Review of Henkei Octane

(This review will refer to the toy as Tankor. Why? Because of c00lnez fact0r.)
(This is also my first toy review. This makes me feel special.)

Plane mode:

Tankor transforms into a cargo plane with propellers. This is an interesting alt-mode because it's different from all the other Transformers who become generic jets. Packaged this way, he also comes with two chrome guns that can be stored under his wings. Maybe to get good aerial shots at Autobots? This style looks menacing. Not to mention the shiny guns. The plane is pretty good, visually. It doesn't have a horrendous amount of kibble and is rather convincing from the top, though the underside is a bit empty-looking. I like to pretend that the wheels showing are landing gear. Yeah, that's it. They're not just lying around; they're landing gear. Speaking of wheels, the "shell" underside has small wheels, which means that the plane can also roll around on flat surfaces. It's great to play with and run around like a little kid "flying" it, and it is for the most part secure. How would I know this? Err...

Truck mode:

The truck mode isn't as good as the plane, but it's still decent. The back looks rather flat compared to the front, but it is an unconventional truck. Its colours work well and the wings tucked underneath don't get in the way that much, which pleases me since it can drive around without problems. Tankor's guns can also be stored in this mode, so you can either have him look like an assault vehicle, pretend they're smokestacks, or hide his visible fists. Kibble is minor here. The truck doesn't blow you away, but it's not horrible either. One (hopefully) minor problem is the scale. How can Tankor go from a plane to a truck? It'd either make for a large truck or a small plane. (I imagine it's the latter.)

Robot mode:

Tankor transforms into a poseable robot clearly identifiable as Octane. He's got the familiar head shape and the wings, which are now decked out with propellers. He can balance pretty well and get into a lot of fighting poses. In robot mode, the truck's tank/plane's underside detaches and splits in two, forming a claw weapon that fits into Tankor's hands. Not to mention his two guns. You get a lot of possibilities and either way he looks threatening. My favourite set up is combining the two guns (this is a neat feature) and putting them in Tankor's left hand while his right hand holds the claw. The only way he could be more "overkill" would be to put a shark-launching cannon on his back and a chainsaw in his teeth! My only problem with the robot mode is that the hands move somewhat awkwardly, but it's nothing too major. Parts don't seem to fall off very easily unless you really pull on them, so he holds together well.

Transformation:
Tankor has a lot of parts with a lot of motion in order to have convincing alt-modes, so each of his transformations can take a while if you're not used to them. (I particularly struggled the first time because I can't read Japanese. >_>) But they're all satisfying, and the placement of robot-mode parts is rather clever.

Character:
Octane wasn't the most memorable of the Decepticon Triple Changers (Astrotrain and Blitzwing are more popular), but he did have a prominent role in two of the cartoon's third season episodes; Starscream's Ghost and Thief in the Night. Since Hasbro lost the trademark to Octane, this toy had to be named Tankor instead. (This name fits pretty well since he turns into a tanker truck.) So character might not be a reason for why you want the toy, but if you do, it represents him really well.

Closing:
In conclusion, I give this toy 8/10. It's not the best toy in the Universe style (I'd give that honour to Inferno), but if you want a Triple Changer, Tankor fills the void nicely. I bought him because I wanted a G1 Decepticon to fill my ranks (and because Cyclonus wasn't available), and I was surprised at how good it was. Two decent alt-modes and a cool-looking robot make for a toy that, if you can find it for a low price, I recommend.

Somebody must have forgotten to lock the gate at the petting zoo.

Because I'm loose! (crickets) Everyone's a critic.

TFwiki editors should recognize me. (Hint: look at my initials.) If you're one of the people who doesn't know me, then you're about to. All you need to know is that I love the Transformers, I'm Canadian (and thus I drink syrup every morning), Robots in Disguise needs love, and I have a surreal sense of humour. And... hmmm. That's about all that's important.