General Information:
Release Date: May 2022
Price Point: $22.99 (Wal-Mart), $24.99 (Hasbro Pulse)
Retailer: Walmart Exclusive (with limited quantities sold on Hasbro Pulse)
Accessories: Tail/Weapon
Text in italics below from Hasbro Pulse
From the world of Beast Wars, universes collide with the Transformers: Legacy Buzzsaw robot toy! Buzzsaw always brags about his recon missions. In reality, he prefers the long-range approach to avoid coming face-to-face with enemies.
Transformers: Legacy brings together fan-favorite characters from across the Transformers multiverse. Figures feature deco inspired by their universe with an updated Generations design. In honor of the almost 40-year legacy of Transformers entertainment, the fandoms come together from across the Transformers multiverse, all in one toy line.
Transformers: Legacy action figures are great kids’ toys and exciting collectibles for fans of all ages. Transformers and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro. Includes: figure, accessory, and instructions. Figure scale: 5.5 inches Ages 8 and up Warning: Choking Hazard - Small parts. Not for children under 3 years. © 2022 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved. Manufactured under license from TOMY Company, Ltd.
- BEAST WARS-INSPIRED DESIGN: This Transformers: Legacy 5.5-inch Buzzsaw robot toy is inspired by the animated series, Beast Wars: Transformers, updated with a Generations-style design
- UNIVERSES COLLIDE: Universes collide with Transformers: Legacy! This epic line of Transformers toys brings together fan-favorite characters from across the Transformers multiverse
- 2 EPIC MODES: Action figure converts from robot to yellow jacket mode in 20 steps. and Transformers toy features articulated mandibles and iridescent eyes and wings
- BEAST WARS-INSPIRED ACCESSORY: Stinger detaches from wasp mode during conversion and becomes a blaster accessory that can be held by the figure in robot mode
- EXPAND YOUR TRANSFORMERS MULTIVERSE: Look for other Transformers: Legacy figures to build out your Transformers multiverse collection and create your own crossover stories! (Each sold separately, subject to availability)
Packaging:
Much ado has been made in fandom about the Legacy boxes not having plastic windows (and some of the concerns are legitimate for sure) but no worries with this set of figures. Each of the Walmart exclusive Legacy figures has the same cardboard design as the mass release figures but they also have plastic windows like traditional Transformers packaging. I doubt this means they're changing course on the packaging. More likely these exclusives were planned before the final decision was made to remove plastic windows.
The box art itself is pretty spectacular. The more Earth-tone colors of Kingdom have been traded up for a very retro-scifi (circa the 90's) look. The background tones are mostly purple and black and the Legacy logo just screams "Pay Attention to Me!!!" with its sharp angles and beveled letters that look like something right out of 90's toy packaging (and yes, this is what the BWTF logo circa 2022 is a homage to). On the right is the now traditional vertical Transformers logo with the Generations logo above that. Both have a "worn metal" coloring on them that really looks great. The left (angled) side of the box features Buzzsaw's robot mode art with a close up of his head above that. The front features Buzzsaw in beast mode. Interestingly enough, both pieces of art are new and not just recycled Waspinator artwork in new colors. The back of the box features Buzzsaw in both modes, calling out a 20 step transformation. Unlike the mass release figures in Legacy, Buzzsaw does not feature a QR Code to scan (presumably because it is an exclusive figure).
I do have one major reservation about the packaging (beyond the open window portion), and that is how thin the cardboard is. Once upon a time Transformers boxes came in thick cardboard boxes with many layers. This box is super thin and it feels rather flimsy. I worry about how these boxes will stand up to damage on shelves or as they are shipped. Of course, if you ditch your boxes anyway this is not an issue.
Background:
Buzzsaw was released as a Wal-Mart exclusive in 2022 alongside Nightprowler and Sandstorm. Unlike those two figures, this one represents a new version of a figure that saw a mass release at retail in the 90's. After the initial wave of Deluxe Class figures were released for Beast Wars around 1996, each figure would be given a new deco as different characters. In the case of Waspinator, he was given a new deco as Buzz Saw (note the difference in spelling with two words versus one for this release, likely a trademark artifact).
History repeats itself in 2022 with the release of this figure. Using Kingdom Waspinator as its foundation. This review will focus on the changes made to that figure for this release.
Accessory:
The original Buzz Saw toy from Beast Wars had a missile launcher that doubled as his beast mode stinger. Buzz Saw has a very simplified weapon inspired by that launcher. Detach the end of his tail section and it forms his blaster. The weapon is designed with some mechanical detail on the bottom with a small point at the end. Unfortunately, likely due to cost cutting this weapon is unsuccessful in replicating the look of the TV show weapon. That weapon had small missiles sticking at at the end. Here there is no "end piece" which just makes the weapon look like it is missing a piece. Also a bummer - the end of the weapon cannot hold Blast Effects. This pieces is yellow plastic with black deco. It has one 5mm peg so figures can hold it.
Robot Mode:
In Beast Wars, Buzz Saw was a straight up redeco of Waspinator, but the package art for the character featured the "robot head" versus Waspinator's which used the "Mutant head". However, the Kingdom Waspinator figure does not have a "Mutant head" so the designers took this opportunity to give the figure a different head sculpt representing an update of the "robot head". The sculpt looks great, featuring a rounded helmet with flaps sticking out on the sides. He has very classic "visor eyes" and a face with a nose, mouth and very prominent chin piece. I am really happy Hasbro gave this figure a nice tip of the hat to the original Beast Wars figure.
The rest of the figure is the same sculpt as Waspinator, but features an all new deco. The colors on this figure really try to follow the deco on the original figure except for one significant exception. First, the main plastic colors are yellow, purple, translucent green and black. The yellow is a lighter shade than the one used on the original figure, but it has a nice metallic shine to it that I really like. Purple is used on smaller bits like the fists and heel pieces. Black is found on many of the beast mode parts including the antennae and insect legs. The biggest difference between this deco and the original are the wings, which are translucent black plastic here instead of the lighter greenish color of the original.
Paint colors on the figure include yellow, green, black and purple. I was very happy to see how many of the colors matched up with the original Buzz Saw figure including having green on the shoulders and black spray ops on the lower legs. This airbrushed look is very rare on Transformers nowadays and I love the way it looks on action figures. The deco is fantastic.
There are twenty six points of articulation on this figure. That includes five on each arm and seven in each leg. He does have waist articulation, but when you turn the upper body it has a tendency to separate from the lower body (a function of the transformation) so that's unfortunate. Waspinator has partially open hands that can accommodate weapons with 5mm pegs. There are also 5mm ports on the bottom of the feet.
Transformation to Beast Mode:
- Detach the tail weapon and set it aside for now.
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- Swing the front and back halves of the feet together.
- Rotate the hands so the thumbs face up.
- Swing the chest/beast mode head up, then pull the entire top section (including the hinged sections with the robot head) forward.
- Swing the hinged piece with the robot head up, hiding the head between the back piece and the beast mode head.
- Swing the robot arms inward at the shoulders, then bend the arms at the elbow and connect the small round peg on the wrists to the corresponding holes on the black section in the middle.
- Lift and rotate the waist/hip/leg section around, then push it in.
- Swing the rear section of the beast mode down.
- Push each robot thigh piece up against the rear section (aka the abdomen).
- The bottom of each robot foot has a "U" shaped piece that slides into the tabs on the robot arms. The feet also have a tab/slot that fit together.
- Rotate the beast mode legs so Waspinator can stand on them.
- Attach the weapon to the rear section.
The transformation relies quite a bit on the tab/slot system between the robot arms and legs. If you're just displaying the beast mode it's fine, but move him around enough and the tab systems have a tendency to break apart, which is not ideal and does subtract from the enjoyment of the figure somewhat.
Beast Mode:
As you'd expect, many elements of this beast mode look appropriately creepy, especially he head section which has large bug eyes and mandibles that actually move in and out in a sideways motion. The legs and main body are also beautifully sculpted, looking very organic and reminding us that the Beast Wars characters are intended to be partly organic. The only part of this mode that really shatters the illusion are the robot legs which wind up on the bottom of the beast mode. This is not ideal, but to be fair, the robot legs have to go somewhere and without perhaps a Voyager or Leader Class budget, it would be very difficult for designers to somehow hide or tuck away the robot legs so they disappear in this mode.
All the robot mode colors carry over here, but we get a look at a lot more black plastic, especially at the center of the beast mode. The head shows off the translucent green plastic on the eyes and there are black lines painted in on the back.
Aside from the mandibles being able to move, you can rotate the legs around and move the wings on ball joints. The antennae can also be moved. However, honestly aside from a pose where he points his stinger at someone in front of him, there aren't a ton of poses you can expect of this beast form.
Final Thoughts:
Buzzsaw is a cool callback to a redeco from the Beast Wars era. This character hasn't been given any kind of homage in a while, so if you want a modern day version of this character this is the way to snag one. Recommended, but like Waspinator only to a niche group of fans.
Pros:
- Excellent sculpt in robot mode and creepy beast mode.
- Good deco, especially around the head.
- Fun and intuitive transformation.
- Pays homage to a relatively obscure character in Transformers history.
Cons:
- The weapon is way too small and does not fit Blast Effects.
- The mid-body area in robot mode has a tendency to separate if you use the waist articulation.
- The beast mode legs can get in the way in robot mode.
