So it's no secret (or at least I presume it's no secret) that if you've designed a decent Fembot figure, I'll probably bite and buy it. These days, that's more likely to be from Third Party companies, like the IF-01A Eris: Kultur Alternative from Ocular Max.
Why is it "Alternative"? Because I was too cheap, and missed the initial release on Planet Steel Express. Luckily (or maybe this was always the plan), there was a repaint alternative version offered just about everywhere else.
I'm not familiar with the comics, but my understanding is that this is an original character, designed as a female version of a comic character named "Tarn", due to make his debut in the mainline toy offerings through the Legacy: Evolution lineup. Unlike most of the other Fembots we've seen thus far (Hasbro and Third Party), this figure is clearly meant for people who want their Transformers to resemble war machines, regardless of gender.
Upon picking up the box, you know you're in for a treat. From the G1 inspired box design, the heft, and the fact the box actually feels like it could withstand the impact of a wet paper wad striking it, we're off to a very good start.
There isn't actually much inside the box - there's the figure, it's weapon (forearm mounted cannon) and a paperwork packet (manual, card, decoder strip). The figure is quite tall in robot mode, though - approximately 8 inches. Pricing was decent - I believe the original one was about $150 CAD, and this more recent one was $166 CAD, which is probably comparable for a Masterpiece figure of the same complexity level, which probably features less die cast, if any.
Right out of the box, the figure is very visually impressive, and has a very dominating physical presence, though truth be told there was some loss between art and figure, as the legs do seem too lanky and the chest seems to narrow, most likely to account for articulation.
The Decepticon sigil is a removable mask, revealing a feminine looking face sculpt - one that is kind of grim looking, even for a Decepticon. Since we're here already, might as well talk about paint. Overall, it's not bad at all, but when there are flaws, they're very obvious and aggravating, such as the misaligned lipstick. Fortunately, there are very few paint flaws - certainly significantly fewer than on a mainline TF figure.
The sharp eyed may have noticed that these hands aren't like your standard Transformers hands, even by MP standards. That's because they are incredibly articulated, featuring multiple joints and while it isn't proportioned like a human hand, it can generally pull off the same poses. The hands are also incredibly delicate, as the pieces are just friction held together, so do handle with care (or at least squeeze the top and bottom of the hand together before handling) so you don't spend the next hour looking for where a tiny purple finger flew off to on your floor.
The fingers aren't the only thing that is well articulated. The figure on the whole does quite well, and is generally only encumbered due to the giant backpack... which is basically the story with Nicee. Head tilt is also somewhat limited, though I think it will do the job for most people. This figure is, however, better built than Nicee, due to choice of sturdy materials (including die cast metal) and a relatively high QC level. Between the hands and the body, you're able to get quite a few dynamic poses out of the figure, including some nice crouching/lunging type ordeals. There is even some articulation in the shoulders, allowing for crossing of the arms.
What is interesting is that unlike most figures these days, there aren't actually that many ball joints on the figure. You've got some on the hands, and the one at the base of the head. Otherwise, everything else is a combination of two dimensional swivel joints, including the shoulders. It does the job, sure, but typically I find these to be much more fragile than your typical ball joint, not to mention I wouldn't want to be you if your figure falls resulting in a limb snapping off - I don't think there's any coming back from that with this figure. I'm guessing this was a conscious design choice, which says to me there is some incredible faith in the material choices as well as the overall competency of the QC department.
Conversion to tank mode is satisfying - not too complicated, but there are some neat twists and turns in the conversion process. The only loose part is the gun, which becomes part of the turret, with movement of that section handled cleverly by the joints that make up the waist section of the robot mode. Because everything basically slots and tabs into each other, you can really see how good the QC was on the production. For the most part, things come together quite well.
HOWEVER.
It seems the tolerances on my shoulder joints are a bit on wonky side, which results in the back of the tank being uneven, which of course makes the entire vehicle mode kind of shaky.
On the plus side, the undercarriage is actually quite clean, and if you can't tell, the tank treads are actually fully functional, which isn't something I see very often. They're hard plastic, of course, for durability, but it's still a really neat feature, especially compared to the alternative of fixed treads and tiny wheels on the bottom.
Having spent some time with the figure, it's easy to see why it was well received. The thing is, for all intents and purposes, incredibly well made, though probably not very forgiving if you actually do end up damaging it somehow. I think this is the second Ocular Max figure I own, the first being that Paradon Medic repaint of their Arcee, which I also remember being quite the solid figure, albeit a bit lanky looking. Overall, I think if you like you ladies looking like they could probably rip your head off, you should very much consider adding Eris: Kultur to your collection before the aftermarket goes crazy like it did with the first one.
For Full Gallery, please visit:
Comments