And thus the great cataloging of my collection continues.
My Transformers Classics Collection
Classics was really the start of what would become an ongoing Generations line, though the term ‘Generations’ would not crop up for several more years. With the first live action movie on the way, Hasbro wanted to revisit the original G1 characters and figures rather than do yet another alternate-universe cartoon spin-off of them like Robots in Disguise (2001) or Armada, something that we hadn’t seen since Generation 2. So for the first time in over a decade we got characters designed to be updates of the G1 Bots and Cons many of us grew up with. The concept proved so successful that it is still being used to this day!
My Classics Transformers Collection
Classics Autobot Figures
*Item #CGA001: Transformers Classics Autobot Optimus Prime
*Item #CGA002: Transformers Classics Autobot Optimus Prime (TUB set)
Today I was very happy, after many delays on my end, to be interviewed by Leeny for his youtube channel Frostbite’s GI Joe Repro. However instead of discussing GI Joe’s, we discussed Transformers – evrything from how my hobby began to my most beloved figures to how I now share the hobby with my son.
So tune in and enjoy Big Angry Trev interviewed on Frostbite.
And dont forget to subscribe and check out some of the other great interviews on the Frostbite’s GI Joe Repro channel!
And thus the great cataloging of my personal collection continues.
The Transformers Prime cartoon came out while the live-action movies were at their peak in popularity, and so took on much of their asthetic. Prime as a long-nosed cab, Arcee as a motorcycle, Bumblebee having a damaged voicebox – all lifted from the Movieverse. This meant that poor old Ironhide lost his spot on Team Prime as in the Movieverse, Sentinel had just killed him.
Prime has proven to be one of the most popular Transformer cartoons of all time, and it had a pretty good toyline to go with it, although all the sublines contained within became very confusing, including: First Edition, Robots in Disguise, Cyberverse, Arms Micron, Go!, Adventure, Thrilling 30, Beast Hunters, Beast Hunters: Preadacons Rising and even more!
Transformers Prime Autobot Figures
Transformers Prime Autobots
*Item #PRA001: Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Autobot Ultimate Optimus Prime
Reference Photo: #P00260
*Item #PRA002: Transformers Prime Autobot Optimus Prime
*Item #PRA003: Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Autobot Optimus Prime
Reference Photo: #P00261
*Item #PRA004: Transformers Prime Autobot Weaponizer Bumblebee
*Item #PRA005: Platinum Edition Transformers Prime Autobot Weaponizer Ultra Magnus (MISB)
*Item #PRA006: Transformers Prime Autobot Weaponizer Optimus Prime
Reference Photo: #P00262
*Item #PRA007: Transformers Prime Autobot Ultra Magnus
*Item #PRA008: Transformers Adventure Autobot TAV14 Ultra Magnus
Reference Photo: #P00263
*Item #PRA009: Transformers Prime Autobot Cliffjumper
*Item #PRA010: Transformers GO! Prime Autobot G06 Smokescreen
*Item #PRA011: Transformers Prime Autobot Kup
*Item #PRA012: Transformers Prime Autobot Hot Shot
*Item #PRA013: Transformers Prime Autobot Wheeljack
*Item #PRA014: Transformers Prime Autobot Bumblebee
*Item #PRA015: Transformers Prime Autobot Arcee
*Item #PRA016: Transformers Prime Autobot Ratchet
Reference Photo: #P00264
*Item #PRA017: Transformers Prime Autobot Bulkhead
Reference Photo: #P00265
*Item #PRA018: Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Autobot Smokescreen
*Item #PRA019: Transformers Prime Beast Hunters: Predacons Rising Autobot Smokescreen
Reference Photo: #P00266
*Item #PRA020: Transformers Prime Autobot Fallback
*Item #PRA021: Transformers Prime Autobot Tailgate
Reference Photo: #P00267
*Item #PRA022: Transformers Prime Autobot Ironhide
*Item #PRA023: Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Autobot Huffer
*Item #PRA024: Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Autobot Trailcutter
Reference Photo: #P00268
*Item #PRA025: Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Autobot Arcee (MOSC)
*Item #PRA026: Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Autobot Arcee
And so the great cataloging of my personal Transformers Collection continues.
Animated still proves to be a much beloved and popular part of the Transformers cartoon franchise. It saw a return to character-driven storylines with each Bot and Con portrayed as having special and unique powers. With a touch of humour and new takes on classic characters, both the show and toyline proved incredibly popular with fans, especially with their unique visual asthetic.
Transformers Animated Collection
Transformers Animated Autobot Figures
Transformers Animated Autobots
*Item #ANA001: Transformers Animated Autobot Optimus Prime
*Item #ANA002: Transformers Animated Autobot Optimus Prime Cybertron Mode
(Reference: Photo #P00233)
Item #ANA003: Transformers Animated Autobot Ultra Magnus
(Reference: Photo #P00234)
Item #ANA004: Transformers Animated Autobot Blurr
Item #ANA005: Transformers Animated Autobot Sentinel Prime
Several months ago I did a short video showcasing from my personal collection 100+ Generations Decepticons. Well now it is the Autobots turn. These figures are mainly of G1 characters who have received an update through toylines such as Thrilling 30, Combiner Wars, Legends, POTP and so on.
So enjoy this short video I made of the display. Also below you will find some screenshots and a full list of the Autobots onshow, along with links to reviews of many of the figures displayed here – have fun!
Over the past 5 live-action Transformer movies we’ve come to expect certain things. From the humans: wacky, half-psychotic characters and overly-sexualized stereotypes. From the robots: zero characterization and dialogue, overly-complex bodies and fight scenes one has no hope of following. Throw in a few convoluted plots and some smutty humour and badda-bing badda-boom, another TF movie pumped out by Hollywood.
However Transformers 6 – Bumblebee, seems to be something different. Something GOOD!
What a delightful breath of fresh air this movie is! It contains none of the issues listed above, and replaces them with relatable characters, great dialogue and a lot of heart!
The Plot (yes, there is one this time!)
The Bumblebee movie is actually a prequel to the last 5 movies, set in 1987. Bumblebee comes to Earth, after a 10 minute opening scene which will have every G1 fan looking for the tissues for their eye ducts (and possibly elsewhere) due to the amount of fan service contained within. The first 10 minutes is based on Cybertron and showcases G1 characters actually looking like G1 characters, still in their Cybertronian modes having a huge battle! They are all there – Soundwave, Shockwave & The Seekersall blasting away at the likes of Wheeljack, Arcee, Brawn, Ratchet and so on. Seeing the battle will be lost, Optimus Prime orders the Autobots to evacuate Cybertron and sends B-127 to prepare a base for them on the aforementioned Earth.
Arriving on Earth, B-127 is almost immediately attacked by the US Army (their involvement one thing that has not changed) and then near killed by Blitzwing, the only character in the movie bearing no resemblance to his G1 incarnation (besides having a jet mode). B-127 loses his voice, loses his memory, and manages to scan a Volkswagen Beetle before going dormant.
We now get introduced to the heroine of the story – Charlie. Just turned 18. But unlike Sam Witwicky she doesn’t seem like a nutjob. And unlike every female character before her, she seems to dress in a way that doesn’t border on the pornographic. In fact, Charlie turns out to be a very endearing character that the viewer comes to care about. This was a very smart move on the part of the new writers and directors, going with a female-teen instead of a male and keeping sexuality completely out of it. It stops them retracing old ground from the TF1 and good on them. In fact all the humans are fairly likeable and all seem to serve a purpose to the plot, rather than being thrown in for the sake of it.
You know what? It IS as sweet as this pic suggests!
At the same time this is happening, the only two completely new robot characters in the movie – the Decepticons Shatter and Dropkick make an appearance. In fact starting off by torturing Cliffjumper on one of Saturn’s moons looking for B-127. They soon find their way to Earth, adopt car alt-modes, (and later secondary flight alt-modes) and search for the missing Autobot in order to find Optimus. They trick the human army into letting them use their equipment and the race is on!
Bad guys with dialogue – what a twist!
From there it could be said to be the usual. Charlie reactivates B-127, freaks out, he freaks out, they bond, they have some loveable adventures, they get found by the military, he saves her, she saves him, he saves her again, they get found by the Cons, have a huge fight and then save the day. It’s kinda predictable but is an enjoyable ride and very entertaining to watch.
Continuity Errors
Being a prequel, this movie should match up with the previous 5 and set the stage for TF1. It doesn’t. There are multiple continuity errors brought up in this, such as Bumblebee only arriving in 1987 when yet in The Last Knight he was shown to be present during WWII. Optimus arrives on Earth that same year rather than in 2007. The Transformers know English rather than learning it from the world wide web. There are many more but you get the drift. To be honest, this really should have been a reboot rather than a prequel, as this is far better than anything that has come before and I’d rather have the new ideas than the old.
G1 Goodness!
What?! Arcee isn’t a motorcycle that goes around on one wheel and has a face like a smashed in colander?!
For your G1 fans, this is the movie you always wanted. Bumblebee is a VW Bug. Optimus is a short-nosed truck with a big silver trailer. The Seekers on Cybertron are Tetrajets. Everyone looks like everyone hoped they would all the way back in 2007. There are plenty of Easter Eggs, it brought joy to my heart to see my son whoop with joy when Bee started playing ‘You’ve got the Touch’ when encouraging Charlie to dive. It’s… it’s just beautiful!
A PG Rating
Another smart move made by the makers of this film is making it PG rated. A lot of the adult Transformer fans have become pretty jaded from the last four films in particular, so this enabled the producers to open this flick up to a younger audience untarnished by Michael Bay scrotum jokes. And it’s worked. My son turned 6 three days before TF6 was released, so it was perfect to take him and his friends to. And they loved it! Some kids that age might find a few things scary, but most will enjoy it. No blood from the 2 humans that get killed, minimal swearing, zero sexuality. It was a smart way to go.
So worth watching?
Yes. YES. A thousand times yes! This is the movie we hoped for many years ago! So much heart and character and humour and joy! Great for kids, amazing for G1 fans; the only ones disappointed will be those in love with the Bayverse and those folk are hard to find these days. Take the whole family out to see this, you will not be sorry!
Got something to add? Pop it in the comments section below!
