Titans Return hits stores, and the crew goes figure by figure through Wave 1, from the five-dollar Titan Masters to Blaster and Fortress Maximus. Crashbash is the Titan Master to get, Hardhead may be the best Deluxe, and Blaster wins one host over completely. Takara Tomy sets Legends Super Ginrai for November at about 8,500 yen. Unique Toys reveals tiny Legends-class unofficial Headmasters, and Perfect Effect shows an unofficial Optimal Optimus. This week in history marks the Japanese premiere of Headmasters.
This Week in History
In 1987, “Four Warriors Come Out of the Sky,” the first episode of Headmasters, premiered in Japan. Brian first watched the dub on a VHS tape bought at Heroes Con and loves it as hot garbage. Don traded Legends Bumblebees for raw Headmasters and Masterforce tapes with a pen pal in Japan around 1994.
News
Second Combiner Wars Prelude Spotlights Victorion
The second Machinima Combiner Wars prelude spotlights Victorion. The crew thinks it works better than the first, since it moves past Optimus Prime and Megatron. Some would rather have seen a trailer of the real animation, while others note Machinima’s small budget. [Source: not found]
Legends Super Ginrai Preorders Open
Takara Tomy’s Legends Super Ginrai is due in November for about 8,500 yen, roughly $95. Several hosts preordered for the retooling and deco, and the hands now hold 5 mm weapons. Legends Soundwave is listed at 8,000 yen. [Source: not found]
More Transformers Adventure Releases Listed
Big Bad Toy Store listed more Adventure releases, including Windstrike and Sideswipe, Ratchet, Bisk, God Optimus Prime and a Micron set. One slot is a secret character. The crew guesses Hasbro has not revealed that figure yet. [Source: not found]
Legends Chromedome, Highbrow, Mindwipe, Rewind and Nightbeat
New images show Legends LG-32 Chromedome, LG-33 Highbrow and LG-34 Mindwipe with animation-style heads. The crew notes Takara’s Highbrow gives fans another route to Brainstorm’s mold. Legends Nightbeat gets proper G1 colors, though the crew splits on Rewind’s Gundam-like face. [Source: not found]
New Image of Adventure Strongarm
A new image shows Adventure Strongarm next to Prime Bulkhead. She is the Mini-Con Battle Pack version and comes with Sawtooth. [Source: not found]
Ultra Metal Ultra Magnus Promotional Photos
New promotional photos show the Ultra Metal Ultra Magnus, priced around $720. The crew saw it at BotCon and calls it gorgeous and massive, but no one is buying. Asked what Ultra Metal figure would tempt them, one host picks Big Daddy. [Source: not found]
The Last Knight Blows Up Detroit as Drift Returns
Things are exploding in Detroit as The Last Knight films there. Drift returns, now a Mercedes rather than a Bugatti. [Source: not found]
MakeToys Striker Manus
MakeToys’ Striker Manus reminds the crew of the Optimus Prime pen and Cyber Battalion Optimus Prime. No one plans to buy it. [Source: not found]
Unique Toys Reveals Legends-Class Weirdwolf and Chromedome
Unique Toys is moving into Legends-class figures with unofficial Weirdwolf and Chromedome, sold as a two-pack. Each combined robot is about 9.5 cm tall, so the Headmasters are tiny. The crew thinks Chromedome looks too stubby. [Source: not found]
Perfect Effect Unofficial Optimal Optimus
Perfect Effect showed an unofficial Optimal Optimus about twice the size of a Voyager Rhinox. The crew expects a steep price but loves the look. One host is glad third parties are giving Beast Wars fans options in the anniversary year. [Source: not found]
Titans Return Wave 1 Roundtable
The crew calls the $5 Titan Masters a great new price point. Crashbash is the standout, forming a dinosaur’s jaw and arms and making the best-looking head.
Skullsmasher needs fixes. One host tightened its ball joints with Future floor polish, but it still needs heels and locking joints, and its hatch is rubber. Its gator mode is about 10 inches long, with a poseable head and tail.
One host calls Hardhead the best of the wave because everything it does, it does well. Another finds it underwhelming after building it up in his head. Blurr’s vehicle mode is great, but its all-blue deco leaves it flat. Scourge’s transformation is simple but satisfying, and every Deluxe transforms differently, unlike Combiner Wars.
Exvee says Galvatron beats the Universe version but has a stubborn head and loose cannon mode. He calls Sentinel Prime surprisingly delightful. Titan Master neck fit varies from unit to unit, so he warns against too much head swapping.
One host loves Leader Blaster, calling it the G1 toy with knees and his favorite Blaster ever. Powermaster Optimus Prime is a heavy retool of Ultra Magnus, with slots that keep its guns in place. Exvee says Fortress Maximus shines as a playset, more than as a giant robot.
Also on TFormers
TFormers details how the Transformers Gum Fortress Maximus Metallic Edition differs, including metallic plastic on Master Sword. Exvee posted galleries and reviews of Fortress Maximus and the Deluxe Wave 1 figures. Rob has Titan Master galleries plus reviews of Loudmouth and Nightbeat.
What We Got This Week
Don got Scourge and Hardhead but could not get the packages open on air.
Exvee has all four Wave 1 Deluxes and the Voyagers.
Diecast got all four Wave 1 Titan Masters and all four Deluxes. His video reviews of Scourge and Blurr are up on RFC Reviews.
Rob got Skullsmasher and the Wave 1 Titan Masters.
Brian got Masterpiece Loudpedal and the cartoon-colored MakeToys Gundog, which he calls a great hound.
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.