In Prime We Trust
Optimus Prime is a lady.
Wait, what?
Update
Updated Busou Shinki Links list with the updated guide for creating a Konami ID.
Toy links
Giant–sized Defensor.
Knock-off Transformers Protectobots repainted and gussied up with repro stickers.
Marmit versus Medicom.
Jeff Parker does a pictorial comparison between the two 1/6 scale versions of Boba Fett.
Beauty is …
A scene that will not end well featuring figures from the Sideshow Toys Eye of the Beholder set.
Microman news.
Sadly, it would seem Takara Tomy is relying solely on licenses.
Micronauts commercials.
They didn’t need special effects or fancy tricks to sell those toys.
HobbyLink Japan power ups.
HLJ not only provides a valuable service to non-Japanese toy fans but its web site is a key reference site for Fanmode.
Toy review roundup
Dan Wakerhauser reviews the Marvel Toys Legendary Comic Book Heroes Conan the Barbarian and Wrarrl, and Clownface and Panda two-packs. Excerpt: “I don’t know how legendary these heroes can be since Conan is the only one I’ve ever heard of …”
Dan Wakerhauser also reviews the Hasbro Marvel Legends Black Queen Toys R Us exclusive figure. Excerpt: “As the Black Queen, Jean Grey’s costume consisted of a corset, briefs, long gloves, boots, a choker and a cape. The figure gets at least half of it wrong.”
Josh Bernard reviews the Kaiyodo Revoltech Yotsuba figure. Excerpt: “If you are not into cute, this is not the toy for you.”
Thomas Wheeler reviews the Hasbro Transformers Movie Deluxe Barricade figure. Excerpt: “… there’s no question that Barricade is a cool toy, and an excellent representation of the movie character …”
Adam Pawlus reviews the Hasbro G.I. Joe 25th Anniversary Stalker figure. Excerpt: “25 years later, it seems the toy business still works pretty much the same way.”
yo go re reviews the Art Asylum Minimates Stargirl and S.T.R.I.P.E set. Excerpt: “This is a very cool set of Minimates, without any real shortcomings.”
Scott Rubin reviews the Art Asylum Star Trek Minimates Captain Kirk & Vina, Captain Pike & Spock and Scotty & McCoy two-packs. Excerpt: “They have great articulation and really perfect likenesses that bring out the individual characters.”
Retro reviews
Tom Prankerd reviews the 1985 Tonka Gobots combiner Puzzler. Excerpt: “It shouldn’t work, but it does, and very well at that, resulting in a surprisingly solid robot.”
Josh Bernard reviews the 2000 Unifive Choshingokin Daikyojin DX set. Excerpt: “The Daikyojin DX set is a remarkable toy, one that has modern engineering while maintaining the old school styling.” (See also.)
John Muir reviews the 1976 Mattel Pulsar: The Ultimate Man of Adventure figure. Excerpt: “He didn’t have the advantage of his own TV show, so maybe I need to create one. Now I just need to find someone with a see-through torso…” (See also.)
Simon Skey does a video review of the 1987 Hasbro Transformers Headmaster Mindwipe figure. Excerpt: “… it really does show that by the late 80s Hasbro really were just churning them out for the sake of churning them out.”
Toy links
Daimos power up.
Shihatsu experimented with various weapons mods for the Busou Shinki Vitulus and Tigris mecha combination.
Busou Shinki light saber.
Master Takamura used a Hiromi Milight, which we believe is actually a fishing lure, for these cool custom weapons.
The Art of the Brick.
Nathan Sawaya’s Lego sculptures have been featured on CNN and are being displayed in museums around the US. He is a Certified Lego Professional.
MugenDaiRyuutei.
A Mugenbine fanmode by N.N.G.R.
Microguns.
The Blue Box Toys Elite Force 1:18 scale weapons and accessories are perfect for gearing up your Microman figures.
Chevrolet Aveo Swerve.
An exclusive Transformers figure limited to 2,000 pieces.
Japanese toy review roundup
The following reviews are in Japanese but they include a generous amount of photos so they’re well worth checking out.
Ken Murasame reviews the MegaHouse Action Works Space Sheriff Sharivan figure.
taku1 does a two–part review of the Bandai Souchaku Henshin Kamen Rider Zeronos figure from the Kamen Rider Den-O series.
Nekonekokoara reviews the Takara Tomy Microman Micro Action Series Pentagon figure.
Hiro reviews the Takara Tomy Microman Micro Action Series Kinnikuman Great figure.
Damien Sancho reviews the Bandai Gundam G.F.F. Metal Composite Psycho Gundam figure.
momodani reviews the Aoshima 1/48 remote controlled Type 66 Maser Cannon (weathered version). (He earlier reviewed Aoshima’s previous Maser release.)
Otaudo reviews the Bandai Ultimate Solid Kamen Rider 4 trading figures.
kaede_sg reviews Bandai Gundam HCM Pro Gundam Dynames figure.
yuki bune reviews the Hasbro Transformers Movie Deluxe Swindle and Dreadwing figures.
Ebi reviews the Hasbro Transformers Fast Action Battlers Plastma Punch Bumblebee figure.
kuronuko yamato reviews the Hasbro Star Wars The Saga Collection General Grievous figure.
Retro reviews
Ganhoo reviews the 1998 Takara Magnemo Series Steel Jeeg figure. (See also.)
Takanishi reviews the 2001 Hasbro Transformers Beast Machines Battle Unicorn figure.
Transformers Baka Ichidai reviews the Takara AkaDenchiman and Drimogura set.
k2o reviews the 1989 Takara Madoh Collection Minadaros figure from the Madoh Oh Granzort series.
Akaboushi reviews the 1998 Takara Beast Wars II Autolauncher figure.
Toy links
Creating your own vinyl toy.
“The cost of making a figure can be as expensive or as cheap as you make it … The cheapest production costs for soft vinyl figures are similar to the cost of putting out a limited CD independently …”
The Iron Mobile.
A scratch-build inspired by a vehicle that appeared in a single panel of Marvel Adventures Iron Man # 4.
Take-G’s wooden toys.
Fantastic handicraft by Nakagawa Takeji. Prices range from US$60 to US$6000.
Larry Hama on writing filecards. [via]
He wrote the majority of the bios for the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toys.
Mego Super-Heroes ad from 1973.
“Imagine what the gang’ll think when they walk into your room and see SUPERMAN and BATMAN holding up volumes on your library shelf—super-hero bookends!” Yeah, nothing says cool more than bookends.
Man meets bear.
Someone has clearly not seen Grizzly Man.
Got a cool toy-related link? Send it in!
In Prime We Trust
Optimus Prime has street cred.
G1 Powermaster-style. Denver, USA.
Optimus Prime has street cred.
A beautiful Movie-style piece. Australia, we think.
Optimus Prime has street cred.
Almere, Holland.
Optimus Prime has street cred.
Klang, Malaysia.
Optimus Prime has street cred.
St. Petersburg, Russia.
Optimus Prime has street cred.
Adelaide, Australia.
Optimus Prime has street cred.
Movie-style. Toronto, Canada.
Optimus Prime has street cred.
Pat Lee-inspired. Montreal, Canada.
Optimus Prime has street cred.
Payback for The Agenda part 3. Philadelphia, USA.
Optimus Prime has street cred.
This is so old school, it’s in black and white. Amsterdam, Holland.
Optimus Prime has street cred.
Lacking details but still unmistakable. Germany.
Toy links
Cybertron senshi … gattai!
And you thought there weren’t any combiners in the Transformers movie.
Evolution Class Tactical Artillery Vehicle. [via]
A dangerous-looking Lego MOC by Brian Kescenovitz.
Night flight.
A digirama by Zelevol featuring the Toy Biz Marvel Legends Iron Man variant from series 1.
Old school robots.
Wood was once state-of-the-art robotic building material.
Non-Toxic Reviews.
“Gadgets, toys and advice for Dads.”
Barbie does Dallas.
“The accomplished and diverse women who make up the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are honored to have a Barbie doll represent our timeless brand and standards of excellence to share with fans everywhere.”
Got a cool toy-related link? Tell us!
