What figures represent these G1 characters the best? Which toy just nails both the robo and alt form meanwhile capturing the spirit and essence of the character.

1. Galvatron
2. Shockwave
3. Swoop
4. Starscream/seekers
5. Megatron
6. Grimlock
7. Optimus Prime
8. Unicron
9. Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime
10. Jazz

 

1. Galvatron -- Energon Galvatron
2. Shockwave -- Energon Shockblast
3. Swoop
4. Starscream/seekers -- Classics/Universe Starscream
5. Megatron -- Henkei Megatron or G2 hero Megatron (preferably the KO version of Robot Masters Rebirth Megatron for his size)
6. Grimlock -- G1 Grimlock
7. Optimus Prime -- G1 Optimus or Classics Optimus
8. Unicron -- Armada Unicron (no doubt about this)
9. Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime -- Classics Rodimus/Energon Rodimus
10. Jazz

 

1. Energon Galvatron
2. G1 Shockwave
3. G1 Swoop
4. Classics Starscream/Seekers
5. Henkei Megatron
6. Masterpiece Grimlock
7. 25th Anniversary Optimus Prime
8. Armada Unicron
9. Classics Rodimus
10. G1 Jazz

Also, in b4 someone asks about Cyclonus and Universe Cyclonus is mentioned.

 

what Razorclaw said

and for Swoop: Animated Swoop
Jazz: Botcon 08 Jazz

 

1. Galvatron - G1 Galvatron
2. Shockwave - G1 Shockwave
3. Swoop - G1 Swoop
4. Starscream/seekers - Classics/Universe mold
5. Megatron - MP Megatron
6. Grimlock - MP Grimlock
7. Optimus Prime - MP Optimus Prime
8. Unicron - Armada Unicron, closest thing we have in toy form.
9. Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime - 6" Titanium Rodimus Prime
10. Jazz - G1 Jazz

 

1. Galvatron - Energon Galvatron
2. Shockwave - G1 Shockwave
3. Swoop - Animated Swoop
4. Starscream/seekers - Universe 2.0/Henkei Seekers
5. Megatron - Henkei Megatron
6. Grimlock - G1 Grimlock
7. Optimus Prime - G1 Optimus or Classics Optimus Prime
8. Unicron - Energon Unicron
9. Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime - Classics Hot Rod
10. Jazz - G1 Jazz

 

Color-coded for convenience!

 

1. Galvatron - G1
2. Shockwave - G1 (though Animated is nice)
3. Swoop - Animated
4. Starscream/seekers - Classics
5. Megatron - Masterpiece
6. Grimlock - Masterpiece
7. Optimus Prime - Masterpiece
8. Unicron - that big thing that warms shelves at Toys R Us
9. Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime - Classics
10. Jazz - G1 (Animated's is nice too)

 

1. Galvatron = Classics/Henkei
2. Shockwave = G1
3. Swoop = G1
4. Starscream/seekers = Masterpiece or Classics/Henkei
5. Megatron = Masterpiece
6. Grimlock = Masterpiece
7. Optimus Prime = Masterpiece
8. Unicron = Armada/Universe
9. Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime = Classics/Henkei
10. Jazz = G1

 

1. Galvatron - Energon
2. Shockwave - Energon Shockblast
3. Swoop - Animated or G1
4. Starscream/seekers - Classics
5. Megatron - Henkei (Classics on a budget)
6. Grimlock - Animated
7. Optimus Prime - Classics or Henkei. I prefer Classics, but Henkei does look quite nice.
8. Unicron - Amada/Energon, whichever the orange one is, or the Universe one.
9. Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime - Classics Rodimus / 6" Titanium Rodimus Prime. Both.
10. Jazz - G1 Jazz still, or the Botcon one, if you can afford it.

 

I don't get it?

The OP is asking "What figures represent these G1 characters the best? Which toy just nails both the robo and alt form meanwhile capturing the spirit and essence of the character."

Isn't putting G1 in your list kind of defeating the purpose of what the OP is asking?

 

1. Galvatron - Energon
2. Shockwave - Energon or Animated
3. Swoop - Animated
4. Starscream/seekers - Classics/Universe
5. Megatron - Masterpiece
6. Grimlock - Animated
7. Optimus Prime - Classics/Universe reissue
8. Unicron - Armada/Universe
9. Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime - Classics
10. Jazz - Animated

 

No not really. Take Soundwave for example,he is absolutely perfect as a G1 toy and hasn't been surpassed since. However G1 Galvatron is a terrible representation compared to the Classics version. The G1 toy in robot mode looks like a crayon,not a badass reincarnation of Megatron.

 

1: Energon Galvatron
2: Energon Shockblast
3: Animated Swoop
4: Universe Starscream / Classics Skywarp / Classics Ramjet / Botcon everything else
5: Classics/Henkei Megatron
6: Large- Masterpiece Grimlock - small- Energon Grimlock
7: large- Masterpiece/20th Optimus Prime - small- Classics Optimus Prime
8: Armada Unicron
9: Hot Rod: Classics Rodimus - Prime: Energon Rodimus
10: G1 Jazz, though Universe legend is no slouch.

 

What Bodine said.

Some originals just nail it, like Soundwave. Others are just as good as more recent updates.

 

As I have never robbed a bank to buy a Botcon Jazz, the movie Jazz with G1 colors has tided me over quite nicely.

I am still on the fence about Shockblast. The head is amazing... but... I think G1 Shockwave looks a bit more striking. I don't know... but I display him with his bottom legs unextended so he doesn't tower over Classics Megatron and G1 Soundwave.

 

Lets see..

1. Energon Galvatron
2.G1 Shockwave
3.Swoop. Animated
4.Masterpiece Starscream
5.Masterpiece Megatron
6.Classics Grimlock
7.MP Optimus Prime
8. Armada Unicron
9. Titanium Rodimus Prime
10.Alternators Meister.

 

1. Galvatron - Classics, although it gets a lot of hate for some reason. You may prefer Energon.
2. Shockwave - Energon.
3. Swoop - Animated.
4. Starscream/seekers - Universe/Classics, although be prepared to empty out your bank account for Thundercracker, Thrust and Dirge.
5. Megatron - Animated Leader Class. Absolutely no doubt. The best non-masterpiece toy ever IMO.
6. Grimlock - Animated.
7. Optimus Prime - Classics.
8. Unicron - Armada
9. Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime - Classics.
10. Jazz - Animated.

 

G1 for all of them! It was those original toys that CREATED the essence of the characters. No other choice comes close!