Caelus wrote:On the topic of Rodimus Unicronus/Nemesis Rod/Shattered Glass Rodimus/CHUG Titanium Menasor...
I never saw Rodimus Prime in hand, but being happy with Titans Return Hot Rod, would have been happy to pass him over for the repaint, since this is actually something pretty different. Granted, there have been a few black Rodimus figures, now, but none that I've had access to, so I guess it's new-to-me.
Anyway, not having Rodimus Prime, here are my thoughts:
(1) Vanity kneecaps are hilariously appropriate for an evil Hot Rod. Still wish he had the SG Autobot insignia, though. Being as he doesn't, and is supposed to be a mainline character, I find myself wondering: does that mean there's a heroic Rodimus Prime in the Shattered Glass universe? Is there a Zibarro Hot Rod?
(2) I like that the head isn't (as far as I know) just a repaint of RP's head. It has a distinct look, and the facial 'hair' is less reminiscent of Mirrorverse Spock, and more reminiscent of either Transformers: Animated Motormaster, or DCAU Lobo. I definitely hear Brad Garrett's voice in my head when I look at him.
(3) Oddly, his right knee is slightly loose - not floppy, but loose - while his left knee has a great deal of tension on it. If I force it all the way back, which freaks me out, it will stay in position, but any position short of that it kicks forward under its own tension. I assume the plastic most be warped or the pin through the knee is over-tight.
(4) In terms of the evolution gimmick, Hot Rod has the better alternate mode, and Rodimus has the better robot mode. In robot mode, Hot Rod feels kind of lanky and oddly proportioned, while Rodimus is bulky, hefty, and looks good with my other Leader and Masterpiece villains. Rodimus also just has more personality than Hot Rod, somehow. In vehicle mode, I'd be more impressed with Rodimus if (a) his trailer weren't so fiddly to attach, and (b) if his windshield came forward and lifted up a little, to look a bit more like a truck cab, and a bit less like Hot Rod is being swallowed by something.
(5) The transformation is a lot more clever than I expected. I had to check the instructions, partly because some things were tight enough I wasn't sure I was doing things right, but partly because it just didn't work the way I thought it did.
(6) The articulation on his shoulders doesn't really bother me. A change to Hot Rod's knees might have improved it, but probably would have caused problems for Hot Rod. Hot Rod's hands becoming Rodimus's ribs is a bit distracting.
(7) As far as the backpack, I think the weight helps balance him, but I do feel like the backpack could have folded up better. I kind of wish the spoiler could be extended to give him bigger wings in Rodimus mode, but I guess those would have just gotten in the way.
(8) The plain black wheels were a bummer, and I had to fix that with a paint pen sooner after I opened him.
(9) His rifle is cool, but doesn't look right with him. Armada Darksaber looks good with him, but what I think he really needs is a chain and hook. Because, again, Lobo.
So..you got Rodimus Unicronus, do you have any inhand pics?
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