 Brawn
Toy Head
Transformers Retro G1 Deluxe Walmart/Hasbro Pulse Exclusive
Item No.: No. G1384
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Includes: Blaster, removable roof tire
Action Feature: Converts from vehicle legally distinct from Jeep
Retail: $24.99-$29.99
Availability: September 2025
Other: Third Brawn from this mold
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Hasbro's retro-pack Brawn is the lesser of two figures in the second wave... and he's pretty good. A version of this mold with the toy head was sold as Studio Series 86 Brawn a couple of years back, and later, a "dead" Brawn. This one aims to be the "toy" Brawn, using toy coloring and a toy-inspired head. But, you'll recall, the original toy had weird hooks for hands, a Jeep grille, and those panels hanging off his shoulders. It's not an exact 1984 upsized toy, but it's about as good as you're going to get from repurposing the 2023 toy's tooling.
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I like the robot mode. It's a lot like the SS86 version, but the head has been replaced with the Cylon-like helmet, missing the mono eye. It's just a black visor, and it still looks great. The colors of paint are all very similar and are placed in pretty much the same spots, but Hasbro dropped the knee paint for this release. I think that's a good idea. It definitely carries the vibes of the old toy except for the hands (fists instead of hooks) and there's nothing that attempts to replicate the lower torso stickers, so you miss out on some color.
In terms of plastic, Hasbro made Brawn greener this time. Most of the yellow matches the previous release pretty closely an is more paint than petroleum. If you have other versions of this mold, your interest in it will probably rely primarily on if you had the original as a child. (I did!) If you like, you can rotate up his car grille and make a "bonnet" sort of like Huffer, and I think it really drives home the "toy" look a little bit more. Someone I know sent me a file of 3D printable hook hands last year which I'd love to use, but I don't have the tool to knock out the pins as of yet. I don't know if I want to knock out the fists necessarily, but if I can get a second one on clearance? Maybe I'll go get one of those pin-knocker-outers.
I haven't changed up my late 1998 Transmetals II Cybershark in years. (If memory serves, it was the first Beast Wars toys to trade the Kenner brand for Hasbro on the packaging.) As such, I had to consult the instructions for this one. It's pretty logical with lots of tabs and slots. The big differences this time? The parts that come off were meant to come off. Most of the Shark is made of kibble, but the arms become an articulated tail.
The sporty jungle car is colored a lot like the original toy, with greener plastic, black windows, and a hood ornament that combined the black square of the toy with a painted red Autobot logo complete with silver border that matches some editions of the old toy. The wheels have some silver paint, the gas tank with the big X is on the back, you've even got the black spare on the roof. I think Hasbro totally nailed the vehicle here. The only way to make it more accurate would be to leave some black paint off the side windows, and I wouldn't want that. I like what Hasbro did here.
I'm enjoying it, even though it's very much the same as a toy I bought two years ago. I was hesitating to get this one but to get closer on free shipping with Seaspray, I went for it. I'm glad I did. The colors are a lot nicer than the cartoon one, and I really do like that robot head here. Do I need both? No. Will I keep both forever? I don't know. But right now I had to get this, and for $25 it's a great little toy. For $30 I have a slightly harder time recommending this if (and only if) you have the old one. But if you don't have a Brawn, this is a nice one.
--Adam Pawlus
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