View Poll Results: SS-72 Mv6 Starscream - worth buying?

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  • Yes

    3 50.00%
  • Only if...

    0 0%
  • Not worth it

    1 16.67%
  • Not even interested in it

    2 33.33%
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Thread: Toy Review - Studio Series 72 - Bumblebee Movie Starscream

  1. #1
    Join Date
    5th Feb 2010
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    Perth
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    3,270

    Default Toy Review - Studio Series 72 - Bumblebee Movie Starscream

    STARSCREAM
    Series - Studio Series
    Sub-line - Bumblebee Movie
    Size/class - Voyager
    New/remould/redeco - New (looks like, but shares nothing with, SS Blitzwing)
    Wave - 12
    Released here - April 2021
    Approximate Retail Price - $50
    Approximate Size - 17cm (to head) 18 cm (to intakes) 21cm (to wing tips) (GOK I FINALLY BOUGHT A RULER!)
    Allegiance - Decepticon
    Alt-mode - Cybertronian fighter jet
    Main Features/Gimmicks - Sort of gun hand thing that doesn't really sit flush?
    Main Colours - It's Starscream. Red, Grey, Blue.
    Main Accessories - One big gunhand thing, two wing cannons.

    So right off the bat, this clearly looks like Studio Series Blitzwing, but it doesn't share a single part with that figure. It's based off the Cybertronian starfighter design seen in brief during that Highmoon game cutscene of an intro sequence for Bumblebee. It's kind of nifty.

    Vehicle Mode
    • Overall, a good mode. Solid, stable, on character - nothing particularly egregious to complain about. Definitely an example of the lesser spotted non-token Cybertronian mode. Regardless of what you think about the rest of it, this is clearly more than a robot just sitting down or curling up.
    • The wings do a decent job of locking in place - they don't flap about at all (which I always worry about with figures that have wings sitting on joints).
    • The only downside is that the lower chunk of the jet is a bit thick, being that its comprised of the robot mode torso and arms. The concept art has this being a wing/fin, but its thicker than that in plastic form. Doesn't ruin the mode by any means. To be honest I prefer this solution to having a fat alt-mode which then has a wing sticking out the bottom.


    Transformation
    • Entirely different to Blitzwing, and with a few really nifty bits. I love the extra bits of folding work along the legs to help fill out the fuselage of the jet mode.
    • I've found getting the right shoulder on my figure unclipped from the chest to be frightening, when going back to jet mode. The connection is tight, and I've had to use a shim each time to lever the connection free (instead of just yanking on the shoulder joint itself, which feels like it might break before the transformation joint comes free).


    Robot Mode
    • Imposing, large, well articulated - this is what you want from a robot mode.
    • Aside from the wings at the back, relatively kibble free. Everything collapses into the chest or into the calves, which is pretty cool.
    • I think the biggest let down for me with this figure is the accessories. An opportunity was missed to have the two black wing cannons peg into the forearms or shoulders of the figure for some G1 esque nullray action. As it stands your options are to have them on their two wing mounts, or to have the figure hold them as handguns. Not great. The bigger gun mimics the classic TF movie forearm turns into gun look, but without sitting flush (like for example SS Blitzwing's version), so it just sort of looks like the figure is holding a gun with a giant cover hanging off the back. These are minor complaints in the grand scheme of things.


    Closing Thoughts
    This is well worth a buy.

    It made me retrospectively upset at myself for buying WFCSiege Starscream, because that is a lazy, low effort design of a figure for the same basic goal - a Cybertron pre Earth Seeker.

    This is probably the best representation of a Cybertronian Starscream design we're getting.
    Last edited by SharkyMcShark; 11th May 2021 at 08:31 PM.
    I'm really just here for the free food and open bar.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    24th May 2007
    Location
    Brisbane
    Posts
    38,239

    Default

    I feel the need to echo the point that was being made several times, because it surprised me at the time I got this toy as well... the robot modes may look the same at first, but do NOT share any parts or even transformation.
    That fact makes it sound like a very impressive achievement, but in a way, it spoils Starscream a little for those who might have bought Blitzwing and have a limited budget or collection and don't like buying duplicate moulds.
    In a way, it supports the theory that Blitzwing in the Bumblebee movie was originally planned to be Starscream with an 80s earth-mode... similar to how Gen1 Seekers kept the same robot mode despite transforming into a tetrajet and an F-15 jet. Otherwise, it doesn't make much sense to me, roping Blitzwing into the Seeker jet template, when there are so many existing Seeker characters already... and it would waste the triple-changer concept if it is stuck in the "mould" of a Seeker Jet.

    That said, I don't like the gun pod under the jet, as it looks like two feet, one behind the other. It is also too big, but going back to the Bumblebee Movie, the Jets have a fairly significant gun pod underneath

    Some of the photos I took, comparing the pair...
























  3. #3
    Join Date
    4th May 2015
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    793

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    I'm going to try and get the Thundercracker repaint

  4. #4
    Join Date
    10th Mar 2016
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    Sydney
    Posts
    1,376

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    Good review SharkyMcShark, I agree with most of what you've said. I think the biggest let down on this toy is the accessories, it really is odd that the guns can't mount onto his arms at all.
    Otherwise, I find the transformation to be very unique for a seeker and quite ambitious. I understand griffin (and others) criticising the gun pod underneath of the jet, but personally I can appreciate them trying to make it work through transforming rather than just lazily plugging some huge wing piece under there.
    Overall, I am quite thrilled with this figure and so far it is a contender for my top 5 of 2021 list. Highly recommend!


    Looking to buy lucky draw Armada Prime and Diaclone Marlboor Wheeljack.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    25th Sep 2013
    Location
    Brisbane
    Posts
    74

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    A few QC issues with mine hold it back unfortunately. In vehicle mode the little leg panels don't line up properly so the "teeth" can't lock together. In robot mode the right wing tip won't lock into place, it just floos around.

    Considering how good the Kingdom line has been I'm a little disappointed.

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