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Every two weeks, Seibertron.com brings you a Top 5 list related to all things Transformers written by me, your fellow editor. These are my opinions (just like movie or game reviews hosted by sites are still just the opinion of one person) so what matters most is what you guys think of the topic or list, and I hope to see your own lists or comments on omissions and ranking. Let's have fun! All previous lists can be found here.

Top 5 best cases of Visible Head Syndrome

Two weeks ago, we saw the worst cases of Transformers toys where their robot head was visible in alt mode. Well this week, we look at the flip side and I present a list of awesome Tansformers toys who happen to also show their heads in alt mode. The reasons for inclusions vary. Sometimes it is because the toy is made more fun because of it, and others, it's because the head being present doesn't detract at all, to the point of you now knowing it is there.

5. Transformers Robots In Disguise X-Brawn (Wildride)

The original RID toyline from 2001 was pretty damn cool since it was a mix of a molds from previous lines like G2 molds (Scourge), Beast Wars (Slapper), G1 (Ruination), as well as taking inspiration from the Brave line (Rail Racer) and, most importantly, marking the triumphant return of transforming cars and trucks featuring new Japanese designs. Three of these new car Transformers were brothers and the one I want to point out is X-Brawn for the fun notion that when transforming him in suv mode, his head ends up in the passenger seat. In reality, since Takara designed this line (another return to form after Hasbro was the main designer for Beast Wars), he should appear to be in the driver's seat, in Japan, driving himself!

Aside from this fun factoid, the difference between this toy and the other Transformers who seem to drive themselves, like ROTF deluxe Breakaway and Armada Sideswipe, is simple : This one's better. It has rubber tires, projectiles, clear plastic, chrome in the right places, and is fully painted too, while being designed by Takara. It was the heydey of Transformers.




4. Transformers Cybertron Galaxy Force Unicron

A good way to disguise a clearly visible head is by not attracting too much attention. This toy completely fails at this because your eyes go straight to the big bold red disk on top of the vehicle mode, and yet you wouldn't think it's the head. I was once witness to a transaction where someone was buying this toy and I asked if he minded that you could see the head in vehicle mode, to which the buyer replied "Why? Where is it?". He couldn't see it no mater how much he looked. You wouldn't think to find it there, when it's base becomes such an important element of the vehicle mode. Hiding in plain sight will be a recurring theme on this list.








3. Transformers G1 1985 Jetfire (Skyfire)

A visible head no distracting you from the alt mode is great but what is even better is when that head adds to toy. For G1 Jetfire, it adds FIREPOWER! While the head is perfectly visible in the jet's undercarriage, it acts as a turret and plays its role quite well.






2. Transformers Beast Machines Jetstorm/Both G1 Scourge and Generations Scourge

Speaking of adding to the alt mode, these three do something very similar. Their heads are all in the back adding a really cool detail to the alt mode. With Jetstorm, it is back fins blending in and culminating in a triangular sci fi design. With the two Scourges, it's a far more obvious alt mode detail, the Disintegrator Ray, which totally changes the look of each alt mode, making them offensive vehicles. Very fitting for a Decepticon.
While these heads are part of the alt mode, their full integration with it makes them just as disguised as if they were not visible at all. I see it less as a robot head visible on the alt mode and more as part of the vehicle visible on the robot head. But it is still more robot head than alt mode in robot mode, which is more than I can say for any Swoop mold who's head is at last 75% alt mode (hence why he isn't on this list).








1. Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Skystalker

This mold is one of the most beloved and praised molds from the movie era, and that's quite a feat considering how much the movie line is generally disliked. He doesnt just have the movie aesthetic against him, but he also has one of the biggest cases of visible head syndrome. His head is right there staring at you front and center with his cold cyclopean stare, in his alt mode. Not only is that accepted by me and fans, but it is also pretty damn cool. While it is very much his head and G1 Shockwave style eye front and centre on the plane, it acts as the plane's eye. This isn't Prime Megatron with his head sticking out of his flight mode, it is actually the head of the plane. Like the tip of a droid scouting the environment, and it totally works. The toys itself is great, one of the best Scout class toys of all time (another list for another time), but what really makes him number one is how he has a very obvious case of visible head syndrome but makes it work like no other.






Honourable Mentions: Cybertron Override but it was like a cross between Jetstorm's and X Brawn's case to be included and doesn't work as well as either of those.

SKYSTALKER YESSSSSSSS

Va'al wrote:SKYSTALKER YESSSSSSSS

He didn't come to mind right away but one day I was playing with him and it just hit me, hence why I couldn't think of a better candidate.

Not to mention X-Brawn has show accurate visible head

william-james88 wrote:
This mold is one of the most beloved and praised molds from the movie era, and that's quite a feat considering how much the movie line is generally disliked.

Not by me. Most of my favourite Transformers figures of all time come from the various movie toylines. Skystalker is a great lil figure though. I regret selling him and the beautifully done Mindwipe (had bills to pay)

Some of these others though I just felt were cruddy especially X-Brawn. I had all those RID 'brothers' and didn't like any of them. Decent car modes but awful robot forms and annoying transformations and no I didn't like the head showing on X-Brawn at all. Just looked ridiculous and far worse than being exposed on the underneath of the car.


Jetfire is still a gorgeous figure after all this time. I always liked the turret guns that his antenna's became and really his head isn't that bad under there because he doesn't have a goofy human-like face staring out of there. Always preferred visor Jetfire to the face (I kept the helmet on the Classics one even though it didn't look as good as the original figure... I don't like the recent Leader figure enough to even make that choice)

william-james88 wrote:

Va'al wrote:SKYSTALKER YESSSSSSSS

one day I was playing with him and it just hit me

He's sneaky that way. Stalkerish, even.

what? no love for metroplex

I'm a huge movie fan and from a design perspective Skystalker is probably in the top 5 for me (that would actually be a cool list for you Will). I am so disappointed that I lost one of his axes. Handful of figures I've lost accessories for and it had to be Skystalker.

I wish we'd get another line like RiD, was cool having a mix of new and old. Best part is everything was priced right. But great list, i do feel like animated hot rod/rodimus should have a mention the head is right behind the windshield visible to all who look.

I'm not sure Override even deserved a runners-up. I mean yeah her vehicle mode is sweet, but her robot mode is pretty terrible, and butch as all hell.

I WANT SKY STALKER

I don't count Skystalker's head as visible. It is on hos forehead, but he has two eyes and a jawline under that ballturret lens that is completely concealed by the jet nose, and the ball turret lens is part of the Scoutplane mode. i do include G1 Scourge, I dont count his generations figure because the head is complete concealed. The gun mohawk is a stretch to qualify as VHS, when the top of his head even is below the aircraft deck.

Flashwave wrote:I don't count Skystalker's head as visible. It is on hos forehead, but he has two eyes and a jawline under that ballturret lens that is completely concealed by the jet nose

..it does? I don't see them.


Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Skystalker Gallery

.......and still no love for Super Fire Convoy.

Va'al wrote:He's sneaky that way. Stalkerish, even.

Oh here we go, the News Admin conversing with his Minion dropping a "Stalker" into the conversation, we get it, you lot are conspiring to suppress the awesomeness that is Stalker. I mean really, the last two Top 5's have clearly been designed to exclude him!

I will take you News lot down and I will get Stalker praised and adored by the masses ...

Nice list! None that I disagree with nor any other examples I think work as well.

Burn wrote:

Va'al wrote:He's sneaky that way. Stalkerish, even.

Oh here we go, the News Admin conversing with his Minion dropping a "Stalker" into the conversation, we get it, you lot are conspiring to suppress the awesomeness that is Stalker. I mean really, the last two Top 5's have clearly been designed to exclude him!

I will take you News lot down and I will get Stalker praised and adored by the masses ...

There there. Hug?

That Seibertron.com stock image of Jetfire had his head facing backwards, though! Maybe whoever transformed it for that photo felt it looked better, making the head less obvious... but it is supposed to be facing forward, and I for one think it looks better that way. The "eye" area can just be seen as a sensor suite on the weapon turret.

I don't have a G1 Jetfire, but here's the same toy as a Macross VF-1S, to demonstrate:



And I seem to recall sharing these images in the "Worst Visible Head Syndrome" thread when offering a counterpoint to someone who disliked Jetfire's head... But here's a more modern Macross VF-1S toy that does it even better.

The head does tuck away into the body somewhat, to offer a slimmer profile:



But it has no problem coming back out when it is needed as a rotatable weapon turret:



(Man, I love that toy!)

Anyway, another one I'd like to nominate for a great case of Visible Head Syndrome is Generations Scoop.



I'm sure it isn't too difficult to spot, but just to make it as obvious as possible:



And here he is with his vehicle mode's canopy pulled back, just to really show off his head:



Like the RID X-Brawn who did make the official top 5 list, there's just something fun about a figure that looks like he's driving himself. And I think that Scoop is the best example of that in the Generations toy line.

i did say Cybertron Unicron had points for his head looking like a radar in vehicle/alt mode in my previous post. glad he's on this list.

Mechastrike wrote:i did say Cybertron Unicron had points for his head looking like a radar in vehicle/alt mode in my previous post. glad he's on this list.

I do miss that toy... The clear plastic hinge that held the head on snapped on mine.

Ah well... Fortunately I later got a much more awesome Unicron:



That toy is an interesting subversion of Visible Head Syndrome. On the animation model, the horns around the maw on the planet mode are supposed to be the same horns that are on his head in robot mode! Of course, on the toy the scale wouldn't quite work, hence the additional larger horns added to the robot mode's shoulders:



So this toy is arguably a case of faux-Visible Head Syndrome!

Generations Scoop! Love that guy! He is a pretty cool driving himself character.

Quick point: What about AoE Slug? The back of his head was spiked so it looked like a part of his spine. It may not be that visible since it is right behind the dino head, but it still deserves some mention. Scorn also pulls off a visible head very well, even better than Slug

Yotsuyasan wrote:

Mechastrike wrote:i did say Cybertron Unicron had points for his head looking like a radar in vehicle/alt mode in my previous post. glad he's on this list.

I do miss that toy... The clear plastic hinge that held the head on snapped on mine.

Ah well... Fortunately I later got a much more awesome Unicron:



That toy is an interesting subversion of Visible Head Syndrome. On the animation model, the horns around the maw on the planet mode are supposed to be the same horns that are on his head in robot mode! Of course, on the toy the scale wouldn't quite work, hence the additional larger horns added to the robot mode's shoulders:



So this toy is arguably a case of faux-Visible Head Syndrome!

i also have the Armada version. i didn't sell the Cybertron one because i began calling the it as my version of "The Fallen".

What about G1 Blurr? Override verily copies his transform mode.

ROTF voyager Megatron?






Also the Leader version to some extent: