Takara-Tomy Transformers Prime Bumblebee Sword Action Figure Takara-Tomy, 2012
Day #476: August 30, 2012
Bumblebee Sword Tiny, interesting, so-so
Transformers Prime Gacha Arms Micron
Item No.: n/a Manufacturer:Takara-Tomy Includes:n/a Action Feature:Transforms into "sword" Retail:200 yen ($6+ from importers) Availability: June 2012 Other: It's OK You Missed It
I'm not so crazy about the American versions, but Transformers Prime in Japan brings back mini sidekick robots with the likes of the Bumblebee Sword. This teeny tiny 2-inch high robot is shorter than Optimus, but it's still kind of neat. It's not as solid, it feels smaller and a little flimsier plus it feels like the legs may pop off. One of the hips on mine doesn't quite fit perfectly, and both legs fell off en route from Japan.
As a weapon, it reminds me of some of the Armada era Mini-Cons which transformed into melee weapons and annoyed me because they weren't guns. There was nothing really wrong with them, but if I want a sword, I want it to look like a sword. This is some weird blade wrist thing, and while it looks OK on some figures, let's face it, it's a little silly. It's basically a "sword gun" in b right yellow, so there's nothing about it that really rings true as a dangerous weapon. Still, if you have a figure that needs a gun like Classics Bumblebee, it's something!
Transforming him to a weapon is fairly easy, the main issue being that the end result isn't as obvious as it is with the Optimus blaster. It's a "mode because we say it is" kind of a thing, so I guess I should say it feels a little undercooked as a weapon. The robot, though, feels pretty nicely realized. Bumblebee has a tiny head with fairly nice paint applications, plus a painted chest to add a little more to his form. Silver swords and black feet add to the detail, so this is one of the few times I think I could ever say that a miniature figure's paint job is far superior than its sculpt. Usually, it's the other way around.
I would not suggest you track down this figure unless you're a fanatic for Bumblebee, a completist, or the price was right. I bought this set of figures to get Optimus, and the rest were mostly a curiosity. This one, I don't imagine I'll be playing with much. As soon as I figure out who's going to carry him on my display, he probably won't be touched until I'm dead and someone has to throw it out, dump it at Goodwill, or sell it on eBay.
--Adam Pawlus
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