The Energon Pub

I just opened my Henkei Ligier, which I'm displaying next to an unopened Electro Disruptor Ligier when he arrives.

The alt. mode looks really great, from the lines, the colors, even the chrome-and-metallic-blue front and rear spoilers. After transforming him into his robot mode, I was just wowed. Every pose I can think of looks great, his head sculpt is a brilliant homage to the G1 figure while retaining its own character, and he's proportioned just right.

What are some examples of figures, be it an original mold or a repaint, that just floored you?

I'd have to say when I opened and combined RID Optimus Prime with RID Magnus to form Omega Prime. Talk about a "Holy Sh!t, this is awesome!" moment.

WolfDawg wrote:I'd have to say when I opened and combined RID Optimus Prime with RID Magnus to form Omega Prime. Talk about a "Holy Sh!t, this is awesome!" moment.

Yeah, same here. He's posed at eye level near one of my bookshelves as Omega Prime, and I still go "wow" every time I walk by him.

MP Starscream (g1 repaint) was a pleasant surprise. His alt mode was huge! Transforming him was actually fun. And both modes were so seamlessly unkibbled (not a real word, I know) you'd never suspect he's actually transformable. Well, not unless you looked underneath him in jet mode and saw his folded arms, anyways

The first time I was blown away by a TF was back during the G1 days when I first opened my Shockwave. I was at the close representation of the character and that it had sounds and lights. Weapon TFs are always my favorite. Pew Pew

Most recently that spot has been taken up by RiD Scourge and Superlink Galvatron G.

For a G2 mold, the laser rod prime mold is undoubtedly the best in the line, and then Rid/Car Robots brings it back with Black, Blue and Chrome, setting the paint scheme for all Nemesis Primes to come.

Superlink Galvatron G is pure awesome. Seriously a stripper painted purple doesn't come close to him. He's got a huge sword, his tank gun and more articulation points than you would first suspect.

20th Optimus Prime. Without a doubt.

I got him on the cheap from Wal-Mart off of Clearance, just after that Christmas, along with Alt Silverstreak. Those two were actually the first Transformers I had bought or recieved since about 1988, so my expectations were for something along the lines of the original styles.

Boy, was I wrong.

Articulation? They can POSE? The proportions, detail, everything just about obliterated my little brain pan. And they got me back into collecting again.


Now, since then, a few have done so to me but for different reasons. I now expected a higher level of detail and articulation, and then I went and got the Cybertron Optimus Prime / Wingsaber two-pack. Wingsaber didn't really make me go wow, but Cybertron Prime did. A nice yet simple transform, impressive size and bulk, and frightening firepower when combined with the trailer or Wingsaber.

Universe Classics Prowl and Sunstreaker, and their inevitable repaints, may not have totally blown me away, but they DID make me cheer out loud. The Datsuns (and Jazz) and the Lambos were always my fave molds in G1, and now not only are they updated, they also still resemble the toon versions of their characters.

There's more, but those are the ones that pop out at me right now.

RiD Scourge. Great figure for a great character.

I'd kill for Energon Galvy though

Classics Jetfire. The figure is a perfect melding of the old G1 Veritech toy and the cartoon appearance and you could configure him how ever you wanted to. A really awesome figure.

Armada Unicron. Getting that as an X-mas present when I was a teen was just freaking amazing... like... freaking... taking 40 minutes to transform it amazing.

Blurrz wrote:Armada Unicron. Getting that as an X-mas present when I was a teen was just freaking amazing... like... freaking... taking 40 minutes to transform it amazing.

It took me that long just to get all the twisty ties and clear rubber-bands off of it.

Pretty much anything with a clever transformation - I just don't understand how they can design this stuff! So I suppose my top one would be ROTF leader OP.

I have to go with Leader Class Optimus Prime from RoTF as well. However, since he was in a clear box, I was blown away when I picked him up off the shelf. And then when I took him out and put him on my shelf at home, it was great. That figure and MP Prime standing next to each other complement each other very well.

MP Skywarp. Unlike my Hasbro Starscream who was packaged in bot mode, unboxing him and seeing his beautiful jet mode is breathtaking.

ROTF Prime for sure. Still amazes me 2 months later.

And the hard to find at the time 07' movie Concept Bumblebee deluxe. Since at the time we didn't know it was going to have 50 repaints, and it was really hard to find for awhile. Made it all a very "wow" moment.

RotF Leader Optimus Prime and Classics Hound.

OP is just such a great figure. Despite my main criticisms of the paint apps(lack thereof), limited sound options, and energy blade gimmicks, it just hits so many good points for me. The likeness to the on-screen character, the solid construction, the underrated transformation design(so many people say it is a difficult transformation and/or that it's a pain but I love it, it makes sense to me unlike 2007 Leader OP's transformation). I've seen many reviews of the figure and went through many galleries but it still didn't temper my "Holy cow, this is a Optimus Prime and he wants me to GIVE HIM MY FACE!!!" reaction when I freed it from its prison of plastic ties. It looks great in alt mode(less seams/obvious separation points for transformation, more screen accurate with its more unified back area and headache rack) too.

Classics Hound is simply the perfect homage to G1 aesthetics for me. The simplicity in its silhouette makes is very visually readable but it also contains some details to give the design subtle depth. The proportions are lovely in their G1 chunkiness but they are cohesive so that it doesn't look comical when you take in the entire figure's appearance. The transformation has no fuss or muss, is very simple, but designed so well where there's no wasted or unnecessary maneuvers. Design elements like the folding of seats to create thighs(also seen in Classics Bumblebee) really appeal to me because it seems every part in both modes serve a purpose. It also has very little robot kibble in alt mode, though not as perfect as Classics Mirage, which takes the cake for kibble free alt mode.