General Information
Release Date: September 2023
Price Point: $24.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: General Release (Amazon, BigBadToyStore, Entertainment Earth, Target, Walmart etc.)
Accessories: Engine Block/Blaster Halves x 2, Exhaust Pipes x 2, Thrusters x 2, Hook
Official images and text in italics are from Amazon.com:
- CELEBRATE THE LEGACY: Transformers Legacy Evolution celebrates the last 40 years of Transformers history. The Axlegrease action figure is inspired by the Junkions from The Transformers
- 2 EPIC MODES: Transformers action figure converts from robot to off-road vehicle mode in 17 steps
- AWESOME ACCESSORIES: This Axlegrease toy for 8 year old boys and girls comes with a hook, 2 tailpipes, 2 engine blasters, and 2 thruster accessories that attach to the figure in both modes
- FIGHT WITH FUSION ABILITIES: This Axlegrease toy can break apart and fuse with other Transformers: Legacy Evolution figures as indestructible Junkion armor! (Each sold separately, subject to availability)
- REVEAL TECH SPECS: Scan the code on each package to reveal character tech specs! Collect other Transformers figures to discover facts and abilities (each sold separately, subject to availability)
The battle is evolving with the Transformers Legacy Evolution Axlegrease action figure! Axlegrease is a Junkion you don’t want to cross. Her massive arsenal of weaponry makes her a deadly foe. Transformers toys are upgraded with Evo-Fusion technology! Fight with fusion abilities by breaking this Axlegrease toy apart and fusing with other Transformers: Legacy Evolution figures as indestructible Junkion armor! (Each sold separately, subject to availability.) Celebrate the last 40 years of Transformers history with Transformers Legacy action figures for boys and girls. Transformers Legacy opens the portal to a whole new universe of -- More Than Meets the Eye -- bringing together every generation of Transformers like you’ve never seen before. Collect and combine different characters to create your ideal Legacy lineup. Transformers and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro. Hasbro and all related terms are trademarks of Hasbro.
Background:
The 1986 film The Transformers: The Movie introduced plenty of new characters into the G1 universe including a tribe of Transformers living on Junkion, the "Planet of Junk". The Junkions all transformed into Mad Max style vehicles (mostly motorcycles) and could easily reassemble themselves if damaged in battle making them nearly unstoppable. Fast forward to 2023 and the Junkions rise again. After the releases of Wreck-Gar and Junkheap as Voyager Class figures in previous years, Axlegrease is a Deluxe Class figure that riffs off the ability of Junkions to come apart and reassemble for a play pattern that calls back to Weaponizers and Fossilizers. This figure is a heavy retool and redeco of Scraphook so you'll definitely want to check out that review. Axlegrease also stands out as one of the few non-Autobot affiliated Junkions. Instead she is listed as a Decepticon in her online tech specs.
It is worth noting that Axlegrease is one of those notorious "late wave" figures that was next to impossible to find at retail. Online preorders ere fulfilled (which is where I got mine) but the figure was seemingly never shipped again after that causing quite a bit of frustration for fans who wanted to add her to their collections.
Packaging:
Axlegrease is part of the second phase of the Legacy line: Legacy Evolution so the packaging has been refreshed. The shape of the box is still the same, and for the most part the logos and other parts are in the same place. Sticking to the principle of plastic-free packaging, the window on the box is open but this year there is an extra layer of cardboard that sits on top of the figure to prevent theft. This covers most of the figure, leaving only the chest and head peeking out. Under the figure is an illustration of Axlegrease in vehicle mode. To the side is a close up of her in robot mode. The QR Code to scan for the tech specs has been moved to the top of the box instead of being on the back.
The back of the box shows Axlegrease in both modes calling out a 17 step transformation. It also has a huge logo for the "Evo Fusion" gimmick which shows the parts that make up this figure and how you can use them as attachments to other figures. This also leans into her Junkion identity.
Accessories:
The Junkions in Legacy Evolution were made to basically be a set of accessories forming a robot and vehicle. That said, Axlegrease still has a bunch of accessories that she wields. Much of this has been changed from Scraphook though a couple parts do carry over. Let's go through them:
- "Spoilers"/Exhaust Pipes: These are the only accessories carried over from Scraphook. On Scraphook they were called "Spoilers" though really they look more like L shaped, stylized exhaust pipes featuring three pipes. Each of these is made of dark blue plastic and painted silver. They feature a 5mm peg and port so they can be used as accessories for other figures.
- Engine/Blasters: The engine from the vehicle mode splits into two small blasters with weapon barrels that have attachment points for Blast Effects. These pieces are gunmetal grey plastic with silver paint on them.
- Hook: In a bit of a "preview" of this figure being retooled into Lockdown a year later, this figure includes a hook accessory that is different from the one that came with Scraphook. his is a small hook that has a 5mm peg at the back. This piece is made of light blue plastic.
- Thrusters: Two thrusters are included with this weapon that are shaped like cylinders with triangular panels on top. Each of these features two 5mm pegs on the bottom and 5mm ports on the sides and front. You can fit the hook into one of these and attach it to the arm to create the look of Lockdown's "claw hand". These pieces are gunmetal grey with purple paint.
Robot Mode:
Axlegrease is a heavy retool of Scraphook. Basically the arms, back and pelvic area appear the be the primary parts that carried over from Scraphook. Everything else appears to be new. This includes cool head sculpt that is based on the Junkion known to fans as "Nancy". It is mainly the top of the head with the ridges in it that look like Nancy but the rest of the head is very distinctive to Axlegrease featuring large visor eyes and raised circles on either side of the head. The chest design is also very distinctive featuring pointed details that resemble some tattoo patterns I've seen in real life. The pointed parts appear to be callbacks to the Decepticon symbol itself which is a cool design choice. I also really ike the lower legs which feature spikes running along the edges and feet that look like they were designed to hurt if you get kicked by this Junkion! I appreciate that Axlegrease is female character but is designed to look like a bulky and formidable warrior, offering a different body type than figures like Chromia.
The deco on this figure is partly inspired by the Shattered Glass Junkions (a nod to her unusual affiliation). That means her main colors are dark blue, purple, light blue and silver. Paint colors on the figure include white, silver, lavender and metallic blue. Overall it is a beautiful color combination and I especially like the colors on the head and chest which contrast beautifully with one another.
There are twenty four points of articulation on this figure. That includes five in each arm and six in each leg. As a Junkion figure you can break the robot up, separating the arms and legs from the main body. These parts can then be used as attachments to other figures with 5mm ports or the central piece can be used as the core of a different vehicle. I've seen fans come up with some very creative designs using Weaponizers, Fossilizers and other Junkion figures. This play pattern is one that opens up a lot of possibilities!
Transformation to Vehicle Mode:
- Detach the weapons and push the blades in and set them aside for now.
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- Point the feet down and slide them back.
- Swing the arms out using the hinges at the shoulders.
- Rotate the fists so the top of the fists face outward.
- Push the lower legs together.
- Rotate the lower body around.
- Separate the panels that form the back.
- Swing the head down against the back panel.
- Swing the back armor piece forward
- Swing the legs up.
- Swing the panels from the back down to form the car doors. These attach to the sides of the thighs.
- Swing the chest panel with the arms attached down and connect it to the pelvic section.
- Swing the forearms against the biceps. There is a tab on the forearms that fits into slots on the biceps.
- Swing the arms in and connect them together. The silver shoulder hinge pieces will sit at a slight angle - this is the correct position.
- Connect the two halves of the engine together and attach it to the hood.
- Attach the exhaust pipes to the ports in front of the rear wheel wells.
- Connect the two thrusters together, then attach them to the forearms on the back of the vehicle.
- The hook can be attached to any 5mm port but I like attaching it to the one in the middle of the back so it looks like a hitch.
Vehicle Mode:
Axlegrease's vehicle mode appears to be heavily inspired by the V8 Interceptor from Mad Max. It's not a replica (clearly) but it looks like a powerful, modified version of a sports car. While it is not as sleek as the real life car, it does have similar lines such as a hood that slopes downward in the front with an engine sticking out of the hood and the thrusters on the back of the vehicle are similar to cylinders seen on some iterations of the V8 Interceptor in the Mad Max films. The designers then threw even more details on to give this vehicle a "post-apocalyptic" looks. This includes cages on the windows, panels bolted to the sides and the armor on the front of the car. One of my favorite details This vehicle mode looks fantastic and I love the nod to a classic film series.
This mode mostly shows off dark blue plastic with light blue and gunmetal grey arts. There is a lot of purple paint used in this mode including the spikes in the front, the windows and the panels on the doors. The silver on the engine and exhaust pipes really pops too. Overall the colors look great!
There are nine 5mm ports on the core vehicle, four on each side and one on the back. If you add in the ports on the thrusters and exhaust pipes, the total comes to twelve. Two of the really fun ones are at the back of the thrusters which accommodate Blast Effects, making it look like Axlegrease is blasting across the land into battle!
Final Thoughts:
Axlegrease is a super fun toy. As a straightforward Transformers character she's fun. As a kid I never thought we'd have Junkion toys behind Wreck-Gar and here we are with a new character who is a female Junkion Decepticon! I also love the aesthetics in both modes and there is a ton of play value here. It is also impressive how well this works as a retool. The designers really went the extra mile to essentially turn this into a completely different toy. Highly recommended!
Pros:
- Excellent sculpt and retool in both modes.
- Lots of play value.
- Beautiful and distinct deco.
- Good articulation and the connection points are all nice and tight.
- Like Scraphook, it is very cool that this figure can transform without partsforming.
Cons:
- The arms can pop out during transformation (I'm really nitpicking here).
