Kup is one of the characters in the 86 movie that I did like. He's an old soldier, he's devoted to the Autobot cause, and makes for a great sergeant that the younger Autobots can learn a thing or two from. I wish I got to keep the 2011 Deluxe because that was a cool version of the character, and I was so close to getting the Titans Return version because of how much more faithful to the character design it was. With the Studio Series 86 line going for the mini-MP line, let's see how this guy will work as part of further completing the CHUG display. Let's see if this lad has it in him (and by "It", I don't mean the potential Hot Rod has or any of the movies starring Pennywise; I mean being a good figure).
Here is Kup in his vehicle mode, which is supposed to be a futuristic truck in 2005 according to the movie...yeah, if Movie Ironhide is anything to go by, this is definitely not what pick-up trucks look like in 2005 (thank God). The design looks like a basic geometric shape on wheels that vaguely tries to look like a vehicle, but while Arcee, Hot Rod, and Blurr look more convincing as futuristic vehicles (with Springer being more militaristic), Kup looks pretty weak in terms of design. The color scheme is pretty solid in terms of having two shades of green, the multi-layered cockpit is good, and there are three Autobot insignias present. The feel of the toy is a little weird, as it has a vague hint of the plastic that army men would have, though that might just be me.
The design itself isn't perfect, but I do find the...whatever color the lighter parts are, to be incomplete. The wheel arches are not completely colored like that, and the same goes for those things on the back that would become the legs. The sculpted details are nice, but this truck mode is sucky.
The weapons can be stored on the sides, but it's nothing special. The gun and treat are just slapped on the sides.
The figure's transformation is pretty involved, especially moreso than I originally anticipated. What I like about the transformation are the ways the shoulders are rearranged in place as well as the method of straightening the legs. The way the wheels are hidden is neat, though getting the backpack in place can be a little annoying. The robot mode we end up with is spot-on to the cartoon model. Aside from the uglier things of the toy, like the backpack being on a somewhat obvious hinge or the panels on the legs being a little clunky, it's not missing out on anything Kup would have, and things like the skinny limbs and the weird shoulders are present.
Head sculpt is faithful to the design, though he looks like someone that is constantly miserable in life. I don't think Kup's someone that is suffering from PTSD. His articulation is the same as with the rest of the WFC type of line, though despite having wrists differently colored from the forearms, they are just painted on and do not swivel.
The accessories he comes with look fine for what they are, with a gun that looks like what it should and the treat that he can use on the Allicons or Junkions.
My favorite thing about this toy is the ability to remove the limbs. They use 5mm ports and can easily be used for that backdrop of the tentacle monster that people totally didn't make hentai art and/or not get mad over because it's not ROTF Soundwave's tentacles tortured the old fart. With Studio Series Hot Rod in-hand, you can have him prepare to get repaired and be back in fighting shape in no time!...or do what I do and switch the limbs so he can get mad at the turbo-revvin' punk for fucking up.
Kup got a repaint in the SS-86 line, this time in an even closer cartoon deco. that makes for a more cohesive vehicle mode, a proper Autobot insignia, and an opaque chest that make Kup feel special in the Buzzworthy Bumblebee line.
And here we have a sort of heavy retool in the form of Legacy Orion Pax. After usually having cosmetics being altered as well as a typical head swap, we get more retooling added in an attempt to make this guy look less like Kup. It's amusing how his Energon goodie is still there, so maybe it can be a walkie-talkie.
And you can't have Orion Pax's Sunbow look without a Dion. Rather than be a retool of Legacy Evolution's Hot Shot, he shares the same mold as Orion Pax did, with his own unique differences like the shins, waist, backpack, chest, and additional accessories. His head is also similar but not exactly like OP's. He was available with fellow War Dawn victim Erial.
For a comparison with his prior counterparts, I'll be using the Takara Legends version of the Titans Return mold in terms of it being closer to the cartoon. The Titans Return figure was a good version of the guy if I'm being honest. While it's not exactly spot-on to the cartoon, I don't think he was that far off from the robot design as what you're about to see with the other characters. In fact, while comparing Studio Series 86 Jazz and his POTP counterpart, these two work just fine, though the Studio Series version is a little pudgier. The original Generations figure works well as a more unique take on the guy, and I feel bad for giving him away because it was a unique figure. And while I like the altmode and design of the Generations figure better, the Studio Series 86 guy is still pretty solid. While the vehicle mode is pretty sucky overall as it's always been, the transformation is somewhat decent and the robot mode is spot-on to the robot mode. If you can get this guy in stores, don't skip on him!
Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐ and a half out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
No comments:
Post a Comment