Review: Japan Botcon 1998 Grizzly-1/Barbearerian and Double Punch
The Deflowering Club
the Botcon '98 Japanese Exclusives. For the benefit of others, I'd
figure I'd let the rest of you Beast Wars fans know what I think of
them.
Packaging: Unlike most Japanese Beast Wars, both figures have a
similiar boxes that are of the same size and proportions. The box
contains the same "scaley" background effect that decorated the
post-rock bubble Beast Wars in the U.S. This "scaley" effect fades into
black in certain areas of the boxes. The packaging is slightly taller
than the regular Mega-sized boxes, but is not as long. Each side of the
boxes (front, top, back, bottom, and the 2 flaps) feature the BOTCON
JAPAN EXCLUSIVE logo with a white Maximal symbol preceding it and a
white Predacon symbol following it. The words "BOTCON JAPAN" are
written in the "classic" Generation One Transfomers style. While
"EXCLUSIVE is "roughly" written in a light blue and an overly-large
"X". The Front of the box features a picture of the character with
either "The Heroic Maximal BARBEARERIAN" (not Barbearian) or "The Evil
Predacon DOUBLE PUNCH". The sides panels of the box feature the same
picture on the front with each respective character's name and the
famous Beast Wars eye used on the older U.S. packaging. Both the front
and the back of each box features kanji and/or copyrights. Both
characters are tightly wrapped in clear plastic taped down to hold them
in. Both figures have been taped down so that their action gimmicks do
not activate. Including Double Punch's missiles being taped down to his
scorpion back. An interesting note, looking at the package from the
front one of the side flaps opens towards you while the other opens away
from you. Meaning one is closer to the front end while the other is
closer to the back end.
Tech Specs: The tech specs for Grizzly-1 and Double Punch are both
seperate cards inserted into their boxes, behind a removable white
cardboard insert. Both characters feature extraordinary artwork for
their tech specs. Both character portraits are different from those
that are found on the boxes that they are packaged in. The tech specs
are set up exactly the same style that is used for the American tech
specs. There Bio and Tech Specs are completely in English. Someone
fluent in the English language clearly wrote the bios for Double Punch
and Grizzly-1, because they are well written and in an aspect, they are
well researched. Surrounding the "American style" tech specs is a
border that says "BIO & TECH SPECS." and "CLIP AND SAVE!". Just below
the tech specs is obviously the Japanese language translation of the
tech specs.
PREDACON
DOUBLE PUNCH
FUNCTION: KILLER ELITE
"Assassination--that is what most dramatically changes the fate of the
world."
Cunning and cynical, Double Punch is an expert in assassination and
execution who has acquired numerous killing techniques. Whether robot,
beast or human, all beings considered by others as important become his
prey. Using a stealth mode that turns his body invisible, he silently
approaches his targets and swiftly liquidates them, but by nature he
prefers making a blood sacrifice of his enemy openly and in broad
daylight. From his tail he injects a deadly net poison that destroys
his enemy's nervous system, while from one arm he launches twin energy
signature-seeking missiles. The spy drone Beeline that he launches from
his other arm he uses by remote control to attack targets 100 km ahead,
to search for enemies, or even to transport data-cubes, though he often
also employs it to record the scenes of his own assassinations. Usually
he aligns with both sides in an argument in order to advance his own
position in the Predacon ranks.
STRENGTH: 8.0 INTELLIGENCE: 7.0 SPEED: 7.0 ENDURANCE: 6.0
RANK: 6.0 COURAGE: 9.0 FIREPOWER: 8.0 SKILL: 9.0 AVERAGE: 7.5
Surprisingly, Double Punch's tech specs contain what most American Beast
Wars don't. A good explanation of abilities, his function, and a
description that fits with with the numerical values given for his tech
specs. Double Punch was based after the European exclusive Decepticon
Action Master Elite Double Punch and the prototype of Scorponok found on
the back of the comic that came with Optimus Primal (bat) vs. Megatron
(gator). Also on a special note, parts of the first line and last line
of his bio were taken from the original Double Punch's bio, and his tech
specs are exacltly the same as the original. It is also apparent that
those who run Botcon Japan are not restricted to creating new names for
their exclusives as are those who run the American equivalent. The
portrait of Double Punch on his Tech Spec card features him with his
"mutant" head open revealing his "robot" head, while the portrait of him
on his box has his "mutant head" closed, rather than open.
Unlike the early pictures, Double Punch is transparent red and a
sparkily (for lack of a better word) dark plum (not orange and red)
where Scorponok is black and purple. Also, Scorponok's red color has
been replaced with black. Double Punch's stinger fades from plum to a
yellow-green color, a more dramatic change than in Scorponok's. The
Scorpion head has a sparkily dark green-blue color replacing Scorponok's
red. Double Punch's "mutant" head has pale yellow-green eyes with the
sparkily dark green-blue replacing Scorponok's red. Double Punch's
robot face's eyes are the same color as in the scorpion mode. Double
Punch's Andrew Wildman-inspired face is the same plum color as featured
throughout the toy, with his jaw area being gold instead of Scorponok's
white. Beeline is transparent red and plum color where Cyber Bee is
purple and black. Beeline has black stripes rather than Cyber Bee's
yellow, and gold eyes rather than black. The front of the bee's head
remains silver.
No mold changes are present, though the plastic is obviously made out of
different material it does not seem to affect any of Double Punch's
gimmicks differently than Scorponok's. Much like Inferno and Burning
Convoy, Double Punch's joints and "insides" are now visible making for a
cool effect.
Overall: Double Punch is a much better toy than Scorponok. His colors
are much more pleasing to the eye than Scorponok's, making him almost
worth the price of admission alone. But as with all Botcon Exclusives
he has a hefty price. He was priced at 7800 yen at the show. Most
would be lucky if they payed only twice that amount (around $130).
Though he is probably the best exclusive to come out of any Botcon.
MAXIMAL
GRIZZLY-1
FUNCTION: BERZERKER
"Sometimes crazy also works."
Clad in the hide of a black, wild bear, Grizzly-1 gained fame early on
in the Beast Wars, becoming a hero regarded as a living legend. Having
gone missing during a mission in the Arctic region, he has now awakened
from a long stasis lock and returned to the lines of battle! Due
to compositional flaws in his organic structure, he secretes a toxin
that induces extreme agitation and confusion, increasing his ferocity to
an astounding level, but by switching between his mutant head, which
receives the toxin and hormones, and his rational robot head, he retains
perfect control over the wild "Barbearian" within him. In order to
display his destructive power most effectively, he commits himself to
solo actions of guerilla warfare, demolitions and front-line combat. He
fires powerful energon bolts from his chest, while the power claw
equipped on his left shoulder can cruelly tear off an enemy's head
module. He forms a team with his robotic bat partner Nightshriek, who
transforms into a sonic pistol that can scramble an enemy's
cerebro-circuitry, but Nightshriek's the first to disappear when
Grizzly-1 goes into his berzerker state. He has the makings of an
excellent commander, but is blessed with few opportunities to display
his true ability there.
STRENGTH: 9.0 INTELLIGENCE: 8.0 SPEED: 4.0 ENDURANCE: 7.0
RANK: 7.0 COURAGE: 9.0 FIREPOWER: 8.0 SKILL: 9.0 AVERAGE: 7.625
At last someone has found a use for the "mutant" heads!! For those of
you who are unaware, Grizzly-1/Barbearerian was the original concept
that was to be used for the Polar Claw mold but was scraped in favor of
the polar bear. Obviously, I wasn't the only one who thought this was a
mistake. The brown and yellow Polar Claw prototypes that have been sold
in the states and now the figure I hold in my hand are more than proof.
It was a nice touch on the writer's part, to write in Grizzly-1 as part
of the original line of Beast Wars, but was lost due to a mission in the
Arctic region. This is just speculation and my reasoning, but the
Arctic was apparently choosen because of Polar Claw being the color
scheme that was released in the stores. As with Double Punch Grizzly-1
features a different portrait on his tech spec card than on his box.
Though, unlike Double Punch, both pictures feature his "mutant" head.
Stangely enough, the box refers to the figure as Barbearerian and the
bio/tech specs refers to him as Grizzly-1. Grizzly-1 is mainly a dark
brown and yellow where Polar Claw was white and red. The yellow "robot"
face of Polar Claw is now red with silver eyes instead of the original's
black eyes. The dark grey color used throughout Polar Claw remains the
same color in Grizzly-1, as does the black eyes of the "mutant" head.
The only other difference in color scheme, Polar Claw's blue claws are
now yellow with Grizzly-1. Lastly, Nightshriek (cool name!), is brown
where the Cyber Bat was white.
No mold changes are present. Grizzly-1 cannot stand straight unless his
bear head has been switched to either his "mutant" or "robot" head just
like Polar Claw. Grizzly-1's right front paw seems to open more than
Polar Claws, but Grizzly-1's spring loaded claw does not sping loose on
accident as often as PC's. Nightshriek does not accidently launch as
often as the Cyber Bat does.
Overall: I like Grizzly-1 better than Polar Claw, it's too bad they
didn't originally use this color scheme. He's worth it if you can find
him for a decent price, and if you're a completist like myself. He is
not as dramatically as better as is Double Punch over Scorponok.
Randy Para
P.S. I give any one permission to post this on their page, who wants
to. To do this though, they must proper credit and inform me on it.
P.P.S. Does anyone know exactly how many of these figures were made? I
heard it was 200.
The Deflowering Club
DMamer4442
>heard it was 200.
I'm not positive on the numbers, but I was there when they were selling them
and I know it was WAY more than 200 each.
:-)
Dave
Douglas W. Dlin
why I added the subject tag and trimmed the subject line]
Wow, he liked it so much, he posted his review three times! :-)
On Jan. 27, 1999, The Deflowering Club wrote:
> Recently I was blessed to have a LOT of cash. So I was able to purchase
> the Botcon '98 Japanese Exclusives. For the benefit of others, I'd
> figure I'd let the rest of you Beast Wars fans know what I think of
> them.
[snip]
>
>
> Tech Specs: The tech specs for Grizzly-1 and Double Punch are both
> seperate cards inserted into their boxes, behind a removable white
> cardboard insert. Both characters feature extraordinary artwork for
> their tech specs. Both character portraits are different from those
> that are found on the boxes that they are packaged in. The tech specs
> are set up exactly the same style that is used for the American tech
> specs. There Bio and Tech Specs are completely in English. Someone
> fluent in the English language clearly wrote the bios for Double Punch
> and Grizzly-1, because they are well written and in an aspect, they are
> well researched.
Thanks, I hoped they'd turn out well. :-) I didn't actually "write" the
material for the specs--my only original contribution was selecting the
name Nightshriek. The rest of the text was written by some person or
people on the BCJ staff, most likely Fumihiko Akiyama or Hirofumi
Ichikawa. I just had to do the translation. I did refer to the original
Double Punch specs, though, which gave me the proper phrasing for the
references to them in the new specs.
I'm glad you think they read well. I felt a bit rushed, as the translation
request, came through to me on Nov. 25, with the con to be held on Dec.
13. I did what I considered to be a decent first-run translation, but was
never contacted with any request for revisions. No time, no doubt.
As for the bear's name game, I was specifically asked to write specs for
Grizzly-1, but to work the word "Barbearian" into one of the sentences.
Then I got my free samples as payment and discovered that not only had they
put "Barbearian" on the bear's package instead, they'd misspelled it. :-S
Well, it's embarrassing, but not too bad considering the overall quality of
the exclusives, I'd say.
Doug Dlin
ap...@hotmail.com