The Energon Pub

[just_aCloud]

Are Grimlocks dino arms on the wrong sides? Shouldn't the claws be pointing downward? Having them point upward makes it look like he is singing.

Grimlock's arms faced upwards in the 1986 movie so that's why the toy is like that.

[Rodimus Prime]

I'm in the extreme minority here, but I like the yellow on Grimlock. The gold has always turned me off. If his thighs were blue instead of black, he'd be Marvel comic accurate.

[First-Aid]

I think I know what bugs people about Kup:
1. Bad posing - in several shots (including the latest), his ab joint is leaned back when it really shouldn't be, making him look awkward.

He's posed better here.
2. His shoulders are too low. Not quite as bad as on the original toy (dear Primus), but they're still set too far below the neckline. They needed a double-hinge or a slide to let them migrate 5mm or so up from where they currently are. Or have the existing hinge situated higher.
3. The backpack awkwardly sticks out instead of sitting against his back, so it looks like it's floating.

For me it's the coloring, and I FINALLY put two and two together and figured out what it was: his chest plate. In the movie the chest plate is a light-blueish-grey color; in this production model it's just too dark and doesn't provide color contrast, making this chest very boring. If they were to replace that translucent blue with a solid bluish-light grey, I think he'd look almost perfect.

[Razorbeast88]

I still can't decide if I want to get this Kup or stick with my generations Kup with the iGear upgrade.

[chuckdawg1999]

Question, for those complaining about the 86 line, will you feel the same way if the next subline is based on the Beast Wars movie(s)?

...the Beast Wars movie has to happen in the first place

Exactly...matter of fact it hasn't even been officially announced, right? What was the point of this question?

I was under the impression that the Japanese Beast Wars series got a "Movie" or two during its lifetime. Something that bridged between BW II and Neo? If I'm wrong, my bad. My point in asking was looking at the broader probability that the 86 line is the first step in expanding Studio Series beyond just the live action films and including all Transformers cinematic media.

[Sabrblade]

I was under the impression that the Japanese Beast Wars series got a "Movie" or two during its lifetime.

You are correct. The others who responded to your post didn't understand that that's what you meant and instead thought you were talking about the rumored Beast Wars movie that may or may not be coming from Hollywood.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

I was under the impression that the Japanese Beast Wars series got a "Movie" or two during its lifetime.

You are correct. The others who responded to your post didn't understand that that's what you meant and instead thought you were talking about the rumored Beast Wars movie that may or may not be coming from Hollywood.

That may also provide possibilities, like that Bay-verse Primal

As for the BWII Movie, that was more of a side-story happening in the middle of the series. Run-of-the-mill stuff if you're an anime fan, except they did buck tradition a bit by not reusing transformation stock footage from the series, instead newly animating some especially for the movie.

[Talon523]

I absolutely hate Kup's head sculpt. It's like Hasbro did a crossover with the live action skeletor. I also think Blur's chin is too big.

I've pre-ordered the rest. I'll buy everything as long as the head sculpts reflect the characters accurately.

[NeonPrime]

Any word yet on whether Wheelie transformers?

[ZeroWolf]

Also, given that the Beast Wars II movie waz exclusively Japanese, its not likely to be on Hasbro's radar. Again, the only reason that Studio Series 86 exists is because there was no more room in Kingdom.

Edit:

Wheelie is a poseable non-transforming figure

[o.supreme]

Probably going to be some unpopular opinions here but just to reiterate, as a fan of the original series, these toys look great, but I do feel bad for SS fans as this line has been infiltrated by TFTM based toys. They Should have been their own subline.

But then again to all those fans complaining "there's too much G1"....well when most off these toys pre-orders sell out on Hasbro Pulse , you can see why they will continue to remake these classic characters. I went to Walmart today, most of the Netflix an ER toys they had were gone, but plenty of Cyberverse and SS sitting on shelves.

I sincerely hope the kingdom line does well, even though I'll only be getting a few of them. I'm mean for my dollars, more original Series Transformers is always good. But if you want more of other eras, or more new stuff, support it with your purchases. Actually the only Kingdom toys I've pre ordered so far are the Fossilizers which are arguably all new creations.


Edit-For the record the BWII movie is amazing fun, its nice the fansub is readily available, but I'd absolutely support an official release in North America. Also, until it comes from someone at Hasbro, I still don't believe SS 86 are just leftover Kingdom Toys, it doesn't make any logical sense.

[ZeldaTheSwordsman]

Pretty sure people are saying they're overflow, not leftover.

[sol magnus]

I'm fairly certain that Grimlock used his sword often during the series, I remember seeing it more than his rifle. I'm calling it now, Daniel is going to be a retool of Whelie

I don't recall a single instance of Grimlock using his sword in the series.

[sol magnus]

Any word yet on whether Wheelie transformers?

The write-up on Pulse confirms he doesn't transform.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

Pretty sure people are saying they're overflow, not leftover.

Whichever means "designs originally to be used for Kingdom, but repurposed for a different line"

[AcademyofDrX]

Wheelie's poseable, but has very limited articulation. One ball joint for each of his limbs, and maybe his head pivots? His knees are permanently bent and the only viable pose with his arms are for aiming the slingshot. I don't mind, as he's just an accessory for Grimlock, but I would like a proper update for him sooner than later. I have the TR figure for completeness, but the tabs are too big to lock the alt-mode into place.

[Deadput]

I absolutely detest Kup's arms, the shoulders are both too wide and too far down, it's terrible bosy proportions.

The expression they chose is also pretty ugly, should of been more natural instead of that weird frown/pout.

[Rodimus Prime]

To me, Kup is crap all around. Headsculpt is wrong, colors are wrong, arms are bad, it's just a total miss for me, and I decided TR Blurr is superior to this one, even if this figure isn't that bad. So that's $40 saved. I'll get Grimlock and Jazz, I'm undecided about Hot Rod. Scourge and Cyclonus are probable purchases. Bring on the rest of the Dinobots, and I'll be happy. And if we get a toy-accurate Gavatron in Selects or even SS, I'll be happy with that as well.

[Sabrblade]

For me, the only reason I would even consider getting Kup is because his limbs are built like those of the Weaponizers/Modulators/Fossilizers, meaning his arms and legs can be swapped out and mixed-and-matched with weapons, building equipment, or dinosaur bones.

[william-james88]

For me, the only reason I would even consider getting Kup is because his limbs are built like those of the Weaponizers/Modulators/Fossilizers, meaning his arms and legs can be swapped out and mixed-and-matched with weapons, building equipment, or dinosaur bones.

The only reason I'd like him is because the alt mode looks amazing compared to any previous efforts. Interesting how the alt mode was favored for him rather than bot mode (then again,the Kingdom line seems to be about that a lot)

[AllNewSuperRobot]

Wheelie is a poseable non-transforming figure

So then, what is the point? Wheelie isn't Kranix, Spike or Daniel. He is a Transformer. Admittedly there was nothing in the show or movie that ever explained his origins or how he survived on Quintessa. But I said before, in the MP thread, considering his size Wheelie couldn't really be sold in that line on his own. I even suggested he could be paired up with MP Grimlock 2.0. But he still is essentially one of the last post-Movie mini vehicles.

[ZeroWolf]

Wheelie is a poseable non-transforming figure

So then, what is the point? Wheelie isn't Kranix, Spike or Daniel. He is a Transformer. Admittedly there was nothing in the show or movie that ever explained his origins or how he survived on Quintessa. But I said before, in the MP thread, considering his size Wheelie couldn't really be sold in that line on his own. I even suggested he could be paired up with MP Grimlock 2.0. But he still is essentially one of the last post-Movie mini vehicles.

I think they probably hit the wall with Wheelies design, trying to keep it on point to the animation model and transform. Plus with the Core Class being full up over in Kingdom and Studio Series not doing anything smaller than Deluxe...you run out of places to put him. Now they could have made this wheelie transformable but that would have taken resources away from Grimlock.

Personally, once he's up on the shelves, it won't make too much of a difference to be fair, but of course your mileage may vary.

Now as for the WfC/SS86, a simple thought experiment. Can you swap any of these out for Cyclonus from Kingdom? Or Arcee from Earthrise and notice the difference in styles? As I always said, ss86 is Hasbro wanting its cake and eating it.

[Hellscream9999]

For me, the only reason I would even consider getting Kup is because his limbs are built like those of the Weaponizers/Modulators/Fossilizers, meaning his arms and legs can be swapped out and mixed-and-matched with weapons, building equipment, or dinosaur bones.

The only reason I'd like him is because the alt mode looks amazing compared to any previous efforts. Interesting how the alt mode was favored for him rather than bot mode (then again,the Kingdom line seems to be about that a lot)

I think his bot mode is pretty accurate to the movie from what I remember, weren't his arms always really far down his body?

[AcademyofDrX]

I think you can reverse-engineer the decisions on Wheelie from the Studio Series mandate and their priorities with Grimlock. Studio Series is about screen-accuracy, including scale, and recreating scenes from the movies with or without the backdrops.

The biggest Dinobot action scenes are the battle with Devastator and the trial, and for obvious reasons they went with the second. If you want to really recreate that scene, you need Wheelie, and for the reasons mentioned earlier you're talking about an accessory and not a figure in its own right.

I'll probably pose them together out of the package, but then when I do other standard displays, I'll break out the TR figure. This Wheelie will get stored with Ravage's cage and other single-use accessories.

[AllNewSuperRobot]

I'm thinking twofold now. On the one hand, I don't think he ever transforms in the Movie? So in that respect this is accurate.

BUT!

On the other hand, Head/Target/Battle/Weaponmasters exist. Even with the size of SS Wheelie, I don't think it would have too difficult for them to make his limbs fold back on their joints, to make his "car mode".