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Re: Toy Images of Alternity Mitsuoka Orochi Skywarp

PostPosted: Fri May 28, 2010 11:36 am
by Mykltron
MagnaBlade wrote:
aps1977 wrote:These mold designs have one of my biggest pet peeves - fake transformations. It's clear that the car's hood is supposed to be the robot's chest, but it's also clear that this is not actually the case. This isn't as bad as 2007TF's Jazz, with a grill and headlights on his alt mode roof, but since the Alternity line isn't trying to mimic a cartoon, comic, or movie aesthetic, I don't see the need for the "fakery". Makes me miss Alternators even more.



I agree. I've never liked the fake look alike parts for aesthetics in robot mode.


Tell that to Alternator Tracks.

Re: Toy Images of Alternity Mitsuoka Orochi Skywarp

PostPosted: Fri May 28, 2010 11:46 am
by Kibble
MagnaBlade wrote:The heads have a similar overall shape, but are different.
Starscream-Skywarp Head Comparison.JPG

Man, Starscream's head really sucks! Why couldn't they just make Skywarp in traditional colors with black being the primary to make this an easy decision?

*edit: The decision has been made for me...BBTS just filled mu order. So they're officially in and shipping.

Re: Toy Images of Alternity Mitsuoka Orochi Skywarp

PostPosted: Fri May 28, 2010 1:10 pm
by Rodimus723
Looks awesome. Hmm, I wonder if they have any plans down the road to take this version and make Thundercracker?

Re: Toy Images of Alternity Mitsuoka Orochi Skywarp

PostPosted: Fri May 28, 2010 2:51 pm
by Mindmaster
Somehow, looking at his head, it reminds me of that Legend of Zelda character, Ganondorf. Dunno why, but I like this one a small bit better than the Starscream version.

Re: Toy Images of Alternity Mitsuoka Orochi Skywarp

PostPosted: Fri May 28, 2010 4:38 pm
by Autobot032
Skywarp is leaps and bounds better than Starscream in terms of presentation, the head, and the paint job.

But the steering wheel and wing cheat still ruin it for me.

Just not at all what I expected out of these.

These are die cast, are they not? That too would ruin it for me.

Re: Toy Images of Alternity Mitsuoka Orochi Skywarp

PostPosted: Fri May 28, 2010 8:43 pm
by Wheeljack35
BOO Get rid of this line and bring back the alternators/bineltechs

Re: Toy Images of Alternity Mitsuoka Orochi Skywarp

PostPosted: Sat May 29, 2010 12:00 am
by Kibble
Autobot032 wrote:These are die cast, are they not? That too would ruin it for me.

I can't speak to these ones yet, but the previous ones have had die-cast in them, but it's been inside, as in the frame, as opposed to the outside car shell parts like Binaltech figures had.

Re: Toy Images of Alternity Mitsuoka Orochi Skywarp

PostPosted: Sat May 29, 2010 2:48 am
by feeiq90
is it just me,or starscream's headmold does really looks like Tarantulas??
or ninja gaiden perhaps??i mean,'sup with the extra eye??

Re: Toy Images of Alternity Mitsuoka Orochi Skywarp

PostPosted: Sat May 29, 2010 3:41 am
by Prime Riblet
Wheeljack35 wrote:BOO Get rid of this line and bring back the alternators/bineltechs


This is the most awesome post I have seen in months. I agree completely.

Re: Toy Images of Alternity Mitsuoka Orochi Skywarp

PostPosted: Sat May 29, 2010 4:08 am
by Autobot032
Prime Riblet wrote:
Wheeljack35 wrote:BOO Get rid of this line and bring back the alternators/bineltechs


This is the most awesome post I have seen in months. I agree completely.


I'm not even a fan of Alternators any more, and I must agree with this.

With Alternators/Binaltech, you at least had a complex transformation, a highly articulated robot mode (considering the design), and an accurate vehicle mode that didn't have to be a friggin' cheat just to try and look like the character.

And that was before you got into gimmicks (if there were any), weapons, and paint jobs.

Alternity is noteworthy because it's a risk taking venture for TT, but beyond that, it's just a jumbled TransFormer figure trying to form a car.

True, some previous TFs did, in fact, have to be folded up into a ball, a jumble if you will, and then have the parts form an alternate mode. But they certainly aren't the bulk of the line, and your average figure is leaps and bounds cooler than these two.

People would say that ROTF Leader Class Optimus Prime is a jumbled former. Well, yeah, when you think about it, he is, but he looks good, he is good, and the payoff is well worth the wait once you've gone through the transformation, in either direction.

These guys? Not so much.

Re: Toy Images of Alternity Mitsuoka Orochi Skywarp

PostPosted: Sat May 29, 2010 6:37 am
by karellan
Skywarp's head looks like a Sentinal from X-Men.

Re: Toy Images of Alternity Mitsuoka Orochi Skywarp

PostPosted: Sat May 29, 2010 7:02 am
by Diem
Autobot032 wrote:
Prime Riblet wrote:
Wheeljack35 wrote:BOO Get rid of this line and bring back the alternators/bineltechs


This is the most awesome post I have seen in months. I agree completely.


I'm not even a fan of Alternators any more, and I must agree with this.

With Alternators/Binaltech, you at least had a complex transformation, a highly articulated robot mode (considering the design), and an accurate vehicle mode that didn't have to be a friggin' cheat just to try and look like the character.

And that was before you got into gimmicks (if there were any), weapons, and paint jobs.

Alternity is noteworthy because it's a risk taking venture for TT, but beyond that, it's just a jumbled TransFormer figure trying to form a car.

True, some previous TFs did, in fact, have to be folded up into a ball, a jumble if you will, and then have the parts form an alternate mode. But they certainly aren't the bulk of the line, and your average figure is leaps and bounds cooler than these two.

People would say that ROTF Leader Class Optimus Prime is a jumbled former. Well, yeah, when you think about it, he is, but he looks good, he is good, and the payoff is well worth the wait once you've gone through the transformation, in either direction.

These guys? Not so much.
I genuinely don't understand what you're trying to say here. Not trying to be funny, but I don't.

The Alternity figures are, broadly speaking, excellent. Their robot modes often combine a successful blend of G1 blockiness with stylish modern mecha designs, their articulation is impeccable, their vehicle modes are painfully detailed and accurate and their transformations (aside from Bumble and Cliff) are sophisticated but unfrustrating.

I do believe that pandering to the masses is the reason why Starscream appears in the Alternity line and I also believe that pandering to the masses is why this figure has been forced to look G1-ish. And I utterly resent both those facts. Every time someone whinges about their favourite character not having a figure when that character has had dozens of figures in the past sickens me. And every time someone whinges about when figure deviates even slightly from their G1 portrayal that sickens me more.

But. But. I may not agree with the level of fanwank this figure represents but I truly admire how well it does it. Keeping a car alt mode and getting an unmistakable Seeker robot mode out of it? That's genius.

Re: Toy Images of Alternity Mitsuoka Orochi Skywarp

PostPosted: Sat May 29, 2010 7:48 am
by Prime Riblet
I have to take back quite a bit of my dislike that I expressed due in very large part to what Diem has put together for us to digest. I was very apprehensive about the first three molds; I don't like the Suzuki mold much at all, the GT-R and Z molds are ok, but I just don't know how I feel about their sizes, price point and a few other things. When I first saw the Starscream/Skywarp mold I thought it was neat. Then as more pics became available, things started to look more bleak. Now after the reviews and other educational discussion, I have at least decided that I would like to own Skywarp. I am still having trouble justifying the rest though. I have to doubt that I will get them.

I will stick to my original feeling that I don't really like the Alternity line, but I have to admit that Skywarp is a figure that I like well enough that I have to rethink my views of the line. I would seriously prefer new Alternators/Binaltech figures though.

Re: Toy Images of Alternity Mitsuoka Orochi Skywarp

PostPosted: Sun May 30, 2010 1:18 pm
by DevastaTTor
My beefs with this entire line are that it doesn't fit into any other line which makes them difficult to display, the story line and character bios are goofy, and the sense of scale between figures is non-existent. And worst in my opinion is the total lack of theme across the line. Convoy has Manga looks, Megatron looks like a samurai, BB/CJ look like Alternator-styled trolls, and SS/SW seem like G1 Seeker homage cars. If they'd gone with Manga looking Autobots versus Samurai/Asian inspired Decepticons, it may have made an interesting line and made a little sense depending on the storyline Takara created. But just seems to be no rhyme or reason to the looks of these characters.

One could make a case for the Bumble and Cliff figures fitting in the the Alternators line, but everything seems like its own stand alone figure.

Re: Toy Images of Alternity Mitsuoka Orochi Skywarp

PostPosted: Mon May 31, 2010 1:49 pm
by kirbenvost
DevastaTTor wrote:If they'd gone with Manga looking Autobots versus Samurai/Asian inspired Decepticons, it may have made an interesting line and made a little sense depending on the storyline Takara created. But just seems to be no rhyme or reason to the looks of these characters.


Actually, this makes a lot of sense to me, and I can see it. Chubby proportions aside, BB & CJ do look quite manga/anime-eque. Just look at the details, on the head and knee-pads for example. Kinda does fit in with Convoy if you look at it that way. And I could even see a weird organic samurai-ish vibe from Starscream, what with the head crest and four eyes and all. It kind of actually does fit the classic Japanese themes, where the good guys are often very angular and futuristic looking, and the bad guys are more organic or tradition-inspired.

It almost seemsthey're the first line developed purely for Japanese appeal. Small, high-quality design, high detail, very displayable even in the packaging, price is not really an issue. This heavy targeting towards the Japanese market could explain why they're not as popular to most of us on this forum. Traditional Western and Japanese interests are quite different.

Huh. That kind of makes me look at the line in a new way.

Re: Toy Images of Alternity Mitsuoka Orochi Skywarp

PostPosted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 2:34 am
by goshjosh95
Jenus wrote:How I wish I did not have to cancel my pre-order for this. :-(

Right there with you. I had to cancel my preorder, as I'm trying to cut back & focus my TF spending habits on neo-G1/Classics and screen-time Beast Wars figs (instead of any random TF that catches my eye)... That being said, I think the Skywarp Orochi is a fantastic-looking bot and hot car.

Re: Toy Images of Alternity Mitsuoka Orochi Skywarp

PostPosted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 7:58 am
by Diem
DevastaTTor wrote: And worst in my opinion is the total lack of theme across the line.
I can't help but feel the fans are more to blame than Takara for that. Convoy and Megatron were both very experimental and original. However Bumble and Starscream are clearly far more G1 inspired, and I do think the fan reaction had a lot to do with that.

kirbenvost wrote:It almost seemsthey're the first line developed purely for Japanese appeal. Small, high-quality design, high detail, very displayable even in the packaging, price is not really an issue. This heavy targeting towards the Japanese market could explain why they're not as popular to most of us on this forum. Traditional Western and Japanese interests are quite different.

Huh. That kind of makes me look at the line in a new way.


This I think is very true.

Re: Toy Images of Alternity Mitsuoka Orochi Skywarp

PostPosted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 8:09 am
by Flux Convoy
Diem wrote: Keeping a car alt mode and getting an unmistakable Seeker robot mode out of it? That's genius.

This is exactly why I was excited for these when the first images popped up. I like the line. Would I have preferred Alternators to continue? Certainly. I have no complaints about any of these yet though. I'd love to get Thundercracker with the Skywarp headsculpt eventually too. I'm really hoping they branch into some of the Beast characters with the same attention to bot modes as the seekers got.

Also, little side note. From my understanding, Starscream's bio states that he has four optics. It would explain his "insect" eyes.
:BOT: