Okay, pic heavy review ahead. I'm no Ryan, so be gentle.
To start with, I know more about the GoBots than Machine Robo, so my apologies ahead of time, but I will be referring to the characters with their GoBot names, when I can remember them...
Leader-1 is really a great figure. Initially, I was put off by the Masterpiece/Alternators level of transforming fiddliness. Yet, after having transformed him a couple of times, it's not really that bad. It is a lot for a figure of this size, and I am scared I will break something one of these times. But, this is more of a display piece than a toy to be manhandled with my sausage fingers. On to the pics!
Pretty cool F15 mode. Seams are tight. Thrust vectoring engine nozzles and VTOL venting on the top are a bit inaccurate to my jet plane fanboy sensibilities. But the VTOL venting is accurate to the old toy and Hannah Barbara cartoon. (I haven't gotten far enough into Machine Robo to see this guy yet.) And I love thrust vectoring just on principle. More pics!
The modular flight stand is a real bonus for this figure. Worth the expensive price? Meh...
I love the F-15, maybe just behind the F-14. I know it's not stealth, but this vantage...
Yeah, alt mode is tight!
Landing gear is a nice touch! And there is a remarkable lack of kibble on the underside. Now, on to some size comparisons. I had Acid Storm and Starscream handy.
They are pretty close, with Leader-1 coming in a bit shorter. Classics Seeker wings are shaped slightly different, and it sort of looks like they are the 2 seat variant to Leader-1's single seat. And every F-15 variant I've seen has that detail at the top of the tail fins. (Pitot static tubes?) Here's a couple of real F-15s to compare.
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Here's a partial transformation. I was hoping this would show all the moving parts better...
I think it is clever how they worked his collar into the transformation. But that is one of the areas I am afraid is going to break. Also, neat gun out of the cluster bombs and some detailing where the engine meets the wing on the underside. (See if you can spot the gun parts in the above images.
) But, really, Leader-1's lasers come out of his fists! (Okay, that was something that always bugged me, even as a kid. Though with the heightened sensitivity around guns these days...)
So, pretty good deluxe sized figure. (I need to fix the tilt in that camera mount. Argggh! And apparently I need to dust my background and glass better. Pay no attention to the....crud, now you can't help but see it, can you?)
Finally, on to my "Classics" style GoBots lineup.
Guardians, transform and roll out.....wait...what?
Okay, the Renegades I have might be just out of scale, especially considering Cy-Kill is a Harley, Crusher is an Indy car, and Leader-1 is an F-15...
I want to reshoot these last pics because I didn't notice Cy-Kill's face is blocked, but I have already packed away some of these figures... Well, I couldn't forget the forklift-whose-name-I-can-never-remember-even-though-I-owned-him-as-a-kid
"Wait for me!"
Final thoughts:
These guys are expensive! They are deluxe sized (I'd appreciate the expense more if they were closer to voyager, plus they would scale better with my existing Renegades). But, they come with their own display accessories. That said, Leader-1 is well built (hasn't broken in my sausage fingers yet!) looks great, has good articulation, and is tight in all the joints. I am glad I bought him. However, I won't be springing for any others (except, maybe, Spay-C as I had him as a kid). I don't think my accountant will stay married to me if I include GoBots as part of my "Classics" collection.
I hope the pictures help. I haven't yet packed Leader-1 away, so if there are any other requests or questions, just let me know!
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