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Transformers Prime: Airachnid review - Updated

PostPosted: Wed May 30, 2012 6:39 pm
by Azrail
I got my shipment of Wave 4 in today from Kapow Toys in the UK.
Here are some of my views on Transformers Prime: Deluxe Airachnid.

Sadly I think she could be the poorest in the whole TFP line. :-( In that statment I include RID Bumblebee and Optimus, which are ok figures essentially if not as good as the FE ones.

I need to check out more pics of her but the copter mode is good. Pretty accurate and has an opening cockpit with seat! The rotors spin easily.
Unusual by the rest of the RID standards is she has 2 molded on Decepticon purple logos. 1 tiny one on the cockpit nose and 1 on her chest. Something that has been missing from everyone until now.
Airachnid1.jpg

It's quite a compact alt form but about the same length as Starscream.
Aircomp1.jpg


The stinger guns have 2 handle pegs so can stick out or go flush against the sides. I think it looks better without them on at all or storing to the side. I don't really think the weapons work well at all. An interesting design but I suppose we've seen worse.
aircomp4.jpg


The robot mode is not much fun. She has half a head! Which slides up from the chest with the rear of the cockpit. It's actually attached to the seat. So this means a large hood backpack which spoils the whole look. There has to have been a better way. If they let it pop out like Ratchet it would have been nicer.
Airachnid.jpg


The face is quite a good representation but that's what it is, a face not a head. Due to the backpack it can hardly move from left to right. The backpack spoils it looking like the show for me. I think it's on a ball joint but it's pointless. Even if you pulled it off there is still the seat stuck on. Light piping doesn't seem very effective on her too.
Image

As for articulation: No waist swivel, the legs bend nice at the knees.
The hips can move but it's tiny. They are on a seriously useless ball joint.
The side black panels go up to the top of the waist so the slightest movement backwards makes them hit the backpack. Move the leg forward and it hits the waist area. Push too far and it pops off the joint.
The leg can swing out and the knee is on a pin joint. You can basically have her leg slightly bent in front of her posed and that's it. I think this is where it fails the most. No kneeling poses for her. It's this or nothing really.

The arms have a weird fold out elbow. It barely extends any further. Shoulders are on a ball joint but all the panels get in the way. Across her chest is about all you can do.

The hands look terrible, really well childish. They fold out and have peg holes in the middle. So essentially the whole arm is a wafer thin panel and 1 joint connecting 2 panels.
I think they look really silly holding the stingers too. As it's pegged through the hand rather than a fist.

Triple battle sword? Um not really. Rotors do come off and are reasonable movable. There is a joint on each arm to bend them. They are supposed to lock onto her back but it barely has a large enough peg and constantly comes undone. This is a serious annoyance to me. With the smallest effort it comes out of the peg and rotates down. You can't really pose it in many ways. If you have the blades touching the ground she has to be leaning back.

She has 2 paint apps, black with some purple. I've just seen the box back shows purple and yellow on the legs which is photoshop BS. Only other paint is silver face and yellow on the guns. The guns are nicely detailed.
aircomp3.jpg


Overall this needs a Voyager size remake in the spider mode. I dunno what the Takara AM Micron labels could add to this but will be interesting to see them try.
I give Airachnid a 4/10 for effort and will see how it grows on me. :-?
aircomp2.jpg

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review

PostPosted: Wed May 30, 2012 9:00 pm
by SKYWARPED_128
Thanks for the review, Azrail!

Wow, it looked bad in the pictures, but it seems the articulation REALLY sucks.

I agree; Airachnod deserves a voyager mode, preferably one that gives her a spider mode. Thing is, does Hasbro think she's popular enough to warrant a larger toy?

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review

PostPosted: Wed May 30, 2012 9:04 pm
by Azrail
You're welcome. I will try and post some more pictures soon. Maybe some comparison shots.

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review

PostPosted: Wed May 30, 2012 10:58 pm
by crazyjeffy
God... that's just depressing. Thanks for the review. Sadly a lot of people like me will pick her up just to have the character. Personally, I hope they kill her off in the show so I don't have to buy it complete my 'cons :D Plus I'm not a fan of the character.

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review

PostPosted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 2:15 am
by Fox Thiagarajan
crazyjeffy wrote:God... that's just depressing. Thanks for the review. Sadly a lot of people like me will pick her up just to have the character. Personally, I hope they kill her off in the show so I don't have to buy it complete my 'cons :D Plus I'm not a fan of the character.


I agree. I never cared much for this 'Con in regards to the show. I really like/prefer the TFA Deluxe Blackarachnia figure. If she was remade into a voyager with a spider mode then I would def consider a purchase.

As of this review, I will probably just be happy to receive my Voyager Breakdown in the mail and move onto the new Generations figures.

Thanks for the review!

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review - Updated

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 1:25 pm
by Azrail
I've re-written my review and added some comparison pictures of her with the other deluxes.
I'm still waiting for my Knock Out and Vehicon to arrive sadly.

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review - Updated

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:09 pm
by El Duque
Seibertron.com member Azrail has posted a pictorial review of Transformers Prime Deluxe Class Airachnid. Check out his images and thoughts on the wave four figure below!

I got my shipment of Wave 4 in today from Kapow Toys in the UK.
Here are some of my views on Transformers Prime: Deluxe Airachnid.

Sadly I think she could be the poorest in the whole TFP line. :-( In that statment I include RID Bumblebee and Optimus, which are ok figures essentially if not as good as the FE ones.

I need to check out more pics of her but the copter mode is good. Pretty accurate and has an opening cockpit with seat! The rotors spin easily.
Image

It's quite a compact alt form but about the same length as Starscream.
Image


The stinger guns have 2 handle pegs so can stick out or go flush against the sides. I think it looks better without them on at all or storing to the side. I don't really think the weapons work well at all. An interesting design but I suppose we've seen worse.
Image


The robot mode is not much fun. She has half a head! Which slides up from the chest with the rear of the cockpit. It's actually attached to the seat. So this means a large hood backpack which spoils the whole look. There has to have been a better way. If they let it pop out like Ratchet it would have been nicer.
Image


The face is quite a good representation but that's what it is, a face not a head. Due to the backpack it can hardly move from left to right. The backpack spoils it looking like the show for me. I think it's on a ball joint but it's pointless. Even if you pulled it off there is still the seat stuck on. Light piping doesn't seem very effective on her too.
Image


As for articulation: No waist swivel, the legs bend nice at the knees. The hips can not move so the legs can sit straight forward. It's basically just to the side from transformation. No kneeling poses for her. It's this or nothing really.
The arms have a weird fold out elbow. It barely extends any further. Shoulders are on a ball joint but all the panels get in the way. Across her chest is about all you can do.

The hands look terrible, really well childish. They fold out and have peg holes in the middle. So essentially the whole arm is a wafer thin panel and 1 joint connecting 2 panels.

Triple battle sword? Um not really. Rotors do come off and are reasonable movable. There is a joint on each arm to bend them. They are supposed to lock onto her back but it barely has a large enough peg and constantly comes undone.

She has 2 paint apps, black with some purple. I've just seen the box back shows purple and yellow on the legs which is photoshop BS. Only other paint is silver face and yellow on the guns. The guns are nicely detailed.
Image


Overall this needs a Voyager size remake in the spider mode. I dunno what the Takara AM Micron labels could add to this but will be interesting to see them try.
I give Airachnid a 4/10 for effort and will see how it grows on me. :-?
Image

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review - Updated

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:23 pm
by Bumblevivisector
Sorry to hear what a letdown she is, but not surprised. I will only buy every OTHER one I see, in hopes of her getting a better figure down the road.

Looks like even a 3rd Party upgrade kit can't solve her biggest problems; just the rotors.

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review - Updated

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:47 pm
by Daggor
I agree with you completely. The swing-out hands look cheap & flimsy, and they wasted color on her weapons. I usually keep the weapons in the box - I buy TFs for the TFs.

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review - Updated

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 4:22 pm
by MINDVVIPE
Final nail in the coffin.
I would urge others who are on the fence to hold off, giving them a better reason to make a new mould, but I think that would actually work against that goal. I think the more people that show they like Airachnid, the more attention will be given to her in the future.
Figure is a little too horrendous for me to purchase on that basis alone, though.

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review - Updated

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 4:28 pm
by Mindmaster
Wow... I'm seriously shocked. Now I don't know if I even want to get Airachnid. If I were to get her, it would just be to complete the Prime portion of my collection. Otherwise, she would go virtually untouched.

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review - Updated

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 5:05 pm
by necr0blivion
Thanks for the detailed review. It's interesting to know that the cockpit opens up but her head can barely move... = (

The completionist in me will still get her, wish something could be done with that big goofy hands. I wish we could see a "voyager-class" figure of her with the spider mode.

In that last picture, "one of these things is not like the other...." One of these 'Cons is LOUD!

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review - Updated

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 5:27 pm
by craggy
I was very happy to see Airachnid announced. Every bit of info so far has made me less and less enthused. Am definitely passing on this. It looks...did no one at Hasbro want to design it properly, and gave the job to an intern? Or maybe all the engineering money went into the latest repaint of the exact same Bumblebee mold?

Ah well, at least Dead End looks hideously awesome. Can't wait to get my hands on him.

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review - Updated

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 5:29 pm
by YoungPrime
Fail....

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review - Updated

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 6:02 pm
by dirk2243
uhg..... I'm limiting myself on the Prime line. Only getting the figures I found to be very interesting. (very hard to not buy all of them btw) and cyberverse.

so far that would be
soundwave, a vehicon, bulkhead, breakdown (pending seeing it) and if they make an insecticon for sure.

I was looking forward to Airachnid....but now..... an easy pass. (a voyager would be sweet if done right in/with spider alt mode)

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review - Updated

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 6:20 pm
by Azrail
Somethings wrong with the world isn't it, when a repaint of Wheeljack has more fun factor than a new female bad ass Decepticon. :(
But I didn't even bother opening Shadow Strike Bumbleebee Lol

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review - Updated

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 7:49 pm
by Sodan-1
Azrail wrote:But I didn't even bother opening Shadow Strike Bumbleebee Lol
Nice! :lol:

Yeah, she's definitely the weakest of the RiD figures. I'll pick her up cheap just so I have the complete set.

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review - Updated

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 7:50 pm
by kirbenvost
Her hips have no forward/backward articulation? Seriously? Something is terribly wrong when Hasbro can't even give deluxe figures basic articulation. They're killing this line almost as badly as DOTM.

I think I'll hold out and hope for a Voyager or at least wait for a Seibertron gallery.

It's not like we'll see this wave in Canada anytime soon anyway...

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review - Updated

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 8:09 pm
by Evil_the_Nub
That's even worse than I expected, Cyberverse figures can do better than that. I'll probably still get the figure since I like the character, hopefully they'll get it right with a voyager someday.

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review - Updated

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 9:15 pm
by quickmixed
Cheers for the review.

I cant get past those arms with the flip out hands. Seems like a really lazy figure. Pass for me.

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review - Updated

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 9:28 pm
by gavinfuzzy
Well, Arachnid is packed 1 per case in wave 4. It's harder to find than Vehicon, I have yet to find PRID Vehicon and Arachnid.

Also, I just realized this but Dead End is more common than Night-strike BB... :shock: I have not seen any NSBB recently...

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review - Updated

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 9:48 pm
by alexison
Its a shame, but I may end up skipping this figure all together. She looks awful in both modes. The cheap purple blades are an instant turn off.

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review - Updated

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 9:50 pm
by Azrail
kirbenvost wrote:Her hips have no forward/backward articulation? Seriously? Something is terribly wrong when Hasbro can't even give deluxe figures basic articulation. They're killing this line almost as badly as DOTM.


I've added some more information and tweaked the review a little. See below.

Unusual by the rest of the RID standards is she has 2 molded on Decepticon purple logos. 1 tiny one on the cockpit nose and 1 on her chest. Something that has been missing from everyone until now.

As for articulation: No waist swivel, the legs bend nice at the knees.
The hips can move but it's tiny. They are on a seriously useless ball joint.
The side black panels go up to the top of the waist so the slightest movement backwards makes them hit the backpack. Move the leg forward and it hits the waist area. Push too far and it pops off the joint.
The leg can swing out and the knee is on a pin joint. You can basically have her leg slightly bent in front of her posed and that's it. I think this is where it fails the most. No kneeling poses for her. It's this or nothing really.

The arms have a weird fold out elbow. It barely extends any further. Shoulders are on a ball joint but all the panels get in the way. Across her chest is about all you can do.

The hands look terrible, really well childish. They fold out and have peg holes in the middle. So essentially the whole arm is a wafer thin panel and 1 joint connecting 2 panels.
I think they look really silly holding the stingers too. As it's pegged through the hand rather than a fist.

Triple battle sword? Um not really. Rotors do come off and are reasonable movable. There is a joint on each arm to bend them. They are supposed to lock onto her back but it barely has a large enough peg and constantly comes undone. This is a serious annoyance to me. With the smallest effort it comes out of the peg and rotates down. You can't really pose it in many ways. If you have the blades touching the ground she has to be leaning back.

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review - Updated

PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 11:46 pm
by Noideaforaname
That opening cockpit gimmick really drags down the figure. Can anything even ride in it? Legends? HA humans? Minicons? Even smaller figures?

Re: Transformers Prime: Airachnid review - Updated

PostPosted: Tue Jun 05, 2012 1:04 am
by Evil_the_Nub
Noideaforaname wrote:That opening cockpit gimmick really drags down the figure. Can anything even ride in it? Legends? HA humans? Minicons? Even smaller figures?

That does seem to be the biggest offender, why put it there for a character who's very rarely in alt mode in the first place?