THE RETURN OF DIACLONE!

[Mr. Ginrai]

I honestly like it but I am currently turned off by a few things:

1. Price/Price point for overall size
2. Characters that they have made so far - I don't mind big powered, but I'm not a fan of the new diabattles or the original. I'd like to see Fortress X, Warudaros and Battle Buffalo for example.
3. Overall styling - I like the new aesthetic, but I feel like they've been too modernized - not as extreme as Michael Bay Movie Transformers, but I wish they had been a little bit closer to the "futuristic"/classic look of the originals, kind of like how SOC still feel slightly vintage/true to the original designs.

[Yumcha]

Battle Buffalo!

[Yumcha]

More pics of Buffalo Wings: www.taghobby.com/archives/294062

[bluetengu]

I’ve been trying so hard to resist these. They are awesome and look like a lot of fun but they also seem pricey and my shelves are already full. Battle Buffalo might be the tipping point that makes me cave in.

[locidm]

Do it! I'm selling my Diaclones if you're interested. No more space (storage or display)!

[bluetengu]

I think I'll start off small with these and see how I feel before I jump on the buffalo.





and of course Roboman!

[admin1 aka Ed]

I like them a lot. -Simply find them pricy to import to fully appreciate.... Maybe I'll snag some on the used market.

[Yumcha]

Aug 28, 2018 10:50:40 GMT -5 admin1 aka Ed said:

I like them a lot. -Simply find them pricy to import to fully appreciate.... Maybe I'll snag some on the used market.

I agree...I had to be selective and passed up on many of the smaller figures and Big Powered simply because of the price. I did the Dia-Battles and 2 of his variants but otherwise, held off buying anymore until recently, Buffalo Wings. Had to get that.

They are nice toys but for all-plastic, just really pricey.

[bluetengu]

Just got my first figure from the series. They are sooooo tiny!!!! Hahahahaha.
They are also; as it happens, compatible with some Hexa Gears parts.








Awesome! ^___^

[bluetengu]

These are also compatible with the MS Ensemble candy toys from Bandai.



All sorts of fun combination potential!

[coldiron]

I might have to grab that one. I love me some clear toys.

[bluetengu]

More compatibility discoveries. This time with the Bandai Unlimits Project Gashapon.

[bluetengu]

More compatibilty experiements. Adding Neko Busou to the mix!

[bluetengu]

Oh Man! DA-65 DIACLONE BATTLE CONVOY

[mpchi]

RED PANTS SQUAD! ASSEMBLE!!!

Ever since getting my hands on the DA-95 Ground Dion, I have been glued to anything related to the Diaclone stuff the past month, and slowly collecting my crew and add-ons bit by bit. Most of the older releases became super pricey aftermarket, so there is even a toy hunting game going on with them on the few that really interest me. Also found some cool weapons and 3rd party pieces to spice things up a bit.

I present to you, my RED PANTS squad (I know I know, Red Shoulders sound a whole lot cooler...).

[mpchi]

Came across this video this morning. A very cool edit of some of the CG commercial footage, mixed in with their own diorama setups for a headcanon made-up story of their own. Unfortunately, the narration is in Chinese (Mandarin) only, but still some very cool visuals that is nicely filmed if you don't understand the narration. Especially like their combo on the Powered Convoy with the DA-80 drill arms, some cool mix & match fun showcased there.

[mpchi]

More than a year late to the game, but finally opened my DA-80 Big Powered GV <Vers Caliber>. I was quite blown away. Still tinkering with the different modes and have not gotten to everything, but the sheer amount of playability is incredible. In a nutshell, it is Diaclone's Combattler/Voltes V. But rather than just the 5 ships and the combined robot mode, it has multiple modes on each vehicles, and they can also combine into various vehicle modes, train modes, longer train modes, repair base modes, small tank mode, big tank mode, crazy flying tank mode, ridiculous combat fortress mode...almost too many to count. Not to mention you can make up your own configurations or mix and match with other Diaclone parts you may have from other sets. The playability is off the chart. Aside not having diecast, this feels like handling a SOC, with hard ABS plastics, lots of sculpted details (but more refined than TFs busy surface fillers), and precise engineering on fitment on parts swapping when changing modes. I suppose TakaraTomy learned a lot during the evolution of this line, and polished a lot of the rough edges through the years of this Reboot line. It no longer feels like a Transformer, nor use the softer plastic for the main bodies. And the paint job on these later releases are leaps ahead of the early models. This DA-80 particularly has some really nice metallic paint that really pops and looks gorgeous in person (the metallic orange chest, various champagne gold and silvers on the drills and smaller parts). Also has ratchets in majority of the joints. Like I said, it literally feels like handling a SOC but without the diecast in exchange with details and engineering, yet sooo much more fun playing it.

Wish more of you guys are interested in the Diaclone Reboot. I regret jumping in so late, when aftermarket price on older stuff soar ridiculously high. But now that I got a few taste of it (this DA-80, the DA-95 Robot Base giant legs, and a few small pieces), I am definitely in for the ride, and so excited about finding a kind of joy that even high end gokins cannot give me through all the years. Awesome higher end figures that focus on creative ways for you to play, and less so on worries about paint scratch, loose joints, or how heavy it weighs. Toys meant to be played with, not just awesome looking display pieces.

Check out the DA-80 Big Powered promo videos.

[mpchi]

It has been a few months since I got into Diaclone, and the fun is still going strong. Very strong. Don't let the promo or box photos fool you. You thought the Convoy/Optimus Prime can just look like this?






Nah. It can look much cooler!









Still amazed by how much fun these are. Well designed, fun to play, and let your imagination runs wild (if you have the cash and sets to mix & match). A cool gokin may keep me occupied for a week or two after unboxing and tinkering with, which will eventually turn into a nice display piece I won't touch for a good while. But these Diaclone stuff have been keeping my hands busy for months! Such a fun and different experience, and keep me on the lookout for what cool/useful parts I want to hunt down for even better combos, brings back my toy hunting instinct into practice. So cool.

[mpchi]

Got a shipment of loose parts I have been scavenging the past couple months. And look how my baby Convoy have grown over night.

Witness the infinite possibility of Diaclone!!!

[mpchi]

And the saga continues...

Commence Project Convoy Powered GW - Phase 2!

After putting together my "Convoy Powered GW" and posted a photo a couple days ago, I soon realized there is a lot of room for improvements, especially with the backpack being too big and heavy, affecting both the balance of the figure and limited its articulation. Don't want to let the back heavy design weigh down the figure and loosen the hips too much, I decided to go through some reconfigurations and weight reduction. I omitted any backpacks and big pieces altogether and just use the wings straight to the body as a weapon rack. Also reworked the shoulder pieces so they sit more secure and allow better articulation. Pretty happy with the result so far, though I am sure I'll find more things to change and tinker with soon after. Just this aspect of Diaclone makes it such a fun hobby, full of discoveries and imaginations.