These look so god damn amazing but how do I tell myself to get one instead of a masterpiece or off-brand or even a statue? I see Tarn is sold out at BBTS ffs so I know I’m not alone. Someone try to sell me on these.
I'm in a similar situation, I'm interested in their Star Saber mainly for the extreme posability. I absolutely love giant robots with giant swords that I can put in all the crazy poses I can think of so I might decide to treat myself with that figure, but when I think that for the same money I can buy a 3p 20 inches combiner...it's not an easy decision.
I love their Drift figure... already have the SG version ordered These were originally posted in the Cool Stuff 2018 thread... The figure itself is beautiful; it has lots of great detail and is far more poseable than a transforming figure as it doesn't have to accommodate a transformation scheme. I won't be getting Tarn as I don't feel any particular connection to the character, but that too is a beautiful rendition of the character. Of my non-transforming figures (as opposed to statues), this is by far the best; Hot Toys Optimus and ThreeA Squeaks are good, but this just blows them both out of the water
Yeah Star Saber stands out to me even tho I have the masterpiece. Kuro version isn’t hampered by combination gimmicks so it comes off more true to form as a anime mecha.
They are amazing because a purely robot-mode goes, they are unmatched. No other figure will pose or look as premium as they do Obviously transforming is a big minus but look at it this way, most people keep their Masterpiece-tier figures in robot mode and there are some that keep them only as a display piece, in which case these guys are without peer.
I have drift on my desk at work and just got Tarn. The cost is crazy and I don't even tell my wife because even though she's understand she'd give me crap about buying $350 figured. These figures are so good I've decided to cut back on collecting any 3P or regular TFs anymore and just collect these. Tarn is even better than Drift in that the joints are tighter to accommodate the heft and weapons and accessories are better. Drift's only advantage he's got more and better lighting gimmicks imo and Tarn has great looking but false lights that could have been wired up. I immediately preorderd Star Saber from USAGundamStore because they had a 10% off coupon active. One final note is that while it looks like Flame Toys is going to reprint occassionally there's likely to be long term appreciation on these figures as demand over time increases due to word of mouth and quality. It looks like Drift is OOS at most e-tailers and ebay's average price is 400+ which bodes well given the age of the figure and long term demand to be fulfilled or subside.
Drinking game: Visit any Star Saber thread, and take a shot every time someone says "He looks like a Gundam". You'll be hammered before you reach page 2.
Been collecting a long time. Have all the Takara Masterpieces & 3rd Party which Takara has not released or did better. I also collect Bandai Metal Build & Sentinel Super Robots. I believe there is collaboration between Sentinel / Flame Toys & it shows up in accolades. I picked up Drift & was blown away by the awesome design, build & paint which makes for a true Masterpiece. Recently Tarn hit unpackaged and was blown away again these two easily match up to any of my premium collection pieces which varies from Metal Build Strike Freedom to Sentinel Mazinkaiser.............that said Flame Toys actually trumps which is a hard fact. If you can swing in lock in. Ummm yeah Star Saber pre-ordered!!!!!!!!!!!!
...i tend to keep my seekers in jet form, but you're still correct: most everybody else stays in robot mode other than an occasional transformation here-and-there... ...that said, my biggest constraint against these huge super-detailed figures is finding enough room to do their display justice, especially the characters with epic wingspans!..hmm, maybe i should hang my seekers from the ceiling like model aircraft, to free up some shelf space?..
It looks like a Gundam, because it\'s no real coincidence: - (Source: - Star Saber (Victory) - Transformers Wiki ) The added irony here is that this version is as non-transformable as most (but not all) other Gundams. For me, that begs the question of its relevance and/or financial worth. Why pay so much for this, when there are similar Gundam kits or a transforming MP Starsaber (for possibly less money)?
Huh, Bumblebee is interesting but weird. His head is off in that way KO Transformers always seem to be. (Realizing this isn’t a KO but an actual licensed 3P product, but the KOs almost never seem able to get the faces right) and why a hammer? Random. I like the heli-pack, reference to his Actionmaster version, right? Star Sabre on the flip side looks totally amazing, but also totally off brand. Way too Gundam-y. I mean, as a stand alone figure he’s jaw-dropping, just doesn’t really look like a Transformer outside of his heads (which unlike BB look fantastic)
God damn this Star saber is beautiful. And impressive with what we can see him pulling off. I’m excited for this figure. Also it’s not a gundam. You know how you tell? He has autobot symbols.
Ahhhh, thank you... after it took 2-3 tries to get through AoE and TLK got even worse reviews I passed on even watching...
I'm the one who added that bit about the Gundam designer into the wiki and made his page, so having to explain it so many times has me exhausted
It looks nice, but $400 for a toy? I'd rather pay extra on the mortgage one month and own my house that much sooner than buy a museum piece that I'll be afraid to touch.
400 dollars for a non-transforming Transformers toy. Basically an overpriced Actionmaster. Looks nice, at least. Anyway, when's that fully transforming 3P Star Saber coming out? Well, not really, a TRUE masterpiece TF actually transformers... THAT'S all you could come up with? Anyone could slap some repros onto an equivalent looking Gundam and your argument is gone, straight out the airlock.