Toy Review - LG16 Slipstream

[BigTransformerTrev]

Series - Legends
Size/class - Deluxe
New/remould/redeco – Redeco of Generations Windblade
Released here - No
Approximate Retail Price - $23/2300Yen
Approximate Size – 12cm
Allegiance - Decepticon
Alt-mode – VTOL Jet
Main Colours – Various blue hues
Main Accessories – 2 arm/wing cannons




VTOL Jet Mode
Except for the gap at the back which is only really visible when you look at it from the top, it’s quite a nice looking VTOL aircraft. They way it has been coloured for Slipstream makes it look different from Windblade and the nosecone makes it look like it could indeed be a Seeker variant. You can attach her guns under the wings which looks quite good.




Robot Mode
Well proportioned, decent articulation and a very good colour scheme. Only thing for me in the face, they have definitely gone the ‘Animated’ route and while I understand they did this because this is where she is best known from, I would have much preferred to see a face based on her WFC incarnation. They way they have done it makes her look a bit ‘little-kiddy’ rather than a death-dealing FemmeCon. But still, overall very good and being able to add arm cannons is a great shout out to her Seeker-clone roots.




Transformation
If you have Windblade, nothing has changed here. If not, it’s pretty easy anyway.

Overall
This figure is a much better Slipstream than the TFSS version (also much cheaper – cost me about a 3rd the price), looks much more female rather than a funny coloured Screamer and I’ll take some comparison pics soon. I still don’t think it is the definitive Slipstream though, I’d really like to see a WFC version but this will do for now. The box art is quite good, though the comic that comes with it with her hanging out with Animated Swindle makes her look like she is wearing panties which is a bit disturbing. Overall, if you are a Slipstream fan, this toy is definitely worth getting.

[CBratron]

I like my FunPub Starscream repaint but this makes it look like SS in drag.

[prjkt]

Tbh, Prime Starscream is almost permanently in drag.

As for Slipstream, really like the colours used, and the new Seeker style chest suits the mould quite well.

[SuspectimusPrime]

Really good figure but probably my least favourite of the 3 due to inherent flaws of the Windblade mould - her high heels that have a habit of collapsing in. Paint quality and deco are top notch, making a really good representation of the Animated character. A slight disadvantage from removing Windblade's sword is the loss of her shealth which fills out the middle of her alt mode.

Her new weapons are awesome in robot mode, but I still haven't found a practical way of storing it in jet mode so that it faces forward. Anyone else figured something out?

[prjkt]

Reversing the null rays on her arms does point then forward, and that's the way they were designed, but her shoulder pads get in the way a little.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I find that her guns in jet mode seem to angle in to the middle a little bit more than I'd like. I find her a lot more stable than Windlblade in the heels department, but wish there was some way to fill the gap in the vehicle mode now she doesn't have the sword.

I really dig her colours! Very nice. Not the best possible version of the character, but better than funpub's version and since it means I don't have to give them my money for one, even better.

Me likey.

[GoktimusPrime]

The pack-in comic has a rather interesting premise, only to conclude with a really stupid ending. Basically Slipstream wants to escape from Cybertron following the events of TF Animated. Swindle gives her a pair of deus ex machinae^inter-dimensional gyro-thrusters, which she uses to flee the TF Animated universe and into the TF Legends universe, which is renowned to be peaceful. After arriving, she delights in being free to do whatever she wants . The Autobots/Maximals arrive, led by Arcee, who explains that Slipstream's arrival to their world was foreseen by Alpha Trion. Naturally the Autobots/Maximals attack Slipstream, and in the ensuing conflict her gyro-thrusters are damaged. Now this is where things get stupid. Okay, she can't jump dimensions anymore, fine... but she then goes all weak and covers herself up as if she were a human girl who just suddenly had her clothes ripped off in public. She's a robot... what is she covering up (that wasn't exposed before)?? *sigh* So then she's discovered by Megatron who asks Slipstream if she'll help him conquer Earth, and she gleefully agrees. At the end, Slipstream is reduced to just being a secretary for the Decepticons/Predacons and is literally serving tea to her male compatriots. Wow. Just... just wow.

Okay, dubious pack-in comic aside, I find Slipstream to be a really nice redeco of Windblade. Slipstream's colour scheme is quite vibrant and really works well in highlighting a lot of the nice features of this mould that are otherwise obscured by Windblade's relatively duller colours. I was only expecting the head to be retooled, but was pleasantly surprised to see that they've retooled the chest as well to give her a faux cockpit. The Seeker-style arm-guns are also a nice inclusion. My only gripe about this figure is the uselessly aborted light piping gimmick. This is reminiscent of what we saw Hasbro & TakaraTOMY do with some figures around 2008-11, where the back of the head and eyes are made from transparent plastic, but then paint is applied over the eyes. Light is unable to pass through the solid paint, which makes the entire gimmick about as useful as a trapdoor on a dinghy.

Enough talk. Pics now!

[Jaxius._]

All of the comics have slightly sexual parts in them. BA's huge breasts to Slipstream being in her underwear (lets be sensible)

There is even a panel in the Nightbird comic where she falls down and her chassis is in the air (again sensible)

[UltraMarginal]

The pic in the sunlight looks Great Gok!