TRANSFORMERS TOYS AND MERCHANDISE SECTION

Robot Mode:

Alternate Mode:

Box Art:

Firestrider5's Review: Rodimus Minor

Name: Rodimus Minor
Allegiance: Autobot
Series: Animated
Function: Field Commander

Rodimus Minor is one of the most promising young robots ever to graduate from the Academy. His trainers were so impressed with him that he was given command of a small unit right after graduation. During the short time he has commanded his troops, he has molded them into a tight-knit force to be reckoned with. Everyone expects him to one day rise to the rank of Magnus, and command Autobot forces across the galaxy.

Rodimus Minor is one of many "Rodimus" figures across the many sub-lines of Transformers. This one surprised me as well as slightly disappointed me. I have a few reasons for each view. I love the Rodimus character because of his role as a reluctant leader in G1. If you didn't like Rodimus Prime or Hot Rod from G1, then as a character Rodimus might not be your plate of spaghetti, but hear me out! I am comparing this figure to three other "Roddies": Rodimus (Energon), Rodimus (Classics), and Excellion (Cybertron).

G1 Rodimus was one of my favorite characters. He was brave and care-free as Hot Rod and later a seasoned leader as Rodimus Prime. He was a changing character, which made him a favorite of mine, instantly.

Alternate Mode: Super-charged Sports Car
Here is where Classics and Animated are close. There are a few gimmicks about this mode that make Animated a very appealing vehicle: 1) A switchable insignia/hood scoop. This is very muscular either way. 2) Gold, oversized spoiler which gives Rodimus that "hot rod" look. 3) Chrome side pipes. 4) A crossbow which makes a great assault weapon in vehicle mode.

Honestly, I think if you leave the crossbow off, you have a great vehicle anyway. It has all the color and lines of the Classics line, without actually being part of the Classics line.

However, I have a little bone to pick with my figure. Trying to get it all to fit in place is a nightmare. This figure screams Animated Blurr! Same contortions and shortcomings as the longer, slimmer Blurr. The crossbow, even though very appealing in alt mode, pops off easily and takes nothing to fire those projectiles into nowhere! Transforming from robot to vehicle leaves a very choppy vehicle that needs constant attention all around. This is where Classics wins out over Animated -- easily! In this mode, both Excellion and Energon Rodimus both take less handling. The side pipes also don't light my fire as well because of their location on the car.

Robot Mode:
This is the better of the two modes due to his upper body. It's nice and wide with an imposing appearance for a deluxe sized bot. Multiple ball joints keep this thing from snapping so easily during transformation. If you are a big fan of Animated fare (of which I am not) you will like this representation.

There's one ambiguity, however. Rodimus' weapon is a crossbow -- one that looks quite well. Why are there pistol holsters on his thighs?

I love the hands and lower leg articulation. Also, the side pipes in G1 as well as Classics doubled as guns. Looking at this one, I don't see any gun-holes in the front of those pipes. This guy is super-articulated which actually wins out over Excellion, Energon Rodimus and Classics (and definitely G1). The head of the Classics toy looks better, but then Classics are supposed to look as close as possible to G1. The robot mode isn't bad, I'm just saying I've had better Rodimus figures.

Tranformation:
This is such a tricky bot because you have to get everything right for it to all fit together -- much like Blurr. This is actually a more compact version of Blurr, which makes this even harder to transform. This guy has the overall appearance of Classics Rodimus, but transforms nothing like him. You basically have to bring the legs out from under him and swing his arms from the rear of the car. Switch around the cabin , and you've got the head. Overall, not a difficult transformation at all, just a tedious one.

Appearance:
Typical Animated appearance. He's rather humorous, really. How can anyone take a commander seriously when he looks like ET's cousin? Not bad, though. You have to see the Animated series in order to appreciate this Rodimus character. The head is a little goofy looking. He looks "knobby" all the way down. Not a disgraceful figure at all, but even Energon Rodimus looks better than this. Still, my favorite of all mentioned for appearance is Classics Rodimus. He has a great vehicle mode and a great robot mode as well.

If you like Rodimus in this line, I encourage you (if you can afford it) not to stop there. Get Ultra Magnus, Blurr as well as the Dinobots. Those work well together. I got this as a Toys R Us Exclusive. Even if I want to do so later, I am not giving this one up for that reason. He's actually worth money.

Marks out of ten for the following:


Transformation Design: 6 /10 Not a bad transformation, but due to having to match up all the pegs in the right places (and they must be perfect), the score shot up from 4 to 6.
Durability: 6 /10 This is where I am concerned. Animated figures are not made of the toughest plastic. The window sections are particularly weak, so attention needs to be taken not to break this section. Otherwise, not too bad.
Fun: 8/10 Besides the tedious transformation, Rodimus rolls well as a car and can even make a half decent starship pseudo-mode ( You heard me right, just don't get too happy about that). He has a crossbow that fires missiles that can knock down Classics Galvatron and Cyclonus in one blow. He really is OK.
Price/Value: 8/10 $11.97 CAD -- Not Bad for what you get. I really like this guy, even if he looks a little daft in Robot mode.
Aesthetics: 8/10 Typical Animated look. Not bad for blending in. ET PHONE HOME!!
Articulation: 10/10 They actually thought of everything -- even the feet. Ball joints are wonderful, as long as they themselves don't break off. Super posable!
Overall: 7.5 /10 I would not say that this is the best Rodimus by a long shot -- Nope! But for the series, I would recommend him as well as Blurr to get the third year of the G1 Autobots ( Ultra Magnus, Hot Rod, Kup, Blurr, etc.). He's not a disgrace, but if I had my chance again, I would pick Classics over Animated yet again.