TRANSFORMERS TOYS AND MERCHANDISE SECTION

Robot Mode:
Alternate Mode:
Box Art:
Technical Specifications:
STR
INT
SPD
END
RNK
CRG
FPR
SKL

numbat's review of: Cosmos

Name: Cosmos
Allegiance: Autobot
Function: Reconnaissance & Communications
Sub-Group: Minibot

Quote: "Reach for the stars, but never leave your friends."

Lonely in outer space... relieves boredom by scaring humans by hovering over their backyards at night or zig-zagging through metor showers. Can achieve Earth orbit, even go to the Moon and back with enough fuel. Acts as communications satellite... optical sensors can see bicycle at 600 miles. Has pinpoint accuracy, high-powered particle beam. Not well suited to function on ground as robot.

Ah, Cosmos, what a friendly little chap you are. Touching. You really do care about your friends…

Not really the most popular of Minibots, but he is rather unique in many ways. He is, after all, a hi-tech non-human vehicle. I can’t think of another Minibot who can boast possessing a non-Earth related alternate mode.

Of course, in many ways he was a story device, rather than a character in the TV series. Still, he had something of a character.

But, as a Minibot, how the Hell does he turn into such a big space ship?

Ah, the mysteries of life…


Alternate Mode:

Cosmos turns into a flying saucer. He’s a 1980s shade of green (I don’t know how, but that’s just the shade it is), with a wee red top that looks like an attachable light for an undercover police car. He measures 2 ¼” (5.5cm) in diameter, and is nicely detailed with panels, and some gnarly exhaust ports (once again, that’s just the right word, ok?). He also has a nice metallic sticker with very retro (well, not at the time I suppose…) details. He possesses three small wheels on his underside so you can roll him along your table. And he does skitter along rather nicely!

He’s got a nice alternate mode, no signs of the robot (I don’t feel the yellow bars count, as they’re flush with the hull, and could well just be what they look like – yellow panels). Good fun, although the design is rather cheesy even for the time (released in 1985).


Robot Mode:

Transformation is simple, but I’d say more complex than most Minibots. I won’t go into the details, but he is quite fun, and relatively refreshing. There’re nice touches which provide the robot with decent proportions – something G1 (or the previous series the toys were lifted from, depending) designers did not always take the time to do! (Hell, they still don’t…)

He stands 2 ½” (6.5cm) tall, and is quite bulky for a Minibot. The proportions are good, with the exception of his giant, erherm, back side. His feet are not particularly defined, but I forgive them. The colour scheme finds a lot more yellow creeping in, and I feel he looks better this way, as the green can be a bit overbearing. The red lamp, of course, forms his head, which now has a yellow face that resembles the cartoon counterpart. The detailing on the arms’ yellow panels is really nice, and the peaked shoulders work well. Plus, the exhausts as hands look great!

All in all, a satisfying little ‘bot.

Still, it is interesting to note the similarities to the Guardian Gobot Pathfinder (released 1984). Although the transformation is very different, the two modes are rather similar indeed. With that in mind, it’s just fantastic that E-Hobby included a repaint of Cosmos named ‘Pathfinder’ in the 2004 Minibot set (in a suitably 1980s shade of blue)!

I reckon this guy is often overlooked, and under appreciated.



Transformation: 3 – I have to mark him up for the level of thought that went in to providing a transformation that gives decent robot proportions.
Durability: 7 – He’s pretty solid, but I find the head to be getting slack in his old age, and that the red paint is wearing around the edges.
Fun: 4 – He’s not the most fun ever, and falls shorter than some Minibots in my opinion, but he does display well.
Price: 10 – Much cheaper than chips! You can pick up a loose Cosmos in tip top condition from as little as 20p ($0.40)!
Overall: 6 – He’s hardly a must own, but he is a well thought through Minibot that’ll be happy in any collection. He likes to make new friends, and puts them first. Oh, and he’s bloody cheap as well…