To be fair, the movement towards a more slavish level of G1 accuracy has been a running theme in Titans Return in general so I don't think I could single out just Predaking for having this trait. Take a look at TR Sixshot - the level of G1 accuracy on that toy is insane. And of course, there is a real downside to being so G1 accurate, and that is inheriting the traits from toys that were designed in the 1980s. Now that can be a really good, bad or indifferent thing according to your tastes, but I wouldn't call it a design or engineering flaw but rather an aesthetic design choice. And I get it if it's not your thing, and as much as I looove TR Predaking, I totally get where you're coming from.Originally Posted by shockNwave
And this is why I'm skipping toys like Siege Optimus Prime, Sideswipe, Hound, Mirage and Springer. I already have pre-existing CHUG versions of these toys that employ greater originality in their aesthetic designs. They're not attempting to be as slavishly G1 accurate. I'm also skipping the new MP Convoy and Bumble for the same reasons (and price).
When Classics started it was never about simply emulating G1 toys with contemporary design/tech standards. It was more about re-imagining G1 characters with contemporary standards. It felt more like what if the G1 characters were made today, and not what if the G1 characters were remade today. Many of the original CHUG toys were more liberated from having to slavishly conform to 80s G1 designs. They only needed to be aesthetically recognisable enough that you could immediately tell who they were, and they did this well. Classics Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Starscream, Jetfire, Ramjet etc. - everyone can look at these toys and know straight away who they are. They didn't need to be so slavishly accurate to their G1 designs.
The one possible issue with a slimmer Razorclaw is that it may not have sufficient bulk to form the torso for Predaking. TR Razorclaw as it is doesn't have enough bulk and needs to be supplemented with Divebomb's backpack. And I don't know if having a skinnier Rampage and Divebomb would make Predaking's arms look thin in comparison with the rest of the body. Remember that Devastator does bulk out its arms with accessories - not just the hands but the entire forearms too. Bonecrusher and Scavenger only form the upper arms whereas Rampage and Divebomb have to form the entire arms at the same scale.
But yes, I take your point that there absolutely could've been more creativity in the design, but this seems to have been an overall design made with the entire Titans Return line and by no means isolated to the Predacons. Slash is so ridiculously G1 in design that when I posted comparison pics of the G1 and POTP Dinobots, I secretly sneaked Slash into the shot of the G1 Dinobots and nobody noticed.And in my observation, most fans want a slavish level of G1 accuracy from their CHUGs and MPs. I personally don't care either way. Honestly, if I want to play with a super G1 accurate toy, I'll play with my G1 TFs! You literally cannot get anymore G1 accurate than that.
Haaaaaaaving said that, the slavish G1 accuracy has really pleased me with G1 characters whose toys I don't own and will probably never own, like Overlord and Greatshot.
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