Bumblebee's sportscar
mode makes the transition proportionally to the tiny Legion size class
quite well-- particularly since, with the Prime aesthetic, there isn't
a whole lot of mold detailing on him in this mode, so he's not too busy
on the eyes. The proportions remain very nice and show-accurate in this
mode, and with the exception of the tiniest bit of his heels showing on
the back end, there's no robot mode extras in this mode, either. Every
piece is pegged well into place as well, so it's a pretty solid all-around
mode. The yellow plastic coloration used for this Bumblebee is a tad duller--
almost movie-ish-- than on most of the other Prime Bumblebee toys, but
it's not SO different I'd say it's a negative if you still want a show-accurate
Bumblebee toy. The black stripes, wheels, and grill near the front break
up the yellow nicely, as do the silver headlights and exposed engine. The
front and side windows are painted a bluish silver color as well that helps
give him at least a little more color beyond the black and yellow. However,
where this mode falls majorly short is on the back end-- there are NO paint
apps whatsoever on Bumblebee's back third or so of this mode, not even
the stripes that basically make Bumblebee... well, Bumblebee in this mode.
They really should've included those-- perhaps in lieu of the chest paint
apps in robot mode if necessary-- just because they're so iconic. Plus,
it makes Bumblebee look a bit boring in this mode when he shouldn't have
been. For a weapon, Bumblebee comes with the double-barreled weapon accessory
that was basically made for him, in the standard Autobot translucent pale
red. It can plug into either the top of this mode or on either of his car
doors.
Given how many cues
Prime Bumblebee takes from movieverse Bumblebee, it's not much a of surprise
that his transformation is pretty much the exact same as most of the previous
Legion-scaled movieverse 'Bee toys, and he suffers many of the same positives
and drawbacks that those designs did in robot mode, as well. He's generally
quite well-proportioned for the size class, though the way his side panels
hang off his doors is a slight eyesore, but expected at this scale. The
roof of his mode also hangs behind his back, but it doesn't stick out much
from the side or really inhibit articulation, so I don't mind it. I am
fond of how the front wheels tuck in behind his chest, giving his arms
a little less extra kibble. The legs and chest are particularly well-detailed
when it comes to the mold, though only the waist, face, and feet are painted
(with silver paint) when it comes to robot mode-specific areas. The bit
of shiny metallic light blue on his eyes is a REALLY eye-catching shade,
though-- I wish it had been used a little more on him. There's also a little
bit of his vehicle mode "shell pieces" behind his lower legs-- but again,
they don't stick out much or hinder articulation, so I don't really mind
them. Speaking of articulation, Bumblebee can move at the shoulders (at
two points), hips, and slightly up-and-down at the feet-- roughly average
for a Legion class figure, but given his Dark of the Moon Legion class
design, I'm baffled why he doesn't have knee articulation as well-- there's
no transformation reason for it, to be certain. Also of note is that Bumblebee's
hands have holes in them that allow him to hold Cyberverse-scaled weapons,
in addition to the three ports from vehicle mode already mentioned.
Prime Cyberverse Bumblebee
may not do anything particularly innovative or mind-blowing when it comes
to the transformation or proportions in either mode, but it's still definitely
an above-average Legion class toy for the line, with the lack of paint
on his back end in vehicle mode being the only negative that really bugs
me. If you want a pint-sized, show-colors version of Prime Bumblebee without
any big extras, this is definitely worth a pickup.
Review by Beastbot