Toy Review: Transformers Generations Studio Series Dropkick (Car Mode) (Deluxe)

Review:  #524
Name:  Dropkick
Brand:  Transformers
Allegiance:  Decepticon
Line:  Generations - Studio Series
Year of Release:  2019
Size Class:  Deluxe (Wave 7)
Mold Status:  new

VEHICLE MODE:

Since we already got a helicopter mode Dropkick, this version transforms into the muscle car version (a 1973 AMC Javelin).

As a car, Dropkick looks fantastic.  The only bit of play value here are the rolling wheels.

The robot weapon pegs onto the spoiler at the back.  While there are some gaps underneath the vehicle, unfortunately there is no enough space to accommodate the weapon.

As is the trend these days, these figures are getting smaller and smaller.  Above is a comparison against Studio Series Lockdown.

Apart from the small size, this is a great looking vehicle mode.  The deep blue used coupled with the black is a very attractive color scheme.

TRANSFORMATION:

This is where Dropkick falters a little.  It's not hard, just annoying and fiddly, especially going into vehicle mode for the first time.  You do have to be careful in a few areas since the roof of the vehicle is cast from transparent plastic, meaning this combined with the tight pin joints and you can easily accidentally shear off a joint.  The most interesting part of the transformation is how all four wheels end up on his arms/shoulders thanks to some folding panels.  Otherwise, most of the vehicle compacts into a backpack and the front forms the torso.

ROBOT MODE:

Dropkick's robot mode is even more stunning then the vehicle mode.  The black and blue goes very nicely together.

He wears most of the vehicle on his back although it is fairly compressed and out of the way.

The headsculpt is much better when compared to the helicopter version as it is more defined and you can even make out the black pupils!

In terms of size, above is a comparison against Generations Siege Sideswipe, and so he's fairly short overall.

As part of the Studio Series line he comes with a cardboard stand.

The stand depicts the gas station upon which he and Shatter arrived for the first time on Earth.

Poseability is excellent.  He has ankle tilts but they're up/down rather than side-to-side.

The rear lights on his shins are false since the real things forms his backpack.

Dropkick's weapon is the gun that he used in the movie to liquefy humans.

In order to use the gun, you fold the fist in and then peg it to the stump.  This allows a more integrated look.

Barring the finicky transformation, this is a beautifully designed robot mode, who would look stellar on your shelf.

Pairing him up with Shatter, they look great together.

A flawless robot mode.

OVERALL:

While not to the same degree as Shatter, Dropkick has two amazing modes connected with an annoying transformation.  Nevertheless, Dropkick is worth the money because he will look great on your shelf, no matter which mode you leave him in.

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Book Review: Neon Genesis Evangelion: The Shinji Ikari Raising Project 18

Review:  #879

Title:  Neon Genesis Evangelion:  The Shinji Ikari Raising Project 18

Series:  Neon Genesis Evangelion:  The Shinji Ikari Raising Project – 18th and final volume

Author:  Osamu Takahashi

Comments:  The final volume of The Shinji Ikari Raising Project is pretty much as low key as the rest of the series.  If you were hoping for some sort of resolution, then you’re out of luck.  We’re treated to a bit more of a reveal of what the trio were testing, with some ominous scenes involving SEELE but that’s about it since the last arc use a generic plot device.  It’s your typical friendship, good memories and let’s keep living like this forever type of story.  So who does the ever popular Shinji chooses?  You might be disappointed once you find out.  Asuka doesn’t seem as annoying as she warms to all the other characters and finally starts to accept her feelings more.  Still, while the slice-of-life aspect was great at times, you can’t help but feel that the series never got above and beyond what it could have been.

Rating:  5.5/10

Akira (1988)

Akira is an anime film based on the manga.  Despite its age, the animation is still fantastic, brimming with details, fluidity and charm with its own aesthetics.  The plot is set in Tokyo, Japan, where thirty years after World War III, it follows a biker gang.  In particular, Tetsuo, through a set of circumstances, finds himself developing psychic powers.  The film can be a bit violent with blood in multiple scenes.  "Akira" is apparently the reason that World War III happened and as Tetsuo grapples with his powers, he seeks it out.  Unfortunately, Tetsuo as a character can be unlikable at times thanks to his brashness.  His best friend, Kaneda, is on the friendlier side but on the whole, you are not supposed to side with any of the characters.  While you can appreciate for what Akira has done, the film can have some pacing issues with its plot.

Game of Thrones - Season 1 (2011)

The first season of Game of Thrones is comprised of 10 episodes of roughly one hour each.  The show is based on the first novel of the series A Song of Ice and Fire.  Game of Thrones takes place in a fantasy world and is split between multiple viewpoints.  The main viewpoint is from the perspective of Ned Stark, a lord protecting the kingdom from the North.  Bad omens occur and set forth in motion a series of events.  He is asked to become the King's Hand (basically an adviser) and due to this role, unravels a lot more than he bargained for.  It was mentioned in passing that the current king took the Iron Throne around 17 years ago.  The king is Ned's old friend and a conspiracy unfolds when the king is targeted next.

The other major viewpoint is from the Targaryens, from across the sea.  The exiled Prince Viserys Targaryen is planning to amass an army to take back his throne.  Viserys is already shown to be hiding something, and mentally unstable based on his violent actions against his sister Daenerys.  While the beginning of the first episode can be overwhelming with the sheer number of characters introduced and the fast pacing, it settles in by around halfway through.  You'll become engrossed in its world before you know it.  The episode ends on a strong ending and you feel that the building blocks are already in place for the rest of the season.  Game of Thrones is not shy of violent, nudity and sex scenes.  Already in the first episode we have various beheadings and characters having sex.  Note that the show does not glorify violent, having someone cut across their stomach and their intestines spill out is pretty disgusting.

The characters live in a cruel and stark world, otherwise they would not survive.  There are obvious evil characters, which makes the honorable ones all the more likable.  The acting is great with characters that you can easily love to hate.  The child actors also do a standout job.  However, basically everyone has some dark unlikable trait.  As expected with a show of this nature, there's quite a bit of scheming going on in the background.  Each party tries to outsmart the other, especially since the stakes are so high, being the kingdom itself.  It is hard to know what each character is thinking and the side that they are on.  They each have their own agenda and allegiances with a lot of distrust going on.

The other thing is that things can turn on the characters in an instant.  One minute, Ned Stark has the upper hand, the next, he is targeted with no one to back him up.  It makes it unpredictable and you wonder how the characters are going to get out of their current predicament.  You can't stay attached to any of the characters because chances are, they aren't going to live by the end of the season.  It's like you try and make an effort to remember the faces and their roles but then they just go ahead and be slain by some other characters.  Then again, none of the characters have enough redeeming qualities for them not to deserve their death.  There is one point in the story that you cannot believe that they went ahead and killed the characters but it also highlights the ruthlessness and stupidity of a certain character.

It is roughly two-thirds into the season when the power balance shifts dramatically.  You can't help but anxiously watch in anticipation on whether the characters' actions will pay off.  Up until the last moment, you cannot tell what the result is and this is what makes Game of Thrones so engrossing.  Each action feels like a domino effect, spurring the next action until it escalates into serious matters.  One mistake is all it takes to make a character fall.  Game of Thrones has an epic feel to it, thanks to the strong and rousing music, as well as the panning shots of castles and open fields.

The season has so many plot threads in order to set up future plot threads that it doesn't get resolved by the end of the ten episodes.  It isn't bad so much for the fact that you have to wait longer for the payoff.  The ending is a killer though.  You could feel it building up all season and when it is finally revealed, the season ends.  Overall, the first season of Game of Thrones is great.  While it has numerous characters and concurrent plotlines that can make it hard to follow at times, the setup and payoffs are worthwhile.

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Book Review: D.Gray-Man Vol. 22

Review:  #878
Title:  D.Gray-Man Vol. 22
Series:  D.Gray-Man – 22nd volume
Author:  Katsura Hoshino
Comments:  After the cliffhanger ending from the previous volume, the aftermath is felt by Allen.  The story takes a drastic turn and while up until this time, the Noah was portrayed as the bad guys (but still harboring some doubt) and the Order the good guys (but doing some questionable stuff), it flips that around here.  It’s hard to tell who the good guys are truly now.  It’s hard to fathom many of the characters’ motivations, especially when they all feel like they are targeting Allen with no good reason.  With the introduction of another powerful innocence, the resulting fight scenes are a tad bit too confusing to follow.  It doesn’t diminish their impact though and the volume ends on a sad note, one that you feel that Allen is giving up something that he may not get back.
Rating:  6/10

Toy Review: Ghostbusters x Transformers Collaborative Ectotron

Review:  #523
Name:  Ectotron
Brand:  Transformers
Allegiance:  N/A
Line:  Ghostbusters x Transformers Collaborative
Year of Release:  2019
Size Class:  Voyager
Mold Status:  new

PACKAGING:

Ectotron comes in a G1-inspired box complete with the box flap and front window, although the figure is held by a plastic shell instead of the styrofoam used back in the day.

The back shows the classic G1 artwork as well as Ectotron's bio and stats.

The only stock photos are on the sides, including the top with a quick showcase of the transformation scheme.

Ectotron comes with himself and a small figure of Slimer.

SLIMER:

A small soft rubbery figure of Slimer is included.  It is cast in translucent green so it can be somewhat hard to pick out the details.

VEHICLE MODE:

Ectotron transforms into a licensed GM custom 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor, which represents the Ecto-1 vehicle in the Ghostbusters film.

This is a really nice vehicle, from both the front and rear.  All four wheels roll, naturally.

Above is a size comparison against Titans Return Optimus, Ectotron is approximately Voyager sized and he is quite large for a contemporary figure.

There are a ton of detail.  The equipment on top looks great, and includes a few rubbery parts that peg onto the other areas of the vehicle.

The license plate reads Ecto-1 and the headlights and grill sculpting looks really good.

There are no Transformers insignia anywhere, although he does have the Ghostbusters logo.

A very nice vehicle with no flaws.

TRANSFORMATION:

Ectotron is very easy to transform into robot mode.  The trickiest part is the equipment on top which you unplug from a few places, then fold a few pieces around in order to form the backpack weapon for the robot.  Otherwise, the vehicle itself has the rear extend into the legs, the sides fold onto his back, and the front split into the arms.

ROBOT MODE:

Ectotron looks great in robot mode too, although the wide shoulders with the vehicle's grill may look weak, they are solidly attached.

He does carry a hefty backpack since it is the bulk of the vehicle.

The headsculpt is okay, a bit indistinct at times but he has the goggles that the Ghostbusters used.

Once again, Ectotron is pretty big for a Voyager, although there are plenty of hollow parts within his limbs.  Above is a comparison against Studio Series Optimus.

Ectotron has a similar kit to the Ghostbusters team including his own nametag.

Ectotron shares similar engineering to Combiner Wars Hot Spot and Onslaught, although he does not actually share any parts apart from the thighs and upper arms so this figure is definitely not a remold.

In terms of weapons, the equipment on top of the vehicle transforms into a Proton Pack.

The pack pegs onto a slot on his back but it is a loose fit and is prone to falling off when posing the figure.

The blue hose is made of soft rubber.  The gun can be held in either hand.

Articulation is decent but he lacks a waist joint.  The knees can be loose at times and cause him to keel back.

A great looking robot mode that feels solid and has a decent amount of play value.

OVERALL:

Ectotron is an example of a crossover done well.  The Ghostbusters theme is fantastic from the excellent vehicle mode to an inspired robot mode.  While he is a tad bit expensive, it's worthwhile for the crossover element and a solid figure, even if the transformation is fairly simple.

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