Beast Wars K-9

Series: Beast Wars
Allegiance: Maximal
Categories: Deluxe
Function: Guard Duty
Year: 1997

Placed in charge of guarding his fellow Maximals from a surprise Predacon attack, K-9 is always alert thanks to his lightning-fast reflexes and ultra-sensitive canine nose. While other Maximals plot defense strategies, K-9 stands guard to survey the surrounding area for signs of Predacon spies. But even if he encounters an entire attack force, he can hold them off with his fast-fire missile launcher until reinforcements arrive. When it comes to combat, K-9's bite is definitely worse than his bark!

Robot Mode: K-9 might actually be the first robot from the early Beast Wars waves where I like the 'mutant head' gimmick. He slides an organic-looking visor over his normal head and it looks cool. Anyway, K-9 is a decent, if unspectacular robot with nice colouring and details, but some engineering problems. His posability is good, if somewhat hampered by the dog head halves on his shoulders, which clash with the dog front legs on his upper arms. K-9 can use the back of his beast mode as a shield and the dog tail as a gun, the missiles for which he stores in his upper body. All in all a decent mode with some minor problems.

Beast Mode: K-9 transforms into a German sheperd dog and this is where the figure looks really good. The only minor complaints are the fact that they didn't white his teeth (they are the same yellow as his fur) and that his robot mode arms don't fold away properly, sticking out beneath. Still, a good dog mode with good colouring and decent (if not as good as it could be) detailling.

Remarks: Look, it's Commissar Rex (a German Sheperd starring in one of Germany's favorite crime serials) and he's a Transformer now. Whoof, whoof! This figure was originally issued as Wolfgang, a wolf-Transformer, but (having only seen pictures of Wolfgang) K-9 seems a definite improvement in terms of colours. K-9 looks great in beast mode and is a decent robot with some minor problems. Not the best of the Beast Wars line, but a decent figure for dog-fans and Beast Wars fanatics such as myself.

Rating: C+