It's been a very long time coming, four months in fact since the last installment of my Robots In Disguise series of blog posts. After Hasbro released Legion Class Sideswipe and Grimlock, there was a long wait before wave 3 of the Legion class and beyond. I'm not collecting the one or three step changers, so my attention has been firmly on Legion and Warrior class. What made this wave particularly special was the inclusion of the Legion class Fixit figure, scaled perfectly to fit in with the Warrior class deluxe-a-likes which are probably the most representative toys from the new cartoon series. Fixit is accompanied on shelves by Legion class Underbite, the first Decepticon we are introduced to back in episode 1.
This is a bizarre pairing, because as I mentioned, Fixit fits in much better in terms of scale with the larger Warrior class than with the tiny robots of the legion variety. He has more articulation, far bigger proportions, generally more complexity than you'd expect from the Legion class figures, of which Underbite is a perfect example.
Fixit might come on a Legion class card and use the same amount of plastic as a typical Legion class figure, but I don't consider him in that category at all. He is clearly designed to be displayed along the main show cast in their flagship RID format, the Warrior class. Fixit is tremendous, a fantastic little figure that has made the wait for a complete show cast totally worth it. He has an articulated neck, waist, arms and drills. You can see Fixit has the ability to lean and swivel making him hugely expressive for what is effectively labelled as a legends sized Transformer. His scan-ready Autobot logo is completely unobtrusive, his head sculpt is totally spot on with that fantastic grin. It's been a very long time since I remember a main line off-the-shelf Hasbro Transformers cartoon personality be so excellently portrayed in plastic. I suspect Fixit will be enormously popular, I know my daughter's already in love.
Oh, by the way, he also transforms from what amounts to a robot Segway into a mini drill vehicle. For those of you who have seen "The Trouble With Fixit", no he does not come with the...uh...extras.
Now, Underbite, that's a classic Legion class figure. No respect for scale compared to other Legion figures in "Chompazoid" mode or in vehicle mode, and it doesn't matter at all. He is a hugely welcome addition to the Decepticon ranks, a real memorable character from the show and a truly lovely little figure. The Legion class Robots In Disguise toys have been quite a revelation. They are massively engaging, enjoyable and well-presented items that capture a great deal of likeness from the cartoon, and are occasionally the best representations (or at least toys) of the characters themselves. That says as much about the lacking features of the Warrior class toys as it does about the superb nature of these little guys. Underbite's transformation is fun and intricate enough, plus the shade of purple is alluring. Just the way that his enormous beast head is hidden in vehicle mode deserves credit.
Seriously though, buy Legion class Fixit, that toy is simply parsnip *smack* pantaloons *smack* PERFECT.
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| Desperately Seeking Sideswipe |
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