So, I kinda feel like this guy is a bit of a sleeper MP. There really hasn't been a whole lot of excitement and build up for his release. At least, that's how I feel, and that's a shame. This guy is absolutely amazing. Seriously, I've only had him in hand for about 48 hours, but I'm ready to put his right at the top of the list of MP figures. Not only that, but its been a hot minute since we got a new carbot, so its nice to get back to that. Lets start of with the alt mode.
Takara really out did themselves this time. They packed a whole lot of awesome into a really small package. Sunny is a standard MP car size, and yet, along with being fully transformable to an amazing robot mode, he actually has two car modes. A standard Countach:
And a "Super Lambo":
Sunstreaker comes with two weapons, and the ability to store them both, at least in super mode. I don't think it works in "regular" Countach mode. Still though, a true MP needs the ability to carry or store its weapons while in alt mode, and Sunny passes the test.
Another neat little add on, you may remember in the original G1 cartoon, in the very first episode (or at least in one of the first parts of the first episode) the scene where Trailbreaker calls for back up, and Sunstreaker and Sideswipe answer the call. Sunny pops a little laser gun out of his backside, and blasts away at the Seekers chasing them. Yep, Sunny here can do that.
I was actually going to recreate the scene, but this little project was taking longer than I thought, and I didn't want to transform my MP Sideswipe and Trailbreaker, which is the sole reason you will see 'Breaker in a later photo.
Yes, Sunny is a truly beautiful car mode, and he still has one more really cool and neat feature: pop up headlights!
Its just a really neat and cool feature. It shows the effort, and dare I say, even love of character that obviously went into the design of Sunny. His doors and hood also open up like the real vehicle, but for me, it just exposes the inner workings of the toy. Nice, but not a huge feature for me. I really only have one gripe on car mode, and that is the plastic tires. God, how I hate the plastic tires. Yes, its a dead horse, but Imma keep beating that fucker.
Now done with alt mode, we move on to the main event, the robot. The transformation to bot mode is actually fun. With many MP style figures it can be a pain. An amazing one, but a pain still. I really don't think that with Sunny. Its fun and inspired. Honestly, words don't do it justice, you just need to experience it. Here is the glorious result:
Its very toon accurate. Maybe a little too much in spots. For my tastes, I would have appreciated a different head, but nothing is close to a deal breaker. He does have a bit of a backpack though, but I'm making peace with backpacks on MPs. In fact, I'm starting a little club.
He does look good though. He also comes with a lot of accessories. As mentioned, he had two guns:
That he can store in bot mode as well:
I find the leg storage and very neat little trick. He also, as is pretty standard by now with MP figures, comes with alternate faces:
He also comes with a Chip Chase in wheelchair figure, and that silly alien face from a season 2 episode:
When you stand him next to his brother Sideswipe, I feel he clearly stands out as the better looking figure, and not just in his own mind. I've felt for a while now that we need a new Sideswipe, and in my humble opinion at least, Sunstreaker really drives that home. Not that Sideswipe is a bad figure, but you can clearly tell the designers have learned a thing or two. Sunny also looks good with others:
A concern I read early in the thread mentioned his side view mirrors and the possibility of breakage during transformation. While I can see that, I had no difficulty changing him with out damage there. I think that clearance room was very much taken into consideration during design, and that every thing works just fine. If not, Takara has you covered as they have added a replacement set:
This is a very welcome habit that Takara has gotten into.
In conclusion, I have almost no complaints on this figure. Sunstreaker is an amazing work of art, and a worthy addition to any collection. I really can't recommend this figure enough.
