Review – Transformers Adventure Decepticon Runabout (Takara)

When I shared those customized Transformers Battlechargers toys last month there’s something I failed to do: I should have dug deeper into the situation surrounding Transformers Combiner Wars Blackjack* toy and repaints, because it turns out that Takara made the customs a reality. Here we have the more common of the two Takara 2015 Battlechargers, Runabout, which was released as part of the Transformers Adventure* series. And yes, they did release Runamuck, but we’ll have to wait until a later day for that harder-to-find Transformers toy.

Vehicle Mode

Runabout works quite nicely as a modern take on the 1986 Battlechargers toy, with the Transformers Combiner Wars Blackjack* repainted to follow the designs of that classic self-transforming toy. The axe/spoiler isn’t quite Generation One accurate, but it works well and overall, I am fine with this mold being used as a Battlecharger.

Where the vehicle mode fails, though, is in acting as a toy car. The wheels do not roll well, the base of the vehicle almost drags, and there’s no way that you can roll the toy across a desk or floor. It kinda skids and slides a bit, sure, but it in no way matches the racing action of the classic Battlechargers . . . and it isn’t just because the new toy doesn’t include a pull-back motor. On top of that, the parts don’t lock together quite well enough for this to serve as a toy car, even if the wheels rolled well.

Robot Mode

The 1986 Runabout may win in the toy car department, but it is tough to deny that this 2015 Takara Transformers Adventure Decepticon Runabout doesn’t beat the earlier release when it comes to robot modes. The original was a block of plastic on wheels where this toy has actual joints and serves as a small transforming robot action figure. I would have rather seen a shoulder blaster instead of the axe — to make the toy a little more like the original — though that’s a minor detail and there’s no real reason that Runabout doesn’t work just fine with a hand weapon.

Closing Thoughts

I haven’t bought many of the toys from Takara’s Transformers Adventure* series, so it may be that my understanding of the line is faulty, but from what I can tell, many of the toys were Hasbro releases that were produced for the Japanese market in redecorated versions. It’s pretty cool that Takara brought us both Runabout and Runamuck in the line, though it kinda sucks that only Runabout was given a standard release. Runamuck was only released in a mail-away two-pack, making the toy considerably more expensive and making it a challenge to complete the set.

Should you chase down this Runabout for your collection? Probably not, especially not if you’re only going to want both Runabout and Runamuck . . . seriously, Runamuck is tougher to find than he’s worth.