Review: #161
Name: Bulkhead
Brand: Transformers
Allegiance: Autobot
Line: Animated
Year of Release: 2008
Size Class: Activators (Wave 1)
Variations: none that I am aware
VEHICLE MODE:
Bulkhead transforms into a SWAT military van. Only four wheels roll, the middle pair are fake which is slightly disappointing.
While looking quite good from the front, it somewhat falls apart from behind as you can clearly see his arms and legs poking out. Bulkhead doesn't have a defined rear.
One of the neat things that they did here was molded the big hinges that are required for his transformation into gatling guns.
It's really obvious when you first set sight on the figure, Bulkhead is super-deformed. He feels really compressed, length-wise and the proportions are not show-accurate at all. It's required to have a decent robot mode but the compromise do suck.
Being super compact makes Bulkhead feel small in your hands. Overall though, it's still a okay vehicle mode. They hid the transformation activation button quite well, it's the red part of his siren.
TRANSFORMATION:
As mentioned, you pressed the red part of his siren and Bulkhead automatically transforms. You have to make sure you've tabbed in the arms correctly otherwise the auto-transformation won't go all the way. Afterwards, you just have to fiddle with his arms and legs and you're done. It's pretty fun but Bulkhead basically just unfolds from the vehicle mode so it's not as clever or integrated as Bumblebee. That said, the collapse of the panels is fun to watch and marvel at the engineering.
ROBOT MODE:
The designer managed to capture Bulkhead's essence quite well. He's instantly recognisable and thanks to the torso and panels (that acts kinda like wings), he looks big and bulky too.
Thanks to the unfolding nature and just how the character is designed in the cartoon (no vehicle kibble except for his chest), the whole rear of the trucks forms kibble on his back. There are giant panels and it looks like a mess at first.
The headsculpt makes Bulkhead look angry, it can turn from side to side. It's tiny in size though.
You have to lean him a little bit forward at the hips in order for him to balance. You can also fold the truck side panels further back so they aren't as obvious from the front or just leave it there.
Like how the Voyager toy is near Deluxe-height, this Activator is near Legends-height. He's got more bulk and looks bigger but he seems to have less mass than the other Activator toys.
In terms of poseability, Bulkhead is okay in that aspect. You can probably tell, but his proportions don't exactly make it seem like it's easy to give him articulation.
The only bad thing is that Bulkhead lacks any knee joints, couple that with feet that can't be adjusted, and the possibilities of dynamic poses are limited.
Overall, this is a solid robot mode. He can seem a little gappy from a few angles but still a cute little robot mode nonetheless.
OVERALL:
Not as strong as some of the other molds in the Activator line but Bulkhead is still a fantastically fun figure himself. You'll find yourself transforming him back and forwards and marvel at how the panels move and align each other. The vehicle mode is a bit too super-deformed to look good while the robot mode is an acquired taste. You'll probably find him growing on you though.
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