This list can include reissues if you want, but please have it be figures from 2021. Alright, so I waited to post this thread until Robot Paradise Soundwave was released because I figure he'll make a lot of people's year end list but it's November and I figure not much else is coming out before the New Year. I can only speak for what I bought this year...which was mostly a whole lot of older stuff. From what I did buy this year, there were a few that were stand-outs. Here they are:

1. MMC Optus Pexus. The most articulated transformer in my collection and he's sculpted to perfection.

2. ER Scorponok Reissue+DNA Kits. A gift from my brother, this thing is the best official figure to happen in a while.

3. Ocular Max Eris: Kultur. Elusive, expensive, excellent.

4. MMC Exitus. That headsculpt alone is worth his spot on my list.

5. Kingdom Optimus Primal Surprisingly well-done, it has the real world detailing I felt was missing from the MP.

Feel free to update your list if you receive any new figures over the holidays.

 

1. RP Acoustic Wave (The epitome of premium.)
2. FT Spindrift 2.0 (I love the character and this version looks exactly like how I remember him from the toon.)
3. TE Speed Star reissue (Best looking MP Mirage, even better than MMC Sphinx.)
4. LT Purple Potato (A rare case where I display a figure in alt mode because it's so good.)
5. RP Cassettes (Major improvement over the TT tapes and a better scale than MMC.)

Honorable mentions:
SS86 Gnaw (A little bit small for my collection but he's got the best robot mode of all Sharkticons so far, official and 3P.)
KFC Stratotanker 2.0 (The new faces won me over. Not a perfect figure but the best version of the character so far.)
Kingdom Pipes (He actually looks pretty good for a mainline Transformer and is a fun little figure to play with.)

Edit: Until December this had been an extremely slow year for my TF collecting with only 3 figures. Then I finally bought last year's FT Thomas. This guy inspired me a lot - and some other figures followed.

 

Crimson wings 

 

Up to now, i have FT Smokey, FT Spindrift 2.0, MP Arcee, GP Grassor re-issue, GP Graviter re-issue, and soon GP Superator re-issue once it ships.

Up to now, GP Graviter is 1st from what i have, but not sure to place he other in relation, as i like them all, and curious to see how GP Superator compares.

 

Kingdom Cyclonus. For those who've always wanted a G1-cartoon accurate Cyclonus, unite!!!  

 

I gotta wait for a few more figures to come in before I get an official list together...

But Mentis is definitely the figure of the year.

 

 

...You said it right.

 

I figure a lot of people will update their list around Christmas, I know I have Optus Nox, Crimson Wings, and Mentis coming around that time.

 

Not much came in for me this year but what I got has been fantastic.

1. Mmc Eris - she has been my deskbot since release. Something that was an aprils fool prank ended up being the highlight of the year.

2. Mmc Optus Pexus - without the engineering done on this guy I doubt Eris would have been as great as she was. Played with him until Eris showed up.

3. Crimson Wings - my definitive mp star scream. Looks amazing in both modes.

4. FT Seaspray v2 - fun little transformation.

5. Nothing else has come in this year that wasnt reissues. FT swoop and sludge were good. MT Ironwill was ok. Have yet to receive Acoustic Wave or be notified it was incoming. FT Bandit was a no show all year. GT Hotspot might come out?

So 4 new ones may be all I get this year.

 

In no particular order at this time:

• nuclear blast tfc (can’t recall if that was this year or last year)
• Commander class Rodimus
• Crimson wings
• MS Minisaur

Non-TF:

• SH Figuarts Captain Ginyu - literally perfect minus a few painted details. The sculpt is amazing.
  
• Three Zero Rebuild of Evangelion Unit 01/02
• Old releases - SSJ3 Goku and SSJ Awakening Goku
• SH Monsterarts Zinogre

 

MMC Optus Pexus- My first MMC figure. I was unaware of 3rd party figures for a very long time. OP is really fun to play with and looks amazing.

MMC Exitus- As soon as I saw Getaway in the comics, I wanted a figure of him. I think the mold suits him more than it does Rodimus.

Cang Toys Firmament- Really loving what CT is doing with the Predacons. Landbull is still my favorite from them, but Firmament is awesome, and IMO easier to transform than the previous guys.

Cang Toys Firmini- I love this little guy! My first legends figure. Definitely looking forward to the rest of the team.

I don’t really have a 5th pick. I’m still waiting on TCP to get Archecore Frost Light, UT Octane(reissue but new for me), and Iron Factory Powerglide.

 

I'm trying to remember what all I even got this year. Kingdom Cyclonus, I think, takes the top spot for sure. I might put Kingdom Rodimus on my list, too; he's not perfect, but I'm over the moon to have a new Rodimus Prime that's just trying to be Rodimus Prime with trailer gimmicks like the G1 toy and not also trying to Hot Rod. I actually didn't buy a ton of 3P stuff this year. I guess, of what I did get, Optus Pexus takes the top spot, just a really well-done figure there. I love Stellarus Prominon for what it is, but I can see why most people would be a bit less than impressed. I really wanted Fans Hobby's Naval Commander to make my list, but the QC issues kind of dampened my enthusiasm (even if they did their best to make it right by sending out replacement parts). SS86 Grimlock, Slag, Jazz, Hot Rod, Scourge, Wreck-Gar, and Gnaw were all pretty good, but I don't know if they're top five material. Maybe I'd give the last spot to the MMC Saltus Alternative I picked up. Although, I do have Planet X's Cacus on order with TCP, I could change my answer once I have him in hand.

 

I'm getting MP-52 later this week, and my guess is he'll take one of these slots. But so far the list is...

5. Earthrise Scorponok -- I'm tempted to be disappointed by how simple this thing is. Its transformation is less involved than your average deluxe, and its alt modes ain't all that. But why be a curmudgeon? He's Scorponok, he's finally of a size to go toe-to-toe with Fort Max, and he makes me feel a little like a kid again. That all counts for a lot.

4. Kingdom Cyclonus -- It takes a lot to unseat Universe 2.0 Cyclonus in my affections. This toy did a lot. All of the SS86 stuff was great, and this was the best of the bunch. (Obviously it's not technically SS86, but come on, they're not exactly trying hard to pretend SS86 and WFC are truly different lines.)

3. MMC Mnemo and Motif -- They arrived in early January so easy to forget them, but they were this year! And they're adorable.

2. MMC Mentis -- I don't think there's a figure in my collection with more personality. I dunno where I'm ultimately gonna put all the extra hands and heads, but they give you so many amazing options for posing this guy.

But of course, the number 1 spot had to go to...

1. Haslab Unicron -- If you don't have him, you probably think he's crap. You probably look at those potato chips folded up around his legs and all that back kibble, and tell yourself you want something more elegant than this overgrown shell-former. And ya know, that's all fair. But if you have it? Then you know. It's simply an epic experience unlike anything else in Transformer collecting. The planet mode in particular is simply awe-inspiring. It's a collection centerpiece.

 

So I'm basing my top 5 on what I purchased this year and in no specific order:

- CangToys Legends Firmini/Divebomb,Fun little bot and really thankful CT is offering a cheaper alternative than the MP counterpart. Also saves me a ton of space as that MP is massive lol


- IF Honekumoki/Bludgeon. Absolutely love this design especially the Oni mask. Even though it may have cracking issues,it's still has a presence and seriously can just be a stand alone piece.


- FT Smokey/Dragstrip,He looks the part and transformation thankfully isn't as annoying as Breakdown. Sucks there was no reveal of a finish combiner or even an update but still looking forward to the whole set even though I'm still on the fence of calling it quits on the set.


- BW/MS KO OS Stunticons,love this set to death! Slightly dipping my toes into Legends just to check them out and I totally understand the charm in the Legends rabbit hole. This OS KO of the MS are just fun to flip back and forth and the best part,it's affordable. Looking forward to MM this month.


And FiNALLY! I know this isn't from Transformers (sorta,Jetfire anyone!?) but this one figure held me back from buying anything this year as it wasn't cheap whatsoever and I'm glad to finally own my holy grail from Robotech/Macross:
- Bandai Dx VF1j w/GBP armor. This figure alone has a hell of presence. Looks like it jumped off the screen and once equipped with the GBP armor,its very imposing!


And that's my top 5 of the year from me. I have TE Prime coming in this week and it's possible he may take a spot but will see how it he is in person. Cheers folks!

 

Slow year for me, and limited to things I've bought only.

MMC Eris - Hefty and quite playable for what it is. MMC have my interest for the rest of this line.

Studio Series Starscream (Bumblebee Movie version) - Makes me actively upset I paid the same amount for WFC Siege Starscream, which is a shadow of the toy that this is. Characterful, fun transformation, and good looking in both modes. This is what a Cybertronian figure should be. Studio Series Voyager figures might be the most consistently excellent subset of a line ever.

IF EX-44 City Commander - I'm not a big Legends guy, but this was great fun. Minimus felt a bit tacked on, but the main figure has great presence for its size. I think this might technically have been a December 2020 release (?) but I'm putting it here.

BireFireBird Bird of Dawn - Kalavinka - The year's biggest surprise for me. I bought it on a whim because I love jet fighter Transformers and I was really really happy with it. Strong aesthetic in both modes, bundles of accessories and really well put together. It's a shame the rest of this line has been canned because I'd easily be up for more.

War For Cybertron Kingdom Leader Megatron - Hands down the best beast alt-mode on any figure, ever. The beast and robot modes ooze character. Ten years ago before everything from that line turned into a plastic origami nightmare this would have been a Masterpiece figure.

The massive caveat is that I expect that Planet X Cacus (which is on its way to me) will bump one of these.

Rest of 2021 release purchases, for context: WFCK Optimus Primal, WFCK Dinobot, WFCK Airrazor, WFC Netflix ER Optimus Prime (the leader class with no trailer ), SS Dino.

Still waiting on arrival: WFCK Tigatron, Cover Agent Ravage, Planet X Cacus

 

I think I’d say:

1. TT MP 52
2. FT Grenadier
3. Zeta Superitron
4. FT Spindrift
5. FH PowerBaser

 

1.xtb menasor
2. Deformation space crimson wings
3.Bmb sentinel Prime

 

These two, mini masterpieces imo.


This is probably my favourite, not built great but has lots of character.


Love these repaints.



Sorry if the release dates are wrong on these  

 

Of the new figures I've gotten so far:

5) MPM-12 BB Optimus
4) Robot Paradise Acoustic Wave
3) Unique Toys Nero
2) MMC Optus Pexus
1) Deformation Space Starscream

Honorable mentions -
Kingdom Cyclonus, Kingdom Rodimus, Studio Series 86 Hot Rod, NewAge Scaramanga

 

I think it’s crazy, I’ve bought around 15 figures this year and i don’t even have a top 5 for the year!