TRANSFORMERS TOYS AND MERCHANDISE SECTION

Robot Mode:

Alternate Mode:

Additional Image:

Box Art:

Rookwise's Review: Fansproject Backfiery

Name: Backfiery
Function: Insectclone Leader/Ninja
Size Class: Between Scout/Commander and Deluxe

Bio:

Back-105's Diary Entry # 152

How long as it been ?

Since the day I was created in PIT facility, I knew I was different.
Every other Proto-Insectclone back there has no desire of their own; they follow orders, do training and kill each other every day. They don't even want their own name.

But I want to be different. I want to have a name, I want to be unique, and I want..........to be free.

Today I finally acquired my own name – Backfiery. I am no longer Back-105...I AM BACKFIERY ! Yet, I still do not feel unique. With these new powers, I can proceed, and when the “Object” is retrieved, I can finally make myself unique, very soon.....

I can't wait for that day to come.


Taken from Fansproject's website:

The quickest of his brothers, Backfiery was recovered and converted by the powerful Skycrow. Like his brothers, Thundershred and Stormbomb, he acquired the art of Ninjutsu and adopted the philosophy of Godai to harness the power of "Fire". With his speed, weaponry and ability to bring the heat to any battle, Backfiery poses a serious threat to all of his enemies. Driven also by revenge, Backfiery has a fiery temper that makes him unpredictable and highly volatile - an adversary that can really catch his opposition off-guard.


Features:
- Kunai (similar to a large spearhead)
- High quality and superior poseability
- Transforms into a grasshopper



Alternate Mode

Backfirey changes into a robotic Grasshopper. The main colour in this mode is black along with yellow, grey, purple and a small amount of red. Backfirey's weapons can be stored on the figure's legs in this mode and give the look of spikes pointing downwards. This is something a typical grasshopper would have as they would rub their back legs together on these spikes to create their whistling sound. However. Instead of them being on the outside of the leg like Backfirey, a real grasshopper has them on the inside of their rear legs.

Backfirey also features insect-like antennae on the alt mode's head and also has quite large wings.

There is a lot of robotic detail (panelling, venting etc) all over the figure in this mode and everything goes together nicely with very little robot parts on show. Articulation however, is very limited in this mode with virtually no parts able to move except at the hips, wings and front legs/feet.

Backfirey also features what looks like thrusters/boosters between his rear legs, possibly to give him some extra speed when in flight.

Overall quite a nice alt mode imo even if lacking in articulation.


Robot Mode

After a slightly involving transformation which can be a little fiddly (moreso in reverse getting Backfirey back into his alt mode) on certain sections, we get Backfirey's robot mode.

Backfirey is without a doubt the better of the three Insectclone figures. Unlike his team mates which are designed for strength and brute force with their large bulky armoured bodies, Backfirey is slim and gives an impression of stealth as one of his specialties similar to an assassin in some ways. Backfirey's Kunai blades and head design also suggest that he uses the silent/stealthy approach to taking down an opponent, basically by getting in close and rapidly dispatching an enemy.

Backfirey's blades attach in the same locations on his legs and hip pegs and hold in place firmly.

Again, like his alt mode. Backfirey's main colour is black along with yellow, grey, silver and purple.

Backfirey features 8 pairs and 1 single points of articulation (17 points if counted separately) with the only area not having any articulation being at the waist. This is fixed due to the way Backfirey transforms (his hip section separates when changing to alt mode). Otherwise he is very articulated and can assume a wide verity of poses.

One other thing to note is that Backfirey's alt mode wings can be located in two different positions. In the standard position they are located pointing down alongside the rear legs. There is a second position which makes Backfirey more resemble his older distant cousin Kickback. This basically involves rotating the wings to point upwards behind the shoulders. Although the instructions don't show this arrangement, there have been some images from fans showing the wings in the upright position.

On my Backfirey all joints are nice and tight as usual with Fansprojects offerings, and the plastic quality is excellent.

One other thing to mention - Backfirey's knive's are quite sharp at their point/tip so be careful.


Unfortunately it seems that Backfirey is the last of Fansproject's 2011 line of figures and Fansproject themselves have since gone very quiet (as of July 2011) on any future releases, if there are to be any at all. Hopefully they will continue the Causality line as there have been other characters mentioned (Skycrow, Stardust) which would be interesting to see.


Marks out of 10 for the following:

Transformation Design: 8 - Certain parts can be fiddly at first but take your time and you will have it mastered in no time at all.
Durability: 7 - Feels very well made and most joints are made with the ball and socket type so easily pop off and back on if undue stress is applied. Backfirey's knives could break at the tip I guess as they do become quite thin.
Fun: 8 - Plenty of poses in robot mode and accessory's along with a nicely designed figure. Alt mode loses virtually all articulation but still looks nice.
Aesthetics: 8 - Lots of detail and the colours work well together.
Articulation: 9 - With the amount of articulation Backfirey has how could he not score a high mark ? There's a lot of articulation which makes for some good display. Just the lack of waist movement prevents the mark from being a 10.
Value/Price: 6 - Priced around the £35-£39 mark at most online stores. This is where this type of figure will always score lower than others in its size but when you consider the amount of detail and engineering that has gone into making them and the fact they're not made for mass market, you can see why. I can't see their price dropping either as all three Insecticlones seem to be in huge demand meaning that future prices could be higher after they've gone out of production.
Overall: 8 Fansproject's offerings are getting better than most of the official products both in design and manufacture. Just the high price tag that they command but with limited production of each item they make. Its easy to see why.