COUNTDOWN: 12 more things to know about Missing Link Sunstreaker & Cordon

It’s no exaggeration to say that for many of us, Missing Link is *the* most exciting thing happening in Transformers right now.

After all, the toys we’ve glimpsed thus far are all near-perfect recreations of the classic moulds that kicked off the brand to begin with, except now featuring various enhancements and added articulation – all of which feels like everything fans have been clamouring for over the last however many decades! Well, we can now take a fresh look at the next two releases, C-05 Sunstreaker and C-06 Cordon, and boy, they could not be more exciting!

We’d already explored some of the details here when the grey resin prototype was unveiled, but now that we have a full-colour look, there’s plenty more to talk about. So, let’s get to it!

#12: Sunstreaker looks just like the original toy!

As expected but now confirmed, Sunstreaker is a veritable dead ringer for the 1984 figure, especially when posed as such. Despite a few obvious tells once you look for them, it would be easy to think this was the vintage original at first glance. Sure, you can see panel seams in the shoulders, hips and heel skirt for articulation. Still, overall, it’s remarkable just how close to the classic look this comes, especially once you equip it with the alternative fists meant for precisely such a purpose. Collectors who like Missing Link figures to fit in rather seamlessly with their 1980s counterparts are in for a treat!

#11: Cordon is a dream come true for vintage collectors

I say this without a single drop of hyperbole, but never in all my years could I have imagined a modern release of the vintage Diaclone police Countach design. The 1982 figure is a piece of history. It is also incredibly alluring for having never been re-released as part of Transformers, even during the fabled e-HOBBY era (despite newer designs referencing it in lines such as Masterpiece and Generations and giving it the new name of ‘Cordon’). That toy now goes for considerable money on today’s aftermarket despite the likelihood of it being discoloured to some degree, so the ability able to pick up a staggeringly faithful recreation of this kind is a true wonder. I’m still in shock, to be honest!

#10: Sunstreaker has his classic offset Autobot logo & Diaclone headlights!

Now that we can see the finished article, there are many minute details about Sunstreaker to appreciate here. The first thing that struck me was how TakaraTomy has faithfully recreated the classic toy’s infamous offset Autobot logo on the bonnet section, which has always been an oddity if only because of how strangely placed it was, especially considering he has a second insignia on his roof. Elsewhere, you will see the ‘CR’ emblem alongside the side skirts as a reference and hangover from its Diaclone Car Robots origins. However, now the black stripe and bumper appear to be painted versus the vintage toy’s all-too-often peeling decals. Finally, one genuine surprise is the addition of headlight tampos, if only because there was never a sticker included for these with the 1984 release! They were present on the Diaclone releases of the mould but never carried over to Transformers, bizarrely (although you will often see copies of G1 Sunstreaker erroneously using the black stickers intended to be placed behind the front wheel arches as faux headlights), so this is an unexpected flourish.

#9: Cordon does not have any faction tampos

Likewise, Cordon is an astoundingly faithful recreation of that 1982 police Countach, right down to the intricate detailing. Of note is the kanji along the side skirt, which reads 警視庁 or ‘Metropolitan Police Department’, as well as a prominent display of The Asahikage, the symbol of Japanese police, on the bonnet. Again, you’ll note those headlights, which are exactly as found on the original Diaclone toy in this case. However, perhaps another notable aspect is what’s not seen here – any Autobot tampos! Yes, where some of us feared TakaraTomy might go the route of assigning Transformers factions to any potential Diaclone homages in their Missing Link line, it seems they’re keeping their heritage as intact as possible and going the traditional route, which I am personally a fan of. Could this thing be any more perfect?

#8: Sunstreaker features a rubsign in the traditional spot

Speaking of symbols, these two continue the use of rubsigns in the Missing Link line. However, the placement is interesting in both cases. We saw with Convoy how TakaraTomy opted to have it on the roof of the vehicle mode in the traditional spot for that toy, which worked because there was never a normal Autobot tampo in the same place on the earliest pre-rub release back in 1984. Comparatively, Bumblebee and Cliffjumper went a different route by ‘hiding’ the rubsign under their feet, presumably because placing them front and centre on their chests would have meant displacing the regular emblem in that case. For Sunstreaker, we’re back to the more straightforward Convoy solution again, as the rubsign appears on the left side of the car in precisely the placement used on the ‘post-rub’ releases of the original, so it works brilliantly.

#7: Cordon has a ‘hidden’ rubsign

Now, whilst he’s not *technically* an Autobot and doesn’t have any of the traditional tampos, Cordon does sport a rubsign. However, as with Bumblebee and Cliffjumper, TakaraTomy has gone a sneaky route by placing it underneath the car mode on the bottom of the robot foot. That way, it’s a neat nod for those who want it, but it doesn’t interrupt the classic Diaclone flavour that will appeal to so many collectors. Nice touch.

#6: The moulded intake detail looks spectacular

While Missing Link designs are mostly quite slavish in how they bring back the exact detailing of the classic toys, one flourish they opt for is moulded and painted approximations of the stickers found on the vintage equivalents. To my eye, the robotic etching on top of the rear intakes here is the ultimate sign of why this approach works, as it picks out an unmistakable element of the original design in an accurate but delightfully embellished style and looks nothing shy of magnificent! Bonus points for the attention to detail on the varying paint colours being used, with Sunstreaker’s more muted tones and dominant silver making a pleasing contrast to Cordon’s zesty yellow and red highlights. Stunning.

#5: There is no Countach livery on the spoiler

One thing we recently gleaned from a Figure King article about these new toys is that neither Sunstreaker nor Cordon are licensed vehicles, and thus will not feature the ‘Countach’ emblem typically seen on the shiny silver spoiler of the original releases. This might surprise some, especially as Transformers has an established partnership history with Lamborghini. The Masterpiece versions were licensed toys, after all, and had the option to transform into a more traditional Countach form as a consequence. It appears that by solely reproducing the modified ‘super tuning’ version of the car with the additional intakes, there is no such requirement in this case, as the Missing Link design is considered to be a non-licensed ‘supercar’ instead of a Lamborghini specifically. Some may be sad to see the absence of the spoiler livery. Still, it’s an understandable compromise, especially if it means the toy’s modified form can be so authentically recreated otherwise.

#4: The shoulder attachments are indeed removable!

File this under ‘not surprising but still reassuring’ because whilst no part of me is shocked to discover that the yellow shoulder attachments are removable when transforming to vehicle mode, it’s still good to have it actually confirmed as such! After all, the prototype photos we’d seen so far all had them sticking out of the rear end of the car form, and, as TakaraTomy have stated their desire to do away with partsforming wherever possible for Missing Link, there was a tiny but nagging doubt this might not be the case, which would have been a disaster! Anyway, crisis averted as these accessories appear to work in much the same manner as the originals. However, we still don’t know if they can be inserted into the wrists and fired using the traditional spring-loaded mechanism. Time will tell!

#3: The weapons are chromed

Again, it’s not a major revelation to see chromed weapons on offer here, except perhaps in the case of the new handheld rifle, which is an addition not found on the classic toy. It appears to be a 1:1 recreation of sibling Sideswipe’s firearm (which was only ever cast in non-chromed plastic back in the day) but does a good job of representing Sunstreaker’s weapon from the Sunbow cartoon. Again, could this be an indication that the other Lambo bro’ will follow soon? Let’s hope. Also of note here are the missiles presented on the traditional sprue, which is yet another sign that TakaraTomy is committed to preserving the classic feel of these toys.

#2: Both toys feature a mini pilot

Probably the biggest revelation of these photos and the corresponding Figure King article has been that both Sunstreaker and Cordon will come packaged with a miniature ‘driver’ of sorts, something which is a first for Missing Link and another superb nod to the line’s roots! Most collectors will be aware that such pilots were a mainstay of Diaclone, with all of the classic toys handed down to Transformers featuring now-empty cockpits or other seats where they were originally placed (which caused great confusion during childhood!). These new drivers certainly aren’t 1:1 with the vintage Dia-Nauts but appear to be a sort of amalgamated homage containing some additional nods towards the Autobot’s cartoon ally, Spike. The colour of the shirt and trousers is unmistakable, and the collar and breast pocket detail all line up. Even better, they will apparently have magnets incorporated into their feet, as found on the vintage equivalents, which should allow them to interact with larger toys. True, Cordon’s companion looks like a slightly nightmarish humanoid automaton, but this is an amusing inclusion that makes the new Missing Link releases feel even more special!

#1: The chest interior detail has been reversed on each toy!

OK, this last revelation is one I cannot quite believe, and it conclusively demonstrates that TakaraTomy is going to unprecedented levels of effort in reproducing the classic toys in uber-faithful detail! In a previous article on the prototype for this mould, we noted how the inner chest tooling portrayed the small triangular sections in an orientation consistent with Sunstreaker’s G1 toy instructions, specifically the right angle being on the inside of the strip and the sloped side to the outside, even though this was technically incorrect to the original Diaclone release. After all, these sections were initially intended to line up with the placement of the rear engine block in car mode, allowing them to visibly peak out in vehicle form, so having them ‘reversed’ on Sunstreaker made this impossible (something you can see for yourself in an excellent article by the legendary TFSquareOne). Despite such a solution being inconsistent with the vintage toy’s origins, it was understandable to see Missing Link going this route, if only because it was a ‘correct mistake’ in trying to slavishly bring the 1984 Transformers toy to life. Well, we should never have underestimated the company’s commitment to the cause because they’ve only gone and done separately tooled versions for the two toys, haven’t they? You can see here that Sunstreaker’s moulding is the ‘incorrect’ Transformers version, whilst Cordon’s syncs up perfectly with how the decals should have been placed on the 1982 Diaclone figure. Amazing. I’m genuinely bowled over by this sort of attention to detail!

So that’s our list! Can’t wait!

TTFN