Toy Review - RtS Special Ops Jazz

[GoktimusPrime]

I'm not gonna pay $57 for a Deluxe, that's just silly. And especially now that I have RtS Jazz. I'm going overseas soon, so if I happen to find a United Jazz at RRP, and there's nothing else I wanna buy, then I might get it. But otherwise I'm pretty satisfied with RtS Jazz... while I can see UTD is better, I don't think RtS is horrific.

Does UTD Jazz still have the issue of the chest not locking in robot mode?

[gdmetro]

I'm not gonna pay $57 for a Deluxe, that's just silly. And especially now that I have RtS Jazz. I'm going overseas soon, so if I happen to find a United Jazz at RRP, and there's nothing else I wanna buy, then I might get it. But otherwise I'm pretty satisfied with RtS Jazz... while I can see UTD is better, I don't think RtS is horrific.

Does UTD Jazz still have the issue of the chest not locking in robot mode?

I agree its silly Gok- and thus my advice to go for the RTS one now. United has been in so much demand in HK (from HD's observation). Even popular Generations waves which are normally cheaper in HK than Aussie retail have reached prices that equal or EXCEED aussie retail.

But if one desperately wants United Jazz and won't compromise- based on current trend, I think it's best to pick one up (even at inflated cost) instead of waiting- because it doesn't look like the price will go down anytime soon.

The truth is those who wanted united, most likely already got them from the onset at the online RRP- but those who sat on the fence are pretty much going to have to pay these secondary market prices or go for the RTS version.

One may possibly be lucky and find some at big retailers in Asia somewhere for RRP before any scalpers get to it. That would be one way- could be others that I can't think of.

As for the Jazz's chest- there is no actual locking mechanism- I don't have the RTS version, but I'm assuming they are the same mould. Personally its not a problem since I merely display- but I can see the annoyance if one is playing with the figure.

[Fonecrusher]

True, there's no way I'm paying $50+ for a deluxe even if it is one of my favourite characters, the range I'm looking for is more $35-40. RtS Jazz is by no means poor, if I can actually find him at retail I will pick him up in an instant, but my line of thought is if I have to order online I might as well go the United one.

The only thing that really bother me about RtS Jazz is that "murky white" I guess it would be a lot less prone to yellowing then the United version but I always picture Jazz that gleaming bright white, also I've heard that United Jazz has a more sturdy chestpiece, a big deal given the mold apparently doesn't lock into place on it's own, can anyone confirm this?

[GoktimusPrime]

The only thing that really bother me about RtS Jazz is that "murky white" I guess it would be a lot less prone to yellowing then the United version but I always picture Jazz that gleaming bright white,

It honestly doesn't look that bad IRL. I think it's a lot like the white on Drift -- on its own it looks fine, but when you put it next to a super-pearly white United version then it looks murky by comparison. Anyway, the toy's been sighted in Targets in Sydney now -- I just saw some at Target Blacktown earlier this afternoon. So you can just go into a store and judge for yourself.

The United version is probably better if you can find it... I couldn't find a UTD Jazz so I settled for RtS.

Here are some comparison pics...

G1 & RtS Jazz: (pic by me)


G1 & UTD Jazz: (pic by liegeprime)


UTD & RtS Jazz: (pics by Vector Prime)

[tjparkside]

very cool figure...i like the special feature of speakers(g1 show nod)...great vehicle mode & awesome robot mode..a nice version of jazz!

[SharkyMcShark]

I saw this on shelves, caved and picked it up.

Meh.

The robot mode looks nice from certain angles but has a few things that really annoy me. First, and this is largely down to the torso being a small piece of gray plastic, but the chest looks too large. It's not as bad in person as in pictures but it still detracts from the figure. Feet pre posed at an angle also turns me off. Either make the ankles posable or have them molded straight up and down. The double jointed knees are nice but in honest the lower legs are a bit of a mess all in all. This is exacerbated on my particular sample by the joints in the lower legs being too loose. Every time I try to make him pose it turns into a crap shoot.

The chest not locking in is slightly annoying but its not really that bad, as the joint it all hinges on does a good job keeping it all in place. You still have to hold it in place if you're going to pose the arms.

Pleasantly it manages to avoid many of the previous failings of 'car hood becomes chest' style transformers. The arms and legs are the right length (in the past the arms on similar bots have been stubby). The gun is nice, and it looks nice if you're just going to pose it on your desk. I also really like the head sculpt. It could be a little less frowny but otherwise its very good, and unmistakably Jazz.

The car mode is molded nicely. I feel it would be more 'Jazz' ish without the rally spoiler but I can't really complain, it looks nice either way. The lack of paint on the back third of the vehicle is a major downer. Seriously, it's just not good enough that Hasbro is not bothering to paint in headlights and hubcaps anymore (generally speaking). While the United version rectifies this arguably it's a bit dumb to have to pay over the odds (for a deluxe) to correct something so simple that shouldn't have been an issue in the first place. So yeah, vehicle is molded nicely but the paintwork fails.

Finally, the speakers. I don't like them at all. Personally speaking I think they look dumb, but objectively speaking when I look at them all I can think of is all the other stuff I'd rather them have used the budget for this figure on instead. Better paint apps. Or a shoulder cannon. Or better lower legs. Or a proper locking mechanism for the chest. Or an extra joint in the doors that would let them fold down and behind the roof in robot mode for that G1 cartoon accurate no shoulder doors look. Any of these things would in my mind be an improvement to the figure.

Overall if I had to give it a number 6/10. Robot mode is nice looking but functionally flawed. Car mode desperately needed a lick of paint.

As an aside, I can't remember the last time I bought a Transformer and everything on it was the right tolerance, and nothing was too loose, too tight, or broken in some way (well okay, it was TakaraTOMY's release of AA Highbrow a few months ago, but I can't remember the last time before that).

[Fonecrusher]

Well I finally gave in and ordered RtS Jazz, he should be arriving any day now. Although I wanted the United version pretty bad, I stumbled on a deal I just couldn't pass on. I found a seller at TFW selling RtS Jazz and Tracks MISB for $5.99ea! All up I paid just $26 for the two of them, that's less than the price of a single deluxe here in some stores *cough TARGET cough*.

Hopefully one day I'll still get United Jazz.... the dream lives on!

[GoktimusPrime]

RtS Tracks honestly isn't that bad. They did a much better job with him than on Generations Red Alert. And hey, for the price you paid you can't complain. And overall I think United Tracks looks better (mostly cos of the bonnet flames and Autobot tampo on the chest which I prefer over the rub sign) -- but I noticed that RtS Turbo Tracks has yellow paint apps on those pieces under his armpits which is a neat touch.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

but I noticed that RtS Turbo Tracks has yellow paint apps on those pieces under his armpits which is a neat touch.

Sweat marks?




I just realised the United version is called 'Jazz' Not Meister. OH no, Convoy is Optimus, Meister is Jazz. What a state of the world...

[GoktimusPrime]

Yeah, that's been happening since 2007 dude.