Transformers G1 Galvatron (2005 Reissue) review

Bla bla bla 1986 movie blah blah blah traumatized 80s kids bleh bleh bleh some echo chambers cling to it unless it's Bumblebee or TF One. Look I already have my gripes with the movie, especially the fandom gatekeeping surrounding it, but I won't like it's one of the better parts of G1 media. That said, one thing that always got on my nerves everytime Hasbro tries to reissue old toys is the exclusion of some main characters. They did this before with the Commemorative Series with Megatron, but at least there is an excuse with the safety law BS, but now we got a bigger problem: they could still reissue Galvatron! I doubt the mold was lost through time or heavily worn out, but they usually give Optimus attention, and even in the 2000s they reissued the Powermaster toy. Thankfully, Takara made a special reissue commemorating the movie and in a way far greater than the average reissue: making him cartoon accurate while still making him awesome. Let's go back to when Takara reissues were really cool and review the 2005 D-62-S version of Galvatron.

Here we have Galvatron in his futuristic cannon mode. Though not really much of a tank, it has treads via stickers and wheels to roll on, and thankfully there isn't much to complain about with someone whose plastic wheels roll better than most average toys. Despite being lavender or lilac instead of purple, at least the color used looks nice and vibrant instead of cheap and lifeless like on a lot of toys made recently. Some of these parts could either be nice and dense plastic or painted thoroughly to prevent mismatching, but I love the chrome accent around the cannon and the minimal use of stickers. The treads being stickers instead of molded details is weird but could be worse. 

The cannon lights up via the LED in the head, but instead of distorted garbling, you get to switch between three different SFX modes: blasting noises, the transformation sound, and voice clips. The first mode works well here with the grey button on top while we also have an additional trigger for the gun mode. Yeah gun mode sucks but then again, it's comparable to when Japanese mecha designers try to squeeze out so many configurations for their toys.

Transformation is best accompanied when you press the button for the noise, though it only does the ascending sound despite what TFWiki says. Still, it's accompanied by so many ratchets while the fin in the middle works as a soft yet stable lock for the torso to not shift down if you go back in alt mode. As for the robot mode, it's pretty close to the cartoon design, and further more thanks to the color scheme new to this toy. Granted, it's a lot brighter than normal, especially given Takara likes making their Galvatrons lilac or lavender (lilavender?), but this being the old toy specifically makes it work better, honestly. Also helping is the red chrome on the abs, knees, and so.e of the stickers. And while a lot of proportions on the old Season 3/movie toys are wonky compared to the slim character models (though not like the Diaclone carry-overs are any better), Galvatron mostly works pretty well save for the tiny biceps. I guess the new deco is a case where putting lipstick on a pig works. 

The head is said to be retooled to somewhat match the cartoon, but I can't tell the difference given how the proportions are. Still, the eyes light up, and he can use the voice clip mode, playing the following Seizo Kato lines: "Wa-ha-ha-ha, kono orokamono-me!" (Bwah ha ha ha! You fools!), "Eei, Cybertron o hineri-tsubuse!" (Hrr--crush the Autobots!), "Kono yaku-tatazu mono ga!" (You're all useless!), "Eei, hakai shite kureru wa!" (Grrah, I'll destroy you!), and "Destron gundan, transform!" (Decepticon army, transform!). By the way, TFWiki slipped up once again when they said you can use 2 AA Batteries when you only need AAAs instead. Nice work, cucks. At least I can hear the voice clips here since they despite owning MP-36 Megatron, who reuses them due to Kato's passing, I have a bootleg version and the voice box in the fusion cannon doesn't work. Who knows if it even kept the Japanese clips since said bootleg was made in China and some have Chinese voice clips. Anyways, articulation consists of ratchets in the shoulders moving front and back as well as in and out, ratchets for the elbows, a slight waist swivel, slight kicks for the hips, ratcheted knees, and a bit of toe ticulation. He can have the particle beam cannon clipped in one arm while holding a smaller blaster carried over from the old release.

What makes this release special is the Matrix of Leadership, dipped in chrome and made out of die-cast. You have the option to display it by itself or on his neck like a gold chain. That bling is nice and all, but it originally began life as an accessory for the 2002 New Year Special version of Convoy/Optimus Prime. US fans who collected the Reveal the Shield line in 2011 should recognize the accessory from the Rodimus vs Cyclonus 2-pack. 

This figure was repainted in the old toy colors as Galvatron II and sold exclusively at eHobby. The head still retains the retooled face on the cartoon version I have, but the Matrix is colored green to represent its appearance in the comics as the Creation Matrix. Exclusive to this repaint is a speech clip that replaces the line "Destron Gundam, transform!" with "Washi no kobun ni naran noka!" ("You will be my servant!").

Speaking of the original toy, not much else to say about it beyond the inferior sound effects and the 9-volt battery it used to be powered by.

For a size comparison, here he is with his old form, towering over it while also being a better toy overall. I know some will still swear by the G1 Megatron toy either for nostalgia as a whole or straight up bias against the Movie-onwards toys (because there are still people out there who only like Season 1 and 2 solely because no characters were replaced, what maroons), but Galvatron manages to beat his old self anytime of the day, if we're being honest. The proportions are generally better if slightly wonky, the articulation is a bit more robust for the time, and the scale helps him stand out compared to other toys in either the G1 line itself or any display. That said, he does look funny shaking his fist against G1 Prime for taking the Matrix back, doesn't he? Wonder if I should get Powermaster Prime to go with him. Honestly, if you can still find the Takara cartoon color reissue at a reasonable price, then that should be your best option for a retro Galvatron. The cartoon colors, die-cast Matrix, and sound effects are already enough to make him a recommend amongst other reissues and vintage toys out there. Just be ready to pay a hefty sum for this guy, doubly so for Galvatron II.

Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

S.H. Figuarts Yoshi review

A while back, Yoshi made his cinematic return in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie; while it was decent as just a fan service montage and sucked as a film, one thing I did like was that Yoshi was done with real justice. Granted, having Donald Glover do the same sound effects is pointless when Japanese voice actor Kazumi Totaka would already be perfect, but at least he just does Yoshi noises and not say a single word in English. Setting aside the mid movie, why do we love Yoshi? I'd argue it's a mix of him just being plain adorable, the undying loyalty towards Mario and friends, and him being worthwhile both as part of a main Mario game and in his own spinoff series is what keeps him as one of the main Nintendo faces without a shadow of a doubt. Plus, it's always satisfying to play as him whether you're actually controlling him or riding on him, but I will always find the fan theory that Mario abuses him to be dumb as hell. Like can y'all stop making these lame ass fan theories that makes Redditors ejaculate, or should I make my own to prove a point? Anyways, with Yoshi's Figuart receiving a reissue, let's see how well this guy holds up for an older release!

Here we have Yoshi in-hand. We aren't quite doing the normal front-side-back photo trio given Yoshi's design is going to make it hard to see his eyes with his big nose. As expected, this figure is a mix between molding parts in separate colors to prevent color mismatching, and painting certain areas where needed (such as the saddle and the fins on the back). Given his character design is always going to have cartoony proportions, I think Tamashii nailed the look pretty well. With fewer articulation cuts that break up the sculpt like on the Mario Brothers, Yoshi looks a bit more naturalistic in comparison. The arms are a bit segmented like the Bros, but at least the hips don't look a bit shrunken due to the proportions the plumbers have, requiring that forward leg movement is done by making the spaces above the legs smaller so the joint could work. Even the mouth doesn't look segmented, especially with his chubby face and big nose making it less noticeable. As for the quality of the figure, it's generally robust yet the torso is a bit hollow. My theory is Tamashii wanted to make sure he wouldn't weigh too much on the flight stand if he were to have either bro on his back. Speaking of which, we also have a left hand holding an egg, two alternate saddles meant for each bro, an open right hand, eyes facing forward, and his tongue probably measuring at his height. 

Articulation includes a hinge within the head to look up and down, neck rotation, jaw-ticulation, universal shoulder range, hinged elbows, wrist rotation via the pegs and barely any inward hinges (though I can't get the pegs within the forearms to rotate so the wrists bend inwards only). The hips and ankles are on ball joints, but there are no knees. I like that the display options are easy to swap out for the most part, though the hands can be hard to pop in real good whereas the eyes don't have enough friction to keep them in place. O will admit that I wish the egg could be detached from his hand so it can be plopped in one of the invisible tiles. The tongue thankfully is easy to swap once to pop the head off, and I like that the saddle is able to hinge back to give the head more space to point up.

For those wondering, the wider saddle is meant for Mario while the thinner one for Luigi. I love recreating some of the cover poses that were used for New Super Mario Bros Wii, and I was hoping to do the same for Super Mario Galaxy 2 if not for the way one of the hands works with Yoshi. Still wish we got both various versions of Toad and more Yoshi repaints so we can recreate the 4 player craze NSMBW brought since keeping everyone in the same screen could make things a bit hectic. I know Jakks Pacific made plenty of Toad and Yoshi repaints, but they won't sit that well without the balancing support of that cradle.

Overall, while Yoshi is always mandatory for a Mario collection I am a bit let down by the potential not being as realized as I was hoping. Not that this is a bad figure, but I wish he had a few more accessories for mostly the eyes or hands. Then comes the price discussion: I know I got Mario and Luigi years ago, the former from a comic shop and the latter from Amazon, so they may not have been entirely accurate to the MSRP.  From what I remember, Yoshi went for $40-45 in the first run, and the jump to nearly $70 should rightfully throw people off. I know Tamashii charges some Figuarts more than others, especially if their Dragon Ball cast has proven anything with Goku and Vegeta usually being for casual collectors while other characters get a higher price tag. That said, Yoshi's equally as recognizable to casual fans as the Mario Bros, and on top of that, doesn't he still have the same value of accessories as them? Even the recent Mario reissue gives him a flight stand that should have been included with the first run, so the price hike is probably Tamashii wanting to make this figure seem more like a bigger deal than it really is. I know it's 36 years since Super Mario World came out, and we also got his NES game just sharing his name a year after SMW came out, plus the recent movie regardless of its quality...all I have to say is that you should wait for a sale if we were to get one. I hate saying that because Yoshi is one of those characters you would feel bad saying "no" to, but so have to say it how it is when it comes to value for money. The rest of the figure is generally good, I just wish they didn't upcharge it considering the kind of character we're talking about. I know some will bring up inflation, tariffs, or aftermarket prices, but those aren't excuses for a company that does some practices with certain releases. Case in point, the Ranma Figuarts nearly costing $100 despite having mostly similar accessory counts with the main anime faces of DBZ, One Piece, and Naruto at your local Target or Walmart to encourage new collectors.

Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐ and a half out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Gear Factory Gale & Bolt (TFP Dreadwing & Skyquake) review

Seeker Twins Skyquake and Dreadwing have already received the review spotlight 6 years ago just about; while the original molds maybe mostly fine for what they are, the problems that plagued the PRID line combined with the over reliance on rubbery parts and fragility concerns kept the two from being some of the best molds from the line. Then came the Legacy Evolution version of the mold, surprisingly giving us Skyquake first despite him dying in his debut episode; the mold had better plastic quality and was able to the weapons a bit better, the aesthetics overall were meant to homage the G1 version of Skyquake, notably with the blockier proportions and most of the jet mode. Ironically we are getting Machine Wars Starscream before Skyquake proper, and I bet King Atlas will be between their inevitable releases. So the LE mold stayed on my Prime shelf, scaling better but looking out of place clearly. Now Gear Factory has their high quality knockoff game back in the field, and it's time to see how the brothers turned out with all the improvements fans should expect by now if they remember their APC days. We'll be covering Airfighters Gale and Bolt, who'll mostly be named by their official names. If you want to know about the original versions, I recommend reading my old review here.

Here we have the Airfighter duo in their vehicle modes. This review will mostly go over the differences between these and the original Hasbro versions. Right off the bat, the plastic quality is far superior for the most part. Nothing feels like 2012 levels of scaling back, and it also helps given these are slightly upscaled to better match the show. The only issue I'd bring up is the tabs for the knee spikes; some stock photos show them untouched for transformation, while a small few show them more flush with the thigh for the undercarriage specifically; there are no instructions to mention this, and I don't feel confident in QR codes. So while trying to untab them, the pegs for the knee spikes snapped off, and while they don't otherwise ruin the figures, I would like to see some proper clarity on stuff like this. Still nothing that will affect the toy like the breakages on the Hasbro versions' eyes or the fuselages on the backs. One other improvement is that the landing gear is functional on all wheels, and the rear set can now retract; says something when some Hasbro figures that would normally feature wheels have them as molded nubs (cough BBM Megatron). At the very least, all pieces that were rubberized are replaced with hard plastic.

For a jet mode comparison, here is Gale with Legacy Evolution Dreadwing. While the jet mode was fine, and it still fit the character better than the somewhat more generic altmodes of Arcee and Knock Out (or Bulkhead being more AOE Hound), the back section clearly aimed for that G1 Skyquake route. And funny enough, we only got this jet combination gimmick with Needlenose and his retool, Windsweeper; none of the Predator jets have been made yet!

Transformation is mostly the same as the originals, but now the hands and feet can now fold away properly, and the waist halves are more flush with the undercarriage, cleaning up the altmode better when going back into jet mode. As for the robot mode, the colors are much closer to the show, with a forest green for Skyquake instead of the regular shade and a metallic blue closer to the Arms Micron version instead of the darker shade from the Hasbro version (Skyquake never got an Arms Micron release btw). While the articulation is generally the same as before, albeit with ball joints for the wrists instead of swivels, tere is a bit more included at the feet, while the hands now have hinged fingers. They both come with swords, better detailed and scaled properly than the regular versions. 

Their other weapons include the underslung cannons, with a rotating gatling gun set up for Skyquake to distinguish himself a bit more from Dreadwing. Funny how the green one has a more illin' cannon than the dude who debuted in G2. I have a theory these come from a third party set like some of the APC/Gear Factory stuff does. Because we don't have the Powerizer gimmick, the clear plastics used throughout the official versions are abolished entirely, save for the cockpits and eyes.

The weapons can be stored in the backs as always and in the case of Dreadwing, you can simulate him deploying his sword from the cannon by removing the handle and blade.

Both figures come with alternate heads, with scowling or smirking expressions. I like that Dreadwing shows a bit of teeth in his scowling face, though both have the same smirking sculpt work.

One oddity is that the neutral heads have opaque ball joints while the others are clear plastic. Not sure if this is a byproduct of the regular expressions being designed like the Hasbro versions were. I don't have the originals in hand but from what I can tell, the part holding the head had the stems for the ball joint. 

Dreadwing comes with two bombs and a totally-not-a-flip-phone that he can hold, and it's a cool callback to the times he used these against the Autobots, notably in the episode Hard Knocks. They especially go well with the smirking face.

And one more comparison with the Legacy Evolution version. While only being slightly shorter than the Leader, the KO will scale well with other TFP figures regardless. So apart from a few, minor issues, I highly recommend you get a hold of Gale and Bolt. They cost about $50 or less each, and despite being bootlegs, they have better value for money than the average current Voyager or Leader. I also like that Skyquake coming with fewer accessories means he costs less than his brother, which is always appreciative. I got mine from TFSafari (#NotSponsored), and so should you.

Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ and a half out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Figma Rebuild of Evangelion Gendo Ikari review

Gendo Ikari is a bad father, and there is no other way to put it. He not only neglected his own son after the death of his wife, Yui, but he was an extremely manipulative man behind Nerv while secretly planning the Human Instrumentality Project in the background. While people really hated his original anime version, they started to appreciate the later appearances he had in some of the spin offs and especially in the reimagining known as Rebuild of Evangelion. Perhaps it stems from the fact that those projects don't use Hideaki Anno's past experience with his dad as an influence? Then again, he did want to make the series more accessible to non-fans of the original. That said, this release honestly came out of nowhere compared to the attention put towards the Evangelion Figuarts; I'm not sure if it's due to Rei and Asuka being cash cows, the inclusion of Shinji for that line, or Figma being far less known as a whole, but regardless, the Ikaris graduated into poseable figure territory. I'd love to see them do this to Misato and Ritsuko, but after getting this for cheap on eBay, let's see if he makes for a better figure than a dad.

Here we have Gendo Ikari in-hand. Kind of feels nice to be talking about a suited body that is not reused from a Marvel Legends of DC Multiverse figure, but that doesn't mean Gendo is going to be excited on his own. Don't get me wrong, he isn't an awful figure, far from it, but he isn't as flashy like the Eva pilots because of their suits or Misato because she's Misato. At the very least, the proportions are seemingly accurate to his character model and the paint is consistently applied. And while I find him somewhat plain, at least the white gloves and red shirt are unique to him specifically. That said, there are cuts in the jacket and pants meant for better range in the articulation, and while the darker color of the suit helps them stand out less, I should mention that they barely help with the improved range. Oh and I have a slightly small QC issue on the back of his pants like he has some flakes there.

His head sculpt is the most iconic aspect of his appearance, what with the visor he would wear specifically in the Rebuild series; I love the chrome red, and this instead of the sunglasses represents after he loses his eyes from using the key of Nebuchadnezzar to surpass humanity. I'm surprised by the blue on the edges, almost like they'd help him do an optics blast. Come to think of it, the design is closer to the Fox movie version of Cyclops, huh? As for accessories, you get an alternate jacket, a flight stand, a bunch of hands, his corrupted face with his eyes missing, and a forearm with a piece that makes it look like an air pump out of context...

His articulation consists of a double ball neck, ball joints for the shoulders, outward arm movement, bicep rotation, hinged elbows, double-swivel hinge wrists, double ball torso, ball jointed hips with slight drop downs, slight thigh rotation, hinged knees, and ankles that barely move given the pants molded over the shoes while the toes hinge. He's far from the most exciting figure to pose in this line, but what I can say is that he at least does the stuff the package and stock photos lets him do. One of the alternate hands is meant to go with that forearm piece to make it appear his hand is tucked in his pocket. Neat, I guess, but it feels more like another excuse for Good Smile to bump up the price for a mostly plain design. Otherwise, it's just hands and a faceplate that doesn't deny the Cyclops similarity allegations. Oh and he is shorter than someone like Wolverine, so who knows if he will even scale with the Figuarts of Shinji, Rei, and Asuka given that's a different company while Figmas of the two girls are expensive in the aftermarket. 

So now we went over everything the overall appearances, articulation, and accessories, what about the price? As far as I can tell, online websites, both Japanese and US-based, have it range between $75 to $115. For a figure like this to mostly come with more hands than anything, not even an alternate faceplate with normal glasses or a desk lile the Nendoroid, I would not recommend paying full price. It's like buying a mass retail 1/12 scale figure with just alternate hands (or a McFarlane release where there's nothing but the stand and card that all figures come with). That said, I got this for much cheaper on eBay, and given the seller hated the price like I did, he or she sold it to me for $36 plus shipping. It wasn't a knockoff, and I doubt Gendo would be popular enough to warrant knockoffs, but it's a bargain! So if you can get him for a price lower than everyone's standards towards him as a dad, then go for it. Otherwise, don't bother.

Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐ and a half out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Transformers Legends Godbomber & Perfect Effect PC-18 review

If you thought I was done talking about Ginrai, think again! The Legends line not only retooled Titans Return Powermaster Optimus Prime into a more Masterforce accurate design, but they also took things a few steps further with a wholly new version of Godbomber. For those who were unaware of the series, or at least vaguely aware of when Powermaster Prime toys had what was dubbed Apex Bomber or were upgraded with the Apex Armor, this bot is not a sentient character and is merely a drone that responds to the powers within Ginrai. It can technically be animated with the power of the Headmaster Jrs, but it wouldn't be until the Legends manga where he would be sentient again. That said, it mostly stuck with a fully robotic Ginrai until the dude died and was turned into Victory Leo. Masterforce is unique for the whole idea of using humans as a greater focus in a Transformers than any other franchise (yes, that includes the Movieverse, 80s crybabies), so much so that it ends up being more like a half-tokusatsu, half-mecha anime with a Transformers skin. Hence why things were slightly more traditional with full Cybertronians for Victory. Anyhow, let's see how well Godbomber turned out from the Legends line.

Here we have Godbomber in its alt mode. The design is not entirely nondescript, as it is an armored trailer that almost feels more like a futuristic military truck with the front section and wheel count. From what I can tell, Takara had to whip something up while the Pretenders had sluggish sales in the Japanese market, requiring they make a new toy to go with Super Ginrai. The proportions are a little different from the original, but it maintains the same general idea of "be's a thing on wheels". New to this is the front section opening up for Godbomber's Headmaster to ride inside it, with two more slots for additional riders. If you're familiar with the RID 2001 series, you may recognize the front section loosely resembling Ultra Magnus's vehicle mode, and it's even more apparent when the Japanese version, Car Robots, calls him God Magnus.

Godbomber can be hauled by Super Ginrai via the waist piece's articulated hitch (nah not like that lol), and while it can theoretically turn on said hitch, the swivel is a little tighter than usual while the slot where the piece goes into isn't tight enough (and there are already issues with the retooling applied to Ginrai versus Powermaster Prime). It mostly wobbles around before the connection is undone, even with a proper set up.

The transformation into base mode is more partsformery than the actual transformation into robot mode, though you mostly fold the wings down while removing the legs and tabbing them underneath said wings. The trailer sides could connect to other Leader Class figures for a larger playset, and the front section is opened for those missile pods. The rocket launcher in the middle reveals a seat for the Titan Master to ride in, but this mode sucks. I already joke sometimes about Japanese toy designers trying to squeeze as many modes as humanly possible to make the toy do more than it really could, but at least with something like the Tank Mode in the MMPR Megazord, it took advantage of the wheels on the Triceratops and Sabretooth Tiger as well as the Pteradactyl cannons. And back to regular TF, Powermaster Prime's base mode for the trailer looked well thought out with the ramps and cannon placements, whereas this feels like a first attempt at a fan mode. Now before I move forward, I should mention that this is the special release that comes with Headmaster Jr members Minerva and Cab. You may recognize the former from the Legacy line, while the latter looks almost like Swerve.

Transformation into robot mode is closer to a normal Transformer rather than a partsformer, which is a good thing given how everything just about comes apart on the old toy. I like that the legs are on heavy-duty ratchets that feel sturdier than on the normal TR Leaders, and the only real partsforming we have is just the Headmaster gimmick and the helmet detaching itself from the back of the shoulder cannon. The forearms, however, may as well partsform since they don't want to stay in place that well! They're just too hollow from the inside with no additional connections beyond the 5mm port and part of the side using friction. As for the torso, it's now dependent on several hinges to fold up and keep the front and back of the torso connected before tabbing the arms in place. The connections for those are better than the original version, but it could still be a little more robust. As for the robot mode, it is more refined and dynamic than the old toy, all thanks to the better proportions and not being a complete partsformer. I always like how the design still looks like a normal Transformer despite not functioning like a normal one in the fiction, and the Ultra/God Magnus influence is even stronger here thanks to the wings on the back, the massive forearms, legs that almost go for miles, though the torso is asymmetrical here while we have a shoulder cannon on the left side only. There is far less gray used in this mode than on the old toy, though I don't mind the two-tone blue motif on this figure. That said, I will have to comment on the type of dark blue plastic used on the toy later down the line. The back of the figure looks a bit goofy since you'd think the front of the altmode would be the actual chest, and we already know how I feel about the hollow forearms. Still, the figure looks generally good.

Head sculpt continues the influence for the later God Ultra Magnus design, only black instead of blue (though one of the repaints has a black helmet design). I wish the face was painted silver, especially since I've seen some Titans Return figures had their sculpted details hard to focus without proper paint (Galvatron and Megatron come to mind). Articulation consists of the usual ball-jointed neck, shoulder rotation, ratchets moving in and out, bicep rotation, hinged elbows, wrist rotation, finger and thumb articulation, ratchets for the hips comparable to the Energon Autobots, swivel joints for moving out (and barely any range), ratcheted knees, and ankle pivots. The lack of full outward leg movement hurts the otherwise consistently good articulation of this toy. The sword's blade can slide out from underneath the cannon while the handle detaches from the inside in addition to the rocket tip...problem is, the tighter tolerances of the chrome combined with the tiny peg for the tip on the handle has caused the damn thing to bend before eventually snapping off. Why does it even need a peg if both accessories can slide in with the aid of just friction?

Like all Titans Return Leaders, the helmet comes off to let the Titan Master work normally on its own, though it isn't permanently attached to the rest of the body given how he works as a partsformer regarding the God Armor compared to the other figures.

The original version of the mold has no chrome and instead uses silver paint. Given how Super Ginrai has no chrome to begin with, maybe this would fit better aesthetically? That said, the tolerances are said to be worse than on the 2-pack version. Also, with the Nightbeat head and with the Combiner Wars ports in the thighs to swap in Trickdiamond and Curse Armada Thrust to make an evil version of the design. 

For a robot mode size comparison, he is just a few centimeters taller than Super Ginrai, though, to be fair, that's to be expected given how one has to form parts for the other with proportions much chunkier than the Prime lookalike. I will say that Godbomber's details and overall aesthetics don't look quite as stylized as Ginrai, likely given how the other figure is a heavy retool of an already stylized figure (Combiner Wars Ultra Magnus being based on the IDW comics), though it's not like you're putting, say, Bumblebee Movie Optimus Prime in your WFC Trilogy display.

Now it's time to combine them, with the partsforming mostly serving for the boots and forearms while the torso relies on hinges and opening up the chest of Godbomber. It's a little confusing at first glance, given you have to latch the back of the whole assembly before tabbing the chest in place. Given Godbomber's chest halves house the thighs as well as the upper arms, you no longer have the back as filled in as one would hope. Still, at least you're able to make Ginrai's forearms proportionate by pulling on them a la transformation before wrapping the forearm pieces onto them. The resulting combined mode is absolutely stunning; it's always glorious to see a set-up like this after just having the normal Combiner Wars stuff, and it's almost like the feeling of getting a third-party upgrade kit on an official figure...which is both a blessing and a curse given what I'm about to get into. I already talked about how gorgeous this set looks combined, and while I love seeing a figure not just look aesthetically retooled but also functionally to complement the Godbomber components as Powermaster Prime likely is unable to work with, this set still has stability issues more apparent in this mode. The trailer panels for the legs don't like to stay tabbed in place, and if they slip out easily, then you better watch out for the hinge below the knee joints before they make the toy collapse from its weight. Those joints are still not as tight as they should be, and even after tightening the screws, they could revert back to being loose. On top of that, there aren't enough tabs for the legs to keep them from becoming undone. I also don't like how easy it is for those panels behind the forearms to dislodge if you're not careful while attaching the forearm pieces. And while I said this figure looks pleasing to the eye, the wingspan is comparable to the early Buzz Lightyear toys, while the hollow backpack could have been possible if the torso was able to partsform more. On the plus side, you can see how much this inspired Omega Prime/God Fire Convoy's design, especially with the partsforming working similarly to how Ultra Magnus disassembled into pieces for Optimus (though he combined with regular Optimus and not the Super Mode).

The articulation is the same, but once again, keep in mind that the stability of those hinges below the knees is as unreliable as you'd want them to NOT be for a combined form like this. Thankfully, he can hold a pose if everything is solid and secure, but the shoulder cannon doesn't like to stay upright while the sword, which is now the size of a machete in this mode, doesn't stay in the hand that well given the handle is slightly smaller than 5mm. For anyone wondering about the scale, he's taller than an older Leader Class figure, and it honestly astonishes me given how much taller someone like Sentinel Prime generally is compared to the Leader-sized figures we got starting with the TFP Weaponizers all the way to the Power of the Primes characters. 

If you think we're done with the review, then you thought wrong! The Perfect Effect upgrade kit means we can hopefully improve our experience with Godbomber and, by extension, the whole God Ginrai set! I mostly get DNA Design sets, and you already know those are either kept in their own separate reviews (MPM Ironhide's DOTM cannons, new pieces for Starscream and Barricade) or included within the same review (the massive Optimal Optimus review I did earlier), and this is the first ever upgrade kit I'll be reviewing that belongs to a different company. I know there was an earlier set that replaced the cab with a fully transforming toy, but my friend Ernie never got it, and honestly, I prefer Ginrai going straight into his super robot mode so I can stick with Optimus Prime having more modes (assuming we'll ever get a new Powermaster Optimus Prime). 

Breaking down the set, the forearms can now stay together with the help of some adaptors that tab into both the 5mm port of the inner joint and an additional port found on the forearm. I don't get why Takara never thought of this, given it'll be fine if Godbomber could partsform. In addition, we have new pieces that help bulk up the wings and extend their span slightly, which I'd argue would look better for the combined mode than by themselves as we'll get to for the altmode.

In addition, there is now a huge sword that, near as I can tell, is mostly suited for the original version of Godbomber due to the lack of chrome. He can't hold it, but he can at least store it on the back. Finally, we get giant cannons that look awesome and can be mounted on the forearms. HOWEVER...

...if you want to experience the pain of seeing something snap accidentally on a rare as hell set (or two in this case), then look at what happens when you insert the handles into the holes of the winglets as the instructions say. WHO THE FUCK FORGOT TO CHECK ON THE TOLERANCES OF THEIR ACCESSORIES DURING QUALITY CONTROL?! I don't care if there would be fewer people buying Godbomber because it's an import; a set being charged as much as said import SHOULD NOT let breakages like this happen. I can't get that little nub of a broken piece out of the winglet, and it's either thanks to the port not having enough space for these handles, or said handles don't have enough flexibility to prevent breakage (especially given most Hasbro Transformers have little holes within the handles as a way to help them last longer). It doesn't stop there, because one of the hooks for the already shitty shoulder cannon hinge snapped off while trying to attach said shoulder cannon in altmode. IS GODBOMBER MADE OUT OF THE SAME METALLIC BLUE PLASTIC LEGO USED FOR THEIR BRICKS, OR DID TAKARA NOT THINK TWICE ABOUT REDESIGNING THEIR TABS AND HINGES?! It's already bad seeing stuff like this happen nearly a decade after these came out; imagine the reaction to paying full price for these around the time they first came out.

The vehicle mode uses more weapons this time around, but while the cannons may be effective in this case, the sword has no place where it would look natural compared to the chrome dagger. As for the wing pieces, they may help the rest of the trailer look proportionate; with these pieces, they weigh the wings slightly on the hinges, and they'll flop slightly if you try to straighten them. You're better off not using them for the trailer mode. What I do like is that the forearm pieces go over the Combiner Wars joints to stabilize the ankles and prevent him from toppling back. I wish there was more to be done with the hinges below the knee joints, but hey, I'll take something positive.

The rest of the pieces are clearly meant for God Ginrai, as the wings are now more proportionate this time while the cannons and sword scale better with the larger figure. It just sucks that only the forearm fillers are needed for Godbomber while everything else is either ill-fitting or downright breakable, and the altmode looks even messier and slightly floppy with the added weight. And that brings me back to Godbomber by himself...I hate being so critical of a special release like this. I'll admit I haven't paid as much attention to the reviews back when the GG duo was new, but experiencing these in 2026 makes me relieved I got them for lower prices with Ernie's help. I'll be grateful to buy these from him, and I still think the figures look awesome, but I'm in a position sort of like how I felt about Calibur Optimus Prime. I'm happy to have both figures, and these are the nicest versions of their respective molds. The difference is that the early toys for AOE Optimus Prime generally sucked before they got better with the TLK Voyager and Studio Series Leader, but the Calibur version's removable backpack and shield integration, on top of the weapons, makes it the best version of the 2014 Leader mold when you put those changes with the Armor Knight mods and premium deco we got earlier. With Ginrai, he is generally better than the Powermaster Prime version, yet he's undercooked in the tolerance and foot design, and those issues become more apparent when you combine him with Godbomber, who already has his own stability issues and potential breakage, as I experienced with the one tab. With the Perfect Effect upgrade kit only working for specific modes better than others, plus the handle losing one nub from the poor quality control PE did nothing to prevent while working on the set, it's the final nail in the coffin for the most mixed feelings I've ever had towards a Transformers purchase this year, and I thought I would feel this way with Alien Attack Firage! Now I know how Power Rangers fans felt when they had to combine the Soul of Chogokin Dinozords or the Legacy Thunderzords, only those had the additional problems of die-cast weighing them down or unneeded complications from Zordbuilder ports. I don't think it's that much of a good comparison at all, but when I reviewed Nexus Prime, I had no issues criticizing the mold for how plain the bot mode looked and how awful the altmode was; Alpha Trion was even worse since the designers basically gave up on everything, between the basic engineering and the lousy articulation on a super mediocre mold from an equally mediocre movie. Godbomber isn't as bad as those, because there is less of that scaled-back, corporate-approved BS the current Hasbro regime is doing to Voyagers that cost nearly $50; in fact, being a Takara-initiated release before they went with the brand unification, I can see the passion put in this set, but it comes across like they were trying to pump it out as quickly as possible after Ginrai lost the Masterpiece fan poll and wanted to make A version of the set. If you want to get this set, be ready to find the right price, get the chromed version for better tolerances, and only get the Perfect Effect upgrade kit specifically for God Ginrai since the pieces only work on him. Otherwise, maybe get the KO version of the MPG versions if those fixed any QC issues the first Takara runs had...

Final ranking: ⭐⭐ and a half out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐