
Like a very organised person, it’s still only the first week of January, and yet here I am, already dropping some thoughts on the best toys from 2023. How good am I?
All joking aside, considering how horrifically late I realised the previous year’s list, I felt it was only proper to do so. Besides, with so much amazing stuff soon to be unleashed in ’24, now’s the perfect time to briefly look back – an eye of the storm before the Transformers 40th-anniversary shenanigans get underway!
As ever, these lists are purely personal and highly subjective – a reflection of my own collecting choices and preferences throughout the year, as opposed to a definitive or objective ranking. You may disagree with my list (I many will), and that’s absolutely fine. If anything, it’s what it’s all about!
Kicking us off today, it’s the repaints! I have traditionally included these in the primary ‘year in review’ article. However, with a wealth of candidates available for 2023, it seemed only right to spin this off into a separate list. Let’s get to it!
#12: FansToys FT-44T-US Thomas

It feels like FansToys has been on the right track of late. Whilst, yes, I’m taking the opportunity for a cheap train-related pun, it’s also true the unofficial outfit has earned several entries on the upcoming main 2023 list (spoiler alert!), and here they are with the only third-party repaint to register besides. Take that more as a sign of how good the official stuff was last year than anything, but still, credit to them for putting out such a splendid overhaul of what was already a great base design.

This Thomas is, of course, their take on the classic Western toy version of Astrotrain (alongside a Japanese-flavoured alternative), which feels very different from the initial release. In truth, the toy is certainly on the more intricate end of things regarding fun and repeatable transformations. Still, I’ve always been willing to forgive that slightly because triple changers tend to push those boundaries by their very nature, and it’s not like the result isn’t worth it in each case here. This repaint then brings the goods with a sharp new lick of colour, presenting the robot mode in a stark white versus the original’s warm grey, which feels like the perfect contrast. Additionally, the effort that’s gone into retooling the head and adding additional paint makes this one sing.

It stands perfectly alongside many other toy-inspired Masterpiece-styled releases we’ve seen recently. As third-party repaints go, this is how you do it.
Check out the original gallery of this toy here.
#11: Masterpiece MPM-10R Starscream (Revenge of the Fallen Ver.)

Sometimes, a good repaint can surprise you in unexpected ways beyond just a pop of new colour. On the face of it, this Revenge of the Fallen-themed Starscream re-release is not so stunningly different from the original; beyond adorning it with a distinctive tattoo-esque motif over much of the body, the hues are broadly the same. Still, in this case, the improvements are more than skin deep.

That’s because the biggest asset of MPM-10R is the vastly improved joints, particularly in areas such as the ankles, which now boast a significantly sturdier feel and enable you to pick up, pose and enjoy the toy with a lot more confidence than its original outing. Sure, the new-look jet mode is easy on the eye, but handling the figure without it toppling over is undoubtedly quite enjoyable, too!

In any case, it’s also fun to see this specific design recreated, and even if the lack of bicep rotation is still a bit of a head-scratcher, I’d merrily declare that this is as good as Movieverse Starscream has looked in toy form, thus far.
Check out the original gallery of this toy here.
#10: Retro Perceptor

The G1 ‘Retro’ line has been a source of great anticipation since it began in 2022. True, nothing will likely ever match the giddy highs of its first outing with pink Hot Rod (what could?), but still, every subsequent release has brought the goods in overhauling some beloved 1980s toy designs in new cartoon-accurate style. So it is with Perceptor, who also happens to be a personal favourite figure of mine.

In some ways, Perceptor isn’t as stunningly different to the original as other examples we’ve seen (more on that later…), although there’s still a lot to admire about this reinterpretation of the classic Autobot scientist. The red is more saturated, the blue is brighter, and the chrome has been swapped out for a surprisingly stylish flat grey finish, which looks very fetching upon close examination. It should be no surprise that Perceptor does not feature a more screen-styled retooled face, even if it might have been the ultimate embellishment for this release.

Still, as Retro reissues go, this is a perfect example of why the line continues to thrill and makes me even more stoked for the upcoming Blaster in 2024.
Check out the original gallery of this toy here.
#9: Masterpiece MP-48+ Dark Amber Leo Prime

On the theme of repaints, which are infinitely more enjoyable to handle than their forebears, we need to chat about this Beastly-themed lion lad. The original MP-48 was no slouch in the looks department, mind. Still, it was seemingly impossible to transform or pose without some degree of paint wear thrown into the bargain. It was especially harrowing considering how lush that red finish was otherwise.

So this black beauty almost immediately won me over purely by the simple grace of allowing me to manoeuvre it without any fear that I would be damaging it. However, its aesthetic allure surely cannot be hard to understand besides. Such repaints typically boast a dose of wow factor, but this high-end take on the original Black Convoy figure is undoubtedly one of the more pertinent examples.

It all leaves me still wanting a Flash Lio Convoy repaint from this mould at some point down the line, but until then, Dark Amber Leo Prime is a cracking opportunity to re-appreciate a hugely fun design in a worry-free way.
Check out the original review and gallery of this toy here.
#8: Legacy Evolution G2 Universe Jazz

I’ve written many articles extolling my excitement about 90s-era unproduced toys, which are seemingly an endless supply. Generation 2 was simply rife with all kinds of colourful concepts, although until recently, it seemed as though such ideas would never come to fruition. Step forward the current Legacy line and a lot of love for niche nods from the fine folks at Hasbro.

After all, it takes a certain kind of dedication to bring back this blazing example and do it sufficient justice. The figure is, of course, a homage to the defunct packaging artwork since discovered for a potential G2 Jazz repaint, now made real in lush Legacy form. Admittedly, I didn’t pick up the original release of Studio Series Jazz, but there was no way I could let this eye-searing overhaul escape my grasp.

As it turns out, it’s worth the hype, and especially in orange. It shouldn’t work as well as it does, yet it’s utterly magnificent.
Check out the original gallery of this toy here.
#7: Retro Kickback

I’ve already outlined the merits of the Retro line above, but one thing even I was pretty surprised about is how well the Insecticons have turned out. Admittedly, we’re only two out of three so far (waiting on Hasbro to drop a Bombshell in ’24, hopefully!), but both have been well worth a look, with Kickback here especially worthwhile.

It was hard to imagine that such an endeavour would be quite as captivating as it ultimately proved to be, as the idea of this toy with no chrome or clear yellow plastic seemed like it could be a rather dire recipe. In reality, the block, bold colours and clean presentation do the toy wonders, as does the nicely painted red visor, making it easily stand out against its 1985 counterpart release.

It’s strange to see such new life found in golden oldies like this, but that’s an inherent part of the appeal of the Retro line, to begin with! Let’s hope Hasbro has plenty more up their sleeves to come.
Check out the original gallery of this toy here.
Be sure to join us for part 2 soon!
TTFN
