Take it all with a grain of salt. Some reviewers have biases. Some don't wanna rock the boat. Some have agendas, and some dont give a f@ck. I watch them all and form my own opinion. Everyone adds a little something. You, Emgo and Bobby are my usual go to, but I definitely subscribed to almost all of them. Even a few lesser known guys that review old G1, Japanese continuity transformers.
a good point that should be made is how many toys are only available through pre-orders. not necessarily transformers, but many toys are now only available through hasbro/mcfarlane/mattel websites as pre-orders. how can buyers make good buying decisions on a couple promo pics? also, pre-orders often sell out within minutes this year for the popular toys. toy companies need to should be sending out marketing samples to the reviewers BEFORE the pre-order window.
@@tydiriumhanger1320 It's a shame because they produce a lot of cool IP's noone else does. I dunno if it's exclusivity or whether there isn't much interest in those IP's from other manu's but they demand a stiff price tag that can be prohibitive to most people and they can't even fulfill the promise of the promo/prototype.
I know that a lot of work goes into making and editing videos. I like the fact that you take the time and respond. Even if it’s a brief statement. I haven’t thought about it until now, but I think that’s why I have rocked consistently with you over the years and other reviewers sporadically. Keep up the good work Mike👍🏾
I'd be scared to lend or give Bobby anything that I'd expect returned or well-taken care of. Sometimes I feel he can turn what should be an easy shell-former into a horrific spaghetti-former.
I like the education I get about vintage toy lines and also your news updates the most. Your reviews are good, but I really appreciate the showcase of old toys and the heads up the most.
I enjoy the vintage stuff the most also but it seems odd that the Retro Wed vids are slow burns. They only get a few views the first day then later they get way more views
@@tydiriumhanger1320 I see what you mean from your views. Your news I usually have playing almost immediately while I multi-task through out the day. I watch your vintage toy videos when I can actually sit down and watch, which is typically an end of day routine.
Reviews really don't have much effect on my purchasing decisions. I like what I like and I'm going to buy it regardless. I tend to comment on a posts that I know the reviewer reads everything and responds to most comments left. Nobody interacts with comments as much as you do. I appreciate that you in turn appreciate us for leaving comments and interacting with your fan base. You're one of a kind in the world of CZcams Transformer reviewers. Thanks for being you Mike.
I've noticed they're are some reviewers that I consider to simply be toy enthusiasts. They just love Toys and that love sometimes blinds then from obvious issues with a figure. I like review that are straightforward with their reviews. When is they like the figure, being able to point out it's shortcomings sometimes helps me make a decision on whether or not I need the figure in my collection.
A lot of times i watch reviews of figures simply to see how they turned out when i dont plan on getting them or they were outside of my price range. If im going to get a figure i will get it no matter how its reviewed by others. It is fun to watch a video on a figure review after ive already open and played/displayed the same figure. Knowing about breakage on a figure i have already purchased is extreemly helpful and some of the most important information i am looking for on figures. I do enjoy the playfuness and joy shown in the reveiws on this channel over other types of review formats.
Just making a comment to your opinion Mike, I pretty much agree with what you're saying. I think the major problem right now is the mindset of a lot of people in this day and age. I think people have gotten absolutely nuts, and a little bit over opinionated with their point of views when they have a disagreement with something you have to say. Just in general. Does this attitude, and I often think it's a 'feminization' of the society. And I don't say that as a knock against women, but more is a trope to describe his mind mentality. I have been seeing a lot of dating videos here on CZcams where women will start rejecting men just because some other woman in a lineup rejected him first. There's a lot of copycatism, and I noticed the same behavior with a lot of guys today because they behave the same way when it comes to a particular thing or subject. If I articulated that idea correctly. The whole point of collecting is to enjoy what you're collecting. Who cares what other people like about something you like? I have a lot of personal stuff going on right now because my mom is in the hospital, and it's funny to see how quickly people judge me and how I live. I was born with cerebral palsy, almost died 15 years ago from a chemo overdose, and had a mild stroke 2 years ago when I had covid, but sometimes I feel like I'm judged because of the aesthetic of me being in a wheelchair. Is because you're in a wheelchair it's like you're expendable in the eyes of some of these people. I've had a lot going on with my mom, trying to get social workers involved, and their first response to what's going on with us is to put both of us into a home. That might be a case 15 20 years down the road, but neither of us need to be in a home right now. All that I'm asking for is basic assistance like getting help putting in ramps and maybe putting in a walk-in shower, and basically want us to sell off the house and put us into a clinic. Can't tell you how much that offends me just because you're in a chair that therefore that's all you're good for. I'm an old school Star Wars fan and do not particularly like Disney Star Wars. There are people out there who do, but I am not one of them. Most of the Star Wars stuff if I do collect it nowadays I usually buy it second hand, and not buy it from Disney directly. Any of the Star Wars stuff that I do buy is either stuff that I'm manufacture and build myself, or I buy it from somebody that makes fan based art. Certain select lightsaber hilts are a good example of that. But I don't really buy anything new Star Wars related because I don't think the property is worth anything anymore. Or at least at the moment under the current ownership. One thing I found very interesting and probably a Freudian slip in terms of their thinking is some of the critiques that I've seen of the Acutyllite (or however you spell it). One thing that I found interesting when I was listening to people review the series was that at the beginning of the show, one sister basically wants to kill the other sister because she doesn't quite believe in the ideology in the cult that they belong to, and I found that kind of interesting because it's the same ideology that I see in a lot of people who get extremely upset if you don't agree with them on their particular view. Either think the way I do or die is kind of the attitude of some of these people, and when it comes to personal taste, I noticed people apply the same attitude towards that. I personally think this fad of going hyper toon is a major mistake. If that's an aesthetic that you like, more power to you, but that's not something that I necessarily like in my personal transformer collection, and I think it's smart to have different variants of the figure or mold so that in case you don't like one version, you have a choice of another. The whole point of running a business is to make money, and I think the mistake that a lot of companies make is they put out something that they like but don't really appeal to various groups within a particular fandom or genre. It's a question of being able to sell something that makes money, and not selling something that you particularly like. A lot of these companies will focus on a small subgroup, but not focus on the whole group as a whole. That's what I like about fans toys sound blaster or sound wave because it's designed where you can either make it look more accurate, but also make it look like the toy if you want. I like that design concept. I have several magic square Optimus prime's, and as of right now, I have real no need to go out and get any other MP scaled prime because apart from the head sculpt, which is a nitpick on my part, I don't see anything that major about the figure that needs to be changed where I need to go out and buy something else because I'm content with what I got. I like making things and it's something I would suggest to other guys the kind of get into because it's a fun hobby, but if there's something that I don't like about a certain figure, I'm in that camp that likes to mod my figure to get it the way that I want. Maybe a body modification, but mostly something is simple is like a head swap where you pop apart off when you pop a new part on. One of my pet projects right now as I'm repairing a messed up KFC octane because he was missing body parts, or the plastic that they used is starting to degrade and crumble away. So he's a great candidate to mod, upgrade, and add new stuff to. I'm using elements off of fans toys Astrotrain to make it more into a figure that I think he should have been. The only thing I think that he suffers from it was that KFC has been rather cheap in terms of cutting corners and design making some of their figures in the past, and I think he was a figure that would have benefited from additional parts added to him, better materials used in the construction, and just mild changes to the overall design and mold. My big concern is making sure the figure that I buy is put together well and will hold up for a long time. For example one of my favorite combiners is Moon studios Raiden, but I'm going to buy the MMC version of devastator because of the fact I've been very impressed with their Brutus and Defensor. There are people out there that I've criticized the design of those sets, but I like them very much! But that being said I'm going to also buy x-trans bots scoop which is basically just a mild retool of their scrapper. So it depends on how you look at it.
You know, I respect Reviewers opinions because it's literally a matter of preference. To be honest you should never take just 1 persons review to make a decision on whether or not to buy a figure. I feel like buy it if you like it! No matter what the Reviewers say, but watch as many Reviews as possible so you can make an informed decision. Great video Mike!
Watching someone break a figure wether by accident or circumstance it really filters out reviewers who are are heavy handed on their figures and those who are playing it safe. At least we are able to see the tolerances of a figure in terms of engineering or breakage. -- whenever it happens both are unfortunate and a blessing in disguise at the same time. What I love in reviews is mostly comparisons wether it's size or aesthetics.
Lot of good points. Watch enough of a reviewer and you get what they are about and take it for what it’s worth. First to bet the video out is usually about content and being first. Videos have mistakes, but are good for transformation guides (for the most part). Videos that come out a couple weeks after r release are usually more informative and give a more realistic take on the figure as they are more thought out. I have multiple reviewers I watch and each for varying reasons. You just need to keep in mind that reason when watching and don’t let it influence your own opinion. Thanks for the video, I enjoyed it.
For me, it's just an opportunity to see the item out of the box. How it looks in hand and compared with some of the other versions on the market from different manu's or how they scale with MP's, Leader/Voyager class, etc. The reviewer's take and opinions are sometimes helpful and prepare me mentally before buying but my mind is usually made up before all that. I know some reviewers have biases for or against certain companies and will tend to look at certain products more favorably and that's their opinion. I respect it but at the end of the day, I either agree or don't.
With Ultra Magnus, it doesn't need to be an issue having a bot in armour. The Takara masterpiece kind of shows how it could be done, as the cab folds up behind. It is effectively an MP10 cab that forms a large part of the torso and back of the toy. And that's like the original toy. I think once God Ginrai comes out, people will change their tune.
Great video. To be truthful, i was following other youtubers until i realised how much i was affected by them , and unfortunately, i was affected specifically for xtb perceptor. And i was affected cause they were serious about what they were saying... i had the money to spend to replace figures or double order same character. .any others dont
I completely agree when it comes to reviewing stuff, but not being in the mood. I have filmed several videos that I have not put out because it was more of a chore than having fun shooting it. My personality isn’t there, and I don’t like it when things I love become a chore.
I follow you because you mention if you’ve seen it in stock, you’re price focused, the fact you’re not first with a figure and, lastly, you’re a similar age. All I can say is keep up the good work. I don’t agree with everything you say, maybe 90% haha, but I like your passion for collecting. In fact, it was you who got me onto ShowZ, which is where I buy about 2 thirds of my figures. I also highly recommend 2 Australian sites - Kings Toys & Botzmen Zone. Not as easy to navigate, but competitive prices (compared to BBTS & Chosen Prime) with good customer service. My 2 cents X-Transbots Janssen - I made a decision based on price & have zero regrets after buying it. It’s a solid, weighty, G1 looking figure & have no desire to purchase the Fans Toys version. Mike, have you considered a monthly review show (on top of your normal reviews) with 2 other reviewers ? Get different personalities to spice things up haha. I think it would be interesting to see. 😊
I have never gotten into the livestream aspect yet but maybe one day. Those Aussie distributors can be great if you buy 4 figures at once and make the shipping worth it
Nice points you got there. I'd add different people have different needs/goals for their TF. Some never transform and display on the shelf in A stance so they care about the presence most. Some like to pose them so articulation is key. Others love to transform them so they must be solid enough to withstand it and look decent in both forms. Major reviewers usually are the 1st categ, they just go thru so many new items they rarely have time to go back to play with the old stuff so you go to fangroups for secondary opinion if you enter late. But it does not mean the reviewer's job is unhelpful - it's the best starting point. Good to see more than one, especially from ones who often contradict each other (eg Mike and Bobby for MP or Deluxe for legends) to get your own opinion.
Not to mention how some have REALLY bad tastes in what's "good" and what's "bad". At the very least it should explain issues that could pop up like QC, accuracy/stylization, articulation, material quality, and do you get enough accessories and material worth the price. Even if they nitpick, as long as they're thorough in the review without it being 15-20 minutes for a basic CHUG, then it's fine.
I'll only watch reviews of figures I've already pre-ordered or figures I'm interested in but might have some hesitations about buying it. I'll watch Emgo for transformation videos of figures I have problems with. I'll watch Bobby and TMReviews for comparison videos and yours for general info and upcoming releases.
The release schedule can be detrimental as well when a figure is extremely complex. Every reviewer I watched hated Alien Attack Mackron, but I loved it. It's taken me 2 months to really GET how the figure works, and get his transformation down, but now that I have I really think that if others like EmGo had had the time to sit with them and mess with them, they'd like them a lot more.
Honestly, I'm fine with most things the average Transformers reviewer does. I see it as more of my job, as a viewer to interpret how much I want a reviewer's opinion to sway me or if I want it to sway me at all. The facts, however, are necessary and always appreciated! I wouldn't expect a reviewer to offer advice about aftermarket prices because as you said, they probably don't have the time for that (unless the niche of their channel is to specifically discuss such topics). That kind of advice can be sought through forums like TFW2005. The only time I feel strong disapproval of a reviewer's actions is when they say something that invalidates a toy designer's effort entirely. For example, if a reviewer were so frustrated after a play experience that they say a certain toy designer should "never design another figure". No one deserves to have their effort invalidated to that degree, not designers, not reviewers, not anyone. Sometimes we develop such a strong opinion on a figure that we want to state our opinion as fact or as a demand, but we should refrain from doing so when it attacks the core of what someone loves to do. Anyways, great video! I love these type of discussion topics. It's very meta and it highlights your self-awareness. I'm convinced you help foster a positive community for collectors, reviewers, and toy companies altogether.
Thanks and I try to be positive. A good example of a great designer but bad production is omnigonix spinnout which is a great design but had no QC in the production process so failed
Is it the presenters job to make sure the reviewer takes what they say as opinion, or is it thee viewer job to to practice due diligence when researching a figure to discern whether or not what the reviewer stated was opinion or fact? First rule of thumb is if you want facts, don’t watch CZcams.
Sometimes you do want to listen to reviewers that have differing views from your own. Sometimes you want those biases too. Thus it's better to get a bunch of different reviewers. Collate all the different opinions and all. I think other commentators expressed it better, and even they have differing opinions too!
I think this is an interesting topic...I think there are to avenues ppl take in that some ppl watch a wide variety of reviewers & some only watch a very select few...for instance, when ppl who love FT only watch reviewers of the same mind, it's hurts a bit because other companies figures don't get the same subjective view so nothing is ever looked at as comparable...I watch a lot of reviewers for different entertainment reasons & to get multiple perspectives...
If you watch the same reviewer you get the same opinion and similar figures. When I get an obscure character and see who has done a review I see new people I have never watched before
I wanna say thanks , after finding your chanel a couple few years ago I began collecting again . I love getting modern versions of my childhood favs. Your channel and a couple others re^ignited my passion for toys and as an artist it has really helped me be more creative and , well just thanks. Sterling
some reviewers have all the versions of one character and say that one figure is better but not show them side by side, i mean they dont have to transform each one, but if they have then all in bot mode....it would be nice if they put them side by side more...just to look... just because most ppl have them in bot mode anyway....but they dont have to transform them all
You guys are helpful to get an idea about the toy, we just have not to swallow it whole. Toys or whatever, it's objective to a degree, you need to form your own thought.
sometimes i just want to know if the toy is good or a piece of crap. i don't want to listen to a history lesson of the character for 30 minutes..just tell me if it is articulated or a brick, and if it feels cheap or good
II stopped watching reviewers a long time ago when I realized that every single one of them was biased towards their own personal preferences and made-up rating scales that were entirely influenced by their own biases. None of them are completely objective and a few are blatantly not objective but refuse to admit it or can’t admit it because they truly think they’re objective.
Like with movies and VGs, toy reviewers CAN BE helpful...if they commit themselves to telling the truth and not just kissing corporate aft Spark holder. Commenters can be helpful if we take the time to think before we just react. But that can be rough for us because we're not doing this YT thing as a side-gig or major hobby. For us it's just a time-filler between other commitments. So we are regularly pressed to just blurt out kneejerk reactions and then move on. And that is about as useful to you reviewers as it sounds.
True that many viewers usually barely have time to watch vids and comments are quick first thoughts and not after some time of pondering, I do that also LOL
"Reviewers breaking toys is a good thing so everyone in the community is aware to be careful with that part on that figure." Booby Numbskull is the most helpful reviewer on CZcams if that is the case. His opinion often suck, imo, but he is the king of breakage.
I actually watched a vid of his and he claims to have gone 57 days without breakage. Would be fun to see a video from him what all figures he broke and how
I see alotta reviewers about the same figure. I notice you just jump into it without doing much research and you do alot of the" I don't know". At times you seem to just wing it. To most of us it doesn't matter if you're having fun. We just want information to be as accurate as possible so we can make an educated decision.
Take it all with a grain of salt. Some reviewers have biases. Some don't wanna rock the boat. Some have agendas, and some dont give a f@ck. I watch them all and form my own opinion. Everyone adds a little something. You, Emgo and Bobby are my usual go to, but I definitely subscribed to almost all of them. Even a few lesser known guys that review old G1, Japanese continuity transformers.
There is truth that they do not want to rock the boat but truth is more important
a good point that should be made is how many toys are only available through pre-orders. not necessarily transformers, but many toys are now only available through hasbro/mcfarlane/mattel websites as pre-orders.
how can buyers make good buying decisions on a couple promo pics?
also, pre-orders often sell out within minutes this year for the popular toys.
toy companies need to should be sending out marketing samples to the reviewers BEFORE the pre-order window.
True and I think Super 7 is the worst because their figures never match promos
@@tydiriumhanger1320 It's a shame because they produce a lot of cool IP's noone else does. I dunno if it's exclusivity or whether there isn't much interest in those IP's from other manu's but they demand a stiff price tag that can be prohibitive to most people and they can't even fulfill the promise of the promo/prototype.
I know that a lot of work goes into making and editing videos. I like the fact that you take the time and respond. Even if it’s a brief statement. I haven’t thought about it until now, but I think that’s why I have rocked consistently with you over the years and other reviewers sporadically. Keep up the good work Mike👍🏾
You give us nuance
Emgo gives us accuracy
Bobby gives us honesty and easily broken parts
TM is pretty good too
I agree thanks
I don't want the broken parts. He can have those back. 😁
I'd be scared to lend or give Bobby anything that I'd expect returned or well-taken care of.
Sometimes I feel he can turn what should be an easy shell-former into a horrific spaghetti-former.
I like the education I get about vintage toy lines and also your news updates the most. Your reviews are good, but I really appreciate the showcase of old toys and the heads up the most.
I enjoy the vintage stuff the most also but it seems odd that the Retro Wed vids are slow burns. They only get a few views the first day then later they get way more views
@@tydiriumhanger1320 I see what you mean from your views. Your news I usually have playing almost immediately while I multi-task through out the day. I watch your vintage toy videos when I can actually sit down and watch, which is typically an end of day routine.
Reviews really don't have much effect on my purchasing decisions. I like what I like and I'm going to buy it regardless.
I tend to comment on a posts that I know the reviewer reads everything and responds to most comments left. Nobody interacts with comments as much as you do. I appreciate that you in turn appreciate us for leaving comments and interacting with your fan base. You're one of a kind in the world of CZcams Transformer reviewers. Thanks for being you Mike.
I've noticed they're are some reviewers that I consider to simply be toy enthusiasts. They just love Toys and that love sometimes blinds then from obvious issues with a figure.
I like review that are straightforward with their reviews. When is they like the figure, being able to point out it's shortcomings sometimes helps me make a decision on whether or not I need the figure in my collection.
A lot of times i watch reviews of figures simply to see how they turned out when i dont plan on getting them or they were outside of my price range. If im going to get a figure i will get it no matter how its reviewed by others. It is fun to watch a video on a figure review after ive already open and played/displayed the same figure. Knowing about breakage on a figure i have already purchased is extreemly helpful and some of the most important information i am looking for on figures. I do enjoy the playfuness and joy shown in the reveiws on this channel over other types of review formats.
It is fun to see what others say about a figure when you first open it and go along for the ride. Thanks
Great topic. I enjoy seeing how the figures work and the overall quality. I like getting reviewers’ opinions too. I make my own choices tho.
Just making a comment to your opinion Mike, I pretty much agree with what you're saying. I think the major problem right now is the mindset of a lot of people in this day and age. I think people have gotten absolutely nuts, and a little bit over opinionated with their point of views when they have a disagreement with something you have to say. Just in general. Does this attitude, and I often think it's a 'feminization' of the society. And I don't say that as a knock against women, but more is a trope to describe his mind mentality. I have been seeing a lot of dating videos here on CZcams where women will start rejecting men just because some other woman in a lineup rejected him first. There's a lot of copycatism, and I noticed the same behavior with a lot of guys today because they behave the same way when it comes to a particular thing or subject. If I articulated that idea correctly.
The whole point of collecting is to enjoy what you're collecting. Who cares what other people like about something you like? I have a lot of personal stuff going on right now because my mom is in the hospital, and it's funny to see how quickly people judge me and how I live. I was born with cerebral palsy, almost died 15 years ago from a chemo overdose, and had a mild stroke 2 years ago when I had covid, but sometimes I feel like I'm judged because of the aesthetic of me being in a wheelchair. Is because you're in a wheelchair it's like you're expendable in the eyes of some of these people. I've had a lot going on with my mom, trying to get social workers involved, and their first response to what's going on with us is to put both of us into a home. That might be a case 15 20 years down the road, but neither of us need to be in a home right now. All that I'm asking for is basic assistance like getting help putting in ramps and maybe putting in a walk-in shower, and basically want us to sell off the house and put us into a clinic.
Can't tell you how much that offends me just because you're in a chair that therefore that's all you're good for.
I'm an old school Star Wars fan and do not particularly like Disney Star Wars. There are people out there who do, but I am not one of them. Most of the Star Wars stuff if I do collect it nowadays I usually buy it second hand, and not buy it from Disney directly. Any of the Star Wars stuff that I do buy is either stuff that I'm manufacture and build myself, or I buy it from somebody that makes fan based art. Certain select lightsaber hilts are a good example of that. But I don't really buy anything new Star Wars related because I don't think the property is worth anything anymore. Or at least at the moment under the current ownership.
One thing I found very interesting and probably a Freudian slip in terms of their thinking is some of the critiques that I've seen of the Acutyllite (or however you spell it). One thing that I found interesting when I was listening to people review the series was that at the beginning of the show, one sister basically wants to kill the other sister because she doesn't quite believe in the ideology in the cult that they belong to, and I found that kind of interesting because it's the same ideology that I see in a lot of people who get extremely upset if you don't agree with them on their particular view. Either think the way I do or die is kind of the attitude of some of these people, and when it comes to personal taste, I noticed people apply the same attitude towards that.
I personally think this fad of going hyper toon is a major mistake. If that's an aesthetic that you like, more power to you, but that's not something that I necessarily like in my personal transformer collection, and I think it's smart to have different variants of the figure or mold so that in case you don't like one version, you have a choice of another.
The whole point of running a business is to make money, and I think the mistake that a lot of companies make is they put out something that they like but don't really appeal to various groups within a particular fandom or genre. It's a question of being able to sell something that makes money, and not selling something that you particularly like. A lot of these companies will focus on a small subgroup, but not focus on the whole group as a whole.
That's what I like about fans toys sound blaster or sound wave because it's designed where you can either make it look more accurate, but also make it look like the toy if you want. I like that design concept.
I have several magic square Optimus prime's, and as of right now, I have real no need to go out and get any other MP scaled prime because apart from the head sculpt, which is a nitpick on my part, I don't see anything that major about the figure that needs to be changed where I need to go out and buy something else because I'm content with what I got.
I like making things and it's something I would suggest to other guys the kind of get into because it's a fun hobby, but if there's something that I don't like about a certain figure, I'm in that camp that likes to mod my figure to get it the way that I want. Maybe a body modification, but mostly something is simple is like a head swap where you pop apart off when you pop a new part on.
One of my pet projects right now as I'm repairing a messed up KFC octane because he was missing body parts, or the plastic that they used is starting to degrade and crumble away. So he's a great candidate to mod, upgrade, and add new stuff to. I'm using elements off of fans toys Astrotrain to make it more into a figure that I think he should have been. The only thing I think that he suffers from it was that KFC has been rather cheap in terms of cutting corners and design making some of their figures in the past, and I think he was a figure that would have benefited from additional parts added to him, better materials used in the construction, and just mild changes to the overall design and mold.
My big concern is making sure the figure that I buy is put together well and will hold up for a long time. For example one of my favorite combiners is Moon studios Raiden, but I'm going to buy the MMC version of devastator because of the fact I've been very impressed with their Brutus and Defensor. There are people out there that I've criticized the design of those sets, but I like them very much! But that being said I'm going to also buy x-trans bots scoop which is basically just a mild retool of their scrapper. So it depends on how you look at it.
You know, I respect Reviewers opinions because it's literally a matter of preference. To be honest you should never take just 1 persons review to make a decision on whether or not to buy a figure. I feel like buy it if you like it! No matter what the Reviewers say, but watch as many Reviews as possible so you can make an informed decision. Great video Mike!
Watching someone break a figure wether by accident or circumstance it really filters out reviewers who are are heavy handed on their figures and those who are playing it safe. At least we are able to see the tolerances of a figure in terms of engineering or breakage. -- whenever it happens both are unfortunate and a blessing in disguise at the same time.
What I love in reviews is mostly comparisons wether it's size or aesthetics.
Lot of good points. Watch enough of a reviewer and you get what they are about and take it for what it’s worth. First to bet the video out is usually about content and being first. Videos have mistakes, but are good for transformation guides (for the most part). Videos that come out a couple weeks after r release are usually more informative and give a more realistic take on the figure as they are more thought out. I have multiple reviewers I watch and each for varying reasons. You just need to keep in mind that reason when watching and don’t let it influence your own opinion. Thanks for the video, I enjoyed it.
It is interesting to see differing opinions and the first ones could be improved down the road if they rereviewed
For me, it's just an opportunity to see the item out of the box. How it looks in hand and compared with some of the other versions on the market from different manu's or how they scale with MP's, Leader/Voyager class, etc.
The reviewer's take and opinions are sometimes helpful and prepare me mentally before buying but my mind is usually made up before all that.
I know some reviewers have biases for or against certain companies and will tend to look at certain products more favorably and that's their opinion. I respect it but at the end of the day, I either agree or don't.
With Ultra Magnus, it doesn't need to be an issue having a bot in armour. The Takara masterpiece kind of shows how it could be done, as the cab folds up behind. It is effectively an MP10 cab that forms a large part of the torso and back of the toy. And that's like the original toy. I think once God Ginrai comes out, people will change their tune.
Great video. To be truthful, i was following other youtubers until i realised how much i was affected by them , and unfortunately, i was affected specifically for xtb perceptor. And i was affected cause they were serious about what they were saying... i had the money to spend to replace figures or double order same character. .any others dont
It is funny when you see a figure that looks great and works how it should still get negative reviews.
I completely agree when it comes to reviewing stuff, but not being in the mood. I have filmed several videos that I have not put out because it was more of a chore than having fun shooting it. My personality isn’t there, and I don’t like it when things I love become a chore.
You do seem like you are in a great mood in your videos! It is fun to watch you have fun with lines we love and collect
I follow you because you mention if you’ve seen it in stock, you’re price focused, the fact you’re not first with a figure and, lastly, you’re a similar age. All I can say is keep up the good work.
I don’t agree with everything you say, maybe 90% haha, but I like your passion for collecting. In fact, it was you who got me onto ShowZ, which is where I buy about 2 thirds of my figures. I also highly recommend 2 Australian sites - Kings Toys & Botzmen Zone. Not as easy to navigate, but competitive prices (compared to BBTS & Chosen Prime) with good customer service.
My 2 cents
X-Transbots Janssen - I made a decision based on price & have zero regrets after buying it. It’s a solid, weighty, G1 looking figure & have no desire to purchase the Fans Toys version.
Mike, have you considered a monthly review show (on top of your normal reviews) with 2 other reviewers ? Get different personalities to spice things up haha.
I think it would be interesting to see. 😊
I have never gotten into the livestream aspect yet but maybe one day. Those Aussie distributors can be great if you buy 4 figures at once and make the shipping worth it
Nice points you got there. I'd add different people have different needs/goals for their TF. Some never transform and display on the shelf in A stance so they care about the presence most. Some like to pose them so articulation is key. Others love to transform them so they must be solid enough to withstand it and look decent in both forms. Major reviewers usually are the 1st categ, they just go thru so many new items they rarely have time to go back to play with the old stuff so you go to fangroups for secondary opinion if you enter late. But it does not mean the reviewer's job is unhelpful - it's the best starting point. Good to see more than one, especially from ones who often contradict each other (eg Mike and Bobby for MP or Deluxe for legends) to get your own opinion.
Who is Mike?
What’s his channel
True that reviews are a good starting point and groups have more opinionated views than usual on youtube
Not to mention how some have REALLY bad tastes in what's "good" and what's "bad". At the very least it should explain issues that could pop up like QC, accuracy/stylization, articulation, material quality, and do you get enough accessories and material worth the price. Even if they nitpick, as long as they're thorough in the review without it being 15-20 minutes for a basic CHUG, then it's fine.
I'll only watch reviews of figures I've already pre-ordered or figures I'm interested in but might have some hesitations about buying it. I'll watch Emgo for transformation videos of figures I have problems with. I'll watch Bobby and TMReviews for comparison videos and yours for general info and upcoming releases.
The release schedule can be detrimental as well when a figure is extremely complex. Every reviewer I watched hated Alien Attack Mackron, but I loved it. It's taken me 2 months to really GET how the figure works, and get his transformation down, but now that I have I really think that if others like EmGo had had the time to sit with them and mess with them, they'd like them a lot more.
That is a good point that really good reviewers can make a complex transformation doable or even enjoyable
I think your reviews are helpful and good comparisons too. Nice work! Yes, reviewing should be fun. Thanks for the videos and helpful commentary.
Thanks I appreciate it
Honestly, I'm fine with most things the average Transformers reviewer does. I see it as more of my job, as a viewer to interpret how much I want a reviewer's opinion to sway me or if I want it to sway me at all. The facts, however, are necessary and always appreciated! I wouldn't expect a reviewer to offer advice about aftermarket prices because as you said, they probably don't have the time for that (unless the niche of their channel is to specifically discuss such topics). That kind of advice can be sought through forums like TFW2005. The only time I feel strong disapproval of a reviewer's actions is when they say something that invalidates a toy designer's effort entirely. For example, if a reviewer were so frustrated after a play experience that they say a certain toy designer should "never design another figure". No one deserves to have their effort invalidated to that degree, not designers, not reviewers, not anyone. Sometimes we develop such a strong opinion on a figure that we want to state our opinion as fact or as a demand, but we should refrain from doing so when it attacks the core of what someone loves to do.
Anyways, great video! I love these type of discussion topics. It's very meta and it highlights your self-awareness. I'm convinced you help foster a positive community for collectors, reviewers, and toy companies altogether.
Thanks and I try to be positive. A good example of a great designer but bad production is omnigonix spinnout which is a great design but had no QC in the production process so failed
Is it the presenters job to make sure the reviewer takes what they say as opinion, or is it thee viewer job to to practice due diligence when researching a figure to discern whether or not what the reviewer stated was opinion or fact? First rule of thumb is if you want facts, don’t watch CZcams.
Reviewers are helpful, regardless of their opinions all I need is the side by side comparison to solidify my purchase 🎉🎉🎉
I agree that the comparison is the most important part of a review which is also my favorite part of making reviews
I like the 'bot inside armor '👍😛😄
It feels right because we got that back in the day
@@tydiriumhanger1320 yes it's a interesting toy!!! 🧸
Sometimes you do want to listen to reviewers that have differing views from your own. Sometimes you want those biases too. Thus it's better to get a bunch of different reviewers. Collate all the different opinions and all. I think other commentators expressed it better, and even they have differing opinions too!
I think this is an interesting topic...I think there are to avenues ppl take in that some ppl watch a wide variety of reviewers & some only watch a very select few...for instance, when ppl who love FT only watch reviewers of the same mind, it's hurts a bit because other companies figures don't get the same subjective view so nothing is ever looked at as comparable...I watch a lot of reviewers for different entertainment reasons & to get multiple perspectives...
If you watch the same reviewer you get the same opinion and similar figures. When I get an obscure character and see who has done a review I see new people I have never watched before
I wanna say thanks , after finding your chanel a couple few years ago I began collecting again . I love getting modern versions of my childhood favs. Your channel and a couple others re^ignited my passion for toys and as an artist it has really helped me be more creative and , well just thanks. Sterling
I am glad you find the channel helpful and yes the toys/media from our past is part of us and so important. Thanks
some reviewers have all the versions of one character and say that one figure is better but not show them side by side, i mean they dont have to transform each one, but if they have then all in bot mode....it would be nice if they put them side by side more...just to look... just because most ppl have them in bot mode anyway....but they dont have to transform them all
Love how you add the clips! Keep up the good work, Mike
Thanks and I feel like seeing the source material is very important. Better to see the character directly in the show rather than the sunbow chart
@@tydiriumhanger1320 I agree completely
You guys are helpful to get an idea about the toy, we just have not to swallow it whole. Toys or whatever, it's objective to a degree, you need to form your own thought.
True it is hard to get past the biases but still good to see if the figure holds up and scales correctly
I happen to really like Xtransbots.
I do also and they do make so many characters others avoid
You have valid points. Good video
Thanks
some reviewers shill for the product that they receive early samples for.
sometimes i just want to know if the toy is good or a piece of crap. i don't want to listen to a history lesson of the character for 30 minutes..just tell me if it is articulated or a brick, and if it feels cheap or good
Yep I am aware that the longer the video the harder it is for most to watch due to time constraints
II stopped watching reviewers a long time ago when I realized that every single one of them was biased towards their own personal preferences and made-up rating scales that were entirely influenced by their own biases. None of them are completely objective and a few are blatantly not objective but refuse to admit it or can’t admit it because they truly think they’re objective.
True it is hard to shed our biases but still there is a way to find the good in a figure that you may not like
Like with movies and VGs, toy reviewers CAN BE helpful...if they commit themselves to telling the truth and not just kissing corporate aft Spark holder.
Commenters can be helpful if we take the time to think before we just react. But that can be rough for us because we're not doing this YT thing as a side-gig or major hobby. For us it's just a time-filler between other commitments. So we are regularly pressed to just blurt out kneejerk reactions and then move on. And that is about as useful to you reviewers as it sounds.
True that many viewers usually barely have time to watch vids and comments are quick first thoughts and not after some time of pondering, I do that also LOL
"Reviewers breaking toys is a good thing so everyone in the community is aware to be careful with that part on that figure." Booby Numbskull is the most helpful reviewer on CZcams if that is the case. His opinion often suck, imo, but he is the king of breakage.
I actually watched a vid of his and he claims to have gone 57 days without breakage. Would be fun to see a video from him what all figures he broke and how
I see alotta reviewers about the same figure. I notice you just jump into it without doing much research and you do alot of the" I don't know". At times you seem to just wing it. To most of us it doesn't matter if you're having fun. We just want information to be as accurate as possible so we can make an educated decision.
True sometimes there are time constraints and I am trying to dedicate more time when doing these reviews