Monday, April 22, 2013

Transformers DOTM Voyager Class Megatron Part 1

Great design for a poorly written character

A complete change in the product category, and mood (^^) with this review after Nendoroid Rinko Kobayakawa. ^^ For this guy, I have to be felling evil and crazy the entire time I'm meddling around with it and when writing this review. XD


From "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" (2011), this is Voyager Class Megatron. Along with Shockwave, I got the Decepticons boss back in July 2010, but only unboxed and played with it recently. ^^; They are the only two figures from the movie that I wanted, and true to that purchasing desire (or lack thereof ^^;), they are the only two that I have in my collection.

Just in terms of design, Megatron from "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" is actually my favorite. His alternate mode is an Earth-based vehicle (finally ^^), making it somewhat easier to relate to. ^^ His robot mode has an overall more balanced and "normal" design as well, as opposed to the bulky extraterrestrial form in the first movie and the even bulkier alien look with caterpillars and deformed left arm in the second movie. My favorite design point however, which is realized on this Voyager Class figure is the dedicated Fusion Cannon, a weapon that is as important as Megatron's status as the Decepticon leader in my opinion. ^^ In the first movie, the cannon is deployed when Megatron merges both his arms; in the second movie, the cannon is the turret of his Cybertronian tank, and forms part of his oversized right arm. ^^; Finally in "Dark of the Moon", the cannon is not only separable, but can be mounted on either arm for deployment. The cannon is one of the main reasons I decided to get this figure actually, especially when it seems really fun with its "Mechtech" weapon system feature. ^^


On the other hand, it's rather disappointing that the Fusion Cannon wasn't really part of Megatron's design in the third movie. Instead, he wields a shotgun-like blaster that ultimately becomes he own undoing. The movie design of Megatron's Fusion Cannon is still similar to that weapon in "Revenge of the Fallen" if not mistaken, where it's part of his right arm, and transforms out of it when deployed. That design also gives him a larger right arm as compared to the left, albeit not as obvious and disproportionate as the design in the second movie. Apart from the weapon, there's a huge size difference in the depiction of the character between his actual movie design and this action figure. Megatron in the movie is slightly less bulkier than his Cybertronian tank incarnation as seen in the second movie (I think), but this Voyager Class design is a super slimmed down version, almost unrecognizably so. ^^;


Regardless of the size and weapon differences, I still love the figure very much. From various reviews I read in the past, it seems like a really fun Transformers figure with very interesting transformation design and great articulation. Because of the cannon design and overall balanced look as mentioned earlier on, I don't mind the differences. To some extend, the poor character design of Megatron in the movie made the differences not much of a big deal anyway. ^^; From accomplishing nothing from the beginning till the end of the entire movie, the reason why he was written to be in it really baffled me. ^^; The story would probably be all the same if it was Soundwave who made a pact with Sentinel Prime and betrayed him in the end I think, especially when Megatron was shown to be taken out so easily in the end as well. ^^; Of the same character from all three movies, Megatron in "Dark of the Moon" has the worst story design in my opinion. ^^; And just from my personal viewpoint, that's such a pitiful and unfortunate outcome, because the robot design is my personal favorite out of the three movies. ^^;



The front window allows the figure to be seen very easily and clearly.


The "Try Me" feature on the front window allows you to try out the cannon's Mechtech gimmick.



Transformation level, vehicle mode image and Decepticon logo decorates different corners of the box's front face.



Character introduction and stats on the box sides.


Top and bottom views of the box.


Preview of Voyager Class Ironhide on the box bottom.




Introduction of the character on the back of the box.


Box open.


Top view of the content tray.




Megatron bound in front of the plastic tray.






Closeups on the details.


Nothing to see behind the hard paper box.


The folded instruction sheet is nicely stored inside a dedicated compartment beneath the tray. ^^




The unfolded instruction sheet shows how to transform Megatron from robot to vehicle mode, ...




... and back again. ^^


Some additional steps on configuring the weapon and cape in robot and vehicle modes.



A straight-out-of-box display of Transformers DOTM Voyager Class Megatron with his Fusion Cannon. ^^

Just like Shockwave, I'll be doing a "reversed" transformation review for Megatron, so more images of Megatron's oil tanker mode will be up next before its transformation design. ^^

No comments: