The Soapbox VII: The Top 10 Transformers of 2008

[GoktimusPrime]

She reminds me of a ninja robot, like G1 Nightbird.

...she should go the whole hog with being a Nightbird tribute and kill* Bumblebee and Sari!

*or otherwise cause their demise

[roller]

i dont know where Rotorstorm is

[GoktimusPrime]

He was exiled to your mum's house along with Machine Wars Sandstorm.

(j/ks)

[STL]

my favourites are

#1 universe powerglide
#2 animated BumbleBee

Very strange choices and I'm glad that someone joins me in liking those two toys as at the Melbourne BBQ there was no shortage of ire for those two, well BB particularly.

Would you say that the toy's engineering is poor and without merit within the context of 1986? You're right in saying that a big part of the appeal of the toy is nostalgia, but that's the entire point of reissues. They're not supposed to be G1 characters done in a way that is comparable with modern-day toy engineering, that's what Classics/Henkei/Universe is for.

By 1986 standards I wouldn't say that Sky Lynx is exceptional, but I would say that it's not bad either. Although it's loaded with gimmicks it still offers good play value as a Transformers action figure. It was also a big milestone in terms of being the first reissue that was not from a Takara mould, a precedent that allowed Omega Supreme being reissued and hopefully more non-Takara moulds being done later (bring on Encore Deluxe Insecticons!).

Personally for me I loved it because Sky Lynx was the only 1986 toy that I didn't have... and now the circle is complete.

I definitely agree that by 1986 standards he was decent but in the year of 2008 it's hard for me to make the assessment that a re-issue of a figure as htf as it used to be could make the list. Compared to G1 toys from his era, he wasn't very much better or worse. I'd say he was probably the equivalent of say Classics 2.0/Henkei Silverbolt whose price point was hard to justify since it was gimmick based.

For me too, I guess that it seems that while vintage collecting is stll a part of many older collectors, the majority of collectors are more orientated to the modern marvel of engineering and as I mentioned previously that's how I went about constructing that list, trying to balance nostaliga, fiction (comic or show) and engineering and I don't think it could make that list. Few re-issues in my mind will. Unless its Fortress Maximus or something of that uniqueness and calibre, I don't think an Encore will be gracing many top 10 lists with the exception of the vintage collecting portion of the fanbase which I estimate to be fairly small these days.

[GoktimusPrime]

I definitely agree that by 1986 standards he was decent but in the year of 2008 it's hard for me to make the assessment that a re-issue of a figure as htf as it used to be could make the list.

But assessing a G1 toy, even a reissue, by 2008 standards is looking at that toy out of context. That would be akin to:
+ Comparing a remastered version of Star Wars "A New Hope" with "Revenge of the Sith" and saying that the special effects in Episode IV are bad compared to 2005 standards.
+ Looking at a Samurai sword that was recently forged and saying that it's a terrible weapon compared to a modern day automatic assault rifle.
+ Looking at a reconstructed vintage sports car and saying that its performance and features are bad compared to modern day sports car.

G1 reissues are basically reproductions of vintage/classic toys. They're never intended to be on par with contemporary toy engineering - the entire point of the toy is the old-school authenticity. If they made Sky Lynx comparable with Classics/Universe/Henkei, then it simply would no longer be a G1 Sky Lynx toy, but something entirely different, which is wrong when you're aiming to be produce a historically accurate reproduction.

Again, it's a lot like participating in a Medieval and Renaissance event... you are required to dress, speak, eat etc. in period (with certain exceptions like modern hygiene ). I gotta tell ya, Medieval and Renaissance European food tastes like crap (if I never have to eat plain couscous again it'll be too soon (-_-)), and eating in a hall purely by candle light is almost like eating in the freakin' dark when you're used to light bulbs. I now know how to pour a drink in the dark. And most of these recreational societies choose to live like nobility - and even then it's pretty effed up... I shudder to think how most common folk would've lived (literally in their own filth). I used to be Herald... shouting at the top of my lungs to address an audience is no way near as effective as using a microphone! But the entire point (and fun) of participating in these events is to experience a piece of history. The more modern technology and practices we introduce the less authentic the experience becomes.


Living like this was bloody uncomfortable and inconvenient, but at the same time a lot of fun from a historical perspective

The same goes for reissues. People buy these toys hoping to experience history from their childhood. If you were to remake these toys with modern engineering, then you've lost the entire point and appeal of making reissues in the first place. Toywise Henkei Sunstreaker craps all over G1 Sunstreaker - but there's something Henkei/Universe Sunstreaker can never do... it can never be Generation 1!

There are two entirely different levels of appreciation when it comes to old school and new toys and one needs to appreciate them in their appropriate context. Think of your favourite toy from 2008. That toy may be considered utter garbage in 5-10 years' time. Is that to say that the toy is inherently bad? Of course not... by 2008 standards you might say it's a darn good toy, but by 2018 standards it might be rubbish... but of course, the toy wasn't designed in 2018!

Sky Lynx may have been reissued in 2008 but he was designed in the mid-1980s. The reissue, being faithful to the G1 design, remains relatively unchanged. The strength and appeal of a G1 reissue is its authenticity and historical accuracy.

I consider Apex Armour Optimus Prime to be a poor reissue because it's historically inaccurate and inauthentic to the original Optimus Prime toy, which is a very different toy from Ginrai. Likewise I don't consider Hasbro's Soundwave reissue to be a good reissue either because it's just a repainted reissue Soundblaster. A lot of people seem to think that 25th Anniversary Optimus Prime is a poor reissue of G1 Prime because of the newtered smokestacks, ridiculously oversized missiles and cartoonish bright colours (particularly the pink cab). In other words, these toys are not considered to be bad reissues because they're poorly engineered or because their designs don't match contemporary standards, but because within the context of being G1 reproductions they not authentic.

If people want a modern realisation of a G1 character, they'll buy Classics/Henkei/Universe. When they want an authentic reproduction of a G1 toy, they will look at reissues.

[kup]

I don't.

Same

[Paulbot]

My personal top 10 of 2008:

1. Universe Deluxe Sideswipe: One of my favourite G1 characters gets a great new car toy that is modern without being over-complicated (like the Car Robots Autobot Brothers) and the paint styles are superior to his brother's.
2. Animated Leader Ultra Magnus: a great toy that blends the straight lines of a vehicle with the curved lines of Animated robot flawlessly. The particular trick with the wheels swapping around on the leg is great.
3. Henkei Sunstreaker: Henkei's nicer yellow and chrome engine gives it the advantage over the Universe toy, and Sideswipe rates better because I also prefer to post Sunstreaker in Sideswipe mode
4. Henkei Ironhide: the patchy vehicle mode is more than made up for by the robot mode Ironhide fans have wanted since the G1 cartoon (Henkei Ratchet should be high on my list next year)
5. Leader Bulkhead: both Voyager and Leader are nice, but Leader wins IMO for the added Headmaster fun, the slightly more complex transformation, and the voice capturing my fave Animated cartoon character.
6. Animated Deluxe Lockdown: a cool vehicle mode and his height is remarkable with a nifty transformation despite the iffy hands
7. Animated Deluxe Soundwave: nice reinterpretation of the character, good robot to vehicle mode transformation, and the Laserbeak guitar is a great accessory.
8. Universe Deluxe Tankor: there's a bit of a cheat with the weapon hiding flaws in both vehicle modes, but so did the original Octane. When I realised that you could change vehicle modes without removing the weapon I was truly impressed.
9. Animated Deluxe Prowl: for an impressive new design for a transforming motorbike, always a hard mode for the designers to do something with.
10. Animated Deluxe Bumblebee: that boot trick is a pain and the stingers don't retract so it's last on the list, but otherwise my first Animated toy is still one of my faves, fake chest and all.

I'm not surprised to find that most of my faves are Deluxe sized since I believe that's the optimal size for a Transformer toy.

Honourable mentions to:
Omega Supreme and Metroplex, who are great G1 figures it was fun to finally get.
Decepticon Fracture, for homaging one of the first female transforming robots and getting it so right
Henkei Astrotrain, a toy I already liked a lot but finally in the colours the catalogue and cartoon always said he should be.

[i_amtrunks]

My personal Top Ten for 2008 was a lot easier to decide on than than the previous 2 where Cybertron pumped out the good stuff, and then the movie made getting 10 figures I really liked harder than it should have been.

1. Classics Sideswipe/Sunstreaker: I don't know why I like these two so much, but I cannot stop putting them down, they are the transformers who constantly get taken down and transformed for no other reason than to do it. Subtle and clever transformations that are neither too simple or too hard, and great looking modes, even if the paint apps are a little off.
2. Animated Lugnut: Luggy was my fiddle figure before Sideswipe and Sunstreaker came along. Intuitive and fun transformation for a great show character. He is a rare figure that I have two of, one signed by Eric Siebenaler!
3. Animated Oilslick: Fantastic sculpt for this figure, and the second great Motorcycle in a row.
4. Activator Bumblebee, shows that bigger is not better. Lovely sculpt and clever transformation. he is so good that the gf has really nicked him and called him her own.
5. Animated Voyager Bulkhead: So good I have not needed the leader. Show accurate with a fun transformation and his gimmicks are great, I love the wrecking ball. Also my first Animated figure
6. Animated Ultra Magnus: Animated Megatron was nice, but Ultra Magnus blew him away with what can be done in a Leader Class toy, very smart transformation, and plenty of hidden weapons.
7. Classics Onslaught: Big and beefy, another good and not too simple transformation, sounds sucked, but otherwise a solid Ultra.
8. Movie Big Daddy: Excellent and fitting repaint of one of the best Cybertron toys.
9. Animated Prowl: A great motorcycle Transformer, something that had yet to be done until Prowl's release. Looking forward to the Sidecar version this year.
10. Legends Red Alert: A repaint done right. Really want to have the extra time and $ to try and repaint a Sideswipe into Red Alert.

Honourable Mentions go to Henkei Skywarp, Encore Omega Supreme for being fantastic re-issues, while Classics Prowl, Octane and Galvatron all had too many QC issues to make the list. Animated Ratchet, Jazz, leader Megatron and Soundwave had great toys of great characters but couldn't force their way onto the list.

[Stompy]

Woohoo! Lists!

My own personal 2008 Top 10:

10. Movie Stockade
Along with Incinerator, the last few original moulds from the first movie is amongst my favorite. Simple but yet elegant conversion, the gorrilla like arms with its extending punch gimmick and just a very solid frame and believable alt mode with great paintwork makes this just such a solid figure that quietly became a major favorite of mine.

9. TFA Prowl
Along with seeker jets, motorbike transformer engineering is one of the more challenging ones. Whilst Energon Arcee, Movie Arcee and Marvel Spiderman may have had similar conversions that was successful, it still had the problem of having the wheels just kibble around. Then came TFA Prowl. It's an amazing feat from an engineering perspective despite QC issues with loose joints. Those wheels just had to go somewhere and they placed it where it made sense and almost invisible. Legends TFA Prowl also gets props for being engineered well too.

8. TFA Activator Ratchet
Had always had a dream to have a slightly complex figure to transform at the touch of a button and the Activators range certainly fulfilled my dreams with some clever, spring, joints and gear engineering. While some ended up being not quite there (Bulkhead and Lockdown), to the ridiculous may-as-well-be-non-automatic-due-to-so-much-pre/post-conversion (Optimus Prime). While Starscream proudly displayed a nigh on perfect robot mode in the package bubble. I just cannot escape the presence of his arms dangling under the alt mode wings. So kudos to Ratchet for having a more believable alt mode and a perfectly proportioned bot mode with a great conversion and articulation makes him the best Activator out there.

7. Universe Galvatron
Yes, yes. I know the QC on this thing was terrible but from an engineering perspective he is just mindblowing. The folds and twists and bends during conversion that slowly revealed alt/bot mode was just superb. Well proportioned and asymmetrical. If only they made him Voyager or Ultra class with more secure joints and panels, this would have propelled this one to be more of a favorite than the lego-former-butt-of-jokes it is now. I for one love it despite its glaring flaws.

6. TFA Cybertron Optimus Prime
I've always loved Optimus Prime. His red and blue colours, his faceplate and unrelenting sense of justice and heroics just makes his a total package for me in the Transformer sense. I was a detractor of Animated the first time I saw pictures of the show and even more-so upon first viewing of the show. While I knew I would get curious about the toys I didn't expect to fall in love with the entire concept and stylized look of Animated until I got my hands on TFA Cyb Optimus. It challenged what I perceived OP to be. This OP looks young in both modes. His huge windshield just screams weakness, exposed and ready to be broken shows how fragile he is. His mouthplate-less human-like face reflects a more playful and duty-free persona of Prime compared to the heavy responsibilities and self-sacrificing persona he has in other series'. All this aptly reflecting his Animated persona of a young leader in the making. It wasn't until I converted him from angular alt mode to a curvey, spindly limbed robot mode that I realised the potential of not only where the future of TF engineering this series can bring but also the amount of character that transfers into the stylized curves. This stylized take enable exaggerated human traits like his shoulders-back chest-out stance with his feet behind his torso stature. Not to mention a weapon that converts with the figure. With the Earth Mode voyager losing a lot of character due to the bleak battle damage and mouthplate which ages his persona so much, while the Voyager mould ruined by (in my opinion) the failed experiment of a rotating waist conversion and let's not even get started on Roll-Out Prime. This OP takes the lead out of the 7 available int he Animated line. Pity he is just a tad small.

4. Marvel Crossover Hulk
Ahh Crossovers. The Star Wars ones left me severely underwhelmed bar a few (Death Star, Mill Falc, Grievous Starfighter). The Marvel crossovers was a very pleasant surprise. Sure the fisher price looking alt modes are an acquired taste but the engineering in this line so far are top notch. On the top of the heap for me is Hulk. Appropriate vehicle mode - a tank. While the canon part may seem inadequately small, its still a beefily proportioned alt mode. The magic then comes via conversion where a series of folding panels and twisting parts reveals that the tank treads themselves prove to be the showcase to create his signature muscle laden, extra large arms. The contrast in colour with his shorts and the perfectly sized legs to the moveable fingers from fist to open handed modes is just so wonderfully elegant in design that made this such a huge favorite with me. Ironman came a close second and the panel sandwich in Venom's torso had my head scratching needlessly.

3. Universe Ironhide
Wonderful figure. I knew that the broken eggshell look of the vehicle mode would reveal some wonderfully fun conversion and a strong and striking warrior of a robot mode. And it didn't disappoint. Despite seeing pictures, I was elated to see that the rear window becomes his chest with a simple but very effective automorph to raise the autobot insignia and mechanical parts through the window. Let's not forget, that in vehicle mode, that looking underneath that the middle is pretty much hollow. Thanks to the engineers for creating a dual use weapon too. I hope that Hasbro runs out of Allspark blue soon because having his face blue should leave Hasbro blue in the face themselves for doing so.

2. TFA Ultra Magnus
The first TF that made me go "WOW! I NEED THAT FIGURE" when I saw the robot mode pictures. The huge chest, the oversized shoulders, chunky legs, giant hammer and the aged face. This iteration of Magnus just screams power. Not just physical power but also that of knowledge. His aged look belies wisdom and experience that all autobots should follow. Clearly these human-like features that they implemented more obviously in Animated attempts to create a more closer bond between viewer and fiction via familiarity of just being human. The angular vehicle mode, lights and sounds and all the hidden weapons just up play value. Making this a must have for me.

1. TFA Lockdown
Lockdown is hands-down my favorite TF figure ever. Sure the alt mode can be a little plain in features but from such a small compact vehicle into an surprisingly unbelievable tall robot mode with nary a kibble or obviously visible vehicle mode parts. Then there's his alien like looks due to his spindly lanky stature and his creepy disjointed hands (which I still believe to be purposefully bent to add to his outlandish character and not a design error). Then we have that cobra like neck lined with spikes/studs that creep over to his back and a skull like face sculpt with some intimidating facial features. Let's not forget the hook weapon just to make him even more outlandishly freaky. I'd gladly buy any and all repaints of this mould.


Phew. That was longer than I expected. Just got swept away with all my thoughts when I got started.

[GoktimusPrime]

My main gripes with Lockdown would be the lack of leg articulation and tendency for the legs to pop off. At least on mine anyhow.