General Information
Release Date: April 2024
Price Point: $24.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: General Release (Amazon, BigBadToyStore, Entertainment Earth, Target, Walmart etc.)
Accessories: Blade weapons/rotor blades x 4, Turbines/cannons x 2
Official images and text in italics are from Amazon.com
- INFERNAC UNIVERSE SHARD ACTION FIGURE: This 5.5-inch (14 cm) Infernac Universe Shard toy is a Transformers Armorizer, a lifeform made from living rocks and minerals found throughout the galaxy
- INTRODUCING ARMORIZERS: Combine Transformers robot figures with this Armorizer toy to create rock armor and weapon accessories! (Each sold separately, subject to availability)
- 2-IN-1 CONVERTING TRANSFORMERS TOY: Transformers action figure converts from rock creature toy to helicopter toy in 13 steps
- AWESOME ACCESSORIES: This Infernac Universe Shard Transformers figure comes with 4 blade and 2 blaster accessories. Accessories attach in both modes
- CELEBRATE THE LEGACY: Transformers Legacy United honors 40 years of Transformers animated history! Collect other Legacy: United figures to unite your collection (each sold separately, subject to availability)
- GIFT TRANSFORMERS COLLECTIBLES: This Infernac Universe Shard action figure toy makes a great collectible figure gift for any Transformers fan
Unite your favorite characters from across the world of Transformers robots into your collection with the Transformers Legacy United Deluxe Class Infernac Universe Shard action figure! This 5.5-inch Infernac Universe Shard action figure is an Armorizer, a creature made from living rocks and minerals on other planets! Combine this Armorizer toy with other Transformers figures to create cool rock armor and weapons. Figure also converts between rock creature and helicopter modes in 13 steps. Gear up for battle with the included blade and blaster accessories. Celebrate the last 40 years of Transformers history with Transformers Legacy action figures. Transformers Legacy opens the portal to a whole new universe of -- More Than Meets the Eye -- bringing together every Transformers generation like you’ve never seen before. Collect and combine different characters to create your ideal Legacy lineup. TRANSFORMERS and HASBRO and all related trademarks and logos are trademarks of Hasbro, Inc. © 2024 Hasbro.
Background:
In 1986, the Gobots toy line expanded with a sub-brand known as "Rock Lords". This line featured creatures who changed from rocks to humanoid, monster or animal-like forms. This line even inspired appearances and references in Transformers lore. Now as part of Legacy United a new type of Transformers figure has emerged inspired by the Rock Lords! Following the play pattern of figures like Cog, Ractonite and Crashbar these Rock Lords-inspired figures are known as "Armorizers". Hasbro stated on its March 21, 2024 live stream that this figure was inspired in part by the Rock Lord Solitaire.
Packaging:
Shard is packaged in a now standard Legacy box design. The box is roughly rectangular with an angle on the top and side. The front features an open window and there is a cardboard hook on top. The graphics are very similar to previous years of Legacy boxes with blue and purple tones. The tray Shard sits in features yellow and orange colors, offering nice contrast to the darker outer box. On the left side is a box referencing the "Infernac Universe" with Shard's name under it. The Legacy United logo is under artwork of her vehicle form. The left side of the box (if you are facing it) features Shard's robot mode art.
The back of the box shows Shard in both modes calling out a 13 step transformation and broken up into her Armorizer components. It also shows her connected to Legacy Gears as weaponry. Under all that is the new 40th Anniversary Transformers logo. One thing of note with this box: the cardboard is of significantly better quality than the previous two years of Legacy figures. This cardboard feels solid and firm which hopefully means damaged boxes on store shelves and right out of the case will be less likely. I was very happy about this change.
Accessories:
Like the Weaponizers and Fossilizers, Shard is intended to be a figure that forms accessories for other figures so I'll focus on the weaponry in this section and discuss the "Armorizer" capability towards the end of this review.
Rotor Blades/Swords
The four rotor blades from Shard's vehicle mode double as blade weapons in robot mode (or for other figures using the "Armorizer" gimmick). Each of these blades is identical, featuring a blade that has a rough, "rocky" shape and a "V" shaped hilt. The handle is a 5mm peg but it has a tab on the side to keep it in place when attached to the turbines (more on that in a bit). This prevents figures from holding the blades in their hands like a sword. Instead, there are 5mm pegs on the side of the hilt. The box art shows Shard holding the blades like a claw weapon, which is probably the best looking application of these weapons. Honestly, I wish the tab was not on the bottom peg so this could be used more like a traditional sword. These pieces are made of green plastic with no paint applications.
Turbines/Blaster Weapons
The two turbines from the vehicle mode double as blasters in robot mode. Each features a beautiful sculpt that resembles long crystals sweeping back, looking a bit uneven while sleek at the same time. The two turbines are not mirror images of each other. One has crystals extending back a bit further than the other, but both have 5mm pegs on the bottom, 5mm ports on the inside and one at the front. This main opening can be used to attach the rotor blades/swords making the turbines as a kind of sword handle. Sadly there is no 5mm peg allowing characters to hold this piece vertically, so these wind up looking like a blaster firing sword blades (the stock photo shows this combined with one of her arms as a bow-like weapon). That said, you can put Blast Effects in the front port to make it look like Shard is firing energy from a more conventional blaster. These pieces are made of a jade colored plastic with metallic green paint sprayed on in a beautiful pattern that blends into the plastic color wonderfully.
Robot Mode:
Shard uses a similar aesthetic as Magneous and Bouldercrash, featuring a core robot underneath layers of rock. In this case however, Shard is not covered in rocks that look like cooling lava. Instead, she is covered in layers of armor that look like crystals. Specifically, these crystals are meant to be those seen in the G1 episode "Chaos", which you can watch in the embed below. These crystals were very powerful and were instrumental to Galvatron's plot to destroy Cybertron (spoiler alert: he failed)
There are some very robotic looking parts on this figure including the forearms, fists and thighs. Other parts however look almost like they are purely made out of crystals (but there are hints of mechanical bits) such as the lower legs, feet and torso. The head sculpt is really cool, featuring traditional Transformers design elements like a mouth plate and crest, but also featuring mandibles which gives her a feral appearance. I'm a big fan of this aesthetic. It really expands the definition of just what a Transformers character (and toy) can be. The sharp looking shape of the "crystals" also adds an extra dangerous appearance to Shard that I really like.
Shard is made up of plastic colors including two shades of green (based off the "Chaos crystals" from the episode referenced above), gunmetal grey and translucent green plastic. Paint colors are used to give variation on the green colors of the crystals. The best example of this are the panels on the front of the lower legs which start with a light, yellowish green at the bottom leading to a dark green at the top covering the knees. These same colors along with gunmetal grey paint is used on the robot head. The translucent parts are used mostly for the vehicle mode. In this mode they are most visible on the chest. This creates a beautiful effect making it look like a "real" crystal.
There are twenty four points of articulation on this figure. That includes five in each arm and six in each leg. All the joints on my copy of this figure are nice and tight. There are 5mm ports on the sides of the thighs and of course in the fists to attach accessories. The helicopter rotor base is on the back so you can store the rotor blades there as well.
Transformation to Vehicle Mode:
- Detach the rotor blades and thrusters and set them aside for now.
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- Point the feet down.
- Rotate the lower legs outward, then push the two lower legs together.
- Push the helicopter tail down.
- Rotate the arms around.
- Untab the arms from the chest panel and swing them back part way.
- Swing the chest panel up over the heand line it up with the "back pack".
- Swing the arms fully back into the "back pack".
- Swing the lower body back, then swing the legs forward and tab them against the "back pack" section.
- Attach the turbines to the ports on the robot arms (now on the sides of the vehicle mode).
Vehicle Mode:
Shard's vehicle mode is a very interesting looking helicopter. The robot mode aesthetic is a mixture of crystal and mechanical details. This mode however looks almost entirely like it is made of crystals but of course the machinery is really underneath, so in a weird way this is a "robot in disguise", just a very unique disguise! The crystals are all sculpted to look like they are sweeping back, giving the vehicle an oddly aerodynamic appearance despite having layers of crystal armor. I especially dig the turbines on the sides. They give the vehicle an extra powerful appearance. I totally get that this aesthetic is weird, but it is a kind of weird that totally appeals to me. Your mileage will vary.
The colors on this vehicle mode are gorgeous. It's the same as the robot mode, but now the various panels and "crystal bits" are condensed, so the green and paint colors are also much more concentrated and they hit the eye all at once. I absolutely love the light green paint and the various spray ops. I also love the way the translucent plastic winds up being the "cockpit window" in this mode!
Helicopters are a classic vehicle mode for Transformers and one feature some of them share are spinning rotors. Push a rotor blade quickly and the entire rotor section spins. It's pretty smooth and fun. The turbines can of course fit Blast Effects so you can make it look like Shard is firing weapons blasts from them. There is also a small port on the bottom of the vehicle that will allow you to attach the figure to Bandai Stands to make it look like Shard is flying!
Armorizer Mode:
Aside from the weapons mentioned above, there are six pieces that can detach from to form "Armorizer" parts:
- Arms: Each arm is attached via a 5mm peg/port. Similar to Weaponizers before them, Shard's arms can be used as joints or attachment points for weapons which would then be attached to 5mm ports on other figures to bolster their firepower.
- Legs: The lower legs are attached to the thighs via 5mm pegs/ports. Detach them and straighten out the feet and you get sharp looking armor pieces. These pieces could also be held by other figures as a kind of pointy weapon or maybe even a (kinda narrow) shield. In addition to this the front panels on the lower legs can also be detached to form armor plating made of "Chaos crystals".
The above pieces are cool but I think there were two missed opportunities to make this even more fun. Both of these involve the back pack on the figure. First, there is a spinning rotor on there, why not make that a separate piece? Then you could attach the rotor blades to it, attach it to the forearm and you have a spinning rotor weapon! Another missed opportunity: the tail of the helicopter winds on the back (and basically becomes a tail for Shard). It would have been cool if that piece could have detached to act as a cannon or staff weapon of some sort. Ah well.
Final Thoughts:
Shard is a very cool looking figure that is fun to play with. She also pays homage to a classic G1 episode and makes for a fun toy at the same time! That said, there are some missed opportunities with this figure that surprised me. Recommended.
Pros:
- Excellent sculpt in both modes.
- Pays homage to a classic G1 episode.
- Intuitive and fun transformation.
- Beautiful deco in both modes.
Cons:
- A couple missed opportunities for the "Armorizer" play pattern are disappointing, so that knocks the figure down a notch.
