Sky-Byte Half of Nature's Best Friends Transformers Age of the Primes Voyager Class Item No.: Asst. G0473 No. G1019 Manufacturer: Hasbro Includes: Blaster, axe, ladder Action Feature: Converts from robot to sharl Retail: $34.99 Availability: June 2025 Other: Transmetals II Cybershark prepaint, probably
PREVIOUS	RSS	NEXT

Sky-Byte was one of a couple of repaints that bounded out of Robots in Disguise and made names for themselves. The series codified the black repaint of Optimus Prime as a thing, and Sky-Byte usurped the toy of which he was a repaint - that's a rarity. For this reason, we've not gone more than a few years without a new one. Even more amazingly, he's been showing up in the kid lines in the past decade with multiple entries in Cyberverse and also another in Cyberworld this year. Kids like sharks! There's a whole week on TV devoted to it!

The original mold was a really big toy with a lot of gimmicks. Because adults hate fun, Hasbro removed the flywheel thing in the tail and also the spring-loaded rocket launchers. Instead, you get a smooth lion from the big wetness that doesn't have a curved body for once, and has shoulder pads that you can easily remove. I'm finding it less frustrating than the vac-metal shark mold from the 90s, but I do miss the various shooty and spinny bits.

Click here to check availability at eBay.

Roughly the same height as the original toy, the 7 3/4-inch tall (at the crest) robot isn't as big as the 2014 model, but it's big. You've still got the fin blade weapons and the blaster, but there are no firing rockets. You have the multi-part stabby tail, but there are no geared spinning mechanisms. You have a 1990s toothy figure sneer, but it's less lopsideed now. The Spark Crystal is there - but it's less transparent. This may sound like a string of complaints, but really, it's not meant to be. The toy robot is a lot more stable, and the parts go where they're supposed tomuch more easily. The explosion of paint and color has been toned down dramatically, either in the name of cartoon accuracy or budget. (That's your choice.)

The character still looks a lot like the toy, and has a sculpted Predacon symbol behind his painted crystal. I assume Hasbro and Takara-Tomy designed this for potential future repaints, and I'm curious to see how they flesh out. I love that it's easier to move around the shoulder kibble, and the shark mouth is easier to lock into place. I doubt people who have the original on a shelf will necessarily see this as an improvement, but as someone who both liked the original mold and found it irritating... I like this. I'll probably spend more time playing with this one even if it's not as shiny or gimmicky. Parts not popping off helps.

I haven't changed up my late 1998 Transmetals II Cybershark in years. (If memory serves, it was the first Beast Wars toys to trade the Kenner brand for Hasbro on the packaging.) As such, I had to consult the instructions for this one. It's pretty logical with lots of tabs and slots. The big differences this time? The parts that come off were meant to come off. Most of the Shark is made of kibble, but the arms become an articulated tail.

The 10 1/2-inch shark mode is huge. I just happened to have this year's Armada Red Alert in SUV mode and Sky-Byte makes the Autobot look like a chump. This big bitey brute has jointed fins, a tail that bends in the middle and rotates at the end, plus a jaw that opens. What really may surprise you, though, is a neck that can pivot down a bit. It can't stand up and recite poetry like in the comics, at least, not without assistance. I don't care about most upgrades but I could go for a shark stand.

It may not sound like much, but a neck joint and a tail joint gives this sharkbot more mobility than other Carcharhinus. The first Sky-Byte (based on TM2 Cybershark) had a spinny tail, jointed fins, and an annoying jaw. This guy is a bit more sturdy. Other shark toys were usually not able to do much, so this is rather impressive.

When I first got TM2 Cybershark in 1998 you paid around $15. Adjusted for inflation, that toy would be $30... and this one is $35. It's close enough to say it's worth the asking price. This 2025 release isn't as gimmicky as the first release (or 2014's Thrilling 30 Sky-Byte [FOTD 1,025]. That 2001 release had much better paint, but this one looks a bit more like the cartoon. I bet a deluxe paint job on this one would cost another ten bucks... and I might buy one if it ever came to pass. If you don't have a Sky-Byte, buy this one.

Additional Images

Click here to see more Hasbro figures in Figure of the Day.

Click here to see more Transformers figures in Figure of the Day.

Want to buy this figure? Check Transformers availability at our sponsors:
Entertainment Earth

Featured Toy Video