Video Reviews for Transformers Legacy Core Class Wave 1 Featuring Combining Wave Weapons

I don't think even Menasor should be done that way. The trailer turning into the torso rather than Motormaster as a cab doing so or Motormaster as an underscale semi? That much, I could deal with. But going UW-Onslaugh-but-even-dumber and duplicating animation incompetence to where he's not even a real combiner anymore (especially since the actual character model got things right even if the animation in motion often didn't)? That, is trash and belongs in the trash.

As far as the next Commander-class goes, I'm more hoping for A. Overlord, to be better sized and have the full base mode instead of TR's watered-down shadow of it, B. Optimus Prime to just finally get him right already and have done with it, or B. Ultra Magnus. Magnaboss and Tripredacus, I'd rather see reissues of. I'm not sure how well remakes would turn out, even if they could both stand improvement.

I wonder if two-packs of the Trainbots could be done at the Leader price point.

Autobot N wrote:

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:

Autobot N wrote:

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:Assuming Menasor is worth completing.

Anything is an improvement over CW Menasor.

No it isn't.
Getting a toy based on the animation's frequent misinterpretation of Menasor's design, where rather than actually being combined... the smaller Stunticons are stuck in inflated Motormaster limbs as if they were Mini-Cons... That would be equally crap, just in a different way.
And given Drag Strip splits in half, I fear that's where we're heading.

That or it's some awkward new system where you have to split the figures in half and partsform in the combiner joint. And of course they've mucked things up by getting rid of the perfectly good CW connection system..

Do you own CW Menasor? That thing is awful

Yes, I do. Well, sort of - Wildrider, Dragstrip, and Breakdown are all repainted Autobots because the eBay prices on the actual limbs can go <CENSORED>. And yes, it is, because the torso mold was designed more as an Optimus Prime than it was as a torso.
And I reiterate that Bad Animation Menasor would be equally awful, just in a different way. I want a real improvement, not to trade one set of f***ups for a different set of f***ups

We were missing the final wave of figures last time we gave you a wave breakdown for Legacy. Well, thanks to fellow Seibertronian JTPrime17, we now have product numbers showing us who will be the deluxes and voyagers in wave 4. As expected, the final Stunticon breakdown will be there, along with 2 repacks (anyone still looking for Earthrise Wheeljack?). As for voyagers, we will have the Blaster redeco, Twincast! It is unknown which cassette partner he will be paired with. Below are the newly found product codes followed by an updated full wave breakdown.

Tra Gen Legacy ev Deluxe Cheetor Pr
Product number: F3516

Tra Gen Legacy ev Deluxe Wheeljack Pr
Product Number: F3307

Tra Gen legacy ev Deluxe Stunticon Breakdown
Product Number: F3036

Tra Gen legacy ev voyager Twincast
Product Number: F3059

Core:
Wave 1:
Skywarp x2
Hot Rod x3
Iguanus x3

Wave 2:
Iguanas x1
Optimus Prime (repack) x1
G2 Megatron x2
Shockwave x2

Wave 3:
Soundwave (repack)
Energon monster


Wave 4:
Skullgrin
Megatron (repack)

Deluxe:

Wave 1:
Skids x2
Dragstrip x2
Prime Arcee x2
Kickback x2

Wave 2:
Prime Knockout x2
Elita 1 x2
Tarantulas x2
Wildrider x2

Wave 3:
Pointblank x2
Crankcase x2
Energon monster x2
Deadend x2

wave 4:
Wheeljack (repack)
Cheetor (repack)
Breakdown

Voyager:

wave 1:
Blaster x2
Bulkhead x1

wave 2:
Soundwave (repack) x2
Jhiaxus x1

wave 3:
Armada Starscream x2
Beast wars Inferno x1

wave 4:
Twincast


Leader:

Wave 1:
Lazer Optimus Prime
Galvatron (Repack)

Wave 2:
Blitzwing
Lazer Optimus Prime

Wave 3:
Dragon Megatron
Blitzwing

Commander:
Motormaster

Titan:
Cybertron Metroplex

Magnaboss is a unique combiner with a proprietary system, though.

Emerje wrote:And really, it's silly that people are so hooked up on the arms when the legs are basically the same between both animation models so it's just the arms that are in question.

It's not a question of a difference between the animation models. It's a question of a difference between the animation models - both of which show the limb bots actually being the limbs, like they're supposed to - and the ways the rush-job animation (and bungling comic artists) often screwed up their interpretation of said models.

Emerje wrote:Also since there's a break in Dragstrip where the elbow joint will be we can tell he'll be forming the bulk of the arm, why are we so hooked up on combiner pegs and fists directly inserting into the car?

At least we know for a fact he won't look like this:

-botched depiction of Floro Dery character model snip-

Or this:

-botched depiction of Studio Ox character model snip-

Ah-ha-ha-hah-ha, no. We don't know that. In fact, that blasted break in Drag Strip says he'll look more like that than not - that's why I've been complaining! The only difference is the arm bots will be split between the upper and lower arms. Instead of, you know, actually being the arms like they're supposed to.

chuckdawg1999 wrote:

-Kanrabat- wrote:

Emerje wrote:I don't really see why Deathsaurus would need to be Commander class, he doesn't need to be that complex. Hasbro said Star Saber was Leader size so a large leader like Grimlock should be enough plus his partners can be sold as Core figures like SS Ravage.

Emerje

That's the keyword here. "size".
We all know that nowadays, it means nothing.

Well to some people size still has some meaning.

No matter what "size" means for yourself, it won't translate to this reality. We will have to deal with scout sized but complex deluxes like SS '07 Jazz, "voyager +" leaders, and complex deluxes sold as voyagers from now on.

I'm honestly fine with it as long that scale is respected and the complexity and quality of the toy reflect the price-point.

Emerje wrote:Eh, as far as I'm concerned multiple figures coming together in any way makes a combiner, it doesn't matter how essential or ridiculous their inclusion is. We still call Magnaboss a 3 figure combiner despite Silverbolt being nothing more than decorations and boob canons.

And really, it's silly that people are so hooked up on the arms when the legs are basically the same between both animation models so it's just the arms that are in question. Also since there's a break in Dragstrip where the elbow joint will be we can tell he'll be forming the bulk of the arm, why are we so hooked up on combiner pegs and fists directly inserting into the car?

Because of the elbow joint. It'll look more like a normal combiner than whole cars hanging off his shoulders. I'm looking forward to it, I think the arms with a dedicated elbow joint will look a lot better in the end than the elbow hips and crotch we had in CW.

Emerje

Menasor has long been the gestalt that nobody seems quite sure what to do with. There were just so many things about the Stunticons that didn't 'work'. Either the toys didn't jive with the cartoon model, or the cartoon model never looked like the toys. And that confusion has sort of carried on over the years to this very day.

The G1 gestalt was smaller, and it never looked very well designed. The Motormaster unit wasn't a very good torso, and the smaller cars didn't turn into proper 'limbs', they really were just the car figures, stuck onto the torso. I'm sure the animators for the cartoon show were looking at the toy and thinking 'how the bleep do we make this work?'

And what they came up with was that weird trailer/skeleton with the cars pasted onto it. It bore only superficial resemblance to the Menasor toy, and collectors had to grimace every time they saw the cartoon and were reminded that the figure they owned was little like what was on the screen. Even the animated commercial for the toy showed the Arialbots more than the Stunticons - probably because they wanted to gloss over the fact that the cartoon depiction was nothing like what was being advertised. And you have to admit - the animated Arialbots looked a hekkuvva lot more like their G1 toys than the Stunticons did, and that included their gestalts.

Fast forward to the CW line, when all our old favorite combiners started coming back, and Hasbro winced and said, 'I guess that means we have to do Menasor too'. But they had a problem. G1 Motormaster was a tiny little semi truck with a trailer attached. They couldn't do that, and scale him with the deluxe limbs. So they had to go cab only. Which could have been fine, except that they used the normal robot hips, splayed them out, and covered it with a crotch-shaped panel to make the pelvis. And it didn't work. The proportions are off visually, and the hip ratchets just aren't strong enough to support all that weight. So CW Menasor is a floppy mess that, for all the articulation, can't hold any poses, and must be constantly monitored to make sure it doesn't fall over. The Optimus Maximus and G2 repaints suffer the same problem.

This Legacy/Commander version seems to be their attempt at compromise. They know Menasor got the short end of the stick in CW, so they're giving him sole combiner focus in this line. Yes, it looks like the deluxe limbs will parts-form onto the Commander/trailer skeleton. But as long as the skeleton is rock solid, holds its poses, and is well proportioned? I'm OK with that. Especially if they fix the pelvis so it's solid and functional, not just the voyager hips hidden by a flimsy plastic loincloth. I'll make some compromises with appearance, in exchange for a solid figure with good articulation that can hold it's poses and balance well on a shelf. That appears to be where they're going with this version of Menasor.

I suppose we'll see some leaks of Motormaster soon, and then we can get a better idea of how this Menasor will look and scale. I'll reserve final judgement until then. But I sold my CW Menasor a while back, for the same reasons listed above. Here's hoping this time they make him a set worth collecting.

I'll be pretty damn bummed if Menasor ends up leaning more towards the "cars slapped onto Motormaster" look rather than being properly integrated (Which the cartoon did sometimes, iirc? Makes me wonder why so many 3rd party peeps always go for the poorly animated model.)
But emerje's posts do give me better hope that it'll probably be more integrated than we think - at the very least we won't get the cars slapped onto the arms and legs...I hope.
I personally didn't dislike the CW/UW versions of the Stunticons but even then I'd still much rather have a Motormaster that looks more like his G1 self than a retooled Optimus lol

AcademyofDrX wrote:I mean, Legacy Menasor can't be much worse than CW Menasor, right? I still have the UW version but plan to offload it next year after I've collected the new one.

I'm on the fence about selling my UW Menasor...
With the upgrade kits I have for him, he's really not that bad, and imo does a really solid job of what seems like a lot of people's complaints; in some ways it is more visually interesting compared to the G1 animated version. The arm/leg figures aren't just attached to large, blocky bot limbs.
CW overall still holds a solid, positive place for me in TF toy history.
That line had me excited more than any other minus SS86.
Now, I don't see the CW Stunticons as nostalgic as my TF Classics figures (which I don't think I'll ever sell my sealed copies), but this Legacy version is going to have to be lights-out for me to sell my UW Menasor.

I say repacking Wheeljack is dumb and unneeded. Fewer people that wanted ER Wheeljack missed the original release for him or were unable to get him at the time. And, looking on eBay now, his online prices are still tolerable. Repacking him instead of, say, Sunstreaker - who tends to be FIFTY TO SIXTY DOLLARS these days - is an idiotic waste of a slot.

-Kanrabat- wrote:

chuckdawg1999 wrote:

-Kanrabat- wrote:

Emerje wrote:I don't really see why Deathsaurus would need to be Commander class, he doesn't need to be that complex. Hasbro said Star Saber was Leader size so a large leader like Grimlock should be enough plus his partners can be sold as Core figures like SS Ravage.

Emerje

That's the keyword here. "size".
We all know that nowadays, it means nothing.

Well to some people size still has some meaning.

No matter what "size" means for yourself, it won't translate to this reality. We will have to deal with scout sized but complex deluxes like SS '07 Jazz, "voyager +" leaders, and complex deluxes sold as voyagers from now on.

I'm honestly fine with it as long that scale is respected and the complexity and quality of the toy reflect the price-point.

Part of me thinks chuckdawg was actually just making a dirty joke there lol.

SpaceEagle wrote:I personally didn't dislike the CW/UW versions of the Stunticons but even then I'd still much rather have a Motormaster that looks more like his G1 self than a retooled Optimus lol

I also didn't dislike them (the limbs at least, and Motormaster's okay as an individual robot), aside from Drag Strip. And I feel the same about Motormaster, although I'd also be good with a tractor-only one (since his G1 cab looks even dinkier next to the limb Stunticons than WFC Optimus does next to WFC Autobot cars) that made a torso worth a damn. Why of all torsos to bungle did they have to screw up the guy whose combiner uses a sword...

chuckdawg1999 wrote:Having seen a review of Dragstrip that's the retail release version, I think there will be some tab on the arm segment of Menasor that triggers the catch on Dragstrip separating the halves. There's no way to press the release on Dragstrip without the use of a spudger or some similar tool.

Indeed. There's probably going to be a tab on Meansor's arm to engage the split and maybe activate something on the arm itself, like releasing the hands from the forearm or something, and extending the arm to enable the elbow. Some form of Automorph if you will.

Otherwise, Dragstrip makes no sense since part of him needs to end up on Menasor's shoulder piece and there's no way to activate the button otherwise.