Article Number

RV0029

Author

Gerry

Toy Line

Transformers: Binaltech

Manufacturer

Takara

BT-04 Hound is the next release from Transformers: Binaltech. It was released around the same time as BT-03 Silver Streak so I recieved both toys at the same time from my supplier. Due to the popularity of these items in Japan, they sell out very quickly as Tranformers: Binaltech seems to be one of the hottest toy lines there recently. No wonder, the craftsmanship that has gone into making these items is top notch and the heavy diecast content makes them a true favorite not just with me but many collectors world-wide. I'm not going to bore you with another description of the packaging as it is relatively the same from previous Binaltech releases. So I will just jump in by saying that Hound is a Jeep Wrangler and is another fully licensed product.(BT04-1 - BT04-3)

Vehicle Mode

Diecast content is in the hood, front fenders, side doors, the area around the wind shield and part of the top roll bars.(BT04-4 - BT04-6) The driver and passenger doors open and close as well as the hood.(BT04-13) Some of the cool features in vehicle mode include an engine under the hood (note: this is a fixed part of the toy unlike previous releases where the weapon transforms into the engine and is removeable).(BT04-10, BT04-11) There is a tilt steering wheel as well as forward folding front bucket seats.(BT04-7, BT04-12) I was also happy to notice that there are seats in the back that also fold as well. Another interesting added feature is that the front and rear tires while also made of rubber, are spring-loaded to simulate real off-road suspension similar to the MP-1 Masterpiece Convoy.(BT04-8, BT04-9)

Hound also comes with a weapon (BT04-15) that is designed to fold at the barrel and be stored inside the rear spare tire.(BT04-16) A compartment folds out -- insert the weapon then store.(BT04-14, BT04-17)

Robot Mode

I like the difficulty in the transformation process from vehicle mode to robot mode. Especially when transforming the legs. The joints are very tight and several times I had to check the instructions for fear of risking damaging the toy. The toy like most of the Binaltech line seems to carry most of it's bulk in the chest area making the toy very top heavy. Make sure the legs are posistioned appropriately or the toy will topple over. (BT04-18, BT04019, BT04-22)

Check out the head detail of BT04-21. While I don't have the original G1 Hound here I'm sure you will find that the head sculpts are similar. Again I like the articulated fingers which make for easy gripping of Hound's weapon. (BT04-23, BT04-24) Again due to the many points of articulation in this toy including the waste, there are many different types of action poses that you can use to position and display this toy in robot mode. (BT04-25, BT04-26)

Conclusions

BT04 Hound is another great release toy from Takara's Transformers: Binaltech line. I like the army green coloring and hefty weight of this toy due to the diecast content. The difficulty in transformation is first rate which leaves me with a sense of accomplisment once the toy is properly transformed. I feel that the collectiblity of the Japanese versions would be a great investment and in a year's time will be worth more than what you initially shelled out to purchase these items. If you haven't started to collect these toys, I suggest you do as they will make an exceptional addition to your robot toy collection.

Gerry