TRANSFORMERS TOYS AND MERCHANDISE SECTION

Robot Mode:

Alternate Mode:

Box Art:

Sir Auros' review of: Knockoff Heinlad

Name: Heinlad

I didn't even know the name of this particular Japanese knockoff until I looked around for it on tfu.info when I started this review. This knockoff is in the same line as some of the other Beast Wars era knockoffs being sold at Big Lots stores in the US and is in the same pricegroup as the Rattrap and Lio Convoy knockoffs. I'm still not so sure why I bought it other than it was $5 and it was a Transformers knockoff. For a knockoff, the plastic quality and paintjob are pretty good.

Alternate Mode:
Heinlad's alternate mode is some sort of weird raccoon type of animal. It's really not very impressive, it doesn't hide the robot mode well, and has almost no articulation and bizarre proportions. There's also a huge ying-yang on the stomach. Ultimately, it's a very lame beast mode and (other than coming out in Japan near the end of BW in the US) is an obvious reason it hasn't been brought to the US.

Robot Mode:
Heinlad's robot mode kind of looks like a modified Optimus Prime...with a saki bottle and box of Chinese take-out that turns into a handgun. This mode also sports a ying-yang on the stomach. The articulation is pumped up several notches in this mode but is quite lacking in the hands since they're the same molded, strangely positioned appendages from the beast mode. The hands can't hold anything well, but the take-out box handgun kind of works. Probably the worst thing about this mode is the split racoon head making up the shoulder pads.

Transformation: 7 - Poorly designed since the beast mode looks like crap thanks to the robot mode.
Durability: 8 - Not bad for a knockoff and probably the best out of all the Big Lots knockoffs I've bought so far.
Fun: 4 - Lame to play with in either mode and not much to look at on display.
Price: 8 - Good price, but even at $5 the toy isn't worth it.
Summary: 5 - Why anybody would actually want this is beyond me and I'm kind of ashamed from buying it.