by roBROmanceFTW » Tue Dec 30, 2014 5:05 pm
- Weapon: Sword of Fury
I received this guy on Monday the 29th, and after a day of owning him, here are my thoughts:
PRO'S
- He is VERY nicely articulated. His beard can move downward to make it look as though Alpha Trion is speaking. In addition, his forearms swivel up-and-down, the forearms also twist left-and-right, the entire arms twist left-and-right near the shoulders, the wrists twist left-and-right, and the hands can open and close. AND THIS IS JUST ARTICULATION AT THE ARMS.
- Plastic quality is up there with Maketoys, and this is saying a lot because I believe that the quality of Maketoys plastic is very sturdy and feels a lot like the plastic of HasTak's Cybertron-era Transformers. Alpha Trion is a relatively small toy, but he feels quite heavy and sturdy.
- Very intuitive transformation that won't require 30 minutes of swearing while trying to align everything together. Your mileage may vary, but I have become tired of complex transformations like ToyWorld Trace, Alternity Optimus Prime, and ROTF leader Optimus Prime. I like toys that are fun to transform quickly, yet don't leave you feeling insulted at their simplicity (a la AOE Galvatron, PE Warden, and KFC Mugan Scope). I think Alpha Trion does a fine job of balancing simplicity with fun, especially since AFT is trying to make it look as though Trion is wearing a cape; if you enjoy the looks of Vector Prime and his giant "cape," you shouldn't have an issue with this guy.
- Both modes look unique. Just by looking at pictures alone, it's hard to tell that the alt mode would turn into Alpha Trion. Yes, I understand that G1 Trion never transformed, but in all honesty I don't purchase Transformers that don't transform. It would be nice to have the "tumbler" alt mode, but the aesthetics of AFT-07 clearly have a G1 vibe. Speaking of which...
- The aesthetics of AFT-07 Alpha Trion make him look great with CHUG characters and I think he looks fine standing next to classics Optimus Prime.
- A liberal use of different-colored plastics to piece together AFT-07. I honestly think this approach gives the character a look of higher quality, as opposed to relying heavily on painting in different colors. Take his abs, for example: they are an off-grey, and could have been painted that color over the red of the torso, but they are instead molded in an off-grey plastic. I like that a lot, knowing that I don't have to worry about chipping the paint.
- That weird clear plastic doodad on Trion's chest is actually reminiscent of the matrix of leadership (certainly a better representation than Xovergen's rendition), and I think it's a nice nod to Alpha Trion's role as one of the 13 Primes in the Aligned universe. Of course, your mileage may vary. And if you don't like it, you can remove it.
CON'S
- There are a few areas on Trion that I wish AFT would just add tabs to in order to secure some of the panels, such as the purple forearm panels. They can be a nuisance when you attempt to pose him in robot mode AND alt mode.
- The rear "landing gears" in alt mode don't like to stay put, so oftentimes the alt mode "starship" ends up positioned with the front higher than the rear, as though it's getting ready to "blast off."
- Trion's head movement is limited by his beard of massive wisdom, but this is more so inherent in the character's overall design as opposed to AFT being at fault.
- The alt mode's color scheme is 90% off-grey; I really wish there was more purple or red to highlight some of the details in the alt mode.
- The halberd/lance/spear thingy that comes with AFT-07 seems like an AFTERTHOUGHT. With how Trion's hands are designed, he cannot realistically hold it in any cool poses for longer than 2 seconds. Additionally, there is no way to store the thing in alt mode. I have elected with stow away the weapon in my parts bin, seeing as how Trion is more of a historian than a fighter (although he has ninja fists of kung fu steel).
FINAL THOUGHTS
AFT's rendition of Alpha Trion is a wonderful attempt, and this is so far the only faithful rendition of Alpha Trion that transforms. Some people might be put off by the size and the cost, but let me put this into perspective: MakeToys Hypernovae was only a little bit over deluxe size, yet he sold out at the price range of $150-$200, depending on where you purchased him. MakeToys Battle Tanker (and its variants) was add-on parts and a pointlessly heavy "backpack" for over $100, yet received high praise and multiple runs. PE Warden had a solid robot mode...and that was essentially it...yet initially sold out at roughly $150. FWI-3 Jetpower upgrade had very cheap model-kit plastic that did not deserve the price point of roughly $90 or so, yet it sold out as well. I am mentioning these toys because they were actually purchased by me at retail, and I felt cheated by all of them. I actually ended up selling them at MUCH LOWER prices because I felt that they should have initially been sold for less.
Somehow, with AFT-07 I felt that the price was justified. For what it's worth, with AFT-07 you get a solid toy with tight joints and wonderful articulation in robot mode, and homages G1 Alpha Trion faithfully. PLUS, he is currently the only Alpha Trion that transforms. Until we receive a better official Alpha Trion, or an attempt by the likes of MMC, MakeToys, or Unique Toys, I am perfectly satisfied with my AFT-07.
*Pictures forthcoming.
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