General Information:
Release Date: August 2021
Price Point: $31.99
Retailer: Hasbro Pulse Exclusive
Accessories: Blaster, Welder
Official images and text below in italics are from Hasbro Pulse:
Discover a universe that shatters everything you know about the Transformers robots…an upside-down world where the bad guys are good, and the good guys are bad. Welcome to Shattered Glass, an alternate universe where the heroic Decepticons battle the evil Autobots. Wait…what? Fans can explore this topsy-turvy reality with the Transformers Shattered Glass Collection, featuring classic Transformers characters, with a twist! Look for other Shattered Glass figures to build the ultimate alternate universe collection (each sold separately, subject to availability).
Includes: Auotbot Blurr figure, spark welder hand attachment, blaster accessory, and instructions.
- Part of the Shattered Glass Collection
- Deluxe Class figure
- Figure depicts Autobot Blurr with deco and details inspired by the Shattered Glass universe
- Converts from robot to Cybertronian hovercraft mode in 18 steps
- Features purple Autobot logo and newly tooled head complete with his signature eye patch
- Comes with the first of a 5-issue IDW Shattered Glass miniseries with a Hasbro Pulse exclusive variant cover you can only get with figure, featuring spot UV
- Figure scale: 5.5 inches
- Ages 8 and up
- Warning: Choking Hazard -- Small parts may be generated. Not for children under 3 years.
Tech Spec (Provided by Hasbro in Press Materials):
BLURR - SADISTIC AUTOBOT BOUNTY HUNTER
“I’m running out of stragglers to snatch up.” –Blurr
Blurr is the fastest Autobot on the planet, and he won’t hesitate to tell you so. Though you might not catch it with him speaking 1000wordsperminute. Blurr has all the makings of an elite bounty hunter – tough, focused, confident…sometimes too confident. He’s more than happy to use his speed to round up Decepticon rebels for the Autobot cause, especially when he gets to have some fun “playing” with the bounty before bringing them in. But as an adrenaline junkie he seeks more stimulating contracts. Blurr remembers when there used to be Decepticons who could have been a challenge, but now he’s already snatched up most of the worthy ones. Blurr really doesn’t like to waste his time and can’t stand it when the bounty can’t manage to survive the chase. But he tries to remember not to ask for too much from a bunch of numb nodes not smart enough to not have a contract on their heads in the first place.
Strength: 8 | Intelligence: 7 | Speed: 10 | Endurance: 6 | Rank: 7 | Courage: 9 | Firepower: 8 | Skill: 9
Background:
In 2008, Fun Publications released a boxed set of Transformers at Botcon featuring a set of "Evil Autobots" belonging to the "Shattered Glass" universe. In this strange world, the Autobots are evil and the Decepticons are good! One of the Autobots in this boxed set was Blurr, based on the Cybertron Blurr figure. Now over a decade later Hasbro has released a new version of "Shattered Glass" Blurr based on the IDW Publishing title of the same name. This title is separate from the series released by Fun Publications, but it uses the same "mirror universe" concept as its foundation. This figure is a redeco and retool of the Studio Series 86 Blurr so definitely check out that review for my detailed thoughts on this figure.
Packaging:
The Shattered Glass packaging is similar in shape to the Legacy boxes, starting with a rectangular shape but then adding angles and what look like broken edges of glass on the top part of the window. The Transformers logo is set vertically to the right side featuring a purple to pink gradient unique to this sub-line. The sub-line "Shattered Glass" is called out on the bottom with an Autobot symbol that looks fractured. The front also features the character's artwork in one of the angled sections while the right and left sides both feature more of the character art. Shattered Glass is established as a sub-line of Generations via the Generations logo on the left side panel. The back of the box features Blurr in both modes calling out an 18 step transformation. Behind him is a beautiful pink and purple pattern against a black background.
Accessories:
Shattered Glass Blurr includes the same two accessories as Studio Series 86 Blurr:
- Blaster: The rifle included with the figure is based on G1 Blurr's weapon seen in the 1986 film. The design is distinctive, with a flat part on the back, a raised section in the middle leading to a barrel with a triangular piece on top. This piece is cast in silver plastic with no paint applications.
- Welding Attachment: In a brief scene on Junkion, the Autobots are trying to fix up their shuttle. G1 Blurr is briefly seen using a welding attachment on his right arm. This is a very G1 conceit where characters could swap out their hands for functional attachments to their wrists. This piece is based on that design. The designers did a great job of working in a lot of the details from the animation model into this accessory including angled details on the sides and the welding piece at the end. This has a 5mm peg that slides right into Blurr's fist, effectively hiding the fist so it looks like he swapped out his hand for this piece. While this piece is not unique to Shattered Glass Blurr, it is part of the mold tree so I'm glad it was included. This accessory is silver plastic with no paint applications.
Robot Mode:
Shattered Glass Blurr features a new head sculpt. At first, you may think that the helmet section of the head is the same as Studio Series Blurr, but the proportions are different and the trapezoid shape above the forehead is much larger on this figure. Still, it does retail the classic Blurr styling of having the crest piece on top of the head and two rectangular sections of the helmet flanking the mouth/chin area. Where this Blurr differs significantly from his "good" counterpart is the face. Instead of a neutral expression, this face has an evil smile on it and his left eye is covered with an eyepatch. These details all borrow heavily from the head sculpt of the Botcon 2008 Shattered Glass Blurr and it looks fantastic.
The rest of the figure remains the same as Studio Series Blurr, featuring a body largely based on the 1986 animation model for G1 Blurr.
The colors on this figure are largely based on the original 2008 Shattered Glass Blurr. He is made up of black, blue, dark blue, silver and translucent orange plastic. Most of the paint detailing is focused on the head, which uses a combination of silver, red, black and yellow to fill in a lot of detailing. Most notable is black on the eyepatch and a red "scar" painted onto part of the helmet and under the eyepatch. Blue and silver paint is used on the rest of the body on the chest and legs to add some more detailing. The back of the lower legs have metallic blue paint on them and you'll see some lightning effects on the back that are really meant to be shown off in vehicle mode. I would have liked a couple lightning details on the front of the robot mode, but overall I think he looks okay but not amazing.
All the joints on my copy of this figure are just as tight as those on my Studio Series Blurr. The weapons also attach just fine. From a quality control standpoint I have no issues with this figure.
Transformation to Vehicle Mode:
- Detach the accessories and set them aside for now.
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- On each forearm, swing out the small panel on the section attached to the back of the forearms.
- Rotate the wrist around then swing the piece over the fists and close the panel.
- Rotate the window on the chest around.
- Extend the back piece out, then up over the robot head.
- Swing each foot up against the lower legs.
- Swing the front panel of each lower leg out to the side.
- Swing out the small blue piece inside the left lower leg.
- Rotate the arms up.
- Attach the two halves of the lower legs together.
- Flip the panel under the chest up (this forms the seat).
- Swing the lower legs over the thighs.
- Pull each robot arm out to the sides. A white rod connected to each one will reveal itself.
- Swing down each of the light blue pieces at the shoulders. Then attach the white tabs on the robot feet to them.
- Swing the arm pieces forward and snap them into place. This part is a bit fiddly but the keys are tabbing in the arms on the sides and sliding the open slot on the forearm extensions onto the tabs sticking out to the sides.
- The welding attachment fits under the front of the vehicle, with the tabs on it fitting into the corresponding slots. The blaster can attach to the 5mm ports on the bottom of the robot feet or to the welding tool as pictured below.
Vehicle Mode:
The vehicle mode remains unaltered from the original Studio Series release, so it looks like classic G1 Blurr except for the colors. All the colors from the robot mode carry over here, except this time there are metallic blue "lightning" patterns on the front end of the vehicle. This is directly inspired by the 2008 Shattered Glass Blurr who had a very intricate pattern of "electricity" running along the vehicle mode. This was originally meant to refer to his ability to move super fast, taking a cue from comic book heroes like The Flash. While I love the homage here, I have to admit the Botcon figure did this pattern much better, with layered detailing really giving a kinetic feel when you looked at it. Here it looks less like "energy" coursing around and through him and a bit more like decorative detailing on the vehicle. It doesn't look bad mind you, but it does look very different.
The accessories can still attach to the underside of the vehicle's front end for storage in this mode and they hold on just fine.
Final Thoughts:
Shattered Glass Blurr is a fun re-introduction of the Shattered Glass concept into the Transformers toy line. I wrote the first Shattered Glass story so it makes me smile to see it being recognized well over a decade later. I really liked the Studio Series Blurr figure to begin with, so using it as the base figure for this release is great in my book. I do wish the deco had been a bit more eye catching. All the basic elements are there (such as the really nice colors) but there needed to be more detailing to make this a really strong release. Recommended only if you are really into the Shattered Glass concept.
Pros:
- The Studio Series Blurr sculpt is really nicely done so it's a great foundation for this release.
- The new head sculpt looks great.
- Really nice deco on the head in robot mode and cool deco in vehicle mode.
- No apparent old degradation.
- Calls back to a fun but not widely known story in Transformers history.
Cons:
- I do wish the deco had more "pow" to it. More lightning in vehicle mode, some lightning in the front of the robot mode etc.
- Even with a comic book added in, the $31.99 price point will be a bit much for some fans to pay.
