Brawn Transformers - Studio Series 86 Transformers Studio Series 86 Deluxe Class Toy Item No.: Asst. E0702 No. F7236 Manufacturer: Hasbro Includes: Backdrop, blaster, removable spare tire Action Feature: Transforms from not-Jeep to robot Retail: $24.99 Availability: June 2023 Other: Supposedly Showing Up at Ross Now
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As a character remembered for being super strong and affordable, Hasbro did Brawn dirty by killing him off with a shot to the shoulder. The character's appearance in Studio Series 86 is, no doubt, thanks to how annoyed fans were and now you can get a pretty good Brawn for about $25.

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$25 for a 4 1/2-inch upgrade of a minicar seems pricey. We've had quite a few in recent years for as little as $6 or, if you like imports, significantly more money. I thought that the 2017 Titans Return Brawn [FOTD #1,705] was really as much as we were going to get. At $10, it seemed unnecessary to do him again... and I'm kind of torn on if that's still true. This new 2023 version is bigger, with a better overall design, improved colors and proportions, and a figure that hews closer to the cartoon. But it's not exact - the blue rectangles and yellow, uh, "robo underwear" are gone in favor of a more traditional hip design. The articulation is great, but there's a lot of yellow paint that shows signs of chipping before you remove him from the box. The silver paint also has silver scuffing right out of the box. I assume Hasbro may be doing a "damaged" or better "Buzzworthy" version later as this is a good figure, but one that could be made a lot better with a little bit of work.

The figure's larger size and higher price does bring some improvements like a bigger, more expressive head and a lot more articulation. Sadly th wrists don't rotate and we don't get rubbery tires like we did for Beachcomber, but we do get rocker ankles and a rotating "bonnet" that you can put out of view to give him a cartoon-like look or twist up to make him feel a little more like the many toys. He stands nicely, and is more or less satisfyingly chunky and stable. I just wish there was less paint and more of him was molded in color. He can hold his blaster just fine, and it's a decent robot overall. Having said that, I think they could do a better update later which is kind of a shame given how many Brawn toys we already have.

If you like you can leave the legs unfolded for the stilt-like gams of the original, but I don't recommend it.

Transformation is fun, with legs that unfold and wrap around the Jeep mode like Siege Hound, and a torso that pops open with a lot of rotating and twisting bits. What makes me nervous are a lot of pegs and holes in visible places, like the back of the fingers, which could show a lot of paint wear over time. Silver paint is notorious for rubbing off, so I might recommend you not transform him too much.

The jeep mode is adequate. I love some elements of it, like the spare tire that can also store the blaster. The cartoony pale blue windows are excellent, but they left the rear one unpainted - it looks a little weird. The legs that unfold for the sides of the vehicle also look a little strange, but the grille is nice and the sculpt is mostly just fine. It is just a little bit gappy for a $25 deluxe in 2023, where we're seeing some bizarrely intricate shells that snap together and hide all signs of robot parts.

If I lived in a world where I wrote this in a future where this was the final Brawn toy we ever got, I would say it's a good one. And possibly, even the best - the colors are right, the sculpt is good, it's just that there are a few details I would like to see improved upon. It's a clever design and a robot figure I think you'll enjoy, just be careful to not knick the paint over time. Since it came out, I saw them hanging out at Walmarts over the holidays and a friend messaged me to say they were spotted at some deep discounters. I'd say it's worth the $25, or close to it.

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