I got that Armada Unicron when I was a kid, it was actually my first Transformer ever. As much as I loved it, I didn't really 'play' with it as much as I played 'at' it, its size and my total inexperience with transforming figures led to a lot of frustration. What I played with CONSTANTLY however, was Dead End. That little bastard was ridiculously fun to just fiddle around with. I'd bring him to school and just transform him over and over again inside of my pencil case in the middle of class. Also, for some reason, I really liked the missile Unicron fires from his chest. Not even as a missile , I just liked to open it up and spin it around between my fingers. Great fun.
My first transformers also on Christmas 2003 when I was 4. I was pretty upset I didn’t get the thunder mega zord from ninja storm to combine with my other one, but 7 year old me was pretty greatful when the first movie dropped and I got the 20th anniversary movie on DVD
I got him too long ago for Christmas and it was magical! I remember talking to my kindergarten friend over the phone about it and transformers armada was even on tv and it was an episode with unicron! Good times, man! 🥲👍🏻 love that big ass figure!
You know Emgo316 is the true master when Thew is taking his advice from him and admitting it to everyone, then again who doesnt need Emgo316 from time to time.
Aye. I inherited some more recent figs where the instructions weren't found and Emgo316 is a GODSEND. There are some surprising "gotcha" moments in the current engineering that have yet to bypass the decades of G1 familiarity.
20:44 You know, I know, factually, that HasLab Unicron is, like, dishwasher sized, but seeing that it's the same height as Thew's ENTIRE GODDAMN TORSO is, quite frankly, eye opening. And provides a handy new size class: "Torso Sized".
I mean, yeah he could conceivably be a bludgeon, but the proportions are so janky that I probably wouldn't like it if he WAS bludgeon. My boy deserves better
I'll always prefer the 01-Studio Cell for actually being a toy you might be able to play with, and not transforming like a bag of laundry draped over a small child, but man... You just can't beat HasLab's sheer size. (it appears I've irritated the HasLab fans, whoops)
@mikeyfourbarrel8473 Did we really though? 01-Studio Cell has a better transformation and better modes plus it doesn't require medical support to stand up.
@@mikeyfourbarrel8473 I missed out on it. But like this video, I really don't have room in my collection for it. And I have 6 other titans. I did end up getting Victory and Deathsaurus just so I didn't miss out again, true FOMO. But I really like what they did with Victory.
@@FezTheSpaceBikeris also is known for breaking, especially the ring bits. Not to mention it’s planet mode is inaccurate but the modes kibble is unexcusable
"Sometimes the wildest playroom fantasies of childhood are incompatible with the realities of adulthood life." Legends scale has changed my life, let me tell ya. The space requirements of the toys i liked as a kid is unbearable. I could not live with MYSELF (id literally not have room to live) if i collected chug or masterpiece scale toys.
Damn really, I'm the opposite. I couldn't live with myself if all I had were tiny versions of my favorite characters that aren't heavily articulated, accurate, etc. The bigger the toy, the better🤣
Chug isn't that terrible at least, but that may be because over the years I've gotten good at cramming as many guys onto a small shelf as possible. Or at least I'd like to believe I have. Problem is when Titan class comes into the picture lol. I have two and there's just no space to have them with the rest of the figures.
@@Turd_Emperor oddly, most of the Legends scale figures I have are more articulated than some Masterpieces. Bigger figures means less joints, so the figure can hold itself together without falling to bits under its own weight. Legends figures are basically just 90% joints, since they don't need to hold as much weight. Check out Magic Square for some real good Legends scale stuff.
@@Turd_Emperor 3rd party legends scale stuff costs as much as Leader class's and possess the articulation to compare. If it wasn't for my mental hiccup over the price I'd be sore tempted.
@benjaminstorace6699 true, however it's just personal preference at this point, I prefer chug, masterpiece and titan class figure sizes. Legends class usually has its place in my collection, but I don't make it my whole collection.
The minicons in Armada were created by Unicron, knowing the power he put into them would tempt the autobots and decepticons to fight over them. Thus the minicons are, in a way, part of unicron. Attaching them was thus a way of him "reabsorbing " them
01-Studio Cell is still pretty much the perfect Unicron toy for me. I don't really enjoy the process of transforming it, but the insanely clever engineering going on makes up for it
I feel like the best Unicron to date is that third partyStudio Cell. It's big without being impractical, has a really clever transformation, both modes are clean and kibble free, and it can actually be posed.
You’ve honestly made me feel less bad about not getting Haslab Unicron. I was so pissed that I couldn’t afford it but never really thought about how I really wouldn’t have been able to put him anywhere or play with him. I think my Armada Unicron is just fine. He’s got all that Unicron really needs.
If you really want a big imposing Unicron, just get 01 Studio Cell. It's a lot more manageable in terms of scale, and blows the official thing out of the water in terms of engineering on top of that. It also doesn't require selling your lower body in order to purchase it as an added bonus.
The second I saw the reveal for the Haslab Unicorn I immediately understood the ramifications of such an amount of plastic. It was like a vision of the future misery of hundreds of collectors.
From what I remember, there was the Season 3 episode, "Ghost in the Machine", where Starscream's Ghost possesses Scourge, and flies to the head of Unicron, and offers his services in exchange for a new body. Unicron sends Scream to retrieve Metroplex's eyes to replace his own, as they were blown out. Though one shatters in a battle with the Autobots, so he goes to get another from Trypticon. Season 3 was cool.
That was one epic piece of Unicron reviewing there. A rollercoaster of emotions and full of actual belly laughs. Hope the move has gone well and that Unicron found his way to his new owner.
A big thank you to Thew just for transforming this for the review. That looks like origami hell in plastic form. P.s. always love a G2 Megatron cameo. Absolute legend of a transformer
First time I tried to go back to planet mode and that was totally avoidable had they bothered to give us instructions. It doesn’t take an hour and having done it about ten times over a number of months, it takes longest 25 mins and the shell is easy to place if you connect the plates properly, which I didn’t first few times and wondered why it looked cracking. Price and hassle of getting one was stressful but I love him so much. So no regrets. Being nerdy the transformation does follow the movie well but I wish they’d have managed something more innovative than a shell.
Same. While it misses the Oooh, it’s so big-ness of the Haslab one, it’s just so much better executed, and, more importantly, doesn’t mean you need to remortgage your house to afford it
Same but I've never transformed it... But at least I know, it can do a proper transformation, and isn't that enough? Also takes up a quarter of the space of Haslab.
I would go absolutely nuts for a core class unicron. The biggest scariest guy ever as the (current) smallest size class. Just a fun little orb you can flip between modes in a few moves. A god of destrcution I can put in my pocket and take everywhere with me
As long term transformer fan seeing this video. You perfectly justify why I didn't go in on Haslab Unicron and it's so reassuring. The concerns of the space it takes up, the transformation time...., other stuff you wouldn't think right away like the kibble, and space yet again. It makes me glad I didn't go in on that toy where the Armada version just was peak perfection for balance Unicron toy. Hopefully if we get anymore unicrons we can get nice simple ones. Honetsly smaller toys seems more balance on play factor, fun, and space. Thank you for awesome video and good luck with your move!
Considering how hard it is to play with Haslab Unicron they should have just made him a screen accurate statue. Or at least put some lights and sounds on him
Or why not just have a massive Planetoid playset? Think Trendmasters’ War Planets, but on a much larger scale and with tons of play features. If that means ditching the robot mode, so be it. If given a choice between a toy that does one thing extremely well or a toy that tries everything and fails, I’ll happily take the former and use my imagination.
My headcanon is that the smaller Unicron figures are what happens when the Big U gets tired of being infiltrated by Matrix holders and watching Galvatron and co. constantly fail to stop them from giving him atomic heartburn. If you want to scratch an itch, sometimes you do it yourself!
Hey, just wanted to say I appreciate that you're making an effort to hold back on the self-deprecation bit. It was always more concerning than it was funny; and as a knock-on effect on an audience member, seeing someone I consistently find to be charismatic, witty, and insightful perpetuating the same self-destructive language that I apply to myself has always make me wonder if I would ever feel good enough about myself to stop doing it. Anyway, great video, good job getting rid of the HasLabs Unicron, congrats on the move, and in general congrats on the onward and upward trajectory things seem to be taking for you lately. It's well-deserved.
This is easily my favorite episode and for one reason only: Go to about 27min in when he is having a breakdown about the haslab transformation. He breaks down and then the next shot is showing that he still had half the figure left. That shot along with the comments about him being there all night shows me the true hatred and love he has for this. Thanks thew. I will continue to love these videos for as long as they and my little self will exist.
@1:45 LOL That’s the only actual child you will see at the convention. Kid: “WHOA TRANSFORMERS!!!” Booth Owner: “DON’T TOUCH THAT! IT’S NOT A TOY!!!” In all seriousness this is one amazing review!!! Subbed!!
I love your dive into the meaning of Unicron. He/it's been one of my favorite Transformers ever since the animated movie, and I could never quite put my finger on why - it's not just bc he's big, it's the philosophical elements, the deeper meaning, the enigma
It's a toy that I loved when it was new and that I ended up appreciating only more as time's gone on. The reality that the planet mode ain't that good just gets overshadowed by how much fun it packs and simultaneously, how compared to the entire line it was in it's still well articulated
I still haven't opened mine, I actually don't have time to transform him. I even built a custom shelf in my wall to accommodate him while I was waiting. I was most heartbroken when I first saw the effort put into the box for Star Saber. Unicron's box is HUGE and it has the aesthetic packaging quality equivalent to that of a home appliance
I love that you made Orson Wells' nickname 'The Yellow Dart'. Tastefully snuck in HSR references is like, 10% of the reason I stay glued to this channel.
I know Brits hate sincere compliments but I just had to give you props for this. fantastic writing, delivery, editing, thought-provoking, and humorous. great work!
I believe Aaron Archer once calculated that the amount of Twist Ties used to package all the known Armada Unicrons in 2003 was enough to get from Rhode Island to Arizona.
"I'm gorgeous, and I rule." Fuck yeah, Thew. As a fellow self-deprecator, I know that there are some times that you transcend yourself and you realize, "Oh, fuck yeah, I AM awesome!" I know those moments often don't last too long, but we need to celebrate and enjoy them when they happen. :D
I had passed on this one straight away because, for a $500 figure, being a shell former means they left top shelf at the door and went full on well liqour. I'm also impressed you, as a well known Transformers reviewer, have been openly critical of unicron and robosen - I appreciate being straight forward about these two. Cheers!
That huge 2 ft Unicron? Wow....normally, I would be impressed. However, I'm not so sure. I like that he's honest with his review of that toy, as I could see how easy it is to be swept up in its size. Now that he gave us an honest review, I'm not so sure I'd want that particular toy. Transformation looked like a chore, and it had few cool features or accessories. Nothing to knock my socks off. It's a one trick pony. Armadas Unicron looks to be the best by far: big enough and loaded with cool features. Nicely detailed and still easy to display. It would look cool in my collection, but there are better toys. For the price of this Unicron, you could get the Mastermind Creations Combaticons entire team. Or Fans Toys Stunticons. All of those are great and you can justify the price on any or all of them. He gave a good review. Some people would have gushed over that 2 foot thing because of the size. But you need more than that.
You can indeed transform Armada Unicron without partforming, but the planet halves come off very easily and they don't do much in robot mode other than clutter up his back.
Imagine you chilling at home and suddenly the entirety of the continent you live on gets yeeted into space by a hangry god of death who lived under your feet
Unicron Trilogy Unicron being the best Unicron feels just right... Especially since it made me say his name three times so he's gonna appear in my mirror and say "Voreson Welles" at 3 AM. Also Voreson Welles always catches me by surprise. It makes me spit take my coffee even if I'm not drinking it. This kinda reminded me of how Unicron was my introduction to cosmic horror. The pre-credit scene of the movie was downright eldritch!
Definitely confirmed my love for armada Unicron I was a tf fan that grew up on pirated g1 episodes, the occasional UT episode, and the bay films and let me tell you, armada Unicron was an experience I can’t recapture and wouldn’t even consider replacing. He’s a fun bundle of plastic that makes my brain do a happy because it reminds me of my 5th birthday opening that box and hugging my folks for finally getting me a Unicron And isn’t that what this hobby’s about? Not getting the perfect “collector grade experience”, but instead recapturing the essence of your inner child on a snowy Christmas Day excitedly waking up your parents so you can open up your toys. To find one toy of that one character that’s captured your eyes for years and to be so happy you literally scream with joy. That’s what armada Unicron is to me. The first time I ever felt glee so intense I literally had to scream in delight.
Great review! I was at a pre-party comic con Vince Di Cola concert with the prototype of this Haslab Unicron & the designer was there & wanted to transform it to robot mode to show everyone. It took him longer than an hour with 4 people helping & they eventually dropped the prototype & breaking it. I got a photo with the planet mode, that’s all i needed. I ended up getting the Studio One Unicron which i love!
I appreciate this a lot. I backed the Razor Crest, and I have never regretted a purchase more in my life. It's impractical, too expensive and precious to let my kids play with it, and it's the thing that basically killed my enthusiasm for collecting the SW line. I should have just bought the Mission Fleet version, or Hasbro should have made a toy sized, underscaled vintage style version of the ship. The "what am I even doing?" I felt when that tjibg was delivered was a pivotal moment for me. I was and am embarrassed that I have that Razor Crest, because it says something about my priorities, and the twisted nature of our culture.
28:32 You don't need to have a Transformer that transform just like their TV show/movie counterpart. You just need a figure that's primarily fun to transform and play. If you want a Transformable Unicron that can transform into his planet mode without giving him an ugly backpack, then look no further than the Zero-1 Studios Cell. A 3rd Party version of Unicron, that's both movie accurate and has a physically demanding, but fun, transformation. Sure, it's about half the size of HasLab's official Unicron figure, but unlike the official Unicron figure, no backpack and no required stand for it to stand up.
Yeah I learned this lesson of biggers not better with black Zarak. He's the first Titan that didn't sell out on me. He's big, I've got nowhere to put him but on the floor. I can't imagine how Unicron is to deal with.
It felt good to hear someone say out loud my exact feelings about Prime and the Aligned Continuity. Also I need Armada Unicron in my life. My wife would kill me if I bought the HasLab, but I think I can get her to accept him. It is one cool looking toy. Gaia Unicron. Ugh.
Honestly, I do agree with the Prime bit you got. And I think the only 2 actually fun Unicron toys to have are the Armada mold amd Cybertron one. That is from the official stuff, the Studio Cell looks great.
What a great experience this video turned out to be, showing us the clear perils of chasing after bigger and "better" for the sake of size n glory, thank you Thew Adams for covering this giant hunk of plastic for us.
I love that halfway through the video, we haven't even seen the big guy yet. So well paced and discussed. And you are amazing, Thew! Keep up the compliments!
Wouldn't the Ark be better for that? The Titan Class aimed to be a figure of its own, so it didn't accomplish that. But maybe more something like the Dark of the Moon Ark play set.
He did a review of it forever ago, and he actually liked some of the design choices. Especially since it was more about the cool built-in gimmicks than size or overcomplicated bollocks.
I’m perfectly content with my 01 Studio Cell. I got the movie accurate color version and it’s been a fantastic addition to my collection. It’s not perfect by any means, but I feel like it’s better than what Haslab brought us. Again not by leaps and bounds, but just edging it out.
Loved this... first time I ever heard every utterance of Unicron's name frim the movie cut together like that... every point was valid... and even the reveal that the review didn't end with the haslab Unicron... great touch... I wish you a happy and safe move... enjoyed your set-up... can't wait to see your next set-up... hope we get to have guest appearances of your partner... hope you continue to Thew on...and as you always remind us... Stay Sexy
Something I'd like to see one day that I don't think will ever happen would be a small-sized planetarium type thing, where you can have Unicron chomp down on a bunch of random planets. Simple, fun, and gets his massive size across without the toy being absurdly massive and cumbersome.
I would love for them to make a Unicorn head only playset kind of like Castle Greyskull, that' would be awesome as a backdrop for my series 3 figures to knock about in on display.
Great video I hope you got everything packed in time. This really does make me happy that I just stuck with the Armada Unicron because you're right he is just right at that line of being big without becoming unpractical. I really do love mine and all of his gimmicks and I brought him with my first paycheck so that makes him a little more special to me.
See, this is why I still have the Amazon exclusive Armada retool/repaint into the movie Unicron on my shelf. It's still a great figure and if Hasbro just started the Haslab figure by using some of the basics of the Armada figure scaled up and then added some new engineering for accuracy, I think it would have been a better and less expensive toy.
If you want something a little smaller, with more ACTUAL transformation, and no kibble, 01-Studio Cell should knick those boxes. Yes, it's third party, but it's damn good. It's also probably cheaper?
I’m glad I wasn’t able to get this, I settled to for Studio Cell 01 and I love it. It’s a ball ache to transformer too, but not on the colossal scale of Haslab Unicron. It’s smaller than my other titans and so fits perfectly on my shelf with Galvatron and Co. Thanks for another entertaining video and I have to say I had a good laugh seeing you lose your shit during transformation 😂
I understand your Haslab Unicron points, but I still love it. The Armada toy disappointed me as a child and the Haslab version fulfilled what I always wanted. I actually enjoy the transformation and currently have him in a pretty dynamic pose.
I like the Haslab Unicron, but I suppose it's because I like leaning into the ludicrousness of it's insane size. I learned how to sew, and then how to plan and cut fabrics, so I could make him a Father Christmas red robe and intentionally janky fake beard And then I went around the bend and made a matching red cape and giant fake beard _for the planet mode too_ so...
I will stick with the Armada Unicron figure. It's perfect and easier to transform and display. Love your channel. Never fails to entertain and inform us. Thank you👍
Can I just say I adore that you gave a shout out to Emgo in this? My favorite TF reviewer acknowledging my other favorite TF reviewer is just a neat little moment.
The original Armada Unicron review from way back when was actually how I first discovered TATR in the first place. And with the changes and growth in both the reviews and in myself since then there's something oddly full circle about this one. Great stuff as always ✊
I really hope I can experience prototype Unicron sometime soon. Like, I'm going to get the Re-Action version when I find it, but that's just a figure. And yeah, 3D printed recreations leave a lot to be desired with the technology available today. Frankly I don't even want the thing full sized. If he stands a head taller than Galvatron, I'd be happy. But I want that bulbous goober of a toy in my collection.
Back in the day I legit felt like a fake fan or something because I couldn't scrape together the money for the big Unicron. Years later, I got a good deal on the Amazon exclusive version of Armada Unicron who's more 86 movie colors, and I adore him! I have him and Primus just plunked on top of my dresser, I can swap them both back and forth in like 15 minutes, it's great!
Totally agree with Thew. Bigger isn't better. Play value is what makes it better and should be the most important. If I can't have play enjoyment (poseability, inventiveness and comprehensible transformations) from it, then I am just wasting money and hording branded plastic junk. At the end of the day, HasLab Unicron is a just a large statue that with some great effort can turn into a large planet eater. In contrast the Titan transformers while also big and bulky, turned into playsets (cities/fortresses, spaceships, mobile battle bases), with ramps, repair bays, gunner emplacements for smaller and mini transformers.
That Cybertron tank Unicron could've totally become a Bludgeon toy. I remember being gifted him as a birthday present by my support worker when we went bowling.
Considering Unicron's thematic significance, I think we can consider the existential dread as a play feature.
I agree
That and the resulting cope XDXDXDXDXDXDXDXD
Is it really a play feature if you're not enjoying it?
Than this is the best toy of unicorn, it brings dread just like the character 😂
@@curiouscarlo7276just a feature then
I got that Armada Unicron when I was a kid, it was actually my first Transformer ever. As much as I loved it, I didn't really 'play' with it as much as I played 'at' it, its size and my total inexperience with transforming figures led to a lot of frustration.
What I played with CONSTANTLY however, was Dead End. That little bastard was ridiculously fun to just fiddle around with. I'd bring him to school and just transform him over and over again inside of my pencil case in the middle of class.
Also, for some reason, I really liked the missile Unicron fires from his chest. Not even as a missile , I just liked to open it up and spin it around between my fingers. Great fun.
My first transformers also on Christmas 2003 when I was 4. I was pretty upset I didn’t get the thunder mega zord from ninja storm to combine with my other one, but 7 year old me was pretty greatful when the first movie dropped and I got the 20th anniversary movie on DVD
im surprised it was put in universe 2008 and i have him
I got him too long ago for Christmas and it was magical! I remember talking to my kindergarten friend over the phone about it and transformers armada was even on tv and it was an episode with unicron! Good times, man! 🥲👍🏻 love that big ass figure!
getting a kid a unicron as first transformers toy is, yea parenthood at its finest
😊 Love hearing that.
Small note: the mini-con ports on Armada Unicron's ring are ideally meant for Dead End, so he looks like a moon orbiting Unicron.
If I remember correctly, Unicron was also the creator of the Minicons, so encircling him could also sort of represent the connection they share.
Never realized that
You know Emgo316 is the true master when Thew is taking his advice from him and admitting it to everyone, then again who doesnt need Emgo316 from time to time.
When does he do that?
@@rickythomas9483 he admited it on camera when transforming the haslab unicron.
@@thomasfan0123you need all the help you can get while transforming that thing
Thanks
Aye. I inherited some more recent figs where the instructions weren't found and Emgo316 is a GODSEND. There are some surprising "gotcha" moments in the current engineering that have yet to bypass the decades of G1 familiarity.
20:44 You know, I know, factually, that HasLab Unicron is, like, dishwasher sized, but seeing that it's the same height as Thew's ENTIRE GODDAMN TORSO is, quite frankly, eye opening. And provides a handy new size class: "Torso Sized".
*_Torso Class_*
Cadaver Class
The fact that they never made a Bludgeon out of the Cybertron Unicron will always befuddle me.
I dunno, basically he is bludgeon, so make that your toy head canon
Yep!!!
I saw multiple kitbashes of it back in the day, though after ROTF Bludgeon came out, that kind of sealed the deal.
Same.
I mean, yeah he could conceivably be a bludgeon, but the proportions are so janky that I probably wouldn't like it if he WAS bludgeon. My boy deserves better
I'll always prefer the 01-Studio Cell for actually being a toy you might be able to play with, and not transforming like a bag of laundry draped over a small child, but man... You just can't beat HasLab's sheer size.
(it appears I've irritated the HasLab fans, whoops)
You missed out on (or couldn't afford) the Haslab Unicron. We can tell. :D
@mikeyfourbarrel8473 Did we really though? 01-Studio Cell has a better transformation and better modes plus it doesn't require medical support to stand up.
@@mikeyfourbarrel8473 I missed out on it. But like this video, I really don't have room in my collection for it. And I have 6 other titans. I did end up getting Victory and Deathsaurus just so I didn't miss out again, true FOMO. But I really like what they did with Victory.
Wei-Jiang "Hold my beer!" if only :D
@@FezTheSpaceBikeris also is known for breaking, especially the ring bits. Not to mention it’s planet mode is inaccurate but the modes kibble is unexcusable
"Sometimes the wildest playroom fantasies of childhood are incompatible with the realities of adulthood life." Legends scale has changed my life, let me tell ya. The space requirements of the toys i liked as a kid is unbearable. I could not live with MYSELF (id literally not have room to live) if i collected chug or masterpiece scale toys.
Damn really, I'm the opposite. I couldn't live with myself if all I had were tiny versions of my favorite characters that aren't heavily articulated, accurate, etc. The bigger the toy, the better🤣
Chug isn't that terrible at least, but that may be because over the years I've gotten good at cramming as many guys onto a small shelf as possible. Or at least I'd like to believe I have.
Problem is when Titan class comes into the picture lol. I have two and there's just no space to have them with the rest of the figures.
@@Turd_Emperor oddly, most of the Legends scale figures I have are more articulated than some Masterpieces. Bigger figures means less joints, so the figure can hold itself together without falling to bits under its own weight. Legends figures are basically just 90% joints, since they don't need to hold as much weight. Check out Magic Square for some real good Legends scale stuff.
@@Turd_Emperor 3rd party legends scale stuff costs as much as Leader class's and possess the articulation to compare. If it wasn't for my mental hiccup over the price I'd be sore tempted.
@benjaminstorace6699 true, however it's just personal preference at this point, I prefer chug, masterpiece and titan class figure sizes. Legends class usually has its place in my collection, but I don't make it my whole collection.
The minicons in Armada were created by Unicron, knowing the power he put into them would tempt the autobots and decepticons to fight over them. Thus the minicons are, in a way, part of unicron. Attaching them was thus a way of him "reabsorbing " them
Fully onboard for the Thew self confidence era, long may it reign
Thew for President of Earth
As much as I love that bit, I would happily sacrifice the gag for the Thew's sense of self-worth. Self-deprecation is a fine line.
@@beatrixwickson8477 Exactly that
01-Studio Cell is still pretty much the perfect Unicron toy for me. I don't really enjoy the process of transforming it, but the insanely clever engineering going on makes up for it
Not to mention there’s actual play features and pose-ability. I’m really looking forward to their Primus.
I want that one like so bad too
I feel like the best Unicron to date is that third partyStudio Cell. It's big without being impractical, has a really clever transformation, both modes are clean and kibble free, and it can actually be posed.
I would have waited an eternity for this... and it feels like I have.
Rereading my comment, it looks it could be seen as snarky. Absolutely not my intention, Thew; awesome review as always.
It’s over Prime…
@@raphgreene8532 "Never!"
You’ve honestly made me feel less bad about not getting Haslab Unicron. I was so pissed that I couldn’t afford it but never really thought about how I really wouldn’t have been able to put him anywhere or play with him. I think my Armada Unicron is just fine. He’s got all that Unicron really needs.
If you really want a big imposing Unicron, just get 01 Studio Cell. It's a lot more manageable in terms of scale, and blows the official thing out of the water in terms of engineering on top of that. It also doesn't require selling your lower body in order to purchase it as an added bonus.
The second I saw the reveal for the Haslab Unicorn I immediately understood the ramifications of such an amount of plastic. It was like a vision of the future misery of hundreds of collectors.
From what I remember, there was the Season 3 episode, "Ghost in the Machine", where Starscream's Ghost possesses Scourge, and flies to the head of Unicron, and offers his services in exchange for a new body. Unicron sends Scream to retrieve Metroplex's eyes to replace his own, as they were blown out.
Though one shatters in a battle with the Autobots, so he goes to get another from Trypticon.
Season 3 was cool.
That was one epic piece of Unicron reviewing there. A rollercoaster of emotions and full of actual belly laughs. Hope the move has gone well and that Unicron found his way to his new owner.
This was awesome! Excellent job. Love this video
Ok (first)
30 seconds into the video and not seeing Unicron behind your head is like watching an episode of the Simpsons where no one is yellow.
A big thank you to Thew just for transforming this for the review. That looks like origami hell in plastic form.
P.s. always love a G2 Megatron cameo. Absolute legend of a transformer
First time I tried to go back to planet mode and that was totally avoidable had they bothered to give us instructions. It doesn’t take an hour and having done it about ten times over a number of months, it takes longest 25 mins and the shell is easy to place if you connect the plates properly, which I didn’t first few times and wondered why it looked cracking. Price and hassle of getting one was stressful but I love him so much. So no regrets. Being nerdy the transformation does follow the movie well but I wish they’d have managed something more innovative than a shell.
I have the Studio Cell Unicron & I’m smitten with it - amazingly movie reflective design. It’s the pride of my collection.
Dude, the lazy eyebrow review on that made me want it!. And I never buy giant ostentatious toys.
I feel that one is better than the haslab unicron
Jobbie's review made me want it and I have never regretted getting it
Same. While it misses the Oooh, it’s so big-ness of the Haslab one, it’s just so much better executed, and, more importantly, doesn’t mean you need to remortgage your house to afford it
Same but I've never transformed it... But at least I know, it can do a proper transformation, and isn't that enough? Also takes up a quarter of the space of Haslab.
Loving the new attitude of self love and appretiation. Finally, he understands us. Thew's bloody awesome and definitely one sexy lad.
I would go absolutely nuts for a core class unicron. The biggest scariest guy ever as the (current) smallest size class. Just a fun little orb you can flip between modes in a few moves. A god of destrcution I can put in my pocket and take everywhere with me
Same
yes this
They’d package him with one of those tuning fork accessories they love to give everyone. Seems kind of appropriate for him tho.
As long term transformer fan seeing this video. You perfectly justify why I didn't go in on Haslab Unicron and it's so reassuring. The concerns of the space it takes up, the transformation time...., other stuff you wouldn't think right away like the kibble, and space yet again. It makes me glad I didn't go in on that toy where the Armada version just was peak perfection for balance Unicron toy. Hopefully if we get anymore unicrons we can get nice simple ones. Honetsly smaller toys seems more balance on play factor, fun, and space. Thank you for awesome video and good luck with your move!
Considering how hard it is to play with Haslab Unicron they should have just made him a screen accurate statue. Or at least put some lights and sounds on him
Or why not just have a massive Planetoid playset? Think Trendmasters’ War Planets, but on a much larger scale and with tons of play features. If that means ditching the robot mode, so be it.
If given a choice between a toy that does one thing extremely well or a toy that tries everything and fails, I’ll happily take the former and use my imagination.
My headcanon is that the smaller Unicron figures are what happens when the Big U gets tired of being infiltrated by Matrix holders and watching Galvatron and co. constantly fail to stop them from giving him atomic heartburn. If you want to scratch an itch, sometimes you do it yourself!
The "rethink your life" toy category has me tugging my collar as I look at the shelf space I (don't) have ready for the crowdfunded Eternia...
Hey, just wanted to say I appreciate that you're making an effort to hold back on the self-deprecation bit. It was always more concerning than it was funny; and as a knock-on effect on an audience member, seeing someone I consistently find to be charismatic, witty, and insightful perpetuating the same self-destructive language that I apply to myself has always make me wonder if I would ever feel good enough about myself to stop doing it.
Anyway, great video, good job getting rid of the HasLabs Unicron, congrats on the move, and in general congrats on the onward and upward trajectory things seem to be taking for you lately. It's well-deserved.
This is easily my favorite episode and for one reason only: Go to about 27min in when he is having a breakdown about the haslab transformation. He breaks down and then the next shot is showing that he still had half the figure left. That shot along with the comments about him being there all night shows me the true hatred and love he has for this. Thanks thew. I will continue to love these videos for as long as they and my little self will exist.
I do hope Hasbro gives us a Voyager or Leader Class Cybertron Unicron. That toy and design look sweet! They could use the Tarn mould.
The Tarn mould couldn’t work, Unicron’s head wouldn’t fit.
@1:45 LOL That’s the only actual child you will see at the convention.
Kid: “WHOA TRANSFORMERS!!!”
Booth Owner: “DON’T TOUCH THAT! IT’S NOT A TOY!!!”
In all seriousness this is one amazing review!!! Subbed!!
Whenever I start to regret not buying the haslab, I'm gonna rewatch this video.
If I buy a Unicron figure, it better be the size of the leaning tower of Pisa.
I love your dive into the meaning of Unicron. He/it's been one of my favorite Transformers ever since the animated movie, and I could never quite put my finger on why - it's not just bc he's big, it's the philosophical elements, the deeper meaning, the enigma
Honestly Armada was one of the best Unicrons. Spring loaded and motorised gimmicks defined toytime back then.
It's a toy that I loved when it was new and that I ended up appreciating only more as time's gone on. The reality that the planet mode ain't that good just gets overshadowed by how much fun it packs and simultaneously, how compared to the entire line it was in it's still well articulated
I still haven't opened mine, I actually don't have time to transform him. I even built a custom shelf in my wall to accommodate him while I was waiting.
I was most heartbroken when I first saw the effort put into the box for Star Saber. Unicron's box is HUGE and it has the aesthetic packaging quality equivalent to that of a home appliance
I love that you made Orson Wells' nickname 'The Yellow Dart'. Tastefully snuck in HSR references is like, 10% of the reason I stay glued to this channel.
I know Brits hate sincere compliments but I just had to give you props for this. fantastic writing, delivery, editing, thought-provoking, and humorous. great work!
I remember getting Armada Unicron.. it took me 45 minutes to remove all the twisty ties securing him in his box 😅
I believe Aaron Archer once calculated that the amount of Twist Ties used to package all the known Armada Unicrons in 2003 was enough to get from Rhode Island to Arizona.
@@flametitan100 I think he miscalculated - there'd be enough to build a life size Unicron 🤣
"I'm gorgeous, and I rule."
Fuck yeah, Thew. As a fellow self-deprecator, I know that there are some times that you transcend yourself and you realize, "Oh, fuck yeah, I AM awesome!" I know those moments often don't last too long, but we need to celebrate and enjoy them when they happen. :D
I had passed on this one straight away because, for a $500 figure, being a shell former means they left top shelf at the door and went full on well liqour. I'm also impressed you, as a well known Transformers reviewer, have been openly critical of unicron and robosen - I appreciate being straight forward about these two. Cheers!
That huge 2 ft Unicron? Wow....normally, I would be impressed. However, I'm not so sure. I like that he's honest with his review of that toy, as I could see how easy it is to be swept up in its size. Now that he gave us an honest review, I'm not so sure I'd want that particular toy. Transformation looked like a chore, and it had few cool features or accessories. Nothing to knock my socks off. It's a one trick pony. Armadas Unicron looks to be the best by far: big enough and loaded with cool features. Nicely detailed and still easy to display.
It would look cool in my collection, but there are better toys. For the price of this Unicron, you could get the Mastermind Creations Combaticons entire team. Or Fans Toys Stunticons. All of those are great and you can justify the price on any or all of them.
He gave a good review. Some people would have gushed over that 2 foot thing because of the size. But you need more than that.
I like to imagine that Unicron finally wakes up and he sheds two entire continents just to transform, because he's hungry and just doesn't care.
You can indeed transform Armada Unicron without partforming, but the planet halves come off very easily and they don't do much in robot mode other than clutter up his back.
Imagine you chilling at home and suddenly the entirety of the continent you live on gets yeeted into space by a hangry god of death who lived under your feet
Unicron Trilogy Unicron being the best Unicron feels just right... Especially since it made me say his name three times so he's gonna appear in my mirror and say "Voreson Welles" at 3 AM. Also Voreson Welles always catches me by surprise. It makes me spit take my coffee even if I'm not drinking it.
This kinda reminded me of how Unicron was my introduction to cosmic horror. The pre-credit scene of the movie was downright eldritch!
Even the strongest of us have to rely on the saint that is Emgo's "Just Transform It"
Definitely confirmed my love for armada Unicron
I was a tf fan that grew up on pirated g1 episodes, the occasional UT episode, and the bay films and let me tell you, armada Unicron was an experience I can’t recapture and wouldn’t even consider replacing. He’s a fun bundle of plastic that makes my brain do a happy because it reminds me of my 5th birthday opening that box and hugging my folks for finally getting me a Unicron
And isn’t that what this hobby’s about? Not getting the perfect “collector grade experience”, but instead recapturing the essence of your inner child on a snowy Christmas Day excitedly waking up your parents so you can open up your toys. To find one toy of that one character that’s captured your eyes for years and to be so happy you literally scream with joy.
That’s what armada Unicron is to me. The first time I ever felt glee so intense I literally had to scream in delight.
I love how he always gives his honest reviews
"I want Unicron to feel nothing, but instead, I feel nothing"
Same
17:42 just so you know, it's a volcano with his face on it. He's not a spaceship, he's a rocklord ;)
I know people always say this on HasLab Unicron reviews but it's true: Studio Cell did a much better version!
@@franks2796 judging by this video, HasLab's transformation is a lot worse!
@@markrobinsontraining yea but that's just threws opinion I'm not saying hes wrong but most reviews I've seen say that the haslab is easier.
@franks2796 could be. I only have Studio Cell's (so I can't compare) and that's amazing!
Got myself an Armada Unicron which I paid a fiver for from Woolworths back in 2004. Still the best deal on any Transformer I have ever gotten.
A fiver?! That's crazy.
That's insane. You'd never be able to find a deal that good today.
@@Paul_1971 I know, what makes it even crazier it was the January Sales. For the January Sales that was crazy.
@@repugnus932 Your right there or a realtor like Woolworths. Went bankrupt in late 2008.
All I want is a Core Class Unicron. Like, imagine how fun that would be. Just a little guy who turns into a little ball.
Great review! I was at a pre-party comic con Vince Di Cola concert with the prototype of this Haslab Unicron & the designer was there & wanted to transform it to robot mode to show everyone. It took him longer than an hour with 4 people helping & they eventually dropped the prototype & breaking it. I got a photo with the planet mode, that’s all i needed. I ended up getting the Studio One Unicron which i love!
I appreciate this a lot. I backed the Razor Crest, and I have never regretted a purchase more in my life. It's impractical, too expensive and precious to let my kids play with it, and it's the thing that basically killed my enthusiasm for collecting the SW line. I should have just bought the Mission Fleet version, or Hasbro should have made a toy sized, underscaled vintage style version of the ship. The "what am I even doing?" I felt when that tjibg was delivered was a pivotal moment for me. I was and am embarrassed that I have that Razor Crest, because it says something about my priorities, and the twisted nature of our culture.
And this is why I went with studio cell. Never regretted it 😅
The Prime Unicron's alt mode is supposed to mimic the scene in the show where Megatron talks to Unicron, and his face appears in a pool of lava.
The Robison Optimus / Unicron interaction at the end was GOLD! 😂😂😂🎉🎉🎉
Great video Thew! Sparked tons of joy all through the thing!
28:32 You don't need to have a Transformer that transform just like their TV show/movie counterpart. You just need a figure that's primarily fun to transform and play.
If you want a Transformable Unicron that can transform into his planet mode without giving him an ugly backpack, then look no further than the Zero-1 Studios Cell. A 3rd Party version of Unicron, that's both movie accurate and has a physically demanding, but fun, transformation.
Sure, it's about half the size of HasLab's official Unicron figure, but unlike the official Unicron figure, no backpack and no required stand for it to stand up.
Thew's out there living his best life and I AM HERE FOR IT!
Yeah I learned this lesson of biggers not better with black Zarak. He's the first Titan that didn't sell out on me. He's big, I've got nowhere to put him but on the floor. I can't imagine how Unicron is to deal with.
This was a review I was waiting for, for so long! So glad you reviewed all of the Unicron toys! Great job! Thanks for doing it!!
It felt good to hear someone say out loud my exact feelings about Prime and the Aligned Continuity.
Also I need Armada Unicron in my life.
My wife would kill me if I bought the HasLab, but I think I can get her to accept him. It is one cool looking toy.
Gaia Unicron. Ugh.
Honestly, I do agree with the Prime bit you got. And I think the only 2 actually fun Unicron toys to have are the Armada mold amd Cybertron one. That is from the official stuff, the Studio Cell looks great.
What a great experience this video turned out to be, showing us the clear perils of chasing after bigger and "better" for the sake of size n glory, thank you Thew Adams for covering this giant hunk of plastic for us.
I love that halfway through the video, we haven't even seen the big guy yet. So well paced and discussed. And you are amazing, Thew! Keep up the compliments!
i think my ideal unicron would be just a big planet mode that opens dollhouse style and is a playset for core classes
Wouldn't the Ark be better for that? The Titan Class aimed to be a figure of its own, so it didn't accomplish that. But maybe more something like the Dark of the Moon Ark play set.
Now we need a Cybertron Primus to go with it
You wanna make Thew cry? xD
He did a review of it forever ago, and he actually liked some of the design choices. Especially since it was more about the cool built-in gimmicks than size or overcomplicated bollocks.
So... Rung?
@@cooltrainervaultboy-39i see what you did there
Hasbro should just make a Cybertron beach-ball. That way you could have a nice, big Cybertron for a reasonable price.
So many Alliterations!!
Remember Tom Hanks in big? A robot that changes into a building? Where's the fun in that?
This video is fantastic. Thank you for all the work that went into this. You’re such an entertaining and informative creator!
I’m perfectly content with my 01 Studio Cell. I got the movie accurate color version and it’s been a fantastic addition to my collection. It’s not perfect by any means, but I feel like it’s better than what Haslab brought us. Again not by leaps and bounds, but just edging it out.
Loved this... first time I ever heard every utterance of Unicron's name frim the movie cut together like that... every point was valid... and even the reveal that the review didn't end with the haslab Unicron... great touch... I wish you a happy and safe move... enjoyed your set-up... can't wait to see your next set-up... hope we get to have guest appearances of your partner... hope you continue to Thew on...and as you always remind us... Stay Sexy
Gosh, transforming the Haslab one looked like you were packing 9 days of luggage in a 2 day case.
Something I'd like to see one day that I don't think will ever happen would be a small-sized planetarium type thing, where you can have Unicron chomp down on a bunch of random planets. Simple, fun, and gets his massive size across without the toy being absurdly massive and cumbersome.
Thank you for putting to words exactly why I don't regret missing out on haslab Unicron.
6:18 And if his chest were a canon, he would surely have slain the beast with his very heart!
So 2003. Laughed for 3 full minutes nonstop
"An object that I can only describe as... this" is such a simple, perfect joke.
Getting through any youtube video tends to be a chore, especially with those goddamn ads, but this, this was just easy. Great video brotha.
Thew is a Godsend. Never change, dude
Very important and needed to life
I would love for them to make a Unicorn head only playset kind of like Castle Greyskull, that' would be awesome as a backdrop for my series 3 figures to knock about in on display.
Great video I hope you got everything packed in time. This really does make me happy that I just stuck with the Armada Unicron because you're right he is just right at that line of being big without becoming unpractical. I really do love mine and all of his gimmicks and I brought him with my first paycheck so that makes him a little more special to me.
Poor Thew, suffering a nervous breakdown trying to transforms that HasLab
Love the video's; I've never regretted a decision less than when I passed on this thing, it just didn't look good, or fun.
See, this is why I still have the Amazon exclusive Armada retool/repaint into the movie Unicron on my shelf. It's still a great figure and if Hasbro just started the Haslab figure by using some of the basics of the Armada figure scaled up and then added some new engineering for accuracy, I think it would have been a better and less expensive toy.
The Haslab Unicron is the definition of ‘the more g1 it is, the less g1 it becomes’
Having been deeply concernee about where Thew was, im glad that this video just showed up instantly!
Thew Adams, found today living in a dumpster outside TFnation. Gavin and Repugnus last seen in the TF Nation hot tub
If you want something a little smaller, with more ACTUAL transformation, and no kibble, 01-Studio Cell should knick those boxes.
Yes, it's third party, but it's damn good.
It's also probably cheaper?
I’m glad I wasn’t able to get this, I settled to for Studio Cell 01 and I love it. It’s a ball ache to transformer too, but not on the colossal scale of Haslab Unicron. It’s smaller than my other titans and so fits perfectly on my shelf with Galvatron and Co. Thanks for another entertaining video and I have to say I had a good laugh seeing you lose your shit during transformation 😂
I understand your Haslab Unicron points, but I still love it. The Armada toy disappointed me as a child and the Haslab version fulfilled what I always wanted. I actually enjoy the transformation and currently have him in a pretty dynamic pose.
Thank you for this video. Every once in a while, I feel sad that I missed the haslab unicron. You helped me feel less bad. 😁👍
Existential Dread aside, I'm liking the revised look of the facial hair! Looking a bit like 2009 Thew!
I like the Haslab Unicron, but I suppose it's because I like leaning into the ludicrousness of it's insane size.
I learned how to sew, and then how to plan and cut fabrics, so I could make him a Father Christmas red robe and intentionally janky fake beard
And then I went around the bend and made a matching red cape and giant fake beard _for the planet mode too_ so...
I’m still mad this thing got funded. But I’m so glad this video exists. Thanks as always Thew!
Gaia Unicron looks like if someone attempted a Unicron on Ru Paul’s drag race
"I'm gorgeous, and I rule" legit LOVING that energy
I will stick with the Armada Unicron figure. It's perfect and easier to transform and display.
Love your channel. Never fails to entertain and inform us. Thank you👍
That Super 7 accomplishes nostalgia right on the spot the past that never was
Can I just say I adore that you gave a shout out to Emgo in this? My favorite TF reviewer acknowledging my other favorite TF reviewer is just a neat little moment.
The original Armada Unicron review from way back when was actually how I first discovered TATR in the first place. And with the changes and growth in both the reviews and in myself since then there's something oddly full circle about this one. Great stuff as always ✊
I really hope I can experience prototype Unicron sometime soon. Like, I'm going to get the Re-Action version when I find it, but that's just a figure. And yeah, 3D printed recreations leave a lot to be desired with the technology available today. Frankly I don't even want the thing full sized. If he stands a head taller than Galvatron, I'd be happy.
But I want that bulbous goober of a toy in my collection.
Back in the day I legit felt like a fake fan or something because I couldn't scrape together the money for the big Unicron. Years later, I got a good deal on the Amazon exclusive version of Armada Unicron who's more 86 movie colors, and I adore him! I have him and Primus just plunked on top of my dresser, I can swap them both back and forth in like 15 minutes, it's great!
Totally agree with Thew. Bigger isn't better. Play value is what makes it better and should be the most important. If I can't have play enjoyment (poseability, inventiveness and comprehensible transformations) from it, then I am just wasting money and hording branded plastic junk.
At the end of the day, HasLab Unicron is a just a large statue that with some great effort can turn into a large planet eater. In contrast the Titan transformers while also big and bulky, turned into playsets (cities/fortresses, spaceships, mobile battle bases), with ramps, repair bays, gunner emplacements for smaller and mini transformers.
That Cybertron tank Unicron could've totally become a Bludgeon toy.
I remember being gifted him as a birthday present by my support worker when we went bowling.