General Information:
Release Date: September 2018
Price Point: $14.99 (Varies by retailer)
Retailer: General Release (Target, Walmart, Amazon etc.)
Accessories: None
*Images and text below from Amazon.com:
"Picture this: me, on Earth, still cooler than everyone this side of Optimus Prime, but I’ve got zero memories. Now I’m on a mission to recover my memories and discover all of my awesome powers. I’ll have to battle Decepticons, outrun an explosion or two, and be heroic- basically, I’m in for one epic ride across the Cyberverse." -Bumblebee
The resourceful Windblade uses her telepathic Cityspeaker powers to defend justice with the heroic Autobots. Convert and attack with Transformers Cyberverse Action Attackers! Change figure from vehicle to robot mode in 7 steps. The last step of conversion automatically activates Windblade figure’s signature Cyclone Strike Action Attack move! Once converted, attack move can be repeated through easy reactivation steps.
Look for other Action Attackers figures, each sold separately, to discover the signature attack moves of favorite Cyberverse characters! Transformers and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro.
In late 2017 it was revealed that a new Transformers cartoon would be replacing "Robots in Disguise". The series focuses on Bumblebee with partial amnesia attempting to regain his memories. A blend of G1 and modern characters combined with a more kid-friendly animation style results in a show that leans more towards a younger audience than even "Robots in Disguise", something which is reflected in the toy line. The toy line was released in countries outside the United States such as Australia around late June 2018. A few weeks later it would be released in North America.
Among the first waves of figures released were the Warrior Class figures. The Warrior Class was first introduced in "Robots in Disguise" as a sort of compromise between the more complex Deluxe Class figures from "Generations" and the simpler figures offered throughout the rest of the "Robots in Disguise" line. This "new" Warrior Class assortment however is not a continuation of that Class of figure despite sharing the same name. Instead, these figures are more akin to the "Power Attackers" from "Age of Extinction" such as Drift focusing on a single action feature or gimmick with some detail that you would have expected from a past Warrior Class figure.
Packaging:
Warrior Class "Cyberverse" figures are packaged on bubble cards. The cards have a new design which takes cues from more recent Transformers packaging. There is still a vertical "Transformers" logo on the right side, above it is a symbol (Autobot or Decepticon based on the character) and the character art is at the top of the packaging with the "Cyberverse" logo under it. Perhaps the most distinctive part of the packaging design are the colors, which utilize yellow and light blue helping them stand out against the black and red colors used for "Generations" packaging on shelves. The back of the packaging features the figure with its action feature called out. In Windblade's case she is shown in both modes with a "7 step transformation" and there is a callout for her "Cyclone Strike Action Attack".
The insert on the packaging notes a recommended age of "6+" which is important to keep in mind with this Class of figure. Contrast that with a "Generations" Deluxe (such as Jazz or Sunstreaker) which have recommended ages of 8+. This age recommendation is more along the lines of "Robots in Disguise" Legion Class figures such as Bisk. This partly explains the slightly more simplified transformation.
Robot Mode:
Windblade was a "Fan Made" character based on votes taken online years ago. Since then, the character has gone on to be featured in the "Prime Wars Trilogy" cartoon and "Robots in Disguise". Now in "Cyberverse" she is a lead character, helping Bumblebee recover his lost memories. Her appearance in the cartoon is heavily based on her previous incarnations. This includes having a head design based on the Onna Bugeisha from feudal Japan. Her body design includes large shoulder armor, a thin waist area and legs which are slightly exaggerated in size. She also has wings on her back with prominent hover fans in the middle. While her poportions are different than previous versions, this figure is immediately identifiable as Windblade.
This figure is cast in metallic red and black plastic. Most of the figure is red, matching the animation model in the show. White, red, yellow and light blue paint are used on the head to provide a nice amount of detailing. The light blue is also used on the rest of the body including the chest and knees. My favorite detail are a series of mechanical looking lines on the wings that are painted blue. It looks like the wings are lighting up with energy and I love that effect on any Transformers figure. There is a small Autobot symbol on the chest. From a deco standpoint she looks great considering how relatively simple the decos in "Cyberverse" have been.
There are eleven points of articulation on this figure. This includes three in each arm and two in each leg. This is a bit disappointing at this size class (in contrast "Robots in Disguise" Windblade had fourteen. Oddly, she does not have head articulation even though it could have easily been built in without interfering with the transformation. Sadly, Windblade has no accessories, which is a shame because her sword and hover fans are shown as major parts of her personal arsenal in the cartoon. That said, she does have the "Cyclone" attack feature. Push the wings up and down and it exposes the light blue parts and the hover fans spin. It is neat, no doubt, but it is not a replacement for true accessories. That said, her hands are designed to be able to hold swords from other Windblade figures.
Transformation to Vehicle Mode:
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- On the back flip out the black panel, then swing the cockpit section over the robot head and swing the black panel back into place.
- Push each robot foot up.
- Push the robot legs together.
- Rotate the waist section around.
- Swing the lower legs over the thighs.
- Attach the tabs on the forearms into the slots on the hips. There are also openings on the sides of the lower legs to fit Windblade's thumbs.
Vehicle Mode:
Windblade's vehicle mode matches up nicely with her animation model. This includes a relatively thick nosecone section, wings with the hover fans in the center and both vertical and horizontal stabilizers in the back. It is a cool looking jet, but it lacks some of the ability of previous versions such as the hover fans being able to move.
This mode has a nice combination of colors. Red and black is one of my favorite color combos with Transformers figures so I always dig it on a figure like this. Blue and light blue on the top help offer some nice color contrast as well. I would have liked a bit more deco say, on the hover fans but overall it looks good.
Final Thoughts:
"Cyberverse" Warrior Class Windblade is a good figure. And by that I mean she just skirts the edge of "good". She's not great and there is wasted potential with the lack of accessories and oddly sacrificed head articulation. If you can get this figure on sale (it was about $9 on Amazon as of this writing) then it is worth it. I would avoid paying full price if you can.
Pros:
- Nice sculpt that is show accurate and pays homage to previous versions of the character.
- Deco in robot mode is very nice.
- The "Cyclone Attack" is a neat and unique feature.
Cons:
- Very strange choice in removing the head articulation.
- Limited articulation for a figure of this size and price point.
- No accessories.
