Sunday, October 14, 2007

Transformers - G1 - Soundwave

Soundwave Toy Commercial


Back in 1984 when i first watched the G1 Transformers cartoons... there were a few distinct characters that i was very interested in.. one of them being Soundwave. Not only does he look cool in robot form.. he's got cassettebots that shoots out of his chest compartment/cassette deck!!! What makes him stand out from the rest of the D-Cons was definitely his "Monotone" voice.

He is a regular fixture in the first 2 seasons of the US Transformers series and function as Megatron's right hand bot... perhaps second only to Starscream. His loyalty towards Megatron is unwavering thus making him one of Megatron's most trusted soldier.

Unfortunately by the 3rd season of the US animated series, Soundwave is hardly seen anymore throughout the season and he is no longer Megatron's Right Hand Man either. With the reformation of Megatron into Galvatron, both Starscream n Soundwave have been replaced by both Cyclonus, Scourge and the sweeps.

Soundwave Superior... Constructicon Inferior...


Soundwave is one of the G1 D-Cons to have survived from "Haskara's/Takbro's" decision to kill off the pre TF Animated movie of 86'. He appeared in the movie, and perhaps one of his most memorable scene is when Megatron ordered him to dispatch his Cassettebots to jam the A-Bots transmission as seen in the video clip above.

Transformers G1 Vintage - Soundwave


Transformers Book Collection - Soundwave


Transformers Classics - Soundwave


Transformers Encore - Soundwave


As a kid... i could never afford the bigger bots as they are way beyond my budget.. i would either have to save up like crazy just to get 1 toy.. or i would have to be a "Charity project" for my wealthier and luckier friends... Frankly speaking, i do remember having a "Soundwave" toy as a kid.. but as for how i got to have it in the first place... i simply could not remember anymore.

Soundwave







Anyhow... I manage to get Soundwave again years later in 2001 when a guy whom i just met in a toyshop mentioned that he's got tons of vintages in his collection and have no idea that they are worth that much. It was a very mint figure, i got a Blaster from the same person as well, and to top it off.. another collector whom i have bought all of his Beast Wars collection from, gave me a few cassettebots FOC as an incentive for buying such a huge lot from him...

Unfortunately, i had to sell off both my Soundwave n Blaster along with their Cassettebots due to a financial emergency in 2002.

CGI Soundwave by Iaconcity


Thankfully, a few years later Takara decide to do a series of reissued G1 vintage TF under the Book Collection series... At long last, i got my beloved Soundwave back in my hands, followed by a retooled and repainted Soundwave called "Soundblaster" under the same series.

Soundwave n Soundblaster Comparison


Depicted here are both Soundwave and Soundblaster with their cassettebots, Although Soundblaster was only reissued once under the Takara Book Cover Collection, Soundwave have joined the ranks of being a toy that's gonna be reissued to hell LOL. So far eversince the Takara Book Cover reissues... it had seen quite a few reincarnation since then. The latest reincarnation of it being reissued is the "Transformers - Encore" series by TakaraTomy.

I didn't bother to get yet another G1 Soundwave.. as i've already got it... so unless i am loaded and have nothing to buy.. i don't think i'll be getting an extra Soundwave fig. Although, i must admit.. it's pretty darn tempting to get it becoz it's in a G1 style packaging hehehe ;p

CGI War Within Soundwave by Iaconcity


Above is a CGI War Within done by Iaconcity inspired by Don Figueroa's "War Within" comic book series. The designs for this series are very creative to say the least and it's a real breath of fresh air to see TF's in the original Cybertronian mode... however this mode is very very different from the Cybertronian street lamp mode as seen in the very first episode of the three part episodes "More Than Meets The Eye".

Soundwave have been confirmed for TFTM-2 in 2009. So i guess it is very unlikely for Soundwave to be a walkman again.. so maybe something like the WW Soundwave would make better sense... what do u guys think??

Cheers!!!
N_M

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