Shockwave has become a fan favorite over the years. In the original G1 cartoon, he was just left “in charge of Cybertron” without much of a personality. Newer media painted him as a cold, calculating strategist and a legitimate option for the leadership of the Decepticon. In the IDW continuity, he was once a Senator and an ally to Orion Pax (pre-prime Optimus). He’s also the antagonist of choice now that the four-million year war between the Autobots and Decepticons seem to be over.
Yes, Takara Tomy has a masterpiece version of our logical villain, but since the first versions didn’t seem to get the purple tint right (I don’t know what is it with Takara Tomy an purple, SkyWarp’s masterpiece is not purple enough either) I opted long ago for a toy that does justice not only to his look but also to his feel, Fans Toys FT-03 Quakewave.
The alt mode really resembles the Cybertronian gun from old. This toy is heavy though. Definitely not something for a kid to hold, although the grip feels a bit small, as much as it looks accurate. The transformation does sacrifice a couple of things from the original. Mainly, the legs. You can probably figure it out from the photo above. At least the handle does end up integrating to the legs to complete the look.
My only complain with the gun mode is that it doesn’t leave a trigger. Of course, the gun does fire but it shouldn’t have been such a stretch to put a trigger in the right location. Luckily in my case, FT-10 is not going to spend much of its life as a gun. The transformation does require one part to be taken out, the barrel – but it ingeniously folds inside out to be fitted in the back. The end result is a very good looking Shockwave.
The amount of diecast in this guy is almost overwhelming. He feels as heavy as a brick. He’s also very well balanced. I could put him in almost any post, but the character calls for being imposing and impassive, so action poses really don’t apply. He also comes with a variety of faces. Okey, he doesn’t. That one eye is expressive enough.
In case that pose is not clear enough, this Decepticon comes with a waste rotation, ankle pivot and yes, that transparent hand has movable fingers. This version even comes with a kit in case you want to give him a left hand. However, the real Shockwave will always have a hand cannon.
He looks very much the part in your masterpiece shelf alongside Megatron and the rest of the Decepticon gang. I frankly feel no inclination to seek out the Takara Tomy version, albeit now they have a re-issue in the cartoon colors. For now, he’s the only Shockwave my shelf needs.
That will do for now.
Never Think Impossible 