COUNTDOWN: Breaking down the reaction to Legacy Blitzwing

Posted on by Sixo

Another day, another new toy on the horizon, eh? Although through unofficial means, we now have our first look at the upcoming Legacy Blitzwing!

Excitement for this figure was already high, but I think the response it garnered online was somewhat unprecedented. It seemed as though everyone was ready to weigh in on whether it looked good or bad, with the debate raging throughout last week.

So today, we’ve rounded up a cross-section of that reaction from Twitter and attempted to break down some of the main areas of debate and intrigue! Buckle up…

 

#8: There’s a lot of excitement about the robot mode

OK, first things first – it seems as though the robot mode has mostly hit the mark! Whilst it’s rare for any toy to win everyone over entirely, the general reaction was that this form performs well in terms of overall look, adherence to the character’s classic animation model and how it scales with other figures in the Generations line.

Many people perhaps rightly pointed out that Blitzwing is a reasonably unusual design, including plenty of quirks due to both the original 1985 toy and the corresponding animation model.

https://twitter.com/TotallySwindle/status/1507052058473598980?s=20&t=QOaQREmaCFxmd5iZkykmsQ

Still, most considered this attempt at the robot mode successful overall, with the articulation also being cited as a positive.

Even people who were happy to point out flaws in some of the other modes ultimately concluded the figure had won them over, primarily due to his humanoid form.

 

#7: Reaction to the alternate modes is mixed at best

However, the mood was notably more sombre when it came to the two alternate forms, with the jet and tank modes coming in for various criticisms. One of the most controversial aspects was the sizeable and glaringly-placed jet cockpit on the front of the tank form.

More than any other aspect, this drew the harshest reactions. However, equally some fans were keen to point out it is presumably an attempt at cartoon accuracy, given the appearance of the tank mode in the 1980s’ animation. There was some further question about how much the new design actually resembles this specific part of the cartoon’s appearance, though!

There were also attempts to point out the cockpit could be observed in the same place on the G1 toy’s tank mode, although in truth, that’s a common mistransformation the cartoon rather infamously adopted at the time! Thus the Legacy toy is still ‘correct’ as far as the animation goes, even if the 1985 figure set a different precedent.

That also had people wondering if you could just flip the turret of the tank mode round, similar to the G1 toy, although I’ll leave you to decide if the result is a success or not.

Naturally, some were quick to point out the tank isn’t necessarily all that ‘cartoon accurate’ overall, so choosing this one questionable aspect to be faithful is a strange choice, perhaps. That’s especially true when you realise the cockpit appears to be a faux part, with a second canopy visible on the bottom of the tank mode, presumably just to recreate the appearance of this section from the cartoon.

Still, plenty of people were willing to defend the tank mode, with some praise for the overall style of the thing, even if the cockpit remained a source of intrigue.

It’s arguably a strange mix, with ‘accuracy’ prioritised for oddly-specific parts but not so observed as a whole. Whatever your thoughts, it looks as though this is indeed the way it will be!

The jet mode also caught a fair amount of critique, with the more kibbly aspects of the design coming under fire for one thing. The obvious tank treads under the wings did not sit well with many fans, even if they were happy to admit the animation look of the jet had always been a bit bizarre.

So, not the same vibe as the robot mode, overall! There were some attempts to ‘explain’ the kibble, though…

https://twitter.com/Frank17F/status/1506815095002837001?s=20&t=QOaQREmaCFxmd5iZkykmsQ

I guess it could be?

 

#6: Some other aspects of the transformation also received criticism

The transformation came under scrutiny as well as the modes themselves, including the use of ‘fake’ or ‘faux’ parts to achieve a specific look. As well as the second jet canopy, the wings on the robot mode shoulders are a second set used exclusively to make Blitzwing’s humanoid form look accurate to his G1 appearance, with the jet mode wings themselves folding out of the way during conversion.

Ultimately, this created yet more debate about the nature of these transformations and whether or not it’s a good thing to use such a degree of ‘fake’ parts to achieve G1 accuracy.

In Legacy Blitzwing’s case, the translation of the animation model to a new toy form is one that’s undoubtedly led to some unusual aspects, such as the observation above. When you also consider the animation model’s incorrect assessment of the jet cockpit for the tank mode, it’s interesting to see how these quirks have evolved over the years!

 

#5: Naturally, it’s being compared to Titans Return

The big question on many people’s minds was whether the new Legacy toy shaped up favourably versus the 2017 Titans Return design. Again, opinion varied on the matter, but plenty felt it did.

It’s safe to say not everyone was convinced, however, with some pointing out that the new toy’s slavish attempt at cartoon accuracy didn’t necessarily make it ‘better’.

As ever, perhaps the crucial thing to remember is that the new attempt doesn’t render the old one moot; if anything, now everyone has options at least.

 

#4: The big hands are causing intrigue

Of all the many features of the Legacy toy, one that got imaginations running was the pair of giant hands that can be attached to the robot mode!

Many people referred to them as looking like ‘Hulk hands’ or wondered about their purpose. There was even a fair bit of speculation that they may end up being the combined mode hands for Legacy Menasor, although just as many people were keen to point out why this might not be so.

No doubt the hands will lead to a lot of fun and imagination down the road, although I was personally quite impressed with some of the arty takes already on the way…

Keep ’em coming!

 

#3: People are already imagining other potential accessories

As well as the ‘Hulk hands’, some fans were keen to consider just what other accessories might be a good mix for Legacy Blitzwing. The G1 cartoon episode, Triple Takeover, was a ready source of inspiration, of course, with solutions for the football from that caper already being pondered. 

Perhaps it’s the kind of thing we might even see in a third party upgrade kit soon!

 

#2: There’s some repaint potential too…

https://twitter.com/Riderconvoy_2K/status/1506928243609260038?s=20&t=Gnq2f5I-AalB6-uz27K3Hw

Naturally, as with any new toy, the potential for repaints or retools was already being discussed. Several people were citing the green and white Diaclone version of the G1 toy, named Overcharge in Transformers, as a good idea for down the line. Some also highlighted the Platinum Edition brown and red colour scheme.

If such a thing were to happen, might we even see a Platinum Edition take on WFC Astrotrain? Stranger things have happened, I suppose!

Either way, I’d be amazed if Overcharge doesn’t come to pass at some point before too long.

 

#1: Some people were also hoping for an Animated nod

Finally, whatever the thoughts on the Legacy design itself, perhaps naturally, some collectors were pining after the idea of a fresh take on the Transformers: Animated Blitzwing design, especially as it remains one of the more unique attempts at the character.

With Legacy purporting to be a celebration of Transformers’ history over the years, this could have been an intriguing way forward, but it seems as though it was not to be on this occasion.

 
 
Still, despite all the debate, plenty of excitement remained for the character.

Many people remained entirely positive about the new figure too, which is always great to see.

https://twitter.com/Phoenixhazard0/status/1506714513219133440?s=20&t=gbQWQh7gVNWdZuOS6d8fkQ

And hey, even if it hasn’t won you over, at least we can all agree this is true.

 
 
So, that’s our list! How do you feel about Legacy Blitzwing?

TTFN

About Sixo

Transformers collector from the UK, collecting vintage G1/G2, CR/RID, UT & Masterpiece/3P. Find me at twitter.com/SixoTF or on YouTube at youtube.com/SixoTF

View all posts by Sixo ››

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