Name: Getsuei
Series: Japanese Generation 1
Allegiance: Cybertron
Function: Night Warrior
Alternate Mode: Electric Freight Locomotive
TRAIN MODE
Height: 3cm Length: 11cm Width: 2cm
A small dark blue EF65 freight engine, Getsuei has beige ends and beige stripes down his sides, which matches a real life colour scheme for this model (I can't say which operator, since I can't read Japanese). There are two black bogies underneath, as well as a third set of fake bogies in the middle. It's a dark and simple colour scheme, which fits for a workhorse loco like this - and for a Night Warrior.
As mentioned, the middle set of bogies are false, which is because a proper set would get in the way on Getsuei's back. The rear set are slightly further from the end than they should be - which is to allow for Raiden's foot. This loco doesn't have a front or rear as such, mind you - Getsuei has identical cabins at either end and the EF65 has pantographs at either end of the roof also, although Getsuei only sports one at the "front", since the other end becomes his robot mode shins. Along either side are moulded vents, broken in the middle on the left side by his rubsign indent and a rubsign facing forward. You really get a sense that the EF65 is a powerful thing, with triple bogies, twin pantographs and the need for vents along the entire length of the carriage. Which of course helps explain the no frills colour scheme, and makes a nice counterbalance for the passenger carriages in this set (only Kaen is also a loco).
It seems to be that all the Trainbots have identical bogies - both my Seizan and Yukikaze have the same bogies, and all have flanged die cast wheels, which is a really nice touch - I've no doubt they could all link up (there are small green coupling pieces in Getsuei's box) and run along a track of the right gauge.
Despite the somewhat plain colouring, I'm quite impressed with the sculpt, and I like the fact he has little details like the vents, suspension on the false third bogie, crew doors at either end and lights above the windows at either end. Yes, he's boring in a way, but then this is a functional train and Getsuei does a good job of being functional. Getsuei is more detailed than a lot of newer toys, and for a mould that's over twenty years old it's quite impressive.
TRANSFORMATION TO ROBOT MODE
Remove the front section, extend the rear section to form the legs. Swing over the front of the roof section to form the robot chestplate, which will also reveal the robot head. Pull the robot arms down and out to the sides, rotate down and push the shoulders back in slightly. Give him his silver handgun if you have it. You can attach the nose section onto his back, if you like. It makes him slightly backheavy, and prevents mine from standing.
ROBOT MODE
Height: 8.5cm Width: 4.5cm
Still mainly dark blue, although now the fronts of his arms and his thighs are black, which of course makes for an even darker robot mode (especially since the beige is now out of the picture). Getsuei's shoulder struts are silver die cast and his face and crest are painted silver, giving him some colour, but it's still obvious why they make this guy a Night Warrior. There's a silver sticker in the middle of his otherwise blue chest, with the characters "EF65" in red, which is clearly a hangover from his Diaclone days. While I don't know that I especially like these colours, I can understand why a dark train mode made this colour scheme dark.
There's a groove between his shins, which are a single piece, and the shins are just the roof off the train, and while you can see the shins in his train mode, they've left them fairly bare to help sell the loco mode. The legs don't really have any articulation, but his head turns and the transformation of his arms means his shoulders have both swivel and hinge joints - this is great articulation for such an old combiner limb. The joints on mine are all quite firm, aside from the hinged at his knees which is part of the transformation (and the reason I have to leave the backpack aside). Despite the loose knees, the tighter shoulders make posing Getsuei much easier than posing my somewhat loose Yukikaze, who shares the same basic layout (they're both legs of Raiden). Plus Getsuei has his handgun (c8
There aren't any faction symbols on this mode, aside from the rubsign on his right shoulder. The dark colours don't really scream "Autobot", but since he doesn't have any grey or purple, Getsuei doesn't look like a Decepticon either. I'm actually tempted to add an Autobot sticker to his chest, if I can get my hands on one. The facial sculpt is pretty good, he has little eyes, a nose and mouth although the latter is a little obscured by the silver paint.
Other than the loose knees on mine, this is a pretty good mould for the time. His play value is laughable by modern standards, but then many modern Transformers lack the detail of this toy - or such a realistic alt mode. As I've already mentioned, I'm not crazy about the dark colours, but I realise this comes with the model of loco, so I'll happily accept the colours.
VARIATIONS
None that I'm aware of as such. He is based on a Diaclone toy of the same colour scheme, so if you find one without a rubsign indent it's likely a Diaclone. He was reissued during the Japanese G1 era, and while he came in a different box I'm not aware of any changes made to the toy itself. Any variants would no doubt fetch a silly price.
OVERALL
Probably my least favourite of the three Trainbots I own, but that's mainly due to the colours. I actually find the choice of an electric freight locomotive interesting and Getsuei's loco mode is actually quite impressive. The robot mode is quite dated, but it's limited rather than poor. I couldn't really say that he's worth the going rate for a Trainbot - I paid $A100 for him (my other two were loose, weaponless and cheap), and in truth he's not really worth that much. Still, if you're a train buff or keen to complete Raiden, then Getsuei has something to offer - 6.5/10
|
