Put out to pasture
A Creative Commons-licensed photo by Kevin Saff.
In Optimus Prime We Trust
Optimus Prime: more than meets the eye.
Optimus Prime: more than meets the eye.
Optimus Prime: more than meets the eye.
Optimus Prime: more than meets the eye.
Optimus Prime: more than meets the eye.
Optimus Prime: more than meets the eye.
Optimus Prime: more than meets the eye.
Optimus Prime: more than meets the eye.
Optimus Prime: more than meets the eye.
Optimus Prime: more than meets the eye.
Optimus Prime: more than meets the eye.
Optimus Prime: more than meets the eye.
Beaten but unbowed
A Creative Commons-licensed photo by IntangibleArts.
Toy links
customtoyz’s custom customtoyz toy.
“Yes, the figure also has a wedding ring!”
Small soldiers.
There are some incredible plastic soldier photos in wepa!’s gallery.
Optimus Prime has his limits.
As Gooneramaaa discovers.
My Little Predator.
Another excellent My Little Pony by Mari Kasurinen.
A fascinating toy.
“Pull the toy across the floor and watch the peculiar motions.” A Modern Mechanix article from 1933.
The letter of the day
A Creative Commons-licensed photo by Valerie Everett.
Toy review roundup
Artemis reviews the Character Options Doctor Who 9th Doctor, 10th Doctor (Regeneration Version), Captain Jack, Auton, Sycorax Leader, The Empty Child, Dalek with Mutant Reveal, Moxx of Balhoon, Slitheen and Space Pig figures from the Series 1 10 Figure Gift Set. Excerpt: “As a complete set, the Season One gift set – like most boxed sets – has its ups and downs.”
Artemis reviews the Character Options Doctor Who The Face of Boe toy. Excerpt: “This is really one for the Doctor Who enthusiast …”
Artemis reviews the Character Options Doctor Who Ood 5-inch figure. Excerpt: “This is a fine action figure representation of them …”
Chong Kah Fai reviews the Max Factory Figma Suzumiya Haruhi (uniform version) figure from The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi. Excerpt: “While the paint job is superb, I notice that the paint shading and toning is not that obvious comparing to Figma Yuki.” (See also.)
Chong Kah Fai reviews the Max Factory Figma Saber (armoured version) figure from the Fate/stay night series. Excerpt: “… an excellent figure if Max Factory did not cut their corners.” (See also.)
Engineernerd reviews the Hasbro Star Wars The Legacy Collection Ak-Rev figure from Return of the Jedi. Excerpt: “If you are trying to fill out a Max Rebo band display, he’s perfect. If you’re looking for a figure to stand on his own merits, he’s not it.”
Artemis reviews the Hasbro Star Wars 30th Anniversary Collection Maris Brood figure from the Star Wars: The Force Unleashed game. Excerpt: “… with all the joints in her arms, the bean counters have evidently shaken their heads at the added expense of leg articulation, so we’re left with a half-mobile Jedi.” (See also.)
yo go re reviews the Hasbro Transformers Titanium War Within Skywarp San Diego Comic Con exclusive figure. Excerpt: “… he’s not perfect, but he doesn’t have any major flaws, either.”
Blitzwing reviews the Hasbro Transformers Titanium War Within Skywarp San Diego Comic Con exclusive figure. Excerpt: “The paintjob puts this one near the top …”
EVA Unit 4A reviews the Hasbro Transformers Animated Leader class Megatron figure. Excerpt: “… he’s got a few quirks, but this Leader-class Megatron still rocks hard.” (See also.)
Jason Devall reviews the DC Direct Smallville Clark Kent (series 2 version), Cyborg, Impulse, Aquaman and Green Arrow figures. Excerpt: “… great wave for fans, but not so much for collectors.”
Atom reviews the Bandai Saint Myth Cloth Pegasus Seiya (God Cloth) figure from the Saint Seiya Hades Chapter Elysion OVA. Excerpt: “… this is one beautiful figure.” (See also.)
Scott Rubin reviews the Toynami Macross Hikaru Ichijo (VF-1 Valkyrie pilot light-up version) (part 2) San Diego Comic Con exclusive 12-inch figure. Excerpt: “This being somewhat more of a doll than an action figure, it’s designed for display over play.”
yo go re reviews the Hasbro Spider-Man Trilogy Venom figure from Spider-Man 3. Excerpt: “… every Venom I’ve seen has some sort of error.”
Shocka reviews the Marvel Toys Legendary Comic Book Heroes The Darkness figure. Excerpt: “It’s sad to see the Legendary Heroes line go, especially with figures of this caliber available …” (See also.)
Jeff Saylor reviews the NECA Gears of War Anthony Carmine San Diego Comic Con exclusive figure. Excerpt: “… getting Carmine’s legs just so can be flustering, but once a stance is achieved, it looks killer.”
Hollowpoint reviews the Hot Toys U.S. Army Special Force Sniper 1/6-scale figure. Excerpt: “The fit of everything is good, this includes uniform except the boonie.”
WhiteFang reviews the Lego Castle 8252293 Giant Chess Set. Excerpt: “The set is very expensive but quite reasonable after taking into considerations of the bricks, parts and minifigs.”
Outlaw reviews the Playmobil 4444 Pirate Dinghy set. Excerpt: “If I were still a kid, I’d have this little ship in the bath in no time sailing around the tub.”
Outlaw reviews the Playmobil 4421 Off-Road Racer 4×4 set. Excerpt: “… a neat little set that has a lot of playability.”
Retro reviews
Tom Prankerd reviews the Select Convertors Maladroid Nofka figure. Excerpt: “… the novelty of him wears off rather quickly.”
Leonardo Flores reviews the Bandai Spiral Zone Protector Unit Bull Solid Machine Head Coating Type 1/12-scale accessory set. Excerpt: “I like the color match …”
Anarchy reigns on Sesame Street
A Creative Commons-licensed photo by mOOrango*.
Toy links
My Little Demon.
An amusing custom My Little Pony based on the Kiss bassist.
My Little Asimo.
An extraordinary Lego MOC by MadArno. (More.)
AssembleBorg blog. [via]
Concept art and alternate modes for the upcoming Kaiyodo line.
Xevoz versus Busou Shinki.
Art by sachsen.
The Myachi Masters.
“Mr. Hatch, who previously earned $16 an hour demonstrating Hacky Sack skills … dreams of becoming his own superhero character – ‘Maverick, the masterless guy with the skilz, the unbranded one, the alone guy.'”
The Frank Stallone of astromechs
A Creative Commons-licensed photo by rdeetz.
Japanese toy review roundup
The following reviews are in Japanese but they include a generous amount of photos so they’re well worth checking out.
(Please do not hotlink images on these sites.)
Toybu and Mondo review the Bandai In Action Offshoot Guren Type II figure from the Code Geass series.
Damien Sancho, Seki Futoshi and K2O (part 2) review the Bandai Gundam Fix Figuration Metal Composite Psycho Gundam Mk. II figure from the Zeta Gundam series. (See also.)
Ramuna reviews the Bandai Soul of Chogokin Spec XS-09 EVA-00′ Prototype figure from the Evangelion series.
SR../Blood Zwei reviews the MegaHouse Variable Action Blowsuperior (Yellow version) 1/15 scale figure from the Mospeada series.
Kaz reviews the ACE Workshop US Navy DEVGRU CQC Operator 1/6-scale figure.
Gamu, Mojya and Goe review the Bandai S.H.Figuarts Kick Hopper figure from the Kamen Rider Kabuto series.
Gamu, Mojya and Goe review the Bandai S.H.Figuarts Punch Hopper figure from the Kamen Rider Kabuto series.
Gamu, Shishioh, Yuki Bune and Hima-toy review the Bandai Saint Myth Cloth Lyumnades Kasa figure from the Saint Seiya series.
Nekonekokoara reviews the Bandai Motion Revive Series Kamen Rider Kiva (Garuru and Dogga Forms) and Kamen Rider IXA (Save and Burst Modes) trading figures.
Taoo, Kaz and Damien Sancho (part 2) reviews the Bandai Soul of Chogokin (SOC) GX-42 Koutetsu Shin Jeeg set. (See also.)
Nekokami Sigma reviews the Bandai Super Imaginative Chogokin (SIC) Kamen Rider Den-O Sword Form and Momotaros Imagin set. (See also.)
G.S.R. reviews the Kaiyodo Revoltech Gurren Lagann with Gurren Wing (Metallic version) Wonder Festival 2008 Summer exclusive figure from Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. (See also.)
Yuu-yui reviews the Volks Super Robot Wars Original Generation Full Action Figure Bellzelute Dengeki Hobby magazine mail-order and online exclusive figure. (See also.)
Shishioh reviews the Banpresto Special Creative Model (S.C.M) Ex Ramba Ral Units Gouf and MS-06J Zaku II prize figures. (See also.)
Hinatatiki reviews the Hasbro Transformers Animated Deluxe class Oil Slick figure (See also.)
Ken Murasame reviews the Hasbro Transformers Animated Voyager Cybertron Mode Megatron figure. (See also.)
Goe reviews the CM’s Corporation Gutto Kuru Figure Collection Vita (Unison version) Wonder Festival 2008 Summer and Chara Hobby 2008 exclusive figure from the Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS series.
Acro_characin reviews the Max Factory Figma Nagato Yuki (evil magician version) Wonder Festival 2008 Summer Early Edition exclusive figure from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya series. (See also.)
Acro_characin reviews the Max Factory Figma Asahina Mikuru (Uniform version) figure from The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi. (See also.)
Len and Kuronuko Yamato review the Max Factory Figma Fate T. Harlaown (Barrier Jacket version) figure from the Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS series. (See also.)
Nekokami Sigma reviews the Max Factory Figma Izumi Konata (winter clothes version) from the Lucky Star series. (See also.)
Ebi reviews the Takara Tomy Tomica Hero Rescue Force DX Rescue Striker Loop-the-Loop accessory.
Retro reviews
Transformers Baka Ichidai reviews the Takara Transformers 26 Grimlock figure.
Transformers Baka Ichidai reviews the Takara Transformers C-100 Doublecross figure.
Transformers Baka Ichidai reviews the Takara Dragon Henkei Red Geist figure from The Brave Fighter of Legend Da Garn. (Related.)
Transformers Baka Ichidai reviews the Takara Transformers Binaltech BT-10 Grimlock figure.
Mondo reviews the McFarlane Toys Total Chaos Poacher figure.