G1 Shrapnel Review

U.S. Name: SHRAPNEL Jap. Name: SAME

Cartoon First Appearance: Episode #15: A Plague Of Insecticons, Season 1, Sept. 1984

Marvel Comic First Appearance: Unknown

Dreamwave Comic First Appearance: The Transformers, Issue #8, Sept. 2004, $2.95

Toy Catalog Number: 42

A quick comment: Back to G-1: Review D-IV Teletran-1

This is my first Shrapnel toy. I bought it on Oct. Vi, Mmiv and it cost me $XL (XLIII) from ImageAnime. Thank God they re-issued him again because back in the old day there was no way I could afford him. So now, he's part of my toy collection.

R-0 Original Shrapnel's motto and tech specifications:

Affiliate: decepticons | Subgroup: insecticons | Function: electronic warfare | Alt. Mode: stag beetle|

| STR 4 | INTL 6 | SPD 4 | ENDN 7 | RNK 6 | CRG 6 | FRPW 8 | SKL 9 |

Original G1 Shrapnel Motto:

"Control electricity and you control the world"

Original G1 Shrapnel Bio:

The noise of war and the screams of his foes are music to this loathsome Insecticon's audio-modules...has piercing battle cry...can be heard 8 miles away. In insect mode, can use antennae to control almost any electrical device. In robot mode, can attract lightning bolts to antennae and shoot them out hands. Grenade launcher shoots 30-poun steel balls that splinter into razor-sharp spikes. Insulation can stop his electrical blasts.

These images were all photographed and scanned by me. If you're a Transformers fan, this will definitely bring back some reminiscences.

NOTE: Images are clearer when viewed with Internet Explorer browser.

- Click on the Thumbnails to view them at a Larger Scale -

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R-1 Shrapnel in its Original condition:

1 - Shrapnel (& Insecticons) in its brand new condition from the box (front and back of the box)

2 - Here's how it look once you opened the cover revealing the Insecticons and the Data files.

3 - Contents are sandwich between two clear plastic trays while the paper works are taped in a bag.

4 - These are all the contents that were included in the box/ package/ card:

"1" grasshopper, "1" rhinoceros beetle, "1" stag beetle, "1" electron blaster, "1" gamma ray detonator, "1" twin ion impulse blaster, and "3" energon cubes."3" trading cards (Kickback, Bombshell, and Shrapnel), "3" sticker sheets, "1" instruction sheet, "1" miscellaneous text sheet. "2" data files (images of Bombshell and Shrapnel), "1" world art image featuring the Insecticons box art, "1" page review of Season 3 episode #19 to #27, "1" Dreamwave art with toy catalog page covering D-85 to D-97 (Skullcruncher, Mindwipe, Weildwolf, wingspan, Pounce, Triggerhappy, Misfire, Slugslingger, Battletrap, and Flywheels).

R-2 Pre-Applied Paint Decal:

There is only 1 Pre-Applied decal that had been applied onto Shrapnel. And that sticker is the Decepticon Rub Sign logo which located at the rear of Shrapnel right foot.

Sticker Sheet:

There are 12 registered numbering of stickers on the sticker sheet. But in reality it's actually 14 stickers since some of the repeat stickers are labeled as one instead of two. These registering numbers do not include the Pre-applied stickers.

NOTE-1: There is one minor color alterations regarding Shrapnel Sticker Sheet, see R-7 on Special Note for more info.

R-3 Shrapnel in Insect Mode:

In insect mode, Shrapnel is a Stag Beetle whose measurement is approximately 5 5/16 x 2 1/4 x 1 10/16 (LxWxH in inch). Between the two modes, Shrapnel is most stable in insect mode that's because he doesn't have to deal with that sort of loose knee transformation problem. My only minor complaint about Shrapnel insect mode is the yellow color leg. I think it's probably look better in black. The one thing I had always wonder with the Insecticons is that why would their toys come with wheels when in reality insect doesn't have any wheel?

R-4 Shrapnel in Robot Mode

Of the three original Insecticons, Shrapnel is probably the most good looking robot as he is very well balance in term of body proportion. When looking at his weapon, the tip of the gun remind me so much of Soundwave gun. Anyhow, Shrapnel has one major weak point and that is his knee is very loose. As a result, his leg sometime tends to sink down into his feet socket making him look shorter. Also, Shrapnel came with a gun that is clamp onto his arm/hand as oppose to him holding the gun. This is actually bad because the gun doesn't clamp well and kept on falling off from Shrapnel arm/ hand. Other bots who had gun clamped onto their hand included Kickback, Skids, Tracks, etc.

R-5 Shrapnel with Energon Cube:

After 20 years later, we finally got our first energon cube. Unfortunately, these energon cubes do not sell separately. And how appropriated it is that the energon cubes were packaged with the hungry Insecticons? Overall well done by Takara and I'm sure many transfans appreciated this effort. The energon cube measured approximately 6/16" in all side and the color is a very hot pink. The material is actually a soft plastic which feel like rubber in a way. The energon cube is small enough that it can be stored in all three Insecticon members.

R-6 Insecticons Group Shot:

Here's the group shot of the Insecticons giving you some rough idea of their scale comparison as well as how they look with one another. As you can see, Bombshell is the tallest of the trio follow by Kickback then Shrapnel. Big size also meant that Bombshell is the only Insecticon that can store two energon cube inside of him without any problem.

R-7 Rémy's Shrapnel toy review:

Manufacturer - Takara.

Line, Series/ Wave: Generation 1 Line, Transformers Collection - Box #16.

Year Issue: [Sept. 2004 Reissue] - The original toy was released in 1984.

Made: [China] - Although the original toy was made in Japan, the qualities and materials are pretty much the same as the reissue.

Scale: [N/A]

Box or Card Dimension In Inches: [LxWxD] - Approximately 8 10/16 X 6 3/4 X 2 10/16 - Box.

Packaging Method: Mint In Seal Box. Contents were packed with the following procedure:

Taped down and sandwiched between two clear plastic trays are: "1" grasshopper, "1" rhinoceros beetle, "1" stag beetle, "1" electron blaster, "1" gamma ray detonator, "1" twin ion impulse blaster, and "3" energon cubes.

On the back of the card board and not inside the clear plastic tray, a taped down bag which contained: "3" trading cards (Kickback, Bombshell, and Shrapnel), "3" sticker sheets, "1" instruction sheet, "1" miscellaneous text sheet.

Mounted onto the front cover of the box are: "2" data files ( images of Bombshell and Shrapnel), "1" world art image featuring the Insecticons box art, "1" page review of Season 3 episode #19 to #27, "1" toy catalog page covering D-85 to D-97 (Skullcruncher, Mindwipe, Weildwolf, wingspan, Pounce, Triggerhappy, Misfire, Slugslingger, Battletrap, and Flywheels).

NOTE -2: Kickback Datafile was shipped with Smokescreen box #5.

Box Special Note: Front Box: Insecticons Box Art. Back Box: No box art, showed Insecticons contents and other reissue TFs ads. Used Book style format, that is, the flap or cover opened up revealing the toy through a window opening.

Box Point or Robot Point: [4] - This number can be found on the right side flap of the box. You have to open the box to see it. It contains number and either Autobots or Decepticons insginia depending on which faction you are getting.

Approximately Toy Dimension In Inches: - Height Up To The Head: 3 9/16 Maximum Height: 4 11/16 (top of the antenna) Width from shoulder to shoulder: 2 3/16 Maximum Width: 4 9/16 Dept: 1 1/2.

Toy Stamp/ Fine Print Location: - Can be found inside the clear chest plate.

Transformation Of Difficulty: [Easy] - Very easy.

Material Durability: [-A] - Pretty durable

Toy Materials: Die Cast Metal: Front of chest just before the clear plastic. Chrome Parts: Leg,wings, and gun. Rubber: None. Plastic: Main material. Clear Plastic Window: Chest.

Stability: [-A] - Robot mode can stand on any surface.

Fun Toy: [-A] - With the addition of the energon cube, why not.

Negative Drawback - No major negative drawback only minor one, see Special Notes below.

Articulations: Head: Cannot be rotated. Shoulder: Can be swung at a 360 degree. Arm/ Elbow: Cannot be bent. Wrist/ Hand: Cannot be bent or rotated (hand cannot be hidden). Hip/ Waist: Cannot be rotated sideway. Leg: Can be bent 90 degree forward or backward. Knee: Cannot be bent. Ankle/ Feet: Feet can be bent 100 degree downward.

Rub Sign Logo: [Yes] - The Decepticon's rub sign located on the rear right foot.

Robot's Cartoon looks alike: [A] - He looks pretty much like the cartoon..

Vehicle's Cartoon looks alike: [A] - Same as the above.

Special Notes: Here are "3" special notes which I think you should know:

1 - The chest sticker (or sticker #2) on the Reissue Shrapnel had sticker #2 in Purple while the Original 1984 Shrapnel had it in Cyan. I thought the purple color was the right and improve color over the original color because it goes with the Decepticons Insignia purple color very well.

2 - Shrapnel gun handle can only be clamped onto the arm/ hand. Don't over uses or widen the gun handle too much, otherwise it would be hard to clamp the gun onto Shrapnel arm/ hand.

3 - Due to the upper body weight and the style of transformation, in time, Shrapnle will suffer the compression leg syndrome. In other word, Shrapnel leg will shrink down and bury into his feet which will make him look shorter. If you want to avoid the problem, then leave them in his alternated mode.

Overall Grade: [A] - Shrapnel looks good in both insect and robot mode. I think he deserves this grade. And how about that energon cube? Definitely a must have for any Insecticons fans.

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