Beast Hunters Grimwing

Robot Mode: One thing right at the get-go: Grimwing is the most heroic-looking of the Predacons yet. He could easily pass as one of the good guys. He features a pretty spiffy dark-and-light green paint job with some turquoise and Cybertronian glyphs as highlights. The figure also features very good articulation, lending itself to all sorts of dynamic (and heroic) poses. Grimwing’s feet give him a solid stance, too, so there is no problem with posing this figure at all. He also features a very nice head sculpt, with the face the only thing about him that looks slightly villainous.

The one thing about this robot I don’t like is the wings. Don’t get me wrong, they look good, but they are not articulated at all except for being able to flap on a single hinge each. Well, not quite, you also have those smaller pieces on the peaks of the wings which can swivel out, but most of each wing is one solid piece. Which is kind of sad seeing as several joints are sculpted into them, but they don’t move. It would have looked really cool, I think, if Grimwing could unfold his wings.

For a weapon Grimwing carries Blackbeak, more on that below. So bottom line: a very, very nice robot mode. I did have some doubts about the stability of the torso, as the shoulder parts and center of the chest don’t lock together properly, but despite that he is rock solid. No complaints here at all except that I’d have liked more articulate wings.

Alternate Mode: Like all Predacons Grimwing transforms into a... well, it's not really a dragon, more of a a griffin, really. The transformation is pretty much the standard Predacon (and most other beast-formers, come to think of it) variety in that Grimwing goes down on all fours and switches one head for another. Some minor adjustments to hips, legs, and shoulders and you have your griffin.

The resulting beast looks pretty cool and is pretty much just as articulated as the robot. All four limbs can move, the head moves up and down, you can open the griffin’s beak, and you can adjust the wings and wingtips. Grimwing’s weapon can be mounted on the griffin’s back or left aside. And... yeah, that’s pretty much it. A cool-looking beast mode with now real flaws except that here, too, I’d have liked to see the wings unfold.

Partner / Add-on: Grimwing has a kind of... well, you can’t really call it a Targetmaster or Arms Micron, but it’s a weapon that has its own name, Blackbeak, and – at least according to the story text included on Grimwing’s instruction sheet – at least a rudimentary personality. It doesn’t transform or anything, but it can launch a grapple on a rope and... yeah, that’s it. Grimwing can hold this weapon in hand, mount it on either forearm, or put it on his back in robot and beast mode. So, yeah. That’s Blackbeak. I hope you can forgive me for not considering him a figure in its own right, despite having its own name.

Remarks: Considering his look, his beast mode, and the fact that he’s supposed to be a pretty chivalrous dude, one has to wonder why this figure hasn’t yet been repainted into a homage to Beast Wars Silverbolt. Both robot and beast mode would fit to a T, just give him a grey and golden paint job and you’re there. Maybe I’ll try my own hand at that, we’ll see. Anyway, no character called Grimwing has ever shown up in any media yet, so there is nothing to tell here, really.

The toy, though, is very good. It could be a tad better, I think, with extendable wings, a more solidly-locking chest, and maybe a slightly better weapon, but apart from those minor details, Grimwing is just a very nice toy. A clear and (mostly) unreserved recommendation for everyone who isn’t put off by beast-formers.

Rating: B+