Toy Review - SHRAPNEL (Legacy)

[GoktimusPrime]

SHRAPNEL
Series - Generations
Sub-line - Legacy
Size/class - Deluxe
New/remould/redeco - New
Wave - 5
Released here - April 2023
Approximate Retail Price - $40
Approximate Size - 17cm
Allegiance - Decepticon
Sub-Group - Insecticon
Alt-mode - robotic stag beetle
Main Features/Gimmicks - Evo-Fusion compatibility
Main Colours - black, purple, grey
Main Accessories - x2 insect leg/blaster parts, x1 gamma ray detonator gun





Much like Legacy Kickback, Shrapnel is a very nice hybridisation of G1 toy and cartoon design aesthetics. The hind legs of the Insecticon mode can be detached and attached to the gamma detonator gun as part of the Evo-Fusion feature. I do like how Legacy has given up on included unnecessary clear parts/accessories. Looking forward to Bombshell! Also, glad to see Shrapnel rocking his original name once more, once more.

[Autocon]

Comparison pics ofcall other shrapnels?

[GoktimusPrime]

Comparison pics ofcall other shrapnels?

I took those photos while I was at the Transformers Rise of the Beasts Base Camp at Taronga Zoo, so I didn't have access to my other Shrapnels. I've got a pretty busy schedule this week, including attending the opening for the More Than Meets the Eye Exhibition tonight. I might try to take some comparison photos this weekend if I get the time, but if anyone else wants to go ahead and do it first, then by all means please do so. Might be a while if you're waiting for me.

[Deano85]

Kickback and Shrapnel

[KELPIE]

Love him!!

Near perfection.

[Paulbot]

"Only if ..." you want the whole set of matching, super-poseable and cartoon accurate Insecticons. Looks really nice but such a simple transformation. For about double the price of the last one it's a bit hard to recommend.

[KELPIE]

"Only if ..." you want the whole set of matching, super-poseable and cartoon accurate Insecticons. Looks really nice but such a simple transformation. For about double the price of the last one it's a bit hard to recommend.

yet...

He's a nice looking robot, and he stands out as something different in this G1-heavy era. Something not quite "Transformer" like about him?

Gave up trying to get him to tank mode, chest fell off and could not make sense of what the instructions were trying to say about how to make the arms work.

But his robot mode is the reason to have the figure so ok.

Surely out of the two scenarios a simple transformation is best?

It a figure looks good and faithful in both modes, I don't care if the transformation is simply folding them in half.

[Tha_Phantom]

It a figure looks good and faithful in both modes, I don't care if the transformation is simply folding them in half.

Agreed. I feel that some figures are overcomplicated for the sake of it and it's not appealing, especially when it increases the risk of stress/breakage over time.

In the case of Legacy Shrapnel, I'm not sure what else the transformation needs to do when comparing with the G1 source material. Is there something in particular you feel that it's missing, Paulbot?

[Paulbot]

I think it's mostly the cost vs simplicity that bothered me, double the price of the last one that did the same thing. A couple of little steps wouldn't have hurt, like maybe fold away the robot head, an opening chest, some sort of compression of the arms? But yes I wouldn't want to see Tarn style arms that didn't make any sense to me (until I saw some photos of the toy online).

Still as I said, he's super-poseable and cartoon accurate and since I've added him to my Studio Series 86 display he fits in nicely.

[KELPIE]

Fair point, however the last one was legends scale, not to mention, the price of everything has gone up significantly since then.

Like I said, I love the figure. If Bombshell and Venom retain the faithful aesthetics (in both modes) and add in the poseability, I'm going to be over the moon.