Here is Arcee in her vehicle mode. As a motorbike, she has the same approach that her First Edition counterpart has, which means having a sleek look to the design while also maintaining the engineering needed for a fembot to work. The details are fairly sparse in this mode, but there is a nice amount of silver paint along with black for the seat to help break up the blue. I also like how there's some translucent plastic for the windshield, yet I have to admit that the coloring of the figure is brighter than the character is in the show. It's a darker blue like on the First Edition, and while this isn't an awful shade of blue, it kind of doesn't fit the version of the character we have (as TFP Arcee was generally tough as nails than her other counterparts are).
I also wish that the parts that would later become the inner portion of Arcee's legs weren't the same solid blue as the rest of the figure. It'd also go well with some silver for the exhaust port. Some may complain about the exposed hands, but overall, it's still a good altmode that looks the part despite the slightly wrong colors.
The accessory storage isn't as effective as it was for the First Edition figure. Those blades were able to fit in with the rest of the altmode, but here, you have some pretty asymmetrical storage with one BFG and a blade that doesn't have the same kind of storage method that the First Edition ones did. On a positive side, it has silver paint on both sides, and hey, if you get another gun, you can give Arcee a sort of Batpod look (from The Dark Knight) with the guns on the front despite both Arcee and said vehicle having different designs.
For a vehicle mode comparison, here it is with the First Edition figure. Both vehicles don't really have any real design differences, though the coloring is certainly what makes them different from one another. I like the colors of the First Edition a lot more since they don't make the figure look a little too friendly. Not saying it's like going from "dark and edgy" to "light and kiddy", but the transition between shades does make Arcee feel more like an initial error that would later be replaced by the proper color variant. Also, this Arcee doesn't have some blacks parts that would be similar to the First Edition, but the other weird thing about this figure is the lack of pink. Granted, the First Edition version doesn't have the same kind of shade that the character model has, but at least it's there. The silver on the PRID version's not awful, but it's not quite right considering how the pink highlights compensated the lack of pink on TFP Arcee (since Jack wouldn't look right riding on a gaudy G1 motorbike).
Interestingly, the legs do transform similarly to one another, though you can tell the size difference between the First Edition and the PRID version. This is actually benefitting for the PRID version, as the character would slightly scale better with her teammates in robot mode. More on that in another review.
If you want, you can display the blades of the First Edition figure on the PRID version since they have the same pegs that the First Edition figure has. There is no real way to house the PRID weapons on the First Edition one, though.
Do be careful, however, because the small pegs don't seem to be quite compatible enough with the holes of the FE blades. You can sort of tell that there are stress marks present.
The transformation is similar to the First Edition figure, mainly with the aforementioned legs. Those only feel similar to the pre-existing figure, though the rear wheel splits from between the sides than in semi-circle halves that the First Edition figure has. The rest of the transformation is different, given how the arms don't unfold on double-elbows, the motorcycle front hinging on the back instead of also swiveling, and the head hinging up thanks to the Revealer gimmick.
Now for the robot mode. For the most part, this robot mode is a bit more screen accurate than the First Edition figure. We'll bring in the First Edition figure in a moment, but this figure has better arm detailing overall, an accurate chest design, and wings that don't get in the way of the shoulder articulation. From the sides, the wheel halves don't look quite as elegant, and the backpack is clunkier than the First Edition figure's own back. I feel the coloring of the toy isn't too bad in this mode since the lighter blue doesn't look odd on the robot mode like it does on the bike mode. I also like how the midriff has a darker shade of paint to not just make it look too silver.
Head sculpt is pretty good, though the lack of pink for the cheek guards and the horn does blend in with the silver face. Also, notice the small scratch on her face, which looks like a mole as some women tend to have. I plan to add some pink for the face, along with the forearm pieces and parts of her shins.
Articulation is slightly less present than on the First Edition figure. Head, shoulders, elbows, and hands are on ball joints, and the hips are on ball-joints while the thighs swivel and the knees bend. The elbows don't bend at two points, there are no bicep swivels, there are no wrist hinges, and there is no waist swivel, but at least the shoulders move more freely while the legs move about the same.
She comes with one massive looking blaster, and one that can either be held as if it was a normal gun or as if it transformed from her somehow. The design looks good, though I have to admit unless it was a gun that's separate from her, there is no way she can have it transform from out of her hand in-universe at that scale. Understandably, it helps in making up for the height and plastic amount used in this toy, but as cool as it is to see her hold a BFG, she better be lucky it won't fit in her arm.
She also has a blade that can be mounted under her arm, and the cannon does have another post meant for her to look as though it somehow came out of her hand.
It is neat that she comes with one of each weapon, but I have to admit, I wish she had an extra blade. It'd make her look even cooler since the arm blade was already better than on the First Edition.
This figure received a few reuses for a good while, some of which are for Arcee specifically while others were meant for different characters. This is the Arms Micron version, which has her in a darker shade of blue than on the Hasbro version. However, most of her details are stickers, which means the shins, the knee spikes, the gauntlets on her arms, part of the seat, and her midriff aren't painted on. The Arms Micron line was known for replacing paint-apps for stickers to win over the fans that love stuff like Gundams, and the figure has a sprue kit used for the disassembled Micron. The line was also known to have added ports not present on the Hasbro figures, and what Arcee gets are pink breasts with 5mm nipples! Seriously, as much as I want to avoid the joke, those are some of the worst-looking ports I've seen on the Arms Micron line. I'd say getting the stickers would be neat, but unless you plan on removing the ports, I'd say you can pass on this figure.
Oh and regarding the Micron, it's robot mode vaguely reminds me of the Mystic Sprite from Power Rangers: Mystic Force, but instead of a dragon head, Arc becomes a blade that looks just as gaudy as the titty ports. You're better off getting the gray version IF you want a version of this thing.
Ugh, this was one I used to have for a while on my shelf before I got either PRID Arcee or First Edition Arcee. This is Beast Hunters Arcee, which had some unappealing color choices like most Beast Hunters figures have. Shame because the retooling looked awesome as it was almost like a motorcycle Batgirl would ride. The colors, on the other hand, look odd, as the mix of normal blue, a yogurt pink, light gray, and the bits of bluish-gray, silver, and black don't look right. The head was retooled as well, but the face doesn't look right, almost as if it's either trying to be worried or angry. Her weapon, the Echohawk Bow, looks kind of cool and can also attach to the front, but the coloring is not the best. Also, for a random story, I tried to transform it, but the toy had a misassembly for the left leg, which wouldn't let it transform properly, and the wings didn't tab in properly either. Then I tried customizing it to look screen accurate, but it didn't work thanks to the sharpie not cooperating.
The Go! version, Hunter Arcee, has much more accurate colors, better quality control, and looks a lot more focused than the Beast Hunters version. This is one I recommend you get over the awful Beast Hunters version.
Who else got to use this mold? Flareup did, and she represents the fembot that resembled the character Firestar (renamed Novastar in Power of the Primes). The fiery colors look pretty sharp, but the gray head does look out of place. This version of the character is an upgrade, replacing the Energon Arcee body the character had in 2005.
Flamewar, a character unrelated to Flareup, is a straight repaint of the Beast Hunters tooling. She, too, is an upgraded version of the character, since she also had a version of the Energon Arcee body, which is kind of poetic, but at least the tooling between the two is different. Still, it's odd seeing these minor characters wear the design of a main character, but that's BotCon for ya. Also weird how Flareup and Flamewar, apart from looking similar given the figures they used, also had different personalities in their appearances in 2005 compared to their return in 2014 (especially with Flamewar).
Chromia almost got as many reuses as Arcee did. However, this is G1 Chromia as she appeared in the IDW comics, and while it may seem weird to have a TFP figure get repurposed for a G1 character, this design actually works well when it comes to the retooling added for the forearms, wheels, head, and the shell used for the altmode. As a result, she now turns into a TRON light cycle. Man does it look good, especially with the cockpit design contrasting from the normal windshield Arcee has. While the Siege version is more accurate to the G1 cartoon and is a new mold (despite the similarities to the POTP mold), this version of Chromia is a better action figure than the Siege version thanks to the articulation and sleeker design.
The toy was also given a repaint for the Legends line with some added lavender as well as darker blues for a more cartoon-accurate appearance. This version's not too bad, though I have to admit that the colors on the Hasbro version still look good.
And going back to Hasbro, this is the Combiner Hunters version of Chromia, which gives her a new deco based on the time she, Arcee, and Windblade changed their appearances after the end of the Combiner Wars storyline. She has the Primeon Blade, which is redecoed from a sword used by a Titan Heroes Optimus Prime in the 2015 Robots in Disguise line. This deco, like Arcee's, is based. Now time will tell if I get to cover a version of Windblade or not...
Next to the First Edition version, you can certainly see how the two lines contrast when it comes to engineering and accuracy. I like the colors of the First Edition as well as the engineering for the legs, though the PRID figure has a better torso along with arms that aren't restricted from the wings (since they're now part of the backpack). The size also benefits the PRID version, which we'll take a look at when we see her in another TFP review. As for this figure itself, despite the flaws it has, I appreciate it for being as good as the First Edition with improvements of its own to balance some of the compromises it has. It should be fairly easy to find online, though prices may vary. If you're like me and want to repaint her, definitely get some paint.
Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐ and a half out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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