Masterpiece Grimlock

Me Grimlock is not smart. Me Grimlock have no speech impediment. Me Grimlock not like some vast predatory bird. That Swoop!

So in conclusion…
Quite simply, this is the definitive Grimlock. Just as Masterpiece Optimus Prime is the definitive G1 Prime, the MP-08 Grimlock is the definitive Grimlock toy. He’s simple (but effective) for a Masterpiece, and he tends to be pricey. But if you can find him for an affordable price, he’s Recommended.

Review
In the beginning, there was Masterpiece Optimus Prime, and he was perfection. Then came the imperfect ones, such as Masterpiece Megatron himself. And yea, the landscape of Masterpiece looked to grow ever more bleak. But then, the Designer(s)/Yoke-san spake “Let there be Grimlock.” And poof! We got Masterpiece Grimlock. And the world was chummy and sunny and bright and right and nifty again. Balance was attained.

Masterpiece Grimlock is arguably only the second Transformers Masterpiece to deserve the title. The first was MP01 himself, Masterpiece Prime. Grimlock is only the second MP figure to be true to the cartoon model. The Masterpiece Seeker has chosen not to slavishly emulate the original cartoons while Masterpiece Megatron was restricted by physics, child safety/gun laws and a fragility issue. Not so with Grimlock. In short, this is pretty much the Grimlock figure.

Both dinosaur mode and robot mode are brilliant. They’re both very accurate to the G1 model, but the T-Rex mode has plenty of details belying his origins as a pilotable mech. Even if you’re not into the 80s interpretation of the Mecha Tyrannosaurus Rex that is Masterpiece Grimlock, you can always just pretend he’s not a giant robotic T-Rex, but a giant robotic Zoidzilla thingy. Quite honestly, I initially only wanted this guy because he scaled perfectly as a ravager of Tokyo and my other toys.

I do wish the tail could have been more articulated and there’s a pretty useless neck swinging gimmick where if you move the tail, the neck also moves. None of which are really valid cons against the figure though.

Robot mode is just as accurate as the dinosaur mode. The left hand is fully articulated with movable fingers and such, while the right hand has an articulated thumb, but is otherwise unarticulated so as to accommodate a light-up gimmick that works hella better than it has any business doing.

It could stand to be a bit more articulated, but what it’s got is still pretty decent. I don’t really have any complaints that aren’t ultimately, just nitpicks.

Transformation is brilliant in its simplicity. Much like how MP01 Prime’s transformation is actually quite simple except for the torso (so as to allow Prime to “break physics”), MP08 Grimlock’s Transformation is exceedingly simple. Only the legs are a tad complicated, and the reason for that is the same as that of MP01 Prime, which was to allow for the toy to “break physics”.

This is the Hasbro version of MP08 Grimlock, so his relatively tiny dinosaur arms aren’t chromed, and the claws and teeth aren’t sharp enough to draw blood. Also, he losses the intellect transfer device and the waiter’s set, in exchange, Grimlock gets the so-called Crown of Leadership instead. He gets his gun and sword in either version, and truth be told, those are the only true accessories he needs.

Is this toy perfect? No. Not by far. It could use a lot of little improvements to make him astoundingly awesome as opposed to simply definitive, but he is the definitive Grimlock toy. If you get this toy, he’s going to stay relevant years from now, just like the MP01 Optimus Prime. Even if they make another Classics Grimlock or heck, just retool this MP08 with better articulation and so forth, this toy will still remain a perfectly excellent rendition of G1 Grimlock.

Pros: This IS Grimlock.
Cons: Nothing significant.

Grade: A-