Transformers Fans Toys FT-28 Hydra (Masterpiece Sixshot)
Fanstoys items usually come with an outer plastic baggie to protect the box.
Remember to flip out the heels on the figure for better balance.
Remember to flip out his “chest wings” from the chest panel for show accuracy.
SUPER IMPORTANT NOTE!
When returning the figure to the box after transforming through several modes, make sure the orientation of the butterfly shoulder joint is correct, otherwise, the shoulders will not fit into the top styrofoam half!
Since this is a Third Party, non-official item, it doesn’t come with a faction symbol. It’s best to get some stickers from Reprolabels/Toyhax.com to make this guy more “toon-accurate”. Alternately, you can also use “water slide decals” to make them look even more flawless (you won’t see the edges, unlike with stickers) but I’ve never really had the proper skills, or time (usually needs to be individually cut first) to work with those.
For water slide decals, most folks recommend the one from Ocean Studio. Here:
http://www.unclebillyshop.com/decals-poster/ocean-logo-decals.html
Normally, I would put faction symbols on my 3P MP, but since I prefer the look from the Japanese TF Headmasters for Sixshot and they rarely showed him having a Decepticon symbol, I guess I’m passing on putting a Decepticon logo on the figure.
Japanese Headmasters version.
US Transformers Season 4 “Rebirth” version.
Hydra weighs 938 Grams and stands roughly 10.75 inches (height of his shoulders) or 13.75 inches (height of his wings).
Diecast parts include:
– Chest plates (both of them!)
– Parts of the torso
– Certain panels on the arms and legs
– Knees
– Feet
– Beast mode paws
The set comes with two different visual styles for his chest plates, the default one is based on his US cartoon and toy appearance, while the optional piece is based on his look in the Japanese cartoon continuity.
Replacing the chest plates requires removing the screws, do be VERY careful doing this as the screws are very long and the hinge sections of the chest plate are very thin.
Since the character had practically a cameo role in the US cartoons (just showed up in one scene) and had a greater presence in the Japanese Headmasters cartoons (he was the most popular character in the show at the time, really). I think the Japanese look is the way to go for this guy.
For articulation, the figure surprisingly comes with a butterfly shoulder joint and an ab crunch joint!
There’s also some ankle tilt, but it’s very minimal.
There is some waist rotation but it’s also very minimal, due to the crotch piece getting in the way.
The “one robot army” Decepticon, capable of transforming into six different modes. Sixshot is one of the strongest Decepticons ever. He appeared very briefly in the US cartoons, but in the Japanese Headmasters TV series, he had a much larger role (even becoming one of the good guys). Also, in the Japanese show, he could manifest all 6 of his modes at once using a type of Cybertronian multiplication ability to create multiple copies of himself on a battlefield.
He comes with his “hypersonic concussion blasters”
Similar to most Masterpiece figures, the weapons plug into the hands via grooves in the figures’ palms.
He also comes with a sword, something that was only introduced in the IDW comics, I believe. Seems fitting, as he was meant to be a Decepticon master assassin.
The swords can actually be split into two!
Beast mode
Getting him into beast mode is ridiculously complicated, particularly with the legs. I don’t see why they had to make the transformation so complex? It really wasn’t worth the effort IMHO.
If you’re going for it, this is what the legs should look like.
Jet mode
This is probably my favorite alt mode for this guy. Easy to get transformed to and looks stunning.
Battlecar mode
I don’t really recommend leaving him in his Battlecar mode, let alone roll him on any surface. There’s drag under the chassis somewhere and with a fully painted figure, that’s going to leave a scratch. It’s nice it can get to this mode, but it’s only for accuracy and visual looks, it’s not functional I think.
Tank mode
Not particularly impressed with this one, since the heavy legs up top tend to tip this vehicle upwards. Balancing it so that it stays flush on the ground can be tricky.
I love these telescoping “guns” in this mode.
I laughed out seeing the wolf’s head in there driving…
Gun mode
Doing this one made me super nervous, after watching Bobby Skullface’s review and he accidentally crushed the c0ckpit canopy while transforming it into the gun mode, I had to go REALLY slow inserting the tabs into the canopy. I sure won’t be transforming it into this mode again, ever.
Be VERY, VERY careful with this transformation step.
Heh, it comes with a “trigger”, which is Hydra’s rear crotch section.
I forgot to do his “seventh” mode, the “Winged Wolf”, from the Japanese Headmasters series. Oh, well..
With his boss, Sovereign (Galvatron)!
Overall, a beautiful piece! The paint is amazing, the details are all good in all modes, it’s really impressive how Fans Toys manages to get the engineering all worked out and then top it all off with amazing sculpt and paint and diecast! The only real downside is the super complex transformation (as usual), I can’t but help think they could’ve maybe simplified it a bit more? Particularly the wolf mode, but I guess it is what it is.
Gold
