For your most wanted chars, be they common, rare and inbetween, is the toy you have your ideal representation? Pretty close? Disappointing?

I'll start.

Acid Storm figure-Generations I think?
He's small, but very nice. His sculpt is really good, his colors are vibrant, he's sturdy too. I have no complaints about him and frankly love him. Though I don't remember if he turns into a tetra jet or an f-15.

 

Yes

 

I have most versions (minus Q-tf, kre-o, prime legends class, and construct-bot) of g1 smokescreen. In this case id say that yes i have several ideal representations.

G2 smokescreen, i have the og figure and a custom i made. Just not the movie version. G2 fig is a pretty good representation i think. Its a shame that that universe datsun mold didn't get the g2 paint scheme.

 

It's very rare that I think a toy could be really improved upon (only Siege Prowl and the obviously slightly rubbish 'masters come to mind). But that's a result of being old enough to remember toys looking nothing like their inspiration and loving them anyway, and being ignorant of a newfound love's history.

 

Thunderhoof figure-RiD15 1-step. Does he have issues? Of course. His head has latching issues. Do I wish he was articulated? Totally. Do I love him anyway? Yes. Do I wish I'd gotten an ideal TH to go along with? Yes.

 

Siege Jetfire is the only Jetfire I'll ever need.

 

Starscream figure-Titan Warriors. Is he articulated and can he transform? Nope! But he's solid and good looking and he was cheap and I started looking for one shortly after my daughter got hers. He is photogenic and fun to play with and I don't plan on replacing him.

 

Said this before but Hasbro is spoilin us fan rotten with SS and WFC and it only took them like... 12 years! to understand we want more accurate in scale figures from Movie and G1 and not kiddie gimmick toys, teeny tiny Jetfires and Leader class Bumblebees.

It's like the endgame of mainline collecting. How can there possibly be a more cartoon accurate G1 Prime than Earthrise Prime.. for $50? After Hasbro exhausts their Movie and G1 supply of characters I wonder where the franchise will go from here.

 

MP Ironhide is excellent...but a transforming tracked sled formed from the alt mode would be tits-on-grandpa...

 

Id love to see them go into other lines. G2, BW, UT*.

*i know we've been getting UT stuff but i want more.

What? How have i never heard this quote before? That is the most confused thing ive ever read. I love it.

 

Whaaa???  

 

crosses fingers... Generations Beast Wars.

 

It's a common saying around these parts...analogous to, "ice cream sundae with a cherry on top"...except with funnier visuals...Lol...

 

Yes for the most part they are. The MP line has that covered for mostly but increasingly I've found myself drawn towards 3P offerings to get exactly what I want (now the focus of the MP line has become so specific). Basically it's MP Beast Wars, Flame Toys/MMC IDW stuff and a mixed bag of TakaraTomy, Fanstoys, Maketoys, MMC and Magic Square for G1. I gotta say recent changes in the CHUG line have me sort of wondering if I hitched my wagon to the wrong horse, my interest has also been piqued by the 3P legends market as a more affordable way to collect.

 

Only recently I've discovered that in one obscure continuity, G2 Smokescreen is G1 Smokescreen having defected to the Decepticons.
Same thing with G1 and G2 Eagle Eye.

Since Titans Return, Hasbro and Takara have surpassed themselves with modern updates such as Legends Blurr and Hardhead, the Siege Seekers and Reflector, even Titans Return Wheelie.

The last few years with these lines have give me what I feel is the definitive version of many lesser known G1 Transformers.

Other figures include:

Titans Return

Quake
Triggerhappy
Slugslinger
Misfire
Weirdwolf
Skullcruncher
Mindwipe
Topspin
Kup
Takara Brainstorm
Trypticon
Krok
Doublecross
Repugnus
Chase
Bumblebee
Brawn
Seaspray
Sixshot
Sky Shadow
Windblade
Perceptor

Power of the Primes

Rodimus Prime
Tailgate
Windcharger
Slash
Beachcomber
Outback
Blot
Sinnertwin
Rippersnapper
Cutthroat
Hun-gurrr
Nemesis Prime

Siege

Red Wing
Reflector
Megatron
Optimus Prime
Shockwave
Cog
Six Gun
Brunt
Ultra Magnus (the original bearer of the name)
Starscream
Thundercracker
Skywarp
Nova Storm
Ion Storm
Acid Storm
Apeface
Impactor
Hound

Masterpiece

Grapple
Rumble
Frenzy
Ratbat
Laserbeak
Buzzsaw

There are still G1 figures which remain my ideal representations though some have third party upgrades...

Ironhide
Ratchet
Prowl
Jazz
Stepper
Smokescreen
Sideswipe
Sunstreaker
Red Alert
Crosscut
Clampdown
Hoist
Wheeljack
Soundwave
Soundblaster
Scourge
Scorponok
Point Blank
Afterburner
Kick Back
Bombshell
Shrapnel
Sparkstalker
Flamefeather
Cindersaur
Carnivac
Snarler
Octopunch
Rotorstorm
Scorch
Hurricane
Boss

Third Party

MFT Chromedome
KFC Steeljaw
KFC Ramhorn
KFC Eject
KFC Rosanna
Papa Toys Hot Rod
Fansproject Dead End
Fansproject Breakdown
Fansproject Wildrider
Fansproject Motormaster
Fansproject Drag Strip
Ocular Max Inferno
Fansproject Swindle
Fansproject Blast Off
FP Growl
FP Fireshot


Random series...

CW Long Haul
CW Scrapper
CW Mixmaster
CW Scavenger
CW Hook
CW Bonecrusher
CW Off Road
CW First Aid
CW Legend Groove
Robotmasters Mirage
Robotmasters Lio Convoy
Robotmasters Optimus Primal
Botcon Dreadwind
Botcon Double Punch
Botcon Treadshot
Energon Arcee
Device Label Tigatron though the jaw is more delicate than gold plastic.
Chug Wipe Out
CHUG Trailbreaker
Chug Cyclonus
CHUG Whirl
Botcon Huffer
CHUG red Voyager Powerglide

Knock Offs

Korean oversized ko Onslaught
OS CW Blackjack
OS CW Viper
OS POTP Grimlock
OS POTP Snarl
OS POTP Swoop
OS POTP Sludge
OS POTP Slag

I got too into this but I have all of the above toys and more. I couldn't imagine replacing any of them soon. Sorry for the long winded post.

 

MP Wheeljack is pretty spot on for me. Even the regular release has everything I thought I'd need in Wheeljack.

 

Robot Heroes BW Inferno is just a bit too small.

 

Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

I think they can still do better on Whirl & Roadbuster.
I'll never get a decent Cosmos because I don't believe those characters need to stay mini just because they were mini in G1.
Siege Apeface is a huge disappointment but what choice do I have? KFC is too big & too expensive.
Cybershark could definitely be better.
30th Doubledealer sucks & the new one will be too small just like all the Siege/Earthrise leaders.
Hasbro totally forgot to make Ransack, Barrage & Venom.
I have a feeling Earthrise Runamuck will be tiny like Cliffjumper so that sucks. I'm not paying $20 for a Legends class.
They still haven't made the definitive Wheeljack.
Misfire, Triggerhappy & Slugslinger are too small & should've been voyagers.
ROTF tank Megatron is gray & I had to totally repaint him silver.
Hasbro's Predacons are pure shit. Thank God for 3rd party Ares.
Botcon Alpha Trion is cool but it's still just a Vector Prime repaint. They haven't made a decent Alpha Trion yet.

 

Pretty much what everyone says about Studio Series. Barricade and Carkick to be specific (...and I didnt buy much this year), in regards to 'but he doesn't triple-change'... totally not fussed, at all.

Prime Shockwave. Quite show-accurate, and I loved this representation of him. Shame about his restricted ankles. Also I'm still mulling over whether to take the plunge on SS Shocky.

@Aimless Misfire I'm hoping Runamuck/Runabout (always getting those two mixed up) is good regardless of any sizing gripes people may have. Had the black one as a kid so the nostalgia based hype is driving me nuts.

 

Well, I’m a toys-first guy so ... Although it really isn’t that black and white. I like a mix- mainly toy with cartoon/comic influence where it adds to the toy. Giving Ironhide and Ratchet heads? Good. Making the figures super plain to match the streamlined for animation design? Not so much ... Leaving off essential details like Prime’s truck mode silver stripe? Unequivocally bad.

I honestly don’t have an “ideal representation” these days, apart from “stepped right out of the cartoon” not being it. I go for fun and interesting looking.

Oh. And “not IDW”. That’s also a key element for me.