Next up, I'll give my thoughts on Siege Voyager Megatron. Like Optimus, this is easily the best Megatron of the "Classics" kind we've gotten in the 12 years since the idea of updating G1 characters with new toy technology became a thing. Siege Megatron has replaced Titans Return Voyager Megatron in my Classics display, and there is NO going back!
Even though this is the closet to the G1 character model of Megatron in toy form we've gotten (again, outside of the Masterpiece line), it still obviously takes some liberties, simply because he has to turn into something that's NOT a handgun. Optimus Prime is almost a perfect match for his own character model in robot mode, but Megatron is a few steps behind, due to some of the tank kibble involved, particularly the large treads hanging off his back, peaking above his shoulders. Honestly, though, Megatron wears the tank parts well and he looks nonetheless the part of this G1 self in this reimagined configuration. What helps especially is the spot-on head sculpt. It's taken Hasbro and Takara Tomy many years and several different iterations, but each time, they seem to do better and better at capturing Megatron's iconic sinister mug in plastic form. The colors used are perfect too. The shade of gray plastic this figure is cast in is leagues better than the anemic looking "off white" color Hasbro used for TR Megatron just a couple years ago.
Speaking of the tank alt mode, it works pretty well for Megatron. It's nothing new to see a Megatron, whether a G1 reimagining or from an alternate universe/continuity, done up as a tank, but it's done particularly well here. He definitely looks a lot more "Cybertronian" than Siege Optimus Prime's truck mode, that's for sure! The tank looks passable as a traditional tank design, while still being that fictional "H-tank" design that Hasbro and Takara Tomy seem so fond of for what ever reason. (My guess is design simplicity.
) Of note, the tank mode does sport some brown paint apps, which are largely absent from the stock photography on the back of the box. Indeed, there are a few other paint operations either switched around or omitted on the final product, like some extra red detailing on the shoulder covers in tank mode. I'm not sure why the brown is there (mostly on the tank's tread guards) as it doesn't seem to match up with anything from the original G1 Megatron toy, nor the cartoon model.
The transformation of Siege Megatron is pretty straight forward, except for converting the legs from robot into tank mode. That was a little tricky, but I still manage to figure it out with the instructions, thought it did admittedly take me a little longer to convert Megatron back and forth than it did for Optimus Prime. The rest of the transformation is very intuitive, but the lack of complexity makes it feel just a bit less exciting/rewarding compared to Optimus. The trade off is that converting Megatron, once you know the trick with the legs, is much faster.
As for the battle damage paint apps, Megatron's aren't too intrusive, at least on the arms and shins. I'm not really happy with the splotches on his helmet. Those are distracting to me. There's a bit too much on the chest for my liking too. I'm seriously considering at the very least wiping off the splotches on the helmet. I might even go so far as to clean off some of the paint apps on the chest, if not remove them altogether.
Megatron's accessories are very a propos. He, of course, has his requisite Fusion Cannon. (You can't be G1 Megatron without it!) The bigger "surprise" is the converting sword, very reminiscent of the one that game with the G1 figure. Instead of using it as a weapon, though, I prefer to put mine behind the right shoulder of Megatron in robot mode. Just twist the blades down and point the barrel upwards. It simulates the gun muzzle in G1 Megatron that sat behind the same shoulder in his character model. I also really appreciate the accessory integration in tank mode as well. The fusion cannon is essential to the tank anyway, and the sword hides very well, not looking superfluous. Optimus Prime has to make do with putting his blaster and axe/shield on his cab roof, truck bed, or the sides of his legs, for the most part. None of the configurations are ideal, but you can make a backwards facing turret of sorts by combining the blaster with the shield, placing them together on the truck bed. Thanks, Carytheone for that tip!
There's not a lot I'd want out of a hypothetical "Platinum Edition" of Siege Megatron beyond the obvious omission of the battle damage and adding in a few missing paint details, like the red rectangle on his abdomen. It's about as close to a perfect G1 Megatron as we'll get without it turning into a Walther P-38 pistol.
Siege Megatron should not be skipped! Get yourself hyped up with these pictures!
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Legends Arcee, & Potp Wreck Garr, he's absolutly fantastic next to them. But next to Potp Optimus? Woah, Prime got rrrRRRRIIIIPED! I must say, I do like this size for leader figures. They're still big, but they're more... realistic compared to the other size classes. I guess my only complaint about size is, compared to a Prime Wars voyager figure, Magnus is only a slight bit taller. Which I get, it's supposed to be in scale with the newer figures, so that's more of a nitpick.
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