(OCT-2013) Animated Era Toys - Reviews and Favourites

[Lint]

I wasn't a big fan of Animated toys, mostly due to poor production quality. I believe this was caused by a shift in Hasbro's manufacturing locations and the effects were not just confined to Animated.

I think Animated toys suffered the most though due to poor design choices, particularly around ball joints, plugs/tabs and weight distribution. Aesthetically the toys were brilliant with reasonable cartoon accuracy and neat transformations and possibly the best accessories in terms of playability and relevance.

However none of this means much when your toy has floppy arms, doesn't lock together neatly or can't stand up straight

[BigTransformerTrev]

What are your Best and Worst toys of this Era?
- Best: (Leader class) Megatron & Ultra Magnus, (Deluxe Class) Swindle, Rodimus Minor & Lockdown
- Worst: Dirge (bad colouring) and Snarl just for the confusion he caused.

What was your first one, and when?
Got about 8 at once off the shelves when I came across them in 2008. But maybe the first one I picked up of the 8 was Cybertonian-Mode Megatron

What ones are you currently most looking for and why?
- Sunstorm, Skywarp, Blackout & Ratbat. Why? Because I WANT them! But have yet to find them cheap enough for my budget .

Show us some pics of your collection of the ones you have.
Don't have any shots of the whole gang, but here are pics of the first ones and last ones of the era I got


FIRST LOT



LAST LOT

[MayzaPrime]

And I wasn't going to collect the Animated figures...

[Trent]

And I wasn't going to collect the Animated figures...

Same. Yet my collection is growing slowly

They are fantastic figures. I haven't had any problems with mine like Lint has so it's nothing but love from this corner

The line gave us arguably the best leader class toy ever (Megatron) and some awesome deluxes. Of note are Jazz, Lockdown, Lugnut (too small though), Hot Rod, the list goes on! How they crammed such aesthetics into a transforming robot is forever a source of admiration

[MayzaPrime]

Same. Yet my collection is growing slowly

They are fantastic figures. I haven't had any problems with mine like Lint has so it's nothing but love from this corner

The line gave us arguably the best leader class toy ever (Megatron) and some awesome deluxes. Of note are Jazz, Lockdown, Lugnut (too small though), Hot Rod, the list goes on! How they crammed such aesthetics into a transforming robot is forever a source of admiration

I agree mate, the Megatron figure is awesome (and a xmas pressie from my brother) I also really like the Ultra Magnus figure as well (bday pressie from some mates).

The Hot Rod mold is one of my favourites of the line and the repaints/retools are just awesome.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

What are your Best and Worst toys of this Era?
Best, so Many. As many have said Leader Megs and Magnus are great! Voyager Bulkhead and deluxe Prowl and Rodimus are joys to behold. I love both versions of Ratchet. Lockdown is very cleverly designed!

Worst. Activator Lockdown is ugly. Voyager and Delux Megatron are horrid. What the hell are they supposed to Transform into? At least the delux one has a good robot mode. But loose hips... I wasn't really fond of the Voyager seeker mode. The fingers always drop off and by the time I got Sunstorm I think degradation had got to the mold and its a bit naff.

What was your first one, and when?
Cybertron Mode Optimus. In an effort to get all Cybertronian versions of characters and I think I just nabbed him from Kmart when they came out here. Back in the days when toys actually got on the shelves.

What ones are you currently most looking for and why?
OMEGA SUPREME!!!
Shame he doesn't exist...
I don't think I am really looking for any anymore. Animated is the most complete line I have and there are are only a couple of the Hasbro ones that I am missing. Mainly pointless recolours (roadbuster Magnus for example).

I must admit that I do hate that the TFCC is making Jackpot, as I kind of thought of Animated as being finished, with the Botcon set, but since he might only end up showing up in their horrid fanfic comic, I can live with that easily.

I'd really like ot see them release the Hot Shot toy they made up and the Marauder Megatron as well. They had prototypes, so fingers, toes and anywhere else crossed for a Thrilling Thirty release when it comes to Animated's turn!

[MayzaPrime]

What are your Best and Worst toys of this Era?
Best, so Many. As many have said Leader Megs and Magnus are great! Voyager Bulkhead and deluxe Prowl and Rodimus are joys to behold. I love both versions of Ratchet. Lockdown is very cleverly designed!

Worst. Activator Lockdown is ugly. Voyager and Delux Megatron are horrid. What the hell are they supposed to Transform into? At least the delux one has a good robot mode. But loose hips... I wasn't really fond of the Voyager seeker mode. The fingers always drop off and by the time I got Sunstorm I think degradation had got to the mold and its a bit naff.

What was your first one, and when?
Cybertron Mode Optimus. In an effort to get all Cybertronian versions of characters and I think I just nabbed him from Kmart when they came out here. Back in the days when toys actually got on the shelves.

What ones are you currently most looking for and why?
OMEGA SUPREME!!!
Shame he doesn't exist...
I don't think I am really looking for any anymore. Animated is the most complete line I have and there are are only a couple of the Hasbro ones that I am missing. Mainly pointless recolours (roadbuster Magnus for example).

I must admit that I do hate that the TFCC is making Jackpot, as I kind of thought of Animated as being finished, with the Botcon set, but since he might only end up showing up in their horrid fanfic comic, I can live with that easily.

I'd really like ot see them release the Hot Shot toy they made up and the Marauder Megatron as well. They had prototypes, so fingers, toes and anywhere else crossed for a Thrilling Thirty release when it comes to Animated's turn!

I would also like them to release the Constructicons, Yogitron, Grandus.

Sadly Hasbro seem to not want to release all of the figures in their cartoons, it frustrates me. I would love a Voyager/Leader Insecticon from TF Prime, I would but atleast 3

[griffin]

I saw the blue and green versions of Arcee on the shelf and wondered if they were some Japanese redecos I had missed... but eventually found that they were just KOs. Which was a pity, as that mould could do with a couple redecos for the various "token females" in TFs.
I woulda snapped them up instantly if Hasbro or TT had done them.

[tinyJazz]

McDonalds Animated Happy Meal toys (6 toys in America - 4 in Australia)
Bumblebee, Megatron, Optimus Prime, Autobot Ratchet (released AUS Sep/Oct 2008)
Lugnut, Starscream (not released here)

Hey Bossbot, you forgot French McDonald's Blitzwing!


What are your Best and Worst toys of this Era?

Best
Deluxe Rodimus: Just a stand out mold that came in a lot of great colours. Hyper Hobby Black Rodimus and Botcon Sideswipe being my favourites.
Blurr: Clever design, love dem legs.
Arcee: So cute! In both modes, tidy and fun.

Worst
Activators Optimus: it just will not stay together.
Activators Lockdown: mini murder moke has the same problem. Great details though.
McRatchet Deluxe: You all know the one I'm talking about.


What was your first one, and when?

Deluxe Bumblebee and Prowl, from Myers of all places, at full price. They were the first store to get the TFA toys in and I was so excited to see them, well I just had to buy them right there. I used money that I'd received in a high school art prize to buy them.

What ones are you currently most looking for and why?

Time was, I was a TFA completionist, right down to the most bizarre merchandise. I have the boogie board. Also, two skateboards (one with sick flashing wheels!) all still in plastic wrap.
I gave up finding the Japanese clear Thundercracker and "Starscream Clone Black Version" legends exclusives though. ugh.



But now.
I am literally only looking for a piece of cardboard.

One I had, but was trashed in the 2011 flood. And then given false hope when I found the regular version with our dry salvage a few months ago, but nothing more.

I'll stop being so melodramatic, it's the backing card/tray/box for Stealth Ninja Bumper Battler Jazz. Australian Exclusive (and possibly NZ/Europe also)

Sell me a piece of cardboard, I will make you a good deal.



and, peut-être
...french McDonald's Blitzwing.

Show us some pics of your collection of the ones you have.

These are the only decent photos I have on hand right now.



Microbots!



Yep.

[MayzaPrime]

I saw the blue and green versions of Arcee on the shelf and wondered if they were some Japanese redecos I had missed... but eventually found that they were just KOs. Which was a pity, as that mould could do with a couple redecos for the various "token females" in TFs.
I woulda snapped them up instantly if Hasbro or TT had done them.

I would have loved an official release of the female bots, I managed to pick these 2 up from a KO website (can't remember which one). The blue bot actually has a purple Autobot symbol on her chest, but I just put a repolabel sticker over the top.

Surprisingly for a KO the quality of the figure is pretty good.