General Information:
Release Date: July 9, 2015
Price Point: $179.99
Retailer: San-Diego Comic-Con Exclusive, Hasbrotoyshop
Accessories: In a boxed set with other five Constructicons. Includes Devastator forearms/weapons x 2; Chest plate/weapons; Rifle (splis into two weapons)
The largest Transformers San Diego Comic-Con 2015 exclusive was a boxed set featuring the Decepticon Combiner Devastator. Based on the "Combiner Wars" version of the character, this set included all six Constructicons and featured an exclusive deco and packaging. This review will focus on Mixmaster, who is one of the "most changed" of the Constructicons in vehicle mode!
Vehicle Mode:
Mixmaster's vehicle mode is still a cement mixer but this time out he's a front discharge mixer (similar to the Oshkosh S-Series. This is quite different from the G1 Mixmaster's design, which had a box shaped cabin section in front and a mixing drum in the back. This all basically set on a flat base with wheels.
Now the cabin section in the front has a section above it to support where the drum would release cement (or other chemicals). The drum angles downward to the back of the vehicle which ends in a trapezoid shaped section with smokestacks. While it looks like this rear section is a cabin section, it actually has vents, not windows along with the smokestacks, giving the impression that this is where the engine and machinery is housed. The front end has windows and doors (and ladder details to boot), indicating this is the section where drivers would go. On the sides are spare fuel tanks and of course the six wheels supporting the vehicle. This is a really interesting design for a vehicle and I actually didn't even know such a thing existed until this figure came out!
Mixmaster is primarily cast in bright green plastic, matching up with the rest of the Constructicons. The drum is purple, but it is entirely covered in vacuum metallized purple. The wheels are black plastic. Most of the paint applications on this mode are silver. This includes large sections of the front end, the ladders on the side, the rims on the wheels, the fuel tanks on the sides and the smokestacks towards the back. Purple paint is used on the windows on the front section. Black is used on the front right under the windows while a dark grey is used on the vents in the back. A tiny bit of gold paint is used on the headlights in the front. The drum and the rear section have hazard line stickers on them in gold and black.
If you compare this deco to the promotional photos of the mass release version, there's quite a bit of difference. First the mass release versions don't have the hazard stripe stickers. Also several silver details that are present on this figure are not painted on the mass release version including the rims and the ladders. The mass release version also does not have painted headlights. This version's deco definitely wins in terms of the overall appearance.
The vehicle rolls on all six of its wheels. There do not appear to be any attachment points for the weapons included with the set.
Transformation to Robot Mode:
- Pull the sides of the vehicle outward and swing them up to form the robot arms.
- Swing the front of the vehicle down and split the section into its two halves to form the robot legs.
- Pull the rear section of the vehicle mode back.
- inside the rear section, flip out the robot head section.
- Push the rear section of the vehicle mode forward to form the robot head.
Robot Mode:
When I first picked up Mixmaster he felt hefty so I decided to put him side by side with another Voyager Class figure. In this case I compared him to Roadbuster, and he's actually slightly taller. I then compared the weight of the two figures. While Roadbuster measures around 5.4 ounces (approximately 153 grams) with his weapons, Mixmaster weighs in at a hefty 7.7 ounces (roughly 218.2 grams)! While he may not be as complex in transformation as say, a triple changer, he definitely has some bulk going for him!
While his vehicle mode is very different from his G1 counterpart, Mixmaster's robot mode borrows many of its features from the G1 toy and cartoon model. Here's a rundown:
- His general outline is the same. The head has a section on top with the barrels of blasters sticking out. His arms each have two wheels on them and each leg has a single wheel on it.
- The head sculpt is based on the G1 cartoon, with a helmet section that features pointed areas on top that resemble the Decepticon symbol. This figure specifically uses the cartoon as inspiration featuring a face that has two eyes, a nose and a mouth instead of a mouthplate as seen on the G1 toy.
- The chest has a six sided design on the chest with rows of horizontal lines on it. There are raised machinery designs on either side of the chest.
- On the left side of the chest, there is a circle and a rectangle right next to it. This calls back to a circle and square in the same area on the G1 toy.
- Right under the chest are two circles with horizontal lines in the middle. On the G1 Mixmaster toy there were actual screws in this area that held the toy together.
- The middle of the body features angled lines that come down towards the middle. This resembles a sticker detail on G1 Mixmaster.
- There is a triangular detail on the middle of the waist section inspired by a triangular sticker on the G1 toy.
The way the head area is designed is one of my favorite parts of this figure. G1 Mixmaster really had an unusual head design with the blasters above the head and it's neat to see that replicated here.
Most of the outer parts of this figure are cast in bright green plastic. the head is cast in black while most of the torso, waist and thighs are purple plastic. The vacuum metal purple appears again in this form on the chest and waist area. Silver paint is used extensively in this form. You'll find it on the head, the chest and the waist area. Red is also used for details on the right side of the chest and the triangle on his waist area. In the mid-body area right above the waist is a large Decepticon symbol in purple. The angled lines under the chest area are blue and the circles under the chest are painted black. This is a really intricate paint job and there are a lot more deco points on the torso than the mass release version of the figure. That version lacks a lot of the silver detailing on this figure and it doesn't have any of the blue details. I only wish the blasters above the head were painted silver, but that's just me being greedy!
Mixmaster has nineteen points of articulation in this mode. This includes four in each arm and five in each leg. I was surprised that his arms have swivel joints for the forearms, so his arms can rotate in and out. I'm also counting the ability of his feet to tilt in these articulation points. Despite the fact that his head has the dual blasters and a flat panel above it, the head can move by turning side to side. His fists are designed to fit 5mm peg weapons. While he does have a drum on his back the figure is perfectly balanced thanks in part to the wide feet.
Final Thoughts:
Mixmaster is a success in my book. Some folks don't like the way the rear of the vehicle becomes Devastator's foot, but to be honest when you see it in person, it doesn't quite look as "tiny" as it does in photos. I also appreciate the attempt to modernize his vehicle mode, and the robot mode pays a lot of homage to the original Mixmaster. This is a great addition to the set.
