Bulkhead the second. Or third, depending on how you’re counting.
on February 10, 2012 at 11:40 pm
When news hit that most of the “First Edition” toys weren’t gonna be making it into the United States, I was out a Bulkhead (and some other things). A day or so later, Big Bad Toy Store put up a preorder for a restock of the Takara figure. I threw that into my stash, sort of hoping I’d find an alternative in the meantime. But the preorder got restocked sooner than I thought it might (it’s February already???) and now I have a Japanese Bulkhead.
Given the choice, I would have gone for the American version. I think its lighter, oliver green looks more accurate, and I was afraid the shiny finish would stand out too much from my other figures. In person, I don’t mind the darker, more forest green as much as I’d feared. It’s not ideal, but it’s not as conspicuous as the sparkly gold Takara Animated Bumblebee I have. (Eep.)
The toy itself is crazy, possibly in an awesome way. Bulkhead transforms from a pretty small SUV for a Voyager Class toy into a huge ball of a robot. It’s like he explodes into something twice his mass. (So probably exactly what he does in the cartoon.) Part of this is because the robot mode compresses as much as possible into vehicle mode. I don’t think there’s a sizable gap anywhere inside. And the transformation unwinds the vehicle into this multidirectional ticker tape of plastic which reassembles into the surface area of a torso with limbs. Bulkhead’s got a spine back there, but most of his gut is empty air. The way the panels form the torso’s surface area is amazing. Everything goes where it should according to the animation, with doors on top of panels on top of other panels, but the animation makes it look implausible. And yet here we are.
That Arcee should probably be about half-again as tall, but the Deluxe is taller than Bulkhead.
It is not a simple toy. Its complexity approaches the event horizon of Oh My God Why, but pulls back just short of being an annoying mess. My awe in its engineering manages to eclipse any potential rage. I’m not sure exactly where that particular threshold is, but this toy really skirts it. Well, maybe flirts with it is more accurate. Its complexity is playful.
Which is all heartbreaking, because I want to recommend the toy, but it’s not an easy toy to come by. I hope it gets released somewhere for cheap so others can share my infatuation.
And hopefully by then there’ll be a Miko to buy to hang out with him.
That green doesn’t feel very cartoon-accurate. Too dark and dull.
First Animated now Prime, why does TakaraTomy always get Bulky’s colors wrong?
It’s too bad my Bulkhead was the last one at my TRU, I’d have loved to hook you up.
His headlights rotate up in robot mode, to be in his windows on his chest.
Yeah, I tried that, but the Japanese toy’s windows are tinted so dark you can’t even see them. I’d rather I at least know they’re even there at a glance.
We stand on guaaaard foooor theeeeeee!
Just saw the RID Voyager Bulkhead from Toy Fair. Wow. Just… wow.
Good wow or bad wow?
I’d say BAD wow.
The Cyberverse version is pretty awesome, though.
Still, I’m really glad I was able to find a FE Bulkhead at retail before its cancellation was announced. Although I’m a bit afraid to play with it now since I won’t be able to get a replacement if it breaks.
I dunno, the bot mode is a bit simplified but nice. The vehicle mode is really nice with that big front bumper. What worries me is the size of the weapon might result in a very teeny Bulkhead….
Definitely. I have the FE version and in my opinion it’s one of the best Transformers Hasbro has ever made. A work of art. The official replacement is… not.
It’s kind of like showing off Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and then only offering Belle’s Magical World.
I guess they’re really aiming this line for younger children. Which is fair enough, they are toys after all. Just like with Disney sequels the kids won’t care and will probably even prefer the simplified and more colorful versions without all that complexity. It’s just a shame Ratchet never got a spot in the FE (good?) version of the line.
The deluxe ratchet is still pretty cool though. You can actually clip his blades in the modern I just changed them out from my hands way.
Or in the way they displayed him at toy fair where he’s just holding two knifes like some melee psychopath in a call of duty game.
I always thought the goldish beige crotch plate stood out a lot more on the Takara release, making it look like a diaper (or sumo mawashi, if you’d like). pass.
with that group shot you’re just teasing me! vehicle group shot, please? and how about bumper-to-bumper measurements?
Honestly, I kinda like the darker green of that Takara Bulkhead. I don’t know why, but it doesn’t look that bad IMHO.
I do, however, own the Hasbro version, and I’m really happy with him.