Him No Bozo, Him King
Hasbro, Transformers Generations Toyline, 2006
Nope, you’re still not reading that wrong. And yep, we’re reviewing Grimlock again. This time, our leader of the Dinobots comes to us in the form of the Generations toyline which was a reimagining of the original line and characters, 25 years later.
I think this evaluation is important because it says a lot about toys have evolved in the last quarter-decade. If we look at the Transformers as they first arrived and what we have now, it speaks volumes about the fandom and the world said fandom inhabits.
Background
For 25 years, Hasbro has been producing Transformers toys. Believe it or not, there’s never been a point when Transformer toys haven’t been in production and available. Through the dark days of the Gen-two era, through the beacon that was Beast Wars and then to the nightmare that was Beast Machines, and into Robots in Disguise and the Unicon Trilogy, and finally to the arrival of the live-action movie, Transformers have remained a part of the fabric of entertainment.
As was en vogue at the time, it was a return to the 80s, with 80s shows, movies, and concepts rising to the forefront of entertainment. It was an era rife with relaunches and reimaginings. And Transformers was no different. And so we got the Generations toyline.
Appearance – 4 out of 5
It’s not going to surprise anyone if I describe this toy is beautiful. It elegantly captures the original design and appearance of Grimlock – in both robot and dinosaur mode – and then him to the next level.
Construction – 2 out of 5
While there is nothing poor about this toy, it is a little lacking in the materials. The plastic feels a little light and there are some movements that require a bit of elbow grease which, with the light construction, can give one pause about doing possible damage. Also, some joints don’t really lock into place so it’s too easy for them to swing open with even the slightest movement.
Movement – 4 out of 5
Speaking of movement, this thing is a charm. Beautifully done, this figure is (already referenced above) incredibly poseable and comes with an array of joints that correspond with the anatomy. Both robot and dinosaur modes can move fluidly and naturally.
Extras – 3 out of 5
The toy comes with two extras: a tail/sword weapon of some bizarre design and a gun with a blade (which is absent from the photo above, sorry). Both of these fit into the character’s hands in robot mode and fit onto the figure in dinosaur mode.
Packaging – 4 out of 5
I know; I have a love affair with Hasbro and its Transformers packaging. And you know what, the Generation’s line didn’t let us down. Beautifully illustrated, this accentuated the newness of the toys’ designs while still harkening back to the original line.
Overall – 4 out of 5
This is a fun toy to play with that’s well-built and pretty sturdy. Combine with that its familiarity to the fans that have loved the franchise since the start and you’ve got a great toy. If there was any mistake to level against this toy, it should be obvious: it should be bigger. It’s Grimlock, afterall!
