Last weekend, I asked the members of the TFW2005 forums about what toys they kept coming back to over the years and received some pretty surprising results with some very clear "winners". This discussion wasn't just a one off thing, as the very subject I asked the readers about was also aimed toward myself in this new article about the very same subject where I go over five Transformers toys I keep going back to again and again, and also share many of the responses from both the TFW2005 Forum and the TFW2005 Lounge.

Take the jump to see the article, and as always stay tuned to TFW2005 as news and original content goes live.

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When the Dark of the Moon toyline began in May of 2011, the already split perceptions within the fandom over the Movieverse toylines became even more divisive due to over-saturation of the movie aesthetic and the infamous Budget Crunch that hit Transformers after the Reveal The Shield and Generations Lines ended. Regardless, some of the more simplified and borderline genius toys came out of the Dark of the Moon line, but due to many people (including myself) already owning definitive versions of many characters it was often the repaints and retools such as Cyberfire Bumblebee that took the spotlight.... and no toy says that louder than-

Dark Steel (Deluxe, Transformers: Dark of the Moon)

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Gonna just get it out of the way. Darksteel (Formerly Dark Iron) is a fantastic homage and reference to my favorite Beast Wars character- Quickstrike, thanks to a clever deco job and a new head. According to word from his original reveal at BotCon 2011, the entire push for this Quickstrike homage was due to a specific designer just really liking snakes and I'm super glad his obsession eventually resulted in Darksteel, and thankfully the mold has several changes and features to separate itself from the fact that he's nothing more than a Sideswipe retool, albeit a clever one. Multiple panels along the Robot Mode's back can be re-angled and adjusted into multiple positions, and Sideswipe's trademark arm blades can be pulled back to their default position in vehicle mode to give Darksteel his own individual silhouette to stand out on his own.

The sheer level of love toward the idea of making Quickstrike into a movie-style Decepticon is very apparent the longer one handles the toy. Blue flame-like patterns across the hood of the vehicle echo the striping on top of the Beast Wars counterpart's cobra hood and scorpion body, the core of the Corvette mode's color as color matched as close as possible to the dark copper of the original, and the head itself is a close yet stylized take on Quickstrike's face. Even Darksteel's weapon itself, while being a retool of Dark of the Moon Deluxe Starscream's weird... sword... stick, calls back to Beast Wars Quickstrike's cobra and scorpion motif with a blade that evokes the sting and the poisonous bite of his alternate form.

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If it wasn't for the fact that this basic robot design was crammed down our collective throats in various forms for three years before this toy came out, I'd be damned if I could tell you this was a Sideswipe retool.

Other than... you know. The alternate mode.


The Corvette.







It's the same car.


Hooligan, (Cyberjet, Generation 2)

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Frankly there's not much to say about Hooligan. Nothing can keep a good Cyberjet down, not even being painted like an 80's Hair Metal band. Of all the toys to cross my desk in the nearly ten years I've been collecting, Hooligan is the only one to retain a constant presence among the clutter. The Generation Two Cyberjets, in my mind, are the perfect desk toy due to their small size and simplicity.

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Before we move on to the next entry, I'd like to post in a selection of some of the opinions and thoughts from the TFW2005 Lounge. To find out more about the TFW2005 Supporter Badge, click here.

Kraken: This is going to be a weird one, my dirty little secret as it were. I'm going to have to say... Transformers The Movie (2007)... Swindle.

You're looking at me funny now. I know why too. It's an ugly, weirdly proportioned, floppy little bugger of a toy. I know all this, and yet... I just keep going back to him. I'll put him on my shelves for a bit. For a while he'll be at the front, then he'll slowly get pushed backwards, until I say 'Gah! Why do I even have that p.o.s. on my shelf? So many better toys that can go there instead.' So I'll chuck him in a box, and forget about him. And then I'll find him again, and transform him a few times, then he'll live on my desk and I'll fiddle with him for a bit and the chest cannon will mightily amuse me, then the whole cycle starts again. I've sold him before. Then I bought the Camshaft version of the mold. And then I sold it. Then I unexpectedly got him again in a box of junkers where he was the only one actually intact. It's like our fates are intertwined, mine and Swindle's, the ugly little monocular Chevy that he is. I've learned to live with it, I just keep my head down and hope that people don't snigger at me in the street.

thenatureboywoo: My go to figure is Beast Wars Neo Big Convoy. I came back to Transformers with all the movie hype, and started with the movie figures then grew went onto start my classics collection. But as I would look at everyone's pictures Big Convoy always looked awesome, a freaking woolly mammoth! I think SydneyY would post pics of him every other week. I remember how geeked I was to find one cheap ($40Ish), and the rest is history. It's a fantastic toy. Awesome alt mode, the robot mode just looks massive, like nothing can stop him. Because of him, I had to go on and collect as many other Beast Wars Neo toys I could get my hands on.

knockoff: City Commander from Fansproject. I had been out of the collecting game for a cool minute. On a chance visit to TRU, I stumbled upon the Transformers Classics line. I was stunned. All my friends from G1 were being reborn! It was like the second coming of Christ for me! Amidst the collecting, Target released their Ultra Magnus and Skywarp set. And while I was overjoyed at their release, I was disappointed that the Magnus was so... naked.

Enter Fanproject's City Commander... The gimmick was what I needed. The design blew me away. And the aesthetics were those of that which "could launch a thousand ships" (or dollars rather, heh). Oh and Venksta's Transformation video helped as well! I have owned every legit and KO version of the mold, but at this particular point in time, I own zero. Binge and purge, binge and purge. Right now I'm at a purge point in my life, but if/when I decide to get back into it, City Commander always stands as one of those reclamation agendas.​

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Landmine,(Ultra Class, Transformers Energon)

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A lot could be said about the Unicron Trilogy, but one point I will never back down on is the fact that despite a sluggish start the Unicron Trilogy era produced some fantastic toys- and not a single toy in those three years emphasizes that point better than the Energon Landmine mold for me (in any of it's forms.) The multiple possibilities for both his vehicle and robot modes, combined with the brutish warrior aesthetic and proportion of his bigger robot mode when he basically rips apart his own trailer and decides to wear it like a pair of over-sized boxing gloves? It just hits a bunch of aesthetic preferences of mine in a single retail release.

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Digilaut: 2007 Movie Voyager Starscream was the first 'new' Transformer I picked up when I started this hobby. An impulse buy after seeing the movie trailer, I wanted to go out there and get a figure to relive my past (I had only a couple of G1/G2 figures, and a bunch of Beast Wars that I had sold off back in the day). One week later I got two more, two weeks later still two more, etc. etc. Even though the character looked nothing like the Starscream I remember, I really dug the new design and altmode right from the start. And even though the ROTF Voyager WAS an improvement over the first one, it wasn't perfect, in either size or looks.

I went kind of nuts when the first image of Leader Starscream leaked. It's so easy to talk about his faults: how the figure has those annoying tattoos, how the altmode is too 'thick' and the bot mode not wide enough - or the most important one: the lack of wrist swivels that would've really helped this figure. But to me: this guy is perfection. Looks great, and is fun to mess around with. If I had to pick one Transformers line, just one that I was allowed to keep, while having to sell off all others, I would pick Transformers Animated - but if I were somehow allowed to only keep one figure, I'd pick HFTD Leader Starscream.

Mechafire: A while ago, it dawned on me that the character of Animated Megatron is nearly everything I want out of a Megatron; awesome design, awesome voice, awesome power, etc. The Leader Class toy itself is brilliant too; intuitive in its design - simple, but not compromisingly so. It hits that perfect sweetspot of being simple but awesome and fun at the same time. It's become my defacto Megatron, and whenever I think "Megatron", its the figure I go to. Nothing since then has been able to dethrone it from that position for me, not even the newly-revealed Generations Leader Megatron. Quite frankly, I somewhat doubt it ever will be dethroned. Although not without its issues, it still to this day remains the best Megatron figure ever made.​

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The lifespan of the Transformers: Animated portion of the Transformers franchise was a roller coaster to experience in it's brief stint: TFW2005 went from screams and cries of Teen Titanformers and the usual RUINED FOREVERs, to nearly universal praise and hype for the toyline that lagged behind a bit from the show itself and the dawn of the era of the Stolen Chinese Toy Reviews, to cries of sadness when the toyline and series itself came to a grinding halt eighteen months after it's first episode premiered. While the cartoon received praise from many, the toyline itself was no slouch. Where lines prior to the movie focused on core gimmicks across an entire line, Animated went for a simpler approach where the gimmicks were focused on the characters themselves and Transforming itself was a core factor. And of all the toys from the line itself that I completely enjoy, there's one that highlighted the entire line in a fantastic fashion in my eyes- AND he just happened to be my final purchase in the entire line.

Rodimus (Deluxe, Transformers: Animated)
Disclaimer: Takara-Tomy version shown.

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As much as it pains me to say this.. of all the Autobot Leaders over the years, Rodimus Prime has always been the one I've been more interested in both in terms of design and characterization and Animated Rodimus hits both of those nails right on the head in style. The vehicle form is sleek and compact (when you don't have a crazy compound bow strapped to his roof) and the ingenious transformation into his strong-in-stature robot mode are just icing on the cake to how much I enjoy his surprising range of movement and the sculpt work all over the robot mode. If by some chance I ever purge the Animated section of my collection, Rodimus would be among the few to remain on my shelf.

Hound (Deluxe, Transformers Universe 2.0)

Hound.

Hound, Hound, Hound.

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And Ravage, I guess, but let's just focus on Hound. Where toys like Energon Landmine and Animated Rodimus are the definitive toys of their specific eras, Universe 2.0/Classics/Generations/Whatever-You-Call-It Hound is the definitive Classics-style toy for me and honestly THE toy that hits the exact notes of what I want out of a retail Transformers release.

While his vehicle mode is far from being the rugged Mitsubishi Jeep CJ3 of his Generation 1 toy, the designers took liberty with his alternate form to push the first aspect of Transformers I enjoy: Bringing the personality of the character through the sculpt and design. The more rounded nature of the Jeep emits an air of friendliness from the Autobot Scout. This rounded, softer design carries over into the robot mode of Hound; specifically in his proportioning and headsculpt. While possibly not intentional and possibly just a result of trying to adhere to the original toy (Look, I'm not a designer. I don't know these specific things unless they were called out at a BotCon or Hasbro Q+A somewhere) the giant feet combined with the more rounded aesthetic and bright-eyed lightpiping work continue to push the personality of Hound to me. Maybe it's just me, I dunno.

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Moving unto the transformation, Hound exhibits the second aspect of Transformers I enjoy and prefer: Interesting and thought-out transformations, coupled with style and simplicity.

Of the many toys TFW2005 users mentioned during the poll for this article, a surprising amount of the answers from users were for several certain toys: Eighteen mentions of the various incarnations of the Revenge of the Fallen Leader Optimus Prime mold, Nine mentions of War For Cybertron Optimus Prime, and Sixteen mentions for the larger Masterpiece Optimus Prime. While these toys are seen as definitive versions of their respective characters and are apparently considered by some to be must-have toys they all have one massive flaw in my eyes: Transforming them is kind of a pain, regardless of how big a feat of toy engineering they may be. As I mentioned in the Dark of the Moon section of my last article, ( http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/trans...54-tfw2005-special-editorial-yellow-gold.html ) when the budget crunch hit the Transformers line for the third movie, many of the toys hit a perfect balance of complexity and accuracy for me. Steps that were debatably over-engineered and designed in the Revenge of the Fallen line became simple and smooth. For the most part, the line veered away from overcomplexity for overcomplexity's sake and focused moreso on the fun and ease of the Transformation.

Hound takes that concept and runs away with it, taking what would otherwise be a typical Transforming Car transformation into something that was more dynamic than the norm. Through a single motion, the entire transformation of Hound's lower half is completed outside of two seconds of folding down extraneous panels and a LOT of movement has happened in that one fell swoop including Hound's feet folding out, the waist popping down away from his body, and if you move things further down juuuuuust right, you are probably able to move the windshield away from the hood and behind Hound's back and have the rest his lower half ready for the remainder of the transformation. In that one, near-seamless bit of Transformation, a lot was accomplished and the fluidity behind the engineering of Hound becomes more apparent. It's this simplicity that makes me wish more of the Transformers line hit the perfect medium of complexity and "speed" of Transformation. Not "one touch" or "One swift movement and everything is done" levels of speed resulting in... well... Age of Extinction, but rather an emphasis on making a transformation fun and not feel like a guessing game, or a chore to transform.

 

And now for the second part of the Article: The results of the polls! The poll has been divided into various eras of the toyline, and only toys that received more than one vote have been included in the list, except for the "Everything Else" category.

Generation One, 53 Votes:
Winner, 8 Votes: Generation One Optimus Prime!
7 Votes: G1 Powermaster Optimus Prime
6 Votes: G1 Soundwave
3 Votes: G1 Constructicons
3 Votes: G1 Snapdragon
2 Votes: G1 Blaster
2 Votes: G1 Jetfire
2 Votes: G1 Metroplex
2 Votes: G1 Sky Lynx

JediFlaherty: Hot Rod was my favorite, but I missed his original release (my parents got me Rodimus instead). I remember the day I finally got Targetmaster Hot Rod at a Target in Littleton, Colorado that is now a car dealership, I think. I opened him in the back seat of my Mom's Volvo stationwagon before we were out of the parking lot. He was the only G1 carryover into my G2 guys. He followed me to college in Boulder. He followed me across the country when I moved to Chicago. As I write this, he's next to my bed in the nightstand drawer. I've had that guy for 27 years. And not like the rest of them who have spent the past decade plus in my parents' garage -- with me with me.

TF Hunter D: For G1, my favorite has been Powermaster Optimus Prime. It gave all the kids who missed the original Prime a second chance to collect their favorite hero. The cab had a more cartoon-style robot mode and a killer giant robot mode. Always loved that. And the painting on the back of the packaging showing PMOP in action never hurt either. I use that pic for my desktop background.​

Generation Two, 6 Votes:
Winner, 2 Votes: Generation Two Megatron!

Beast Wars and Robots In Disguise, 47 Votes:
Winner, 4 Votes EACH: Beast Wars Transmetals Megatron, RiD Omega Prime and RiD Scourge!
3 Votes: RiD Optimus Prime
3 Votes: BW Big Convoy
3 Votes: BW Optimus Primal (Ultra)
2 Votes: BW Rampage
2 Votes: BW Silverbolt
2 Votes: BW Tarantulas (Transmetals)
2 Votes: BW Claw Jaw

SPLIT LIP: Transmetal Megatron. (Takara Metals version) Beast Wars is what got me into TFS, Beast Wars Megatron is THE Megatron to me, and that design was when he was at his best. The Hasbro version would over time show a deisgn flaw in the choice of brown plastic, the Takara version skoots by unaffected by replacing the brown with a sweet charcoal-black. But really, the figure personifies everything Transformers to me: it's my favourite series, my favourite character, excellent transformation/sculpt/posability/paint/colors, and has the uniqueness and diverse ideas Transformers is known for, but sometimes forgets.

Booster Gold: RID Air Attack Optimus Primal. I'm a huge fan of Optimus Primal and the whole Beast era and I loved Primal's design in Beast Machines, this toy is the ultimate realisation of that. Not only does it look pretty much spot on (minus the butt behind his head!) the play value is huge! Disc shooter, spring loaded arm, jet pack, and phrases from the show performed by Garry Chalk himself! It's one of the few Transformers I own that I can't help playing with like a big kid, swooping him through the air with a big smile on my face as the jet noises rise and fall.

Star Saber: Car Robots Super Fire Convoy/Robots in Disguise Optimus Prime - it's been 14 years already and the figure can still go toe to toe with more modern TFs in terms of design, articulation, transformation and detail. I've loved this figure ever since it came out and was largely responsible for bringing me back to Transformers collecting.​

Unicron Trilogy, 37 Votes:
Winner, 9 Votes: Cybertron Optimus Prime!
4 Votes: Cybertron Hot Shot
4 Votes: Armada Optimus Prime (Deluxe/SuperCon)
2 Votes: Energon Sharkticon

thebandwagon: I do love that Cybertron series Optimus mold, it's not too complex but has a lot of playability with all of the different modes and combinations. Plus it can be used in so many ways, especially for customs haha. I have my Galaxy Force version of the mold complete and super spiffy and it's still one of my favorite toys ever.​

Live-Action Movie Line, 51 Votes:
Winner, 19 Votes: Revenge of the Fallen Leader Optimus Prime!
4 Votes: HFTD Leader Starscream
3 Votes: HA Jazz
2 Votes: DOTM Ironhide
2 Votes: ROTF Ice Cream Twins
2 Votes: DOTM Bumblebee
2 Votes: HFTD Breacher

SwoopDogg: I'm a father of three and I have no problems letting my kids play with the Transformers I buy - except for a select few. I have a drawer in my desk that locks and I keep those chosen few Transformers (the ones I don't want my kids to mess with) inside there. ROTF HFTD Leader Starscream is one of those Transformers. I LOVE the realistic alt mode (F-22 Raptor) and how movie accurate the figure is. This is coming from a guy that dislikes the Starscream character as a whole. To me, that says something about a figure when you hate almost every iteration/generation of the character it represents and yet you cherish one of the toys of that said character.​

Animated, 21 Votes:
Winner, 5 Votes: Animated Voyager Optimus Prime!
4 Votes: Animated Blurr
2 Votes: Animated Prowl
2 Votes: Animated Rodimus
2 Votes: Animated Megatron

Grimlockimus: Animated Grimlock holds a special place in my collection as my first Transformer purchased as an adult collector and a pretty great toy on it's own. So far I have yet to see them make a better Grimlock toy than Animated Grimlock.

Metal Sonic: Animated Optimus Prime. Sure, his weapon sucks, his faceplate gimmick is iffy, and the black panels on the arms aren't easy on the eyes, but this figure to me is both impossible to put down and vital in just how great an Optimus Prime can be, and should. Great justice done to possibly the greatest version of the greatest character in Transformers history. Figures come and go, but nothing will make me part with this figure. You'll have to pry it from my cold, offline servo.​

Prime/Beast Hunters/First Edition, 24 Votes:
Winner, 5 Votes: Prime RiD Deluxe Vehicon!
4 Votes: Prime Wheeljack
3 Votes: Prime Ratchet
2 Votes: Prime Optimus, First Edition
2 Votes: Prime Shockwave

Classics/Generations, 124 Votes:
Winner, 22 Votes: Classics Optimus Prime!
14 Votes: Classics Cyclonus
13 Votes: Classics Bumblebee
11 Votes: Classics Seeker Mold
10 Votes: Classics Springer
9 Votes: Classics Jazz
4 Votes: Classics Inferno
3 Votes: Classics Jetfire (Voy)
3 Votes: Classics Lambo Mold
3 Votes: Classics Mirage
3 Votes: Classics Onslaught
3 Votes: Classics Scourge
3 Votes: Classics Drift
3 Votes: Classics Hound
2 Votes: Classics Optimus Prime (G2)
2 Votes: Classics Ultra Magnus
2 Votes: Classics Kup
2 Votes: Classics Lugnut
2 Votes: Classics Megatron
2 Votes: Classics Straxus

WhiteMocha: Classics Bumblebee is still one of my all-time favorite figures... just a perfect little Transformer. Fun transformation that feels solid, looks great in both modes, tons of character. When asked which figure is a perennial favorite for me, this is the first that comes to mind.

mtblanks: It's RTS Lugnut for me. I never watched Animated, and I don't know the character from any other fiction; I just love the toy. Bomber mode is excellent, bot mode is amazing, P.O.K.E., the posability, the bomber's wings become the robot's arms. This toy makes me want to see the character portrayed more often in the fiction.

Spekkio: I don't know if I can express how much I love Reveal the Shield SpecOps Jazz. This figure is damn near perfect. I can't put it away. His proportions are spot-on. He manages to capture the character's personality in a deluxe mold. (He's got SPEAKERS, for Primus's sake!) His poseability is amazing. No, RtS Jazz isn't perfect. Fake rear windshield, lack of paint apps (particularly the rear windshield and brake lights), graphics/paint that comes off a little too easily. (I'm worried that the white paint on the roof is going to wear off eventually.) I wish ReproLabels had a set for him that included replacements for the 4s on his doors and hood. But Jazz fits nicely in your pocket. His gun stays put in car mode. He's easy to transform, looks cool almost any way you pose him, & captures the character's personality perfectly. If only more TFs were as good as RtS Jazz....

shogun221: Universe Inferno is at the top of my list. He's big 'n boxy and haves tons of character. He's not a slavish G1-homage, but his proportions are pure 80's retro. He's a joy to pose and looks great next to both CHUGs and new-scale MPs. I've owned hundreds of TFs over the years, but maintain a fairly small collection, mostly because I tended to sell off a lot of my stuff over time. Inferno has escaped every "purge."​

Masterpiece/Binaltech, 57 Votes:
Winner, 16 Votes Each: MP-01 Optimus Prime and MP-13 Soundwave!
7 Votes: MP Grimlock
5 Votes: MP-10 Optimus Prime
3 Votes: MP Sideswipe
2 Votes: Binaltech/Alt Smokescreen
2 Votes: MP Starscream

Brooticus: I think, however my vote would have to go to Alternators Smokescreen. Not only is his alt mode a near perfect representation of a Subaru Impreza with a detailed interior cockpit, rubber wheels, steering, opening doors, bonnet and boot (that's hood and trunk to my friends across the pond!), but he turns into a wonderfully poseable bot that, unlike many of the Alternators figures, still retains that unmistakable G1 aesthetic despite being a modern update. Well, I say modern , this figure is now over 10 years old; and that's what makes it so impressively special. In my opinion, in terms of build quality and engineering this blue badboy trumps the modern MP cars by a country mile.​

War For Cybertron/Fall of Cybertron, 20 Votes:
Winner, 9 Votes: WFC Optimus Prime!
6 Votes: WFC Megatron
2 Votes: WFC Soundwave

KnightStrike: I think my favorite mold has got to be War For Cybertron Optimus Prime. I can't get enough of that mold and really like the Nemesis repaint as well as the Rage Over Cybertron repaint version. It feels like the apex of the Transformers deluxe line to me. Its like that wave of Generations deluxes, especially Optimus, were the height of detail and elaborate, well designed, intuitive transformations made with solid materials and nice paint apps. He looks so cool and is a great representation of the game model in my opinion, plus he is incredibly posable and has a cool alt mode. I am probably biased as I am a huge Optimus fan, but WFC Optimus just seems like a great version of Optimus to me and I never get tired of displaying him wielding different types of weapons.​

Everything Else, 9 Votes:
Winner, 3 Votes: Nemesis Prime, Universe (Big Convoy Redeco)!
2 Votes: Hybrid Style Convoy
1 Vote: Titanium 6" War Within Optimus Prime
1 Vote: Shattered Glass Drift
1 Vote: Rescue Bots Chase
1 Vote: Universe Blackarachnia

Third Party/Independent Releases, 11 Votes:
Winner, 3 Votes: City Commander, FansProject!
2 Votes: Terminus Hexatron, Mastermind Creations
2 Votes: Quakewave, FansToys
2 Votes: Steel Core, FansProject

Shockblaster: My favorite long-term figure is my MMC Hexatron. I've always wanted a Sixshot when I was young since I saw my classmate bring his G1 Sixshot to school, and having this modern version just fills the spot for the Sixshot that I always wanted, now that I am older and want things such as articulation and such.​

 

OVERALL POLL WINNERS:

1st Place: Classics Optimus Prime, 22 Votes.
2nd Place: Revenge of the Fallen Leader Optimus Prime, 19 Votes.
3rd Place: (TIE) MP-01 Optimus Prime, 16 Votes.
3rd Place: (TIE) Masterpiece Soundwave, 16 Votes.
4th Place: Classics/Universe Cyclonus, 14 Votes.
5th Place: Classics Bumblebee, 13 Votes.
6th Place: Classics Seekers, 11 Votes.
7th Place: Generations Springer, 10 Votes.
8th Place: (TIE) Reveal The Shield Jazz, 9 Votes.
8th Place: (TIE) Cybertron Optimus Prime, 9 Votes.
8th Place: (TIE) War For Cybertron Optimus Prime, 9 Votes.​

 

Wow! ROTF leader Prime overtook 2 MP's!

 

not very surprised by most of these   i am surprised that MP megatron isnt on here

 

No TFP lines?

 

I initially was surprised at seeing MP-01 so high on this list ... but after transforming mine last night I totally get it.

Great article Secretcode. Looking forward to next month's article.

 

The next TFW2005 Community Poll will be a little different and will go live on September 6th and will be a little more complicated than "I'm going to list a toy". Stay tuned.

I am still legit amazed MP-10 didn't do as well in the poll.

 

Really cool article.

Kinda surprised by some of the results..but hey...polls a poll.

 

Nice, completely agree with Classics Prime, I have several of that mold's incarnations, playability is definitely off the charts. Makes me wonder why Hasbro hasn't designed any new Prime figure just as good as that one was, although with the way they keep milking that mold, and still manage to sell huge qtys, not really surprised

 

So glad ROTF leader Prime took 2nd place, he's like my all time fav movie toy.

 

ROTF leader OP is one hell of a figure! Transformation and engineering was genius on this guy! Glad I picked up a spare one from Goodwill for $2.50! LOL!

 

I'm not. I bought one, played with it for a while, then left it on my shelf while I played with 99% of the rest of my collection. After I moved, he was the only Transformer that DIDN'T get put out on display that wasn't broken.

His Fusion Cannon is the main issue: it drags the whole figure down and to the right, causing stupidly serious lean and making him look drunk or badly wounded. Plus, the limbs are (proportionally) spindly. It's like someone took the 1984 toy and stretched it out.

Sorry, MP Megatron would get my vote for "Most Likely to End Up on eBay". The only reason I can see someone being unable to put it down would be because it won't stand up on it's own.

 

I'm actually sort of surprised Classics Optimus is on there; I mean he's a great figure and all but to beat out both MP1 and ROTF and not to mention MP10 wasn't on there is a bit of a surprise.

 

I think this poll shows a paradigm shift with new vs. old collectors. So many have come in since 2007 that it's hard for newer collectors to vote on something they've never owned, especially from G1. I think that may be why Classics Prime is rated so high...he's the first G1 Prime many newer collectors purchased.

 

Sweet! My choice took top spot in the "everything else" category

 

How MP-01 is "better" than MP-10 is beyond me.

I mean that's like saying G1 prime is Better than MP-01.. While each has their place and are both cool.
Aside from being big and having diecast I fail to see any reason to so much as look at my MP-01 compared to MP-10 anymore..
But to each their own I guess.

 

Excellent article.

I couldn’t agree more with all of these. Well done.  

 

I'll give you my personal answer to that Question.
A) he was out and in my collection years before
B) he scales with MP Megatron & Starscream.
C) he's just flat out glorious!

So years later when MP-10 rolls around, he's just a big, "so what" in my mind.