TR: Daburu & Autobot Twinferno

Working area for reviews.

Moderators: Skyquake87, ganon578

Post Reply
User avatar
HotShot81
Protoform
Posts: 509
Joined: Fri Oct 31, 2003 5:27 am
Location: Canada, Land of Ice and Snow
Contact:

TR: Daburu & Autobot Twinferno

Post by HotShot81 »

Name: Daburu & Autobot Twinferno
Allegiance: Autobot
Class Size: Deluxe
Accessories: Twin Blaster Cannons
First Appearance US Comics: None
First Appearance US Cartoon: None

Before I touch this character, I want to explain something to you, my reading public. While his official name is Daburu & Autobot Twinferno, I plan to only call him Twinferno once I start to break him down for you, since honestly Autobot Twinferno doesn't really roll off your tongue, does it?

Odds are you've never heard of either Daburu or Autobot Twinferno, and I can't blame you. Since before they before they became who they were. The only time this mold (or something close to it) touched toy shelves was near the end of the G1 run with the Monsterbots, who had this dangerous feature of firing cold sparks out of their mouths. He went by the name of Doublecross then and appeared rarely in the comics, and the Japanese Headmaster cartoon.

In a sense of purity, I am not going to convey Doublecross's exploits to you, since I feel the three characters are different enough that they aren't as interchangeable at some of the Titan Return figures who are old sometimes characters in new molds. It is a form of time travel if you would, doing now what they couldn't do then.

The biography for these two reads as follows, "With the Decepticons rising, the Autobots power up with Titan Master partners to stop them! Daburu provides an engeron jolt to a bot's combat systems to peak performance."

It makes things sound like Daburu is the one calling shots here. Based on the stats card, I'd say everything above is true. I've read my share of spec cards for a headmaster unit, and Daburu is the only one (with the exception of Nucleon) to have the same consistent ability to drive a bot up 5-6 on all systems.

Robot Mode

Twinferno is a deluxe sized figure, so he's got lots of company on the toy shelves, and also a lot of comparisons when it comes to how he looks and moves. Despite owning countless Transformers, I have yet to see one who has black and white in him, maybe he's on a work release program, so Prowl has him in prison colors, but he's still permitted to fight the Decepticons?

In a rare feat for few transformers of even larger size than Twinferno have accomplished, he actually has fully articulate feet. He can move them a good 45 degrees like a human, and can turn them around a full 360, the former feature is a must since when you transform him back, it's hard to figure out how they go until you match up the way the foot moves to line it up with his leg so it functions like a human's foot & leg. This ability must give him one heck of an edge when the Transformers play soccer since he really delivers a sweet kick with those feet.

His legs are standard issue in a sense, he can bends them both 180 degrees, and spin them around. By moving the waist plate up you can easily sit him down to pose him. Yes, like countless Transformers he can do the splits. His lower chest is one of the spaces where Daburu can reside when you transform Twinferno; you cannot access this space until you transform him.

We all know Transformers really don't have genders, we assume they are male unless the voice or their physical attributes are female. In Twinferno's case, he has what I tend to view as a superhero chest, nice and muscular; usually design prevents Transformers from having this look. In some ways his arms and hands are a letdown, since they can only move 90 degree. If you want to move his arms in his shoulders you need to bend them down, spin the on the socket, and then go back up for the new position. The reason for this is because of those nice red shoulder guards he has. I can't even figure a way to let him hold his blasters as one united weapon with his hands together. Despite his limitations, you can still do a lot of good poses with his arms.

Like countless Titan's his head does shake in the socket after you remove him the first time. I've seen this over several figures, so it's par for the course for this product line. That being said there are a lot of good things about Twinferno in robot mode. He has a lot of great detailing, and where sometimes Hasbro avoided paint they've added some to help him pop. I just wish his feet didn't look like plastic bricks, maybe next time?

Now the manual will tell that he only has four mounting points for his guns, his hands, and two slots next to head. Well there are more, you can mount them on his shoulders and wings while he's in robot form. I found there were more than a few things not documented about him. Since I brought up his wings, I feel they're a bit too small for a figure of this size. I mean Twinferno is supposed to be a dragon, and few if any have small wings.

Dragon Mode

Remove the guns, and his head to start. Get his dragon heads pointing down before you pop the shoulder assembly forward, and make sure not to hang onto the arms, or they get caught up in the wings. Once they are in place flip it up, and get the tabs and slots in the shoulders to line up, feel free to adjust his small dragon arms forward. I'll note now you can access his chest to store a headmaster unit.

Flip the tail parts on his legs up to 90 degrees, and then flip his ankles and feet up also as much as you can, now bring the two legs together and flip it up. You can now move his ankles forward so they lock around the waist. Bring the silver part of the feet forward to the front before unfolding his dragon legs and closing up the tail as well.

Anyone who has any sense of imagination thinks a fearsome two headed dragon destroying the country side, and some valiant knight off to kill the creature. Sadly Twinferno can't deliver on this front, his wings feel too small. Because of the limited range of necks he can't really strike out at the poor knight. I mean I tried to balance him on his legs, and honestly I thought I had a chicken here on my desk, when I could get him balanced at all. On his upper chest he has something that looks like a buzz saw, a non functional one that is smaller than a Canadian dime, with blades so dull I'd be surprised if they could cut water. On an interesting note on the back where his cannons are suppose to go, right in front of that spot are a pair of pegs perfect for connecting a titan master. I admit, it's got to be a unique spot when riding Twinferno.

We have three busted moments in Twinferno's future. I can't get him to stand on four legs as the manual says he can, yup busted, not going to work. Just like the idea of combining his two guns into one and plugging them into slots in his back between his wings, another busted moment. I hate to sound like a downer, but the tabs and slots in his legs and tail, another busted. This is a very bad sign for old Twinferno.


Final Call

Transformation Design: 5/10 While I applaud Hasbro for going into the archives and digging up and modernizing this design, sadly I see too many faults with his arms and beast mode to really give him high marks.

Durability: 7/10 While his body is solid, there are still several weak points. While transforming him, I accidently tore off a wing, and his smaller dragon arms. They were easy to fix, but these problems might have never happened if he had been designed better.

Fun: 5/10 In robot mode he's decent, nothing special, but still decent. What kills the fun factor is the fact that he doesn't have that many poses, or even held together that well in dragon mode. I mean could you imagine some villain of the week falling apart as he goes after the hero? Well that's what happens to Twinferno in dragon mode.

Aesthetics: 6/10 I want to give Dabu top marks here. There are only so many faces out there if you would, and to be able to put such a sharp clean one for Twinferno is a credit to the design team. It's nice to see the contrasting colors of black, while, even a splash of red. Then I look at the chicken legs and arms in beast mode, and the brick feet in robot mode, and I forget I liked how he looks.

Articulation: 8/10 I had to ask myself, can Twinferno meet the standards of other Transformers in his class, and the answer is yes. There is room for improvement around the arms. In dragon mode, while I am not impressed, I am not unimpressed enough to knock points off his score.

Value: 4/10 Up until a few years ago, a Deluxe sized figure would cost me $15.00 CND regular retail price. Twinferno cost me $20.00. I have a hard time paying for that kind of price hike, when I see the problems I did see in him. I mean I wanted to fall in love with the guy, since his odd color pattern and design got my attention. However when push comes to shove, it didn't pan out.

Overall: 5/10 50% ouch, especially for a modern figure. What turned me off was his beast mode, think of it like baseball. Where it's three strikes, you are out, well three busted moments, and he's out. While he did catch my eye, I can't see him ending up on anyone's must have list. Until he hits shelf warmer status, since he's not worth the price to buy him.
Attachments
Twin_Gun.JPG
Twin_Box_Shot.JPG
Twin_Beast.jpg
Dino_Twin_Fight.JPG
Dabu_HD.JPG
User avatar
HotShot81
Protoform
Posts: 509
Joined: Fri Oct 31, 2003 5:27 am
Location: Canada, Land of Ice and Snow
Contact:

Post by HotShot81 »

More photos
Attachments
Twin_Card.JPG
Twin_Victory.JPG
User avatar
HotShot81
Protoform
Posts: 509
Joined: Fri Oct 31, 2003 5:27 am
Location: Canada, Land of Ice and Snow
Contact:

Post by HotShot81 »

Hey 3 months, help me! Poor little review lost in upload land!
Post Reply