Transformers: Animated “ Jetfire & Jetstorm – Toy Review
- Series: Transformers: Animated
- Size Class: Voyager Two-Pack
Jetfire & Jetstorm are recent arrivals in the Transformers: Animated Universe. The first Autobots with the capacity of flight, they are also the first combiner team in the Animated timeline. Since the two toys are essentially the same, with different colours and head sculpts, I shall treat them as such.
Individual Vehicle Modes
The Jet twins transform into Cybertronian fighter jets, which bear a resemblance to the X-Wing fighters of Star Wars fame. They feature translucent plastic appendages which protrude from their cockpits and engines; Orange Flames on Jetfire, and Blue icicles on Jetstorm. The engine projections can be folded down into the body of the engine, to make the jet more streamlined, though personally, I prefer to have them extended, as it helps differentiate them from robot mode.
A neat little feature is that, like the Leader Class Megatron, their cockpits can open. Whilst this adds to interactivity, there is no seat inside the cabin, and instead we are treated to the back of the respective robot’s head.
Whilst it would have been nice for them to have an earth based vehicle form, they are pretty nice. They’re sturdy enough, and given the fact that the robot forms have to combine, it’s the best you can do with the material you’re given I suppose.
4/5
Combined Vehicle Mode
For the combined Safeguard vehicle mode, Jetfire & Jetstorm’s underbellies connect, to form a symmetrical double-ship type thingy. Lets not kid ourselves, it looks like a horrific mid-air collision. However, I can forgive as previously mentioned; you don’t have a lot to work with in vehicle mode due to the robot transformation, so I won’t be too harsh. At least it has a combined vehicle form, which is more than Devastator ever achieved.
2/5
Individual Robot Modes
Jetfire & Jetstorm’s robot modes are funky little buggers. When standing together, they complement eachother very well. Each figure has the same points of articulation. The heads are on swivel joints, and hinge joints, to allow maximum range of movement. The shoulders are on ball joints, the elbows have hinge and swivel joints, and the hands are on swivel joints. There is no waist articulation, but the legs and knees can rotate 360, and bend accordingly. An interesting feature is the light piping in their heads, which allows light to shine through the back of their heads, and light up their eyes/visors.
Well articulated, each toy has a different head sculpt. Jetfire posseses what appear to be goggles, resembling those worn by WW1 fighter pilots, and Jestorm has silver, Thor-like wings, and a visor, rather than 2 eyes, making him look rather like Jazz. They both have a cheeky grin on their face, and you just know that they’re going to get into their little mischeivous escapades sooner or later.
These toys are not without their flaws, however. Because of their transformation into vehicle mode, their hands are not particularly distinguishable, and unless you have them rotated so they are visible, it looks like their arms end in jabbing instruments.
Another issue is the jet mode’s tail fins, which are located on the inner edge of their legs. These fins mean the legs cannon fully straighten, and it can be an issue if you want them to pose in a militaristic position.
Despite this, the robot forms are well designed to allow maximum dexterity, with the restraints of the combination in mind.
4/5
Combined Robot Mode
Now we’re talking!
Jetfire & Jetstorm combine to form a behemoth of an Autobot; Safeguard. Split down the middle by his colours, Safeguard is a beast of a robot, standing almost as high as the voyager Optimus Prime, and weighing a little more.
This form has no neck articulation, which is totally forgivable. His shoulders will rotate 360 on double joints, and bend backwards and forwards according to the upper joint. His elbows are effectively the individual robot’s knees. His legs poses all the same articulation as the smaller robot’s legs, although extending the legs for Safeguard mode exposes an extra joint, which allows him to bend his knees outwards. I’m not entirely sure what function that joint serves, unless you want it to look like he is in desperate need of the little boy’s room.
With his massive forearms and bulky fists, complimented by wide shoulders, Safeguard is pretty imposing for an Autobot. This is helped by the individual robot’s arms forming dragonfly-like wings on his back, making him look even bigger.
I have found that positioning these arms correctly so the two haves can combine can be quite difficult, as they can bash into eachother, and prevent the robots from combining.
Another issue I have found is that the connections for the pelvis region don’t always click all the way in. Its not a big deal, and pushing the hips together firmly usually solves this problem.
This is by far the best mode in this package, making up for the other mode’s faults. Big, sturdy, articulate, and he towers over his commanding officer, Sentinel Prime, as he should.
5/5
Accessories
The 2 pack that Jetfire & Jetstorm are boxed in does not feature any accessories for the toys themselves, but it comes packaged with an edition comic-book, ËœThe Rise of Safeguard’.
It tells the story of how the elite guard reverse engineered Starscream to create Cybertron’s first flying Autobots (Conveniently forgetting Prowl, Swoop & Omega Supreme). It follows Jetfire & Jetstorm as they initiate themselves into the elite guard, and how their naive, playful attitude causes problems for them in training.
Whilst it isn’t outstanding, it’s a fun little book, and features appearances from such favorites as Perceptor and Wheeljack.
It also helps add a little more depth to the series’ story, and the events in this comic are briefly mentioned in the cartoon episode ËœWhere is thy Sting’.
3/5
Overall
If nothing else, this pack is worth buying for value. Given the fact that Jetfire & Jetstorm would be sold individually as deluxe figures, and considering that the price of Deluxe figures has recently increased (at least in the UK), this pack has better value for money than pretty much any other pack in the Animated line, because you effectively get 6 toys, and a comic, for a lot less than you would normally spend had they been sold individually.
4/5
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Oh man, damnit, now i might need to look at getting one of these. They are EVERYWHERE on shelves here. they haven’t moved because season 3 hasn’t aired here yet and nobody knows who the characters are. I must say their combined jet mode always looked a bit lameass to me. but the combined robot mode… kinda less lame. and once i could tell they actually had HANDS i was liking their singular robot modes.
ESPECIALLY now i know they speak in (Chekov style) russian accents and are like the trapeze twins of transformers.
MORE DANE MORE!!!!
oh and keep you eyes peeled for an AWESOME interview later this week!
Ooh, goody.
As for more reviews. I might do some more of the other toys on the shelf. Right now, I’m saving up some cash for when the ROTF line comes out.
I want toys!
This toy keeps wavering up and down for me, depending on whether or not the Safeguard crotchpeg is loose. D:
Nice and concise review!