One thing that annoys me with many 3P figures (especially the 3P MP style, as well as the official MPs) are the semi-articulated hands. Hands that can open only enough to look like the figure is asking for the car keys or pocket change are pointless to me. Not much better are those with the separately jointed but still permanently crooked index finger, good for nothing but the beckoning finger gesture. These are actually more annoying, IMO, than permanently closed fists. I understand why Hastak and the 3Ps are reluctant to go with completely articulated fingers, much as if theoretically like them. I wish that instead of the semi-articulated compromise, they went the high grade Gundam route. Give us multiple fixed hands that are easily swapped out: the fist, the point, the naturally open, the splayed hands. I would find that much more satisfactory.
I can't understand it. Wasn't the focus of Sunstreaker to add more articulation to the line? Then we get the same old monkey paws...
I'll take the stability of the single pinned fingers over having to ball up the KFC hands any day. The multiple hand thing would be great though.
The best of the semi-articulated options I've experience with, since you can get straight fingers. Would they work acceptably on figures that typically hold their weapons in their hands?
unarticulated hands on MP-esque figures is probably my biggest gripe about the 3rd party world. these days Ive just resigned myself to adding articulated hands in most cases, but its not always possible. articulated fingers allows for a lot more expressiveness in the figure when the fingers are more emotive. you use your hands when speaking a lot, imagine if they were in the JO grip or as the OP mentioned, "asking for car keys" grip for every emotion you expressed. currently trying to find hands for MMC's IDW megatron, but they made them on a swivel so theyre likely no able to be replaced. my ask here would be just use a standard joint that the KFC and other types of articulated hands can fit into. oh and the articulated hands where the fingers are all pinned at the first knuckle doesn't do it for me, the fingers need to be able to spread.
The opening hands they have now is probably the best solution to me. On a good day the best I ever think of fully articulated hands is that they are annoying. I will never use them and they just get in the way. The pinned style FT is using is at least better than the KFC style ball jointed ones that go everywhere except where you want them though. Honestly I would want solid hands, but I understand they want to make the gun handle look better than just a round peg to plug in so have accepted that won't happen. As for swappable hands that is just more useless parts to lose in a box somewhere that I will again never use and would rather not pay for. In case anyone missed it (I noticed Devastator21 didn't at least) Keith did say he plans to change his hands going forward.
Big bots, bots with oversized mits, and combiners should have articulated hands as they can be big enough to support the joints. Something the size of Takara Star Saber, Maketoy's recent big MP sized dudes, and MP Magnus should not be limited to claw mode with a crappy pointer. More figures need a wrist tilt to move the palms up and down beyond rotation as well. For smaller scale things the articulation always comes at the cost of stability and tolerances. I think I've had one hand set that I really like at a small scale and that's it. On the other hand, being stuck with cup hands is kind of lame. On Striker Manus for example the hands are a real bummer since they look so awkward when not holding things in contrast with the dynamic body. Really at the Voyager scale and under the solution might to be include swappable hands with a cup hand base. It would be an extra mile but it would go a long way.I can't believe how much more fun something like IF's Bridgewatcher with all of his hands. The hands give it lots of play and display value.
I acknowledge the occasional flying fingertip with articulated hands, it’s worth it for me. None of the below photos would have been possible. By the way, since you didn’t ask: My favorite set of hands are the original appolyon hands.
Great photos. I'm on the same page as you when it comes to the hands. I love how great even the very casual gesture on Brawl looks. Hands really can take a pose to a whole 'nother level.
I like bigger bots to have the FT hands. I do wish they had an inward/outward Wrist bend tho. Im okay w the carbots having mittens, but additional swappable hands would probably be the best option for "Deluxe" and smaller. I would never use any additional, swappable hands tho. I suspect swappable, dynamic hands would cause a problem for transformation and Im not going to be switching out hands to change modes. Constructor has the best hands for larger bots. Phoenix is good, but misses that outward bend. Ive come to hate the KFC/Quakeblast hands. The ball joints are rarely toleranced well and they are always turning sideways. They also look too skeletal for my tastes. Nevermind the frustration they tend to cause when transforming.
I love the fully articulated hands. My first 3p figure was Apollyon and I couldn't get over how cool his hands were. I have a few issues with the figure but the hands aren't one of them. They inspired me to get the kfc mp10 hands which were... fine. They're nice but not as nice as Apollyon and they have a hard time holding the included gun. I've also got Quakeblast whose articulated hand is pretty nice but the thumb joint was really loose and floppy. Future helped but it's still looser than I'd like. X2's Devastator kit has really nice hands too but I don't like how easy it is for the fingers to spin around in their sockets and end up pointing sideways or backwards. Most recently I got transistor and I love his hands too. He's the newer pure red release and his hands are nice and solid and hold his guns extremely well. Disappointing that the pure red didn't come with hands for Soundwave though. I haven't gotten any carbot hands though. They always look too big in proportion to their bots. I did get a set of rg articulated Gundam hands and a set of fully articulated Gundam hands for my Arcee custom (that I might get around to finishing some day). The rg hands are akin to the mp seeker hands but the fully articulated ones are almost as nice as KFC's. If only the fingers didn't pop off so easily. I'm sad to hear that Kieth is changing his hands in the future. I love that the ball jointed hands can splay their fingers and it'll be sad not to have that.
