Review: #499
Name: Dropkick
Brand: Transformers
Allegiance: Decepticon
Line: Generations - Studio Series
Year of Release: 2018
Size Class: Deluxe (Wave 4)
Mold Status: new
HELICOPTER MODE:
Dropkick transforms into a Bell AH-1 SuperCobra attack helicopter, as based off the Bumblebee film.
This is a slim helicopter due to its nature. While the tail rotor spins freely, the main rotor is a lot tighter.
In terms of size, the Deluxes in the Studio Series line seems to be shrinking with each wave. Above is a comparison against Deluxe Lockdown from the same line.
Nevertheless, it has plenty of great sculpting. He has two Gatling guns, one on each side, as well as a smaller one in front of the nose.
A great helicopter mode that feels like a lot of thought was put into it.
TRANSFORMATION:
At this size, there was no way that Dropkick could be a triple-changer. That doesn't mean that the designer skimped on the transformation because it is fairly clever and might surprise you at what it does. While the tail forming the arms is nothing special, the way that the body of the helicopter twists and unfolds, as well as combines to form the torso and legs is interesting in how it bulks up the robot mode.
ROBOT MODE:
Dropkick's robot mode is not super accurate to the movie but does have familiar elements such as the cockpit on his chest and the rotor blades on his back.
Dropkick does well with the kibble. The major piece is of course the rotor blades, but the annoying ones is the tail rotor and tail fins on the outside of his forearms. They are just angled so awkwardly.
The headsculpt is a mess. It tries to cram in too many details and ends up looking muddled and undefined as a result.
Dropkicks is not only a skinny robot but he is also shorter than most other Deluxes. It's hard to blame him when the alternate mode was so small already.
As part of the Studio Series line, Dropkick comes with a cardboard stand, showing off an aerial battle.
Dropkick easily fits onto the stand.
Articulation is not too bad. He has all the standard joints that you'd come to expect.
If need be, you can even use the tail rotor underneath his arm as a type of melee weapon.
For ranged weaponry, the two Gatling guns unfold a longer barrel and becoming handheld weapons.
Unfortunately if you don't want Dropkick to hold the guns, then there is no other place in robot mode to place them since the spots where it plugs in helicopter mode has been folded away.
The designer tried to carry some of the vehicle elements to mimic a triple-changer, the major element being the vehicle-like taillights on his knees.
The shoulders can struggle when angling out but otherwise, this is a fantastic robot mode.
OVERALL:
Dropkick focuses on being a good Transformer. The biggest downside is the small size (and no matter how you argue scale for the line, the fact is, Dropkick is smaller than your average Deluxe and hurts in the value department) but the engineering makes up for it.
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