Toy Review : Transformers Legends LG-EX Blue Bigconvoy

My first haul in over 5 years... unbelievable! I thought I could resist the purchase but after being 'poisoned' by online pics (when you're retired, you have a lot of time at hand...), I knew I had to own it. Love the blue, sort of gave my Big Convoy collection some colors.

A redeco of the original Big Convoy, it was originally released in Japan as a lucky draw figure. Limited and beyond reach. So glad it is now released as a TakaraTomy Mall Exclusive, the first time it has been released outside of a lucky draw.

Now, for my review of Blue Bigconvoy aka Blue Convoy...

Front of the box

Back of the box

Sides of the box

Unboxed...

Toy in shrink wrap...

Comes with a comic, unfortunately in Japanese

The blue woolly mammoth is finally free...

Some play value here... in order to move his trunk and tusks, you just need to...

... pull back the lever/knob on the top of his head

... pull back his ears

From Beast mode to Mammoth Tank mode, just few simple steps of transformation...

lift the front and back parts; and swap

... and there, you have it. Next, is to affix all the missiles...

Now, for the robot mode... again, simple steps. If you have the original Big Convoy or any of the earlier redecoes, this should be a piece of cake. Really love the various shades of blue, with the occasional grey plastic and silver on its body; and some gold on the eyes and the Maximal symbol... nice!

I'm blue da ba dee da ba daa...

oh yeah... my bling bling Matrix!

Side by side with Big Convoy...

With Nemesis Prime...

Now, together with Black Big Convoy...

We are bruised (blue black, get it...haha)

Altogether now...

I feel at home, surrounded by "blueness"

My new Big Convoy collection

There are 7 redecoes altogether... 

(credit : primal sabbath FB)

I'm still missing 3 of them but I consider myself done, for now. Back to retirement but who knows, I might come out from it, yet again...

Btw, anyone mentioned that I collect boxes too? 

Avengers... err.. I mean boxes, assembled!

Beasts are BACKKKK...

Most retired toys collectors remain retired but kept themselves up to date on the latest releases or launches, not me though. So, imagine what I missed over the years when I woke up from my hiatus 5 years later.

I thought certain series or molds would have ended back then but no… TakaraTomy decided to spin its money wheel all over again and… walah…more new Big Convoy redecoes. Same mold but just different colors. Crap, for a completist, it becomes a must-do battle to collect all.

Now, there are 3 new redecoes that I have yet to own but do I really need to own them? It is no longer a question of want but rather a need. Do I need them just to complete my collection?

1. Encore Big Convoy (Matrix Buster version) (pic credit : tfwiki)

Check out my massive "Matrix Buster" cannon!

2. Encore Big Convoy (pics credit : Shopee, BBTS)

3. LG-EX Blue Convoy (pics credit : TFW2005, BBTS)

As I said, same mold, same articulation, same play value, only difference in colors (Matrix Buster version had no deco changes, only with new parts and a NAVI figurine). So, should I or should I not? That's the question now...

... and also whether I have spare space for both of them or not. It's rather crowded now, with the RID brothers in there.

Big Convoys : "no, thank you"

Beast revisited...

Decided to take them out from the cabinet for new photo shoots...

...and back to the cabinet again, together with the RID brothers (Fire Convoy, God Magnus and God Fire Convoy)...

Beasties...where black is beautiful

Beast...

Frankly, I know nuts about Beasties, have no clue about Beast Wars whether it's the storyline or the toy range... not even a fan of the cartoon series...

Then, I came across the listing of all 3 Big Convoys on ebay. An opportunity to collect all 3 in one swoop...wanna complete a mold, might as well do it one shot. Besides, it's the Beast version of Optimus Prime and being a Prime collector, I thought why not...

There was no turning back...no regret though as the mold is just SUPERB!!! In addition, just flip open the chest panel and nicely housed is the Energon Matrix! Apparently, this matrix is the first-ever removable accessory.

So, Roarrr, Grrrrr....presenting Beast Wars Neo Big Convoys :

1. Sonokong Big Convoy (top) : this is the Korean (cheaper) version of the Takara Big Convoy.

2. Hasbro TFU Nemesis Prime (bottom right) : another redeco under the Universe banner.

3. Takara exclusive Black Big Convoy (bottom right) : packaged in the standard Takara Big Convoy packing, with a gold sticker indicating it is the Black Big Convoy...what a convenience... another redeco but with awesome color scheme of black with a touch of gold on its arms, chest and legs. Black is just sheer beauty...this has to be one of the better looking Prime mold produced so far...

Just check out the pics below with all 3 Convoys (in sequence 1-2-3) in different poses with their Big Cannon (made out of the beast head and tail) in different variations :

Don't you think Black is beautiful?