Metalhawk
Metalhawk is a slight step-up from the average
Pretender.
This was another piece of the 1988 Transformers range into which Takara put a bit more effort, and selfishly kept for themselves.
For a start, thoughtful effort has been put into giving his alternate mode an aesthetic and transformation sequence that can both boast more than "robot-in-half". And also, the inner robot sports die-cast construction. Oh no, "Metalhawk" is not a name given in vain.
Metalhawk's shell shares the same lack of articulation as the other Pretenders. Pivoting shoulders is all that's on offer. Well, that and a explicitly large gun and sword.
Unlike the other Pretenders, though, Metalhawk demonstrates an distinct "Manga" look to his armour, colour scheme and hairstyle.
Metalhawk's robot mode is revealed, upon opening the shell, to be a pleasant surprise. Standing alongside the lank and malnourished look of other Pretender robots, Metalhawk is practically hurculean in comparison.
With his brushed gold die-cast chest and grey/blue/red colourscheme, Metalhawk looks and feels like an original Transformer. But, why the long face?
The shell's cannon and sword aren't designed for handling by the robot, but instead the jet mode's rear wings have gun barrels on them and can be handheld as weapons.
Metalhawk's transformation to jet mode is simple and sturdy, much like all Transformers of the time. Instructions are not required.
Although it's obvious that Metalhawk is a jet, it's hard to tell exactly which make/model it's based on, if at all. The illustrations on the box are trade descriptions-violatingly misleading. I would hazard a guess and say it's an F-15, going by the shape of the wings, the boxart pictures and, tentatively, the similarities that Metalhawk's overall design shares with the original Starscream.
The fact that Metalhawk is a robot inside a splitable shell is not the only thing going for him. He's also a good robot, and a good jet. Metalhawk is all that the Pretenders line should have been.
Metalhawk was released in Japan in 1988 as part of the Masterforce line.
This was another piece of the 1988 Transformers range into which Takara put a bit more effort, and selfishly kept for themselves.
For a start, thoughtful effort has been put into giving his alternate mode an aesthetic and transformation sequence that can both boast more than "robot-in-half". And also, the inner robot sports die-cast construction. Oh no, "Metalhawk" is not a name given in vain.
Metalhawk's shell shares the same lack of articulation as the other Pretenders. Pivoting shoulders is all that's on offer. Well, that and a explicitly large gun and sword.
Unlike the other Pretenders, though, Metalhawk demonstrates an distinct "Manga" look to his armour, colour scheme and hairstyle.
Metalhawk's robot mode is revealed, upon opening the shell, to be a pleasant surprise. Standing alongside the lank and malnourished look of other Pretender robots, Metalhawk is practically hurculean in comparison.
With his brushed gold die-cast chest and grey/blue/red colourscheme, Metalhawk looks and feels like an original Transformer. But, why the long face?
The shell's cannon and sword aren't designed for handling by the robot, but instead the jet mode's rear wings have gun barrels on them and can be handheld as weapons.
Metalhawk's transformation to jet mode is simple and sturdy, much like all Transformers of the time. Instructions are not required.
Although it's obvious that Metalhawk is a jet, it's hard to tell exactly which make/model it's based on, if at all. The illustrations on the box are trade descriptions-violatingly misleading. I would hazard a guess and say it's an F-15, going by the shape of the wings, the boxart pictures and, tentatively, the similarities that Metalhawk's overall design shares with the original Starscream.
The fact that Metalhawk is a robot inside a splitable shell is not the only thing going for him. He's also a good robot, and a good jet. Metalhawk is all that the Pretenders line should have been.
VERDICT:
Metalhawk was released in Japan in 1988 as part of the Masterforce line.