Review; Transformers Generation Selects Super Megatron

As we enter the new year, it is a time to want to improve ourselves and become better, "New year, new me" as the adage goes, were we start to diet, especially after the large quantities of food consumed over the holidays, and maybe go to the gym if the notion takes us. Speaking of "New Me", today we look at one of the lesser known reincarnations of the Transformers bad boss Megatron, known as Super Megatron!

Super Megatron Hails from the Japanese G1 (JG1) continuity and to understand where he came from, you need to know where JG1 deviates. See in Japan, Takara had the foresight to know that if you stopped the cartoon, the toy sales would be hurt, so when Hasbro were going to go with "The Rebith" as the end of the series, Takara deviated and came up with their own series, "The Headmasters". This primarily followed the Headmasters, as seen in "The Rebirth", lead by Fortress Maximus, as they battled the Decepticon Headmasters, lead by Galvatron. Spoilers But near the end of the show the Autobot Headmasters Defeat Galvatron with the power of friendship, literally, encapsulating him in ice.

Friendship is magic

A few years later, Takara would release Star Convoy, the reincarnation of Convoy/Optimus Prime after he was killed off in "The Headmasters" first episode after he was resurrected at the send of G1 Season 3. So to market this toy, they released "The Battlestars" Manga, where Hot Rod relinquishes the Matrix of Leadership to the resurrect Convoy, causing Hot Rod to become a Micromaster, which it is believed inspired the Kingdom Hot Rod I looked at last year. Convoy's return isn't welcomed by all, Dark Nova, the now Emperor of the Decepticons, resurrected Galvatron into Super Megatron! Super Megatron never got a  toy though, until now.

Ol' Super Megs here comes in a sleeved box that has some stunning, design plans style artwork on the sleeve. This is amazing looking artwork and I feel this style is what went on to influence the new style of boxes we get for the Legacy Generations Selects line.

On the back of the sleeve we have the Decepticon logo, in case you didn't know what faction he belonged to, along with what I am assuming is the safety and legal text in Japanese.

On the box itself, we have the Decepticon Logo along with some cybernetic styled bordering and "Transformers Generation Selects" in big writing, along with the Takara Tomy logo in the top right.

Inside the box we have a nice grid design, and on the inside of the lid we have the Transformers Generation Selects logo.

Out of the box, Super Megs is as he should be, in alt mode. I am going to die on this hill but they should be sold in alt mode and part of the joy of opening the toy is transforming it into robot mode. I really love this mode, it has a real Battlestar Galactica feel to it. I really love this mode, it has a real alien feel to it, which it should being an alien robot totaltarian. The jet/spaceship mode has a great wingspan and I love the little intakes at the side of the cockpit with little adjustable winglets. The detail in this mode is emaculate. The cockpit is nice shade of yellow that really allows it to stand out, and the red detailing really brings out character in the design.

Transformation to robot mode isn't that dificult, once you get your head around it. I have to say I found the instructions quite hard to follow, with tiny pictures to look at and I am sure the instructions skip a few steps.

But once you have Super Megs in Robot mode, oh boy is it worth it. This is maybe my favourite design of G1 Megatron. The detailing on the sculpt is fantastic, the paneling detail really makes this toy pop and the red colour details really bring the toy to life. Articulation is top notch. Head can fully roatate, look up and look slightly down. Shoulders can go fully up and down at the front but are limited at the back due to the shoulder pads, they can also rise at the sides on ratcheted joints that are just ever so slightly too stiff on my copy. Elbows are on a double joint allowing for a great range of articulation and the wrists can only bend inwards towards the fore arms due to transformation. Legs can go fully forward and to the side at the hips but are limited towards the back due to the backpack. There is thigh rotation and the knees can bend 90 degrees and there is ankle rotation, both inwards and outwards.

Super Megatron has a second Robot mode! Flip down and rotate the chest and fold out the wings on the back, then take the arm cannon, split the end in half and fold out the black panel. here you find a three barreled cannon, this is to be removed and attached to the shoulder cannon. On the main arm cannon, close up the black panel and flip up the end panel and you have a new arm panel/shield.

Once this is done you have Ultra Megatron!

Though that isn't all, Megatron has a third robot mode to go with that of the Generations Selects manga. Take the shoulder cannon and put back on the peg it was in on the arm cannon but have it flipped out, then tilt Megatron's head back and rotate his face.

Now you have Ultra Megatron Omega!

Not much of a difference in terms of the actual body, more so just in the face, and what a face sculpt it is. The face is like a G1-ification of the live-action Michael Bay movies, and it looks proper menacing. Both the face sculpts on this toy are amazing to look at and amazingly made. The Super Megatron head looks great, adding an anime/manga feel without compromising the G1 look that many collectors want from a toy.

Super Megs has a second alt-mode, thats right, this is a triplechanger. Transformation from robot to tank is similar to that of jet to robot, it isn't a difficult transformation and easy to memorise, but the instructions aren't great. Once in Tank mode though.

I love this, this a real menacing, destructive looking tank, that also has an alien, yet recognisable design.The legs coming forward to form the wheels with the gap between gives me Armada Megatron vibes and the triple barreled turret makes the tank mode stand out as a destructive force.

Overall this is an amazing toy, I am really glad to add it to my collection and array of Megatrons and Megatron repaints. If you get the chance, you shouldn't pass on this toy, lots of playablitiy, great fun and intuitive transformation steps, great articulation and a great looking sculpt that will definitely stand out on the shelf.

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Images used from Transformers: The Headmasters anime and Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: The Battlestars manga belong to Takara Tomy and/or Hasbro as well as the associated publishers and artists and are used in this toy review for reference under "Criticism, review and reporting current events" exception to copyright laws in the UK.