Demolishor is said to make up for his lack of intelligence by being one of the more loyal Decepticons, even if some of his beliefs clash with Megatron. It was seen from time to time in Armada, and it was initially explored upon in Energon, where he first made friendships with the Autobots until Megatron returned, where his loyalty to the Decepticons returned despite having conflicts with the idea of changing sides. Then he died at one point (and would either blame Optimus Prime for his death somehow while Ironhide tells everyone to get in the ship OR tell Ironhide to remember him while everyone else told Ironhide to get in the ship) and became a Long Haul-esque robot, where he lost his memories and not only had character devolution but a much weaker design, too (seriously, a dump truck's not as effective as a tank). It sucked that it happened, but it's a reminder of how not to handle character development in future shows. Anyways, shall we continue on with the review?
Here we have Demolishor in his tank mode. Design-wise, it's pretty badass when it comes to the firepower displayed front and center. While it may look a little chibi in some areas, and the missiles do stick out more than they really need to, the way his altmode resembles what it intended to look like works here than it does with Cyclonus. Other details I like? The paint for the tank mode is pretty sweet, what with the mud leftover on the front of the tank and the drybrush added to the armor covering the dreads. The only thing I don't like is how there are some hollowed parts on the inner pieces of the tanks, but beyond that, the rest of the altmode looks pretty neat.
I should mention that the sides of the altmode are different from one another. Compare the molded details of the armor on this side with the pic from above. I should mention that this also means the Minicon port doesn't work here since the missiles don't work when you attach Blackout onto it. It works on the other side since the port is a different color, but it is possible to get another left shoulder so as to make the feature work on both sides.
This is the additional mode of the toy, where you swing the treads around to reposition the toy into a battle platform. It may not look like much from this side...
But the back has a seat for Blackout to sit on like a proper anti-aircraft missile launcher. Also included are some handles for a few Minicons to hold.
The rest of the transformation is a little more involved than it was for Cyclonus, with the best parts of it being the treads becoming the legs and the chest opening up to make the figure look more proportionate. This actually makes the robot mode look less like a helicopter grew arms and legs in comparison. The design has a nice balance between being a blocky robot while having some different proportions that would normally be found on, say, an old Headmaster. I especially love the long missile shoulders and the finger hands on this figure. The side may have part of the seat stick out weirdly, but the rest of the toy looks pretty good, I have to say. I even like the color scheme he has.
Head sculpt's pretty neat, what with the gritted teeth giving him a tougher look while also having the larger eye as the targeting monocle. I do admit it does make him look like he has one eye bigger than the other, but some repaints do make the monocle differently colored.
Articulation's pretty decent for a gimmick figure, what with the shoulders swiveling up and down, the elbows bending at a 90-degree angle, the waist swivel, and the hips moving front and back as well as slightly in and out, along with knees.
The Minicon he came with is named Blackout. He turned into an APC with colors that matched Demolishor's, and it could either plug into the ports or be part of the tank mode (with a launching feature included)
While the Takara version has a brown face and slightly greener plastic for the tan, the new repaints are more interesting. Demolishor is not red and gray with yellow and blue highlights added. Funny enough, this character is called "Ironhide" in the Japanese series. This figure was repurposed as Shattered Glass Demolishor, even though it was in the proper Armada series.
Here we have the Energon version of the figure, decked out in Constructicon colors. Funny enough, this kind of foreshadowed his new form in the series resembling G1 Long Haul. I feel this deco would also foreshadow how his ROTF counterpart, also a Constructicon, takes these colors at one point in the Legends line. The head sculpt could go for a bit of finer details.
Finally, we have Cybertron Demolishor, who is mostly unchanged in terms of tooling in this line compared to Cyclonus's retool, Buzzsaw. These almost Roadbuster-esque colors are pretty interesting on this figure, as they are similar to but not exactly like them. Instead of Blackout, he has a generic Cyber Key with extra tooling made to work with the missile launchers rather than a repainted Blackout.
Here he is with his pal, Cyclonus. These two are pretty neat together, though of the two, I like Demolishor more due to him being a better design all around. He feels more like a Transformer would while Cyclonus almost has a bit of a Gobot look to his proportions. I don't like talking down on Cyclo because he's neat to have, yet Demolishor wins in this round. Now if you excuse me, I have to bring him Hot Shot's friends for his dinner meal.
Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐ and a half out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cyclonus is one of those characters with one incarnation that really stands out from the rest. Not many people seem to bat an eye on this, yet they got really bitchy over someone like TLK Hot Rod or Rescue Bots Academy Whirl weren't like the G1 incarnations. Anyways, Cyclonus is certainly a nutjob in the Decepticon team, what with his trigger-happy nature and laughter as he shoots down the Autobots that he runs into. He was pretty fun to see in Armada, and then he became a fucking snowcat called Snow Cat in Energon. Anyways, let's see what we got from his figure!
Here we have Cyclonus from his vehicle mode, a helicopter with a cockpit much flatter than normal when it comes to military choppers. It's pretty heavy on the firepower, what with the number of cannons whipped out. While it may seem fairly clunky, especially with how his butt looks small in comparison, it at least goes along with the character's obsession with firepower. Movie Ironhide and Sixgun have some rivalry here! The legs do make the altmode look a little clunky, and while the arms are blatantly under the small wings, at least they're mostly hidden from the cannons, and hey, at least he used his arm at one point in his altmode.
His helicopter butt has a lever that can be pulled to make the helicopter blades spin, which mimics them propelling without manually spinning them. I also love the number of sculpted details and even the silver paint added in parts of this toy. Personally, the caramel brown on parts of the figure may seem pretty out of place, but the pale blue along with the off white and the bits of navy blue, purple, and silver oddly go well together.
Transformation is fairly basic, as all you do is straighten the limbs and hinge the helicopter tail down, but the robot mode isn't actually too bad. I do feel that most Armada Decepticons don't really get quite as much of an involved transformation as one would expect from, say, Hot Shot or Scavenger, but at least the design manages to be decent overall. The pelvis does take getting used to, but my favorite part is the propeller blade positioned to look like a sheathed sword.
The head sculpt is sadly hard to like. While the head has a decent sculpt, the paint doesn't help in making it more pronounced due its inability in making it look sharp. Also, the figure's head always looks up or down but not straight ahead.
Some Minicon features are activated here. Aside from missiles that are launched only when the Minicon is attached, the shins reveal flip out cannons, which makes me wish I had the proper Minicon to go along with this figure.
You can use the propeller blade as a weapon if you want. That can fit on the 5mm ports on his arms, but it doesn't activate any features.
Sadly, my copy of Cyclonus is missing the Minicon known as Crumplezone. Whether or not the one that came with this figure is humping tanks remains to be seen. This little guy can turn into a tank as well as a front cockpit meant for Cyclonus when they Powerlink. It's one of the more unique Minicons in the line, and the front cockpit actually looks pretty cool when attached. I even like how his face is about the same as his larger partner, almost like he's Cyclo's son!
This figure has been repainted a few times. I should mention first that the Japanese version, Micron Legend Sandstorm (yes, his name is different) might have slightly lighter colors, but it's the more unique repaints that matter! First up, it's the Powerlinx version of the figure. He's neon green, maroon, dark gray, and has a black cockpit that looks out of place. Crumplezone gets a similar treatment, and this is apparently an homage to Springer (I don't buy it either)
This is the Energon version of Cyclonus before he was reformatted into Snow Cat. The colors look more militaristic, though I have to admit that this ROTF Grindor-esque repaint isn't as cool as the Armada colors. They just make him look more like a drone rather than an individual with a personality. Crumplezone has a similar share of color treatment, too.
Finally, we have Buzzsaw, one of the few Armada figures that was reused in the Cybertron line. This figure is retooled in places, notably the head, chest, and arms. He uses a Cyber Key to activate the missiles in the arms, though it means that the Crumplezone mold isn't compatible with this toy. This means you gotta stick with the regular version of the tooling, especially the regular Cyclonus and his unique deco!
Final ranking: 🥧🥧🥧 out of 🥧🥧🥧🥧🥧
With a look at the new molds (and heavy retools) of the 2019 Studio Series lineup, let's take a look at the repaints and slight retools of the 2019 waves. For those that may be confused, I'm counting figures in this line as straight repaints of pre-existing figures or slight retools with or without altered colors. For example, the 2019 Studio Series Optimus Prime and Helicopter Drift figures count as a new figure because they have more retooling applied onto them, especially Drift. Something like Jetwing Prime or TLK Drift belong on this list because they have slight molding differences from their previous releases and have different colors. With that out of the way, let's see which figures, be it regular retail or store exclusive, should belong in any Movie collection!
8. Crankcase
What was Hasbro thinking?! You're telling me that the Berserker mold was not repainted into Crankcase, even though they have the same design?! While it may seem weird to complain about some Decepticon grunts that mainly appeared in the highway chase from Dark of the Moon (even though it's more ridiculous to complain about how one thing about a CHUG figure makes it inaccurate to the G1 cartoon), this really isn't what Crankcase looked like in Dark of the Moon. While their vehicle modes look similar, Crankcase and Crowbar have a few design differences between one another, notably with the heads. Crankcase has a few more dreads on his head while Crowbar does not. Maybe Hasbro didn't want to deal with the clog of peg warming Berserkers at the time of release, but if that's the case, why even retool the figure to make Crowbar when he also peg warmed (but not as bad as Berserker did)? Sure, the toy is nicely painted, but I feel you're better off customizing Berserker unless you want to complete the line.
7. Clunker Bumblebee
Clunker Bumblebee is neat for the fans that never got the original release due to the lack of custom faded paint or the poor quality control some copies had. The battle damage paint apps do look good, and the figure has a pin added for the rooftop, but I have to admit that this is what the original figure should have looked like. The figure does have some differences from the regular release, like the removal of yellow paint in some spots, the lack of stripes on the chest, and the all silver Stinger Blaster(?) included with the figure. I do recommend this figure, but if you have the regular release with added paint or stickers to make it movie-accurate, you kind of already have it.
6. As Seen in Parks Megatron
The Universal Studios Transformers ride is something I always wanted to check out, as it looks fun to be in the action of the indoor roller coaster while also meeting Optimus, Bumblebee, and Megatron at the same time. Also want to see the Simpsons section, check out the Spider-Man and Hulk rides, see if the Harry Potter section can get me hooked on the franchise, and maybe beat up a Minion. Oh, we're talking about the Studio Series repaints?
Anyways, this Megatron is a silver redeco of the DOTM figure that doesn't include the cloak or the Igor figurine. The colors do feel more like a normal Megatron than the DOTM colors, though part of me feels he should have an optional ROTF cannon? I can only recommend this figure if you can get him for cheap because being a ride-exclusive will put him in the same vein as all the other exclusives by being hard to find..
5. Battle Damaged Megatron
ROTF Megatron was certainly a neat figure to own, though it had a few things I didn't like. Those included the lack of a normal right arm, no silver coat of paint, and the gap from the side view. This version of Megatron gives him a more metal look to his deco, yet I would have preferred the PVC parts to not be bronze. The new head does look cool, although it means that if you want to give this figure the pristine head, know that the colors would clash badly. Only get this figure if you want to get all the repaints.
4. Jetwing Optimus Prime
This is one reuse I actually did buy when I first saw it, mainly because it had plenty of accessories that were in DOTM. Now this is the Optimus Prime figure that counts in the reuse portion of the Studio Series rankings. As a Leader Class figure, I feel this toy doesn't really do it for me; given how the only changes to this figure are the windows, the abdomen, the gold fade, and the pins for the back panels (as fellow Transformers fan Carnivius mentioned), it makes me think of this figure is less of a necessity to a collection and more of a running change variant. The trailer and weapons are neat assets, but they don't really justify the Leader Class price point when it comes to the hollowed parts and the lack of paint on almost everything. Maybe if this was priced at $40, I feel it'd work a bit better, but I don't think this figure is one I would really recommend getting at $55. I also wish it wasn't revealed right away since the MV1 version started to be on shelves at the time.
3. KSI Boss
If I got this guy for cheap and had the Thunderwing Titan Master, this would certainly be my Nitro Zeus. This figure was already one of my favorite non-Seeker Transformers, and I did like Nitro Zeus in The Last Knight, but KSI Boss has some nicer colors in comparison. I just wish KSI Boss was Nitro Zeus the whole time so I didn't have to be obliged to get this repaint. I do recommend getting this toy if you never got the original Nitro Zeus, though unlike Thundercracker, there's nothing really new that's added to this figure.
2. TLK Drift & Baby Dinobots
This figure is another TLK repaint, but there are a few things that make him better than the regular version. The color scheme is a lot more accurate than the previous version, he has a new sword, and the head sculpt is retooled to resemble the movie design. Even the vehicle mode looks nicer without the stupid red rims, as they now have a respectable red trim between the black of the tires and rims. Also, some baby Dinobots are included! This is the second-best repaint in the 2019 Studio Series waves, even if the mold is kind of clunky for Drift.
1. Cogman
Yet another TLK release, Cogman's actually one fans would certainly need. Why? The original version was extremely hard to find at retail, but this figure isn't too hard to find. On top of that, the deco is a lot nicer for the vehicle mode, making Cogman shine like a die-cast car compared to the dull gray of the original release. Sure, some of the wash isn't present for the robot mode, but I'm happy with owning this figure in the first place, especially considering just how rare the original was, even on clearance! I highly recommend you get this figure, as it's got a pretty cool robot mode based on what the Transtector would have looked like along with the shiny deco and the fact that Cogman was one of the best parts of The Last Knight.
And that covers all the Studio Series repaints and slight retools from 2019. Now 2020's lineup for Studio Series looks to be quite massive, and if it'll really be the last year of the line (hope not because there are other characters I need), then it's certainly going out with a bang! Problem is...I need to catch up with half of the first wave. Due to the coronavirus lockdown, I really can't go to Amazon and pick it up from a locker because people are only allowed to get food, and at very small groups, too. So I can only hope to catch up when the lockdown is over soon, but in the meantime, be sure to check out some of the other reviews I have planned.
The second year of Studio Series figures was just as big as the first year. With plenty of figures to look forward to, there is no way that this line would actually be one where I would miss out on most of the new molds. It was neat to get figures that weren't made before for specific characters, ones I missed out on, or ones of characters that I never got in the past. As I recently reviewed the last wave of figures for 2019, I thought it'd be great to look back at the past few waves we got. Let's take a look at the Studio Series figures ranked from worst to best!
15. Shatter
At the bottom of the list is Shatter, the car version of the character in the Bumblebee movie. This figure is just as bad as her partner, Dropkick, but the difference was that Dropkick was an aerial vehicle and this was a land vehicle. The car mode may look pretty nice but it doesn't stop just how awful the rest of the toy is. Transformation is mediocre, the robot mode design doesn't look refined, and the articulation is not too great. The limbs especially are the weakest parts of the figure, with the arms looking pitiful on the torso while the legs barely move out and are ruined by the doors making the figure look cluttered even more. Also, the head, while based on the rarely seen battle mask from the movie (presumably Cybertron), clashes with the box art since it has her more exposed face. IF you really want to get this figure, I suggest only getting this for the altmode.
14. WWII Bumblebee
Slightly better than the rival of this character, it's WWII Bumblebee. This figure's robot mode looks pretty good (from the front), the weapons look pretty slick, and the articulation is not too bad. The things that pull this figure back are the awful pieces of kibble from the backpack and the legs, along with the altmode being pretty inaccurate to the actual vehicle from the movie. Instead of a Mercedes Benz, he turns into a Humber Light Reconnaissance Car like in the concept art. That wouldn't have been too bad had it not been for the differences with the altmodes. Also, my figure's ball joints felt pretty loose right out of the box. I can only recommend this figure if you want to complete the line. Beyond that, stick with the third party offering.
13. Hightower
Hightower's a figure that's got a unique design, yet describing him was pretty hard to do. The altmode is fine yet has almost most of the tropes found in cranes like Hightower, the transformation's pretty odd, and the robot mode is unique, though I feel it isn't quite as cool as the concept art. Maybe if this figure was at a larger scale, he'd feel more realized. Still, not a bad toy, though I feel you're getting this figure just to complete Devastator.
12. Scrapmetal
Ze little one's figure is not awful but does feel pretty basic. Robot mode's almost Beewun-esque, and I don't really like how the face sculpt has black paint since it obscures the details of the figure. At least it has some neat asymmetrical elements, like with the thighs and arms. Much like with Hightower, Scrapmetal's mainly recommended if you want to get the entire team of Constructicons. At least he's a bit more normal for fans that like their robots looking straight up and down.
11. Bonecrusher
I have to admit, I'm pretty disappointed with how this figure turned out. Not the worst figure, certainly far from it, but there's just something about it that keeps it from being higher up on the list. Maybe it's the arms having the vehicle mode pieces stuck on it, which means the arms don't always look too good when posed. What about his height? I know he is normally seen crouching, but he's slightly bigger than his old Deluxe; certainly disappointing in general. I still recommend him, but mainly at half price (assuming your stores have him on discount)
10. Car Dropkick
While his robot mode may have the tired design elements, at least he is an improvement compared to his helicopter form. Better proportions, nicer plastic, and a transformation that, while is familiar, doesn't make you feel like you're transforming a ridiculously shrunken down robot. If there was an upgrade kit that adds some helicopter pieces, this figure would be even better. I certainly recommend getting this figure, especially if you can still find him at retail.
9. Rampage
I thought this figure would be shit like the ROTF figure was, but it's actually better than I anticipated. The bulldozer mode may look kind of toyetic, but at least the transformation's involved and the robot mode looks a lot better. No stupid gimmicks ruin this toy, and while it may need some elbow joints and more whip-like treads, I'm happy that the figure doesn't have any crappy compromises. I even dig the transformation into leg mode.
8. Long Haul
While he is the best Constructicon of 2019, I have to admit he's still got a few issues. The arm panels and the thighs do get in the way for some poses, and the figure could be bigger while the altmode could be a little less wonky, I dig this design and the brutish bulk it contains. It's the Constructicon that I know most fans would want to get, even if they don't plan on completing Devastator. All I can say is to not look for him across 5 Targets like I did.
7. Sideswipe
The silver skater had a mixed bag of figures in the past. The original Deluxe and Human Alliance figures were a bit too bulky from the back but were otherwise cool, the Sidearms version was neat but some preferred the blades, and the original DOTM figure was pathetic despite being sleeker. This new figure has silver paint on the vehicle shell, while the articulation isn't compromised, and it has both blades and guns! The only problems with this figure are the unpainted helmet while any missing blades will mean the altmode is incomplete. Beyond that, if you can transform this toy with no problem, he is certainly recommended!
6. MV1 Optimus Prime
While he is the most accurate version of MV1 Optimus we've gotten, there are a few issues I have. Let's start with the positives, as the proportions are great, the articulation's pretty good, and the accuracy in the robot mode is well done. The negatives I have with the figure are the way the wheelwells on the legs don't change like on the 2018 figure, the colors being a little too bright (especially the blue), the tires on the hips could get in the way, and the truck mode does look worse than it did previously. Beyond those issues, I think you can get this figure OR the Jetwing version if you want to get the extra accessories included.
5. Dark of the Moon Megatron
I know that we're in the current era of smaller Leader Class figures, and I know this Megatron was never meant to scale with my old ROTF Optimus to begin with, but something about this toy feels a little lacking. The truck mode looks a lot more badass than it did previously, but the robot mode has limbs that are a bit blocker than I'd like. At least the sculpted details and proportions are a lot better than they were on the old DOTM figure. The face sculpt alone is so much better in comparison. You can still get this figure at normal retail, and even at full price!
4. Beewun Optimus Prime
As much as I hate the Bumblebee movie and the robot designs of the movie, I have to admit that Optimus Prime is certainly a good toy in the line. What? If I can't say that I don't like Beewun but want to give its elements some form of credit, what are the excuses of the reviewers that act the same towards the other movies? The figure has a few inaccuracies here and there, but I love the truck mode, the transformation is pretty good, and the robot mode, despite being based on an overrated design, is at least translated well. Articulation is also amazing, but I hate how the neck is tight while the hips were loose when moving them out. I would say that you can get this figure, but the nasty ass scalpers are butt-fucking any chances for other fans to buy this figure at normal retail. I had to get mine on Amazon at thankfully normal retail, but if you want to get this toy now, good luck.
3. Barricade
This bad cop is almost as good as the Masterpiece despite being at a smaller size. Car mode may feel smaller than I'd expect, but the transformation is fun to do, and the robot mode finally has some great proportions for a Deluxe. No stupidly wide chest, and no thin arms this time! Also, love how the hands look much more accurate than the cop-out ones from 2007 or the tiny hands from DOTM. I wish he had a Frenzy or had a chest that locked in better, but this toy's fantastic!
2. Drift
Not only is this the best Drift figure for the movie line, but it's also the best version of the character with a helicopter altmode! The vehicle mode in question is much closer to what was briefly seen in Age of Extinction, but it also feels bigger in hand than Dropkick was. The transformation feels much nicer to do since nothing feels like it'll crumble to pieces, and the robot mode is glorious. Without a doubt, go get this figure!
1. Jetfire
Behold, the ultimate glory of JETFIRE!!! This Grampacon is so good. The transformation is just as involved as before, but nowhere near as annoying. The Blackbird mode is stunning, even with the robot kibble underneath. The robot mode is also a lot more accurate than it previously was, and the face sculpt certainly has the personality Jetfire had in Revenge of the Fallen, as an elderly Seeker that may seem like a needless individual, yet he has both the wisdom of a Transformer that's been around for a long time and the boast to say the first sentence of this paragraph. The best part of this figure? No, he doesn't have the parachutes, but he does combine with Optimus like in the movie! Unlike the old Leader, you actually take this toy apart to make the combination between both figures, much like in the movie!
And that covers my look at the 2019 Studio Series figures I reviewed. That's not all, because tomorrow, I'll be taking a look at the repaints of 2019, which would certainly have a few noticeable aspects worth taking a look at. Stay tuned!
