HE'S SO LITTLE!!!!
...ok fangirl mode off now and time for a review of Heero Toys Maker's World Smallest Transformer ULTRA MAGNUS. Little history first, the original WST line did have a "Magnus" in it, he was a chase figure in the second wave but was referred to as "White Convoy" though clearly it was Magnus nod with the blue face plate and red eyes. But of course it should happen that with most white prime redeco's of recent years this would be another that would not get an ultra car carrier trailer that would become a wicked red, white, and blue suit of armor.
In March 2010 a WST Ultra Magnus trailer was announced for a
Wonderfest 2010 exclusive (made by Jizaitoys). It was an expensive figure (~$100 US) and did not come with a fully transformable cab as it was meant to combine with WST White Convoy. How ever there was a filler piece that acted as the cab included so could still put it in robot mode at the least.
However, a few months later Heero Toys Maker takes a stab at making a trailer for WST Ultra Magnus with a completely different mold from the one Jizaitoys make for Wonderfest. So here's what you get when you open your tiny box from China:
Nicely packaged, a quaint little sticker sheet, and an "OMG TINY" factor you can't help but feel upon reveal. But how does it compare to the original Ultra Magnus you may ask? Well enjoy the pretty pictures (with tiny stickers painstakingly applied).
Vehicle mode
The cab seems to be taken from one of Heero's previous projects that he made (iPod convoy) as the white doesn't perfectly match the white on the trailer. It's obvious but it doesn't bother me as much as it may bother some. Overall you still get a stunning little car carrier that's fairly solid. Even the little missiles are sturdy.
Comparison:
Well...he's a little longer then the originals cab. :P You could probably roll 2 or 3 WST Ultra Magnus onto his G1 trailer if you wanted to or even had that many. Like the original the blue chest piece is detachable, but the white tab on his legs do not pop out, and the white crotch plate is not detachable and not used to peg the cab to the trailer, instead there's just a hole drilled into the red portion for the cab to connect. Also of note, the little doors at the back of the trailer still open to allow for other WST cars to roll into the trailer.
Robot mode (Magnus)
Pretty much an exact replica of WST White Convoy...buuut this one has a few changes. The stickers differentiate him from White Convoy so he's closer to a WST Magnus and little holes in the fists so he can hold his weapons properly (instead of an arm clip like the original). I should also note you get 2 of those white UM rifles, as well as 2 black convoy blasters so you can pick and chose which one you want to use with Magnus
Comparison:
He's as tall as the original's knee!
As you can see the stickers really help in making him look even more like Magnus. Not a bad little figure on its own though.
Robot mode (Ultra Magnus)
Now this is where this toy shines...a really great tiny Ultra Magnus that really captures the G1 toy perfectly...at a third of the size :P Same posability as before but a little more due to the elbows now being ball jointed. There are also new tabs added under the trailer that peg the legs in from moving and make him even more stable then when I didn't know they existed!
Comparison:
He's as tall as his knee!!! AGAIN!!! Like the original these robot mode fists are detachable, but since the WST Magnus cab's fists aren't how does he attach to his trailer now you may ask? Gravity! There's a lip on the underside that the fender of the cab hangs into...it's not
totally tight so don't flip him upside down, but if you leave him standing up he chills just fine. What's also great is due to the way the shoulders peg together you can now have the missiles symmetrically aligned unlike the original!
Conclusion
A great tiny representation of G1 Ultra Magnus. He really captures the spirit of the original toy and the character....BUT LITTLE! If you have a WST or Ultra Magnus fetish he really isn't bad. Right now you can easily get one on ebay for ~$25 shipped. Can't say I'm disappointed with this purchase and since he's so small I'm sure he'll make a great desk toy that will be fiddled with relentlessly.
Hope this was informative.
And with that...
"Daddy!! I want upsies!!!"
...
"I can't deal with that right now!"
