One thing is immediately clear about this character- he would never have been considered if this had been an American TV series aimed at kids!

This toy appears courtesy from HobbyLink Japan.

Three 1.5 volt (LR44) batteries are required to operate electronic light-&-sound feature within the Engine Soul, and should be replaced by a responsible adult.

Adequate batteries have already been installed in the Engine Soul by the manufacturer and do not need to be immediately replaced. However, to activate the feature, you must first manually remove the small white tag from the back of the cartridge before it can work; this is a one-time issue. Nothing other than the Engine Soul on this toy requires batteries.

In one of the eleven dimensions, Machine World is a planet populated by Engines- giant sentient living machines with individual personalities and capabilities. They succeed in driving the destructive Ban KiZoku Gaiarc clan off their world during one of their largest planet-wide races. Unfortunately, the Gaiarc decide to move on into the dimension where Earth is since it seems to be an easier target for them to conquer in order to turn it into the ideal world of unchecked pollution and waste which they favor. Three Engines cross the dimensional barrier to pursue them, but they will begin to suffer fatal rusting if they exist in the atmosphere of the Human World for more than ten minutes at a time! To protect against this, they separate themselves into two halves- inanimate Engine Casts which are smaller versions of their physical bodies, and Engine Souls which contain their life energy and personality. Therefore, they and their smaller rust-resistant assistant Bomper chose three young humans to fight the Gaiarc in their place, and restore them to their larger forms whenever they are needed. Together they form the Flame-god Taskforce Go-On Rangers!

Though the excitable Hanto Jou and former-police detective Gunpei Ishihara didn’t know each other, they were both strongly intrigued when they first saw the Go-Onger fighting against the Ban KiZoku Gaiarc. Gunpei (with Hanto following cautiously behind) actually managed to track down the Go-Onger’s private RV, and then steal the Engine Attaché Case with the three dormant Engine Casts in it, and kidnap Bomper! After interrogating Bomper in a tunnel, they learn about the origins of the Go-Onger, and both then insist on joining the team. Later, as the Go-Onger are loosing in a battle, Bomper recognizes positive qualities in Gunpei and Hanto when they help some civilians, and he gives them Shift Changers & Change Soul cartridges so that they may officially join. Though initially suffering a rocky start between the five Go-Onger, they manage to get along and become a real team.

. . .

Though Gunpei is an official Go-Onger, he still needs an Engine partner to grant him access to the same powers that Sousuke, Ren, and Saki have- such as even the standard MantanGun sidearm! Towards the end of Grand Prix 3 – “Basic Investigation” (aka episode 3), Bomper announces that the energy signatures of two Engines have appeared near Earth from Machine World. After some difficulty tracking down and acquiring both newcomers’ Engine Casts and Engine Souls in Grand Prix 4 – “Engine Trouble”, Birca and Gunpherd secure their place among the other Engines as they help Engine-Oh beat back the Spray Banki monster.

Engine Number 5 – Gunpherd (back) His partner is former police detective Gunpei Ishihara (Go-On Black). He is represented as a combination of a semi-automatic pistol and a German shepherd dog. On Machine World, he is a dedicated police Engine with a serious mind and no-nonsense policy- even criticizing Go-On Black one time in Grand Prix 7 for missing three shots while using the Gunpherd Gun Fire finisher! But he is also loyal and understanding, providing helpful suggestions & insight when needed. With a sniper’s accuracy, he uses the barrel in his long muzzle (pun intended) for his Gunpherd Gun attack to knock enemies down in a fury of bullets. But he also frequently teams up with Engine Birca for a combination attack. As a life form from Machine World, he ends most of his sentences with the first syllable of his name, “Gaan Gah-Gaan!” Gunpherd serves as a right arm component for any combination, but usually is seen as part of the Engine Gattai Gunbir-Oh.

One thing is immediately clear about this character- he would never have been considered if this had been an American TV series aimed at kids! (When’s the last time you heard a Saturday morning American cartoon say the word “gun”? Not even in dubbed anime.) But here, it works, because in Japan they usually don’t shy their children away from uncomfortable subjects; certainly not the way most Super Sentai series [and even the darker Kamen Rider franchise] work out! While it’s a little difficult to distinguish a German shepherd in there, you can at least tell that Gunpherd is of a dog- or wolf-like nature, with small whisker-like lines on the forward cowls, pointed ears, and small but distinguishing jowls on his muzzle. And as a representative of the Engine police, the square-like muzzle and silver trapezoid nose are clearly indications of a modern pistol. And keep in mind (as I keep having to remind myself) that Gunpherd is not trying to imitate a police car even though he has four wheels, a police shield beneath the stylized “5” against a white-painted panel on either side, transparent-red ABS on top of his head above the green-painted cockpit to indicate police strobe lights, and a front fender. Despite having larger back wheels, Gunpherd does not tilt downwards in any way, so his aim is always straight-on. (Should I mention that I chuckle when I recall that the hole for the barrel is actually a small black decal...?)

As with the previous four Engines from the DX Engine Gattai Engine-Oh and Engine Gattai Series #1- Engine Birca, Gunpherd’s identical wheels are represented on either side of Go-On Black’s helmet.

. . .

Aside from putting the provided Engine Soul into him (see below), you can only really just roll him around. While you can extend his nose & face forward a little less than an inch , it doesn’t really do the Gunpherd Gun attack justice. (It doesn't bounce up-and-down like it does in the series when he talks.)

In addition to future accessory DX Engine sets, the common ‘collecting’ gimmick is the battery-powered Engine Soul cartridge. These serve as a replacement in all of the toys for a dedicated light-and-sound effect. Each Engine Soul shares an identical shape (2½” x 1¾” x 9/16”, or 2.57cm x 4.5cm x 1.5cm), has a single bright red LED light (which can project over 6ft / 2m in a dark room!), a large decal which identifies it, and they all have some generic sounds. Because of this, any Engine Soul (or Change Soul, which I won’t get into here) can be fitted into any properly-fitted toy that can accept one. But, the gimmick is that each Engine Soul has a unique set of sound effects...

The Engine Gattai Series #2 set comes with Gunpherd’s Engine Soul. It is uniquely identified by its black ABS casing, the stylized “5”, and the phrases “ES” & “05” on the front decal. While each of the Engines in the “Go-Onger” line can accept an Engine Soul, only Gunpherd’s is provided; however, it will work equally in all of them since, again, all Engine Soul cartridges are the same size. The storage compartment is located in front of the back wheels, and requires very minor transformation to get access to. The head needs to be pushed forward (unless you have small fingers and/or strong fingernails) in order to access the lever on top, which will then swing down the wheels and open up the Engine Soul compartment. The bright red LED light from the Engine Soul shines through Gunpherd’s head, and right into the transparent-red plastic on top of his head. When the Engine Soul is activated, the LED shines through and into the plastic, making it glow!

Gunpherd’s Engine Soul has four unique effects- all performed by the same seiyu from the series, Kenji Hamada. (He makes his Super Sentai debut here, but is best known for more-numerous anime and OVA performances.) He says, in Japanese:

• Gunpherd!
• Gaan Gah-Gaan!
• Target [???]... Lock On! (gunshot sound repeats)
• Emergency Deployment

I suspect he's saying something like "Target is acquired" or something like that in that third effect, but I'm not certain. (You'll just need to watch the video below and help me figure out, please!)

The phrases will always play in that order, each preceded by the same sound of a fictional/techy-sounding gunshot. Now, if you place Gunpherd’s Engine Soul into any other DX Engine set, it’ll say the same things, but it’ll obviously be inaccurate since that’s not the right Engine for it to go with.

Unlike the three previous Engines from both the DX Engine-Oh set, access to Gunpherd’s alternate/generic sound effects can be accessed in both his regular form, and his Engine Busou form:

• Go-o-o-o-o On!
• Gaan Gah-Gaan!

This time, however, instead of a gun firing, you hear a police car klaxon first. But it is still Gunpherd speaking.

As with Birca, if you press both of Gunpherd's sound-activating buttons at the same time, most of these phrases will be repeated (though now preceded by the crackle of a radio), and a single new phrase will also sound which can only be found in this way:

• Roger!

Because of the similar design of the center lower parts of their bodies, Gunpherd’s Engine Soul activation buttons mirror the location and function of those on Engine Birca- set directly behind his front wheels.

The Power Rangers’ version of Engine Gunpherd has not appeared yet, so comparisons are impossible. If I were to take a shot in the dark, I’d say the silver paint on all of the wheel hubcaps & on top of the transparent-red plastic, the white painted lines in front of his eyes, and the Go-Onger logo on the nose were removed and left the plain coloring of the plastic. I’d also venture that all Engine Soul cartridges (whatever those will be called) will be either modified to have fewer-or-no electronics, or completely eliminated from the line. There’s no PVC or die-cast metal, so that’s not a problem. (No metal in a car-shaped vehicle? Who’d‘ve thunk it?) I doubt any plastic coloring will be changed, but there may be very minor paint changes.

Engine Busou - Engine-Oh Gunpherd

Components required for this combination:

• DX Engine Gattai Engine-Oh
• Engine Gattai Series #2- Engine Gunpherd

In Grand Prix 6 – “A Maiden’s Heart”, after growing to giant size, the sound-stealing Speaker Banki faces off against Engine-Oh. But it can’t fight against the increased power of the destructive sound waves. However, Go-On Black realizes something...

[Go-On Black]: “Gunpherd can shoot through that sound wave barrier!”
[Speedor]: “Really!?”
[Gunpherd]: “If we do an Engine Busou and do an energy charge, that is.”
[Go-On Black]: “Everyone, go with Engine Busou.”

[Go-On Red, Blue & Yellow]: “Right!”

Engine Busou!

“Engine-Oh Gunpherd: Tune Up!”

Go-On Black’s theory proves true, and the Gunpherd Gun shoots out Speaker Banki’s speakers, disabling him. And then Engine-Oh Gunpherd destroys him with the Gunpherd Gun Fire finisher. Smoke still floating from the muzzle, Engine-Oh Gunpherd casually blows on the barrel to cool it off...

Engine-Oh Gunpherd (back) s the second upgrade of the series for the lead mecha. The right arm is now dominated by the extended barrel from Gunpherd, and is now fitted with a scope-like sensor above it. The scope sensor is made by removing Gunpherd’s back wheels and attaching them to his head; this also exposes the connection joint which they were snapped to. Though rather oversized compared to Engine-Oh’s regular arms (reaching to within 2” of the ground it stands on), this new right one has an added advantage over the former. At the connection point in the upper arm region, there is a ratcheting joint which allows the entire lower arm to twist in 45° increments all the way around at the elbow! Unfortunately, like Engine Birca, with Gunpherd’s upper body pushed forward, the shaft which allows the Engine Soul’s LED light to shine through is now cut in half and can’t be seen anymore when activated; however, both activation buttons are still fully accessible.

Again, I am more surprised because of the cultural differences between the US and Japan that this character is directly based on a real firearm rather than a more-fictional energy-based weapon. (You just know that it will be changed for its PR incarnation to just that to please the censors. After all, Disney is a family-friendly company, and wouldn’t dare show violence of any kind in one of their TV series. Should I mention that of all the TV networks that Disney owns, not once has a single PR episode appeared on The Disney Channel...?) It’s a good little toy, though a bit featureless compared to some of the others. I did like the light-up strobe light detail using the Engine Soul’s LED, and how well the dog & gun features were blended together. But the backside of the Engine seems a little lackluster compared to the rest of him. Using the back wheels as a sniper scope was an interesting idea, but I didn’t like how you have to separate it to get there, and it doesn’t really blend in once this is accomplished. But again, I can’t argue with the advantage of that new ratcheting elbow joint, which I absolutely love on here! Between this one and Birca, I think I like the latter a little more just because it has more moving parts. (Oddly, as of Grand Prix 16, we haven’t seen Engine-Oh with both him and Birca attached at the same time.) But that doesn’t mean I dislike Engine Gunpherd any less. I think that Engine-Oh Gunpherd is also a good little upgrade, though perhaps without the dramatics of Birca’s Engine Busou. Regardless, he passes, so go-on and get ‘im!

"Through stillness you will find the truth."

Optimus was a young and optimistic recruit in the Autobot Academy, wanting to face off against real Decepticons in a battle as part of the Elite Guard. Unfortunately, he missed the war by a few million years, and eventually failed to pass the Academy. His ambitions and dreams crushed, Optimus was instead assigned command of a small maintenance crew for the tedious and boring duty of repairing and cleaning-up the Space Bridge network. But when the Autobot crew accidentally comes across the very powerful, life-giving All Spark which was lost at the end of the war, they are suddenly ambushed by the greatly-feared leader of the Decepticons, Megatron, and his own broken army of experienced soldiers in their search for the legendary artifact. The Autobots get away from the Decepticon warship, and Megatron is destroyed in a fluke explosion, but damage causes their ship to crash on an unknown planet. Optimus Prime and his crew go into emergency stasis lock for 50 years, and reactivate in the future underneath Lake Erie near Detroit, Michigan. The Autobots reformat their alternative forms to match those of Earth vehicles so as to blend in. As they begin to explore Detroit, they come across a human girl named Sari Sumdac, whose father owns the largest robot manufacturer on the planet. When she sneaks aboard their ship to see more of the transforming alien robots, Sari encounters the All Spark, and it rebuilds her electronic key card to carry many of its own powers. With Sari’s help in understanding Earth’s unusual cultures and customs, Ratchet, Prowl, Bumblebee, Bulkhead, and Optimus Prime swear to protect the All Spark from rogue Decepticons until Elite Guard reinforcements arrive.

Of the five members of Optimus Prime’s crew, perhaps only Prowl is as misplaced for his talents and potential by being assigned to the small Space Bridge maintenance crew. He is also the shortest of the five Autobots. Trained in the special Cybertronian martial arts of Circuit-Su, Prowl has an inner calm and focus that may make him seem uptight or unconnected, but this is merely the strength of his mental discipline to weed out chaos from the outside world to see the truth. A bot of few words and quiet action, he nonetheless prefers to act alone, thinking others as too amateurish or slow, even though he still cares inwardly for all life. His unexpected arrival on Earth opened Prowl’s highly-tuned sensors and mind to an entirely different realm of existence from that on Cybertron, and has led him to a new appreciation for things not artificial- when not on patrol in his disguised form as a police motorcycle, preventing the gentle giant Bulkhead from accidentally destroying something, or chasing after Bumblebee and Sari during one of their hair-raising schemes, he can be found meditating in tall trees in isolation away from the bustle and noise of Detroit. His ability to create holograms also allows increased isolation when he turns himself invisible for short periods of time. But when roused to action, Prowl is able to quickly analyze any situation before rapidly executing a calculated & efficient series of punches, cuts, and kicks; aided only by a set of triple-edged shurikens, and paired backpack thrusters which allow him to jump very high.

. . .

The voice of Autobot Prowl is performed by cartoon-veteran actor Jeff Bennett, who also covers several other semi-regular & guest characters in “Transformers Animated”, including the Autobots' leader Ultra Magnus, and Soundwave.

Prowl’s vehicle mode (back) is that of a police motorcycle, which Teletraan-1 scanned with a sensor probe when the Autobots awoke 50 years after crashing into Lake Erie. Unlike most of the Cybertronian characters’ vehicle modes in “…Animated”, Prowl’s is not nearly as distorted compared to real street-legal motorcycles; perhaps a human might not be able to touch the ground casually without tipping [him] over first since he may be a bit too tall, but it really isn’t that noticeable. This is a fine testament to the crews over at Hasbro, who were able to keep his motorcycle form so close to the one seen on-screen and yet be able to transform into the equally recognizable robot mode. There are some smaller details that I can’t shoot & highlight clearly with my camera (damned auto-focus...) that deserve recognition- the gray-painted fuel tank cap on top, small independently-twisting handles (not as a merged handlebar), and beneath the windshield are three molded gauges with their indication pins pointing in different directions! Beneath the large gold-painted fuel tank, where the motor would be, there is a tiny ribbed section that could resemble external cooling fins for said motor. As with the flattened windscreen, the headlights- though appearing dark- are transparent. Because this is a police motorcycle, there are transparent-red and -blue plastic parts behind the seat which represent strobe lights. (In the series the colored lights are one in front of the other, not side-by-side as they are here.) And finally, there is a silver Autobot symbol printed on the nose just below the windscreen.

Both of Prowl’s wheels can spin freely, though he certainly can’t stay upright if you roll him and then let go! To compensate for this a little, rather than give him flattened tires (which most motorcycle Transformers™ usually do), there’s a tiny kickstand which can be raised & lowered on the left side, which will just keep him upright on a hard flat surface. (Don’t even bother with carpet.) While Prowl’s front wheel can wiggle side-to-side a tiny bit, this is unintentional and unavoidable because of the ball-and-socket joint(s) inside there.

Automorph Technology is a special feature which was introduced in the “Transformers: Armada” (2005) line, and returned in “Transformers: Cybertron” (2006); though it was not called such until the debut of the toy line based on the first live-action film “Transformers” (2007). What Automorph does is- depending on which toy is involved- use a series of internal levers & gears, triggers, and buttons to move one part of the figure without you having to move it yourself; it automatically transforms for you. Sometimes, an Automorph feature will be electronically-powered, though this is reserved for special larger sets only.

For Prowl, there are two Automorph features, though only one of them is directly involved in his transformation:

• Not really much of an Automorph feature, as the windscreen is rotated down onto his lower body and the sides of engine coves slide upwards, Prowl’s head emerges from beneath the gas tank at the same time. The panel that usually coves his head has a slight spring to it, and will gently close back up; however, it’s not very strong, so you still end up pushing it back in place yourself anyways. You will have to open and hold the panel again as you reposition Prowl’s head in changing things back.

The other is for use in his robot mode only:

• Each of his wheels/legs has a single ‘fat’ shuriken (aka a ninja throwing star) snapped on to it. While these are accessible in both modes, they are used only in robot mode. You have to snap the shurikens off yourself, and then, holding them by the top and bottom only, you can push on one of the three points in the center. As one point is pulled out, the other two will fold out at the same time via that internal gear. (Yeah- I know that the blades can keep folding back in the opposite direction, but they’re only supposed to extend outwards to their widest point, not shrink back down.)

The only other things worth mentioning in his transformation is that the instructions say to rotate around the strobe lights, but you don’t need to since they don’t do this in either the series or any promotional photos of the toy itself. Also, when flipping his lower legs forward, they will not stop where they’re supposed to be! Though there is resistance in the joint(s), you have to decide what position is best around that 180° point. (Why they did that I don’t know, but I find it very odd and careless of Hasbro to do that.) And you need to remember to twist those small black handles inwards towards each other as the last step in transforming him. You’ll have to tilt Prowl’s (generous) chin back to do this. (If, like mine, there’s a very minor manufacturing flaw, you might not be able to retract/extend them all the way, so you’ll have to improvise their final positions a little. Don’t force them!) Finally, always remember that Prowl’s right leg becomes his front wheel, and vise versa.

Prowl’s robot mode (back) is compact, efficient, curvy, and thin; characteristics very befitting a ninja robot. It also has the distinct shapes and proportions of his “…Animated” counterpart; looking like he literally jumped off of the screen. Like the original G1 Autobot character called Prowl (who was a black and white police cruiser), his head has a pair of curved gold-painted antennae, but his eyes are a metallic-blue sunshade visor. And below his visor is his very long dark gray chin, complete with an indented mouth in a slight frown! His chest is the nose and windscreen of the motorcycle mode, but the booster wings on his back are from the side engine covers. The gas tank and rider’s seat come to rest on his back and butt, respectively. Each arm has two reasonably tight ball-and-socket joints for the shoulders and elbows, with each colored-half of the strobe light assembly resting on the back of the forearms. The tan-painted hands cannot be posed. His tiny waist and hips have three ball-&-socket joints, with his non-existent lower torso and upper legs being molded in tan ABS. The wheels from the vehicle mode come to rest inside of his lower legs, with the unused shurikens snapped in place on the outside of both wheels. And finally, his feet feature the last two ball-&-socket joints in the toy. The two shurikens can be removed and placed in his hands by wedging the points in there ‘til they stick.

Oddly, because of how his lower legs curve towards each other, his legs cannot be posed together pointing straight down. Because of this, his feet do not rest flat on the ground, which leaves him open to easily tilt over. He’s not really top-heavy, just hard to balance on those unstable feet. And due to how things are shaped, it’s a little tricky to reposition his toe joints because they rub up against the inside of his lower legs, so posing him there is also tricky. But there is no kibble to speak of on this toy- everything fits exactly where it should and the boosters are right where they’re supposed to be, so they don’t count. His range of motion, otherwise, is outstanding, including full head & waist rotation… with one exception. There are two gold-colored ABS panels on his thighs which prevent his knees from turning beyond 45°! But, if you prefer to keep him intact, you can ‘fake it’ by bending the wheel transformation joints. It may not look right, but it helps more than taking an X-acto knife to poor Prowl.

(Online blogs & forums are offering up suggestions as to how to compensate for those badly-designed knee joints. The common option is to very carefully cut away a sliver of those gold panels. Kids- your parents really should do this if you want it changed that badly; don’t go and be idiots and try to do it yourself.)

This set also comes with a rather unusual accessory- a traffic light on a string. What this has to do with the character that warrants its inclusion is beyond me. Prowl does indeed rip out a traffic light for use once in the first season, but it was a one-time thing. He can hold the string easily enough, or by carefully wedging the plastic end-piece between his thumb(s) and forefingers. (Doing the latter may eventually break off a thumb, so I’d advise against this.) Otherwise- like me- you’ll just keep this in the box or on the shelf, unused.

Many people and longtime Trans-fans were once more greatly disturbed by the newest incarnation of those famous shape-shifting alien robots in disguise; for example, turning the famous Optimus Prime into a measly wannabe with no ambitions and trust issues, or the overall design style of merging & graceful lines/curves matching that of other recent cartoons such as Disney’s hugely-popular “Kim Possible” (2002-2007). And yet after a rocky start in trying to win back the minds of the fans, the show has become a hit on its own as much as it is a tribute to the original G1 series from 1984. Plus, “Transformers: Animated” is an original American series like “Beast Wars: Transformers” (1996-99) and “Beast Machines: Transformers” (1999-2001) before it, rather than being a dubbed anime production from Japan. The same can be said of the toys thus far in their initial releases. But as word has spread across the Internet, the toys have come to shine on their own- not just for their functionality, but for their absolute and striking similarities to their on-screen counterparts, which has never been as fully successful before- where proportions were usually off, colors were wrong, and functions were off or not mentioned. In other words, after 23 years, we are finally getting in our hands what we see on the screen in a way never seen before in Transformers history.

Several times on CDX, I have made comments to the effect that some of the smaller pieces in my collection are often my favorites. This is another example of this. Yeah- with all these ball-&-socket joints, you’re prone to have a few irregularities when you transform him, but the range of motion can’t be argued against. Nor can his thin body shape; this guy really is a Cybertronian ninja. Only flaws I can find is those lower leg joints that bend too far than they should, the knees don’t bend far enough back due to those gold panels, it’s a little tricky to pose his feet, and rearranging the legs when transforming him back can be a real pain in the butt especially when you try to put the right knee into that hole under the nose. (Hips are a little loose; nothing a little at-home remedy can’t fix, like clear nail polish or carefully-applied superglue for additional friction.) But, otherwise, I really like this guy. And to be honest, I don’t want to see a larger version of him, even if it meant more accessories and details. (Seriously, why was that non-functional traffic light included? It’s really puzzling and useless.) This really is one of those times where a character toy is suited right at the size it is. For just the first wave from “Transformers Animated” toys, this will probably be one of my top favorites of the whole line. And so if I really like it, then I will highly recommend that you get Autobot Prowl. You will not regret it!

--Renewing the Charge--

[DISCLAIMER: This last section is not supported, advertised, or endorsed by either Hasbro, DreamWorks, Paramount Pictures, or Warner Brothers Records. It is a fan-supported effort completely independent from all companies affiliates with the 2007 film "Transformers".]

Not even a week after "Transformers" entered theaters on July 3rd and became a blockbuster, scores of fans were clamoring for a copy of the original musical score by Steve Jablonsky. However, WB Records said in an official statement that the score would not be released for the foreseeable future. In protest, a fan-supported online petition was set-up to persuade the record company to reconsider. By the end of two months, over 5500 signatures had been recorded (your's truly at #1112).

Victory for the signers was claimed when “Transformers: The Score” was released in October that same year, containing just-shy of one hour of the original score. Jablonsky also personally wrote to the creators of the petition thanking them for their efforts. The CD would go on to become the 32nd best-selling soundtrack on Amazon.com at the time of its release.

However, victory was short lived. Because the CD was so popular, it disappeared from shelves rapidly, and was not restocked. By the end of 2007- a mere two-and-a-half months later- new CDs were no longer being produced, but were still being sought after. Reports of online price scalping were not uncommon when stores ran out, easily selling for double the original prices. (Don't worry- I got my own copy in October, and loved every minute of it!)

. . .

Well, the folks at The Knight Shift who brought you the first petition have come back, and they are saying "Give the people what they want". I recently learned that a new Petition 2.0 is now up, and is accepting signatures once more. This new effort is directed at Warner Brothers Records, and is asking for an extended reissue of "Transformers: The Score", with the potential for additional original tracks to be added.

(Yours truly is petition signer #563.)

If you signed the original petition, I both thank you and ask you to put forth your effort on this new petition as well. If you did not sign the original petition, but got the CD, please sign this new petition. If you are a fan of Steve Jablonsky, please sign this new petition. If you are long-time Trans-fan, or you simply enjoyed the film the movie, then please sign this new petition. I thoroughly appreciated and enjoyed the original CD release, and I want others to share in it as well.

"Enough talk. It's time for action!"

Optimus was a young and optimistic recruit in the Autobot Academy, wanting to face off against real Decepticons in a battle as part of the Elite Guard. Unfortunately, he missed the war by a few million years, and eventually failed to pass the Academy. His ambitions and dreams crushed, Optimus was instead assigned command of a small maintenance crew for the tedious and boring duty of repairing and cleaning-up the Space Bridge network. But when the Autobot crew accidentally comes across the very powerful, life-giving All Spark which was lost at the end of the war, they are suddenly ambushed by the greatly-feared leader of the Decepticons, Megatron, and his own broken army of experienced soldiers in their search for the legendary artifact. The Autobots get away from the Decepticon warship, and Megatron is destroyed in a fluke explosion, but damage causes their ship to crash on an unknown planet. Optimus Prime and his crew go into emergency stasis lock for 50 years, and reactivate in the future underneath Lake Erie near Detroit, Michigan. The Autobots reformat their alternative forms to match those of Earth vehicles so as to blend in. As they begin to explore Detroit, they come across a human girl named Sari Sumdac, whose father owns the largest robot manufacturer on the planet. When she sneaks aboard their ship to see more of the transforming alien robots, Sari encounters the All Spark, and it rebuilds her electronic key card to carry many of its own powers. With Sari’s help in understanding Earth’s unusual cultures and customs, Ratchet, Prowl, Bumblebee, Bulkhead, and Optimus Prime swear to protect the All Spark from rogue Decepticons until Elite Guard reinforcements arrive.

Bumblebee has quite the ego, and the speed to back it up, but he makes for an excellent counterbalance to Bulkhead’s clumsiness and uncertainness, which makes them a great team and best friends. Driven by a need for speed and the urge to prove himself despite his small stature, Bumblebee is frequently bored when it comes to others’ need for thinking out a situation; he is a bot of action and will charge forward regardless of the danger. But despite being the self-proclaimed “fasting thing on wheels”, he still cares if his friends are in trouble or hurt, even if he may not know why. And now, this human girl, Sari, has become a rather poor influence for Bumblebee. Both love action, are fearless, and enjoy testing each other to achieve the next level of… whatever they can come up with. Rarely nowadays will you not find one without the other close behind. In fact, it was Sari who found a pair of used rocket thrusters and encouraged Bumblebee to upgrade himself with them, much to the concern & irritation of medic Ratchet.

. . .

The voice of Autobot Bumblebee is performed by voice and TV actor Bumper Robinson, who also covers several other characters in “Transformers Animated”, including the triple-changing Decepticon Blitzwing and the aggressive human businessman Porter C. Powell.

Bumblebee’s vehicle mode (back) is that of a small yellow 2-door coupe with an off-center black racing stripe. This is something that irked Detroit police Captain Fanzone- who rather detests technology at his old age- quite a bit because Teletraan-1 chose his small yellow 2-door coupe for Bumblebee’s alternate form! Though his vehicle mode is designed in the style from “…Animated”, the distortion isn’t all that noticeable- perhaps in the slightly forward-slanted roof & hood, making him a little pointed from a side view, and the trunk raised up quite a bit, but not as much as in the series. But honestly, I could easily see this car becoming the shape of a real mini-van in the not-too-distant future (such as a smaller 2-door version of the Ford C-Max)! But, Bumblebee is not a minivan in the series, he is a compact car. Though they’re hard to see on the nose (even for me!), his narrow pentagon headlights are painted gold. All of his windows are a dark transparent ABS, but they’re blocked in front and back by internal yellow plastic. The side windows, however, offer glimpses at the compacted robot parts inside- clearly showing that there are no seats or steering wheel inside. Because the parts for his windows are rather large, there’s a good share of yellow paint added to cover up the excess areas of the roof and door frames. Running from the front bumper to the small spoiler on the back is an off-center black racing stripe. The stripe is broken, however, by the little red strobe light atop the roof; this too is painted, and is not transparent. (The plastic beneath the red paint is transparent, but it would be the wrong color.) And printed onto the left side of Bumblebee’s back bumper is a small silver Autobot symbol.

For features, Bumblebee can, well, roll about. No more, no less. However, the set comes with the same paired booster rockets which Sari gave to Bumblebee early on. So that they look cool in toy form, they are molded in transparent-blue ABS, and then partially painted silver. The boosters can be slipped into holes in the back windows, recreating where they areare in the series. When not in use, the boosters just need to be set aside separately.

Unlike most of the toys from “Transformers Animated”, Bumblebee does not have an Automorph feature of any kind; you have to move everything yourself. The only thing that might classify would be the black spring attachment levers on the back of his lower legs, which keep the roof panels tight against them.

Also notable- and something that I’ve heard several people complain about- is that Bumblebee’s transformation is not completely authentic to his on-screen counterpart. Just like his G1 predecessor from the original 1986 cartoon, and his 2007 Classics remake, Bumblebee’s roof in “…Animated” becomes his chest. However for this toy, the roof becomes the back of his lower legs. So in order to give him a more proportionate chest, a false chest was designed to compensate, also eliminating the strobe light which would stick out otherwise. The false chest can been seen when you turn him over, and it is under the back bumper where a spare tire might be kept.

Bumblebee’s robot mode (back), for a smallish bot, isn’t quite as compact or efficiently solid as fellow Autobot Prowl. Attacking this kinda backwards, his legs & feet- though shaped like they are in the show from a side view (small at the knees & upper legs, and growing wider at the feet & ankles)- have the roof of the car mode sticking out at weird angles on the back side of them. Same with the toe parts, which hang off of small black shafts for the ankle joints. (The placement of two of the screws on his lower legs do match some techy-looking circles appearing there on the series.) Also, the car’s doors, minus the windows, look like small shields on his arms, which they don’t in the series. His hands are open-palm. The upper legs, upper arms, torso and head, however, are in correct proportion. He even has a confident lopsided little smirk on his face; though there is no movable face shield like in the series. Because his chest is a false part (as explained above), both the front and back windows from the car mode are smaller; while the back one beneath his chin is painted, the front one on his belly is a transparent-blue band that wraps around the yellow plastic beneath. (For the latter, it can pop-off, so you can easily re-attach it with no problems. Discreetly adding modeler’s glue would make it stay on permanently.) The back upper windows are repositioned on his back. Though red in the series, a new printed gold Autobot symbol sits on his chest; the silver one from his back bumper can still be easily seen on the back of his left shoulder.

For features, Bumblebee still has the boosters, which can remain attached throughout transformation, and they now appear on his back. (Like Prowl now, he can use these for rocket-powered high jumping, though neither can still achieve true sustained flight.) While Bumblebee’s paired Energy Stinger weapons are featured here, they don’t change or look the same way as they do in the series; the hands flip down here into the upper arms to make room for them. However, the transparent-blue points can still touch each other. When not in use, they are retracted along the insides of his lower arms. His eyes are transparent-blue, and use light-piping so that when light shines on the back of his head, his eyes glow. Does it work this time? ...Yes! And very well too! Aside from the stingers not remaining flush, his range of motion is still good, with ball-&-socket joints in his neck, shoulders, hips, and ankles, and free-turning joints in his neck, both arm joints, waist, and both knees joints. Because of the dual joints in his shoulder, his arms can be brought closer together to make the combined Energy Stinger. He can even look straight up, though this is mostly because of how he transforms. However, the elbows cannot twist side-to-side. And oddly, though his knees can swivel side-to-side, the joints are hampered by the tabs on the back of his knees, so posing them is limited to simple pitching up-and-down motion.

(Online blogs & forums are offering up suggestions as to how to make the stingers more flush with the forearms when retracted so that they don’t bump into anything. There are a pair of very tiny yellow tabs inside each arm at the stinger’s joint that can be cut away. You couldn’t unscrew the arms to do this because the stinger’s joint covers one of the screws, so a small X-acto/modeler's knife would be needed. They are really tiny, but they’re also really hard to get to. Kids- your parents really should do this if you want it changed that badly; don’t go and be idiots and try to do it yourself.)

Many people and longtime Trans-fans were once more greatly disturbed by the newest incarnation of those famous shape-shifting alien robots in disguise; for example, turning the famous Optimus Prime into a measly wannabe with no ambitions and trust issues, or the overall design style of merging & graceful lines/curves matching that of other recent cartoons such as Disney’s hugely-popular “Kim Possible” (2002-2007). And yet after a rocky start in trying to win back the minds of the fans, the show has become a hit on its own as much as it is a tribute to the original G1 series from 1984. Plus, “Transformers: Animated” is an original American series like “Beast Wars: Transformers” (1996-99) and “Beast Machines: Transformers” (1999-2001) before it, rather than being a dubbed anime production from Japan. The same can be said of the toys thus far in their initial releases. But as word has spread across the Internet, the toys have come to shine on their own- not just for their functionality, but for their absolute and striking similarities to their on-screen counterparts, which has never been as fully successful before- where proportions were usually off, colors were wrong, and functions were off or not mentioned. In other words, after 23 years, we are finally getting in our hands what we see on the screen in a way never seen before in Transformers history.

Though he’s shaped the same way, how he transforms is slightly different, and there’s some noticeable kibble on the lower arms and back of the lower legs. It’s done well here, but it’s an obvious change from the series’ version. Plus, the Energy Stingers don’t look or transform quite the same way. I was a little let down by the lack of side-to-side motion in his elbows, but it’s okay, and I can see how that may have been hard to pull off here. There are a few tributes in the design. Becoming a small car is the same as the G1 Bumblebee’s vehicle mode being a Volkswagen Beetle (which cannot be done anymore due to recent trademark laws), but there are too many differences between the two cars to make any comparisons beyond just their size. And the character’s trademark tiny antennae on his head return as well, though only very small cones. (With that grin, those little horns make him positively devilish, huh?) The other tribute is from the life-action film “Transformers” (2007) which came out the preceding year- in that incarnation of Bumblebee, his vehicle mode (a fifth-generation 2008 Chevrolet Camaro) had two black racing stripes, but here he just has the one set off-center. Actually, if you compare with the series’ version, the stripe is actually along the left side of his chest & leg, not the right as on the toy; and there is no stripe on his toe, but rather on his lower leg. Also, to add to the detail, painted panel lines were added on how lower torso and upper legs to match that in the series. (A nice idea, but I thought molded lines would’ve been equally sufficient.) I have no complaints about the vehicle mode; it looks just fine. Including the boosters (which he secretly kept, against Optimus’ orders, BTW) was a great touch, and I really appreciated it. They may seem like just another accessory, but since they appear in the series it makes them more connected to the character than just another random special feature. Transforming him is one of those things where everything has to be in perfect alignment or things hang up on edges and other parts, so take it slow the first few times and really learn how to do it right. Aside from those few small objections, this is still a great toy. So I highly recommend getting Autobot Bumblebee! He is the smallest, roundest... and yellowest thing around on wheels.

--Renewing the Charge--

[DISCLAIMER: This last section is not supported, advertised, or endorsed by either Hasbro, DreamWorks, Paramount Pictures, or Warner Brothers Records. It is a fan-supported effort completely independent from all companies affiliates with the 2007 film "Transformers".]

Not even a week after "Transformers" entered theaters on July 3rd and became a blockbuster, scores of fans were clamoring for a copy of the original musical score by Steve Jablonsky. However, WB Records said in an official statement that the score would not be released for the foreseeable future. In protest, a fan-supported online petition was set-up to persuade the record company to reconsider. By the end of two months, over 5500 signatures had been recorded (your's truly at #1112).

Victory for the signers was claimed when “Transformers: The Score” was released in October that same year, containing just-shy of one hour of the original score. Jablonsky also personally wrote to the creators of the petition thanking them for their efforts. The CD would go on to become the 32nd best-selling soundtrack on Amazon.com at the time of its release.

However, victory was short lived. Because the CD was so popular, it disappeared from shelves rapidly, and was not restocked. By the end of 2007- a mere two-and-a-half months later- new CDs were no longer being produced, but were still being sought after. Reports of online price scalping were not uncommon when stores ran out, easily selling for double the original prices. (Don't worry- I got my own copy in October, and loved every minute of it!)

. . .

Well, the folks at The Knight Shift who brought you the first petition have come back, and they are saying "Give the people what they want". I recently learned that a new Petition 2.0 is now up, and is accepting signatures once more. This new effort is directed at Warner Brothers Records, and is asking for an extended reissue of "Transformers: The Score", with the potential for additional original tracks to be added.

(Yours truly is petition signer #563.)

If you signed the original petition, I both thank you and ask you to put forth your effort on this new petition as well. If you did not sign the original petition, but got the CD, please sign this new petition. If you are a fan of Steve Jablonsky, please sign this new petition. If you are long-time Trans-fan, or you simply enjoyed the film the movie, then please sign this new petition. I thoroughly appreciated and enjoyed the original CD release, and I want others to share in it as well.

"All hail mighty Megatron!"

Optimus was a young and optimistic recruit in the Autobot Academy, wanting to face off against real Decepticons in a battle as part of the Elite Guard. Unfortunately, he missed the war by a few million years, and eventually failed to pass the Academy. His ambitions and dreams crushed, Optimus was instead assigned command of a small maintenance crew for the tedious and boring duty of repairing and cleaning-up the Space Bridge network. But when the Autobot crew accidentally comes across the very powerful, life-giving All Spark which was lost at the end of the war, they are suddenly ambushed by the greatly-feared leader of the Decepticons, Megatron, and his own broken army of experienced soldiers in their search for the legendary artifact. The Autobots get away from the Decepticon warship, and Megatron is destroyed in a fluke explosion, but damage causes their ship to crash on an unknown planet. Optimus Prime and his crew go into emergency stasis lock for 50 years, and reactivate in the future underneath Lake Erie near Detroit, Michigan. The Autobots reformat their alternative forms to match those of Earth vehicles so as to blend in. As they begin to explore Detroit, they come across a human girl named Sari Sumdac, whose father owns the largest robot manufacturer on the planet. When she sneaks aboard their ship to see more of the transforming alien robots, Sari encounters the All Spark, and it rebuilds her electronic key card to carry many of its own powers. With Sari’s help in understanding Earth’s unusual cultures and customs, Ratchet, Prowl, Bumblebee, Bulkhead, and Optimus Prime swear to protect the All Spark from rogue Decepticons until Elite Guard reinforcements arrive.

Of all of Megatron’s followers, perhaps no other is more blindly-faithful than Lugnut. A powerful warrior in his own right, Lugnut’s fanatical loyalty is often tested and joked about by other Decepticons, but he would proudly destroy them all if only Megatron would order him to do so. Though the Decepticon leader only just tolerates the dimwitted hulk which adores him so, he keeps Lugnut close by more because of his strength, speed, and power- citing heavy explosive punches, paired laser turrets, a huge spiked mace, multiple specialized bombs, and unmatched physical strength. When the Decepticon leader was lost aboard the Autobots’ ship, Lugnut was absolutely devastated, but forever-vigilant as he searched the galaxy for Megatron with the multiple-personality triple-changer Blitzwing. Finally arriving on Earth, Lugnut was unexpectedly contacted by his deactivated leader, and ordered to recover the All Spark. Elated to find his master still alive, Lugnut assumed the disguised form of a heavy Earth bomber and proceeded to seek out the Autobots and the All Spark, with a confused Blitzwing (who could not hear Megatron) clamoring behind.

. . .

The voice of Decepticon Lugnut is performed by cartoon-veteran actor David Kaye. While he also covers both Optimus Prime and Grimlock in “Transformers Animated”, he is no stranger to the franchise- making his most-memorable debut as Megatron for both "Beast Wars: Transformers" (1996-99) & "Beast Machines: Transformers" (1999-2001), and then going on to voice three other incarnations of the evil Decepticon leader (and thus, Galvatron) in the 2004-06 Unicron Trilogy ("...Armada", "...Energon", & "...Cybertron").

Lugnut’s vehicle mode (back) is that of a heavy bomber which he scanned on the tarmac of an air force base near Detroit. Following the controversial animation style in the series, proportions of the bomber mode are exaggerated or stretched in odd ways. The primary colors are purple and turquoise, and there are black, yellow, and red highlights. The nose of the bomber is very reminiscent of the real Boeing B-29 Stratofortress bomber from World War II- using no indented cockpit on top of the nose, but rather a large array of many smaller windscreens all across it to make the entire nose a windscreen. And then the nose is flanked on either side by paired laser cannon turrets. A third laser cannon turret of different design sits on top of the fuselage between the wing mounts. The wings both feature an air intake on top, and a very large turquoise engine nacelle beneath which almost touch the ground. As the fuselage gradually slopes upwards moving aft, the tail features a set of rectangular turquoise engines sitting on either side, and each of those has two roughly “L”-shaped purple diagonal stabilizers. A molded detail along the fuselage on both sides beneath the wings is eight small non-painted triangular windows. A gold-printed Decepticon symbol is found on the top of both wingtips.

One thing about Transformers toys that were based on flying characters is their traditional lack of composition along their undersides when it comes to hiding their robot component; when you turn them over, all those robot parts hang around and completely spoil the disguised form. Now, you will always- let me say again, always- have something from the alternate mode(s) showing through the disguised form of any Transformer; that’s a given. But here, Hasbro worked very hard to keep this to an absolute minimum, with only Lugnut’s legs & feet showing beneath the tail, and the waist rotation joint for the transformation between the retractable wheels. And even then, the legs blend in very well with the lines and curves of the bomber’s shape. The only other noticeable give-away is the handle of Lugnut’s mace sticks out on top of the fuselage, but that can be ignored easily enough. Very, very good, Hasbro! I applaud and compliment your hard work!

. . .

For movable features, both nose and fuselage landing gear can be extended so that Lugnut can roll around, and all three turquoise turrets can free-twist around 360°.

Automorph Technology is a special feature which was introduced in the “Transformers: Armada” (2005) line, and returned in “Transformers: Cybertron” (2006); though it was not called such until the debut of the toy line based on the first live-action film “Transformers” (2007). What Automorph does is- depending on which toy is involved- use a series of internal levers & gears, triggers, and buttons to move one part of the figure without you having to move it yourself; it automatically transforms for you. Sometimes, an Automorph feature will be electronically-powered, though this is reserved for special larger sets only.

For Lugnut, there are three Automorph features, though only one of them is directly involved in his transformation:

• As the top half of the back fuselage is rotated downwards (after the legs have been moved out of the way first), the section above/between the wings automatically rotates around 180°, hiding the top laser turret and revealing Lugnut’s head. However, just before this process is completed, the nose section splits in two and suddenly springs apart to either side, both revealing the center of his chest and bulking his upper torso up to cover the inner wing sections a bit. When transforming him back, the aft fuselage will always turn the head in/out, but the nose sections must be swung back into place by you and held there until that fuselage section is back to horizontal.

The other two are for use in his robot mode only:

• When the engines beneath his wings become his lower arms, there is a pair of purple switches on both sides of them which, when slid forward, will deploy his clawed hands. Since this means he can open and close his hands at will with these switches, it is not directly connected to, nor required as part of, his transformation.
• There is a small button on the narrow end of his removed tail section. But to use it, you must insert the tab halfway-up into either of Lugnut’s hands. Then, when you press on that button on the bottom, the top array of engines/fins will spring apart to create a more-aggressive spiked mace. This will only work when he’s holding it! (According to marketing materials, officially when Lugnut slams the mace down on the ground, the mace pops out on its own, not by him/you pressing a button.) To retract the blades, the weapon has to be removed from his grip, and then you have to reset the engine covers by pressing them together until the fins fully extend again.

Lugnut’s robot mode (back)- as with his vehicle mode- very closely resembles his appearance in “...Animated”. The creators of the series at Cartoon Network have commented many times that Lugnut’s appearance was inspired by Marvel Comics’ big, mean, green comic book superhero, The Incredible Hulk. Lugnut’s Hulk is a counter to Autobot Bulkhead who, in turn, was inspired by Marvel superhero The Thing from the Fantastic Four comic books; hence why the two Cybertronians have a rivalry & connection that extends beyond simple Autobot/Decepticon allegiances, and are of similar size & strength to each other.

He has a rather hunchback look to his upper torso, his small turquoise face with five sensor eyes and large chin perched in front of his shoulders on top of his chest, not above them. (Big and stretched-out chins are a trademark feature on all “Transformers Animated” characters, so this is no exception.) His head is a little confusing- the large transparent-red monoeye on the toy possibly being mistaken for a nose, while the collective smaller painted red eyes further back looking like his ‘real’ eyes, giving him a demon- or vampire-like look. But in the series there is no doubt that he is a Cyclops. His upper torso and shoulders are very broad, allowing his huge arms and tiny elbows to hang without touching anything. His almost teardrop-shaped lower arms feature those integrated claws, which are much more pronounced in the series, but they here they blend in almost seamlessly. When you use that Automorph feature to open the claws, you expose the hole that his mace attaches to; in the series, this hole is actually a red detonator button for his explosive power punches. By contract, his legs are actually smaller than his arms, giving him the look of a very powerful upper body. And really, this is the only contradiction from his “...Animated” form, where his legs are like thick tree trunks to match his arms. On this Voyager-class toy, the legs are just thinner, but are still accurate in their length, shape, and function; and really this is understandable because of how well they blend into the fuselage in vehicle mode (something that I’m certainly willing to accept). Officially, you do not see Lugnut’s mace when he’s not using it, but on the toy you can keep it stored on his back in its collapsed form if you wish without worrying about him falling over. And finally, because Lugnut’s wings fold up against his shoulders, hiding the Decepticon symbols, a third gold symbol sits on his chest, hidden in vehicle mode by the bomber’s nose.

Even though Lugnut appears top heavy with small legs, this is just an illusion; he is actually very well balanced even on carpet. There is very little “kibble” [extra parts from transformation which hang off areas not associated with the robot mode] such as the wings on his shoulders, but the only amount that doesn’t fit [and isn’t seen in the series] is the top aft part of the fuselage where his collapsed mace is stored, but it doesn’t interfere with posing; perhaps only hampering how to hold on to him a little. As to his range of motion for posing, it is fantastic. In fact, the only things that don’t move are his waist, wrists, and head. And the cool thing is, this awesome range of motion is accomplished without a single ball-and-socket joint! Both axis of his shoulder joints are the only ratcheting joints he has- pitching up-and-over comfortably through 360°, as well as spreading outwards quite a bit. His elbow is actually double-jointed, and can pass beyond bending 90° forward! Additionally, the lower arm can twist side-to-side all the way around just above the elbow joint as well. His hips can only bend straight up 90°, but both they and the knees have swivel joints which allow for free-turning posing postions. Actually, the knee joints sit a tad further down than the molded “joints” are, so they bend a little lower than expected. The three parts of each foot can also bend down (though only because of his transformation). Though the top turret switches places with Lugnut’s head during Automorph, the two forward turrets remain intact on either side of his chest and can still be twisted up-and-down. And finally, a feature which has become more common in the last few years is the light-up eyes. In Lugnut’s case, there is a strip of transparent red plastic running across the back of his head, and when you shine a light through it, his monoeye glows. (Now, does it work properly? Heh... no! Not even a sparkle! It’s as if there’s nothing transparent in there to begin with. And, honestly, I actually expected it to work this time because of the simplified head design...)

Many people and longtime Trans-fans were once more greatly disturbed by the newest incarnation of those famous shape-shifting alien robots in disguise; for example, turning the famous Optimus Prime into a measly wannabe with no ambitions and trust issues, or the overall design style of merging & graceful lines/curves matching that of other recent cartoons such as Disney’s hugely-popular “Kim Possible” (2002-2007). And yet after a rocky start in trying to win back the minds of the fans, the show has become a hit on its own as much as it is a tribute to the original G1 series from 1984. Plus, “Transformers: Animated” is an original American series like “Beast Wars: Transformers” (1996-99) and “Beast Machines: Transformers” (1999-2001) before it, rather than being a dubbed anime production from Japan. The same can be said of the toys thus far in their initial releases. But as word has spread across the Internet, the toys have come to shine on their own- not just for their functionality, but for their absolute and striking similarities to their on-screen counterparts, which has never been as fully successful before- where proportions were usually off, colors were wrong, and functions were off or not mentioned. In other words, after 23 years, we are finally getting in our hands what we see on the screen in a way never seen before in Transformers history.

I’ll say right off that the biggest letdown for this Voyager-class toy was his size compared to his on-screen counterpart. In the series, he matches Optimus Prime in height (with Megatron towering over both, BTW), but even the Voyager-class Optimus Prime (Earth Mode) toy stands taller than this guy. Really, as far as toy size is concerned, he’s not much bigger than a Deluxe-class figure (such as Bumblebee here). (With Hasbro’s recent trend of making a character toy in more than one size, I can only hope they’ll make a bigger version of this guy as well…) Also, in vehicle mode, the large round engines beneath the wings look more like fat bombs or fuel tanks, but it’s kinda hard to tell either way. And if you want to pitch an arm backwards, the transformation joint will usually bend before the proper shoulder joint does; they could’ve tightened that up a bit. Beyond this, I have no complaints. Yeah, the legs and elbows are a little skinny, but I can live with that. The range of motion is awesome to say the least. (I think they could have forgone the light-tube eyes in favor of a twisting head.) The Automorph features are all pretty cool (I like the one in the mace best), and you don’t have difficulty transforming him in any way. While opening and closing the claws is a little tricky (it’s hard to figure out where to put your fingers), it’s a very cool idea, as was setting up the mace’s spring-out feature so that it would only work when he’s grabbing it. And so, I enthusiastically recommend that you pick up Voyager-class Decepticon Lugnut; he’s totally worth it!

Oh... and please forgive me my little GERWALK moment here; I couldn't resist.

--Renewing the Charge--

[DISCLAIMER: This last section is not supported, advertised, or endorsed by either Hasbro, DreamWorks, Paramount Pictures, or Warner Brothers Records. It is a fan-supported effort completely independent from all companies affiliates with the 2007 film "Transformers".]

Not even a week after "Transformers" entered theaters on July 3rd and became a blockbuster, scores of fans were clamoring for a copy of the original musical score by Steve Jablonsky. However, WB Records said in an official statement that the score would not be released for the foreseeable future. In protest, a fan-supported online petition was set-up to persuade the record company to reconsider. By the end of two months, over 5500 signatures had been recorded (your's truly at #1112).

Victory for the signers was claimed when “Transformers: The Score” was released in October that same year, containing just-shy of one hour of the original score. Jablonsky also personally wrote to the creators of the petition thanking them for their efforts. The CD would go on to become the 32nd best-selling soundtrack on Amazon.com at the time of its release.

However, victory was short lived. Because the CD was so popular, it disappeared from shelves rapidly, and was not restocked. By the end of 2007- a mere two-and-a-half months later- new CDs were no longer being produced, but were still being sought after. Reports of online price scalping were not uncommon when stores ran out, easily selling for double the original prices. (Don't worry- I got my own copy in October, and loved every minute of it!)

. . .

Well, the folks at The Knight Shift who brought you the first petition have come back, and they are saying "Give the people what they want". I recently learned that a new Petition 2.0 is now up, and is accepting signatures once more. This new effort is directed at Warner Brothers Records, and is asking for an extended reissue of "Transformers: The Score", with the potential for additional original tracks to be added.

(Yours truly is petition signer #563.)

If you signed the original petition, I both thank you and ask you to put forth your effort on this new petition as well. If you did not sign the original petition, but got the CD, please sign this new petition. If you are a fan of Steve Jablonsky, please sign this new petition. If you are long-time Trans-fan, or you simply enjoyed the film the movie, then please sign this new petition. I thoroughly appreciated and enjoyed the original CD release, and I want others to share in it as well.

Yamato’s Galaxy Cyclone Braiger is an interesting piece. If it weren’t so expensive it would be a damn fine toy. The Braiger has a lot of toy-like qualities. It’s fun, durable, and has a lot of play value. But at $168 USD you really can’t think of it as a toy at all. With Video!

Yamato’s Galaxy Cyclone Braiger is an interesting piece. If it weren’t so expensive it would be a damn fine toy. The Braiger has a lot of toy-like qualities. It’s fun, durable, and has a lot of play value. But at $168 USD you really can’t think of it as a toy at all.

The Braiger is the first entry in Yamato’s GNU-GOU line. Yamato describes the line as follows:

“Drawing upon Yamato's time-tested experience through the development of countless high-end transformable toys, the GN-U GOU is the culmination of intensive manual labor, the latest in CAD design, and the manipulation of ABS material for sharp, precise detail to fully express the image of each individual Super Robot as it appears in the original anime without sacrificing any play value. While faithfully maintaining proportions and details, the GN-U GOU maximizes playability through an ingenious method of transformation through the combination of interchangeable parts. The GN-U Gou, a perfect marriage of form and function.”

Reading Yamato’s description of the GNU-GOU line, you begin to understand what they were going for, and why the Braiger is what it is.

My Braiger, let me show it to you.

Braiger comes packaged in a large, gorgeous box. The front has a nice painted rendition of the Braiger, while the back features images of the product in action. The front flap opens up to reveal the product through a clear window.

The components of the Braiger come packed in 2 clear plastic trays. The top tray features Braiger in robot mode while the bottom has the car mode parts. Included in the package is a DVD, sticker sheet and instructions. Before you get too excited, the DVD is just a 30-second opening animation from the TV series.

Braiger in robot mode is a fun, playable toy. It just feels like it should have come out in the late 80s, during that period when metal made way to plastic. The details are incredibly sharp and although light, the Braiger is sturdy. The parts fit is excellent with one exception. There are small tabs on the inside legs that need to be removed for transformation – on one leg this tab falls out easily. If the fit on the leg were a little better, this wouldn’t be a problem. It’s minor, but it’s a noticeable flaw on an otherwise great piece. The toy is almost entirely ABS plastic, and has a similar feel to Yamato’s Scopedogs.

While in robot mode, the Braiger makes use of several weapons. The signature Brai-Cannons are attached to the back of the figure via pegs. Each cannon swings over the shoulders and extends with drop-down handles so that the Braiger can grab on and aim.

The Brai-Sword is a yellow-bladed sword that can be held in either hand, and the Brai-Spear is a 2-part Javelin. The handle can be separated and connected with a section of chain to be held in both hands.

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