Magic Square Toys Weibo have been updated with our first image of the gray prototype of their Legends Scale Bruticus.
We finally have our first look at the combiner mode of the new Magic Square Legends scale Combaticons (you can find the individual prototypes here and here). As we can see from the image, Bruticus look very cartoon-accurate and with good proportions.
As a nice extra bonus, Weibo user 巨大化鹏鹏 has shared images of Magic Square Brawl color prototype in both modes. Keep in mind that all of these are still prototypes and changes may be done in the final product.
Click on the bar to see the new images and then sound off on the 2005 Boards!
ThrustJan
Sorry for little Ot
at this point Magic Square could release their Terrorcons before Newage,both are too quiet for now about s3 combiners.
Apart this if they release Onslaught within 2 or 3 months are running fast ,good for us.
AndrewOptimus
yes, I also think that it concerns the combiner as a whole…next two months…we could see the first couple already in early April then…
lilcarus
i think the third quarter could be when they are expected to be finished with all the releases.
with the stiff competition between the 2 companies right now. i don't see any reason to believe that MS would give NA a shot at beating them to market.
i fully expect to see some of these cranking out in the next 2 months…or less
AndrewOptimus
the preorder indicates third quarter 2023 but do you think it will come out earlier, like April May too?
mark4flair
I'm not going to sweat any of their color choices for toy/toon, but extending Vortex's tailfin makes all the difference in the world to me, it looks soooo much better overall.
Zentropy
Different styles, for certain. IF War Giant seems to channel the spirit of the original toys without directly imitating them. But they’re stylized takes on the characters, not toy homages. MS focuses on replicating the animation models in plastic— as per usual— and they’re damned good at it. The two sets almost represent opposite ends of the aesthetic spectrum, and I’m not sure both would be equally welcome on the same collector’s shelf.
The MP-10 analogy was a bit of a stretch, but I do genuinely prefer IF’s version of the Constructicons. I might be tempted to go in on a Newage EX set if they were to attempt it, but it wouldn’t replace War Giant. I appreciate NA and IF figures for different reasons.
Oh, and it wasn’t cost that deterred me from buying MP-44. It was design.
deaculpa
Interesting analogy. I have a similar feeling with mp10 being an OG and still holding a crown— still have mine.
But I’m feeling like most people avoided that mp44 ‘upgrade’ as a result of the exorbitant price tag, which isn’t going to be as repellant.
Plus there seems to be a pretty decent gap in style between this and IF, like two very different toys.
Zentropy
I agree with you 100%. I used quotation marks around the word upgrade because although I don’t personally seek animation fidelity, many collectors feel that any figure that looks more like the cartoon model is better and therefore supersedes any that came before it.
I own a few toony figures because I like their transformations, but I tend to have a greater interest and appreciation for stylized versions, or ones that upgrade the original toy design. I have Newage, Iron Factory, and Magic Square versions of Mirage, for example, and I like them all (though MS probably the least).
I too will watch with interest even though it’s doubtful I’ll buy this set.
Hobart Paving
I don't even think it's a case of 'upgrading' or not – they're just a completely different take on the character(s). I love War Giant, and wouldn't trade it for this. But I like Iron Factory's IDW-esque aesthetic very much (and have grown to really love their samurai alternates, too), and I have no interest in the '84 cartoon look, so of course I wouldn't. Someone who wants a Bruticus that looks like the one in the '84 cartoon, conversely, would take this over War Giant any day. Which is fine. It's good for everyone that there's different takes and styles out there to buy (I'd like more different takes myself, I can't help but feel too many are too similar).
Even having no intention of buying this toy, however, I'm still very interested in it's design and development. I like Legends figures, so it's nice to keep track of what every company is doing and see how they're all evolving/ tackling the same challenges in different ways. Every company is doing cool and interesting stuff within the size class (despite what some of the more… cult-like… individuals on these boards would insist). Yes, even Hasbro.
Curium
I wonder why no one ever accurately recreates the bottom of Onslaught's truck mode, that is a rather clear shot of most of it.
Zentropy
For me, I think IF War Giant is to this set what my MP-10 is to MP-44. I don’t feel inclined to “upgrade”.
Cheebs
Possibly. It takes a very long time and I know I don't have a spare minute until middle of next week.
Zentropy
I too like the realistic tire detail in that screenshot— too bad the scaling is ridiculous.
Swindlerfan
View attachment 29810737 View attachment 29810738
I always picture Onslaught with the detailed tires like in "Aerial Assault."
edgs2099
I love my IF Brute, but I may have to hit this. It's looking nice and I like my Devy and Car-guy.
GrimLocke
Toon chest with toy legs looks really good to me!
The opposite… not so much. .^.
But, assuming Onslaught comes with parts for both, being able to mix and match would be cool, though I wonder if that might require some irreversible kitbashing.
I wouldn't expect a Boxset to be cheaper, and, if anything, I'd expect it to be a little more expensive but maybe MS throws in a non-transforming Shockwave like Iron Factory did for their War Giant, which did get a box set for Ruination, which I know also lacks the Combiner Hunter's Arcee that came with their Onslaught and I imagine IF Catastrophe didn't include a Shockwave, either.
Still, I like the idea of just opening a box and having a whole combiner ready to go, but I don't think I would ever just hold out for one and risk the regular release selling out.
So, ya know, if MS makes a G2, or Ruination–or Baldigus, or Battle Gaia, or Arctic Camo, or Desert Camo, or FoC, or Combati-kabobs, Combaticons creole, Combaticons gumbo, or pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried Bruticus… That- that's about it…
goldenrhino
Hey Cheebs love your work! Will you be digibashing the rest of the Combaticons?
Spiffy
You know, the more I look at the old g1 toy, the more I lament this focus on scale. I feel like both MS and NA have decided a combiner needs to be 24-26cm (or whatever) and that almost forces them to have long stretched out bodies, or else bump up individual bot scale (which they are not doing, happily, since I'm more of a fan of individual bots.)
What I'm saying is I don't love the look of Brawl and Swindle basically just a vehicle stacked vertical, it looks silly. The old toy has the tank and jeep split at the top, making it more abstract and complex in its shape. (The arms work better on this MS combiner since they are segmented for articulation.)
But they're kind of screwed to do the g1 kind of thing and get to their 'required' height since it's reduces the shin height. Newage (and Zeta) got around the problem of their smaller Constructicons vehicles by adding the knees to the skeleton, but I still feel their thighs were longer than they needed to be proportionate to the torso.
basically I'm saying these Legends combiners ought to be more like 20cm, and they'd look better for it. Iron Factory Bruticus was fine slightly shorter, and had more interesting geometry in his legs breaking up the vehicles (didn't hurt they are more scifi-styled too, I guess). It's why I don't love Menasor's legs either, just cars slapped on front or back, without any breakup.
ICEPnguin
Really hard waiting for the first set to update preorder and ship. I want some new figures.
lord ginrai
There is no separate toy version. The figures will come with all parts to recreate either the toon or toy look for Bruticus, just like Menasor and Devastator did.