Post by fenrir72 on Oct 11, 2013 9:55:10 GMT 8
Balmatrix already had his review so I'll just blow my own view of the set.
First: I love the set regardless but this doesn't blind me to the flaws that plagued the set together with the samurai team.
Proportionality
Due to optical illusions and the way they were designed, their supermode look like they have spindly legs when, well actually, have "proportional spindly legs"
Individually, the Samurai bots look better proportioned than the Shinobi. That's probably what you get when you base your designs from beasts. The sort of look "pregnant". Btw, Sensuimaru's robo form reminds me of Splashdown's pretender mode + the idiot shark bot in Car robots. Now back to the proportionality. The Samurai bots don't look as sucky individually but when merged, awesome looking but a bit back heavy. The shinobi's "back packs" in gattai mode is more proportioned.
Shinobi and Samurai's legs look kind of thin, most pronounced in the former but I'll cut them some slack as that's how ninja's in anime are rendered (especially the robot kind)
Design/feature that could have been improved
Samurai team, especially Kenzan's arms in supermode aren't ratcheted, so his kabuto weapon always flops down and his "fist" won't properly lock despite having a peg to lock it in.
Compared to the Samurai team, the Shinobi's weapons aren't too soft. More firm as the former has a floppy feel.
Also, Geki's hip guard lock in peg scares me for potential future breakage. Same with geki's helmet peg, its made of clear plastic(to support the light piping gimmick from the electronics). The peg that secures the head/helmet to Hishou are quite small.
Sensuimaru's arms could have been "pegged' during his "pants" mode. It just, well flops around, causing the hip guard to get unhinged.
Though being aim most probably to overaged kids like me
, the sound gimmick like that of Micron legend Convoy......well we could have skipped that to keep the cost down though I appreciate how the various combination can change to sound output. Nice novelty.
Kabuto weapon mode is again, kind of a useless addition, especially on Kenzan. Geki's on the other hand looks/befits a ninja with the simulated chain launcher.
Stability
Both teams are pretty much stable in my version
Coolness?
Supermode form, my faves are by importance
Samurai
1.Ganou looks like the SFA warrior with the fan
2.Kenzan looks like Gaogaigar
3.Jin bu looks like Renmazou of Xenogears
Shinobi
1.Geki reminds me of Tekkaman and Ninja Gaiden Hayabusa Ryu
2.Geki see the pattern?
3.Hishou ( a bit) also noticed how he reminds me of a Gaogaigar mech
Oddity
Individual bots' faces though mechanical, look more humanoid unlike the TFs of yesteryear's....they don't have the robo goatie that's always a staple to Japan theme bots.
Geki has a killer butt. Literally with Sensuimaru's teeth sticking out :lol: I don't want to be anyway near there down wind when the consume "Green energon"
Superweapon of the Shinobi doesn't seam to be a practical weapon.**
Autobot symbols. The Shinobi has actual Autobot sigils while the Samurai team, aside from Kenzan's chest piece, have "stylized" symbols. Autobot but with a bit of a different crest. You'd expect that the Shinobi's would get the stylized ones. Also noticed that Jinbu doesn't have any symbols.
Difficulty in Transformation
Kind of hard getting to use to. Putting the language barrier aside, the black and white pics used to instruct you are pretty much useless. Not as worst as the Hasbro manuals but..........
So are they any good? If you are already biased against them, then no matter how much convincing will not change your minds. But its been a while since an honest to goodness non Bayformer style combiner from Tomy. Superlink (oh the nightmare) not withstanding. That alone is enough reason for me to get the team.
When it was first released, the Samurai team really floored me but since the Shinobi release, I kind of prefer the shorter stature team over the taller guy.
Both teams have great paint applications but would have preferred if some chrome were used o the weapons of the Samurai team.
I hope my rant was informative to you all.
** Geki's gatai superweapon comprising of Geki's lion tail/whip and 2 blades, Sensui's fins and Hishou's "feather duster".
First: I love the set regardless but this doesn't blind me to the flaws that plagued the set together with the samurai team.
Proportionality
Due to optical illusions and the way they were designed, their supermode look like they have spindly legs when, well actually, have "proportional spindly legs"
Individually, the Samurai bots look better proportioned than the Shinobi. That's probably what you get when you base your designs from beasts. The sort of look "pregnant". Btw, Sensuimaru's robo form reminds me of Splashdown's pretender mode + the idiot shark bot in Car robots. Now back to the proportionality. The Samurai bots don't look as sucky individually but when merged, awesome looking but a bit back heavy. The shinobi's "back packs" in gattai mode is more proportioned.
Shinobi and Samurai's legs look kind of thin, most pronounced in the former but I'll cut them some slack as that's how ninja's in anime are rendered (especially the robot kind)
Design/feature that could have been improved
Samurai team, especially Kenzan's arms in supermode aren't ratcheted, so his kabuto weapon always flops down and his "fist" won't properly lock despite having a peg to lock it in.
Compared to the Samurai team, the Shinobi's weapons aren't too soft. More firm as the former has a floppy feel.
Also, Geki's hip guard lock in peg scares me for potential future breakage. Same with geki's helmet peg, its made of clear plastic(to support the light piping gimmick from the electronics). The peg that secures the head/helmet to Hishou are quite small.
Sensuimaru's arms could have been "pegged' during his "pants" mode. It just, well flops around, causing the hip guard to get unhinged.
Though being aim most probably to overaged kids like me
, the sound gimmick like that of Micron legend Convoy......well we could have skipped that to keep the cost down though I appreciate how the various combination can change to sound output. Nice novelty.Kabuto weapon mode is again, kind of a useless addition, especially on Kenzan. Geki's on the other hand looks/befits a ninja with the simulated chain launcher.
Stability
Both teams are pretty much stable in my version
Coolness?
Supermode form, my faves are by importance
Samurai
1.Ganou looks like the SFA warrior with the fan
2.Kenzan looks like Gaogaigar
3.Jin bu looks like Renmazou of Xenogears
Shinobi
1.Geki reminds me of Tekkaman and Ninja Gaiden Hayabusa Ryu
2.Geki see the pattern?
3.Hishou ( a bit) also noticed how he reminds me of a Gaogaigar mech
Oddity
Individual bots' faces though mechanical, look more humanoid unlike the TFs of yesteryear's....they don't have the robo goatie that's always a staple to Japan theme bots.
Geki has a killer butt. Literally with Sensuimaru's teeth sticking out :lol: I don't want to be anyway near there down wind when the consume "Green energon"
Superweapon of the Shinobi doesn't seam to be a practical weapon.**
Autobot symbols. The Shinobi has actual Autobot sigils while the Samurai team, aside from Kenzan's chest piece, have "stylized" symbols. Autobot but with a bit of a different crest. You'd expect that the Shinobi's would get the stylized ones. Also noticed that Jinbu doesn't have any symbols.
Difficulty in Transformation
Kind of hard getting to use to. Putting the language barrier aside, the black and white pics used to instruct you are pretty much useless. Not as worst as the Hasbro manuals but..........
So are they any good? If you are already biased against them, then no matter how much convincing will not change your minds. But its been a while since an honest to goodness non Bayformer style combiner from Tomy. Superlink (oh the nightmare) not withstanding. That alone is enough reason for me to get the team.
When it was first released, the Samurai team really floored me but since the Shinobi release, I kind of prefer the shorter stature team over the taller guy.
Both teams have great paint applications but would have preferred if some chrome were used o the weapons of the Samurai team.
I hope my rant was informative to you all.
** Geki's gatai superweapon comprising of Geki's lion tail/whip and 2 blades, Sensui's fins and Hishou's "feather duster".
