.jpg
But of course, back to the main event, Scramble Mode, a Combination of Battles01, Battles02 and Battles03:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psptyuklgb.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...pskgmawrqn.jpg
Which converts to Manual Mode:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psctpgxf0v.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psj2ufztwv.jpg
And then finally Diabattles V2 Mode (almost):
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psa8j1jhcn.jpg
The only step remaining, is to press this button:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psyngos9iy.jpg
Which in a real love letter to the Super Robot anime genre,
triggers this gimmick.
Revealing the fully converted robot mode, ready for action:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...pse2r2ie4y.jpg
It's shoulder cannons can be swapped out to something a little more hot-blooded:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...pszpw8nj6j.jpg
Or in true Super Robot tradition, swords:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psw7ynxo5f.jpg
Which can be sheathed in hard points that can be attached to the inside of the thrusters on Battles 02:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psvg3scrqu.jpg
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psucyrxtub.jpg
One final feature of note - the stickers (4 black chevrons on yellow). Where most stickers are thin pieces of paper, these were on thick cardboard mounted with double sided tape - a massive improvement on the norm in terms of durability, as seen by the empty sticker sheet:
http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/...psqr3xffav.jpg
I'll admit, this guy wasn't cheap with a recommended retail of 15,000 Yen (1 Yen is the equivalent of 1 cent) but he's absolutely worth every cent I spent on him. Best toy of the year to date and unlikely to be topped between now and December. I only have 1 regret - that I'm now hooked on this line, which wont be kind to my wallet at all.