The Energon Pub

From BadCube on Facebook!

OTS-15 Recon
Highlights*
-better proportion (narrower) chest -much slimmer lower legs - paint finish
- rifle stored under the carriage
- shoulder cannon stays during the transformation from robot to vehicle, and from vehicle to robot, no partforming
- vehicle doors, hood, headlights can be open like a real car
- 4 'real' tires, not fake wheels - high-quality silicone tires -correct look on both bots front and backside.

He is perfect. Seriously. I'm so happy

shajaki wrote:He is perfect. Seriously. I'm so happy

Yeah, this one is amazing. Bought on sight.

BC Red Alert will be so bought by me. I passed TTomy Red Alert V1 due to the red thigh. I was going get MP14+ white thigh but never have a chance to pull the trigger. But now it's too late for TTomy as BC Red Alert is more toon accurate. My Red Alert needs to have wing door arm, spoiler on his back, and white thigh. BC Red Alert gives me all of that. The downside, I will now have to hunt down MP Inferno to give BC Red Alert a pal.

shajaki wrote:

ONE FOOT BALAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANCE!!

Also, I feel you on all you stated @Reminator! If I picked up Alert I'd have to get Inferno for the carrying thing he comes with

Did you see that the rocket pack that comes with sideswipe can fit optimus?

Ironhidensh wrote:Did you see that the rocket pack that comes with sideswipe can fit optimus?

It'd be funny if I didn't, since I'm the one doing the massive pic dumping

I just can't get enough of these. They're so impressive. Just dropped my preorders the other day

shajaki wrote:

Ironhidensh wrote:Did you see that the rocket pack that comes with sideswipe can fit optimus?

It'd be funny if I didn't, since I'm the one doing the massive pic dumping

I just can't get enough of these. They're so impressive. Just dropped my preorders the other day

I did the same. These 2 are both must haves for me.

So... did anyone else realize that BOTH of their backs are specifically different and cartoon accurate?!

Mine shipped yesterday.

So, they're in.
To be perfectly honest, I'm pretty disillusioned.

First off, Recon (Alert) is missing pieces. He was packaged with no face (his neutral face), and doesn't have his shoulder cannon installed, nor was it in the box. So right off the bat, I'm pretty choked, though these aren't knocks against the figures themselves. Those will come all on their own...

Now, I don't want to say the phrase "KO quality", but it's pretty close. The plastic in general just doesn't feel great. And most of my issues with these guys are in the heads and legs. Their interchangeable faces almost don't seem to fit their faces, and look slightly out of place. Not to mention their heads are made up of 3 movable pieces (4 if you include the faces themselves) and are floppy as all hell. And their legs look hollow, and feel hollow. Not only that, the plastic for them is especially thin. There aren't enough gap filling pieces, and at almost every angle there is some part of those legs that you can see through. And look at their knees. There is a gap, designed into the knee. I thought I was just transforming it wrong, but nope, it's supposed to look like that. On top of that, I hate their guns. They're hollow, look small, and weird. When displaying these two, they're probably going to be holding the official MP's guns.

Does anyone remember my review of FT's Rouge (MP Arcee)? I said it was alright, but lacked the refinement we get with official MP's. These feel like they're a step beyond that even. Badcube's Sunsurge lacked refinement, but he was a MUCH more solid figure than either of these two. By the time I dealt with the missing pieces, and disappointing robot modes, I couldn't even be bother to take pics. Perhaps later.

In spite of all this, there are still positives. Their car modes, I think, are perfect. Though with how impressive MP-39 was, I think Takara can match it if they ever make a Sideswipe V2. And the transformation (while still kind of explode'y) wasn't the nightmare that Sunsurge was. And even though it didn't really pan out, I give them props for trying to integrate the weapons. Also, they are very posable.

I was absolutely smitten with these before release. So I can't believe how it went so wrong. My advice, is pass.

Amelie wrote:

shajaki wrote:I was absolutely smitten with these before release. So I can't believe how it went so wrong. My advice, is pass.

This was the impression I got before the video reviews I saw. The transformation simply put me off - it looked like I had too many frightening joints to contend with, especially on a 3P toy as I find the plastic is more likely to be less sound than Takara's.

The knees, especially look... weird... with that gap in the front.

Honestly the joints are alright. It's just not a very... I dunno, attractive(?) transformation. Nowhere near as bad as Sunsurge though.

Yeah... those knees... had I noticed them before (they're so glaring now I don't know how I missed it) I'd have passed.