Grahf: Get your G1 Megatron, now with more G1 flavor.

Things like this are literally why I went through a whole essay in the comments of the reformatting colors figure about how there's at least 4 other Megatron decos that never get done that can be done before doing stuff like this.

Takara G1 Megatron. Blue instead of red. AKA Megaplex.

Black version Megatron. Brown instead of black legs/hip panels and hands with black barrel, head, shins, trigger and trigger guard. The rest is still silver, black and red as normal.

Cancelled Hasbro reissue Megatron. Blue and orange with black.

Chrono Q black Megatron. Megatron in all black with brown legs.

Golden Lagoon Megatron. All gold.

Gold Masterpiece Megatron. Gold instead of silver, purple instead of red with black as normal.

These do look good though. Dr. Wu did an amazing job on this mold. Maybe that's why I want to see it in other colors. I really want that 'Safety' Megatron blue and orange one. I think I want the gold MP colors now too. The gold and purple look really good. Shame the only use of this is on the original MP mold.

Grahf: So no option without the throne? The last time these were available was two years ago or so. I didn't get them then. But if I wanted them now I'd have to get the throne which I don't care about. But then again, to get them last time would've forced me to get three other figures I didn't want either in Blaster, Seaspray and Powerglide. I'd only want the Seekers if anything.

Some of these Dr. Wu multipacks are baffling sometimes.

Oh well.

Grahf: Yeah, sometimes having the metal in the lower legs and feet does help but that's not really something I look for. Anywhere else and, as you said, it runs the risk of making the figure worse. That MIrage though lol. I really do miss the days when the KO companies reached out to the fans. KOTOYS.com was the place to get the good stuff and the companies used them as a means to reach out to the fans to figure out what we wanted. It's how we got all those amazing Classics Starscream KOs. They did a Sunstorm (yellow with silver) but when the fans complained, they actually did a second version (orange and white) to make us happy. One company made translucent and glow in the dark Rainmakers and they were extremely fragile as a result but when the second company asked the fans, we told them to just make them normal colors so they don't break. And they made those! They did Black Death Starscream and the purple Air Warrior background Seeker from the first season Earth episodes when asked. The other company did a bunch of different color Universe 2.0 Sideswipe/Sunstreaker figures but as DIY kits when the fans pushed for it. They even did Classics Hot Rod kits like that too but only three colors. They did a Shattered Glass Optimus Prime KO but some fans also wanted it as just the base colors and not have the battle damage or other specific paint and they made that as well.

Grahf: When they contacted me about the refund for Maketoy Sky Clone, I asked them about it while discussing the situation with that figure. At first I got the same corporate answer that you did. But then several emails later I got the second answer from seemingly a different person. The second person seemed to understand English natively as the conversation was less rigid and like it was translated through Google. So I got the more real answer from that second person. It makes sense as I've gotten several figures for 'free' with points. But it's not like I only got those points from commenting and likes. I got most of those points from making purchases and the points they gave for Christmas or whatever it was. But then at the same time they introduce the points for social media reviews. Those are going to create far more free figures than the comments and likes ever did if people take advantage of it more. They should be lucky I'm lazy lol.

Grahf: I ignored this when I first seen it as I thought it was one of those stupid expensive figures. Then I actually read it one day to see it said '4th party' aka: knockoff. Which means it should be a decent price. Not only that, it's slightly oversized. Who doesn't love an oversized knockoff?

I have a thing for DotM Megatron for some reason so it'll be nice to finally have some sort of fancier version of the design. Still gonna wait to see what the final price will be before committing. Price will keep me from something I want even if I can afford it.

Grahf: If these are the first version with all the problems and they've already made more with the updates, then these should be sold at discount with a disclaimer. The disclaimer being that you'll be getting the figure on discount in exchange for not getting after sales services for any defects.

I mean, how are we going to be 100% sure that when the second version comes out that we'll be getting that when we purchase? From anywhere in general and not Show Z specifically.

I don't want to pay full price on a figure I already know is going to have problems and that a 'better' version is right around the corner. I also don't want to risk waiting for that 'better' version and then getting the problematic version instead.

This is a bad scenario.

But seriously, clearance off the problematic figures with a no exchanges clause then sell the 'fixed' figures at full price.

As is, I went from wanting to get one to possibly not wanting one at all now, even after waiting.

Grahf: Okay finally opened it up and put it on the figure.

The shoulder pads and gauntlets are huge. They feel sturdy though. Went on easily and stay on. All of these pieces are molded the same so there's no confusing what side they go on.

The face shield stuff is fine. It looks and works weirdly but it's about as accurate as can be given the limited screen time. I wonder how Hasbro's going to tackle these pieces for the upcoming SS leader class.

The arm blades are also huge. However I fucking hate that they're not on 5mm pegs. I wanted to give a set of blades to another figure but I can't. Luckily since the gauntlets are the same as I already mentioned, there's two spots on each for the blades to peg into. So each gauntlet can have a pair of blades on them. The larger pegs do allow them to be 'held' in the hands of the figure but they look stupid when doing that. I'm just glad to not have to use the stock swords anymore as they don't tab in securely to the back ports and the hands don't hold them well either due to the shape of hands and the finger flaps. They just don't grip the swords well enough but it doesn't matter anymore.

The new robot head looks a bit on the small side all things considered. This also has to do with how much bulk is being added by the shoulder pads and gauntlets though. The extra face shield pieces look even weirder in robot mode as they also make the face look smaller.

The new beast head looks and works fine in beast mode. It's on a new pin slider joint to give a wide range of poseability when hunched over on all fours and standing on two legs. However I'm finding it difficult to keep the back and chest fully closed in robot mode. The new head is just every so slightly too big somewhere so when you try to close everything up, it pushes the back plate open just a tad. I tried for a while to get change the position of the head on the pin slider to keep everything closed but I found that it all just goes back to the same spot anyway. The mouth opens now so that's cool.

Now onto the pieces I'm not using or can't utilize.

There's a new neck joint for the original beast head to allow the head to articulate for two legged standing. I've read elsewhere that this pieces breaks transformation though and makes the beast head not fit inside the chest at all for robot mode. So it's fucking useless. Not even a thanks for trying.

The Transwarp Key thing is what is is. I hate props like this personally. Especially if they can't be utilized in any real way for anything else.

The chains are what they are. I'm already not using the ones that came with SS leader Primal as it is and this is two more of the same. This I do think are cool despite me not using them.

The handle extension for the Battlemaster Primal is kinda cool I guess. I had no desire to use that with this but it's nice I now have the option. I wish Takara just made the figure with 5mm hands to begin with though. Such a stupid fucking thing for them not to do. Especially since the other ports are all 5mm on the figure.

There's a weapons holder pack for the back port. I've read elsewhere than this peg is too big and will stress or crack the back port. So either don't use it or make sure it's the correct size before using it on anything. While I have no use for it on this figure, I might use it somewhere else.

There were also some feet fillers as well. A set for the larger center of the feet in general and a set for the robot 'toes'. There aren't anything for the small individual beast toes nor ones for under the hands.

I have the set that has all those fillers pieces, the weird beast mode neck filler piece and the beast mode head extension piece. While the color doesn't match in the slightest for the filler pieces, it's the bottom of the feet...they shouldn't match lol. It makes the feet look worn or make it look like they have added grip or something. I'm not replacing them with the new pieces as I like the detail on the ones I already have better. There's a lot of extra molded in tech greeble like shock absorbing springs and whatnot. I like that little bit of added detail even despite the color discrepancy.

The head extension piece from that set can only be used on the stock beast head so that's no longer being used. The neck piece kinda sucked to begin with and it doesn't work anymore with the new beast neck anyway so that's gone too.

Overall this set isn't too bad. The gauntlets, arm blades and shoulder pads are really nice. The face shield is odd to use but fine. The feet filler pieces would be better if I didn't already have some but are good if you don't. The weapon holding backpack, 5mm handle adaptor and chains are cool but I'm not using them with this figure. The Transwarp key is useless to me but ultimately harmless.

4 stars is the highest something would get from me unless it's spectacular. So 3 stars as there are too many pieces that I'm not using but consider it a 3.5 to 4 as it's really just a personal thing.

Grahf: Let's face it, this isn't coming out quarter 4 of this year. There's more than enough time to walk this back FansHobby.

Just make an Armada Starscream. That's all you need to do. There's plenty of reuse potential in just that. If you wanted to also make an Energon Starscream then do that separately from Armada Starscream. Then with that Energon Starscream design go into G2 Starscream and further on into G2 Megatron aka: G2 Smokescreen and Dreadwing.

I was thinking about how third party companies show things off way too early but this is one time it's a good thing. Hopefully they take all the advice on this and redesign it to be JUST Armada Starscream.

Not interested in their other Armada designs as there's something about them that is very off one way or another. But I'd love to get a big Armada Starscream. I'm going to settle for something that doesn't look right.

Grahf: Ready to form Raiden.                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                                                      
Form feet and legs.

Grahf: I will never not be baffled by people who continue to purchase XTransbots figures only to continually be disappointed by them.

Listen, I would fucking love to get all these Omnibots in all the colors. They're deep cuts to begin with and one set of decos were super deep cuts that it took me a while to figure out what they were even referencing since it's difficult to find out any info about he Omnibot molds to being with. But I'm not willing to drop any kind of money on figures from a company that has as many problems as this companies figures do. And it seems that these are no different. The joints aren't even toleranced well from one side of the figure to the other.

Someone told me that I'm like an old man shouting at people to stop having fun with their toys. But in all honesty, is anyone really having fun with theirs after wasting money on figures that break easily or have loads more problems than they should? Seriously, you should all be ashamed for giving this company money over and over for subpar figures. It gives them the impression that they can easily get away with what they're doing just because they're the only ones doing the figures they're doing. They'll never learn if you continue to purchase them.

Again, I REALLY fucking want the Omnibots. I also want the Battlechargers, Punch/Counterpunch, Minerva and even New Rodimus (such a deep cut there). I even want some of those redecos for the Omnibots and P/CP But I'm not purchasing them from XTransbots. I'd rather do without than pay money for problem filled figures.