Review #63: Coronation Accessory Kit
For Classics Starscream
Made by a company called Megavolt Robot Factory, this is an accessory kit for the Classics Seeker mold, specifically for Starscream. I've previously reviewed the base mold, so for that I'll refer you to my original review here.
So, what is this kit about? Well, Starscream's fondest wish was to be rid of Megatron and take over leadership of the Decepticons. And, in the 1986 film, it seemed for a moment like he got his wish! So, what's a bot to to but hold himself a lavish coronation ceremony as he installs himself as the new leader? And decked out in a big shiny crown and a flowing purple cape with glorious shoulder pads, that is what Starscream did. Alas, poor Starscream. Megatron, now rebuilt by Unicron into Galvatron, wasn't as dead as Starscream had assumed. And thus the Decepticon's proud new leader didn't live through his own coronation! |
But now, thanks to this accessory kit, if you have yourself a Classics Starscream you can relive his fleeting moment of glory in all of its splendor! Included in the kit is a crown, a cloth cape, shoulder pads, and a new smaller pair of null rays. (The null rays that come with Starscream, you may remember from my review, are a bit oversized to the point where they actually inhibit articulation.) Also in the above picture, you will see a new alternate head. That's not for Starscream, as such, and we'll get to that much later in the review.
Not included in the above photo is a new pair of hinges for Starscream's wings. (They're not included in that photo as they attach somewhat more permanently to the figure and had already been installed before I took these photographs.)
Well, let's see how these interact with the base figure! We'll start by looking at vehicle mode. The crown, cape, and shoulder pads have no interaction with or storage on this mode, but this is to be expected. The main thing we'll be seeing here is the new null rays.
Not included in the above photo is a new pair of hinges for Starscream's wings. (They're not included in that photo as they attach somewhat more permanently to the figure and had already been installed before I took these photographs.)
Well, let's see how these interact with the base figure! We'll start by looking at vehicle mode. The crown, cape, and shoulder pads have no interaction with or storage on this mode, but this is to be expected. The main thing we'll be seeing here is the new null rays.
Even in jet mode, the new null rays look much more proportional! They are a quite nice addition. It is worth noting that they don't fit into the peg holes on Starscream quite as tightly as the original ones did, but they are tight enough that they won't fall out.
On the above photo showing Starscream's underside, you may notice some lighter colored patches in his wings. These are the new hinges. A closer look at them can be seen in the photo to the right. It would have been nice if the plastic color matched a bit better, bit it isn't the end of the world since you hardly ever actually see this piece unless you're looking at him from behind. (There have been more then a few releases of Starscream using this mold, perhaps the color matching is better with one of the other ones?)
So, what is this new hinge for? What does it do differently than the original one? We'll get into that a bit more later! |
For now, let us move onto robot mode! We won't get into the full coronation get-up just yet. Let's see how the base robot mode looks with the new null rays! For comparison, in this first picture, Starscream will be flanked by Skywarp and Thundercracker, both sporting stock null rays.
Once again, they look much more proportional. Most importantly, they don't go nearly as high above the shoulder! Starscream is now actually able to aim his null rays at things! Before, this was impossible as they would have bumped into his wings.
Speaking of the wings, I suppose it is time I talk a bit about the new hinges. They give extra articulation to the wings, allowing you to fold them backwards. What purpose could this serve? One that comes to mind is allowing this toy to better emulate the original G1 toy. Unlike in the cartoon, where the wings were high on their backs and splayed outwards, G1 Seeker toys had their wings a bit lower down and they were meant to be folded back. (See the photo to the left for an example.)
With these new hinges, Classics Starscream can now better emulate this look. |
Are the new hinges absolutely necessary? No. But they are a fun addition that give you extra posing options with your Starscream.
As stated, unlike (almost) everything else in this accessory kit, this is a semi-permanent addition to your toy. You need to unscrew and remove the original hinges to install these ones. If you ever want to reinstall the stock hinges, you can do so. But it will involve grabbing a screwdriver again. (Also, it will involve still having the stock hinges! So if you want to keep them, make sure you put them somewhere safe!)
If unscrewing bits of your Transformer and replacing parts scares you, don't worry. These are not required for the use of the rest of the coronation gear. That being said, it does help the coronation look a bit to not have the wings peaking out from behind the cape, and I prefer to fold the wings back when he is using it. Speaking of which, shall we move onto that now?
The main event! Let us see how Starscream looks all dolled up for his big day!
As stated, unlike (almost) everything else in this accessory kit, this is a semi-permanent addition to your toy. You need to unscrew and remove the original hinges to install these ones. If you ever want to reinstall the stock hinges, you can do so. But it will involve grabbing a screwdriver again. (Also, it will involve still having the stock hinges! So if you want to keep them, make sure you put them somewhere safe!)
If unscrewing bits of your Transformer and replacing parts scares you, don't worry. These are not required for the use of the rest of the coronation gear. That being said, it does help the coronation look a bit to not have the wings peaking out from behind the cape, and I prefer to fold the wings back when he is using it. Speaking of which, shall we move onto that now?
The main event! Let us see how Starscream looks all dolled up for his big day!
If you had guessed, "Freakin' awesome!" then congratulations, you guessed right!
The null rays fit nicely under the shoulder pads. The shoulder pads have a bit of articulation to them, where they can lay flat on his shoulders or be angled upwards for a more dynamic look.
One downside to this set is that the crown inhibits the head articulation. And by, "inhibit," I mean completely negate. With the crown on, the head will be permanently facing forward. A bit unfortunate, perhaps, but not the end of the world. Frankly, with this figure's design, I am hard pressed to see how you could put a crown on him without this happening.
Bottom line, this set is awesome! It is some fun additional accessories for Starscream and give him a look that, while he only sported it briefly, has become iconic for his character. Especially if you have multiple seekers on his shelf, it definitely helps him to stand out!
One downside to this set is that the crown inhibits the head articulation. And by, "inhibit," I mean completely negate. With the crown on, the head will be permanently facing forward. A bit unfortunate, perhaps, but not the end of the world. Frankly, with this figure's design, I am hard pressed to see how you could put a crown on him without this happening.
Bottom line, this set is awesome! It is some fun additional accessories for Starscream and give him a look that, while he only sported it briefly, has become iconic for his character. Especially if you have multiple seekers on his shelf, it definitely helps him to stand out!
(Yeah, it is a bit anachronistic for him to be wearing this while Megatron is standing right behind him... And while he's also holding a second Megatron! What's your point?)
Well, that about wraps it up for... wait, what about that alternate head? Ah yes. For people out there a lot more courageous with their customization then I am, this head was included for those who might want to take Starscream and turn him into Leader-1. Who is Leader-1, you may ask? He was a character from the Go-Bots, a cartoon and toy line that was the main competition to Transformers back in the day. Leader-1, who was the leader of the god guys rather then the first lieutenant of the bad guys, had the same alt-mode as Starscream, making for a fun conversion idea.
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Leader-1's wings fold back for his robot mode, so the new wing hinges can also come in handy for this conversion. And since the hinges are not absolutely necessary for the coronation set, if you have two Starscream toys, you can theoretically have both a decked out Starscream and a nifty custom Leader-1!
Now I must admit that my own customization skills are way too poor to even think about attempting the Leader-1 customization. (So for me, I just kind of have a random, disembodied Leader-1 head sitting on a shelf near my Macross Valkyries. Why? No reason. Why not?) It would require replacing the head which is no easy task (I got into this a bit repairing my green Rainmaker Seeker, which you may recall having seen as broken during his review), and it would also require extensive repainting which I have no skill for. So while a neat concept, this is not a thing I shall ever be doing myself. But it is a pretty cool idea, and I'd be remiss if I didn't show you what it could look like! Thanks to the internet, I've found a few photos:
Now I must admit that my own customization skills are way too poor to even think about attempting the Leader-1 customization. (So for me, I just kind of have a random, disembodied Leader-1 head sitting on a shelf near my Macross Valkyries. Why? No reason. Why not?) It would require replacing the head which is no easy task (I got into this a bit repairing my green Rainmaker Seeker, which you may recall having seen as broken during his review), and it would also require extensive repainting which I have no skill for. So while a neat concept, this is not a thing I shall ever be doing myself. But it is a pretty cool idea, and I'd be remiss if I didn't show you what it could look like! Thanks to the internet, I've found a few photos:
If you want to see a few more photos, and hear from the chap who did this customization, you can head on over to this thread at the TFW2005 forums.
Well, that's about all there is to see here. Overall, this is an awesome set that I would consider a must have for a Starscream using the Classics Seeker mold. Unfortunately, it is long since sold out, so you may have difficulty finding this if you do want it for yourself. But I'd say it is worth the search! I'd highly recommend this set!
Review added 20 August 2014 by Yotsuya. Comments are welcomed!
Well, that's about all there is to see here. Overall, this is an awesome set that I would consider a must have for a Starscream using the Classics Seeker mold. Unfortunately, it is long since sold out, so you may have difficulty finding this if you do want it for yourself. But I'd say it is worth the search! I'd highly recommend this set!
Review added 20 August 2014 by Yotsuya. Comments are welcomed!
Only about six hours left in the Yotsuya's Reviews "Buy Me a Toy!" Kickstarter! Help me pull off a last minute miracle! You only have until approximately 10:20 E.S.T. tonight, so don't procrastinate!
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