Tomica: #23 Nissan GT-R

A lot of the vehicles released in the Walmart Exclusive Tomica line were straight up Japanese vehicles, so it was refreshing to see a vehicle in the series that I was more familiar with. That said this model of the Nissan GT-R is a fantastic looking car and the burnt copper metallic paint looks great on this vehicle.

This is a great model, from the sculpting to the paint color, however I'm not fond of the bright orange interior. I guess it matches the exterior paint somewhat, but it's not my cup of tea. Maybe if the windows were tinted to hide the orange more I'd like it a little better. None the less Takara Tomy did a great job w/ this release. The opening doors is just the icing on the cake. I added this one to my Nissan collection as it goes with side by side with other GT-Rs I have from the Hot Wheels line.

GI Joe: Valor vs. Venom - Cobra Alley Viper II & Cobra Viper

 

I liken the Valor vs. Venom line of GI Joe to Cybertron of Transformers as it was the 3rd line in a connected series. Starting with GI Joe vs. Cobra and then Spy Troops, Valor vs. Venom continues the story of Joe versus Cobra, however this time Dr. Mindbender and his experimental V-Troops take center stage. That's not the say that mainstays from the Cobra ranks don't also make an appearance, such as this pair of Vipers.

By the time Valor vs. Venom rolled onto store pegs/shelves, figure two packs weren't necessarily new. However troop builder packs weren't something Hasbro did very often, much to the chagrin of the fans. Blazoned in bold black/yellow letters on the package, you knew this set was meant for those who like to build their armies of faceless characters. The blister bubble showcases both figures white some partial artwork for each character inserted in the middle. The back side of the package showcases larger artwork for one of the characters, this time the Alley Viper II, along with a story blurb. Below that is a cross sell of other characters offered in the line.

The bottom of the package contains Battle Points, which were meant to be clipped and saved for future mail order redemptions. Long time Joe fans will remember Flag Points from the original A Real American Hero series and these Battle Points are basically the same thing. I can only remember two mail away figures offered by Hasbro during this time, these points would help you be able to add these exclusive figures to your collection.

You may have noticed the back of the packaging lacked file cards, that's because they were printed on the cardboard insert inside. This was a nice move by Hasbro, but I would have preferred the cards already be clipped as I don't always have the steadiest of hands with it comes to cutting things out. I like the layout of these file cards as it gives them plenty of room to dive into the character. The included barcode and faux magnetic strip across the bottom of the cards give it a nice finishing touch.

Also included in each figure package was a small mini comic. It's been a very long time since I've read one of these, but I found the comic to contain quite a bit of story than I remember. The artwork is also well done, though I didn't recognize the artist...probably a Hasbro in house artist.

I never was the biggest fan of Cobra's urban trooper, the Alley Viper. For whatever reason this trooper just didn't click with me. This is the 2nd version and features a toned down color/deco from the original first found in the ARAH series. His accessories include two silver SMG guns and a black knife. The figure stand you see is not included, but used as the figure was hard to stand without some sort of support. This version of the Alley Viper sports a blue suit with gray armor bits on the shoulders, forearms and legs. The yellow parts on his shoulders and mid-section help add some extra color, but was it really needed? I like the head sculpt, but I feel as if a removable visor would've really help this figure that much more. The SMG guns work well with this figure, but sadly the included knife does not fit in the gray sheath on the chest of the figure.

Down the side of his right leg is a silver snake emblem. If this looks familiar to you it should as it's been used in the past, most notably on the ARAH Moray Hydrofoil. I find this a little out of place as the Alley Viper is more of a urban or city trooper.

The figure that favored in this two pack, and I'm sure others as well is a new take on the classic Cobra Viper. Now sporting a maroon look with purple highlights and black gauntlets and boots, this was one of the best looking army builders in the whole series. His accessories include an odd weapons storage pod, machine gun and a small knife.

This is a great two pack to kick off anyone's troop building with, though I believe the Viper to be the superior of the two for many reasons. Thankfully this set is fairly easy to find today on the secondary market and isn't too pricey. 

Machine Robo Unitroborn Unitrobo: Planeeraser

Several months ago I finally reviewed the first figure I purchased from the new Unitroborn series, Bulldozerburger and I immediately loved it. I purchased Planeeraser at the same time so I figured it was time to take a look at this smaller scaled piece.

Packaged in the same blister card type packaging, the music theme is less evident with this release. The card art on the front is fantastic and the removable blister bubble is a Japanese trait that I enjoy. The back side of the package shows the combination/transformation between the plane and the eraser. Once combined we have a nice looking robotic wolf.

The plane reminds me of some rich guy's private jet. Sleek, white, simple, but with some flair. The wings do fold up, but that's really a part of the combination.

The eraser is pretty basic. Small with blue paint apps that mimic a paper sleeve art erasers may come in.

When the plane and eraser are attached together, the legs of the wolf pop out. To complete the transformation you must fold out the front legs and fold up the wings.

Once fully combined/transformed, the music theme is more noticeable. From the light bar stickers on the underside of the wings and on the top of the head to the musical notes that sound the wolf's eyes. 

While this particular figure is a little more smaller and simplified, it still has it's own unique charm. This is a weird line and that's what makes it stand out in such a crowded landscape of toys. These can be imported via companies such as BBTS if you are so inclined to check them out yourself.

Johnny Lightning: 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible (Blacked Out) - version B, release 1

Street Freaks series

1959 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible

version B, release 1

Limited Edition - 3,386

Freak Facts...

* The 1959 Cadillac Eldorado has some

of the most-recognizable tailfins

in the history of car styling.

* The 1959 Eldorado was nearly 19ft

long. That's almost 3ft longer than

the 2002 model!

Flat Black

 

Masters of the Universe Origins: Roboto

It's no secret that I'm a fan of robots so when I first learned of Roboto as a kid in the 80's I was instantly a fan. Mattel has faithfully recreated this heroic mechanized warrior for the Origins line. The packaging is your standard Masters of the Universe design complete with exploding red lava rocks in the background. The yellow starburst talks about "Retro Play" which I assume is referencing the toy's gimmick...which happens to be listed on the other side of the blister bubble. 

The card back features some gorgeous artwork across the top, while the left side demonstrates the gimmicks. In the center is a cross sell featuring other figures released in this 2021 wave.

The original Masters of the Universe line was known for re-using body parts to create new characters, however Roboto has a lot of original parts, including the chest. Cast in translucent clear plastic, you can see the gears inside the chest. When I first saw pictures of this I was glad to see the gears were intact, but I had wondered if it would impede the removable head and limbs that the Origin figures feature. Surprisingly this feature on this version of Roboto is still intact! Roboto has so much cool stuff going for him, from the circuitry molded into his arms, the removable weaponry to the head sculpt. 

While you can swap the hands on any Origins figure, Roboto takes this one step farther with detachable weaponry. Out of the package he comes with his battle axe already attached, but if that type of bladed weapon isn't your cup of tea you can switch it out for a claw or a laser gun.

I found this figure to be a lot of fun, a highlight of his wave. He seems to also be a fan favorite and I can see why. Now I'm eagerly awaiting to see if he'll get a figure in the new Masterverse series.

Micro Machines Transformers Micro Playset + Vehicle

Jazzwares has resurrected the Micro Machines brand and partnered with the Transformers brand. These  mystery blind package sets seemed to come out of no where with very little marketing, if any. For several months they were really hard to find, but during my work travels I located a few at a Target and grabbed several out of sheer curiosity. 

The plastic crate comes surrounded by a paper sleeve of sorts, completely shrink wrapped. Apparently there are some markings or codes on the bottom of the package that reveals which vehicle is included inside. It could be a normal Micro Machine vehicle or a Transformers themed vehicle. All of the Transformers included are based on the live action movies.

Once all of the packaging is removed you are left with this gray plastic crate. One one side is an embossed Micro Machines logo, while the other sides are non-descript. Each piece of the crate are held together with tabs, clipping onto one another. To disassemble the crate you just pull off the sides.

On the back side of each piece of the crate is scenery, that once assembled is the playset for the included Micro Machine vehicle. Here you can see I received Cliffjumper and the Desert Dunes Raceway.

Growing up I had a lot of Micro Machines and playsets so I thought I'd love this...and in theory these are pretty cool. Perhaps my tastes have just changed now being in my mid-40s. I have the Raceway built as the included instructions show, however you can reassemble most of it as you see it.

While the playset wasn't long for my collection, I did end up keeping the Cliffjumper vehicle since I'm a sucker for Micro Machines and Transformers...even though he's a basic repaint of the Movieverse Bumblebee Camaro.

Underneath the vehicle is a small box that hides the Transformers affiliation logo. Of course you can see it without the included decoder, but once underneath the red film the logo pops. This is of course a throwback to the Generation 1 Tech Specs and decoders

Overall these are a nice novelty item, but they didn't capture my attention enough to track down the other sets. I've seen some of the other designs of the playsets and they are cool so your mileage may vary.