General Information:
Release Date: December 2020
Price Point: $22.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: General Release (Amazon, BigBadToyStore, Entertainment Earth, Target, Walmart)
Accessories: Blaster, Welding attachment
Official images and product description in italics below are from Amazon:
- STUDIO SERIES DELUXE CLASS: Deluxe Class figures are 4.5-inch collectible action figures inspired by iconic movie scenes and designed with specs and details to reflect the Transformers movie universe, now including The Transformers: The Movie!
- 4.5-INCH SCALE BLURR: Figure features vivid, movie-inspired deco, is highly articulated for posability and comes with a spark welder hand attachment and blaster accessory
- BIG SCREEN INSPIRED: Figure scale reflects the character’s size in the world of The Transformers: The Movie. Figure and packaging are inspired by the iconic Battle of Autobot City scene
- 2 ICONIC MODES: Figure features classic conversion between robot and Cybertronian hovercar modes in 18 steps. Perfect for fans looking for a more advanced converting figure. For kids and adults ages 8 and up
- REMOVABLE BACKDROP: Removable backdrop displays Blurr figure in the Battle of Autobot City scene
This Studio Series 86-03 Deluxe Class The Transformers: The Movie-inspired Blurr figure converts from robot to Cybertronian hovercar mode in 18 steps. Remove backdrop to showcase Blurr in the Battle of Autobot City scene. In the Battle of Autobot City scene from The Transformers: The Movie, Blurr defends Autobot City from the Decepticon assault until Autobot reinforcements arrive from Cybertron. Pose the figure out with the included blaster accessory and imagine recreating this classic movie moment! Also comes with a spark welder hand attachment.
The 1986 theatrical Transformers film introduced a large cast of new characters. Among them was a super speedy Autobot named Blurr. He moved fast and talked fast (voiced by the incomparable John Moschitta). He became a central character in the third and final seasons of the G1 animated series and there have been other figures of the character over the years. This includes one released for Generations in 2010 and a more recent one in Titans Return. This one however is intended to represent the character as he appeared in the G1 cartoon instead of the IDW Publishing comic books or the interpretation in Titans Return.
Accessories:
Blurr includes two accessories:
- Blaster: Blurr includes a rifle based on the one he used in the 1986 film. It would also appear later in episodes of the G1 cartoon. 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 white plastic with no paint applications. This color matches the blaster's appearance in the film, but in at least one episode of the G1 show it was painted blue but this color contrasts better with the rest of the figure.
- Welding Attachment: In a brief scene on Junkion, the Autobots are trying to fix up their shuttle. 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. This accessory is white plastic with no paint applications.
Robot Mode:
This figure has been out for a while now, so there's been plenty of time for fans to offer their opinions and many have talked about how the sculpt of this figure is not quite up to the standards of other "cartoon accurate" Studio Series releases. Honestly? I don't see it. To me, this is a fantastic sculpt (though it is not perfect). Here's a rundown:
- Head: The head sculpt is directly based on the G1 cartoon model including the attachment on top of his head, the crest above the nose and eyes and the rectangular details flanking his cheeks. The face looks a tad long in person, but comparing it to the cartoon model it looks about right to me.
- Torso: The G1 animation design features a torso featuring the cabin section of the vehicle mode. This looks like a shrunken down version of the vehicle mode's middle section. This piece reflects that design perfectly.
- Arms: Each arm features a thruster build into the shoulders, one of Blurr's most distinctive design elements. Where the proportions are a bit off are the forearms. Here, the sides of the vehicle mode fold back under the forearms. Compared to the ones in the animation model, these are much bigger and do look a bit obtrusive.
- Legs: The legs have a very curved and sleek look to them, befitting a character who can run super fast. Key details including knee armor with a trapezoid like shape on it and a series of horizontal grooves on the back of the legs.
Overall, the sculpt looks fantastic to me. To my eyes he looks like the animated model come to life and I'm very happy with it.
Blurr is mostly made up of light blue, a darker blue and white plastic. White and blue deco is used all over the figure to try to match up with the animation model as much as possible. Now, Blurr could have used a bit more darker blue on him, especially on the arms. But overall I'm very happy with the deco on this figure considering he does not have a ton of details in the cartoon to begin with. In a bit of a surprise, Blurr's eyes are translucent blue plastic and have light piping from the back! This used to be very common but not nowadays.
There are eighteen points of articulation on this figure. This includes four in each arm and leg. Each fist has a 5mm port, allowing Blurr to use both his accessories at the same time.
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:
Blurr's vehicle mode is a futuristic hovercar. He has really sleek lines and it is not hard to imagine that this vehicle can achieve super-speeds. Unlike the G1 toy which had much more straight lines and looked a bit bulkier. Unlike the original figure, this vehicle form has many more curves and sweeping lines that give it a beautiful shape. The vehicle also has many distinctive details from both the original toy and animation model including a small window/cockpit area in the front (which oddly has a seat behind it, go figure), the thrusters on the side and what looks like an ornament sticking up in the back section. It is a very distinct vehicle form and I love this sculpt. I feel like Hasbro and Takara have been refining this design for decades and we've finally gotten to where the design was meant to be.
All of Blurr's colors carry over here, but now some dark blue details get some emphasis on the front and sides of the forearm pieces. The very front of the vehicle has a blue that is painted a shade of blue between the darker blue paint and the light blue plastic. This mode also gives us a better look at the darker blue plastic towards the back and the light blue painted in the middle. The deco looks great in this mode and I'm very happy with it.
In a fun design decision the thrusters can accommodate Blast Effects! Add them in to make it look like Blurr is really kicking into high speed!
Final Thoughts:
Studio Series Blurr is a great representation of the character as he appeared in the 1986 film and G1 cartoon. Others have expressed reservations about the sculpt, but I dig it. The transformation to vehicle mode is a bit more fiddly than I would have liked but overall it is a fantastic figure. Recommended!
Pros:
- Excellent sculpt in both modes.
- Good deco.
- Good articulation.
- The welding accessory is a nice addition.
Cons:
- The transform is really interesting but fiddly.
- The pieces on the underside of the forearms are a tad too big but collapsing them down would have probably cost more and made them potentially more fragile.
