Fake Kibble

[Pulse]

Would you classify Jazz's 2nd front-end as fake kibble?

[jaydisc]

Absolutely!

[kup]

I can be tolerant of fake kibble but only if it is used in moderation or as a compromise to maintain the character tribute in the design.

For example, Classics Prime maintains that little grill only to maintain the classic look. It is also small and feels more as a 'deco' than molded kibble.

In turn, MP Prime is similar but it bothers me more than Classics Prime because unlike Classics Prime, its not just 'familiar' robot mode detailing its actually mascarading as truckmode kibble with the chrome and size. This feels more like a cheat than Classic Prime's grill.

Another example of tolerable fake kibble is deluxe 08 Movie Bumblebee. He has a number plate molded into his crotch but its not part of the alt mode. It is annoying but I can understand it since they are trying to resemble the Movie character model.

An example awful fake kibble due to lazy design is deluxe Animated Bumblebee. He didn't have to have the fake kibble chest and the stylized proportions are too extreme even by the cartoon standards. The Activator has a more faithful Transformation sequence , is more true to the show character model and doesn't have any cheating! (no fake kibble)

[Gutsman Heavy]

The Activator has a more faithful Transformation sequence

Apparently not

Bumblebee appears to have a fake car roof on his chest in both his toy and on his character model. Not only does Bumblebee transform like his toy in his drawn-out animated transformation sequences, with his legs forming the top of the vehicle and the rest forming the underside, but his "real" windshield is drawn on the back of his legs, just like the toy. Plus the headlights on Bumblebee's feet are upside-down, just like the toy's. However, Bumblebee's vehicle mode stripe doesn't change sides like on the toy. Cheatsy!

is more true to the show character model

I'm not seeing that at all



Looks like the deluxe is much more faithful IMO

[kup]

I disagree, when I look at the Activator in RL next to the deluxe, I find the Activator as a more faithful representation as well as a better toy overall.

[GoktimusPrime]

For me it depends on the toy... but overall on most toys it's a pretty clever way of incorporating kibble that cannot be incorporated into the alt mode. A good example of this is the faux-kibble on Binaltech/Alternators Tracks - the chest is a fake roof/window to make it look like G1 Tracks' chest. It serves no other purpose, but it's a pretty neat touch. It doesn't compromise the toy's integrity IMO so I quite like it.

Then there are other toys with faux-faux-kibble, like Lio Convoy and Big Convoy whose bodies kinda look like G1 Optimus Prime like truck bodies, but really aren't anything of the sort - but is intended to evoke the image of Optimus Prime.

Big Convoy even has fake 'roof lights' on the top of his chest!

[Lord_Zed]

I kinda like fake kibble at least on some toys such as the afforementioned MP Prime, Powermaster Prime, Movie Bumblebee and Binaltech Tracks.

Yes it's kinda a cheat, but lets face it in all the old G1 comics and Cartoons the TF's use a bit of morphing magic to transform, it's only from the post USG1 japanese cartoons where the characters transform in a toy acurate fashion. For me Fake Kibble just suggets the Transformation is even more complex than what can be done with a toy, and when I was a kid It was always fun to imagine ways in which the fake kibble would become part of the vehicle mode proper.

Hmm that makes me thing of a question for a new thread.

[roller]

so does Combat Hero optimus primes robot mode chest/grill count as fake kibble?

[GoktimusPrime]

I would say yeah. Laser Prime's chest is also sculpted like faux-kibble but has never been officially painted that way (although I've seen customs ).

Golden Phoenix: Animated Bumblebee's show model also shows faux-kibble from the toy.

"True" kibble
<--front windscreen kibble on back of legs

"Faux" kibble
<--fake windscreen & roof on chest