Hey there guys...Ok, this time around i'm gonna talk about "Transformers Car Robots / Robots In Disguise ( R.I.D )
This series is a departure from the earlier and hugely successful "Beast Wars / Machines" series. This series almost didn't come to be as Takbro was actually working on a third installment of the "Beast Wars / Machines" series called "Transtech", but decided to scrap it and decided to go with this series instead. More on "Transtech" in my next blog update
But Takbro wasn't sure what the fans reaction would be towards RID by bringing back vehicle form Transformers, especially with the success of the two earlier installment of the "Beast" series. So this series is actually a hodge podge of both "Beasts" and "Vehicle" form Transformers. This series also marks the beginning of Japanese done animations that stretches till the recent Transformers - Galaxy Force / Cybertron series.
Well, since i only manage to watch only 2 episodes of this series and didn't like it much.. and everyone who have watched it didn't quite like it either... i'm gonna approach this series at the "Toys" perspective.
Omega Prime - Merging Sequence
In many ways, this series serves as a ground breaking series which kick start a whole new tradition in the new era of Transformers. "Optimus Prime" is back and so is "Ultra Magnus". Optimus Prime makes a come back as a fire truck, a departure from his hugely popular gorilla beast form from the beast series.Ultra Magnus also makes a come back with an updated look to his G1 transport trailer truck look. The most awesome part about these two making a come back in vehicle form is the fact that these two figures are now able to combine to become one huge super robot named "Omega Prime". So begins the whole "Barbie Doll and Accessories" concep. LOL
I mean...toy collectors will never pass up a chance to get an "Optimus Prime" toy.. so what better way to make more money out of this character by making a bunch of characters who are able to merge with him to form different and bigger looking powered up Prime's... right???
Transformers - Scourge / Black Convoy
Perhaps the most exciting addition to this series is a character that pays homage to a post G1 TF - Movie character name "Scourge"!!! Scourge aka "Black Convoy"is a design taken from the G2 "Lazer Optimus Prime" toy mold and repainted it mainly black in color with metallic green trimmings and a gleaming chromed trailer/tanker... and he comes with a kick ass red energo sword as well!!!. Needless to say, this was and still is a very cool figure and a fan favorite. This also kick starts the whole craze of painting the various Optimus Prime toy mold in black and naming it "Scourge" and slapping a "Toy Exclusive" tag on it!!! What's so cool about Scourge is that.. this is the first time ever.. TF fans get to see a black colored Prime and he's evil!!! A drastic departure from the typical straight arrow Prime that we are used to.
This series also features the return of the "Combiner/Gestalt" concept and i don't mean show inspired toys only.. but they actually appeared in the show. The ruturn of the G1 combaticons as "Bruticus" renamed - "Mega Octane", a four construction vehicle team that combines into a combiners named "Landfill" and a three bullet train team that combines into a combiner named "Railracer"!!!
Car Robots TV Commercial
Also making a return, are the "Car Brothers" paying tribute to the G1 trio of "Prowl, Bluestreak and Smokescreen" the new car brothers are - Prowl, Side Burn and X-Brawn"... The toy mold designs for these trio puts all the previous and future Transformers toy mold to shame.. with the exception of the "Binalternators" line.
Then come the ultimate gem of this line... the return of "FORTRESS MAXIMUS"!!! This toy was never made available to the Hasbro line due to safety reasons.. so only Takara gets to reissue this toy and named it "Brave Maximus", apparently there is also a Korean version of this toy. I was lucky to be able to obtain this particular piece locally.
Like all the other Transformers series... "Megatron makes his return... but this series marks the G1 tradition of G1 tradition of turning Megatron into Galvatron towards the end of the series. The Megatron of this series is actually a 6 changer and Galvatron is a 10 changer!!!
The RID toy series also churned up a few very interesting toys like a smaller version of the G2 Optimus Prime and named it "Destructicon Scourge" as well as a G2 Megatron repainted and named "Bludgeon". Figures also include a repainted Beast wars Transmetal II Megatron in blue named "Cryotek", a huge toy that's a show accurate version of Beast Machines Optimus Primal called _ "Air Attack Optimus Primal" as well as a Beast Machines Megatron that transforms into a huge head as seen in the show. This figure is named - "Megatron Megabolt". A repainted version of Beast Machines "Jetstorm" is also made available and named after a G1 comic book character named - "Jhiaxus".
Most of these figures are actually store exclusives in the States and are not made available in the local market... Thankfully i am able to obtain most of them except for an elusive figure named "Bruticus'.. it Transforms from a three headed Cerberus-like creature into a robot.
Like what i've mentioned earlier on, since i am talking about this series at the Toy's perspective... i would grade this entire toy line :- 8.5 out of 10 "Sparks". It receives such a high grading from me mainly because of it's incredibly cool toy designs of it's time. mainly also due to it's refreshing departure from the typical beast transformers toy designs and a somewhat nostalgic G1 feeling to the toys.
Here's a link to Transformers - R.I.D toy list - http://www.bigbot.com/transformers-robots-in-disguise/
Cheers!!!
N_M
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