Today I'm casting my spyglass back down to 1984 and that now legendary 1st wave of bots and specifically – our wanna-be human, Hound. During the early waves, it was enough of a gimmick to have a robot mode and have it transform into something else. So without further ado – let's start with that “something else”.
The car mode.
Transforming into a highly detailed Mitsubushi J59, Hound has also clearly been to the “bling” store, for he is bejazzled with chrome. Forget some detailing on a gun or Optimus Prime's thighs – Hound has it all. Headlamps, custom-outside engine block, wing mirrors, headlamps, thighs, chest column, front axles, missiles, Machine Gun, Hologram Gun and even the Missile Launcher. Covered in chrome. Even Henkei! Henkei! (a Takara range known for its chrome) Hound couldn't stand up to such a gratuitious display of vacuumized plastic. Hound also sports a petrol can and spare tyre, both of which are doomed to be lost under the coach as they have nowhere to go in robot mode. Having a (reasonably) realistic Jeep was fun enough, but thats not why you bought this toy... you bought a robot, too, remember?
Ker-Trans-Form!
Transformers G1 1984 Hound GallerySimply pop the Machine Gun, petrol can and spare tyre off (and dispose down the back of the armchair) to begin! Swing most of the back of the Jeep around into the platform shoes and fold up the seats, then move the front wheels around to side the arms out. Twist the doors around and then flick the chest down. Ta-Da! Hound is complete, with all the slightly awkward (or charming, you choose) proportions you come to expect now from a Diaclone era Transformers toy.
But wait... what magic has also happened here?!
It wasn't enough that Hound stole what seemed like everyone else's chrome, oh no. Hound had to be different in another way. Hound has a nifty “auto change” gimmick of sorts. The head automatically rises up to show us his noggin as you transform the chest. Whilst this isn't anything spectacular, it's a small nod to the future of Transformers where its entirely common to have some parts move by themselves as you transform them.
This is why her personally holds a special place to me – every time I get a figure where a head pops out automatically or something else just swings out, I think back to Hound.
