2012 Year in Review (Part 1)

Wow, where has the year gone. Originally I wanted to get my entire backlog of 2012 toy journal entries published but by the time December rolled by things just got a little too hectic with the holidays and work travel. Oh wells. I'll continue trotting through my journal in 2013. For now, here's my 2012 year end toy review. Since I didn't get past July 2012 some of this is pretty much band new.

Here are my top 10 toy purchases for 2012:

*Image Courtesy of Seibertron.com

#10 Transformers RID Vehicon - This seemingly simple deluxe class figure wowed me over time. Initially I thought RID Vehicon was overrated with his spindly elbow articulation and anorexic build, but this guy has out-shined most of the figures released in his class in 2012. Even his more deluxe and exclusive First Edition cousin pales in compassion to this little simple guy. With a slim build and extremely show accurate design, RID Vehicon made my top 10 list for 2012. It's a little ironic that his First Edition cousin is now easier to purchase in the store aisles and online than the RID version. More for you guys as I'm not about to army build. That's a whole other kind of toy collector crazy zone I am not about to approach.

*Image Courtesy of CollectionDX.com

#9 MOSPEADA 1/8 Ride Armor - While not a new toy, this vintage specimen of the wonderfully designed Artmic Mecha is a site to behold. This toy brings back a lot of memories since my dad originally purchased one for Christmas for me when I was little. This mecha bike and figure set is the original toy that sparked the entire transforming bike into armor genre and led to Bubble Gum Crisis and Mega Zone 23. One can even argue that Keneda's bike in Akira was directly inspired by the MOSPEADA design. Wonderfully simplistic in design yet complex in transformation this mecha toy combines the tactile play of action figures with the complexity of transforming robot toys. Now, where are those click pen springs? I need to mod mine to shoot missiles!

*Image Courtesy of TFW2005

#8 Transformers Prime RID Dreadwing - Arguably one of my favored characters due to the yin yang opposite nature of his personality (an extremely loyal Deception who puts personal righteousness, loyalty, and his own warriors code over power ... cough <Beast Wars Dinobot> ...cough. It's too bad his character was underutilized and ultimately served as plot fodder. Dreadwing's toy however is a wonder of ingenuity and playability. Everything about this figure is pretty cool from his articulation, design, and near perfect vehicle mode (well he does have hands sticking out of his thrusters in jet fighter mode). Overall, Dreadwing is a pretty imposing character with a really solid toy. Now if only they could get rid of the Mech Tech weapons ... sigh.

*Image Courtesy of TFW2005

#7 Transformers Masterpiece Thundercracker - Finally, North America gets the newly redesigned and augmented Masterpiece Seeker Jet figures. Thundercracker takes everything great about the progenitor Masterpiece figures and adds lessons learned in transformation, figure accuracy, and toy engineering. By deleting the waist tail fins and shoulder bits while correcting the head and arms lends to a near perfect representation of the original Seeker Jet design for the classic Sun Bow G1 cartoon. This mold is the definitive mold for the Seekers and a great work of toy engineering.

*Image Courtesy of TFW2005

#6 Transformers Masterpiece Sideswipe - Sideswipe is notably a return to the super deluxe accurate car robot formula that Takara Tomy / Hasbro started with the Binaltech / Alternator toy line (but in a non-diecast affordable way). While there were reported quality control problems with this release, my toy was superb. This is how Sideswipe should be in all his classic G1 Lambor greatness. He's perfectly to scale with the new Masterpiece scale and just a very solid Transformer toy. I'm happy they are releasing Red Alert but I hope Takara Tomy are planning to expand the line with other G1 characters (Please sign a license with Nissan in 2013 and get the rights to the Datsun 280 ZX, we need Prowl, Silver Streak, and Smoke Screen!).

*Image Courtesy of Seibertron.com

#5 Transformers Botcon Shattered Glass Junkions - As a whole, this set is probably one of the best toy sets to come out in a while. Offered at Botcon 2012, this set includes Wrek-gar, Junk Heap, and Scrap Heap. While Wrek-gar and Junk Heap were available domestically in their regular colors, Scrap Heap was only available as part of a Transformers Untied Japan only e-hobby exclusive set so the character and toy mold is super rare among western collectors. Also, the recoloring from the normal Transformers Movie color scheme to the Shattered Glass purple, black, and yellow Insecticon color scheme is a stroke of genius. All in all, a very exceptional set of toys.

*Image Courtesy of Seibertron.com

#4 Transformers Prime First Edition Optimus Prime - Considering this excellent toy might not have even made it to a US release, this iteration of Optimus Prime is ridiculously cool. He's definitely more show accurate in my eyes and also designed more aggressively than his Transformers RID Voyager counterpart. Also his weapons are traditional weapons designed to look like they are transforming out of his arms like the show (not like the retarded light box that the RID Voyager's Mech Tech gun and gimpy sword are). It still baffles me that this figure was released in North America an entire year after he was released worldwide. What a cluster f*ck your product planning and distribution has become Hasbro. I guess that's what happens when you triple production and distribution since the Bay movies came out. Overall, the definitive Transformers Prime Optimus Prime figure and a must have for 2012.

#3 Macross 1/55 VE-1 Elint Seeker Valkyrie - Another vintage goodie purchased in 2012. Arguably the most rare and sought after Valkyrie from the original Takatoku design era of the 80's, the Elint Seeker takes the standard Valkyrie toy and adds a bunch of unique bells and whistles to make it a one of a kind toy. Featuring a new head sculpt, altered super armor parts and AWACs radar dish, this toy is super special in the eyes of Takatoku Valkyrie collectors and the last piece I needed to complete me collection. This toy is also probably the one toy purchased in 2012 that I am most proud of from a collector stand point. 

#2 Make Toys Green Giant - This thing is a beast. I mean BEAST! The engineering and planning to design, produce, and assemble this third-party set is astounding. While smaller and less expensive than the Hercules figure put out by TFC, Green Giant also does not suffer from balance issues or production defects. In my opinion, Green Giant is the superior toy. Design wise, he fits in more with the other third-party produced combiners by rival company Fans Project and his design is more anime style and less western comic style. Overall a really great set which rises above and beyond the expectations on all fronts from individual robots, vehicle modes, and combined form. This set seriously cements the foundation that third-party companies are here to stay especially when they are producing gems like Green Giant and all Takra Tomy / Hasbro can come up to compete is the atrocious FOC Bruticus set in 3 god awful color scheme flavors.

*Image Courtesy of Seibertron.com

#1 Transformers Masterpiece Optimus Prime (TRU Exclusive) - Last but also the number one on the best of 2012 list it Transformers Masterpiece Optimus Prime (TRU Exclusive). It really goes to show you how much the insane markup is on toys these days. The original Takara Tomy toy MP-10 went for around $200 give or take the international exchange rate. The release of the TRU figure online one year later was $100 (although Toys R Us did raise the price to $120 despite the fact that the shipping cartons of the toys were still marked $100, yeh you know you either messed up or are greedy TRU). While not the size or build of the original Masterpiece Optimus Prime MP-01, this little guy en-capsules all the articulation and design learned from the previous release like the before mentioned Masterpiece Seeker mold. This Optimus is the perfect representation of the G1 character per his scale and comes with his trailer, roller, Energon Axe, Ion Blaster Rife, and a little spike mini figure with 4 points of 6 points of articulation. Definitively, the best toy released in 2012 per price point, accessories, design, and motif.  

Happy New Year all. Hope 2013 will be a even better year for everyone. Putting toy collecting aside, let's all give thanks for what we are blessed to have (loved ones, family, and friends) and work harder for the future. Cheers!

Happy New Years!!!