General Information: Images:
*Image from Hasbrotoyshop.com
Text from Hasbrotoyshop.com: Gear up for out-of-this-world excitement with the ultimate intergalactic tyrant! This mighty MEGATRON figure actually “speaks” in robot mode, saying phrases like, “Where is the AllSpark?” – and even changes his facial expression! Press the button to launch his fusion missile and help him storm into battle, using the helicopter blade that becomes a sword! In attack helicopter vehicle mode, chopper sounds and spin-linked blades let your imagination take flight as you engage in a battle between good and evil! Includes 2 “AA” batteries.
Robot Mode:
The other factor to take into account with this figure is show accuracy, and Megatron has it in spades. Virtually every part matches the animation model, and much like many "Animated" figures he in fact features a bit more detail than the animation model. For instance, he has some lines on the underside of his chest and some sculpted lines on his elbows and legs that are smooth parts on the animation model. Overall however he has the smooth look of the animation model and his proportions are fairly exaggerated with a large chest curving down to a slim waist/hips and then splaying out into wide lower legs. His feet even have a flatness to them that evokes the flat feet the animated Megatron has. The only part that departs from the animation model is on Megatron's back, where parts of his vehicle mode hang off. While the animation model does have a bit of the helicopter cockpit showing in robot mode, here the wings show as well as the thrusters. However, it's not so significant that it destracts you from the detail on the rest of the figure. Personally I like the added bulk it gives the figure and it also serves as storage for his swords (more on that in a bit). Megatron is cast in grey, black and translucent red plastic. He is mostly grey, with black used for parts like his lower legs and fists. The translucent red plastic is used for parts such as the chest where his lighting mechanism plays a role. This includes the face which lights up as well. Paint applications are done in silver, metallic red and black. The black is used for many smaller details such as the lines on his face. The red is used on details such as the circles on his shoulders and elbows. The red is also used on parts such as the knees and feet, corresponding to similar color details on Ultra Megatron. The silver can be found on his swords and face. What surprised me was the use of a bit of purple on the Decepticon symbol on his chest. This mainly surprises me since that Decepticon symbol is a button used to activate his sounds and lights. It would have been easy to just leave it red, but it is nice to see it painted in, and in the "correct" color to boot. Megatron features twenty four points of articulation, which I would expect from a figure of this class. All the major points are there including six on each arm and five on each leg. I was surprised that he has waist articulation since he has the helicopter parts on his back. This was a really pleasant surprise. In the count of articulation points I did not include the flaps on his hips, which can swing outwards, allowing his legs to swing out to the sides. Megatron is more well armed in this version than any other. His helicopter blades become really cool double bladed swords. He can hold one in each hand and they look fantastic. Each of them is longer than one of his arms! He of course also has his fusion cannon, which is actually mounted on a base piece that can be clipped to either arm. Pushing the cannon in the back launches the missile, creating a nice effect where the cannon looks like it's going through a recoil when firing. Like most leader class figures nowadays, Megatron features lights and sounds. Press the Decepticon symbol on his chest and you will hear one of three phrases: What's awesome is that each is said in the voice of Corey Burton, the voice actor who portrays the character on the show (and portrayed the character of Spike in the original series). While he says these phrases, a light inside lights up several of the translucent red parts including the chest and eyes. What's nice is that the lines on the chest piece are partially exposed bits of translucent red plastic painted over with grey paint, giving him the effect of glowing from within. In addition to all this, pressing the button causes his lower jaw to move down, making him look like he's talking. Megatron's robot mode is just a simple bag of awesomeness. Every feature works very well and builds upon the rest of the figure. The electronic features are like a fantastic cherry on top of a ginormous ice cream sundae. Transformation to Vehicle Mode:
Vehicle Mode: Megatron isn't overwhelmed with detail in this form, but he has just enough to keep him interesting. Look inside the cockpit and you'll see a chair sculpted inside complete with line designs on the seat cushion parts. Three lines next to each other seem to be a recurring theme with Megatron's design (a carry over from the chest design) and the detail appears in a large and small form on either side of the cockpit. Other details include angled lines and triangles. On the top of the vehicle you'll find more line and vent details on the engine portions. The awesome part about Megatron is that his transformation into vehicle mode almost replicates how the character actually transforms in the show. The consequence of that is that the vehicle mode winds up looking a lot like the animation model. The major difference is the front end. In the animation model the cockpit is kind of short, with the cannon sticking out in front a lot. But in terms of the overall form, it matches very well with the dual rotors, short wings, cannon in the front and the sleek back end. What impresses me most is the way the transformation was designed to allow the back end to become "slim" despite being made up of his lower legs. The same colors found in the robot mode carry over to the vehicle mode. The newly revealed parts include his wings and cockpit section. The cockpit is silver with a translucent red cockpit cover. The cover is painted black on the edges for detailing. Black is also used on the rear section of the thrusters. On the tip of the cockpit are two sensor pods, each painted red and black. It's a simple color scheme, but it keeps the theme from the robot mode and looks great. You can utilize Megatron's missile firing ability in this form. His rotors also spin if you push them. What's really nice is that both are set at angles and rotate simultaneously, but they never hit each other because they are set at just the right angle to avoid each other. It's a really cool thing to see in action. Like the robot mode, the vehicle mode has its own set of electronic effects. Transforming him activates the traditional transformation sound. Press the Decepticon symbol on the chest and a noise like a helicopter lifting off and activating its rotors kicks in. At the same time the cockpit lights up. It's a really nice effect.
Final Thoughts:
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In the "Transformers Animated" TV show Megatron goes through a major arc in the first season from being revealed as the source of Isaac Sumdac's amazing technology to finally getting a new, powerful body complete with an Earth mode. The Leader Class version of Megatron represents this new form complete with sound effects and lights!
