 |
 |
General Information:
Release Date: February 2023
Price Point: $11.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: General Release (Amazon, BigBadToyStore, Entertainment Earth, Target, Walmart etc.)
Accessories: Arm cannon
Official images and product description in italics below are from Amazon:
- TRANSFORMERS STUDIO SERIES CORE CLASS: These 3.5-inch collectible action figures for boys and girls are inspired by iconic movie scenes and designed with details to reflect the Transformers movie universe
- 3.5-INCH SCALE ARCEE TOY: Transformers Studio Series Arcee action figure is highly articulated for posability and features movie-inspired deco and details
- 2 ICONIC MODES: This action figure for 8 year old boys and girls features classic conversion between robot and motorcycle modes in 11 steps
- AWESOME ACCESSORIES: Transformers figure comes with a blaster accessory that attaches to the Arcee figure in both modes
- GIFTS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS: Transformers toys make great gifts for 8 year old boys and girls and up!
Bring the epic action of the Transformers movies from the big screen into your collection with the Transformers Studio Series Arcee action figure! Studio Series Transformers toys are collectible action figures for 8 year old boys and girls that feature movie-inspired details and accessories. Convert the collectible action figure from robot to motorcycle mode in 11 steps and pose the Arcee toy with the included blaster accessory. Transformers action figures for boys and girls make great gifts! Transformers and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro. Hasbro and all related terms are trademarks of Hasbro.
Background:
Arcee's history in the live action film universe is an odd one. There were many toys of her in the past and she even appeared in Revenge of the Fallen, only to be killed off with her death confirmed in Age of Extinction. Years later she would appear in the Bumblebee movie battling Decepticons on Cybertron (and there was a figure of that version too!). Now in Rise of the Beasts Arcee is part of the cast again and she can be seen in the trailer below. We won't get into matters of continuity and whether or not this Arcee is the same Arcee as the one in Revenge of the Fallen. That debate could probably go on for years to come.
Packaging:
In 2023 Hasbro continued its commitment to plastic free packaging. This figure is inside a cardboard box with an open window showing the upper half of the figure and a bit of the legs. The figure is tied down inside the box and you would have to work pretty hard to tear it out of there (and the weapon is also pretty buried in there). The box itself retains a lot of the Studio Series design including the black background, the title of the movie he appeared in (in this form, at least) and the blue Studio Series logo. The box has a flap at the top with Arcee's package art and a hook to hang the box on pegs. Arcee includes a backdrop representing the road seen in the trailer above but there are holes in it so it's not the greatest background.
The back of the packaging uses the red background seen on other Studio Series figures along with the name "Arcee" printed on it. The box back also calls out the 11 step transformation and features the figure in both modes. Under that is a wall of text in various languages. Overall the packaging is a good compromise between the old "bubble/card" design and something more eco-friendly.
Accessory:
Arcee's weapon looks like it is formed from her engine. It is basically a block with some tubes sculpted into it and circles etched into the front as weapon barrels. It also has a 3mm black peg towards the back. The weapon is black plastic with no paint applications. At this time the only look we've had at Arcee is in the trailers and she is not using this weapon in them so it is hard to say just how "movie accurate" this is, but I am glad this figure has a weapon at all.
Robot Mode:
The best look we have had at Arcee's robot mode so far have been two shots in the trailer above, and based on that this figure seems pretty accurate to the design in the film. Here are some of the key design elements the figure replicates from the CG model:
- Head: The head sculpt on this figure is very close to the one seen in the film. It features a round "helmet" section that is clearly inspired by the design of the G1 Arcee head including round shapes on the sides and a raised crest section on top. In the trailer it looks like a visor can appear in front of her eyes (a possible callback to the 1986 animated film) but here that visor is absent.
- Arms: The upper arms have round shoulders and curved biceps and forearms.
- Torso: The chest looks like it is meant to be the front of the motorcycle. Under that are mechanical designs including tubes set at angles.
- Back: One of the vehicle mode wheels is set against the back. While the instructions indicate it should be flat against the back, in the trailer it looks like it is set to stick out from the back. Either way works with this figure.
- Legs: Each leg has a half of one of the wheels connected to the lower legs, seemingly allowing Arcee to "skate" on them if needed. On this figure they wind up in the same place and you can even swing the wheel halves forward to make "wheeled" feet.
Overall, I really like the sculpt especially given the size class. There's plenty of detailing and it does look like the character in the film.
Arcee is made up of white and black plastic. Several parts are painted red and pink, mostly matching up with the deco pattern seen in the trailer. Some other parts like the machinery detail on her torso are painted black. Her eyes are blue and some silver is used for the headlights on her chest. For the most part her colors seem to match up nicely with her appearance in the trailer, but the film isn't out yet and it is possible Paramount could tweak the CG model before the film is released.
There are fourteen points of articulation in this mode including three in each arm and leg. She also has waist articulation as part of the transformation. Each fist has a port to hold her weapon.
Transformation to Vehicle Mode:
- Detach the accessory and set it aside for now.
- Straighten out the arms and legs.
- Swing the robot head forward.
- Swing the arms up and connect them together.
- Rotate the lower body around.
- Swing the wheel halves on the legs down.
- Swing the legs out to the sides, then rotate them forward.
- Swing each lower leg up against the thighs.
- Swing the front of the motorcycle up.
- Push the robot legs down, pushing the halves of the rear wheel together.
- The black tab on the rear wheel should fit into the notch on the underside of the seat created by the robot arms.
- The weapon attaches to the bottom of the motorcycle by sliding the notches on the weapon into the tabs under the robot feet.
Vehicle Mode:
Arcee's vehicle mode is an unlicensed approximation of a Ducati motorcycle with very sleek and modern lines featuring lots of curves and angles. The designers changed some small details to avoid licensing issues. This includes the shape of the front wheel cover and the shape of the seat. However, a lot of other details from the Ducati are present including the way the side view mirrors and handlebars are arranged and an indentation on both sides of the motorcycle.
Arcee's red, pink and black paint colors carry over into this mode, contrasting sharply with the black and white plastic colors that make up the figure. Our best look at the real life motorcycle's deco is via a photo on Director Steven Caple Jr.'s Instagram. Comparing the two, I would say this figure represents the "spirit" of the deco well, but some of the lines and shapes are different. This is inevitable given that the real life Arcee motorcycle doesn't have to transform, but this figure does.
Arcee can roll on both he wheels, and while the weapon on the bottom of the vehicle is meant to act as a kickstand, you have to really carefully balance the vehicle before it will stand up straight. All my pics of the vehicle mode in this review were done without support, but it was tricky getting the vehicle to stay upright.
Final Thoughts:
Rise of the Beasts Arcee is a fun little Core Class figure. For the size class she's pretty great. She looks cool in both modes and is fun to transform. That said, I wouldn't mind if Hasbro decided to make a Deluxe version one day. Recommended!
Pros:
- Cool sculpt in both modes.
- Nice deco in both forms.
- Good articulation.
Cons:
- I would have loved the vehicle mode to be a licensed Ducati, but this figure comes very close to the real life motorcycle in design so I'm not broken up about it.
