The Energon Pub

[william-james88]

Is there any tf in your collection that you just cant get over how gorgeous the paintjob is? Or that you are just so impresed with the deco or amount of paint?

To me, the most impressive is Car Robots JRX, which some may know as Robots in Disguise Railracer, the 3 bullet trains that combined into 1 big bot. In Japan, they wanted clear windows, so they had to paint all the clear plastic panels. RID Sideways is really impressive too. Actually now that I think of it, most of RID would fit the bill of best deco. Are there any other TFS outside of the RID 2001 line that would rival them in terms of deco?

[Optimum Supreme]

I really got a kick out of how close TR Scourge's deco comes to the original toy. Even more so after I swapped his upper legs with TR Highbrow, but even before that, I was really loving this hunk of plastic a little more than the rest of the line.

[Evil Eye]

A lot of Beast Wars was really nicely done. Lots of gorgeous airbrush work that really made the spectacular sculpted detail pop. Terragator is a good example with that wonderfully painted shell. Also Jawbreaker and his Universe redeco Frostbite.

[william-james88]

A lot of Beast Wars was really nicely done. Lots of gorgeous airbrush work that really made the spectacular sculpted detail pop. Terragator is a good example with that wonderfully painted shell. Also Jawbreaker and his Universe redeco Frostbite.

Terragator is an excellent example! Your right about the shell, they really give it an organic feel with the layers of paint.

[Evil Eye]

A lot of Beast Wars was really nicely done. Lots of gorgeous airbrush work that really made the spectacular sculpted detail pop. Terragator is a good example with that wonderfully painted shell. Also Jawbreaker and his Universe redeco Frostbite.

Terragator is an excellent example! Your right about the shell, they really give it an organic feel with the layers of paint.

Aye, a pity the robot mode is so...awkward, because the beast mode looks great. It really feels like a damn shame that we're not likely to get that kind of paintjob in a mainline retail series again.

Anyway, less moaning and more gushing.

(Disclaimer: I don't own most of these figures.)

As you mentioned, most of the RID line had superb paintjobs. Side Burn with his gorgeous fully painted car exterior, Gigatron's illustrious deco, Sky-Byte full stop...And though it might not fully count as most of it was done with plastic colours (AFAIK, don't own the toy) Scourge is a thing of beauty, especially with that chromed up tanker trailer.

Some more Beast Wars goodness came with the Transmetals- TM Waspinator (both versions) is gorgeous, and I've expressed my adoration for the aesthetic perfection that is TM2 Blackarachnia before. Tigerhawk is rocking a pretty sweet deco, as is his nemesis TM2 Megatron (and especially the Cryotek redeco).

Beast Machines had some pretty sweet paintjobs actually. A lot of the Maximals looked really striking, and some of the Vehicons looked pretty good too. Jetstorm's shiny blue coat is a thing of beauty, and Blastcharge, whilst an appalling toy in robot mode, has a pretty neat looking vehicle mode.

(In case you're wondering, yes, I have a major weakness for chrome and airbrushing.)

Sadly the Unicron Trilogy was fairly light on especially gorgeous paintjobs. Armada, whilst replete with some really nifty designs, and even some good-looking bricks, had very few really standout paintjobs. Energon faired a bit better, with Tidal Wave's nifty lightning bolt patterns and a lot of the Deceticons in general. Cybertron had two standouts- Galvatron with his lovely (and tough) silver paint and Scourge, with his colour-fades and overall awesome colour scheme.

The Movie lines have had a few nice decos. Most Optimus Prime figures that actually tried to replicate his onscreen appearance with some degree of accuracy usually look good, with the red and orange fade and the overall metallic tint to the colours. The premium decos are always beautiful but that's to be expected.

Animated largely used plastic colours, and to be fair it mostly worked. The Japanese versions, whilst wildly inaccurate, did have some really nice looking shiny paintjobs, so there's that.

I only own one MP (G2 Sideswipe) but he's a real winner. There's something about an "automotive" quality paintjob on a toy that just makes it that bit nicer. They could have gone with bare black plastic, but they went the extra mile and gave him gorgeous glossy black paint. And I love it. Tracks looks nice too with his candy blue paintjob.

G1 Shockwave, IIRC, has a really really nice purple metallic finish (though that might just be plastic). Shockwave is one of those G1 toys I'd love to own some day. Shame he's ridiculously expensive nowadays (AFAIK).

And finally, to round it off on a surprise entry...G2 Bumblebee! Not the MP, the original teeny tiny toy! I really wish the MP had been given the same gold chrome finish- the metallic is nice, but the chrome on the G2 toy just looks luscious.

[fenrir72]

Plastic and Paint.

God Fire Convoy from Car Robots.

Brave Maximus made the Fortmax mold come even more alive.

UW Computicon

UW Bruticus

Sixwing re-issue (bad guy version)

iPod Optimus Prime "Optimus" colors which came with a thin layer of paint over the ABS/PVC body

[shajaki]

[prjkt]

was going to post Takara Gen. WFC Soundwave - amazing metallic colours, in fact a lot of Takara's WFC and FOC releases were amazing, especially Cliffjumper.

Also the Takara Seeker 3 Packs, and the Hasbro Asia 3 pack releases, especially Hound, Astrotrain and Perceptor.

Also Takara Generations Ratbat.


as you can tell I like the Classics-verse releases, and shiny.

[william-james88]

Oooouuu Generations Ratbat, now that is a great deco!

I personally find AD 31 Armour Knight Optimus to be an amazing deco:

[shajaki]

Damn Will! Forgot that one

And yeah, Deluxe Takara United Soundwave is stunning. He looks like polished glass even.

But pretty much everything released in the United line (and those Asia 3 packs) were amazing.

[-Kanrabat-]

Sure, Takara's Legend Arcee is more "G1" than the Hasbro release. But what I really don't like with Takara is they treat the standard TF line like a cheapo MP line. STOP BEING A SLAVE OF G1! Hasbro's Arcee is the superior one because the black turn her into the true modern update she's supposed to be.





On the other hand, it seem Hasbro have zero fawks to give about the RiD line.

[paul053]

Don't know why but the first one came out of my mind is Hasbro Thrust.

[william-james88]

Don't know why but the first one came out of my mind is Hasbro Thrust.

He's great, Takara's gentai Gentai thurst came to my mind too (I dont have the hasbro one).

[shajaki]

Actually, y'all might think I'm crazy but I've always thought that the Botcon Coneheads were done especially well (deco-wise). The colors are so sharp and defined, especially the black faces with yellow eyes. And while he was widely criticized for not being a remold, Ramdirge is one of favorite Classic Seekers.

[william-james88]

I was thinking of an expression today: lipstick on a pig. These toys that arent that great but that become amazing with the right deco. Like the deco totally changes you opinion on the figure. which ones are those for you?

The first thing I thought of was Unite Warriors Lightspeed. I always disliked that mold but for some reason with its lightsped deco, it just seems to work. It becomes very dynamic and looks the part.

There is also the aformentioned Ad-31 Armour Knight Prime who becomes one of the most beautiful toys ever, even if the mold itself is subpar. Plus TAV Grimlock, but he is retooled bigtime, so it might not be fair comparison.
Shajaki's Soundwave example would really fit here too.

Which other ones are there?

[Overcracker]

Transformers Animated Rodimus.

Takara's paint scheme just brings out the awesomesauce that is that mold.





Even more so for Dark Rodimus.

[william-james88]

I didnt even know dark rodimus was a thing, wow!

[Evil Eye]

RID Ultra Magnus springs to mind actually. He didn't age well at all, what with his ludicrous leg proportions and back heaviness... but he LOOKS awesome. Not a huge amount of paint on him, but where it is applied it's applied well. Case in point that gorgeous chrome bumper.

[Overcracker]

I didnt even know dark rodimus was a thing, wow!

The only thing missing is the evil goatee.

[william-james88]

I didnt even know dark rodimus was a thing, wow!

The only thing missing is the evil goatee.

Whenever I hear about evil goatees on transformares, I always thinkof this guy's chest:


Transformers Prime: Robots In Disguise Rumble Gallery

[Overcracker]

hahaha, yes, that's one evil goatee. Never understood why they gave that mold a torso face.

[-Kanrabat-]

Weaponizer Optimus Prime was a overpriced piece of crap. Ridiculous back kibble and exposed robo parts everywhere in truck mode... Plus, what's the point of owning this when I already have the Prime First Edition and even the Poweriser is superior?





Well, PUT HIM IN GREEN!



For some reasons, this make him more unique and bad-ass. Also, Optimus came in green a couple of times before, notably the infamous MP-10 Bape. So, Owning a Greentimus was a given. A relatively good price made me buy this (Thanks again, Will, for the help!)

Now finally owning this mold, I can appreciate what they were going for. This mold is AWESOME for what it is! Cool gimmick, the vehicle is not too bad, and the transformation is brilliant, simple, and fun. Also, the bot mode is gorgeous. I had more fun with it than the Prime First Edition.

Seriously.

[RAR]

Yeah I like Weaponiser Prime so much I bought the Japanese one as well.

He's begging for an upgrade kit for his legs though. But it's only especially noticeable how gappy he is in vehicle mode.

I've not got the green one yet - he's on the list though - didn't they gut his lights though when he was repainted.

[ScottyP]

Sadly the Unicron Trilogy was fairly light on especially gorgeous paintjobs. Armada, whilst replete with some really nifty designs, and even some good-looking bricks, had very few really standout paintjobs. Energon faired a bit better, with Tidal Wave's nifty lightning bolt patterns and a lot of the Deceticons in general. Cybertron had two standouts- Galvatron with his lovely (and tough) silver paint and Scourge

Micron Legend Convoy Super Mode's gloriously executed yellows. Almost any of the Armada mold Demolishor or Cyclonus repaints. Powerlinx Red Alert/Ratchet S. Micron Legend Starscream S. Micron Legend Rampage's dark hues and bold contrasting pinstripes and damaged faction symbol. Energon Jetfire's canopy. Superlink Roadbuster or Downshift's vehicle modes. Energon Unicron, my word! Evac's copter details, Galaxy Force Noisemaze's chrome, pick a Wing Saber, any of them, then look around the corner to the Energon Saber's lovely gold and perhaps even Botcon Sentinel Maximus' jaw dropping details and say to yourself: I was so wrong, and it feels good

[Emerje]

A few of my favorites, this is going to be very random. Some aren't even paint, just really well done plastic.














Yeah, that's just from Unicron Trilogy and the Beast Era, but there was a lot of really great stuff in those lines, especially the later Beast stuff. Maybe I'll post more favorites from other lines another time.

Emerje