Review: #125
Name: Bumblebee
Brand: Transformers
Allegiance: Autobot
Line: Prime - Beast Hunters
Year of Release: 2013
Size Class: Deluxe (Wave 1)
Variations: a remold off the RiD Deluxe mold (which has been repainted and remolded HEAPS of times)
VEHICLE MODE:
Bumblebee transforms into the standard yellow sports car, but this time with a twist, he's completely decked out, there are added spikes, missiles and more 'aggressive' sculpting.
The vehicle shell is completely resculpted, everything (even the roof). The downside to this is that he loses any sort of paint application for the rear of the car.
As you'd expect, the wheels roll but that's not all for it's play value.
You can plug in his bow weapon on the top of the car and his double blasters. There are a couple of different configurations on how you want the bow weapon to look like.
Obviously, the size won't change much as this is only a remold. However, even though the core vehicle is small, the extra weapons, spikes and the like add a lot and it's not too bad.
I'm going to make this clear, I love this vehicle mode. I think it adds a great aggressive look to Bumblebee (kinda sick of how he always transforms into a sleek sports car now), and the play value is above average.
TRANSFORMATION:
The transformation is largely the same as the original toy with two exceptions, the first is the missile racks on each of the doors rotate up, and the second is that the wheel shaped pieces on his shoulders click into place (due to the new spikes). The transformation is simple but quite fun, and the auto-transforming feature that activates when you pull out the arms (which causes the whole upper body to shift into place) is quite cool and actually works here. I think they fixed the gearing issue that was prevalent on the original release and now the head sits more flush against the body. Overall, you could transform this guy again and again and again, coz he is a pleasure to go from each mode.
ROBOT MODE:
Just like his vehicle mode, Bumblebee takes on a vastly different look here, and it's not a bad result, quite the opposite in fact.
The spikes give him a "don't mess with me" look, and the black breaks up all the yellow very well.
The chest is also shorted and this is good in that it doesn't make his upper body seem way too big out of proportion. I like to interpret he missiles on his door wings as jet packs (why not?).
Bumblebee also sports a new head sculpt, and not very coincidentally, it bears more than a slight resemblance to his previous head. Anyway, Bumblebee looks way more angry now and his eyes are quite freaky. They seemed to look like an eagle's and glow even though there is no lightpiping.
Putting him next to FE Bumblebee, you realize that this toy gives off a very different feel.
He is a bit shorter than the average Deluxe, which he makes up for with all his extras.
Off to the weapons, he retains his original twin blasters, which can combine into a double blaster.
However, the star of the show would have to be his bow weapon, officially named the Eagleshot Bow (getting into the beast theme I see). The sides can fold up for storage and it has two slots to hold spare missiles.
The bow is also a fully working spring loaded launcher (although mine launchers far too easily). Bumblebee comes with SIX (!!!!) missiles. The launcher only uses one, so talk about overkill.
There are two missiles stored on each door, and two on the bow itself.
The blasters can either attach on the outside of his forearms or he can hold them in his hands.
The same goes for his bow (since it has a 5mm peg itself), although I found that it attaches a bit more loosely than I would like.
The articulation is pretty good, although it seems that his shoulders are limiting (not by much though), thanks to the automatic transformation. He has a a swivel joint in both planes of motion in the shoulders anyway.
All the aesthetic flaws of the original toy it gone. One of my complaints of the mold though would be how his torso is just a thin panel. It just doesn't feel like that area have enough substance.
Bumblebee is pose-friendly, he's easy to balance and have many joints that makes posing quite a joy. The joints are tight and unlikely to give way to gravity.
If you wish, Bumblebee can hold his missiles as a sort of club/spear/stick. His bow weapon looks wicked on his arm, Bumblebee does look ready to annihilate his foe.
A wonderful robot mode that strikes all the right chords in refresh of the line. This robot mode is fun, stable and looks great.
OVERALL:
An unexpected surprise to me, I could never imagine how great this toy turned out. It transformed and remolded a mediocre toy into a great one. Beast Hunters Bumblebee has a ton of play value what with his weapons, and he looks amazing in both modes. I'd say, give this Bumblebee toy a chance (especially if you haven't had this mold yet), he's just so fun to fiddle around with!
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