Kool Kollectibles content

29 Jan 2018

Transformers Masterpiece MP-12+ Sideswipe (anime colour edition) comparison

With Takara's push for more cartoon accurate Masterpiece figures, these "+" repaints are another easy way for them to justify a new repaint of an existing figure. They started with MP Red Alert, and now the latest is Sideswipe. I'm sure there'll be more repaints to come.

Overall, the choice of whether you pick up this new version will really depend on in which mode you prefer to display your Transformers, and whether you have the original release.

For a closer look, click through below to check out my review on the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel. Make sure to subscribe and stay tuned for my MP Sunstreaker review!




The box and contents should be all familiar to MP collectors. The revised coin is another nice addition to the coin collection too. It comes with all the accessories that have been included in a number of previous MP Lambor repaint releases.



The difference in bot mode is where the new anime colour really comes to the fore. The more cartoon accurate paint scheme blends in aspects that were broken up by difference colours in the original. For example, the white elbows and the black ankles make the arms and lower legs more seamless.

The biggest improvement for me however it actually the white glossy paint app on most of the white surfaces. The forearms, torso, thighs and feet all have a very nice glossy premium paint app. Coupled with the white plastic elbows and white plastic hip joints, the overall look in bot mode is much better than the original release.



However, the original itself is much better in the car mode. In its quest for cartoon accuracy, Takara made the new version with blue, more transparent glass, which only allows the interior of the car to show through. This ruins the look by clearly showing the feet through the windscreen. The original has very classy dark glass that hides the interior, and just makes the Lamborghini Countach mode look sleeker and classier.

It also has extra black detailing around the air intakes and grooves along the back and rear of the car. So it makes for a much more realistic car mode. The black wheels are also nicer on the original, whereas the new version has grey wheels so that the bot mode has the grey parts on the sides of the legs as he did in the cartoon.



So as I said, if you display your collection mostly in bot mode, then I would say MP-12+ is the better choice. But if you prefer the car modes, then I would pick up the original if you don't already have it. Either option, Takara has to make some compromise in the aesthetic in each mode, so at least they're giving collectors an option to pick up either.

This old MP-12 mold is ageing a little now compared to the amazing engineering of the newer releases, but it still holds its own fairly well. A great figure in the MP series, so pick any version up I say!

Lego 21309 NASA Apollo Saturn V

I normally don't collect too many Lego sets outside of the Star Wars UCS series, but once I saw the Saturn V set I knew I had to get it! I'm an engineer by trade, and the story behind the development of the Apollo program is one of the legendary and most amazing systems engineering feats of all time.

Lego have done justice to the memory of the engineers and astronauts involved in the Apollo program. This set is just beautiful once complete, and commands presence on display.



I could barely contain my excitement when I received these two sets! The Saturn V initially sold out too on the Lego webstore, but luckily before Christmas it went back up on preorder. So I got my order in and it arrived early January. Just happy to secure both sets in my collection!



It's a pretty big set once complete, with a length of about 1m. It looks great displayed either vertically or horizontally using the little support beams that are included in the set.



To round out the set, I love the little Lunar Module and moon landing set, and the Command Module splashdown set. Bother are small, but have great little details that really complement the larger rocket. If you're a Lego fan, or someone who loves the space programs, this is a highly recommended set!



28 Jan 2018

Asmus Toys Lord of the Rings Boromir (rooted hair edition)

I've been loving the Lord of the Rings series by Asmus Toys. The head sculpts aren't quite up to the standards of Hot Toys, but the tailoring of the clothes and the quality of the accessories is second to none!

Add to that the fact they're pretty much the only 1/6th scale company to actually follow through and promise to complete the Fellowship of the Ring! With Boromir released now, only Gimli is left, and the teaser of that looks amazing.

This Boromir was released with two options, being a rooted hair version or a sculpted hair version. I think rooted hair adds just that bit of realism, so I went with that option. Overall, I'm pretty happy with it!

Click through below to check out my full review over on the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel. Make sure to subscribe and stay tuned for upcoming reviews :)



The packaging is consistent with previous releases in this series. It should be noted though that there was no cardboard insert with artwork this time, and no numbered edition as well. Their previous figures had these, so it's surprising they didn't do the same for Boromir.

Either way, it's another fantastic set by Asmus. Again the head sculpt isn't perfect, but the ability to futz the rooted hair gives plenty of opportunity to get the likeness better with good placement of the hair.

The accessories again are outstanding! The real metal sword and dagger have great detail to them, and really show that the likes of Hot Toys and Sideshow et al should not get lazy and just use plastic! The shield also has a nice wooden paint app with good weathering on the metal. The two cloaks are beautifully tailored and made of high quality materials. I'd go with the elven cloak because it's thinner and sits nicer on the shoulders.

The horn of Gondor is beautifully painted too, although it's let down by a strap that is far too short. It would've been so much nicer if Asmus had just given it an extra bit of length to hang on the body more naturally.



The outfit itself is outstanding. Lots of layers, and the attention to detail is definitely on show. With the assortment of hands to cater for the weapons, there's plenty of posing options. Overall articulation is decent, and once he's all setup, he looks pretty damn good!



I haven't set him up with the others just yet. I need to get some extra room in the cabinet, but once the  Fellowship are together, Asmus would have created an incredible display in 1/6th scale. I cannot wait to complete the core cast with Gimli, and I think Asmus has done the Lord of the Rings justice with this series of figures.

Transformers Masterpiece MP-15/16E Cassettbots vs Cassettrons

I love my Transformers Masterpiece repaints, especially for molds that I don't have many repaints already. The cassettes released as part of MP-13, MP-13B, MP-15, and MP-16 have been out for a while now, and I haven't got any cassettes to display in their actual cassette mode.

So when this new MP-15/16E repaint was announced, I couldn't resist. I really have no idea behind the source of these characters, be it some comic or some E-Hobby exclusive G1 toy back in the day. Either way, they looked pretty good, and the inclusion of a new mold for Steeljaw was a great bonus.

Click through below to check out my full review over on the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel!



Packaging is unique in that it holds 4 cassettes whereas previous releases included two only. The colours are bright, and most paint apps are done nice and cleanly.



The collector coin is another nice addition to my MP coin collection. The cassette modes are all clean and show off the 80s media of choice quite nicely.



The bot/animal modes are pretty nice too, and the overall QC is good. My Nightstalker did come with a reversed paw, but the fix to remove and flip it over was quick and easy. This new Steeljaw mold is decent, and I really hope it is a tease for an official MP Blaster soon!



The other three are decent repaints, and have enough differentiation in colour to at least make them interesting. If you're a fan of TF Masterpiece figures, I'm sure you'll love these in the collection.

Asmus Toys Lord of the Rings Merry and Pippin expansion set

Asmus released their first Hobbits in Merry and Pippin a while back now, and the head sculpts were a little lacking. So in their quest for continual improvement, they've started releasing these expansion or upgrade sets that include updated head sculpts.

For these, I think the likeness and detailing in the hair has definitely improved. The facial paint application still isn't up to the lofty standards of Hot Toys in terms of realism, but it's still pretty good.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with these upgrades, especially since they also include the capes that each Hobbit used before they were given the elven cloaks. So that's another good option for displaying these in your collection.

Hope you can click through below to watch my full review of these over on the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel! Make sure to give it a like, and to subscribe to stay tuned for all the upcoming videos :)


21 Jan 2018

Big haul to start 2018!!

I got back earlier in January from a couple of weeks overseas. And there was a lot of stuff waiting for me back home! Some was meant to arrive before Christmas and Australia Post just couldn't get their shit together. Other stuff had just been released.

Click through to check out my haul video over on the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel. Hope you can subscribe and stay tuned for all the reviews coming soon! :)


12 Jan 2018

Hot Toys MMS379 Marty McFly from Back to the Future Part 2

It's taken a while for Hot Toys to release their Back to the Future Part 2 figures, but now Marty is here and Doc has just been recently released in HK. Click through below to watch my full video review over on the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel!



The set comes with a decent array of accessories, but I really do hate the large dynamic stand. I wish Hot Toys would also include the old black oval bases that they used to. Those do the job well and still look classy. This dynamic stand will probably be my 4th or 5th one that I've just stored away in a drawer never to be used!

The exclusive version I got from Sideshow includes a couple of extra hands to go with the gun from the Wild Gunman arcade game. Not really an essential exclusive accessory, so if you're only getting the regular version you're not really missing out on too much.

I do like the other accessories including the swap out hair and cap, Pepsi bottle, hoverboard, almanac and bag, and newspaper. The shoe container is also not bad, but pretty pointless when he's wearing the shoes lol. It's a shame none of the accessories have their official brand logos, such as Nike and Mattel. This is similar to the first Marty McFly figure, so I'm sure the custom decal makers will have a good run of orders.



The head sculpt I think is a slight improvement in likeness over the first figure. But it's strange in that the first head sculpt seems to work better with poses from that movie. The expression Hot Toys have chosen for this version is far too serious and sombre, particularly when posed on the hoverboard! Something more determined or action-oriented would've been far better.

The jacket is nicely tailored, although I did have some trouble getting it to sit symmetrically on both sides of the neck. I also worry about the sleeves due to their rubber/vinyl type material that could degrade over time. The jeans were also a tad too short I think, but overall the outfit is decent and does the job well for this iconic costume from Part 2.



I couldn't quite get the figure to sit on the hood of the Delorean properly, so gave up and just have him standing there now. Will have to trawl the figure forums and groups for more inspiration on a long-term pose.

Overall, I think the figure is nicely made, and will look great next to the upcoming Doc Brown too. I do wish they announce a radiation Doc to go with the first Marty though. Either way, if you're a BTTF fan, I'm sure you'll be pretty happy with this figure.


Hot Toys VGM24 Snowtrooper Deluxe

I wasn't planning on getting a Hot Toys Snowtrooper since I already had the old Sideshow version, but the local Aussie Christmas sales were actually pretty damn good this year! Unfortunately I missed out on even bigger discounts after Christmas on this figure, but overall I'm pretty happy with the purchase.

Click the link below to check out my full video review over on the Kool Kollectibles YouTube channel!



This Deluxe set certainly comes with a lot of accessories, with additional features from the Battlefront game. I'll be sticking with the core accessories from the movie though, but options are always good.



The improvement over the previous Sideshow version is immediately obvious. The helmet and veil is a massive improvement in terms of movie accuracy. The visor is much better, and the thin veil material moves and changes with different orientation of the helmet.

The underlying body is also a big improvement, with articulation that is far superior to the Sideshow figure. There are still aspects of the Sideshow figure I like, such as the pants and kama material. If I can find a cheap Hot Toys helmet, I might keep the Sideshow figure and just replace the helmet!

Overall, if you're a fan of The Empire Strikes Back, you'll be very happy with this Snowtrooper figure!