The Energon Pub

Starting at Beast Wars and moving forward, which 5 delux ($10-$12)Transformers would you consider you favorites. In no particular order.

Mine are:
Generations Drift: I was never familar with the character, but to me that's what impresses me even more. Some I like because they remind me so much of someone I've seen on TV or from G1, but I never had a chance to pick up Drift's comic. This figure is as close to perfect as it can get in my opinion. There's nothing I have to complain about.

Cybertron Snarl: I can honestly say that out of all the Transformer toys that I own that have animal alternative modes, Snarl is my absolute favorite. I like wolves, and his wolf mode is great. It's got a nice blend of Transmetal 2 thrown in as well as the whole Jungle Planet thing going on. His robot mode is really nice, and considering that I used to (and sort of still do) hate Transformers with an animal head for an arm, it is noteworth that this feature is actually a plus for Snarl.

Classics/Universe Sideswipe: The pinnacle of G1 Autobot car toys. G1 accurate. Looks great in both modes. Bonus is that he can be displayed beside his brother, who is not a normal repaint, but can be transformed into his own unique robot mode. I was excited when I first saw pictures, and I haven't been dissapointed.

Classics/Universe Skywarp: A repaint of the starscream figure who I think is awesome in his own right, however Skywarp's colors are better. As definitive as Sideswipe is for Autobot cars, I think that the classics seeker mode is just as strong. G1 accurate on the level of both toys anc cartoon. Awesome little figure!

Classics/Universe Cyclonous: Many people claim this to be one of the best Transformers out there and I agree. Awesome robot and alternate modes, close enough to be G1 accurate, but different enough to give him his own feel. Throw in the fact that he's a legitimate Target Master and you'll see what all the hype is about.

Honorable mention:
Classics Rodimus - A near perfect Hot Rod figure, only thing that kept him from making the list was the fact that he needed Reprolabels set to give his HM status.

Cybertron Downshift - A green muscle car that looks wonderful and a robot mode that is quite impressive. Wheeljack's face doesn't hurt anything either.

Classics Mirage - the only reason he didn't make my top five list is cause I couldn't put him past Snarl or Cyclonous. He could have passed Sideswipe, but Sideswipe's dual robot mode gave him the edge. Still, he definantly get's the 6th man award.

1. Henkei! Henkei! Red Alert: Not only is it a good, cartoon accurate toy of my favorite G1 character, the mold clips together MUCH better than my Universe Sideswipe. And his paint is so crisp and lovely!

2. TA-04 Takara Animated Ratchet: This toy is just gorgeous. The red is this deep metallic crimson, and the non-metallic paint apps are so glossy you can see yourself in them. Just beautiful!

3. Henkei! Henkei! Mirage: He's more flexible than any of my toys, and the G1 'toon accurate deco and dark blue plastic are bonuses. Right now he is doing yoga on my shelf with Revoltech Starscream and Robot Replicas Ratchet.

4. Henkei! Henkei! Hound: Love the green on this - not too chuffed about the updated Jeep, but at least it isn't that nasty pea-soup green of the universe mold! Also, I love that they gave him a darker chrome - the shiny silver just wouldn't be right for Hound. They could have put some on Ravage tho.

5. Animated Rescue Ratchet: People love to hate on this one, but I love him for purely personal reasons. The ambulance I ride on is painted the same color scheme. Also he has a beautiful metallic silver bumper!

...looking this over it becomes clear to me that all HasTak needs to do to part me from my money is make their toys shiny.

Let see:

• BM Jetstorm. The Plane mode is just awesome, Robot mode is not bad, if you are not going for carton accuracy.
  
• R.I.D Side Burn. Love the Viper mold.
  
• Energon Rodimus. Great Vehicle mode, Pretty decent robot mode, awesome weapon. Ignore the combined mode. He's just all around great.
  
• Cybertron Downshift. Just overall awesomesauce. Also the hideaway key slot is a major plus.
  
• Universe Cyclonus. Great update to an original character, with a tiny target master to boot.

Classics Seeker Mold deserves an honorable mention.

My current top 5:

Classics Mirage
Animated Blur
WFC Prime
Generations Drift
Universe Sunstreaker

Ooh boy.

Generations WfC Prime: Pretty much the best detail I've seen on a deluxe. Fun transformation, high poseability, great accuracy for a deluxe. And the transformable gun with multiple hard points. Simply win.

HftD Battle Blade Bumblebee: The best movie BB. All the good parts of the HA version, with a better cannon arm and a size that looks good next to Leader Prime. Can't get better than that.

Animated Blurr: Posing, cartoon accuracy, perfect transformation and overall great look. Blurr embodies the Animated aesthetic all on his own.

Animated Lockdown: Ohhhh yeah. Lockdown was awesome from the beginning and his toy showed it. Actually the first Animated toy I got. Cool alt mode and an awesomely tall robot mode.

10th Anniversary Dinobot: With one caveat - he became a favorite after I meticulously painted his yellow, purple, and unpainted bits to show-accurate colors. Other than that... it's freaking Dinobot. <3

Armada Blurr
Animated Blurr
Cybertron Blurr
Takara Animated Blurr
Generations Blurr

WFC Prime: If you want, put all 6 guns/weapons on him. He is awesome.

Henkei/classics Bumblebee: A good representation of what Bumblebee should look like. I own the Henkei version though.

Classics Mirage: So flexible and poseable.

Classics Sideswipe: Many times I just can't stop twitching his car roof to see his head moves up and down.

Classics Cyclonus/Cybertron Sideway: Both figures are somewhat similar. Thin and poseable. Both have unique alternate mode and good and fun robot mode.

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Yeah, Classics Hot Rod, I never forget about you. I always have a soft spot on you. But you know......

Generation Jazz, you may movie in here once I see you and hopefully you will be good.

Blurrz wrote:Armada Blurr
Animated Blurr
Cybertron Blurr
Takara Animated Blurr
Generations Blurr

Wow, Just Wow. Wow. Obsessive....

Universe Sunstreaker
Energon Barricade
Rotf Lockdown
Energon Downshift
Movie Landmine/ROTF Armorhide.

Stixx

Hrms. I should note that I am listing by MOLD, unless a particular paintjob is particularly cool, or particularly bad. Thus, in no particular order:

1 ) Universe 2.0 Cyclonus. And, of course, I gotta get the 3-pack now for a US made (and thus cheaper) toon-accurate color scheme.

2 ) Cybertron Downshift. Both iterations of this mold are just too fun. And the fact that his capture claw gimmick really doesn't take too much away from articulation, and doesn't stick out the back like that piece of garbage TFTM Payload, and it's a winner in my book.

3 ) The Classics / Universe Seeker mold. Cartoon accurate robot shape (color depending on paint job and such). Jet mode with minimal underbelly kibble. Excellent articulation for the time and for the design. Just a nice mold overall. Heck, I even like the Acid Storm paint job!

4 ) Universe 2.0 Hound. One of the best molds of the line, it keeps the stocky feeling of the old model as well as the basic "look" of the toon's build. Whether you get Henkei or the US version, it's worth it.

5 ) Universe 2.0 Prowl/etc. I KNOW there's people out there who hate this mold, but I love it. The twin launchers, classic robot shape, all of it just totally rocks. I could do without the G2 paintjob characters from BotCon, however.

generations drift

classics bumblebee

classics sunstreaker

classics hound

botcon goldbug

Cybertron Sideways
Cybertron Downshift
Classics Seeker
ROTF Dirge/Jetblade
HFTD Tomahawk (forward looking statement, ha)

1.) WFC OP. Probably the most posable OP I have to date, and he's surprisingly accurate to his game CG in both modes, barring the necessary back kibble for transformation.

2.) Classics Mirage. Find me a more poseable and articulated transformable bot, and I'll find you a diet that works. Not much of a fan of his alt mode, although it's futuristic look makes it versatile enough to pass as a WFC figure.

3.) Generations Drift. A great figure hampered by a "chewing gum" longsword and the kibble on his shoulders reduces shoulder articulation.

4.) ROTF Sideswipe. Good movie accuracy, decent articulation.

5.) WFC Bumblebee. While a very articulated and poseable bot, his hollow torso is evident in bot mode, and there's a gap between his back kibble and his body, making the hollowness of his insides even more pronounced. He's also too large to be in scale with OP and probably the rest of the WFC figs.

His Cybertronian "courier" mode looks really cute, though.

Warbot Springer Defender
Alternity Starscream
07 Bumblebee
Classics Mirage

I'll leave a spot open as I haven't opened Drift yet and he may well take a spot!

1. Classics/Universe Hound-Hound is probably my favorite character of all time, and the G1 figure was my favorite TF when I was a kid. Hasbro did a really great job with this update of Hound. It is a must-have in my book.

2. Classics Seeker-I can't say it better than previous posters. This is just a great mold all the way around. Side note: I think the Acid Storm repaint is as good as any other use of this mold. That turned out really great.

3. Animated Jazz, Animated Prowl and Animated Oil Slick-I couldn't choose between these figures, so I just threw them all in. They are all amazingly accurate in both molds, and they are some of the most poseable figures you can buy. Extremely impressive figures, and I am really not a huge Animated fan.

4. Classics Mirage-This figure is but outstanding in so many ways. If you don't have this mold in some form or another, then you need to get it. Freaking awesome.

5. 07 Bumblebee-I still like the 07 version better than the new Battle Blade version. Though I will agree that the new version is far superior in many ways, and it is the better of the two for display purposes, I still like the 07 version better. The 07 is more fun and smooth to transform (IMO), and I really think the alt mode is served best in the 07 version. I think Hasbro did an awesome job with the original movie BB, and the mold still deserves a lot of appreciation.

Going with these

Classics Mirage
Henkei Hound
Henkei Cyclonus
Cybertron Exillion
Cybertron CD Hotshot

GF Noisemaze Production Type (Yep, I said it)
Fracture
Classics Octane/Tankor
BotCon Thrust
BotCon Slicer

Honorable Mention: U Blastcharge

1. Botcon Springer
2. Generations Drift
3. Seeker mold (specifically Skywarp)
4. Alternity Black Convoy
5. Cybertron Cannonball.

Lately Hasbro's been putting out some great delux class figures.
I think I like Blurr better than Drift and WFC Megatron constantly impresses me. I may have to copletly redo my listonce Jazz and Wreck-gar come out.

Sidearm Sideswipe-well other than hasbro color figures great
Turbo Tracks-great figure overall
the classics sunstreaker-sideswipe-red alert mold
generations blurr/drift
classics prowl,smokescreen,bluestreak

Well....
Generations blurr. He is just amazing. I haven't put it down since I bought it.
Animated arcee. Best arcee we got.
Universe cyclonus. Any version.
Generations megs.
Henkei ghost SS.

alternity bee should count. He is deluxe sized. If so, he is my #1.

Off the top of my head and in no particular order:

ROTF Lockdown
Generations Blurr
Generations Soundwave
HFTD Battleblade BB
TFTM Black ARcee

Honorable Mentions: ROTF Brawn, ROTF Sideswipe, Animated Samurai Prowl