My KO Megatron came with 2 smiling faces and no angry face lol. It's surprisingly good quality, though. Gonna have to get the head upgrade to get that face.

 

does anyone know if theres any place to buy the KO Maketoys Battle tanker? i tried sirtoys, aliexpress and ebay so far.

 

I think both the KO and original are sold out. Sorry. Aren't they both a bit old now?

 

yeah just thought it might be worth asking. I might have another way to get one tho now however.

 

I mean, they're pretty cheap, relatively speaking. Why choose?  

I have both, and here's the skinny:

WJ POTP PREDAKING:
I love the original Hasbro version of this set, and I love the KO too. WJ improved on some of the simplifications of the original design, but overall they're still very blocky and retro looking - very much like the G1 toys with added joints.

With big backpacks, but honestly... those leg "backpacks" on Tantrum and Headstrong don't bother me nearly as much as I thought they would. And the way they facilitate an awesome combined mode (one of the best ever) out of 5 same-sized bots is pretty cool.

The styling is actually slightly different than the Hasbro version. This is especially notable on Predaking's head, and the wings, but in fact just about every part in the set has been remolded in some small way. However, it still looks pretty good. Overall POTP/WJ Predaking is weirdly blocky considering how bulbous and curved the original G1 is - almost making it look MORE retro than the 1980s version. The new enlarged wings are cool, but I find the articulated feathers don't add much. They look a bit sparse when you fan them out, and I'm always adjusting them because inevitably, at least one will look crooked.

I prefer the more flowing design (which the JinBao version has) but the articulation, stability, and posing potential of the WJ/POTP makes it amazing in-hand (especially if you like to handle your toys). Comparing with the Hasbro version, I'd say the ratchets in the major joints are weaker... but there are more of them, and they're still very strong. The combined mode is rock-solid, stands like a champ, and can easily be carried round the house without stuff falling off.

The extra joints in the fingers are great, though one down side is that they tend to be harder to lock into position to hold stuff firmly. For example, the sword that comes with WJ Computron (which was obviously designed for Predaking) locks into the Hasbro fist pretty solidly, but exerts too much weight against the more-articulated fingers of the WJ version. It's a minor issue, but worth mentioning.

The new articulation and improved design of the WJ set is contrasted by harder plastic that I worry might be more brittle than the tough, slightly softer plastic of the original set. Nothing has broken on my set, and it seems very strong... just a feeling I get from it. I wouldn't want to drop it on a hard floor (while the Hasbro wouldn't worry me).

One more mild concern I have - WeiJiang used a gold-coloured plastic for a lot of parts on this figure, including some crucial load-bearing joints (like the waist). In my experience it can take many years for Gold Plastic Syndrome to reveal itself... but I've had it happen to me enough times that I'm a bit paranoid about the kind of gold-ish hard plastic on this set.

No QC issues to report on my set.

JINBAO PREDAKING:
Considering how HUGE the individual Predacons are, it's surprising that Jinbao's Predaking is actually shorter than the WJ version. Overall, I like the more curvy/spikey aesthetic of the Jinbao, which is more closely based on the old concept art and Studio OX designs. However, I also find this figure is way too bulky, like he's wearing a giant puffy jacket and snow-pants. Still, as a pure display piece, I think he looks powerful and impressive.

The individual Predacons are very cool designs, and look great in beast mode. The robot modes are mostly awesome, with good articulation... but JB made a weird choice. The original MMC molds had TINY heads, so JB enlarged all the heads on theirs. This looks fine on Rampage, Divebomb, passable on Razorclaw and Predaking, and downright dopey and cartoonish on Tantrum/Headstrong.

As has been mentioned, Razorclaw is WAY bigger than all the others, and his shoulders are a bit awkward due to torso-mode... but if the size doesn't bother you, he's still pretty badass looking.

The molding on this set is only okay. The plastic quality is hard and a bit cheap, but it's thick and feels very tough. The joints are firm all around and the limbs stay connected, but compared to the bulk and weight of the figure, Predaking ends up not being very much fun to pose, and doesnt' feel super stable.

My biggest beef with this combined mode is the hips, which have extra joints to make him a bit taller if you like, but feels a bit fussy and unstable. Additionally, the hip armour assembly (which gives the hips their shape) is made of folding flaps that wrap around the body weirdly. It falls off constantly, and is annoying to re-attach, and generally hampers posing. In fairness, this is a problem inherited from the original MMC set.

I also had no QC issues on my JB sets - either the black version or the normal colours.

SO...

If you just want a set to stand there on a shelf and look imposing, or to display as beasts, go with JinBao.

If you want a set to handle a lot... to pose and transform, etc... go with the Weijiang.

For me personally, if I had to keep only one, it would be the WJ in a heartbeat. But I don't hate the JB.

The heads are too big on those guys, for sure... though I always wondered if JB was inspired by the original 1980s box-art, which depicted most of the Predacons with large noggins for some reason...

I didn't have any problems like that, but it doesn't surprise me that there would be QC issues

These definitely are a couple of notches below JinBao's later sets. This definitely FEELS a bit like a big junky KO set, with the plastic and paint quality and simplifications in the designs, but still pretty good by that measure. The later JB stuff feels like proper 3rd party quality.

zmog

 

 
Got Junk!


KO CBB CW Groove's - custom Junkion's dyed and part swapped with added dyed Battle Masters!  

 

NICE! What do you use for dying? I've tried with RIT dye per a few tutorials before, but had very little success with it—maybe I wasn't using it on the right kind of plastic, I don't know.\

I'd disagree with the assessment of the beast articulation. They are also essentially bricks with limbs, just more articulated limbs than the POTP set. Beast modes were really the draw for me so I found these exceptionally disappointing. It was impossible to get a natural-looking pose out of the cats. Same with Tantrum and Headstrong, they just feel like a big block with some tiny legs. Divebomb was the worst offender and just a giant square block with feet that can't stand because of the way they are jointed and a wing pack slapped on. Really? The only way to display him in bird mode is to try to find a flight stand to use or lay him down on his belly. That's just kind of sad. I honestly think the wings on Divebomb might have been the only thing I liked because they have fantastic articulation and look really badass. They look even better if you plug them into one of the cats, lol

Lol. Mine constantly kept trying to move toward doing the splits while bending over at the waist. He always ended up looking like he was trying to do yoga poses on my shelf.

If you watch Ben's review of the Nero Rex set, I believe he was missing an entire limb on one of his. From what I've seen, the problems are pretty widespread, particularly with the black repaint. Seems like you got lucky, my friend  

I'd dispute "still pretty good" simply due to the contrast in quality from other similar sets I have that I paid the same money or less for: JJ Jet Commander, JB Warbotron, and JB Gravity Builder. The quality on this set is so laughably beneath those it's kind of pathetic. Obviously, Jinbao got their act together and significantly upped the ante with later offerings so this is a "first attempt" kind of situation. That being said, I still can't in good conscience recommend this set to anybody at the prices I usually see it going for, especially if you want the upgrade kits included.

 

Is this guy a KO of anything specific? Or just a generi-bot?

 

Speaking of Jinbao, I wonder if they'll ever try their hand with another combiner - I'd love a KO OS of TFM Havoc. But I'm guessing that with their recent direction of KO OS'ing Newage Megatron and now the Seekers (and previously DX9 Dutch), they probably make more money selling Legends figures than colossal combiner sets.

 

Thanks!  

I've tried the RiT powder sachet dyes but the stronger RiT DyeMore liquid bottles of dye seem to be pretty potent, just be careful not to leave the plastic in for too long or the heat will warp your bits!  

 

From 0:30 to 2min30 here:

Looks like an OLD Roadbots Aerobot figure... sirtoys has it on its website Roadbots Aerobot - Roadbots - SirToys.com

 

The type of plastic can make a big difference. Some types soak up the dye readily, while others remain frustratingly impermeable. Generally, the softer plastics tend to be the most absorbent, while clear plastic resists any pigment.

I've tried it with RIT and TINTEX, and the RIT has the better results by far. Also, putting a few drops of acetone (ie nail polish remover) into your dye mixture can help, since it helps make the plastic more porous (though you definitely want to be careful since acetone will otherwise melt plastic on direct contact.

Generally, the absorbancy is a bit uneven. Unless you really saturate something or darken it basically to black, you'll end up with slightly mottled results, which is great if you want something to look a bit dirty or battle-hardened.

I've dyed several times, but often with very different results. I used blue dye to turn a Cybertron Defense Red Alert faded navy blue (originally intended to become a Doubledealer) but over the years, the blue tone faded to a slightly purpley grey. I also dyed a Classics Dropshot from pale yellow to a mottled olive green, which makes him look very military. I also dyed an Energon Blight a similar olive green, and an Energon Stormcloud to a nice rich black.

It's a messy, risky process, so I've never made up my mind on whether it's really worth it - even though TFs are rather tricky to paint as well. As others have pointed out, be cautious. I recommend dyeing in vehicle mode when possible. It tends to hold the parts together, which reduces warping, and mostly ensures that the figure will still transform even if the parts shift a tiny bit. [/QUOTE]

I think it depends on what you're expecting. Generally, alt-modes don't have a lot of articulation, and so I don't really look for that much from beast modes. Divebomb has lots of jointing in his wings and neck, and his talons are jointed, which puts him ahead of most TF birds/pterodactyls. All the land beasts have several joints in their legs, paws, and haunches, and some neck and jaw articulation. I guess it never occurred to me that a bull or rhino would have anything more than that (like, a mid-body joint or something?). Rampage and Razorclaw actually DO have mid-body joints too!

They aren't perfect. The cats are a bit too elongated, with short necks, while the bull/rhino are too thick and fat. I think the beast designs could be better-looking and maybe more articulated even... but I think you're maybe holding the beast modes to a bit of an unrealistic (and really, unprecedented) standard.

Huh... weird. Neither of my JB Razorclaws tend to go splits. The hip ratchets are actually really strong, but also the lower legs are so flat, there's not much room for them to slide apart. The ratchets are more firm (relative to the weight of the figure) than my MMC original (though this is with the legs at full extension). However, like I said before, you're still pretty limited. In spite of all his joints, the only pose Predaking really pulls off is basically just... standing there.

Sounds like it! Actually, I didn't get mine all in one set, but piecemeal, and some of them second-hand, so that might have helped (since otherwise the seller would have needed to specify that something was missing or unpinned).

If you paid that much for JB Predaking, then I see your point. I got my set later, and didn't pay more than $10-$20 each for mine (and I have some of the upgrade set parts too, but not all... in fact, I got some of these from Tef!   ).

I wouldn't pay more than $80 for JB Predaking, at most. I'm surprised that sellers are listing it at higher prices. Definitely, Jet Commander, JB Warbotron, and the JB Gravity Builder are all MUCH better sets, and much more bang for your buck!

I've always wondered that. I have two of these Happywell jet-bots, and I've always been sort of partial to them. Aside from the big stupid head, they're not bad as far as cheap bots go. I always assumed that they were retro-engineered from the Macross 7 Stealth Valkyrie, but I don't know the original toys well enough to say if they were obvious copies.

zmog

 

For those of you with ko mp44, or with tweaking mp44, please check out my mod for adding lights to eyes. Nice and simple!

 

If you're judging everything against G1 alt modes...sure. Thirty-five years later i tend to expect a little better. I know the MMC set is older, but as a fan of various animals I'd still have expected a bit more posability...if an animal can't look natural its not worth much to me. Much in the same way a few members here have expressed an intense dislike of alt vehicles that can't roll freely. I wouldn't expect a KO set from an older source set to match Cang Toys Predacons or anything, but I still felt the posing was extremely limited. The joints on mine were also very loose, making even getting to those half-assed beast poses a nightmare.

Sure, it's subjective, based on what your level of expectation, or rather your familiarity with how an actual animal should be jointed. I could just as easily accuse your expectations of being overly lax  

The quote of yours I was responding to was talking about Predaking, not Razorclaw  

Seems you inadvertently made the right choice, for sure. I bought as a set and definitely regretted it (as have many others I'm acquainted with).

 

Thanks, fellas!

 

I have no idea what these are, but I got them today and am kind of loving the little guys. I'd been eyeballing these on Ali Express where they were $7-8 each. Over the weekend I found the set on Amazon with Prime shipping for $20. They actually have really nice beast articulation considering the size (around 1.5" to the top of the beast shoulder, and roughly 3.5" tall in bot mode). Joints are stiff, and the paint is nicely done. The metallic colors like the red, green, and blue are not done justice by the photo. In reality, they have a wet, glossy sheen to them like a nice, deep automotive clear coat.



Please forgive the photo background...I've just realized how many custom projects I have lined up and that time us going to get very scarce to work on them in 8 months so I'm on a tear, lol

EDIT: I see these combine somehow...haven't had a chance to check it out, but a four member combiner should be...uniquely proportioned.

 

Interesting--they look like they borrow a lot of cues from Energon Ravage. They look pretty cool!

 

I think you're being rather unfair. I'm certainly not comparing them to G1-era beast-modes. There's absolutely no question that they are far, far better than those old bricks - or less subjectively, far more articulated than those at least. So I think that's a spurious comparison.

Instead, I'm comparing them to more or less every single beast-mode we've gotten in the past 20 years of Transformers collecting, including most 3rd party items, and most especially in the vicinity of 2012 when these were designed.

Not to be difficult, but just to cut through the noise of subjectivity and arrive at a fair assessment here.

For the sake of accuracy, Rampage/Razorclaw have 6 points-of-articulation in each front leg (including back-forth and side-side), and 4 points on the hind legs. Tantrum/Headstrong have 4 points-of-articulation in each beast leg, 3 of which are multidirectional ball-sockets. All of these guys have full mid-body rotation. Rampage even has an extra flex joint in there (due to housing Predaking's elbow). Both have a large range of motion on their beast necks, and articulated jaws. You can get a fair bit of expression out of them. To be more realistic, the beast necks should be longer, jutting out of the shoulders more, though not many beast-bot designs get that right.

Maybe you can you supply some examples of figures that are contemporary with (or even later than) JB Feral Rex, which do demonstrate the levels of articulation you consider to be an acceptable and realistic standard?

Because I really can't think of many transforming G1-themed beast-robots that have the kind of articulation you seem to be advocating.  

Er... Razorclaw's hips ARE Predaking's hips, obviously. I am referring to the joints on the specific component of Predaking that forms the hips, but there should be no confusion. Very clearly we are talking about the same thing.

To be more explicit, my JB Predaking's hip joints (on both Razorclaws, black and regular) are very tight, and easily strong enough to hold an A-stance, even on a smooth surface. Part of this is due to the combined mode's large footprint and relative lightness for its bulk. It's not an extremely stable figure, but the hip joints aren't the problem on mine.

By comparison, my MMC version can stand ok, but the joints are a bit softer, and it might slip a bit on a smooth surface - though I've never had him go full splits. I think that the MMC version is a bit heavier relative to his size and his joints, so he holds his weight less well. It's hard to believe that when this figure came out (probably around 2013 by the time all the components were available) it was the sturdiest combiner we'd yet gotten. A lot has changed since then.

Meanwhile, the later JB Gravity Builder is VERY heavy, and I think there's a bit too much play in the joints, leading to strong tendency to lean forward or back.

Yeah, it's maybe even possible that the ones released as a complete set had more QC issues. I've heard that happens sometimes, where the quality control drops on subsequent runs of a figure.

I don't know what run my JB Predacons are all from... maybe mixed? However, I would say that the black set definitely feels lower-quality than my colour set. Not sure why... maybe just psychological.

zmog

I saw these on Sirtoys a while back. They look very neat, and the beast modes are very clearly modeled/inspired by ZOIDS designs. The transformations are a bit simple (was never a big fan of the "robot-on-all-fours = beast mode!" approach) but the style is very cool. I was a bit disappointed when I saw how small they were though... kind of wish they were an inch or two larger.

zmog

 

I was exaggerating to make a point with the G1 comment, not trying to win points on a debate team through factual presentation, lol. I can grant they are obviously better than that...but it's still a pretty low bar to clear. I was really just being facetious with that comment.

I wasn't collecting 8 years ago, so I can't really speak to contemporaries of the MMC or Jinbao sets. Currently, Cang Toys Predacons and TFC's Astaroth are doing a great job. MMC'S Ravage was pretty good as well. Still, the lack of a better alternative doesn't make something great by default. Althoigh...Cang's Ferocious and MMC's Jaguar also lack proper head articulation. In fact, it might actually be better on the MMC/JB Predacons. Good point there.

Although, after your breakdown of the actual joints in the JB set I concede that the articulation might not be the base problem I had (and forgive me for the belated realization, they've been in a box for almost a year). Rather, I think its the general bricky-ness of them that ruins any chance of them looking good to me. In particular, the transition on most member from a big brick of a body to big brick shoulder/hips to skinny lower legs looks awkward and unnatural. Granted, as an artist who enjoys drawing all manner of zoological entities it may grate on me harder than it will others. However, even discounting that, the QC issues I've seen firsthand in both the traditional colored and Nero Rex sets make it impossible for me to recommend anybody pick this up as a gift set.

To be fair, your exact words were that neither of your Razorclawd did the splits. There's a large difference between the weight of Razorclaw by himself and combined mode with everybody else piled on. My Nero Rex constantly tries to slide sideways doing the splits and twisting at the waist for a lovely pyramid pose

No, that's not in your head at all. The traditional colored version feels a little sturdier and less flimsy/fragile in my experience. It seems like they rushed the black one out the door to meet demand or something. Even the paint apps are less messy on the original.

Its still a fun little set, but no...definitely don't buy it for the combined mode, lol

 

Mein eyes! Ze goggles, zey do nuttink!