Toy Review - TFPRiDE Deluxe Airachnid

[GoktimusPrime]

I had more of play with Airachnid today...

On the plus side...
There's more paint apps on this toy than I'd initially noticed (or failed to notice). There actually is some gold accents painted around the face, which does look nice. Also, contrary to my initial observation, the sculpted Decepticon insignias on the chest and nose of the chopper mode _are_ painted purple. It's VERY slight/thin and easy to overlook. I noticed it by accident today because I was holding it outdoors in direct sunlight. So it's a nice touch... would've looked better if the logos were larger (again, good idea in concept, but doesn't work out quite so well in execution)



But on the bad side...
The design of this toy really hinders what limited articulation it already has. Coupled with the challenges of balancing this toy on its leetle feet, this toy is a _beeotch_ to put into dynamic action poses! I tried taking a couple of action shots of Airachnid today fighting with Arcee here... the second shot there is meant to be Airachnid penetrating Arcee's guard (parrying her left arm) while stepping in with a strike toward Arcee's right side collar/neck. But given the limitations of the Airachnid toy, it just looks like they're having a cuddle or a dance. Gah. Even the fourth shot which is meant to be Arcee putting Airachnid in a hold... it was hard to do right because of Airachnid. I wanted to have Arcee's left knee pinning down Airachnid's right shoulder - but I couldn't do it because I just couldn't position Airachnid into the required position. It's as close as I could get it. But look at how incredibly well articulated First Edition Arcee is... clearly the standards between that toy and TFPRiD Airachnid have significantly dropped.

Here's a condensed version of those action shots (click on the above link to see them in more detail)...

[BigTransformerTrev]

I got her yesterday for $22, and with getting a 2nd toy half price (a Target sale on at the moment) it meant I paid an average of $16.50 for her which was not too bad, and for that price I felt well worth the money.

I would have liked to see in this toy:

a: a retraction of the boxy cockpit from behind the head, which does ruin the look somewhat, which in turn would have made room to...

b: ... position the head up and forward, and the helicopeter blades down as legs so that she could do her half-spider mode. If they had given her a 4th helicopter blade I think this could have been achieved with minimal overall retooling

Even though she is small in Copter mode, she does seem to stand nicely in hight compared to most of the other Deluxe class, right now she is on my coffee table getting hit on by FOC Brawl and Swindle

[i_amtrunks]

Got her for $10 and I still feel ripped off.

She is tiny, hard to pose, boring in both modes (helicopter with high heels? no thanks.)

Plastic is thin, brittle and feels like it will warp or crumble at some point in the future.

Doubt I can get rid of her now, hating my curiosity factor (I think my blind love of Dead End put me in a daze) so I may try seeing what parts of her I can salvage for when I try customising other figures.

[liegeprime]

Well I got me an extra one just so I can salvage her rotor legs and make my first airachnid, more arachnid like insect mode. Plus She reminds me of Maleficent - the evil witch in Disney's Sleeping Beauty - I guess Hasbro's pairing with Disney goes more now than just Disney Label stuff hehehe

But yeah the robot mode is totally meh, those arms could've been so much more had they made it poseable. up against deluxe arcee, she is definitely going to beaten up quite easy. instead of the stingers weapon they should've just made more effort in making her limbs better. she's also hard to stand.