If you recall, I previously reviewed Buster Optimus Prime, a figure that was made 15 years ago to celebrate Revenge of the Fallen. I teased that Jetfire was a figure that would get the spotlight after mentioning that my copy of Buster Prime was mouthplated yet came without a redecoed Jetfire. Another Takara premium Bayverse line, Movie the Best, aimed to make definitive redecoes of older toys similarly to the Movie Advanced Series of toys that showcase how much has changed between 2007-2011 engineering and 2014-2017 engineering. Jetfire was a Leader Class mold that I never got since I did have the original versions of Optimus Prime and Megatron (albeit in beat-up conditions). So while Jetfire isn't exactly the same Jetfire seen in the ROTF two-pack, it's still a release I'm willing to take regardless, and he shall be today's review.
.webp)
Here we have Jetfire in his SR-71 Blackbird jet mode. Seeing this alt mode at a somewhat larger size than what I am more used to with the Studio Series version feels unreal, especially with how much larger Leader Class figures were back then. Sadly, the figure has issues with the kibble as expected for the undercarriage, and my copy has loose landing gear that likes reverting back to its retracted positions. Despite those issues, this alt mode has always been a favorite of mine, both in terms of its role in the real world as a stealth jet and from the handful of details present in the altmode, from the JTFR marking to the scratched-off Decepticon insignias, the skunks on the vertical fins, the intact Decepticon insignias with wings and 17972 underneath, the red lines between the turbines and text near the cockpit that reads "LT. COL. BRAWLEY WARNING THIS AIRCRAFT CONTAINS A SEAT CONTAINING AN EXPLOSIVE CHARGE SEE MAINTENANCE MANUAL BEFORE REMOVING." The tips of the turbines and the nosecone tip are made of PVC, though the former are fairly sturdy. Compared to the Studio Series version, the kibble management on the newer toy manages to be handled somewhat better, though the original version is noteworthy for having a rotary cannon in the front...something I don't think was ever present on the real-world Blackbird yet is something Jetfire would utilize. Oh, and there are new sound effects for this toy, mostly the re-recorded jet whoosh and transformation noises. Holding it down has him recite every single line of his from the movie, all of them in Japanese.
For a size comparison, here he is beneath Universe Ultra Class Silverbolt, a figure that would probably be released as a Leader Class by Hasbro by today's standards. You could probably make your own size joke, but this is just a reminder that there is no ultimate glory comparable to Jetfire's.
Transforming Jetfire is not as difficult as I thought it'd be. Annoying, yes, because the two ball-jointed panels come off far too easily, and the transformation sounds that play every time you budge the torso around restarting rather than letting them finish is far more annoying than Leader Optimus saying his name over and over again. As for the difficulty, it is nowhere near as bad as people said it was, keeping in mind that Revenge of the Fallen toys were notorious at the time for being complex for kids and more casual fans used to the Universe and Animated toys released around the same year (boy would we see even worse with the late-2010s Masterpiece line). Jetfire's transformation and parts of his robot mode, however, are not accurate to the movie design, mostly with the fuselage halves stuck on the forearms as well as the turbines strapped on his back; the former is supposed to be hidden within the torso since the CG model has sleeker arms, and the latter is supposed to make up the legs. That being said, the figure still looks marvelous, representing a truly elderly Transformer toy in a way we never saw with G1 Kup, Energon Bulkhead, or Animated Ratchet. The hunched posture, the constantly bent legs, and the walking stick in his hand add quite a level of personality that is further completed by his Yorkshire accent and his aging personality. Remember that his father was the first wheel and transformed into nothing. Also, the left arm can have the cannon clip on.
His head sculpt is also somewhat inaccurate, looking undersized and missing the mouth that ILM later added to make him more emotive. His eyes are also under-detailed somewhat yet they do have red paint apps. Also, my copy has a bit of plastic on the left whisker's hinge broken off, and I'm not sure if it came that way from the seller I bought this from (at modern Leader price) or if it was something that I did. Jetfire's articulation is limited due to his character design, with no proper neck movement, ratchets at the shoulders moving front and back as well as in and out, bicep rotation, hinges at the elbow, wrist rotation, finger articulation, ratchet joints at the hips in all directions they move, rotation around the knees, knees that don't straighten because of the character design, and slight ankle movement but nothing too dynamic.
The light and sound gimmicks consist of you pressing down a switch on his chest that makes his head move as he speaks in Japanese, allowing you to recite his lines from the movie one by one. The red paint on the eyes seems a bit redundant with the red LED, and he only has one LED in his chest because the right side instead has the button for the transformation. Removing a panel on the back reveals a secret button as well as the battery compartment. The button on the right side grants you more transformation sounds, walking noises, and the fried boosters sound, appropriately placed on his butt.
The original version of the mold seemed mostly consistent with the black plastic for the jet mode, but the figure has sand blue and light gray plastic instead of gunmetal-brown in order to make this toy less monochromatic for kids, a common thing done back then for Movie Transformers, like with the AOE Dinobots. The electronics, mostly the "Jetfire's mah name!" voice clip, were kept in the Japanese release of this toy and the Jetpower 2-pack that appears to be more-or-less similar to the Movie the Best version I own.
For a decade-separating comparison, here we have Movie the Best Jetfire with the Studio Series version, amusing how the old Leader was brought back a year before the newer version came out. I love the way HasTak excels in making their figures closer to the movie, especially with Jetfire transforming closer to the movie and having better articulation. That being said, the original version is still a marvelous toy, and I can't say which one is better. Do you like your Jetfire with heftier plastic and electronic gimmicks, or do you prefer it with better CG accuracy and articulation?
And here he is next to Buster Optimus Prime, the one with the mouthplated and blue pinstripes so we technically have the complete Jetpower 2-pack! The size is not accurate between the two, but scale wasn't the main point about these two at the time. Instead, Optimus is about to take Jetfire's parts to gain a power he's never known, fulfilling his destiny after Jolt electrifies and transplants those afterburners.
Combining the two turned out to be a lot easier than I expected, though it was still difficult in making sure Jetfire would attach onto Optimus. Prepping them for the combination was easier since Prime had to open his backpack and feet while Jetfire had to be in mid-transformation. Attaching them, however, was not easy. You first have to latch the gray bits on Jetfire's chest onto Prime before attaching him with the pegs inside the backpack. Then you need to use a panel that attached to Prime's crotch as well as clip the stomach harness in place. Finally, Jetfire's lower legs clip onto Prime's feet, adding a bit of extra height at the cost of removing any leg articulation. That being said, this was just as awesome finally combining these two as it was seeing the sequence in the movie. It's obviously closer to a more traditional Optimus & other robot combination rather than Jetfire being reassembled as Prime's armor, but the effect is still close. You can still say that Optimus having parts of Jetfire attached as guns is the closest to the film, though keep in mind that Jetfire was designed differently in 2009 than in 2019. Sadly, Prime's articulation is limited at the legs, but there are ways to restore it without making him top heavy.
Not only do I want to show how he looks next to his future Studio Series counterpart for a size comparison, but I also want to add a photo comparing the standard retail versions combined together in an alternate configuration. The size difference with the Studio Series version is due to Optimus being a Voyager rather than a Leader, but it does at least make him in scale with other toys in the line. Meanwhile, the regular version of the pair still looks fine, and maybe the non-premium paint jobs would make combining them less stressful. Overall, Leader Jetfire, whether he's ROTF or Movie the Best, is a reminder of what being a Leader Class figure used to be; rather than be a Voyager with Benefits, the size class represented a bit of a centerpiece treatment that made any Christmas or birthday exciting for fans back in the day. Yes, he isn't as articulated or as tall as Optimus Prime, but he makes for a unique design and gimmick that made Revenge of the Fallen a great and memorable experience, no matter how many people still bitch about the movie or the toyline it inspired.
Final ranking: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
No comments:
Post a Comment