The Energon Pub

[fenrir72]

Holt ****, but shipping at HLJ went up.

Can you give us the details. How much did it cost you last time and for what and when? The US$ rose actually so I thought it would hurt you less. Would it have been better to just pay $119 at BBTS?

Well, it's been awhile since I shipper a single item. When MP Ironhide came out, I paid $14 for the fed ex 5 day.

I just paid $23 for Primal, and I thought they would be similar.

Might be the weight plus it's near Christmas season. Maybe the seasonal traffic may have something to do with that too.

[Sabrblade]

I just paid $23 for Primal

Borrowing this data from ya to make the following point to everyone.

If I'm to presume that that shipping price might have been about the same for me had I ordered Primal from HLJ, then HLJ's total price for the flail-less version would be $114.58. Subtracting that total from my RK total of $127.90 would equal $13.32. Comparing this to the estimated eBay price for just the flail by itself being at least $15-$20, I guess that would make ordering from RK even better a deal than buying the flail-less version and then buying the flail by itself off of eBay.

Those still on the look out for the set with the flail, give RK a try. I might just be worth it.

[Ironhidensh]

I just paid $23 for Primal

Borrowing this data from ya to make the following point to everyone.

If I'm to presume that that shipping price might have been about the same for me had I ordered Primal from HLJ, then HLJ's total price for the flail-less version would be $114.58. Subtracting that total from my RK total of $127.90 would equal $13.32. Comparing this to the estimated eBay price for just the flail by itself being at least $15-$20, I guess that would make ordering from RK even better a deal than buying the flail-less version and then buying the flail by itself off of eBay.

Those still on the look out for the set with the flail, give RK a try. I might just be worth it.

How long will the shipping take, though?

I'm horribly impatient. A flaw, I'll admit, but there you go. I paid a few extra bucks, but I'll have it in hand by Wednesday.

[william-james88]

I just paid $23 for Primal

Borrowing this data from ya to make the following point to everyone.

If I'm to presume that that shipping price might have been about the same for me had I ordered Primal from HLJ, then HLJ's total price for the flail-less version would be $114.58. Subtracting that total from my RK total of $127.90 would equal $13.32. Comparing this to the estimated eBay price for just the flail by itself being at least $15-$20, I guess that would make ordering from RK even better a deal than buying the flail-less version and then buying the flail by itself off of eBay.

Those still on the look out for the set with the flail, give RK a try. I might just be worth it.

How long will the shipping take, though?

I'm horribly impatient. A flaw, I'll admit, but there you go. I paid a few extra bucks, but I'll have it in hand by Wednesday.

It usually takes two weeks or something like that. And that reminds me, I got my message from Anime Export. I will let you know my total cost (both in yen and USD) aswell as the shipping time.

[Archive Omega]

How cool would it be to also get the mutant mask that the original toy had too. A third party company could just make it as one of the changeable faces

[wilcosu35]

HLJ got my Primal in stock this morning.

[Va'al]

Full pictorial review of beast mode and transformation from Alfes: http://higekumatoytoy.blog60.fc2.com/bl ... -2706.html

The back is messy.

[Big Grim]

Messy but still pretty clever.

[william-james88]

I dont think its messy. Looks clean to me. Robots bits are exposed, sure, but its not messy.

What ticks me off isnt the back but those damn shoulder pads. The whole point of that design is that the shoulder pad covers over the coloured robot shoulder so that all you see is fur in robot mode. The original toys messed that up and while the MP does it better, we can still see the white from the robot shoulder, the shoulder pad doesnt cover it all... why

I mean, its not like its show accurate to still see his robot shoulder. That is by far my biggest beef with that toy. I can ignore the back (even if I think its pretty clean), but anything in the front is unavoidable.

[Insurgent]

Do we know what that level looking thing on his back does yet?


And dang, I sooooo can't wait for this figure.

[Va'al]

I dont think its messy. Looks clean to me. Robots bits are exposed, sure, but its not messy.

I don't mind seeing robot parts - but look at the legs. That is not sleek:

[Overcracker]

Monkey butt...


There's only so much you can do to hide a humanoid form in another humanoid form.

I don't mind the slightly exposed robot white in gorilla mode, as much as I mind the feet.

The original toy hid the robot feet much better than this does. A fur panel over the feet is all it would take on the original toy, not sure why the feet are now the underside of the gorilla feet without any hiding whatsoever.

[william-james88]

Yeah, your right Va'al. I never did like those feet from day one, but I had not noticed the calf area.

[fenrir72]

Full pictorial review of beast mode and transformation from Alfes: http://higekumatoytoy.blog60.fc2.com/bl ... -2706.html

The back is messy.

Engineering wise, how would you deal with those panels then? It is a "transforming" figure which requires panels, separating and folding parts. Not to mention he transforms to a biped simian not a mechanical construct.

If you use a rubbery type of panel, you risk rubber rut in the future. Too tight a panel to get rid of the lines, people will complain of it's too tight to transform.

If Takara copied panel for panel, bolt for bolt the old design from previous Primal's, there'll be complaints of "laziness" on the designs. Just asking saying.

I feel, all this back to back issues (same with Megs) is not an issue.

This version is the closest 3D render/representation of the show.

[Sabrblade]

[fenrir72]

From the source? Now that is pot calling kettle black.

[Va'al]

Full pictorial review of beast mode and transformation from Alfes: http://higekumatoytoy.blog60.fc2.com/bl ... -2706.html

The back is messy.

Engineering wise, how would you deal with those panels then? It is a "transforming" figure which requires panels, separating and folding parts. Not to mention he transforms to a biped simian not a mechanical construct.

As someone else said above, the feet are what most stand out (heh) for me. Maybe a way of twisting up the feet of either mode, and slide against the leg? Similar to how the original toy did, but sliding under a panel like the rest of the leg does (twist and turn, for the most part).

The white bits are not an issue, but that conglomeration of sharp bits around the heel really puts me off.

[wilcosu35]

I understand the criticism about his gorilla mode's defects, but i'm not worried about them. I bought him for the bot mode, and the alt mode can be as close as they can manage without screwing up the bot.
Given that he's an animal instead of a car, you can't use panels or the underside to hide bot parts and 1 mode usually suffers.
Gorilla-wise, he may be far from perfect, but bot-wise it's like he stepped right out of the cartoon.

[Va'al]

I understand the criticism about his gorilla mode's defects, but i'm not worried about them. I bought him for the bot mode, and the alt mode can be as close as they can manage without screwing up the bot.
Given that he's an animal instead of a car, you can't use panels or the underside to hide bot parts and 1 mode usually suffers.
Gorilla-wise, he may be far from perfect, but bot-wise it's like he stepped right out of the cartoon.

Oh for sure! I don't mean to convince people that 'it's bad and therefore you should hate it'!
I was just commenting on how the back and leg area do nothing to convince me to get this otherwise very good looking figure, given that the original toy still scratches - for me - all the right itches.

More for everyone else!

[ReinaHW]

A review of the figure has appeared on Youtube, it's in Japanese though, I think an English review might be uploaded later of the figure this weekend if people prefer to wait for that -

[Overcracker]

Primal has officially shipped. Can't wait.

[triKlops]

Just got my shipment notification.
After these pics, I am really interested to see him in hand.

[LOST Cybertronian]

Fellow Seibertron ReinaHW has pointed us in the direction of a Japanese Video Review for MP-32 Beast Convoy. While the video is in Japanese, it gives us a good look at the transformation and shows off the accessories as well as the face changing and light up eyes gimmick. If you are waiting for your preorder to ship or are just curious if this figure is worth your money, check out the video review which has been embedded below for your convenience.

[DecepticonFinishline]

SO stoked about this! Yes!

[Ultra Markus]

very nice, i hope they do more beast wars masterpieces besides cheetor