Transformers War for Cybertron Kingdom Voyager Class Dinobot and Grimlock: No, not Dinobot Grimlock.

When Kingdom was unveiled, there was a specific set of characters that people couldn't wait for, and were characters that a new toy of them would be inevitable. Dinobot was one of these characters, as not only is he a beloved character from the Beast Era, but a spotlight episode for him, Code of Hero, is regarded as one of the best Transformers Episodes ever made. Considering he's one of five Beast Wars characters (not counting reprints and Lio Convoy) to have a Masterpiece figure, not including him in the toy line meant to represent the anniversary of Beast Wars would be a disastrous oversight. However, a bit more surprising was the inclusion of his repaint, Grimlock, in one of two exclusives that bundled an Autobot with a Maximal. Granted, Hasbro will use any excuse to repaint a figure that they can get, so Grimlock was likely; it just felt like an odd choice to include with a new Mirage toy, especially when G1 Grimlock was available in the Studio Series line (though out of all the possibilities, it probably still made the most sense). We've tackled Optimus Primal, Cheetor, Rattrap, Airazor and Rhinox; how well does 2021 treat one of the most infamous warriors in the franchise (and his white cousin)?

For a lot of toys this year, the term "Mini Masterpiece" has been thrown around. While I think how it's being used is wrong, I believe there is a grain of truth to it. Many toys have borrowed elements from Masterpiece engineering to achieve the two modes. Still, due to the downscale of cost, the engineering's used mainly for large chunks rather than minor tweaks. Dinobot is an excellent example of this as while the base concepts in his engineering are similar to the Masterpiece in certain elements, the compromises are far more visible due to the smaller budget. This velociraptor mode looks ugly; there's no getting around that. Due to the robot legs needing to go somewhere, the entire underside of the raptor mode looks awful, and due to how much the legs stick out compared to a raptor's body proportions, there's no natural way to fix it either. From the top-down, the raptor model looks really good, and all the Kingdom signature beast detail is nicely on display here. However, even at this angle, the illusion is ruined by the robot mode feet. Compared to how the legs integrate into the toy, elements like the robot mode-specific deco visible in what would be awkward areas of the Raptor mode don't stand out as much. However, an eyesore is easily the Raptor hands. For the sake of robot mode engineering, the fingers are too long when compared to (what we know of) raptor hands and claws, and the locked position of them always makes the hands look awkward no matter what you do with them. Another compromise for the sake of the robot mode was the articulation.

Compared to other Beast Wars characters, Dinobot's raptor mode feels uncomfortably stiff, thanks to the locked neck, the immoveable tail, and the thighs being locked in place, denying the ability to get good running poses. In addition, many have complained about one element of this mode: the end of the robot mode's sword being used as the tip of the tail. Due to the paint on the sword is based on the Masterpiece's metallic pink blade, it leaves the tail with a pink tip. If that bothers you, Grimlock's sword blends in better with the tail, but I find the deco on him to be less impressive when compared to Dinobot. Also, elements like the deco on the dino thighs feel less interesting than Dinobots, an interesting turn of events as Grimlock was an exclusive repaint, often resulting in a deluxe paint job compared to regular retail. Unfortunately, that might be due to the one he was bundled with, Mirage, getting the deluxe treatment, a shame for those who were after the set for Grimlock like I was. I love Grimlock's green eyes, though, and it gives the beast mode a robotic feel to it that almost helps with hiding the robot mode junk trying to pass itself off as a Raptor stomach. 

With the beast mode clearly suffering, one can hope that it was all for the sake of the robot mode. Thankfully, the robot mode for Dinobot is gorgeous! Dinobot is almost everything a Dinobot fan would want in a Voyager Class representation of the character in robot mode. He's one of the more agile figures in Kingdom, thanks to the extra joints in the shoulders for the sake of beast mode. 5mm ports on the palms of his hands can help fake the tail shield spinning gimmick the original toy and the Masterpiece had while maintaining the friction to hold his gear. Unfortunately, it's not very useful outside of his weapons because most weapons are designed for regular hands (sorry, you can't have him hold G1 guns, I'm sad to say). Paint applications are beautiful, with the only thing that feels like a glaring omission is painting the bone details on his shins, likely cut due to the transformation. Thankfully the moulding on the legs is there, so there's very little extra work that would be required if you're into customizing your figures. For those that aren't, I don't see an upgrade kit coming that could help fix this as the joints are covered up nicely, with pins not designed to be removed, locking the plastic pieces together. Once again, though, deco seems to be the issue with Grimlock, as not only is he missing paint applications, but applications intended for beast mode look awkward in robot mode, coming off as half done. The outer half of the knee spikes, thighs, and feet are painted white to blend into beast mode, but it shifts to the colours for robot mode, down the middle of each, resulting in a half-painted mess. The chest is also missing details, as some aspects in the moulding intended to replicate the Beast Wars Cartoon's Raptor head chest that Dinobot uses to full effect are lost on Grimlock. It seems like the priority that was given to Grimlock was for the beast mode. Still, it looks like a wasted effort, especially when the robot mode's engineering is so well done due to how heavily compromised the beast mode already was. 

What's frustrating about this toy is that it's okay when a character like Dinobot deserves an amazing one. However, the issue with that mindset is that Beasts are always going to be compromised, and though this feels like too much of a compromise, it's hard to deny the sacrifices that were worth it when you see the robot mode. As a Raptor, Dinobot's toy is awful when compared to the other beasts in Kingdom's line, up there with Scorponok's beast mode due to how rigid it feels. As a warrior, though, the toy is practically perfect at the Voyager scale. The two cancel each other out though, to make the toy okay in the line, very average when compared to others. As for Grimlock, I wish it got the same Robot mode attention that Dinobot did, but that was probably due to Mirage needing so much of the packs budget.

G.I. Joe Classified Flint and Lady Jaye: Behold, Duke and Scarlet 2.0...?

 As the last few Transformers reviews have indicated, I've had the 1986 Transformers movie on my mind. Still, I did notice when comparing the original Transformers Cartoon to the G.I. Joe Cartoon running around the same time because it feels like G.I. Joe handled the leadership transition somewhat better than Transformers did. Ironic as a last-minute edit to the G.I. Joe Movie was done because of the backlash Transformers had. Though some leaders did take more of a backseat even when they were introduced, to me, it did feel like when Flint and Lady Jaye were introduced, they essentially replaced Duke and Scarlet. There was even an episode where leaders of both G.I. Joe and Cobra were taken for a series of challenges, and while Cobra Commander and Baroness were taken to represent the Cobra side, Flint and Lady Jaye were taken to represent the Joes. Even when an official chain of command was discussed, Duke wasn't in charge; he was now second in command behind the then-new General Hawk. It makes me wonder what would have happened if they committed to killing Duke off in the movie. While we may never know about that, what we can do is look at the newest versions of Duke and Scarlet 2.0. By request on a poll on Facebook, because of how close it was between these two and how many can't see one without the other, here's a review looking at both G.I. Joe Classified Flint and Lady Jaye.

I'll start with Flint first as, in the spirit of him being Duke 2.0. Though some elements are different, a new head, new shin guards, a few new accessories and the vest replacing Duke's belts, the bulk of the parts are reused, but using a fresh paint and colour scheme to make him feel more unique when compared to his Wave 1 predecessor. The reuse of components fits the two of them, thanks to how similar their roles are in the Joe team, and what elements are different make a significant change to how the two of them look. Even if you had the two of them standing right next to each other on a shelf, you wouldn't notice that they're essentially the same toy just by looking at them. For those looking for a faithful modernization of an 80's Joe figure, Flint is a mostly 1:1 accurate translation of his original 1985 toy, only missing his backpack from the original toy, but it doesn't feel like a significant loss.

Regarding the accessories he has, Flint comes with the same pistol that Duke comes with, but without the gold paint that Duke's did. While it looks more realistic, it also seems pretty bland by comparison. He also comes with what is essentially a Shotgun to serve as a primary firearm. I love the look of this gun, especially over the one he came within 1985. From what I've heard, it's not a realistic Shotgun, but the paint and sculpting is realistic enough to look like a modern shotgun, especially when compared to Duke's rifle. I'm less of a fan of how it stores on his back; it does feel like the holster designed for it was put on upside down. It doesn't look bad when stored away, but like many primary weapons in the line, it looks better in the figure's hands rather than on his back.

Lady Jaye, on the other hand, I find less impressive in certain elements but more impressive in others. She's a very mixed bag, as some parts have transitioned very well in the modernization process, while others have transitioned very badly. I love the sculpting on the figure itself. The design for her feels more like a translation of the cartoon rather than one of the original toys, similar to modern Transformers aiming for the look of the character in the cartoon rather than the toys. That's not to say she hasn't got any roots in the original toy. Like Flint, her design is primarily based on her 1985 toy, and the accessories help bring more of the toy's elements into the design. The inclusion of an optional hairpiece that has the hat the original toy came with is a lovely touch in this regard. However, the other accessories suffer in the attempt to merge the original toy's design with her design in the cartoon, all while modernizing the design for the 21st century. The backpack was completely redesigned to incorporate storage for a spare Javelin, optional Javelin heads that can be easily interchanged, and a modern redesign of the camera accessory her original toy came with, now looking more like a GoPro on a very articulate armature.

 

The Javelins are simple but effective in design, but what lets things down is the attempt to modernize her Javelin launcher gun. Trying to insert a Javelin in the launcher is surprisingly tricky, with a lot of friction between the pieces, making the connection feel too secure like it's trying to lock the Javelin in forever. The result is an awkward mess of a launcher that either sticks out too far or is cumbersome to hold. It would have been better if she came with a Mini Javelin to load into it, as that could have also worked for the backpack storage as her Javelins did compress for storage. I'm surprised her backpack doesn't have any Mini Javelins sculpted onto it, in a similar vein to Scarlet and Storm Shadow's Quivers. As it stands now, it looks like she has two shots before she has to rely on her knife, a weapon that doesn't work well when fighting an army all using guns. Granted, neither is Javelins, but a Javelin with an explosive tip would be more effective. 

 

With the exception of Lady Jaye's accessory choices (mainly the Javelin launcher), both these figures are solid inclusions in the line. Neither are the strongest the line offers, but both are fantastic inclusions to your Joe team. I could see Lady Jaye getting a re-release with different accessories, but they got Flint perfect right off the bat. Considering this was the first full year of the line and a year that was hampered by the delay of the Snake Eyes movie, it'll be fascinating to see what 2022 has on offer. Though the following review was sold as a Predacon, many know him as a Maximal. It's time to tell his tale to those who ask. To tell it truly, the ill deeds along with the good, and let him be judged accordingly. Up next: Dinobot.

Transformers War for Cybertron Kingdom Leader Class Galvatron: Now with 100% less Jet Mode.

While Titans Return was justifiably praised back when it was the main Generations Toyline, very few Transformers toylines are without blunders. Some would argue that one of the biggest blunders the line had was its take on Galvatron. Though many of the choices for Voyager Class figures in the toy line were very questionable, Galvatron was one of the strangest as the goal was to make a triple changer out of a canon when the option for a toy gun was no longer going to cut it. As a result, Galvatron was given a jet mode that would make anyone with even basic knowledge of aerodynamics cry and a cockpit on his back that nobody asked for. If you have a seething hatred of Titans Return Galvatron, well, good news, today's subject does precisely what you want, have a purple Decepticon turn into a space canon. That alone would be worth an upgrade, but how well does Kingdom Galvatron hold up on his own. It's finally time to look at the last Herald of Unicron, in both cartoon and toy/kind of sort of comic colours.

Well... the one and only alt mode is undoubtedly a canon... As much of a cop-out bit of criticism as that sounds, it's hard to talk about G1 Galvatron's Alt mode because, like Megatron's original alt mode, it's interesting when compared to other Transformers but inherently not as exciting as something like a car or a plane, or a monster. You have small wheels on the tank treads and the angle leg (I don't know cannons), allowing you to roll him along the ground, and the joints in all three legs allow for you to angle the cannon. Apart from that, though, there isn't much to say. Elements like the front legs and the arms with treads sticking out the shoulders look bad but is a common thing for Galvatron. It's just how it has to work at the limitations this toy has (though one thing I do have to give credit to the Titans Return version for, the lower arms end up behind the main leg element, making it look more cohesive from the front). A pre-applied rub-sign sticker is the only major thing to bring up between the general retail release, and the Generations Selects release. Most of the differences become more noticeable in robot mode.

Missasembly issues on early releases of Kingdom Galvatron excluded (mine has the right shoulders if anyone is curious); I like this take on Galvatron, though I wish some minor things were addressed before release. I love the overall proportions, with the only minor exception being the panels on the side of his chest. While, on the one hand, it does break up the overall look of Galvatron and does make him look a bit too chubby (clearly, he's been putting on the lockdown weight, too), it also makes him look more imposing and stronger. The arm cannon is another element that I'm not a big fan of. I'm not a fan of where they put the 5mm post to connect the cannon to the arm, and I think the barrel looks a bit too long and a bit too thin. The 5mm post is my biggest issue with the cannon, though, as the ports on the arms limit you to either putting the cannon in a spot where it's accurately positioned on the arm but limits dynamic positions you can put him in. Your other option is a spot where the cannon should connect too and gives more articulation freedom, but makes the cannon look even longer and not sit in properly depending on the position of the upper arm. It's little things like those that, while they aren't that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things, become far more noticeable because this toy is so close to being a fantastic Galvatron toy. It's why I got the Generations Selects release as well, which has a colour scheme more closely aligned with that of the original G1 toy. It comes with a sticker sheet to give it more of the G1 toy details, but the base plastic and the Kingdom detailing is so well done that it feels redundant to include them. Combined with my disdain for putting stickers on toys (blame LEGO), and I've decided to keep them off. One thing I was surprised about with the Toy colours was the choice of Purple. It's surprisingly darker than the retail release and stands out beautifully against the muted grey (compared to the retail toy's heavy use of silver plastic). 

Both toys come with three accessories that are both interesting inclusions and redundant bits of plastic. First, both toys come with guns based on the design of his ship from the 1986 movie, The Revenge, something I do find odd as the original toy did come with a gun. The sculpting is beautiful on the weapons, and the two can combine to form an interesting looking sidearm, but it's always going to feel redundant compared to the cannons both toys come with. Something far more interesting was the inclusion of a Matrix of Leadership on a chain to reference his jewellery in the 86 movie. It's ok for a toy, though the chain does feel like a bit of an afterthought in the initial design concept. I have no issue with the chain being a solid bit of plastic; it feels a bit too small for me, though, resulting in the Matrix not sitting right. An extra link or two in length could have helped with this. Credit to them, though, I love the fact that Toy Colours Galvatron comes with the Creation Matrix from the G1 Marvel comics. I'm surprised a Creation Matrix repaint of the Matrix of Leadership didn't happen sooner. 

The issues I've brought up are just what they sound like, minor issues, nitpicks at best. Without a shadow of a doubt, this is the best mainline G1 Galvatron they've designed. Almost completely flawless; I doubt anything would be topping this any time soon. If you can find one, get it because you won't be disappointed.