Ocular Max Remix RMX-03/04 Volture and Buzzard

It's been a long time since the last Ocular Max Remix figure was released - the RMX-01 Jaguar (Ravage) - but the promise of more excellent figures to come has always kept expectations high for RMX-03 Volture (Laserbeak) and RMX-04 Buzzard (Buzzsaw). The Perfection Series has rumbled on, with hits and misses, but with a 1 out of 1 strike rate for the Remix sub-line, a lot is riding on these birds to keep up the good name of the initiative. Based on full size cassettes instead of the original microcassettes, these figures were never going to be compatible with MP or G1 Soundwave in cassette mode, but the idea was always that they'd make excellent Masterpiece companions in beast/robot mode.

MMC Reformatted R-26 Malum Malitia

This is a weird set. The Reformatted R-26 Malum Malitia (G1 Insecticons) by 3rd party company Mastermind Creations does not fit into their Reformatted line at all. That's because they were originally intended to be part of the Masterpiece-aping Ocular Max Perfection Series line, but for whatever reason, they were shoehorned into Reformatted. They were supposed to be PS-02, very early on in the line and right after the debut, Sphinx! The designer is different to the usual suspects of Reformatted, which explains much of why these figures feel different to what's gone before in this line. The idea was to make these more slender than what you normally see in Reformatted or maybe even the Perfection Series.

Ocular Max PS-07 Artifex

Ocular Max are the Masterpiece-style arm of 3rd party Transformers manufacturers Mastermind Creations. Their Perfection Series was aimed at filling gaps in MP collections everywhere by tackling characters not yet released officially and with the use of die cast metal, rubber tyres and paint where possible to increase the premium look and feel of the product. Ocular Max started out strongly with the glorious Sphinx (Mirage) and Jaguar (Ravage), but my feeling was that subsequent releases were not up to the same standard. I started 2017 by reviewing their Terraegis (Trailbreaker) and was not impressed. Something about the remould, Artifex (Hoist), appealed to me. 

Ocular Max PS-05 Girder

So here is Ocular Max (AKA Mastermind Creations) Perfection Series 05 "Girder", otherwise known as a 3rd Party interpretation of Masterpiece Autobot Grapple. This mould has already been used by Ocular Max for their Not-Inferno "Backdraft" and since the release of PS-05 Girder we have had a show exclusive "Road Crane" version of Hauler. Forgive the lack of gorgeous packaging in this review, I had to leave it in the UK!

Ocular Max PS-02 Liger

Ocular Max - The Masterpiece Transformers-mimicking arm of Mastermind Creations - have followed the example of BadCube and released a toy intended to help fill a very special and specific gap in your Masterpiece Diaclone-coloured ranks, Perfection Series 02 "Liger". This red repaint of PS-01 Sphinx (MP Mirage) is an homage to the 1985 Takara Diaclone Car Robot No.16 Ligier JS11 F1 in red, a toy only available in the spectacularly rare and sought after Powered Convoy DX set. Ocular Max offered this in May initially as a show exclusive, but it is now widely available from the usual 3rd party dealers and retailers.

Burnout - Hi Res Gallery

This week on TFSource Blog I published an article called Burnout, exploring the causes of collecting fatigue and general disillusionment with Transformers buying and the community. Having not received or bought much in the way of new toys recently, I'm having to get creative with article topics and even moreso with the photography. Thanks to my daughter's toys making for great Masterpiece accessories, I came up with a few images I can be proud of where the figures are demonstrating exhaustion, sadness and negativity. Here's the high resolution gallery of those same images. Enjoy!

Ocular Max PS-01A Sphinx Alternative

Ocular Max - otherwise known as the Masterpiece-mimicking arm of Mastermind Creations (MMC) - opened their account with the very well-received PS-01 Sphinx late in 2015. Sphinx was their take on a Masterpiece Mirage using what they believed to be top quality materials like diecast metal, rubber tyres and so on. They also make no attempt to hide their influence from Studio Ox's well-established style for Transformers art, or homages to the original Generation 1 Transformers packaging features. Well, Sphinx was a sell-out and Ocular Max have re-issued it, after a fashion, as PS-01A Sphinx Alternative. It is a lighter blue version, more accurate to the actual #26 Equipe Gitanes Ligier JS11 Formula 1 car from 1979 driven by Jacques Laffitte on which G1 Mirage and its Diaclone predecessor were based.

Ocular Max Remix RMX-01 Jaguar

Mastermind Creations, under the guise of Masterpiece-focused Ocular Max branding, have introduced a sub-line into that sub-line! The Remix line begins with RMX-01 Jaguar, a figure that homages the Generation 1 Decepticon cassette Ravage. Now why bother launching a line with something already covered by the official TakaraTomy Masterpiece collection? For a start, not everyone seems to share my high opinion of MP Ravage, it's true to say some actually dislike the figure thoroughly. While the MP Ravage is scaled to a micro cassette like the original G1 rendition and fits inside MP Soundwave's chest, Ocular Max believed that it was too small in kitty mode. Their reasons for developing this product are for a better experience in transformation and posing, as well as scaling with other associated Masterpiece figures like Soundwave in jaguar mode. For the moment, this has been offered as a Planet Steel Express exclusive.