The Energon Pub

Before I go any further, a disclaimer. The content of this article series is purely my opinion, not stated as right, wrong, nor as representative of the general feeling within the collecting community. In fact I doubt I’d find even one collector who would agree with all my choices. With that out of the way, here’s my verdict on Transformers Animated’s top toys in the Legends, Activators, Deluxe, Voyager and Leader classes, as well as best series episode, best transformation, best repaint and original concept feature. In the last few months I finally watched the episodes I had missed first time around and collected every toy mould released within the aforementioned classes, including pretty much every repaint and a number of bootlegs so I hope that qualifies to me to pass some sort of judgement. Here are my results!

TF Animated – The Verdict (Part 1) | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ






All the best
Maz

Really nice summary of Animated as a toy line.

I wasn't a fan of them 'til one super snowy night I was stuck at a Walmart 5 hours from home. I bought an Activator Grimlock and Starscream.. I was hooked on them.

The Starscream is one of the best TF toys ever, in my opinion. Why?
The push button gimmick works so well. He is so poseable. Doesn't feel cheap. And if it wasn't for him I probably would have taken even longer to buy anything from the Animated series(which really grew on me due to the Activators).

The other thing that I like about Animated toys is.. the box art.


Call me weird, but the voyager boxes lined up next to one another with the character shots facing out just looks great.
They are an awesome compliment to the Animation that the toys represent

Another great article Maz; TFA is one of my favorite nonG1 related series of cartoons and toys.
I do have to say though that some of the Reprolabels upgrades, especially the ones for the Dinobot team and WreckGar, are spectacular and worth a look if you ever have a chance.

@Discharge; I completely agree about the artwork on the boxes.
Until I had to do some space saving with my collection, all of my voyagers were lined up with the art facing out.
It looked incredible!!!

Animated line had great Leader-class figures.

And the Voyagers did have particularly nice box art.

I like the story but hated the art style. Old school here but if I have to give TFA a salute.....the toys actually look like the toys. How they (Tomy/Hasbro)managed to implement it to reality.........AMAZING!

I bought Animated toys way after the line ended so I missed a lot. As a Starscream fan, I cant beleive that I overlooked Activator Starscream. I'll be sure to check it out.

I mostly collect Deluxes, Voyagers, and Leaders from Animated. I really want a voyager Blackout but I dont want to pay the absurd price it go for. So, here's my worst, and best of the 3 main size classes:

Deluxe:
Worst: Bumblebee. Man, what a mess. The vehicle is nice looking, but the robot mode (appart being too big) is out of proportions and really derpy looking. But mostly, this is not a fun toy to transform, with bits popping off and lots of frustrating parts.
Best: Oilslick. Many take Blurr as thier best, but I didnt like him and I ended up selling him. However, the cheap and unpopular Oilslick is not only the best animated deluxe, it's one of my favorite TF ever. Super fun to transform, and incredible look in both robot and bike mode. I usually don't like bikeformers but Oilslick is so.. slick!

Voyager:
Worst: Starscream. I really love the character and how he look. However, transforming him is a pain, with QC issues all over and bits that fly off everywhere when doing so. Starscream is a lepper.
Best: Bulkhead. Perfect show accuracy, amazing look, and one of the most fun TF to transform ever. Sure, he's awee bit small, but I don't care.

Leader:
Worst: None. There's very few leaders and all have their own merits. Maybe Bulkhead for not being show accurate in either modes but he's still pretty fun.
Best: Ultra Magnus. Amazing fluid and shapely bot that transform into a very massive and square vehicle. Full of gimmicks and a blast to transform.

I cant tell about activators or legends because I barely own any so I cant make a clear verdict about those two categories.

-Kanrabat- wrote:
I mostly collect Deluxes, Voyagers, and Leaders from Animated. I really want a voyager Blackout but I dont want to pay the absurd price it go for. So, here's my worst, and best of the 3 main size classes:

And here is my verdict, it's not too different

Deluxe:

Worst: I second Bumblebee. Out of scale and not enjoyable to transform due to parts popping off.

Best: Lockdown. He is to me one of the best transformers ever produced. No kibble in either mode. And both modes are distinctive and sleek and look non transforming. Great cartoon accuracy and super tall for a deluxe. Jazz, Arcee, Prowl and Oilslick are pretty cool too, but Lockdown will always take the cake for me. I belive this is the class with the most amount of incredible toys.

Voyager:

Worst: By FAAAAAR the worst is Cybertron Megatron. The only reason I keep him is for scaling with others. He has a piss poor altmode that is a mess. It looks like a bunch of robot kibble just smashed together. We can't tell what the front of back is and it's not even faithful to the animation model (at least Prime Megatron's alt mode is). And in robot mode, his cannon does not work well with his arm in robot mode. There are a bunch of other poor voyagers. With deluxe having so many hits, the voyager class has a bunch of misses. Lugnut is far too small, Starscream has all those QC issues, and Blitzwing's altmodes are full of robot kibble.

Best: I second Bulkhead. I am still very thankful that Kanrabat gave him to me. I love hoe he simply works so well as a transformer. The robot design is very different but it's distinctive and any truck kibble found works well with the character model. My favourite part is transforming him back into a truck. Everything just fits so well to give a cute toy truck that no one would ever suspect can transform. And yet his arms are right there in the open. He is a great example of a robot in disguise with great personality.

Leader:I only own Leader Megatron. And he is phenomenal. He has a very simple transformation and yet both modes look distinct and sleek and individual to themselves with minimal kibble. How is that even possible?! Still looking for Ultra Magnus.

william-james88 wrote:Voyager cybertronian Megatron suck.

I don't know why I forgot him, but yeah. He's one of the worst TF ever, simply for having NO altmode. Even the "heap of scrap knives" that are Bayverse's Cybertronian Decepticon altmodes make more senses than the... thing... animated voyagers Megs turn into. Of course, Starscream come right after him for it's QC issues.

I recently got myself Ultra Magnus, a version of the cybertronian ratchet mold and Voyager Grimlock and though they are all decent, my verdict remains unchanged. Leader Ultra Magnus suffers from the same posability problems I have with Leader Megatron (the legs make him either do a pelvic thrust or make him look hunch) but the arm and shoulder articulation is reduced due to those big shoulder pads that become quite fiddly.

Also, voyager Grimlock si a far cry from Bulk Head. He's just an updated version of the G1 mold and the 2 fire sword gimmicks dont work that well. One being rotating his hand to extend the flames and the other being that it can stick in the Dinosaur mouth to simulate firebreath. That last one is specifically written on the box but it doesnt do that at all. The bes tyou can do is make him hold the sword in his mouth sideways which looks terrible and dumb. He is also very small for his class size. Actually, I find all these voyager class toys rather small for their class. I believe Lockdown towers over all of them (correct me if I am wrong).

Also, I wanted to point something out for the deluxe class, which I believe is the best class of the entire line. While I find Rodimus, Arcee, Lockdown, Prowl, Jass, Snarl and Cybertron Optimus better than Blurr, I must admit that Blurr has a really interesting and dynamic central balance to him which makes you do a bunch of great Blurr poses.

He can balance on one foot with the other one extended to simulate him running with his arms extended outward from his body in opposite directions. And that is really really cool. He may not be my favourite deluxe but he is, I believe, the best rendition of Blurr in toy form.

Will, I do hope you have Oilslick, one of the best Animated deluxe ever, if not one of the best TF of all times.

-Kanrabat- wrote:Will, I do hope you have Oilslick, one of the best Animated deluxe ever, if not one of the best TF of all times.

Oh yeah, for sure I have him. All I am missing is Swindle, Ratchet and Swoop and I have all the deluxe molds without repeating characters. But of those 3, swoop is the only one I am looking for at the moment.

You guys need to quit doing this to me. Now I have to go down to the basement, go in the scary closet, and get out my Animated toys.

I think it's time to pack up my current Star Wars display and go all TFs.
Or it's time to start the remodel on my basement so I can display ALL my toys.

P.S. I love that fish bowl on Oilslick's head.

Cobotron wrote:You guys need to quit doing this to me. Now I have to go down to the basement, go in the scary closet, and get out my Animated toys.

I think it's time to pack up my current Star Wars display and go all TFs.
Or it's time to start the remodel on my basement so I can display ALL my toys.

P.S. I love that fish bowl on Oilslick's head.

I really like your enthusiasm Cobotron. You know why I love TFs so much? Check this. Action figures are fun, they are representations of the characters we see on screen. We can put them in great poses, display them and even re-enact some scenes if we want to. And that's besides anything a kid can come up with. This is true for all action figures (Star Wars etc.) and they all cost about the same (15$) depending on the size points. But TFs also transform. I know its obvious, but think about it. Compare an articulated figure from the Clone Saga to a figure from TF Animated. They are both show acurate and posable. But for the same price, your TF toy transforms into a completely different toy. This simple and obvious point seems to often be forgotten when looking at the price of action figures rising, but I always find it nuts how we get these amazing pieces of engineering for the same price. And Animated TF is the best example for that cause, simply because of that extra design element that makes their robot forms appear more like non transforming figures than any other TF line. And oilslick with his fishbowl head is a perfect example. You wouldnt think he transforms just looking at that action figure in robot mode. Then again you would think Voyager Megs doesnt transform, and you would be right.

Just went back and read the article. Great stuff.
I forgot I have Wreckar. Now I really have to go downstairs and dig.

Did any of you guys watch the show?
I have been re-watching Cybertron while I piddle with my collection. It is so bad. I love the way it looks, but it can not hold the attention of my adult mind. No TF cartoon besides the Beast era shows and the movie(old animated one) can hold my attention anymore.
I never got into Animated, for whatever reason. I saw a few episodes and thought it was interesting. Seemed like there was some cool and interesting character development going on.

Do you guys think it would be worth it to go back and check it out?

Cobotron wrote:Just went back and read the article. Great stuff.
I forgot I have Wreckar. Now I really have to go downstairs and dig.

Did any of you guys watch the show?
I have been re-watching Cybertron while I piddle with my collection. It is so bad. I love the way it looks, but it can not hold the attention of my adult mind. No TF cartoon besides the Beast era shows and the movie(old animated one) can hold my attention anymore.
I never got into Animated, for whatever reason. I saw a few episodes and thought it was interesting. Seemed like there was some cool and interesting character development going on.

Do you guys think it would be worth it to go back and check it out?

Yeah sure, and out of all the TF stories out there, it seems that Animated is what inspired Age of Extinction most. The first season is hit and miss so I recomend you look online for a list of best of and check those out in chronological order. Thrill of the Hunt is the best season one episode though, just putting it out there. It's better than Cybertron but it is very much geared towards a young audience.
One thing great about the show is that it will make you appreciate the toys even more in their fidelity to the design.

And though Cybertron is not working for me, and Animated is a bit young, the Prime series was really rivetting for me. I felt fully invested in it and I love that Megatron, Starscream and Soundwave (too bad his alt mode is remnescent of Animated Voyager).

william-james88 wrote:

Cobotron wrote:You guys need to quit doing this to me. Now I have to go down to the basement, go in the scary closet, and get out my Animated toys.

I think it's time to pack up my current Star Wars display and go all TFs.
Or it's time to start the remodel on my basement so I can display ALL my toys.

P.S. I love that fish bowl on Oilslick's head.

I really like your enthusiasm Cobotron. You know why I love TFs so much? Check this. Action figures are fun, they are representations of the characters we see on screen. We can put them in great poses, display them and even re-enact some scenes if we want to. And that's besides anything a kid can come up with. This is true for all action figures (Star Wars etc.) and they all cost about the same (15$) depending on the size points. But TFs also transform. I know its obvious, but think about it. Compare an articulated figure from the Clone Saga to a figure from TF Animated. They are both show acurate and posable. But for the same price, your TF toy transforms into a completely different toy. This simple and obvious point seems to often be forgotten when looking at the price of action figures rising, but I always find it nuts how we get these amazing pieces of engineering for the same price. And Animated TF is the best example for that cause, simply because of that extra design element that makes their robot forms appear more like non transforming figures than any other TF line. And oilslick with his fishbowl head is a perfect example. You wouldnt think he transforms just looking at that action figure in robot mode. Then again you would think Voyager Megs doesnt transform, and you would be right.

My collecting habits sway back and forth. I'm just coming off a Lego Lord of the Rings/Hobbit binge. Over the years I have jumped from TFs, super heroes, Playmobil, etc. But I always come back to TFs. For exactly the reasons you stated. The problem is I'm always caught scrambling to catch up on a line. The reason my Cybertron collection is made up of Universe and Movie repaints. Also why now I have to now pay out the nose for Metroplex.
It's time to commit.

WJ88, I get the feeling you and Kanrabat actually like to get your guys out and play. I mean set up a battle and go to town. Not just transform them and put them back on the shelf when you're done. I hope thats true. That way this old man doesn't feel weird reverting back to the 10 year old me.

Cobotron wrote:
WJ88, I get the feeling you and Kanrabat actually like to get your guys out and play. I mean set up a battle and go to town. Not just transform them and put them back on the shelf when you're done. I hope thats true. That way this old man doesn't feel weird reverting back to the 10 year old me.

Haha, yeah, Kanrabat and I are a fun bunch that way. The only problem is that I tend to lose missiles and accessories sometimes. I take them on the subway to transform them in my commute too. I find that more fun than playing phone apps.

What I like most is taking pictures of them in fun poses and since I dont have much space, they are all stored in alt mode in boxes except for a select few. So what that means is that if I want to take a picture of them posed, I have to take out a bunch, then transform them, take the picture and then transform them back. And I do that constantly, so I am always transforming them back and forth (hence doing it on the commute too)

Me too, I really LOVE to transform my TFs. For me, a GOOD TF must not be just good looking and/or accurate. It must also be FUN to play with. That's why I display the must fun toys and I transform everything often, even high-end collectibles like MPs.

Also, Cobotron, I really, REALLY recommend you to watch TF animated. The show is mad fun, the characters are endearing, the writing is amazing, you get surprised often, the action is amazing, Optimus is actually "Orion Pax" because he's so "young" and he learn to be a leader, Starscream is funny, no, you will not breathe, the human sidekick is fun and not annoying, there is a shitload of hommage to G! and Beast Wars, GAAAAAAAAASSSSSPPPPhhhhhhhhh.......

Watch Animated. The whole thing. From episode one to the last.

Now.