This is why after checking out pics & vids of this mold, I went back & bought a TFA Grimlock - sure it's got a fairly simply transformation, but it's done intentionally as an homage to the G1 figure & the dino mode is very clean & poseable.

Plus, I believe the dino should be bigger than the bot & TFA Grimlock does just that & just looks great & imposing on my shelf.





Granted, there is that gap under the head, but I always pose him either totally parallel with the shelf, or with his head down like he's hunting & with the poseability of the hips, knees & ankles - he stands there just fine. Besides, there's only a gap in dino mode.
So, if you are not put-off by the Animated aesthetic, you might try to grab one.

 

Finally got this figure myself. I've waited only because of availability. Grimlock never visited my neck of the woods, so I have to settle for inflated after market prices. I couldn't bring myself to spend $60 for a $30 figure. Finally I was able to snag him off ebay for $40 with shipping.

His shortcomings are very minor, and rather typical for the recent Voyagers we've been getting (Prime Powerizers come to mind). It really wasn't until Springer/Blitzwing came along that Hasbro went back to investing engineering into the voyager line. Sure Grimlock can't compare to them, but he's still a functional figure, looks like his game counterpart, and scales well with classics/generations.

As much as I like Classics and Universe Grimlock, I'm very glad to have a version of him that's bigger than Classics Prime (and uses the same aesthetics, unlike Animated and most of Prime).

Now if we can just get the rest of the dinobots.

 

I'm late to the party, I know, but I have only now gotten time to sit down and write. I got FoC Grimlock at the end of April from Target.com. I do not regret it one bit. I paid about $31.xx including shipping.



The hate and bile directed at this toy blows my mind. It's a friggin toy, dudes, not your significant other's engagement ring.

I'd politely ask anyone who doesn't like their FoC Grimlock and hasn't taken or sent it back by now to sell it or donate it. It could make someone else, like an underprivileged kid, very happy. It's certainly a better use of it than as skeet.  



Anyway, I like this Grimlock. He is one of my very favorite G1 characters, and as a kid T-Rex was my favorite dinosaur. When I was a kid, I had G1 Grimlock, but one of his dino arms broke off and I think my mom threw him away. Now, I have MP Grimlock, which is superior to all other Grimlock toys in every way, I'll grant you, but to me MP Grimmy is not a toy. It is a model, and I would never take it out and play with it like I do FoC Grimmy. I don't believe it is fair to compare FoC to MP, as they are made for very different purposes. I also have Classics deluxe Grimlock, and at one time owned Energon Grimlock (from the 2-pack with Swoop), but sold that one.



FoC Grmlock, IMHO, is better than all of the other Grimlock toys that I have owned. Yes, that includes G1, by virtue of having elbows, an awesome light-up gimmick, and being just fraggin' big, even bigger than Classics Prime or Jetfire. Just my opinion.



That said, the robot mode is definitely the better one than the dino mode. His arms are a little loose and his knees are a bit wonky with the extra transformation joint, but he holds all of his poses just fine. He looks great in combat stances with his sword and shield at the ready. He reminds me of Conan the barbarian as a Transformer. As far as being hollow, yeah, that's there, but I seldom ever look at him from the back.

The easy transformation doesn't bother me one bit. I don't like to spend 15 minutes changing a toy, which is why my Alternators are in storage. The dino mode looks good, better than Energon's or Classic's dino mode, and definitely appears to have more weight than either of those. Its hollow underside isn't really visible since I display him in the modern position with the tail up to counterbalance the head. I don't have a problem with the size or thickness of the tail. On the other hand, what I dislike is most apparent in this mode. I wish his hips could move with pulling them out so they look gawky. I would also prefer that his weapons stored more discreetly than they do on his hips.

He looks decent with Grimstone and his crew. I wish we could get more Dinobots, like Slug or Slag, and Swoop at minimum.



He's the Autobot's big muscle against Bruticus, at least until I get Ruination.



The bottom line is that you should buy this toy if you can avoid paying the inflated E-bay or Amazon prices and if you like Grimlock as a character. Just don't get your expectations too high. It's a toy and a fun one, not a work of art.

 

^Yeah, I think MP Grimlock is what ruined this figure for a lot of fans. They expected a miniaturized Masterpiece figure, which is unrealistic. Having him in hand I like him even more than I thought I would.

Beast Mode: Great range of movement from the legs and a fair amount from the tiny arms (which have a habit of popping off). The hollow belly isn't visible as long as he's displayed horizontally (Geewunners would complain excessively about it, since they still think the T-Rex stood upright). The tail is big but I don't see the problem with that. From the front you don't even notice it (and why would you display him any other way? That's where the teeth are). Another reason it isn't an issue for me is because Grimlock is not disguised as a T-Rex, he's a war machine. That tail is just thick enough to knock over Bruticus, which is what it should be for. The tip of the tail pegs together a little too tight, though. Very tough to pull it apart without sending the figure flying. I wouldn't mind if they sacrificed the LED in the head to give him some poseability, but I can see why they didn't. It is a toy, first and foremost. I can see kids really liking the gimmick, and the LED does work very well (unlike the ones from the Prime line).

Transformation is a no-brainer. I wouldn't expect MP quality of course, but he doesn't compare too well to newer voyagers like Springer or Blitzwing, but it serves it's purpose, and has a couple interesting twists. I like how the tail slides down into the legs, rather than just flipping out, and how the forearm panels fold down to give his arm a better shape.

Robot mode is boss without a doubt. I miss the wings, but he doesn't look any less menacing. Sculpting is excellent, paint job is top notch for Hasbro. It's very rare that they break out the metallic paint but he has a very nice sheen to his silver and gold, and the charcoal black looks fantastic as well. Gives him a kind of scorched look that I love. Headsculpt is great, and with the ball joint in his neck he gets a fair amount of movement, despite the bulk. His arms have a ton of poseability, and the legs are good. The only complaint I have is that he has no waist joint, for which there is no reason. His entire torso is one piece, there's nothing to get in the way. The hollowness doesn't bother me, either. I think the way the tail fills in the back of his legs and his backback covers his back is good enough to hide the gaps.

The engineering may not be as good as his classics iteration, he isn't quite as Geewunny as his Universe/Energon version, but he's not nearly as bad as people say. He's still the best Grimlock short of the MP version, and he's the only one that scales. Now we need a third party to get him a proper upscaled sword instead of Geewunny guns and head crap.

 

I picked up the TakaraTomy version and I really liked him. The colours of this version really makes the figure pop.

I can see why folks are complaining about the hollowness of this figure in dinosaur mode. However, it does not bother me due to the new 'posture' of the T-Rex mode.

There were no loose joints either.

No only issue I noted was that the light-up gimmick was not working but I have not opened and check if batteries were included.

I really hope we get to see more Dinobots in this line like Slug and Sludge.

 

There is a slip of plastic that is wedged between the batteries contact point. Yank it out and your lights will be working fine.

 

Gah! Didn't notice that! Thanks for pointing it out dude!  

 

Received Takara Grimlock!

He is a boss.

Paint job is fantastic. DEF worth the extra money.

 

Got any pics of yours? Some of the Takara Grimmy pics I've seen previously have been kinda inconsistent.

 

anyone seen the planet x FOC Swoop?
wonder if theyll doo all the dinobots and re do grimlock

 

Here are two pics of mine:





The dark gray together with the metallic gold make a great combination that definitely improves upon an otherwise "meh" figure.

 

The one reason that I got the TT version. The paint apps are top notch.

 

Got mine last night despite already owning the Hasbro version, and standing them next to each other the TT is vastly superior. Glad I double dipped on this one. The Hasbro version looks desaturated and washed out in comparison.

 

How do you lock the legs together in dino mode and the shoulders together in robot mode? Mines are incredibly loose. I can hardly make him stand in dino mode

 

I have the same problem with the legs in dino mode.He would actually end up doing the splits in dino mode LOL.

 

The Takara version is a definite improvement, But I'm happier with my paint-tweaked Hasbro, I think. ('specially factoring in price)

 

I actually got the legs to lock into place. You just gotta play with it a little bit. Dino mode seems much sturdier now and I actually don't think its that bad. I'm still really disappointed with the shoulders though. The right shoulder is really floppy. Would have been nice if they locked into place.

 

Oh yeah, the 3rd party Swoop looks good. I hope they release all 5 Dinobots...I will buy them.

I'm having difficulty transforming Grimlock's shoulders in robot mode...I can't get the inside shoulder joints straight.  

 

I had a nice surprise Monday morning my Takara FOC Grimlock finally arrived from HLJ. I love the paint work on the Takara version. I haven't imported a Takara figure since Rodimus Prime, but I had to get my favorite Transformer Grimmy  

 

Anyone have any tips on taking the batteries out? I just tried for about 40 minutes with a small screwdriver and tweezers and couldn't get them out :/