At the 2010 SDCC, the big Transformers action figure offered was Blaster a boom box counterpart to Soundwave the mini tape deck. A reproduction from the 80’s, Blaster was a well loved character who had so much play value that he sold very well.

Blaster annoyed his fellow Autobots by pumping out loud rock music and talking like a hip DJ. In Japan he found his end against Soundwave in a fight to the death where both the Autobot and Decepticon “killed” each other. Blaster (whose Japanese name was Broadcast) was rebuilt into Twincast and was blue with red–and quite expensive these days due to the fact that Twincast was only available in Japan.

Blaster comes packaged with a red and gold glossy sleeve over his main box which simply has his name and an Autobot symbol. Taking the sleeve off reveals Transformers Classic’s packaging with great box art on the front flap and a profile on the back with his stats.

Opening the flap reveals a window showing the figure inside with all of his accessories including his large gun and three mini cassettes featuring Eject, Steeljaw and Ramhorn. The heroic tape soldiers also include their own weapons–Eject’s guns, Gold version laser/wings for Steeljaw and rockets for Ramhorn.

Blaster looked so small to me upon seeing him through the packaging. I remember him being really big when I was a kid–then I realized that I was also smaller and had smaller hands.

Compared side to side with Soundwave, Blaster is much larger which is something that I remember well. When you’re young, everything looks so big!

Compared side by side as a tape deck and boom box, Blaster and Soundwave are showing really different, yet cool music machines that reveal why they are so well liked.

My brother had Blaster and I remember that it was the first version where the tape door didn’t open. It was awesome to be able to push the buttons on Blaster’s chest and have the door pop open; the Play button also depresses.

The three tapes are standing in their included tape cases and my own original tapes are laying in front of them. It’s odd that the sticker detail on Eject is so different than it originally was. The original has red and the remake has silver; I don’t think Eject was a knock-off so something was changed.

Transforming Blaster is pretty easy, his joints are tight and he changes in a matter of a few turns and presses here and there. The tape door is a little stiff, but it opens fine otherwise. I feel like the plastic is a little cheaper than the original, but I just can’t remember. The decal’s are already applied and he is pretty bad ass. Getting a tape into his door is a little Tricky, I was able to get Ramhorn in the best, however with a little play, I’m sure the others will fit.

Transforming the tapes is a different story. The tapes are not as well made as the originals, the feet and joints are loose compared to my old 80’s originals which are still stiff and tight. Eject feels fragile and I was a bit worried about damaging him. The tapes are very nice, but not as well made as they used to be–maybe I got a defective set? But, maybe not.

As a whole, the set is worth the $50.00 retail for people who either had Blaster growing up or new fans who think he is an interesting piece of history–after all, there are no such thing as tapes anymore. Blaster can always be modernized into a CD player (which is technology getting old) or into an MP3 player with removable memory cards that turn into robots–it wouldn’t be the same…

Both Blaster and Soundwave were meant for their time, (although Transformers Animated Soundwave was a good try). Japanese creativity made them possible, I just don’t think that the modern age can update something like these figures.

Very cool and highly recommended!

• Tweet