Monday, July 25, 2011

Reveal The Shield: Legends Class Megatron!

07.25.2011 - For every hero there’s a villain. There’s good versus evil as the main concept what makes a franchise click. In Transformers that main villain is Megatron the Decepticon tyrannical leader bent on conquering the universe.

The 1984 classic cartoon provided much interest in Transformers because of that particular concept.

To every Optimus Prime in every Transformer series there’s Megatron to that our hero has to stop no matter the cost.

Jump after the cut...

Megatron originally in the Generation One cartoon that was shown in 1984 transforms into a P-38 gun, and after his reformat in the 1986 Transformers Animated Movie he was never been the same. Transforming from a tank and other military vehicles we can remember the gun mode will always be his original form, which was banned due to child safety laws that was imitated negatively.

Well until 2006 when Hasbro has launched the Transformers Classics toy line, that he has returned to his gun mode though not what you expect. In the recent iteration in the Classics toy line he transforms into a Nerf inspired pistol (a similar non-transforming product also by Hasbro).


For all those who didn’t grew up seeing the maniacal Megatron in his original form you’ll be happy to know Hasbro had brought him back in the Reveal The Shield toy line in his gun mode inspired from the classic cartoon, but not the scale you expected. Released in the late 2010 and early 2011 the Reveal The Shield Legends Class Megatron was paired up with the G1 inspired Optimus Prime.

In its early release it was reviewed by our resident Transfan Dark Lord Dungeon, and he has a lot to say about the latest version of Megatron. Though being ridiculed by hardcore fans for the size and the controversial orange tip this figure has become of the most sought after in the Legends Class scale.






Megatron packaged in a single card back is not that hard to see from a far based from his animated design. The Decepticon Leader is definitely sold out to long time fans as well as new ones who are in search of this elusive figure now that he’s on sale for PhP 150.00 pesos (roughly $3.00 US Dollars).

Upon opening this figure he’s tied up with a single rattan soft paper wire, which is easily removed from his clear plastic packaging. The card back doesn’t explain behind the character’s story but has his tech spec and instruction manual printed.

Robot mode is the Megatron we knew from 1984 though lacking articulation, due to that this is a Legends Class scale. The diminutive figure is sight to behold for those who can’t afford the big scale version that change in his gun mode. The reissue version of the vintage and Master Piece Editions have been realistic, but this one is easily notice as a T-O-Y. Not because of the orange tip, but the size and appearance itself is obvious.







The figure has enough ball-joints to make some mini-scale action poses, and you won’t be disappointed with its robot mode as Megatron is the one we remember from the old cartoon. Though his fusion cannon is the scope in his gun mode in this version it’s the nozzle.


It has a six step easy instructions guide a mere child can transform this elusive Decepticon without any problems. Because it has a Level One rating in the card, that anyone can transform this figure in less than a minute.



The gun mode is not conspicuous or realistic as it has gaps that the appearance is obvious being a toy, and its way off scale to be held by any Deluxe Class size Transformer. Unless you have Unicron around who can be a good reference to hold the gun.

The details are not superb but it’s all good to see Megatron back in his original form, which is a P-38 gun minus the stock and barrel.


Overall Megatron is hard to miss specialy in his rare gun mode form earning a 4.5/5 robot points but still lack in size. If it was released in a Deluxe Class size it would be a definite WANT LIST, but we understand that due to US laws he can’t be released in gun mode.

As much as we have to contend seeing him in vehicle modes like a tank, cybertronian spacecraft or whatever form that doesn’t intimidate the US child safety laws.

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