Hello, I'm back again with another Beast Wars review, this time from the Japanese exclusive series, Beast Wars Neo! First off, I must apologize for the bad lighting, I rely entirely on sunlight and the clouds blocked it a bit. Dead End here is a Predacon, and while not much is known about him (due to lack of fansubs of Beast Wars Neo), he possesses a rather unique alt mode and look. This particular figure came from the Korean Sonokong set, and to address potential concerns, I see no quality control problems on mine. BEAST MODE I have an unhealthy obsession with mollusks and all manner of aquatic weird life, so Dead End's ammonite beast mode was a sure ringer for me! Although not very poseable (but really, what can you do with an ammonite?), Dead End really looks amazing with the intricate details on his tentacles and shell. I felt the coloring was also just about right, despite not being 100% realistic (but who knows really what colors ammonites might have had? They're extinct!) The holes in the shell add a worn, battered look that you often see on shells washed ashore on the beach. All in all a very nice mode! But what's that button at the top of his shell? Glad you asked! The designers thought it would be cool to allow Dead End to LAUNCH HALF OF HIS SHELL AS A MISSILE. Seriously this is a hilarious feature and it's probably the first time (though not the last) I laughed out loud at a toy! Because the spring is actually pretty strong on mine, it launches well and you can see the robot bits inside. 9.5/10 ROBOT MODE He's definitely a shellformer, as his transformation basically involves unfolding his robot mode body. Given his alt mode, however, he probably had to be a shellformer. Regardless the transformation is very satisfying, with many locks in place to ensure that both beast and robot modes are perfectly stable. The aesthetics of his robot mode continue to astound me. He keeps a lot of that primal, extinct look due to many sculpting details. I particularly like how the tentacles look like a loincloth of sorts (giving him more savagery) and how his robot head is properly aquatic. Dead End also comes with a blaster made from his tentacles, and it's fairly big and menacing. Dead End is surprisingly poseable in robot mode with only a few problems in the shoulder areas. More importantly, he's stable! Believe it or not, despite the huge shell kibble, he can actually stand pretty well. In fact, I'd say that the shell halves help poseability because they are articulated at the shoulders and can be adjusted to affect the center of gravity. Pretty brilliant design! If you don't like the shell pieces, they are perfectly removable. Here's an close look at his spark crystal and his face. All of these Beast Wars Neo figures have spark crystals. Fun fact: This is my only Transformer so far that has a head that is recognized by my camera's "Detect Face" feature. How bizarre! In a nutshell, a fantastic robot mode! 9.5/10 CONCLUSION This figure, to me, is amazing, though I realize that it may not be for everyone. Not everyone enjoys the extinct, ammonite theme, but for those who like their aquatic creepy crawlies, this is a highly recommended figure. 9.5/10 He doesn't come cheap though, but do go scout around, especially for the Korean Sonokong versions. Guess whose review's coming up next?
Very nice. There are very few non-Transmetal 2 Beast wars figures I don't like. I have a special fondness for non-Transmetals in particular, especially guys like these.
I heart BW Neo. SOme of the collect beast transformers have come out of it. That being said, this guy is a nightmare to Transform... Looking forward to Break
Nothing beats Machkick in the 'most f*cked up transformation ever'. I used to have this toy. What pissed me the most was the head sculpt and the weird color scheme that looks nothing like the cartoon.
I've got a boxed one (can't remember if it's Sonokong or not) kicking about in storage which I think I only took out and transformed a couple of times before putting it back. I do remember thinking it was pretty cool though and not even being put off by the huge shell wings.
am I still allowed to do a bit review about this guy? (please just delete this post if I'm not allowed) just got him today by luck, and I really love him! I love his unique alt-mode, and you can't see any robot part (except from his broken shell, will explain it later). You can't even see where the weapon is! (except you look it from downside ) the only bit con for me is, the broken shell which exposed his robot part... but given the age of ammonite... I think it's normal to have broken shell xD I also love his robot mode, in which the shell kind of giving him extra protection, and I love his color! too bad he can't move his shoulder to side, but who need to shoot to your side when you can just launch your shell to attack them? xD I will give him 9.9/10 sorry for my bad english
