Beast Wars II Apache

Prelude: Beast Wars II Apache is identical with Western release Beast Wars B’Boom, whom I have reviewed previously. It’s been over eight years, though, and my B’Boom was missing parts, so we’re doing the full program here.

Robot Mode: As a Mega-class figure (today’s Voyager-class) Apache is a big, broad fellow just bristling with weaponry. He has sculpted missile launchers on his chest, a double-barreled cannon on every shoulder (though those are more for the third mode) and a missile launcher stored behind his head that he can hold in his hand, along with two blue missiles for it. Additionally he’s got really big hands for squashing stuff with and the articulation to bring all of it to bear. Definitely a warrior robot, no doubt about that.

The detailing and articulation of this robot offer no room for complaint. The only thing I don’t like that much are those panels on his shoulders, but they don’t hinder him or anything, just look a bit strange. And speaking of strange, Apache’s feet kind of weird me out a bit, as he’s basically walking on the inverted rear paws of his beast mode. Just very strange-looking. Anyway, while not quite as brilliant and gimmick-laden as that other big Beast Wars primate, Apache is a pretty cool robot.

Beast Mode: Apache transforms into a mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx for the Latin lovers, belonging to the Baboon family of primates). It’s basically the robot going down on all fours and pulling the head he previously had on his chest over his robot mode head, but that works just fine. Apache is also one but very few Transformers I can think of with an animated face. The lever on his back causes his mouth to open (revealing the missile launcher inside) and his brow to rise, making his eyes bigger. It’s a somewhat scary visual, to be honest, a snarling, wide-eyed mandrill with a missile launcher in his mouth. The mandrill retains the excellent articulation of the robot, of course, and does a pretty good job of hiding all his robot bits, too. So thumbs up for the beast mode.

Apache also has a third mode, called ‘fortress mode’ by his profile text. It’s basically a big weapons platform on four legs, bringing both Apache’s missile launcher and the twin-barreled shoulder cannons to bear. The chest missile launchers from the robot mode are also present, even though they can only shoot upwards here. Finally, there is a yet another strange feature: a third head. Yep, apart from his robot and beast mode head, Apache has a third head just for this mode, which peaks out underneath the missile launcher. Why? I haven’t the foggiest, but it looks cool and scary. So bottom line, probably the best ‘third mode’ of all the various Beast Warriors I have seen so far.

Remarks: While we didn’t see anything of B’Boom in the Western world until he made a cameo in the IDW Beast Wars comics, his Japanese counterpart Apache was a core cast member of the Japanese-exclusive Beast Wars II cartoon series. Second-in-command to Lio Convoy, he basically filled the role of ‘grumpy by-the-books guy’ in the team. Except that one time when he thought he had gotten Lio Convoy killed and got drunk off his ass, crying. Anyway, as mentioned above the toys for Apache and B’Boom are identical, so there is absolutely no reason to own both (I sold off my incomplete B’Boom after getting this one). He’s a pretty good toy, though, if a bit unknown due to his lack of Western media presence, so Beast Wars fans might well want to take a look. He’s strange, but cool.

Rating: B