The Energon Pub

I want to buy a Generations Brainstorm. After looking at some reviews online, the issue of the headmaster came up and some mentions of looseness in the joints. But since this is a beautiful toy, I'm still considering this one for my collection.

So I have a few questions before I decide to get him.

Is the headmaster-issue a permanent thing? After you get him unplugged the first time, does it reoccur if you're carefull?

What of the looseness in the joints? Did it show up in your Brainstorm?

And for those who own the Takara version, what is your experience? Does it have any of the Hasbro issues?

And, lastly, does Hasbro's second run have any of the version 1 issues?

Thanks!

To be honest, I haven't had any issues with my Brainstorm. Mind you, I'm sure I got one with the running change that fixed the head issue. I haven't noticed any issue with loose joints though. Maybe I just lucked out.

RiddlerJ wrote:To be honest, I haven't had any issues with my Brainstorm. Mind you, I'm sure I got one with the running change that fixed the head issue. I haven't noticed any issue with loose joints though. Maybe I just lucked out.

Or maybe QC did it's work decently on version 2. That's good news. Only I fear that the online retailers have version 1 on offer. The running change should be imported, then. That would mean more money for shipping.

Can anyone comment on the first release?

I got mine from HTS.

There's a great many things that Hasbro is learning from trying this gimmick for the first time as far as QC is concerned. Some people don't have any issues, some do. I had an issue with mine that hadn't been mentioned on other review videos or threads.

You can check out my review here and see how I remedied this problem:

RhA wrote:

RiddlerJ wrote:To be honest, I haven't had any issues with my Brainstorm. Mind you, I'm sure I got one with the running change that fixed the head issue. I haven't noticed any issue with loose joints though. Maybe I just lucked out.

Or maybe QC did it's work decently on version 2. That's good news. Only I fear that the online retailers have version 1 on offer. The running change should be imported, then. That would mean more money for shipping.

Can anyone comment on the first release?

I've got the first release, confirmed with numbers on box and stamped on the toy. Mine had some loose wrists, and the head was a little tight, but nothing like the horror stories we've heard from some people. I got mine from BBTS, if that helps at all.

So the head-issue can be solved, once you get it out. That's good news.

Both HTS and BBTS aren't options for me. HTS does not ship to Europe and BBTS does... but costs me an arm and a leg. I'm dealing with mainland european shops and as far as I looked, it's version 1 everywhere. I'm still considering the Takara version. In for a penny, in for a pound.

Generations Brainstorm Action Figure = $26. Shipping aforementioned action figure on Amazon = Free. The anxiety you feel when pulling his head off for the first time...Priceless! For everything else there is Mastercard!!!

Just in case input is still being sought, mine arrived from TFSource yesterday. I was worried, so I was planning to be careful, but I've transformed him probably half a dozen times now no problems! His head comes right off nice and easy, and goes back on the same. His other joints are nice and tight. Only minor complaint is that posing his head can be a bit of a pain, with the joint sometimes seeming a bit loose, but if that is the only issue, I'll take it!

Considering that I am on the lookout for him at present, how can one tell the difference between first and second run?

NuclearConvoy wrote:Considering that I am on the lookout for him at present, how can one tell the difference between first and second run?

For the first run, stamped on the back of the box, bottom middle, will be the numbers: 42551. It's an embossed stamp.

Cheers!

Agamemnon wrote:For the first run, stamped on the back of the box, bottom middle, will be the numbers: 42551. It's an embossed stamp.

I'd guess mine is a later run, which is probably why I've had no problems. It says, 42791.

Yotsuyasan wrote:

Agamemnon wrote:For the first run, stamped on the back of the box, bottom middle, will be the numbers: 42551. It's an embossed stamp.

I'd guess mine is a later run, which is probably why I've had no problems. It says, 42791.

Yeah, I forget which thread the info was in (obviously not this one) but all the Brainstorms that had issues had that box code. The engraved code on the wing of the toy was ever so slightly different: 42251

Mine has been okay. It's a little tight, but nothing I am too worried about. It was good to know about this, however, so I could carefully deal with it the first couple of times I transformed him.

Brainstorm is a great figure. My best advice is to take out his head from back to front when changing him to jet mode

He has a Gerwalk mode