FansToys Quakewave

Review by Vector Sigma:

Prelude: Quakewave is not a product of Hasbro or Takara-Tomy. All figures included in this review are fictional, any resemblance to living or dead original Transformers are certainly intended. WARNING: Chocking hazard. This review contains small parts, not for children under 15 years.

On the serious side: Seeing as Quakewave is the first figure released by Fans Toys (according to Google FT-01 was supposed to be Blaster and FT-02 Soundwave, but neither has been released yet), I’ll take a close look at the full package in this review.

Packaging: Quakewave arrives in a solid cardboard box, the design of which closely mirrors that of the Takara Masterpiece figures without being a carbon copy. The cover features a nice-looking artwork of the figure, on the sides you have the usual descriptions and warning labels. The rear side shows product shots, including details of the figure. The box has a display window, so even MISB collectors can look at their figure once in a while. Quakewave is safely held in place by two plastic holders.

Robot Mode: No doubt about it, Quakewave is a reincarnation of G1 Shockwave. With his 600 grams he’s a hefty guy (MP-13 Soundwave: 300 grams, MP-10 Optimus Prime: 450 grams) thanks to his die cast parts. His feet and a large portion of his legs are made from metal, giving him a very safe stance. Towering at 23.5 centimetres tall he fits nicely into the current Masterpiece line (MP-13: 22.5 centimetres, MP-10: 24.5 centimetres).

He is very detailed without ruining the classic G1 look. He even features detailing inside his flip-open chest. His articulation is on a par with the current Masterpiece figures. I’d like to mention his double-jointed elbows, his thighs which feature double swivels, and his articulated hands. He has two joints per finger and each finger can move individually except for the ring finger and pinkie. For these last two only the finger tips can move individually. The thumb is on a ball joint.

Something I’ve seen other reviewers complain about is that the tube connecting Quakewave’s arm to his back is on the upper side of the arm instead of the lower side. Well, it was the same for the G1 toy (when properly transformed), so I don’t have a problem with it.

Transformation: A simple yet ingenious transformation. It is close to how the G1 original transformed, but with a few improvements. Fans of highly difficult transformations (MP-05 Megatron and above) will be disappointed. The biggest change is that Quakewave’s legs aren’t merely formed from the gun grip, but also incorporate the rear end of the gun. His reactor rucksack is formed from the muzzle of the gun (which was a separate, easy to lose piece for the G1 toy).

The transformation is very smooth. Nothing jams, nothing gets in the way. So no “f*** it, I should have moved that part 8 steps ago” thing. Fine with me.

Alternate Mode: Quakewave transforms into the same “Astro Magnum” blaster we’ve known since the days of ToyCo. Nothing more I can say here except that it looks exactly like it should.

Gimmicks / Add-Ons: Quakewave only brings along his Techspec card and instruction sheet. For a gimmick you can make both his eye and his laser cannon light up. Both the head and his left arm have a battery compartment. Unfortunately the required batteries were not included and I didn’t have any here, so I can’t comment on that gimmick so far.

Quality: The quality is top notch. The plastic feels very firm and well-made. There are no traces of welding or anything. No gaps or uneven pieces, either. Stiff joints. The die cast parts are solid. And even though I’m not usually a fan of clear plastic – in this case I am. I’d go so far and say that this figure is of better quality than most official figures.

Remarks / Conclusion: Unlike Soundwave or Optimus Prime I never did have much of a connection to Shockwave. In the cartoon he was that idiot who waited four million years for a life sign of his master Megatron. Later in the series he gets beaten or outsmarted by pretty much everyone (including Spike & Carly) until Unicron (apparently) squashes him in the 1986 movie. Not exactly a good resume for an all-time favourite. But still: something about Shockwave is magical. I like him (strangely).

Quakewave, in any case, has laid all my doubts to rest. If you’re looking for the perfect G1 Masterpiece Shockwave, then there’s no getting past this figure.

Rating: A++