Review: #799
Name: Side Burn
Brand: Transformers
Allegiance: Autobot
Line: Generations - Legacy: United
Year of Release: 2024
Size Class: Deluxe (Wave 3)
Mold Status: retool of Legacy Evolution Shadow Striker
VEHICLE MODE:
Based upon his appearance in the Robots in Disguise 2001 show, Side Burn doesn't quite transform into an accurate vehicle from it, due to being a retool of Shadow Striker. This is quite disappointing considering how accurate a lot of the toys in the Legacy line had been.
He transforms into a blue sports car, with some subtle blue flames. Unfortunately, this isn't a really good vehicle mode due to how weirdly proportioned it is. The front feels too squished, and the car overall is too thin.
Perhaps the biggest annoyance is the gappy back. There should be no excuse for this as the entire roof and windshield pegs on, as well as the actual rear panel of the vehicle being a separate piece, so it could have been easily designed to sit flush to the rear of the vehicle.
There are no gimmicks in this mode, the wheels roll and that's it.
The robot weapon pegs on top of the roof.
A not so great vehicle mode. It's barely passable but it just has too many aesthetics issues.
TRANSFORMATION:
Side Burn is easy to get into robot mode. You unpeg the roof and you can completely detach it if you wish. Detach the rear panel. Open up the doors so you can flip the robot legs from underneath the car. Then fold the arms out and flip out the head.
ROBOT MODE:
Side Burn makes up for the vehicle mode with an excellent robot mode. While Shadow Striker had its own issues in robot mode, it's interesting how a different coat of paint and change of character can make you change your mind.
He has the doors and front wheels on his back, and the doors are on a hinge so that can hinge a bit away from the body if required.
The head sculpt is perfect, and captures the character extremely well. Side Burn's plastics have metallic chips in them so it looks really nice.
There are some need details, such as the small Autobot symbol on his forearm.
However, a big issue of the mold is how far the shoulders are set back. They are actually part of the rear backpack, and so his head juts forward and it looks weird.
He comes with a bunch of weapons, although two of them are pieces of the car.
The roof of the vehicle can peg on either arm to form a shield, although the RiD character has it usually on his left arm.
The small blue piece is from the rear of the vehicle, and one of the options is to peg it on the other arm as a smaller shield.
Despite being the roof of the vehicle, it actually looks really decent as a shield, and the colors and mold captures the character well too. This looks instantly like Side Burn from RiD 2001.
Articulation is fantastic as well, with joints for his head, shoulders, elbows, waist, hips, knees and ankles.
He can hold the gun in either hand.
And when not in use, you can store it behind one of the doors on his back.
The gun has another handle so that it can be held more like a blade weapon, which is inspired by the original toy. Although this version is a bit too fat to pull it off.
Finally, the rear vehicle piece can also peg onto the end of the gun for a crossbow-like weapon, again, inspired by the original, although again, it cannot pull this off in a believable manner.
Despite his flaws, the robot mode is still fun and looks good.
OVERALL:
Side Burn is one to get if you like the character. The vehicle mode is not great, and the robot mode has a lot of issues too, the biggest of which are the shoulders that are set too far back. However, despite that, it captures the essence of the character so well, and the shades of white and blue used looks so good in person.
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