TRANSFORMERS ENCORE SERIES
NUMBER 03 REISSUE
SOUNDWAVE
TAKARA/TOMY

AUGUST, 2007
39.99-49.99 USD (roughly)

The Transformers Encore Series features the renewal of the vintage Generation 1 classic toys of the 1980’s! Soundwave can detect and jam radio transmissions all across the energy spectrum, a talent that makes him naturally suited to his position as Decepticon Communications Officer. Soundwave also possesses the ability to monitor electrical impulses within brain circuitry - i.e. he can read minds. Additionally, he has a photographic memory thanks to the vast data storage capacity of the magnetic disks in his chest compartment, and he is armed with a shoulder-mounted radio wave sensor and hand-held concussion blaster. Soundwave is also one of the physically strongest Transformers. He transforms, shrinking as he does so, into an Earthly microcassette deck, and in the tape compartment, which becomes his chest in robot mode, he stores the Decepticon spy cassettes Ravage, Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, Ratbat, Rumble, and Frenzy!

I’ve been asked to do a review on Encore Soundwave here, and so I shall. Few things to get out of the way before we get started though - we’re not going into a ton of detail into the varied past of this toy and its different names, molds and history. You want to nerd out on that stuff? There’re plenty of places online to do it, so go have fun. Suffice it to say, unlike the recent Toys”R”Us reissue using the name Soundwave, the one I’m reviewing now IS the version of the toy we all had and remember from the 80’s.

And now for some personal history.

As a child, Soundwave was the one Transformer I never properly owned, but always should have. Oh, I had my hands on him for a minute, but it was only after an early jaunt into the dark underbelly of shoplifting, and then quickly taken away. A trip to a local K-Mart as a child, I found an opened Soundwave sitting alone amongst the other toys, right out there for anyone to play with - and I did! And then the next time I came, he was there again, out and wanting to be played with, the temptation grew. Third time was the charm, and I somehow justified in my young mind that since he would sit there continuously unpurchased (and certainly not worthy of sale in his boxless condition!), I knew he deserved a home that would give him the proper love, conveniently my own. So I stuffed him into my jacket, and nervously caught up with my parents for the guilt-ridden drive home. Once we got back to our house, I could barely contain my excitement, and ran to my room to play with my prize - only moments later my Mother opened the door to see my mad scramble to toss Soundwave under the bed, pretending everything was normal. Of course, she didn’t fall for it - she knew what toys I did and didn’t have. And even though I tried, I was a horrible liar - the blood rushing out of my face as I spoke probably didn’t help with that either.

So I was forced to return the toy to the store, and apologize directly to the store manager - it was all horribly embarrassing and awful, and also (for various reasons) - the last time I’d ever own Soundwave.

Until today.

Another personal history note - I’m not much into G1 Transformers, or even really much into that kind of nostalgia aspect of things at all. Certainly not overt or consciously at least. Sure, I hoard every single comic I’ve ever bought away into it’s mylar coffin the moment after I’ve read it. And yeah, I have boxes of GI Joe figures in the basement that I’ve owned since I was ten years old. BUT… other than that, I’m not one of these guys who’s chasing down his childhood memories, or even someone who thinks much of the look or design of any of those original Transformers. Most of em are downright fugly if you ask me.

Soundwave’s different though. He was always the coolest looking toy, the coolest on the cartoon too - he even had the coolest voice. His color, that deep mesmerizing blue, and the shiny chrome buttons - everything. He embodies something goofy and great, alongside only a few other icons of the 80’s, that actually ends up being timeless and amazing some 25 years later.

Immediately upon getting my hands on the reissue, I felt that greatness again.

Right away, I’ve got to say that the box for this encapsulates just the right amount of nostalgic design aesthetics, coupled with the chinese lettering making it feel even more foreign from other toys of today - it’s quite a thing of retro-beauty. The Encore line is great for people who want to get ahold of authentic, mint quality G1 figures, but don’t want to get raped by the ridiculous nerd, speculator and collector prices out there. And while I’ve seen a bit of animosity from vintage collectors regarding this line, guys who’re afraid these reissues will devalue their collections - seems understandable I guess - I’ve always doubted the actual demographic for these reissues were ever going to be the competing market for the authentic vintage stuff to begin with. Further, you’d have a hard time convincing any nerd with half-a-brain (or an internet connection) that this box was vintage - although it’s certainly still good looking enough to be used as a display piece in and of itself - and that’s coming from a guy who thinks all toys should be opened and played with!

Out of the box, Soundwave is found in tapedeck mode, entombed in molded plastic. Including all the accessories of the original I remember as a kid - battery/guns, missiles, stickers, and even the bird cassette Laserbeak (although I’m pretty sure he came packaged with Buzzsaw in the 80’s) - all minus the funny styrofoam smell. He’s easy to pull out, as are all of the accessories, without having to destroy the box to get to him - which I imagine would be a plus for all the MIB toynerds out there.

In hand, I’m immediately puzzled as to why this was so damn cool to me (and others) as a kid of the 80’s. A mini tape recorder - what’s cool about that?? Perhaps something about the implication of KGB spies, or ninja assassins, perhaps a hard-luck Detective about to break the case? Or that unexplainable fascination with miniaturized versions of things spawned in the late 70’s and early 80’s - kooky. I don’t understand what it could have been at all, but I suppose that thought fades away fast enough the moment Soundwave is first transformed.

In robot mode, Soundwave comes with about 10 points of articulation, lots of rotation in the shoulder joints too. He’s got a good weight to him as well, a little lighter than I’d remembered maybe (given the hands of a ten year old), but still for his size and compared to toys of today, pretty hefty. A sturdy design, as well as keeping the originals integration of die-cast metal parts, this guy seems like he can take some damage. It’s worth noting, it was kind of hard to get Laserbeak to fit snugly enough to get the cassette drawer to close, which is a problem I’ve heard others report regarding this reissue as well, but was fixed easily enough with a little elbow grease - and nothing broke!

Without having an original to judge against, I can’t say much as to the differences between that and this reissue - there was mention of some remolding taking place, but I’ve yet to see anyone cite super specific instances of major changes, or see pictures of any significant differences. So, for all intents and purposes, this IS the Soundwave I had as a kid, if only for those few criminal moments.

Overall as to the quality control aspect of the reissue itself - while I’ve heard there are some complaints with this, I’ve seen nothing of that worth mentioning. The paint applications are excellent and without any sign of over-spray or having missed anything. The stickers that come factory applied seem in order and properly placed. And the quality of the plastic feels strong and seems equal to the original figure, at the very least. Some of his joints around the knees and waist seem a little loose, but given the design of the figure itself, and the boxy way in which he transforms, I honestly can’t imagine the version from the 80’s didn’t suffer from the same thing. For proof, Soundwave’s strong enough to hold Laserbeak on his arm, AND hold the pose while I took several pics (as seen below).

Soundwave really is one of the better (if not best) looking G1 figures, and even after 25 years I still think so. And while I may not, as I said earlier, be one much for nostalgia - there’s something pretty amazing about this toy that makes me feel just like a kid again when I hold it. Only this time, I don’t have to hide it from my Mom.

Grab Soundwave today, from our friends over at Superbeeds!