The Transformers brand is no stranger to providing variety to fans, whether it's from the classic G1 series, the Unicron Trilogy, the 7 live-action movies, or practically the Aligned continuity as a whole. And this time, I feel the variety has been a little more intriguing to say the least. But what came off as a surprise was the larger-than-usual presence of Transformers figure representing RID 2001 near the end of the year. So yeah, sounds like a lot of fun to delve into for ranking these numerous toys. With all that said, let's take a look at the miscellaneous Transformers bought from numerous toylines that weren't from Studio Series, Legacy, or the general ROTB mainline's six Deluxes and three Voyagers.
26. ROTB Battletrap - this orange Ironhide was more of a curiosity than a purchase I actually wanted. I barely got any of the mainline toys that began with AOE and continued being carried over to the Earthspark and ROTB lines. Battletrap, the sole Terrorcon in the Autobots Unite subline, was one I got since he was about $4 at Ross. He's okay for the price I paid, but clearly not a toy I'd fully recommend if you are someone not as interested in anything that has less articulation than the average Deluxe. It still baffles me how under-represented Battletrap is versus Scourge and Battletrap in the toyline.
25. G1 Frenzy - This blue Rumble is alright for what it is. Granted, it's not as creative as turning rectangles into animals, but it's still a neat idea that Takara was able to pull off back when this was a Micro Change toy. My only real issue is the somewhat awkward arm articulation, and one foot is loose on the slider joint. Beyond that, an alright fellow.
24. G1 Gears - Another little bot to talk about, and just in time as we get closer to the Legacy United release of the character nearly a decade since we last had the Thrilling 30 Legends toy This version of Gears is small and easy to transform like a lot of the Minibots, but it makes sense given how small he is, on top of looking like Papa Smurf since Don Messick voices him and the Autobot in question.
23. G1/Retro Hound - We have yet another G1 Walmart reissue to go over, this one being the more recent 1986 movie-influenced reissues. Yeah, Hound getting a reissue is neat, especially when the last time he had one was in the 2003 Collection line, but I find it amusing how a line themed around said film focused on pre-movie characters. Granted, Studio Series 86 was like that, too, but at least it mostly began with new molds for the characters that debuted in the line. Oh, and the lack of chrome may be a distraction but this guy is a goofy little Autobot Car.
22. G1 Astrotrain - Alright, one more G1 reissue to go over. This guy is neat to own simply because of how neat the whole inside-out vibe works for the triple-changing aspect of going between the train and rocket modes. The solid black train mode gives it that industrial vibe that involves it chugging through the day and night while the spaceship mode has this pristine aspect to its appearance if you ignore how toyetic both are. Yeah, it looks stupid overall, but I have to admit the way you change it between modes is adorable.
21. ROTB Mirage - This figure being our first version of Mirage to hit retail shelves feels weird, especially when he's given much more prominence in the movie than Bumblebee. On top of that, there is an official Porsche license that is hyped over yet is barely prominent in the merch. So this toy is left as an unofficial approximation of the 911 Carrera like the mainline Deluxe, but this guy also falls short for being rather underdetailed. The gray plastic is flat, the blue paint apps look sparse, and the chunkily proportioned robot mode is missing a lot of detail, including the blue meant for his paint yet his face is painted gunmetal gray. At least it is closer to the CG model than the mainline Deluxe's noggin.
20. RID 2001 Mega-Octane - Technically G1 but moreso used to represent an entirely separate character from Onslaught. Mega-Octane is probably the best Scramble City combiner torso thanks to the pretty decent transformation and alt-mode proportions. Not to mention he has a neck swivel for that added bit of personality that you don't see a whole lot from G1 toys. I look forward to completing the rest of the Commandos in the near future.
19. ROTB Arcee w/ Cheetor - The most film-accurate Arcee when it comes to the robot mode comes at the cost of not being 100% accurate as well as feeling cheaper than normal, especially with the gray plastic. That being said, she is a cool figure to pose, and the Cheetor Battle Master she comes with is a decent if toyetic weapon. If you painted her up, gave her the twin blasters, and added some extra alt mode pieces, she'd be perfect.
18. Energon Steamhammer - This guy is a pretty funky Decepticon who also has to serve as a torso for Constructicon Maximus. Honestly, his bot mode is wonkier than Barricade's and even Storm Jet to an extent. But I can't hate a design that is at least trying to be creative and not just a generic Constructicon homage. Much like with Ruination, I hope to complete the rest of the Construction Team.
17. RID 2001 Grimlock - Out of the four Build Team members that make up Landfill, Grimlock is the weakest out of the set. Altmode is fine apart from the exposed combiner joint, but the robot mode looks a little like a dinosaur. Ironic since this could almost be like a vague G1 homage since Grimlock is better known as a dinosaur. That being said, I at least appreciate him being unique from the tiny Wedge and the bulky duo of Hightower and Heavy Load, all of which we'll cover down the list.
16. ROTF Ice Cream Twins - At this point, Studio Series will reserve slots for piss-poor Gamer Edition toys and made-up Bumblebee movie characters with the Concept Art label slapped on. No Twins whatsoever on top of the reduced presence of the main 5 movies meant I had to get the Ice Cream Twins from ROTF. These guys fit in pretty well with the current Studio Series aesthetics and scale, though Reprolabels are mandatory to complete their looks, and they could also use sharper face sculpts. If they had those added as Studio Series releases, and retain being Deluxes, I wouldn't mind that compared to the shitty High Octane Bumblebee mold that got reused in 2021.
15. RID 2001 Hightower & Heavy Load - These two share a spot because they are functionally identical for the most part. Bot modes and leg modes are similar to one another, but the difference is how Hightower has his head as part of the crane assembly and therefore is a partsformer while Heavy Load is at least able to transform with his dump truck bed still attached as his head is part of the canopy where the driver sits. So better than Grimlock but their leader still wins.
14. RID 2001 X-Brawn - While Brawn reimaginings as seen in Animated and the movies (moreso in Bumblebee than the ROTF toy) tend to homage the G1 version of the character, the RID 2001 series took who was basically some guy and made him into a version of Brawn that is unique amongst other versions of the character at the time. Between his altmode, the asymmetrical arms, and the pretty neat use of weapons, it's easier to forgive the toy's shortcomings when it manages to at least try and work differently in an era of more experimental Transformers toys.
13. RID 2001 Wedge - He may be the smallest one out of the bunch, but Wedge manages to feel like w worthy Deluxe figure overall. Most Deluxes nowadays that are tiny would justify paint or part count as their cop out card, but Wedge at least had dense plastic on top of being able to serve as a component for a unique gestalt compared to the usual Scramble City types. So yeah, not much else to say other than Wedge is cool.
12. RID 2001 Side Burn - I heard fans had issues with his complexity back in 2001, and while it isn't that practical, especially with the shellformer aspect of it, Side Burn is still better than the Beast Wars Neo guys. At least it's easier to be a shellformer car than animal, and this guy also beats any possible retool made by Legacy Evolution Shadowstriker.
11. RID 2001 Prowl - Much like his fellow Autobot Brothers, Prowl represents a sense of creativity that hasn't been seen in recent iterations of Transformers when it comes to having a unique design philosophy. Granted, he has had the less G1-influenced takes of the name as seen in Energon and Animated, which is why I value the somewhat Samurai-influence to the bot mode while also retaining things familiar with the G1 version, like the police car motif and the similar role of being a rank close to Prime's. And this toy is also kickass when it comes to playability and looks.
10. RID 2001 Ultra Magnus - To Japan, this guy was probably best known for being an homage to Godbomber and nothing more. To the US and the rest of the world, this is an Ultra Magnus unlike any other, being a car carrier like in G1 yet being a single-unit robot of his own, tall league. Not only that, but the fact that he can combine with his brother Optimus Prime and still be a mostly independent and fully articulated toy is sweet.
9. First Edition Bumblebee - While the copy I own is showing its age from paint rub and sharpie courtesy of a previous owner, this figure is still great to have as someone who always loved the Prime series and never had most of the First Edition line. In spite of the door wings being at an odd angle and the shoulder articulation being impractical, this is still a version of Bumblebee that I am happy to own.
8. TFP Airachnid/ APC Toys Night Countess - This beats the Hasbro stupid PRID version. Curb stomps it. Slam dunk. Everything that was wrong with the Hasbro version has been rectified, from the appearance to the articulation and the overall engineering. This figure is perfect for First Edition, and it makes me happy that a third party company like APC Toys remembers that Transformers Prime is a great show, and Airachnid is a great fembot.
7. Siege Jetfire - WHY DID I PASS ON THIS GUY EVEN WHEN HE WAS PRICED AT $50 ON WALMART DOT COM BACK IN 2019?! So much for trying to gas up the Thrilling 30 version. Anyways, Jetfire is a nice, tall drink of water. Not literally, but he makes for a weird yet somehow cool take on the cartoon alt mode with a hefty (at least for 2019 standards) Air Guardian with armor to add on for a bit of loose toy-accuracy and even the ability to switch factions. He does feel a bit cheap here and there, but it is something future Commanders fix later on. Still, glad I got him 4 years later, especially before his cameo in Void Rivals hinting at Skybound's Energon Universe.
6. First Edition Bulkhead/ AC-03 Arms Iron - Now I don't know if this is a true APC Toys release or not. The packaging is different from their line-up, and I know there'd at least be variants go past the Hasbro and Takara versions. That being said, I love this figure, between the engineering he has, the faithfulness to the CG model is top tier, and surprisingly, they brought back the Dreamworks Toy Factory upgrade kit! A surprisingly niche upgrade kit that just got easier to obtain with a high-quality knockoff! WOW!
5. First Edition Optimus Prime/APC Toys Attack Prime - Another First Edition figure in the list?! I mean, there were a ton of G1 and RID 2001 toys to cover, especially when it comes to there being great toys overall. Optimus Prime, especially the APC Toys knockoff, is a marvelous recreation of his CGI model in the Prime series, with transformation steps that later Prime toys use for reference but not as well as this guy. The weapons are great, too; only the blades are odd with the clear blue plastic instead of silver paint that they should have, but two blades, two guns, a Star Saber, and an alternate head is better than having fewer options with the stock toy.
4. Earthrise Sky Lynx - Up until Armada Prime showed up, Earthrise Sky Lynx has been my favorite Commander Class toy out of the releases we've had before. I love the design that makes the character stand out overall from other Autobots, being a space shuttle that turns into a dinobird with the option to have the legs become a lynx of their own. And while the original Sky Lynx is the only figure to have motorized gimmicks, this guy at least can turn into a launching pad that can be made from the lynx configuration. Tell you the truth, I can't really find much to complain about for a release like this, and I'm happy to jump in on getting him after missing out on the original release back in 2020.
3. Takara ROTB Ultimate Optimus Primal - While the Studio Series version is more film-accurate and has some pretty good engineering for a current-day Leader Class figure, this is my favorite version of Optimus Primal from the ROTB line. Yeah, he's not entirely film-accurate, but I love how hefty he feels, on top of containing some pretty good articulation, and who can forget about the numerous play features he comes with? Spring-loaded arm cannons, missile-launching shoulder cannons, twin swords that can combine, and a face-swapping gimmick? Hell yeah!
2. RID 2001 Optimus Prime - This figure likely doesn't need a Commander Class redo in my opinion. Yeah, we'll probably have a more streamlined version of the figure with enhanced articulation (also no rubber tires means they aren't going to crack overtime), but there is so much that this figure does right for an older toy. Good articulation, hefty plastic, a nice use of chrome, and a lot of play features that make him feel complete overall. Second-hand copies are going to vary with how many parts are kept intact (mine was missing the gun), but it isn't impossible to find complete listings online.
1. Masterpiece Movie Bonecrusher - After Blackout made Masterpiece Movie figures great again, I was speculating on how Bonecrusher would help form a streak of quality or not. And surely enough, HasTak made it work! Not only did they manage to make the figure feel like a whole new experience with the transformation, but they also made a respectable use of accessories that fit the character well, from alternate claws to the flame effects, and an alternate face with a broken eye to boot. I also appreciate how the figure adds to the articulation. A waist swivel may not seem like much, but it's better than the way HasTak didn't add bicep swivels on MPM Starscream. I sure hope Brawl continues the streak of quality figures!
And that covers my list of 2023, with a nice variety of figures from other lines getting love and attention...even if most of them are from G1, RID 2001, Prime, and ROTB. We'll see how much variety there is to cover in 2024, so see you in another 12 months!
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