Toy Review - AIRAZOR (Kingdom)

[Lint]

Airazor
Series - Generations
Sub-line - War For Cybertron
Sub-sub-line - Kingdom
Size/class - Deluxe
New/remould/redeco - New
Wave - 2
Released here - March 2021
Approximate Retail Price - $30
Approximate Size - 12 cm
Allegiance - Maximal
Alt-mode - Hawk/Falcon (forgive me I am no birdperson)
Main Features/Gimmicks - Beast Wars Nostalgia, being an awesome transformer
Main Colours - Natural Brown, Fake Gold, Bright Orange
Main Accessories - Arm missiles


SUMMARY

• Sharp looker in both modes and the best articulated BW figure in Kingdom thus far (both modes)
• Can't really do much with the beast mode without a flight stand
• Transformation is solid but bland as expected

She's a lady, wo wo woah put that missile down!

Flying to the rescue

Quit the superhero poses already

Totally not a predacon


THICK
Very rarely do I struggle to find criticism with a Transformers figure. Airazor is a near perfect execution of a deluxe figure and quantitatively is the best Beast Wars Kingdom offering yet. To say she looks extremely sharp in both modes is an understatement. Sculpting and colours are 100% on point. There is very little to nitpick at with regards to appearance and further to this she has phenomenal poseability to show off this beauty. This is thanks to the well weighted backpack of wings. Each wing has no less than 5 points of articulation which enables that minimal weight to get thrown around in every x-y direction as required. In birdy mode the balance is not so favourable, there are only so many ways you can balance 57 grams of plastic on those twiggy little bird legs, so a flight stand (which Airazor has a 3mm peg hole to accommodate) goes a long way in exploiting her beast mode goodiness. Up in the air, Airzazor's wings can flap any which way as do her legs, and beast head neck articulation and opening beak allow you to reinact any swoopy-stalky-screechy sequence from nature. Airazor's beast mode is far from wooden which is such a refreshing change given many the offerings so far. She's even better with a flight stand in bot mode, with the real look of a superhero floating gracefully and formidably around in the air. Transformation of Airazor doesn't provide any thrills being very seeker-esque but at least there are clever ways of hiding those robofists now. Airazor's accessories are nothing to write home about either (an arm mounted missile on each forearm which is somewhat faithful to the original BW show) but could prove to be good bolt-ons/decorations to existing WFC weapons. There is a huge lost opportunity in not putting a blast effects peg on the back end of each missile. That would have been awesome.

PROS

• Looks truly amazing in both modes, colours, sculpted detail, all of it!
• Best in class articulation and balance. Finally a beast with enough articulation to do justice to it's spirit animal!
• The above two cannot be understated

CONS

• Transformation is not awful at all, but a bit dullsville
• Accessories, while thematically accurate, are a bit blah. There is a big lost opportunity in not putting a blast effects peg at the end of each missile.

In conclusion: She's awesome and you'd be a fool to pass over her if you see her on a shelf!

[G1Optimal]

Just a warning becareful when un folding the wing from the packaging
Review: War for Cybertron Kingdom Airazor

Something about the wing being packed incorrectly with the wing tabs having to be eased in carefully and causing breakage or stress marks

[doublespy]

Awesome photos and review.

I’d taken some photos of her and then realized the talons should’ve been flipped around for ‘bot mode.

The bird mode articulation is really nice for a Deluxe figure, on par with Megatron to be the best in the line imo.

[Thurmus]

I had a look at that thread and I am confused what the actual issue is. I did take mine really slowly and carefully and if you make sure you unfold from the right pin joint in the wing it is easy to get the tabs past the joint without damage.

[Jellico]

Just a warning becareful when un folding the wing from the packaging
Review: War for Cybertron Kingdom Airazor

Something about the wing being packed incorrectly with the wing tabs having to be eased in carefully and causing breakage or stress marks

Yeah I managed that one.

There is a little tab on the wing hinge that goes into her back in robot mode. Taking it out of the box it is easy to push it too far and fold the tab through to the wrong side of the hinge. Stress marks and tears result.
Fortunately it's softish plastic and I heat gunned it back to its original state. But it was a worry.

That's probably my big issue with Airazor. Lots of points that are softer than they probably should be which could lead to problems later. Eg when you unplug her back you have to move two thin ratcheted struts that can move independently of each other. There is the potential for all sorts of twisting there.


Otherwise very nice little bit.

[reillyd]

There just aren?t enough bird Transformers! I never had the original Airrazor, but just adore HER. She is just beautiful in beast mode, and even more stunning in robot form. I love the little missiles, which are detachable and can also be held as a pseudo-gun. I?d love to see some reuse of this mold too to create some other bird Transformers.

[SharkyMcShark]

I'm really keen to get my hands on this figure.

I?d love to see some reuse of this mold too to create some other bird Transformers.

There was a rumour floating around that it would be retooled (or shared engineering used?) into Terrorsaur. I can sort of see it, assuming that you flipped the figure 180 (so instead of the bird mode head forming the chest the dino mode rear does).

[SharkyMcShark]

Picked one up yesterday finally.

It's a good little figure. As others have said, transformation is a bit uninspired (though has a few nice little moves), but both modes are really good.

My only complaints really are to do with the build quality.

The mid shin joints are a hair too loose - there seems to be a soft locking/clicking point when they're bent for bird mode, but nothing to lock them in place for robot mode. Also the mushroom peg bicep rotation works itself out of the socket doing a simple 90 degree rotation for transforming on my figure's left arm. It's nothing major, but still an annoyance.

[Lint]

The mid shin joints are a hair too loose - there seems to be a soft locking/clicking point when they're bent for bird mode, but nothing to lock them in place for robot mode. Also the mushroom peg bicep rotation works itself out of the socket doing a simple 90 degree rotation for transforming on my figure's left arm. It's nothing major, but still an annoyance.

I have similar issues with my Elita-1 while her mold-sister Arcee's joints are perfectly fine. I'd chalk this up to some poor forming/QC when it comes to these small joint types.

[mikeyc7m]

Hey so I picked her up today, she is totally gorgeous, except... I can't lock her thighs in bird mode.

I can see the pegs in her hips, and the holes in her thighs, and the shapes match... but they are the wrong distance apart, they don't line up.

Anyone else know about it?