Animated Review Thread

[onslaught86]

I'm being pickier than usual with Animated. 'Cause the movie taught me that buying everything on sight is a bad idea, heh. Currently debating whether Super Bulkhead is worthwhile. I dig the character, but the toys leave me cold.

Also, everyone must own Activator Bumblebee.

[CrossRook]

I heartily enjoy Leader Bulkhead. That's some quality figure right there. And solid.

[onslaught86]

The voice chip and weapons look neat, but he's just kinda small and ehhn for a Super figure. There's currently a 20% off sale, and while I'm tempted, there's just other, better things to spend that much cash on. Shame really. I want, he just doesn't seem worth that much as a toy.

[andersonh1]

Animated - Blackarachnia

I picked it up because I like the character (though really it's a totally separate character from BW Blackarachnia, but still...), and the head is based on the Transmetal 2 version of the character. I always liked the TM2 BA we got at the end of Beast Wars, but she appeared too near the end of the series to get much screen time.

spider mode - not transmetal or technorganic, but very much its own unique style. Lots of black and purple with gold 'spikes' on the tips of all eight legs. The rear legs are the largest, since they form the robot feet, with the next set of legs (the arms) being slightly smaller. One flaw is that the robot hands are not hidden at all. They're clearly visible at the end of the spider legs, even though a spike covers them slightly. The front two sets of legs are the smallest, but the overall balance is better than BMac BA. I get the impression with that mold that it's a six-legged spider with two tiny extra jaws up front. Animated takes the same basic transformation scheme and improves upon it.

The spider mode is nice and stiff and can stand up on the legs easily. It seems quite small.

Transformation is similar to the BMac version, though not an exact match. The main resemblance is that the spider limbs become robot limbs, and the spider abdomen becomes the robot butt. The front two sets of legs become over the shoulder spikes, the middle-rear legs become arms, and the rear legs become robot legs. The spider head becomes the robot chest, and the spider abdomen becomes the robot bustle, though not nearly as big as the BMac version.

The end result is a decently proportioned robot which has TM2 BA's face, but is otherwise fairly distinct in appearance. The color balance isn't bad, with the mainly black and purple figure offset by gold on the knees, elbows, back spikes and head and chest area. The smaller surface area of the figure helps ameliorate some of the plainness of this line's aesthetics. Balance isn't too bad, though with tiny feet and not much ankle articulation, some wide-stance poses just aren't going to work.

The weapon: not bad, actually. It's a three-fingered grapple claw that can be extended on a string. Push a button and it retracts very rapidly, reminding me of a tape measure. It can attach under the spider abdomen for web-filament hanging action, or plug into the back of the neck for robot mode storage.

Overall, it's a pretty decent figure. I won't be running out and buying many more Animated figures, but I'm not displeased with this one.

[onslaught86]

It can attach under the spider abdomen for web-filament hanging action, or plug into the back of the neck for robot mode storage.

Can plug into her forearms, too. Not well, mind you, but hey. I found Blackarachnia..lacking, she's just too small and flimsy, feels like the rubbery plastic will tear. Points for effort, but like Cybertronian Megatron, she's one of the Animated figures I do regret purchasing.

On the plus side, if you clip the weapon to her back in robot mode, then have the claw clasp the bottom of a shelf or some such, it looks like she's hung herself. That's made me smirk for days now. "Goodbye, cruel world that has brought me no Animated Silverbolt!"

[138 Scourge]

It can attach under the spider abdomen for web-filament hanging action, or plug into the back of the neck for robot mode storage.

Can plug into her forearms, too. Not well, mind you, but hey. I found Blackarachnia..lacking, she's just too small and flimsy, feels like the rubbery plastic will tear. Points for effort, but like Cybertronian Megatron, she's one of the Animated figures I do regret purchasing.

On the plus side, if you clip the weapon to her back in robot mode, then have the claw clasp the bottom of a shelf or some such, it looks like she's hung herself. That's made me smirk for days now. "Goodbye, cruel world that has brought me no Animated Silverbolt!"

On the first point, I dunno if I'd say "not well". I had her hanging from her forearm in a Spider-Man-like pose here for several days, and she held up. Also fun, robot mode, abdomen, awesome flight pose=Win.

I dunno, I find Blacky worth it for the overall design and for being a cool-looking fembot that has a decent enough and creepy alt. mode. The multiple-eyeballs in each...eyehole? Socket? whatevah are a nice touch, too. I dunno...first toy I got in Animated, so maybe there's that kinda bias going on.

As for the second point...Dude, that's just wrong. I mean, hilarious and awesome, but wrong...

[Misanthrope Prime]

My writer's conference was in Rhode Island, and we took a day trip out to Providence to go to Lovecraft's grave. Providence, is, as you know, the den of Habsor, so I begged my mom to let me stop in a wal*mart and pick up BA and Ratchet.

Currently, my animated collection includes:
Bulkhead
Lockdown
Prowl
Starscream
Bumblebee
Blackarachnia
Ratchet
Lugnut

I was hoping I'd find voyager prime or deluxe wave three, but so be it. I'll write a review of some of them when my mountain dew high wears off and I crash, and I wake up (it's almost 6 AM now and I'll probably sleep to 3 PM or later)

[Dominic]

Hey JT, you seen this?

Seen what? The show? Just the pilot. The toys? I have Prowl & Lockdown so far, passed on all the rest of waves 1 and 2. Something else? I dunno, it's hard for me to follow what you mean and stuff as I'm skimming threads at best, super busy this week.

Somebody who initially liked the movie changing their mind after having time to digest it.

I love the writing on Animated. (I have read the comic adaptations.) And, I would say it is, in terms of writing, the best thing some of G1's earlier issues. ("Shooting Star", "Warrior School", and of course "Man of Iron" set the bar pretty high.)


Dom

[Onslaught Six]

Somebody who initially liked the movie changing their mind after having time to digest it.

Thing is, I never liked the movie extremely much to begin with. I realized it had flaws, obviously, but they weren't as glaring or intrusive as they were on this recent watch.

[Dominic]

I recall you being pretty well pro-movie when it came out. Do not deny it.

Dom