Toy Review - BOMBSHELL (Legacy)

[GoktimusPrime]

Insecticon BOMBSHELL
Series - Generations
Sub-line - Legacy
Hypo-line - Evolution
Size/class - Deluxe
New/remould/redeco - New^heavy retool of Legacy Shrapnel
Wave - 7
Released here - August 2023
Approximate Retail Price - $35
Approximate Size - 16cm (robot height varies depending on mortar configuration)
Allegiance - Decepticon
Sub-Group - Insecticon
Alt-mode - robotic rhinoceros beetle
Main Features/Gimmicks - Evo-Fusion compatibility
Main Colours - black, purple, silver
Main Accessories - x2 insect leg/blaster parts, x1 twin-ion impulse blaster











HasTak have done a reasonably good job in making Legacy Bombshell look like the cartoon model. The biggest deviation is the chest colour being purple in both robot and Insecticon modes; in the cartoon model it's a grey chest in robot mode, but a purple dorsal thorax in Insecticon mode. Obviously this is impossible for a toy to do. The toy also adds silver on the upper arms and fists, as well as black highlights on the waist.

Overall a very nice "poor man's Masterpiece" toy. Definitely recommended.

[Deano85]

I've seen someone swap the black hip pieces from Bombshell with the silver hip pieces from Shrapnel.

[KELPIE]

I haven't got a hold of this one yet, however based on pictures I'm pretty upset they didn't go the extra mile and give him unique legs / have a rounded bulbous abdomen.

You'd think it'd be the least they could do knowing they were going to get more than one dip of this mould with Barrage, Diaclone and possibly collectors pack.

I only hope they saved money here... somewhere, so that they can give us a faithful unique Venom.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I haven't got a hold of this one yet, however based on pictures I'm pretty upset they didn't go the extra mile and give him unique legs / have a rounded bulbous abdomen.

You'd think it'd be the least they could do knowing they were going to get more than one dip of this mould with Barrage, Diaclone and possibly collectors pack.

I only hope they saved money here... somewhere, so that they can give us a faithful unique Venom.

Man, you summ up my feelings very accurately. The legs for Bombshell here just do not look good. In robot mode their fine, but for insect mode, eeeyargh! They are absolutely disgusting. Like Shrapnel doesn't look terribly bug like, but he's close enough.
Bombshell however has a serious case of looking like two different robots have been smashed together. I got him because I love the Insecticons, but damn, why'd they have to do him so badly.

[reillyd]

Maybe a 3rd party upgrade will fix up beautiful Bomshell? I adore the character but he’s not bug like . Can’t wait for a retro g1 reissue

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Maybe a 3rd party upgrade will fix up beautiful Bomshell?

Probably could, but the fact of the matter stands, that Bombshell shouldn't need a 3rd party upgrade. It'd probably be quite simple to give him legs that match the rest of him. But they went the lazy route and didn't.

[GoktimusPrime]

But they went the lazy route and didn't.

I suspect that it may be due to how this toy was gang-moulded as an extensive retool of Legacy Shrapnel.
I did erroneously state that Bombshell was a new mould in my initial post; I have corrected this. But sometimes even new moulds can have off colours due to gang moulding to save money, such as the black fists on Legacy Skids.

[Keidatron]

I'm hoping there'll be a Gen Select version where he's done properly