New Images of Upcoming Henkei Skyfire

Jetfire / Skyfire which ever you prefer.



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What is with Takara and their random chroming? Anyhoo, meh. Not interested. I think he's lost some of the visual appeal of the original.

I prefer the Hasbro version, don't like the chrome thrusters, and the cockpit's way too tiny.

Now if someone could explain to me why I sold my Classics Jetfire, anyone, anyone at all?!?

Slightly off topic: The first Henkeis, in general, were better than the Classics versions, but the recent ones have some odd colour/chrome/detail choices. The optimum collection will have quite a disparate mix.

It's not really better or worse then Hasbro's, just different. Unless your a completist or just want Henkei, I don't think it warrants a purchase.

Very nice. I like the blue he has around the collar. Sweet thrusters.

I grew up on G1 chrome. And I love it.

On the fence about him because I don't like how the arms are kinda just "there" in his jet mode. Big pet peeve of mine.

I can kinda dig just how close they're trying to get to the original cartoon version, but the nose does look a bit lackluster now.

I actually prefer the nose like that; the smaller cockpit window seems to suit it IMO. The head looks really nice too. However, there's not really enough differences to warrant me buying him again.

I really like the way the head is painted, along with the white details on the fastpack, and I don't really mind the chrome boosters.

but the loss of paint apps on the nose make it look really bland, and the smaller cockpit window looks absolutely terrible, even if it is accurate to the cartoon. it looks "decent" in robot mode, but like shit in jet mode.

also, the piece that flips down in front of his face is really distracting in blue.

I think he looks better in bot mode and worse in jet mode... since I passed on him in the US due to not really being a Jetfire fan (now i've changed on the mold itself since i have Dreadwing and I love that blue Treadbolt)...and it seems he's more expensive than the Henkei one at this point, i'll pick this one up

This is probably the only Henkei I really dislike. The otehrs are just "Meh" to me, but this one just looks bad.

Points for making it realy close to teh show. Nobody can say Takara didn't give it their all in that department.

I find it quite nice actually. Only the painted blue piece that looks out of place, but I don't mind the whiteness or small cockpit, looks good to me But since I own the Hasbro one, I don't have any desire to get this one.

Out of all the Henkei line, this one doesn't look all that bad to me. It still suffers badly from the completely random and pointless use of chrome. The only reason I would ever buy this would be to kitbash it to look more like Skyfire. Basically get rid of the helmet and arm guns, so some heavy mods to the back-pack, and then add some more paint details to him.

While i don't mind that Takara went cartoon specific and has some nice elements in the deco, ultimately this does not look as good as the Hasbro version. The Hasbro version had a nice pattern on the top of the wings, that was maintained no matter which direction the wings were swept. Not to mention it was a nice modern take on Skyfire's deco. To me, Hasfire looks exciting, while Taktomfire looks bland in comparison.

Nice attempt but it looks halfway there. I'm happy for those of you who wanted the cartoon colors though.

This is a good example of a cartoon accurate color scheme does not automatically make the toy more appealing.

It's weird, somewhere along the way I did a complete 180 on this figure. I bet I could even go back to old threads about it and find my own disparaging posts about it. But now I really, really like it.

I think the change came when I saw the upcoming Skyfire bust, and realized that in robot mode the Henkei Skyfire really DOES look much more G1-cartoon-influenced (versus the U.S. version, which is more G1-toy-influenced). It's the small black chest vents and bulky, almost puffy white chest that do it, as well as the blue accents.

I still prefer the U.S. version's deco in plane mode, but in robot mode this one really does look quite nice. As for the chrome... well, I've never minded the chrome on the Henkeis, in fact I kinda dig it. And this is less obtrusive than some others (say, Rodimus, who miraculously found a way to look even more garish).

So I'll be getting this. Heck, it's even named differently.... I think there is room in my collection for both a Jetfire and a Skyfire.

Yay, double-post-o-rama! One post for each Jetfire....

Unimpressive.

I like it. It's the only Henkei figure I'm interested in getting so far.

interestin!

Wow. I thought the Hasbro version sucked balls and passed on it. But this is awesome.

Finally! It does look good, but this one isn't enough to get. Chrome boosters? Eh... I love the chrome, but that seems kinda pointless.

pass on the chrome, just horrible.

Glad I can pass on this one with no regrets.

the cockpit kind of ruins for me. I guess I'm gonna chip in the extra scratch and get a classics Jetfire instead.

Looking around at pictures of Skyfire in the cartoon, Henkei Jetfire and Classics Jetfire... isn't the Hasbro cockpit canopy more show accurate? The Henkei one looks too small.

This is why it has become a must buy for me.

Most of the other Henkais that were released I eagerly passed on. Due to not caring about the new colors or not caring about the mold itself.

But this guy, this guy I'll get. The original Classics Jetfire always turned me off for some reason but this guy doesn't do that. So I'll gladly add him to my shelves and finally get a quality Jetfire....after somehow modding the helmut so it doesn't look so ridiculous.

The piece behind the cockpit that's painted blue is the jet's airbrake. Because the toy was never designed to copy Skyfire exactly, TakaraTomy tried to 'fake' Skyfire's twin canopies by... painting the airbrake blue.

Oh, and for those people who go on about G1 chrome - GI chrome was used where appropriate on the real-world vehicle. Eg, chrome grills, hubcaps and fenders.

Henkei's chrome is 'shove it where we can fit it', and certainly none of the G1 planes ever had vac-metal chrome.

Because the arms are "just there" ?! Or because of the Blue Collar, or the chrome thrusters?

I thought the images were going to be in the quote. I like him mostly for all the G1 cartoon references. The chrome does not bother me, I plan on keeping him in bot mode for display anyways so the arms in jet mode are not an issue either.

So is Jetfire not good enough for front page material?

Its cool and all but why don't they come out with this stuff first so I wouldn't have to buy twice?

what are you talking about, this is a different company, not Hasbro releasing a repaint.

I know this guy's getting a lot of hate because of the smaller canopy and what not, but I'm thrilled that we're getting a true "Skyfire" figure soon.

That is exactly what I was thinking, this isn't Jetfire, this is Skyfire.

I am not that happy with the chrome thrusters, but the rest of it I love. I actually think if the thrusters were only chrome on the inside it would be awesome. But as it is the Chrome is just too in your face.

Oh well most likely keep my preorder for it.

Looks pretty good but I think I am sticking with my Classics one in this one case.

Is this the one that kept switching from Autobot to Decepticon allegience? The one that's going to be the Blackbird in the movie. I remember him as a kid, allways wanted him. I just don't remember him changing allegiences.

He didn't keep changing allegiences. When he was thawed Starscream found him who convinced him the autobots were evil. He soon found out starscream was lying and switched to the autobots.

He looks freakin awesome. I have him on preorder!

I have a feeling I'll be swapping parts from both the Hasbro and the Takara to give me my ideal Jetfire. The cockpit's actually a good selling point for me; It makes him look very different from Dreadwind. Hell, if you leave the boosters off of one, side by side, they'd look almost like a retool instead of a repaint.

Still waiting on a side by side comparison gallery...

Yeah, that's the one thing you almost never see with these Henkei figures - Side by side comparisons with the Hasbro Classics.

I can appreciate what they were going for here, but Hasbro's the preferred choice for me in this case. I think the blue on the airbrake really looks out of place, regardless of what the intention for it was.

Henkei vs Classics Galleries

This is something I've noticed about Henkei - they generally fall into one of two categories - the immediate likes, like Starscream, Megatron and Astrotrain. The quest for G1-inspired colour schemes pays off in these cases (and notice how it's the Decepticons in this category?). On the other hand you get Bumblebee, Mirage and now Jetfire getting fairly... bland finishes (notice how it's the Autobots in this camp?)

Conclusion: Takara favours 'cons.

What I don't understand is why they didn't give Henkei SS a blue nose cone. It's the only thing keeping him from being a perfect homage.

I agree, I've even been thinking about swapping the nosecone with Classics SS just to give Henkei the proverbial icing on the cake.

Dang, I knew I should have kept my classics SS. Maybe I'll find one on the cheap someday.

Since I just recently aquired a G1 Jetfire I think I'm going to pass on the henkei Skyfire.

Not bad for its show accuracy, but another win for Hasbro methinks.

Henkei Mirage doesn't have "F.P. Racing" tampos. Thats a win right there !

Why? "Fuck Phazer" beats fake cigarette advertising by far.