General Information
Release Date: October 2023
Price Point: $9.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: General Release (Amazon, BigBadToyStore, Entertainment Earth, Target, Walmart etc.)
Accessories: Blasters x 2, Piledrivers x 2
Official images and text in italics are from Amazon.com
- THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE DECEPTICON FRENZY (RED): This Transformers Studio Series Decepticon Frenzy (Red) action figure for boys and girls is highly articulated for posability and features movie-inspired deco and details
- TRANSFORMERS STUDIO SERIES CORE CLASS: This 3.5-inch collectible action figure is inspired by iconic movie scenes and designed with details to reflect the Transformers movie universe
- 2 ICONIC MODES: This action figure for 8 year old boys and girls features classic conversion between robot and cassette modes in 9 steps
- AWESOME ACCESSORIES: Transformers figure comes with 2 pile driver arm attachments and 2 blaster accessories that attach to the Decepticon Frenzy (Red) 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 Decepticon Frenzy (Red) action figure, inspired by The Transformers: The Movie! 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 cassette mode in 9 steps and pose the Decepticon Frenzy (Red) toy with the included pile driver arm attachments and blaster accessories. 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:
In the first and second season of the original Transformers cartoon the Decepticon Soundwave would often use members of his personal "cassette" team to do his bidding. Ravage and Laserbeak frequently appeared in episodes along with Rumble and Frenzy. In 2023 Frenzy was released but spent a very short amount of time on shelf so many fans missed out on him.
Does FIRRIB ring a bell? "FIRRIB" is the acronym for a long running debate that Transformers fans have had for fun over the years meaning "Frenzy is Red, Rumble is Blue". This is a reference to the G1 TV Show seemingly swapping the colors of the G1 Rumble and Frenzy toys in the cartoon. In the G1 toy line, Rumble was released as a red and black robot. Frenzy was the same sculpt done in blue and dark blue. However, when the show came out, Rumble was consistently shown as a blue/lavender colored character. Frenzy occasionally appeared as a virtual clone of Rumble using piledrivers and so on instead of his distinct sound based abilities but colored red and black instead.
This figure is being released as a Studio Series 86 figure, so its deco is using the G1 cartoon as reference (and yes, both Rumble and Frenzy do briefly appear in the film). To that end, the figure is even named "Frenzy (red)" to really establish the folks at Hasbro are aware of the FIRRIB debate and they're using cartoon colors for this release. This is different than the (somewhat recent) Earthrise release where Frenzy was blue.
Packaging:
Frenzy is packaged in the standard Core Class Studio Series box. The box is rectangular with a flap on top. The box portion features an open window to show off most of the toy. There is no plastic window. Below the window is the "The Transformers The Movie" logo. The background on the box is black while the Studio Series logo uses light blue colors creating an outline of the Decepticon symbol near the window. The vertical Transformers logo is on the right and the top flap has the character's artwork showing him in robot mode with his piledrivers deployed.
The back of the packaging mostly uses shades of red. The figure is shown in both modes calling out an 9 step transformation. Frenzy is also shown with his piledrivers attached. Another picture shows him with the weapons attached to his forearms. Below that section is a ton of legal information in multiple languages.
Accessories:
Frenzy includes four accessories:
- Piledrivers: Frenzy includes two piledrivers that attach to his arms. When you do this, you swing in his fists and then the forearms fit into the middle slot on the piledrivers. Each of these pieces is a cylinder that widens at the top and bottom. This is a solid piece of plastic with no mechanism for the piledrivers to move up or down. The piledrivers feature a 5mm port at the top. Each of the piledrivers is made of black plastic with red paint.
- Blasters: G1 Frenzy and Rumble both featured the same weapons. Each was a blaster with a "wing" on one side and a barrel extending out the front. These weapons are pretty iconic and now this modern day Frenzy has weapons based on this classic design once again! Each of these weapons are made of an off-white plastic (with a pearl-like shine). Each of these weapons features a 3mm peg that allows you to attach the weapons to his back or the sides of his forearms.
Robot Mode:
Frenzy (and Rumble) have hardly been ignored the past decade or so. There have been many different versions of these characters in toy form, but many have been reinterpretations of the characters such as the Fall of Cybertron Frenzy which transformed into a "data disc". This time out Frenzy takes on his much more classic form, which is pretty basic when you think about it. His arms and legs are basically cubes and rectangular while his torso features some angled shapes that are intended to serve as the middle of the cassette tape mode. His head sculpt is based off G1 Frenzy featuring flat panels on either side of the head, a small crest on top and visor eyes. Smaller details like the curves on top of his feet and some of the line details on his legs are also callbacks to the original G1 toy. Overall this figure is instantly recognizable as one of Soundwave's minions.
Frenzy is made up of black, red and off-white plastic. Paint colors include red, silver, gold and metallic blue. The colors largely follow the pattern of the G1 cartoon and G1 Rumble action figure. Overall the deco is exactly what you'd expect and it looks cool.
There are eleven points of articulation on this figure. This includes four in each leg, the shoulders and the head. You can attach the blasters to the sides of the forearms or to the back of the figure (both positions emulate the original G1 figure). Unfortunately he does not have elbow articulation, which is my only real ding against this figure. To attach the piledrivers, swing the fists into the forearms and then slide the piledrivers over the forearms.
Transformation to Cassette Mode:
- Detach any attached accessories and set them aside.
- Rotate the head around, then swing it back.
- Swing the feet up.
- Swing the arms up at the shoulder joints so they form the top of the cassette.
- Swing the lower legs up over the thighs. Align the blue and silver details on the back of the cassette.
Cassette Mode:
Frenzy's cassette mode is what you'd expect: a rectangle. One side has much of his robot mode detailing including the designs around he chest that allude to the (imaginary) cassette tape and drums inside his chest. The other side brings together details from the back of the robot mode and the legs. This blue and silver pattern is taken right from the original G1 Rumble figure though it is missing the text from that figure's stickers including "Metal Position" and "MC 60". It would have been super cool to see these details on here.
Frenzy's cassette mode is the same size as other recent cassette releases so he will fit in the chest compartment of Siege Soundwave and its "War for Cybertron" retool/redeco (as well as Soundblaster of course).
Final Thoughts:
This little figure is pretty great. I mean, yes, it's a blocky robot that turns into a rectangle, but that's part of the charm. This figure calls back to an era when some of the best Transformers figures were ones that turned into every day objects. Don't get me wrong, no one is going to mistake this toy for a real cassette but in the world of play patterns it works. I do wish the figure had elbow articulation but that's my only real complaint. Recommended!
Pros:
- Excellent robot mode sculpt.
- Good deco (though I do wish there were the "MC 60" and "Metal Position" details.
- I am very happy the piledrivers were included.
Cons:
- I wish the figure had elbow articulation.
