hmmm, i don't want to make the black panels lighter. unless you're referring to using grey on the raised areas, as opposed to painting them silver.

 

You run the marker along the raised and indented details, and then wipe excess with a paper towel or rag. It leaves just enough color in the cracks to give the paint more depth and shadow. Or do what someone else said and use a graphite pencil.

 

the whole figure is off white and only the face is painted "white" white. the figure comprises of black plastic and off white plastic, with some areas painted black or white depending if the respective plastic is black or white. so for instance the wings are actually painted off white on top of the black plastic, as the black flip side is the side mold of the train. the flap for train wheels is also black plastic with white paint for shuttle and bot leg. most of the shuttle/bot body is white plastic with black paint on areas that show for the train.

but yes, the white paint is ever so slightly off, but barely noticeable in hand. not sure why the contrast is so exaggerated in my photo. perhaps it was the lighting and how it was reflecting off.

this photo is probably a better representation of the colours. i would say i'm fairly particular about details and colours not looking right, but in this case it doesn't hit my radar.

 

Thanks for the detailed response! I think I'm going to skip this one after all; pick up MS-18 instead, sell my still sealed MS-20 (just received from baba last week), and just have one of this mold. I originally was excited mainly because "ooh white shuttle AND black train" combo but the bot mode looks kinda boring to me now, I feel OK living without it. Maybe I'll change my mind again later though, wouldn't be the first time!  

 

yeah, it's a little on the "bland" side and i wish there was just that little bit more paint app to give it a little contrast here and there. but even if i don't end up adjusting it with parts swap or some light panel outlining here and there, i still think out of the three, it's still the best deco for me. not a huge fan of purple so a purple train is out for me!  

 

Just got mine in from ShowZ. I'm literally floored at how great this figure turned out. He looks great in all three modes, the transformation is a pleasure, articulation is well above average for the scale, his joints are well-toleranced, and he's so well balanced. The only real flaw from my perspective is that there's no weapon storage in either alt mode, which I might simply be missing.




I'm a fan of figures that can kick you in the face unassisted. Easily sleeper figure of the year.

 

you can plug the blasters on both sides of the shuttle. but not found what to do with them in train mode.  

and yes, i found he can pull of some mean leans!

 

Ordered MS-18 off eBay the other day and I have a sneaking suspicion I'll end up getting the other versions too. Looking forward to Octane and Blitzwing now too!

 

Sort of tempted to get the remolded version to use as SG Astrotrain. It's... a bit of a stretch. But SG Astrotrain is pretty much just normal Astrotrain colors, with purple wings and a lot more yellow highlights.

 

Fun fact: real shuttle wings are mostly off-white, only the areas near the edge are "pure white".

 

looks like weathering to me. you sure they didn't just take a huge gundam pen to it?  

 

That's tempting me mighty to buy both versions and swap out the head on the 20B with the extra 18 version. It's pretty much my only complaint with him.

Unless someone wants to sell me the extra head of their 18?

 

That's a smart use of untabbing his leg for more articulation. Good tip!

And that alt headsculpt looks fantastic.

 

so the only way to have the blasters on the train is by opening the flaps to expose the hands to use those? that kinda sux.   but i guess an option is better than nothing.

 

I don't mind it because it looks like the flaps opened and the guns transformed out of them. How is that third gun in there though? I'm thinking it's just sitting loose and leaning against one of the purple ones.

 

without transforming and trying, i'm guessing between the bicep swivel? it's more narrow than the shoulder and fore-arm pieces, so there should be a gap there, but how tight a hold, if it holds, i don't know.

 

okay did a quick transformation and looked. MFT must have removed these small tabs for MS-18 in the semi circle cut outs at the back of the shoulders. which of course they left on the MS-20 molds.  

 

Do those tab into the gun handles? Those tabs aren't on the toon version.

 

oh really, there not there on MS-20???

oh wait, there are tab holes in the guns? i didn't even look. so yes i think you can insert those tabs in the shoulder into the gun handle. i just assumed that the gun handle would fit into that round slot if those tabs weren't there to block it from being inserted.  

let me go and try. will report back.