General Information:
Release Date: February 2023
Price Point: $24.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: General Release (Amazon, BigBadToyStore, Entertainment Earth, Target, Walmart etc.)
Accessories: Photon Blasters x 2
Official images and product description in italics below are from Amazon:
- TRANSFORMERS STUDIO SERIES DELUXE CLASS: These 4.5-inch collectible action figures inspired by iconic movie scenes and designed with specs and details to reflect the Transformers movie universe
- 4.5-INCH SCALE AIRAZOR: Transformers Studio Series 97 Airazor action figure for boys and girls is highly articulated for posability and features movie-inspired deco and details
- 2 ICONIC MODES: This Transformers toy for 8 year old boys and girls features classic conversion between robot and peregrine falcon modes in 23 steps
- AWESOME ACCESSORIES: Transformers figure comes with 2 photon blaster accessories that attach to the Airazor figure in both modes
- REMOVABLE BACKDROP: Removable backdrop displays Airazor figure in the Peruvian Jungle Discovery scene. Fans can use the backdrop and pose their figures in the scene with their own style
Bring the epic action of the Transformers movies from the big screen into your collection with the Transformers Studio Series Deluxe Class Airazor action figure! Airazor leads the Autobots to the Maximal lair. Transformers Studio Series toys are collectible action figures for 8 year old boys and girls that feature movie-inspired details and accessories. Convert the action figure from robot to peregrine falcon mode in 23 steps and pose the Airazor toy in the included Peruvian Jungle Discovery removable backdrop scene. Transformers action figures for boys and girls make great gifts! Transformers and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro. Hasbro and all related terms are trademarks of Hasbro.
Background:
Rise of the Beasts introduces the Beast Wars Transformers inspired Maximals to the live action Transformers film universe. Among them is Airazor who acts as a sage advisor to Optimus Primal and a fierce warrior. As part of the film's release, Hasbro released a Studio Series version of Airazor partly based on her appearance in the film.
Packaging:
Airazor is packaged in the 2023 style of Studio Series packaging. Like previous years the box is rectangular in shape (as opposed to the angled shape of Legacy boxes). Unlike the boxes from previous years there is a small window without a plastic film over it to show part of the figure in robot mode. The rest of the figure is covered up by a cardboard section that features Airazor artwork in beast mode. The right side has the Generations logo and the vertical Transformers logo. Towards the bottom is the number "97", the Studio Series logo and a Maximal symbol with the name "Airazor" next to it. The Rise of the Beasts logo is printed at the top of the box. The back shows off the figure in both modes calling out a twenty three step transformation.
Airazor includes a backdrop for display, carrying on a Studio Series tradition. The backdrop shows a jungle scene featuring the area where the Maximals first meet the Autobots in the film.
Accessories:
Airazor includes two "photon blaster" weapons. These have a similar design to the weapons that came with Kingdom Airazor. Note that I say "similar". They are not the same sculpt. They look like arrows with a raised fin section at the top. These pieces are made of brown plastic and painted gold. Each has a 5mm peg allowing you to attach it to the figure's forearms.
Robot Mode:
At first glance, it would be very easy to think that this figure is just a retool of Kingdom Airazor but it is not. What this figure does do is take the basic engineering of Airazor and use it as the foundation for a whole new sculpt. It's not just sculpted detail that makes this figure different. Despite both figures being Deluxe Classes, Kingdom Airazor is a little less than 5 inches (12.7 cm) while Rise of the Beasts Airazor measures over 5 inches tall. Kingdom Airazor is also about 2.0 ounces while Rise of the Beasts Airazor is 2.9 ounces. These two figures may share a design lineage, but they are two different toys.
Height and weight are not the only differences between Kingdom Airazor and this figure. The sculpt is totally new. Here are some key differences:
- Head: Taking a cue from Beast Wars Airazor's head, this head design features a "helmet" section with metallic looking feathers sweeping back. This section comes down over the face which has small eyes, nose and mouth. However, this head has many more layers of "feathers" and the face design is different.
- Arms: Airazor's shoulders have armor over them that appear to have organic looking feathers sculpted on them. However they are a completely different design than those on Kingdom Airazor and these armor pieces do not swing up the way they do on Kingdom Airazor.
- Wings: One of Airazor's most prominent features are the wings on her back. Unlike Kingdom Airazor these wings look more mechanical than organic (which fits with how they appeared in the film).
- Legs: Airazor's legs feature a mixture of organic and mechanical looking details. The thighs have "feathers" overlaid with armor. Meanwhile the lower legs look mostly mechanical with some feathers sticking out the back.
- Feet: On Kingdom Airazor the feet are designed with an organic looking half for the beast mode and a robotic looking half for the robot mode. However, the feet on this figure are mechanical looking for both modes and the individual digits are much thicker on both sides.
Normally I'd write about how well this figure's robot mode matches up with the robot mode shown in the film, except there isn't one. Airazor never actually transforms in Rise of the Beasts. It is possible this robot mode is based on some yet-to-be-seen concept art but for now I am going to assume Hasbro had to whip something up to make this a transforming figure.
Airazor is mostly made up of champagne colored plastic. This is a bit different than the darker brown seen in the film, but I can see what they were going for. Paint details are mostly done in silver and metallic green. One of the nicer details is a tiny silver Maximal symbol on her right forearm.
There are twenty two points of articulation on this figures. That includes three in each arm, five in each leg and the wings. Unlike Kingdom Airazor this figure only has 5mm ports on her forearms and none on her legs.
Transformation to Beast Mode:
- Turn each foot around so the beast mode claws point forward.
- Swing the wings forward and flatten them out using the hinges in the middle.
- Swing the back armor piece with feathers on it up.
- Swing the panel on the back (right behind the chest) back.
- Lift up the beast mode head on the chest.
- Pull the upper body up a bit.
- Swing the chest/beast mode head up. This will swing the robot head back into the chest.
- Push down the back panels to cover up the robot head and form the back of the beast mode.
- Swing each fist up.
- Rotate the forearms then push them into the slots on either side of the waist.
- Turn the weapons on the forearms around so they point forward.
- Rotate the lower body around.
- Swing the robot legs up, and attach each thigh to the tabs on the sides of the waist pieces.
- Swing the lower robot legs down, then swing the robot feet up.
- The lower part of the beast mode mouth can be moved up and down and the wings can be spread out.
Beast Mode:
So I said above that Airazor never transforms in the Rise of the Beasts film so robot mode screen accuracy is not an issue with this figure. However, the screen accuracy of the beast mode can be judged and well, it's not great. I want to be clear: I do not think this is due to some great failure on Hasbro or Takara Tomy's part. Instead, it is more likely that this figure was developed off earlier CG models which were changed late in production of the film. Keep in mind, CG in a film can be changed months ahead of a movie's release while toys can go into production anywhere from 9-12 months before we fans get them in our hands so such a change is not unthinkable.
This beast mode looks very mechanical compared to her on-screen counterpart. The wings all look more like metal blades than feathers and the area around her head and neck have a lot more feathers on them in the film than they do here. It is not just organic details that are absent but also some mechanical ones as well. In the film, Airazor has many layered mechanical details leading to her beak. The head and beak area are much simpler on this figure. Another missing detail from the film's CG model is on the chest. In the film, Airazor had a piece of armor across her chest that included a Maximal symbol and some Cybertronian writing. Those details are absent here. Like the robot mode, I am fairly certain that this best mode is based on an earlier CG model that was not used in the final film.
Airazor's deco from the robot mode carries over here, with some more green showing on the feathers and silver on the head. However, this is dramatically different from the figure shown on the box which mostly has dark brown colors. The odd thing is, the brown color would have been more screen accurate yet somehow the champagne color was ultimately used. Again I can only attribute this to changes being made late in production of the film giving Hasbro and Takara Tomy no time to alter the figure's design.
There are fifteen points of articulation in this mode. This includes four on each wing and three on each leg. Also, her mouth can open and close.
Final Thoughts:
I'm really torn on this figure. Airazor is not a bad toy by any means. Given their similarities, I feel much the same way about this figure as I did about Kingdom Airazor. It's a fun toy to play with and the transformation is intuitive. The sculpt is very n icely detailed and the deco is nice (read: not amazing, but good). The problem is, Studio Series is a line of figures that prides itself on screen accuracy, but that is not what you are going to get with this figure. You will get a fun figure that is kind of an approximation of Airazor from the movie, and if you are cool with that then this figure is recommended. If you're looking for a mostly screen accurate figure, I am afraid at this time at least that does not seem to exist.
Pros:
- Good (if not screen accurate) sculpt in both modes that evokes Beast Wars Airazor.
- Good articulation.
- Intuitive transformation.
Cons:
- Lacks many details from the on-screen CG model used in the film.
- Deco is nice on its own, but the one shown on the back of the box is actually more screen accurate.
