Takara releases the clear God Fire Convoy gift set in Japan on November 23, and John DeLuna expects to be disappointed. This November 26, 2000 Radio Free Cybertron also covers Beast Machines buys, an upcoming Devil Gigatron contest prize and a G1 Grimlock retro review. Goldimus Prime reviews Beast Wars Inferno, and Mop-Boy reads hate mail in his final Ask RFC. Trivia and News from Cybertron are off this week because of computer problems.
News
Clear God Fire Convoy Gift Set Released in Japan
The clear God Fire Convoy gift set came out in Japan on November 23. John DeLuna paid $130 for one and expects to be vastly disappointed. He hates the clear plastic and the white plastic that replaces Fire Convoy’s silver ladder. He calls the sword cheap and bendy, like Play-Doh. He thinks the whole set reeks of low quality as Takara winds down its Transformers line. [Source: alt.toys.transformers]
Black Fire Convoy Prizes Ship, Devil Gigatron Next
The Black Fire Convoy contest prize has shipped to winners, though none has appeared on eBay yet. Car Robots ends this year, but one more contest prize is coming: a repaint of Devil Gigatron. John says nearly every new Car Robots mold has become an exclusive repaint. He says the line killed his enjoyment of Japanese Transformers. [Source: not found]
Theory: Takara Is Stalling for Beast Machines
John shares a theory he has seen floated: Takara is not ending Transformers in Japan. It may be waiting to release the full Beast Machines line as a group. This is a rumor, not confirmed news. John calls 2000 one of the biggest and most varied Transformers years ever. [Source: not found]
ATT Buzz
John says ATT had its all-time worst week, likely because of Thanksgiving. He braved Kmart on Black Friday and found the only Beast Machines Blackarachnia and Thrust in town. He calls Blackarachnia the best Blackarachnia toy yet, far better than the Tarantulas repaint and Transmetal 2 version. He likes Ultra Jetstorm’s size for $20, though the legs feel hollow. Mega Megatron is the one Beast Machines toy he dislikes. It shrinks to glorified-basic size in robot mode, and he calls it a ripoff at $15.
G1 Grimlock Retro Review
John reviews G1 Grimlock, his favorite Dinobot. He laughs at the articulate tech spec motto and argues the tech specs were written alongside the cartoon bible. He dislikes the many stickers and says the instructions put the Autobot symbol in the wrong place. He praises the gray and gold chrome dinosaur mode, which can stand tail-down or tail-up. He calls Grimlock a definite buy at $75 tops boxed or $30 to $40 loose. Brian says he likes Grimlock okay.
Beast Wars Inferno Review
Goldimus Prime found Inferno for $6 on a KB markdown. He likes the translucent abdomen with painted mechanical parts inside. The robot mode is a bit taller than Transmetal Megatron. The ant-head gun can split into a claw and a gun, and the detachable rear legs fire as strong missiles. He says Inferno isn’t worth the $30-plus eBay price but is neat at retail. He gives Inferno 7.5 out of 10.
Ask RFC
Mop-Boy reads three insulting letters, the last one signed by Goldimus. He is then told this is his last Ask RFC and signs off.
Bad Poets Corner
Brian reads a short poem about Jetfire, also known as Skyfire, asking whether he is an Autobot or Decepticon.
Radio Free Cybertron is the world's first and oldest toy and action figure podcast — broadcasting from the heart of the Transformers fan community since October 1999. What started as a scrappy fan show has grown into an institution, with nearly 1,000 episodes and over 25 years of coverage. Every week, host Brian Kilby and the RFC crew dig into the latest Transformers news, toy reveals, collecting, and everything hitting shelves from Hasbro, Takara, and beyond. No fluff, no hype — just informed, passionate collectors who have been doing this longer than anyone else on the planet. The original. The longest running. Till all are one.