Category: Transformers

When in Japan, you walk. A LOT. My feet hurt every day I was there. That is probably why people seem much thinner in Asia, everyone walks.  I was only there for 5 days, so you kinda try to make the most of it. Lab was another electronics store within walking distance of the hotel. It had about the same stuff. But near the elevator was a wall of gashapon. Some of it was kind of hentai – ish. I did not know that was a thing. Anyway literally walls of gachapon machines. Dave was buying a certain line his sister liked. According to my cousin, this was a small collection of machines. I can’t imagine a large wall of machines. Lab Electronics is a good place to buy the latest greatest robot toys. They have the most popular hits but you will not find any obscure toys here.

A wall of gashapon machines at Lab

Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger DX Cube 10 Zyuoh Dodekaioh at Lab Electronics Japan 2016

The Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger DX Cube robots are an interesting bunch. Blocks 123 and 456 create their own robots on the right. Blocks 1 through 10 make the larger robot on the left.

Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger DX Cube 10 Zyuoh Dodekaioh Japan Gattai

Ranma, Lupin, Arcadia SOC Soul of Chogokin Daitarn 3

I was planning to buy a few Soul of Chogokin Tryder and Daitarn from Lab Electronics, but I ended up finding some really nice older pieces at Mandarake. Which is really what I wanted to do.

Autobots Transformers MP-31 Masterpiece Delta Magnus Combiner Computron UW-08 2016

The Combiner Computron was an interesting piece because the packaging looks just like the US packaging with Japanese characters. Shinkalion was in all the stores and it appears to be a very popular line of toys right now.

Shinkalion E5 Hayabusa & Komachi E7 Kagayaki E3 Tsubasa 05 Takara Tomy Plarail robots at Lab Electronics

Shinkalion Takara Tomy 2016 Bullet Train Plarail

The Robot Spirits Tamashii Nations Bandai Arcadia Super Robots at Lab Electronics 2016

Robot Spirits Tamashii Nations Heavy Metal Auge Vifam Aura Battler Lab Electronics 2016

I was a little surprised to see the Aura Battler Dunbine figure. I didn’t think the series was very popular. At least not enough so that they would release new versions.

So my Samsung Note 3 broke and I haven’t put a post out for 2 or 3 months. I was using the Note to take my pictures. None of my phones or the cameras on them have been very good. I used an old backup phone my iPhone 4. Reception seems really off and the pictures come off really yellow. The camera is horrible compared to what is out now or just a couple years ago. Anyway, bought a old phone off a buddy.  A Verizon Samsung S4 which is better but is not the same carrier(T-Mobile) which is causing weird issues. I can’t get rid of the Verizon bloatware, the battery which was swelling has since been replaced.

But that is pretty much why you haven’t seen any new stuff up here in a while. the plan was to get the rest of my stuff up, but no go.  Now that I have the new battery it seems to be working better, so I am trying out the S4 camera to run a new post tonight! My last 2 posts were just new edits of old posts. I may do a few more of those if I run into issue. So here is crossing my fingers hoping this work.

Looks like a new set of Transformers is available online. The Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Superion Collection Pack I found on the sites for Target, Toys R’ Us, K Mart, Walmart, you name it. I haven’t seen it at any stores, but it looks pretty cool. Based on what I have read, they are sporting the Generation 2 colors. I will put up some pictures once I see it in the stores. Its nice you can pick up the whole set of Aerialbots in one fell swoop. Based on the pictures, it looks pretty badass combined but ok as individual robots.

I never thought I would be saying this. But the Transformers Platinum Edition Insecticons Figure 3-Pack is a K-Mart exclusive. I have seen Walmart and Target, but K-Mart is a new one on me. Go figure. Anyway it is a nice looking set. To bad the price is way outta whack. Who wants to pay $89.99 for this at Toys R’ Us or the $67.99 sale at K-Mart? Still it is fun to see. The 25th anniversary edition was $35 from what I hear and that pricing makes more sense. I saw this set on the box of my Transformers Platinum Edition Seeker Squadron 3-Pack. I was so excited I ran a quick search and found out where to find these. Anyway, looks like you can find these at K-Mart if there are any still in business around you or you can pick it up on their site.

Bot Shots made it right to my local Tuesday Morning and Ross store. I don’t see them at the regular stores like Walmart and Target, just the discount stores. So they must not be very popular. They are cute little robots and I hate to say it, but they look better than the original Generation 1 line of Mini Vehicles. The snarky little grin on Bumblebee’s face almost makes me want to pick this up. If they have a Starscream with this grin I’m sold. Too bad I have never seen one. I would not mind seeing other robots in this line, but this is the only one I have seen. I am guessing I will not see more of this line due to its piddling success.

Bot Shots is a game like Rock, Paper, Scissors. Fist beats sword, Sword beats blaster, Blaster beats fist.

You shoot the robots at each other as cars and the emblem on the chest will show Sword, Fist, or Blaster if it transforms.  If your Bot does not transform and the other does, you lose by default. If there is a tie, the highest number on the chest is the tie breaker.

Bumblebee Bot Shots Battle Game 2012

I guess I wouldn’t mind getting these free, but otherwise I am not really that hot on what I have seen so far.

Bumblebee Bot Shots Battle Game 2012

Transformers Rescue Bots Boulder the Construction-Bot, Heatwave the Fire-Bot, Blades the Flight-Bot, Chase the Police-Bot

I found these robots from the Transformers: Rescue Bots series at Big Lots. I had seen them before at Toys R’ Us and Target. I never realized this was a cartoon. I had seen the toys before, but I am surprised this was an actual branch of the animated series. Toys R’ Us was blowing out the huge two foot Optimus Prime robots from this series for $12 in January. That is the largest Optimus Prime I have ever seen. This is another option for kids to enter the Transformers franchise, but I much prefer the Hero Mashers line to this one. The cartoon started in 2012 and I think it is still going. The  Playskool Heroes brand is aimed at young children, so  you won’t likely see any other posts on robots from this line unless they look really cool. The Bots Boulder the Construction-Bot, Heatwave the Fire-Bot, Blades the Flight-Bot, Chase the Police-Bot kind of look like a knock off line robots with better except with better quality and design than most knockoffs. Although I do not care much for this line of robots, it is fun to see different robot lines and interpretations of the Transformers. I would love to see some of the Generation 1 robots in this format. Especially the bad Seekers. Too bad they only made these robots with which I have familiarity. Oh well, this is money I will not spending these robots.

Transformers Rescue Bots Boulder the Construction-Bot, Heatwave the Fire-Bot, Blades the Flight-Bot, Chase the Police-Bot

Prowl is a nice piece to add your Masterpiece collection(probably the best one this year). I have yet to own one of the Masterpiece Editions, but this one is making me think about it. I usually try to add the cheaper new Transformers or pieces from the 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s.

Prowl is one of my favorite Autobots and one of the better Generation 1 toys.  I never had one and this piece is so much nicer than the original G1 robot by far, but for the price I wish it was a little taller than 7 inches.  It looks so close to the cartoon version it is making me itch to see the old cartoons again. From the pose on the box it has much more articulation than the original, so poses will be much more fun than what you could do before. The police car transformation really looks great, but the robot form is where the toy really shines. What a beautiful version of Prowl. Though it seems a lot of people prefer the Takara version. The only big plus I can see is that the missile launchers shoot( I actually prefer the white missile launchers to the original black ones. They look too big). One other plus I see is the Takara box is so much smaller. The Hasbro box seems like a space waster. You can get either version on Amazon, eBay or ToysRUs.com.

Prowl Masterpiece MP-04 2014 Autobot Hasbro Intelligence Specialist

If you are going to pick up a Masterpiece robot Prowl blows away Sunstorm. And the Masterpiece Grimlock re-release is just another reissue. So they will likely put him back out again in some form or other.

Prowl Masterpiece MP-04 2014 Autobot Hasbro Intelligence Specialist