Bruticus Heavytread 'Upgrade/Update'

Ok, what's the upgrade/update here, you ask?

Current...

Previous...

That's the upgrade/update. 

Technically, somebody thought that it's not enough to upgrade Swindle and Blast off - Brawl needs a re-scan too...

...and here is the 're-scan', Power Core Combiner (PCC) Commander Autobot Heavytread.

I'm no tank expert, but this looks very much like M1 Abrams Tank (The one used in the movie.)

Here's his robot mode.

The upgrade/update works by some 'minor tweaks' to the tanks 'rear end' and then pulling out the connector from the orginal bruticus combiners. I prefer the original brawl or swindle to keep them color coordinated. This one's from swindle.

 Fits perfectly.

If you want to do this upgrade/update, you might want to consider the fact that Bruticus foot requires two pegs and Heavytread has only one peg.

Consider also your customizing skills. I thought that should be easy, but I ruined one connector prior to this one. You would also need to be creative on doing that center tube on the connector - I used a tube from a ballpen that fits almost pefectly on the pegs on Heavytread, just needs some instant glue to adjust.

Lastly, you might want to consider the fact that Heavytread looks thinner and shorter, so even if you get the height just right, Heavytread would still look somewhat off.

For me, I do not recommend this update, for aesthetics alone. I wish vortex was the one who had the upgrade, making him more G1 looking. Well, we'll see if we can do that.

Thanks for reading!

-ghe

Toy Review: Revoltech's Danboard

In spirit of creativity, my wife and I will join this contest...

...and as of this writing, our entries are already done and already submitted. :)

But before we reveal our entries, let's try to look at the "toy" first.

Presenting: Revoltech's Danboard

Well, this is the back part. I would like to present this first because the photo's quite ironic - for someone who's made up of boxes, he seems to be walking in the rain - or at least walking on a puddle of water.

Isn't that dangerous for him? Hehe.

  Well, that's consistent w/ my wife's initial impression of him - from the pics on the net, he seems like "emo."

Here's the front part. Standard molded plastic in a box.

And more Japanese inscriptions around the box. hehe

Out of the box (but still in plastic casing). More details later.

Ok, here's Danboard... or Danbo for short...

and yeah, he looks spaced out. Hehe. Joke!

But seriously, this is one of the simplest toy that I've owned - that is, if it can even be considered a toy at all.

He emulates a person who's made up of boxes... and that's it. How simpler can it be?

He doesn't have much articulation either - just on the hips, shoulders and neck.

That's it - no knees, or elbows, not even a hands and feet. None - just boxes all over.

But as a toy, it has a gimmick.  

You have to remove the head, look underneath, then set the batteries up... 

...look for the switch at the right side of his head and...

Wow! Lighted eyes! Hehe. Cool!

The package includes a kid's head with a startled expression. Per research, his name is Miura.

I guess, he looks "startled' as he reveals himself to be the one inside the box. 

Also comes w/ a stand. I guess Danbo can be an example of what you can do w/ Balikbayan boxes. Hehe.

For me, Danbo is not a toy.

It's a novelty item - a collector's item for the fans of the manga where it came from (Yotsuba&I).

I'm really challenged by the creative limits of this toy. 

Maybe that's why I joined the contest in the first place - to push creativity to its limits.

But of course, I'm hoping to win something also. Hehe.

I'll reveal my entry on April 2, so tune in.

Enjoi!

-Ghe

The Rise of Bruticus: Part 5 - More Bruticus

Note: Previous entry is here

This is the current update for the upgrade units, code name: FlameBlast and WarCry.

Some minor changes... 

...but they are really just recolored versions of Swindle (Munitioner) and Blast Off (Explorer)

This gives Bruticus a whole new dimension when combined - something I'm not really a big fan of.

I really don't get it...

This is another 3rd party / fan made upgrade, a chest plate armor... I'll pass. 

An Army of Bruticus... Megatron's dream.

Now, this is another 3rd party version. Epic, but too much...

This is the current official design based on the game Fall of Cybertron...

I'm not sure what happened to the design to look like this...

So, people are trying to improve this like the one below.

Yeah, sure...

Bruticus then and now...

As for me, I'm itching to customize Brawl to look like a legit tank. I used the old Blast off as a prototype.

Nice, eh? hehe.I'm still thinking how to form him into a left leg though. 

I guess that's all for me now, this should be the last in this Bruticus series...

or maybe not, hehe....

 Stay Tuned!

------------------------------------------------

NEXT PROJECT: 

Feral Rex 

a.k.a 

"PREDAKING"

(This may take a while though... a very long long while... so don't count on it very soon... hehe)

-ghe

The Rise of Bruticus: Part 4 - One Team, One Unit (Plus One more member)

Note: Previous entry is here

Initially, these two units were released separately. 

The version that I got came on a single box. 

It transformed this...

...into this.

Sweet.

And to form Bruticus...

Brawl transforms into a left leg,

Swindle into the right leg,

Vortex into a left hand,

Blast off into the right hand,

and Onslaught into the torso,

to form this.

I'm always at awe.

His first weapons are these pairs of back cannon...

Which can fold forward to become shoulder cannons.

He also has this anti material rifle.

Double shot guns,

alright!

He has this dagger (remember blast off's cleaver/sword?)

Which can also be held reversely although not securely.

Additionally, my set includes this extra gun w/c was not included in the initial release.

Which also transforms into a robot named QUAKE. 

It pays homage to a character named Shockwave during their encounter in this particular episode.

Looks nice, but for me, I don't like this gun because it can't be held securely.

Die pointless freebie!!!!!!!hehe.

Next time, on the final entry, we'll look at the different variations of Bruticus including this particular version.

Stay tuned!

-ghe

Note: Part 5 is already here!