Beast Machines NightSlash Cheetor review

 

I am going to go out on a limb here and assuming that this figure isn't about needing to go for a wee at night time.  

Ah Beast Machines, you were an odd beast(machine).  I quite enjoyed the TV show and the Cult like Optimus Primal, although it bothered me that the toys rarely looked like the dudes on TV.  Rhinox / Tankor was quite rememberable and Megatron and the whole Noble/Savage things was pretty cool as well as I remember.  Originally I picked up the Blue Oprimus Primal as my one and only BM figure, as it was, well, Optimus Primal.  Eventually I expanded out and got a few more, but I left Cheetor alone.  Mainly because the most common Cheetor around was the Supreme ( ?) class Cheetor that was obscenely huge and shelf warmed for decades.  Ah the youtube of olden days.

Anyway, moving on, I did end up picking up Nightslash Cheetor because I thought he had a cool design.  And here is my review of the toy.

Transformers Legacy eDgEloRd - AKA Tarn

 

Having previously described this guy as abusive in my yearly wrap up post of 2023, I've finally taken some time to tale some pictures of the guy.  In that yearly wrap up, I said

"OOoh, this is a tricky one.  I remember loving the look of him in pictures, and on the box and initially when I got the toy, but somewhere I came to the conclusion, he looks all right, but he just isn't very Transformer-y.  The lean robot mode does feel very comic book, but not quite Transformers.  The tank mode falls entirely into the horrible category of "Folded up robot, that makes a space tank" and while that is kinda Transformer-y, it's also lazy and disappointing.

I like Tarn for being something different, but also dislike it for the same reason.  It's weird, I'm not able to reconcile my feelings for him.  

What an abusive relationship we must have."

And I stand by that statement.  Now though, I would like to delve deeper into my thoughts.

SEGA Shop, Capcom Shop. Tets goes to these as well.

 On the same day that I went to the Transformers meets Japan popup shop, I decided to hit up the newly opened SEGA shop, as it also happens to be in Shibuya, hiding within the Parco building, which was just around the corner.

Incidentally, on the same floor was the also relatively newly opened Nintendo shop, a Capcom shop and a Godzilla shop.

Tourists were everywhere!

Tets goes to Transformers Pop-up Store (again) Aug 2025

 

As you can tell by the title, there was another pop-up store made for the wonderful money vacuum we call the Transformers.  I went to it and will now share what I have.

This one was cleverly called: 

"Transformers Meets Japan"

Transformers The Ark from Earthrise

 

The best looking ass in all Transformers belongs to this guy.  Admit it, if you're a fan of G1, you've spent more time than you care to admit looking at the glorious ass of the Ark as it sticks up in the air from the base of Mt St. Hillary.  A few years ago, Hasbro decided that the Ark need to become a Titan Transformer.  I've often longed for an Ark playset and so grabbed this guy.  What's he like?

Well, today I intend to reveal that very information to you.

Blokees Series 03: Autobot Run Review

 

Once again, I am here with more pictures of my addiction, er collection of Blokees.  This time though, I 'm looking at Series 03, entitled "Autobot Run," for reasons I am not too sure about, but hey, it tickles the memory about the cartoon though, so that ain't bad now is it?

They come in random selection of boxes, but if you buy a case then, you most likely get the whole set.  The case boxes looks like this:

Once again these boxes have a nice metallic sheen to them, which doesn't come off in the above artwork, but have a look at this.

Nice and just for archival's sake (lol, as long as the internet and google are around that is....) here is the chinese catalogue.

This line up consist of a mere 3 Decepticons and 6 Autobots, although 2 of the Autobots are the same dude. They are:

• Soundwave (has a chase version)
• Scrapper
• Bonecrusher
• Red Alert
• Sideswipe
• Ultra Magnus (IDW)
• Bumblebee
• Slag
• Slag (Dino mode)

Okay, let's get on with it then.

Tets goes to "Transformers Pop-up shop" 2025

There was a pop up shop placed in the Modi OIOI (Marui) building in Shibuya during the time of 21st February until the 2nd of March 2025.    Above is the artwork advertising it.  I went there to check it out.  The primary purpose of this pop up shop is to sell credit cards.  Actually the whole building has a very CC selling focus... Just check out this escalator.

Every escalator is like that... It's almost cult-like...

A slight rant

The EPOS card is a Japanese credit card that often has cool artwork on the cards in a variety of flavours and they have just started producing 2 types of Transformers credit card.  One features the comic artwork above and the other is a black card with the Autobot and Decepticon logos on them.  To be honest, the cards looking bloody great.  However the problem with EPOS and other Japanese CC companies is they don't have the reach that companies like VISA/Mastercard have, so really there is no point (They are also kind of expensive with monthly fees and whatnot).  

Obviously I was not so interested in getting a card, already having a few and need only one.  Plus, they are hesitant to offer them to non-Japanese people.  They were offering some freebies if you applied, but you had to be successfully approved and I believe you also had to actually use the card before getting them.  That's a few too many hoops for me to be bothered jumping through, so I didn't bother.  Enough ranting about companies capitalistic tendencies...

 I went to another pop up shop a bunch of years ago, and that one was just a tiny stand, so I wasn't expecting much.

Blokees Wave 02 Galaxy Version - SOS review

 

Here I go with a review of the figures that come with release 02, cleverly called Galaxy Version 02 SOS, I assume a nod to SOS Dinobots episode.  In the review and wave, I'll be looking at:

• Grimlock
• Inferno
• Grapple
• Cliffjumper
• Dino mode Shiny Grimlock (chase version)
• Starscream
• Mixmaster
• Longhaul
• Shattered Glass Optimus (IDW Optimus as they call him)

Not in that order though.

Optimus and Megatron Blokees - Shining Versions

 

Shining Series 01: Shining Roll Out

I saw some of these guys on a Transformers Discord chat and thought they seemed decent enough and thought I would like to get at least one to experience for myself.  While browsing the website, I saw they actually had a Shattered Glass Optimus Prime version and in the same box is a rather cool looking Grimlock too.  Hrm, I says...

The start of his fall into obsession

And then I had ordered a box with Shatty Prime and this single "Shining Version" of Optimus Prime.  Essentially these guys are blind box purakit figures.  That is, figures that you need to assemble yourself.  I ended up actually using Aliexpress, because these guys don't have a Japanese distributor and even Amazon US seems to have a bit of a spotty range.  And so this arrived in the post one day.

Thus one man's descent into insanity BEGAN!

AquaShooters! 12 Kit build

 

Well, for something different, I thought I would go through my building process of these little Gachapon Aqua shooters figures which I have been somewhat enamoured with the past few years.  For a 500 yen roll, you'll find yourself blessed with either a kit action figure, to be assembled, or some kind of weapon set, also to be assembled.

Admittedly, like the GashaponQuest  items, it feels kind of crap if you just do a single roll and just get a a weapon set, which is exactly what happened to me on my first try when I discovered these super late only to find the weapons were the only two left in the machine. Sigh.  Oh well moving on.

I'll be building the Aquashooters! 12 series Izumi Motohashi, the one that took me longest to get (I think)... I went a bit overboard with these guys and I think I got the whole set a lot earlier than I thought.

Moving on, let's build a figure! (and weapons!)

Legacy Core Class Megatron

 

Just as a heads up, this toy is called "Energon Universe Megatron,"  however, when the old Armada/Energon/Galaxy force trilogy was happening, I ended up seeing more episodes of Superlink and Galaxy Force than their English counterparts.  I also had just discovered the joys of Hobby Link Japan and the internet, which was coupled with a decent Aussie dollar, and so imported a lot of my figures.

Where am I going with this story?  Excellent question.

Well, in Superlink/Energon, the main leader of the Decepticons was missing for a while and Scorponok was the leader, then Megatron eventually returned.  However, since they carried on from Micron Densetsu, Super link Megs was called Galvatron from the start.  I also imported the JP version of Galvatron as it was a smaller size and the Hasbro one was oversized.

As a result of all this, I will probably be calling this figure Galvatron a lot of the time, despite the fact that is not it's official name.  Hasbro also have plans to release a Galvatron coloured version (With extra purple bits) later as well, just to add to the possible confusion.

Apologies for the inconvenience.

Shattered Legacy Sideswipe review

 It's been a while, make sure your shoes are one, we're gonna look at some Shattered Glass, Sideswipe!

Transformers Legacy Snarl, of the nature of Core class

 

Ye olde Snarl would have to be my favourite Dinobot.  There is no doubt about the fact that Stegosaurs are cool!  Even to the point of me having a few different versions of the grumpy arse loner fellow now.  Yes, I have the Leader version stashed away somewhere.  Anyway, despite not really liking the concept of combining Dinobots... I did pick up Core class Swoop a while ago and was suitably impressed with the little bugger.  Therefore, Snarl should be on the get list as well.

I have no intention of getting the rest of the team as some of them look stupid and I feel that just because they are thematically similar, it doesn't mean they have to combine into a big super robot.

So, here we are with my post about me chatting about Snarl.

The small one.

Legacy Menasor and the Stunticons.

 

Now it's time, after all the lovely fun I had with the Legacy Stunticons, I have finally managed to gather the whole team for the joy that is Menasor!  YEAH.

  
Just for the record, here is the individual dudes:

• Dragstrip
• Breakdown
• Wildrider
• Deadend
• Motormaster

Having done a search on the blog for Stunticons, it looks like I have done reviews of three different series.  That's pretty interesting.  

Optimus Prime; Earthrise leader review YEAH!

Good old Optimus Prime! What a champ, what an icon this red truck is.  Here I have the Earthrise version of Optimus, which I rather put off getting for some reason.  I heard that it was actually a pretty good figure with a rather nice transformation, but for whatever reason, I was never deeply compelled to hunt one down like I have with many, many other figures.

Were my initial feelings correct?  Or had I made a huge mistake and the part of my life without this toy in my possession was a huge waste of never to be claimed again biological energy?

Legacy Breakdown; A review

 

Here we are ladies and gentlethings, the last of the Stunticons has arrived!  Not only that, it is my favourite character!  Oh boy oh boy, the Legacy Stunticons have been pretty good so far and gotten some nice homage action going, I sure do hope they gave my beloved Breakdown the respect he deserves!  I mean, the vehicle modes are all pretty different, while I can easily accept using the same bas transformation schematic, surely, surely they wouldn't just use a repaint and call it a day right?

POTP Hun-Gurrr

 

Getting to the pointy end of my run with the Power of the Primes Terrorcons, as today we'll be taking a gander at the gluttonous Hun-Gurrr.  What a nifty name, where does it come from?  With a lsight sound of "hunger" with it being split to homage the Huns, and finishing up with a beast-like Grrr at the end.  Maybe, that is juts my speculation, but I would say that Hun-Gurrr has just as awesome name as Sinnertwin.

His G1 toy manage to do rather well on the articulation front thanks to his beast mode and looked pretty good.  This POTP, while not based off of the Silverbolt body shares quite a bit of stuff and ends up being all right.  

So, let's get into it shall we?

Legacy Deadend, A Review

 

Deadend was my second favourite car of the Stunticons, the reason?  Well it all stems down to his go-fast stripe that ran along the top of the car.  Damn, that my friends was the absolute PEAK of top class 80s car coolness.  It immediately elevated the ranking of a car in my mind.  A Lamborghini Contache with a stripe like Deadend's would have me dying from too many nerdgasms I suspect. 

Now with that imagery freshly planted in your minds, let's take a wee gander at Deadend.

Legacy Override text review

The Cybertron/ Galaxy Force line of Transformers really resonated with me.  I loved the design of most of the toys and the cartoon I enjoyed mightily as well.  In case you're wondering, I watched most of this as Galaxy Force at the time it was out, so often the Cybertron character names are hazy to me.  Also as a result of this, I see this toy as Nitro Convoy.  Galaxy Convoy (Optimus Prime[I got two]), Vector Prime, Starscream and Master Megatron(and Galvatron) were all clear winners in my book.  I'd even say that Galaxy Convoy would be my favourite Convoy/Optimus toy.

So I was obviously excited to see some Galaxy Force representation in the Legacy line. Oh, but it isn't, it's quite plainly marked as Cybertron, even here in Japan.  Oh well.

So er, then let's take a gander at Override.

Pointblank Legacy review.

OOh baby, Targetmasters....  If you regularly read my blog and ramblings, (thank you very much!) you'll know that I love me some (any and all)masters action for my Transformers.  So of course, here I am talking about the Targetmaster Pointblank, who actually comes with his targetmaster partner Peacemaker. Noice!

Is this post full of unconditional love and totally biased rambling because Pointblank is a proper, real, fully equipped Targetmaster who can Roadblaster-ise his vehicle mode?  Well, you'll have to read on to find out.