{"id":29685,"date":"2014-12-07T23:53:15","date_gmt":"2014-12-08T05:53:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=29685"},"modified":"2014-12-07T23:53:15","modified_gmt":"2014-12-08T05:53:15","slug":"transformers-masterpiece-bumblebee-review-mp-21-w-battle-mask","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=29685","title":{"rendered":"Transformers Masterpiece
Bumblebee Review (MP-21 w\/ Battle Mask)"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a> When you\u2019re in a baby budget crunch, or any budget crunch really, the easiest thing to do is cut the expensive stuff first. I\u2019ve done that best I can, but Transformers: Masterpiece\u2026 I just can\u2019t find it in me to cut from the budget right now. Even on a figure like Bumblebee that I wasn\u2019t totally sure I\u2019d love. <\/p>\n

I pre-ordered Bumblebee like I tend to when an MP becomes available, but unlike many of the previous ones, I let some of the fan reaction get to me. Well, I shouldn\u2019t say that. I felt it to. Some uneasiness about the head sculpt. Some bulkiness from the transformation \u2013 really the now accurate VW cab \u2013 made him look, we\u2019ll say portly. <\/p>\n

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There was another thing too \u2013 this is more specific to me, or collectors like me. I love the toys first for almost every license. When I want get vintage updates, being accurate to the old toys is far more important to me than source material. I want Lady Jaye to have a hat, She-Ra to have her starburst, and, yeah, Orion to have that big ol\u2019 dumb harness for his head to spin around in. <\/p>\n

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When Bumblebee debuted, he looked like he should, but I just didn\u2019t quite feel it. When they announced the Amazon Japan exclusive, I remembered why: the toy doesn\u2019t have a face. Well, it does \u2013 but it\u2019s a robot face \u2013 visor instead of eyes, a guard over the mouth. When I saw that in prototype form, I was more easily sold. Even at the higher price. But still, I was nervous if I\u2019d really like him. Wheeljack was a little off and Bee looked like he would be too. And then, he got here. <\/p>\n

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I did get a good laugh when I opened the box. Takara packages the cars in car mode and the Lamborghinis & Fairladys take up a good chunk, packaged lengthwise. Not so with the bug. Bumblebee is on the box sideways and was right there when I opened him up. Spike actually takes up more space in the bubble since he\u2019s packaged in robot form. <\/p>\n

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Once he was out of the bubble, I was pretty happy with Bee in his car mode. I\u2019m no VW-enthusiast, but he looks good. It\u2019s kinda refreshing to see him not deformed. There\u2019s a lot of nice little touches like the logo at the base of the windshield, the driver-side only mirror, and silly as it sounds just the front end looks neat since he\u2019s finally a real bug. There\u2019s a cool feature in the back where you can pull the license plate out and replace it with a spare tire cover for the two different looks. Special points to Takara too for putting a spot for the license plate to high inside the spare tire cover. <\/p>\n

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In his alt mode, I only have a few nitpicks. I don\u2019t like the Autobot logo on the hood, but it\u2019s there to be animation accurate \u2013 if, Hasbro can import this guy to the US, that would likely go away. But I know why it\u2019s there and I\u2019m over it. Which leaves just one thing. The tires are weak. I\u2019ve been critical of the tires before, this line is at the upper end and it just screams rubber tires, but doesn\u2019t get them. Bee suffers moreso because they\u2019re plastic and they\u2019re just too thin. This is too accommodate the transformation, of course, but they\u2019re just too waferlike and bend in too easily. Not a deal breaker, but I\u2019m not in love with it. <\/p>\n

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So, let\u2019s transform him. It\u2019s pretty straightforward like most MPs. The tail lights on the lower arms trip me up now and again, but I got it in one attempt, so I have to consider it easy overall. Once he\u2019s in this mode, the first thing you notice is either how awesome he looks\u2026 or how tiny he is. Scale and Transformers\u2026 are not friends. This has been a big issue in the MP line. The cartoon portrayed Bumblebee a bunch of different sizes, often up to Prime\u2019s knee. I would want Bee to be maybe hip high and that\u2019s about what we got. Continue to Page 2…<\/a><\/p>\n

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The problem though is that relative scale does not equal relative money. I never really worry much about that myself. I don\u2019t care that R2-D2 & Yoda cost as much as Luke & Vader, for example. Normally, it\u2019s because they\u2019re in an assortment. The whole wave is $19.99. Whatevs. This isn\u2019t the case here though, Bee didn\u2019t have to be $60ish. He\u2019s a standalone release. They did some stuff to compensate the price point which I\u2019ll get to, but that may not cut it for some folks. I only bring this up as a nod to them. Price usually doesn\u2019t factor into reviews here because, hey, I bought it, what am I gonna say? But I know that\u2019s an important topic on this little guy. Prowl does too. <\/p>\n

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So after his size is put to bed, Bumblebee ends up being a pretty spiffy little bot. Well, I don\u2019t know if little applies here. Some also find him a little portly. The chest\/cab is no longer deformed and chibi, it\u2019s a full size size VW cab and now his chest sticks out a fair bit further as a result. Add in the rear kibble of the car on the back side and he is a little wide. I just take this in stride. I think the visual is fantastic. I love the clunky, VW-accurate feet, I find the proportions are fine, and I like the head sculpt too. <\/p>\n

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That might sound funny since I love the \u201cBattle Mask\u201d most of all. Bee includes two faces in his normal packaging, one stoic, one with a slight smile. I do think the standard cartoon heads could use a little more definition. The edges are there, but either the paint or the sculpt throws it off a bit and doubles down on the portly look. He\u2019s cool and I like the happy face still quite a bit. I almost feel bad that I *have* to go with the Amazon Japan exclusive \u201cBattle Mask\u201d, but I do. I love it. It makes Bee just like I remember and once I clicked in that third faceplate, that\u2019s when any buyer\u2019s remorse finally rinsed off. <\/p>\n

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Is there anything I don\u2019t like about the sculpt? Well, yeah. I do kinda miss the tires on the arm, but the only thing that really bugs me is the flip-over piece on the chest for the logo. It\u2019s there so the robot can have the symbol in the right place while the car can go without. I like that function, but the square it makes on the chest throws off the visual. <\/p>\n

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The paintwork on my Bee is great. I like the colors and the paint matches the plastic really well. I wasn\u2019t thrilled with the molded plastic colors on Wheeljack so I\u2019m glad to see Bee return to the \u201cfinished\u201d look. There is still the problem of the paint being more easily damaged on the clear plastics around the windows, but it\u2019s manageable and we know about it. I do have to point out, I know I’ll hear about this in the comments, his shade of yellow was difficult to capture. The blue background wasn’t really happening. <\/p>\n

Articulation is a spot where Bee really shines. We have what are or amounts to ball-joints at the neck, shoulders, hips, and ankles, hinges at the shoulders, elbows, wrists, & knees, and swivels at the waist, biceps, and thighs. Pretty much a good complement on a \u201csix-inch\u201d figure. <\/p>\n

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In addition to the extra face plates and the spare tire cover, Bee includes a standard pistol. He has closed hands so he holds it great unlike some of his big brothers. And, again, it stows on the car mode \u2013 I love that. If you don\u2019t want to use the spare tire cover, you can store both the gun and the cover under the hood. That\u2019s great for not losing stuff. I just wish I could store the extra face plates down there too! <\/p>\n

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And, of course, Bumblebee also includes Spike in an exo-suit from Transformers: The Movie. File this under something I never knew I wanted! The movie still holds a special place in my heart because it was one of the first movies my Dad ever took to me see in a theater. It was a big deal. It also helps that the figure is pretty awesome. It transforms between robot mode and suit mode easily and looks fantastic both ways. I would like a little more detail on Spike\u2019s face, but it\u2019s a tiny piece really. The articulation includes a hinged neck on Spike\u2019s head and lots of functional ball-joints for some good poses. Some of those ball-joints do pop apart easily, but they do back together with no fuss. <\/p>\n

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Overall, I have to admit that I was hesitant before he arrived, but I fell in love with the toy once I got him out of the box. The sculpt is solid if a little wide, but the look is great and the articulation makes him feel like a real action figure. His alt mode as a true Volkswagen with all the little details, down to the logo on the hubcaps, is long overdue and looks fantastic. The price is steep, but Spike aids in that somewhat. My only real concern now is the repaints. I like him that much \u2013 and they could easily make him again in red, orange, black, white, green, and blue. I think that\u2019s all of them. Most of those won\u2019t happen. Maybe Bug Bite (White\/Decepticon), but I do kinda want him in red (I\u2019ll need another battle mask for that one) and wouldn\u2019t G2 vac-metal gold look sweet? Wouldn\u2019t it? Yeah… no way I can cut Masterpiece from the budget. <\/p>\n

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Related Reviews:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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For Even More Reviews, check out our Review Index<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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I had bought Bumblebee with him and meant to review him the next week. My intentions, and attention, got subverted by other toys though, but now I\u2019ve returned to Mr. Bee before he becomes entirely obsolete.","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":22050,"url":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=22050","url_meta":{"origin":29685,"position":4},"title":"Vault Review: Transformers Prime Entertainment Pack Starscream","date":"December 4, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"As the end of the year draws closer, I find myself trying to catch up on some older reviews that I haven't gotten around to yet. So in order to save a little time and hopefully fit more things into my schedule, I'm going to have a few \"quick looks\"\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.itsalltrue.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/spep5.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":7252,"url":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=7252","url_meta":{"origin":29685,"position":5},"title":"Toy Run #5: Transformers Temptation","date":"July 5, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"You know the drill. You get up thinking today could be the day. You hop in the car and head for your luckiest place. You arrive with giddy anticipation. It's now or never, you tell yourself as you round that last corner. What waits? 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