Toybox REVIEW: Transformers Studio Series 86 Decepticon Frenzy (Red)

Release Date: August 2023

RRP: $11.99/£13.99

Given it's strict focus on the cast of Transformers: The Movie there isn't a lot of opportunity for remoulds/repaints in the Studio Series 86 line, but what few there are Hasbro certainly aren't going to pass up on. And perhaps the most obvious of these was Studio Series 86 Decepticon Frenzy (Red) - Soundwave's second humanoid cassette minion who is of course identical to his brother Rumble. And like Rumble, Frenzy joined the line as one of the handful of smaller Core Class releases.

Frenzy comes in standard Studio Series 86 Core Class packaging, a smaller version of the larger boxes featuring an open window section that fully exposes the top half of the figure. Accompanying it is an enlarged card section above artwork of the character (which is unsurprisingly just a recolour of Rumble's art), the Transformers logo running along the side and finally the Decepticon insignia and character name along the bottom. As with Rumble, Hasbro have addressed the never-ending Rumble/Frenzy naming debate by succinctly titling the figure “Decepticon Frenzy (Red)”. As far as the cartoon is concerned, Rumble is blue and Frenzy is red. The sides of the packaging feature smaller versions of that Frenzy artwork featured on the front card section, and then on the back there are CGI renders showing the figure off in both modes. Inside Frenzy and his accessories are tied down to a cardboard tray, which depicts the Autobot Communications tower which he attacks (alongside Soundwave’s other minions) in the movie.

True to every version of the character in Generation 1, visually Frenzy is completely identical to Rumble other than colour. As such this figure is a straight repaint, swapping out Rumble's blue and lilac colour scheme for a darker black and red one. The accents are also slightly different, with Frenzy's chest sporting gold paint as opposed to silver. Whilst we're long past the days of getting chrome on mass release figures this small, the gold metallic paint is still pretty vibrant and stands out well. The other little bits of cassette-like detailing are also great, such as the gold and blue on the shins. Despite being a tiny figure Frenzy's head sculpt is painted and sports a mean-looking scowl - a pretty generic expression, but one that fits the character well.

The Rumble/Frenzy mould also has some pretty good articulation for a figure of its size, consisting of;

- Ball jointed head, arms and knees

- Pin joint shoulders

- Swivel hinge hips

- Hinged fists and feet

Those latter points are more for the transformation than the robot poseability, but still worth utilising for a wider range of poses as well as balancing the figure in said poses. As with Rumble the use of ball joints in specific areas make a big difference – the degree of mobility in the head perfect for having the figure look up/forwards when in a crouching piledriver pose. It is however a shame that Frenzy lacks any elbow joints, particularly as it doesn’t feel like the smaller size or transformation are the reasons behind omitting them. But while they are certainly missed, there’s enough going on with Frenzy to make him a fun little figure to mess around with.

Although in the comics Frenzy’s attacks are more sound-based, in the G1 cartoon he really is more or less identical to Rumble – and as such his accessories are also the same. Altogether he comes with his two Thruster guns, as well as two alternate piledriver arms. The Thruster guns can either be plugged onto his back when not in use (and for a more cartoon-accurate look), or attached to the arms for alternative weapon-wielding action. They can’t however be held in his hands (as they sometimes were in the cartoon) due to the figure’s small size. Meanwhile although the piledrivers appear to be solid pieces, the tips are actually attached via 5mm pegs that allow to be shifted as though they are moving. Attaching them to the figure involves folding up the arms to form extended shoulders, and then slotting the piledrivers onto them. For a Core Class figure it’s actually a pretty good selection of accessories, even if there isn’t anything uniquely Frenzy about them. In the name of G1 cartoon accuracy though, it’s everything he could need though.

Following a nine-step conversion Frenzy transforms into his classic cassette tape mode, which is compatible with both the War for Cybertron Soundwave figures and the new Studio Series version. It’s a pretty accurate looking cassette that’s far more convincing/accurate than the new Ravage and Laserbeak/Buzzsaw moulds, with moulded spool detailing in the centre as well as silver and blue label detailing on one side. The other side admittedly isn’t quite as clean, but then that robot mode detailing has to go somewhere. Functionally it doesn’t have any unique features apart from being able to fit in Soundwave’s chest, but that’s all that a Soundwave minion really needs to be able to do in alt mode.

Although he may have been nowhere near as prominent as Rumble in the cartoon, Transformers Studio Series 86 Decepticon Frenzy (Red) is a more than welcome addition to the line. Being exactly the same as Rumble in every way other than colour means the figure doesn’t have quite the same impact as his earlier released brother, but it’s more the fault of the cartoon that there wasn’t more to differentiate them rather than the toy. Nevertheless more Soundwave minions is never a bad thing, and it’s great that all of the ones that appeared in the cartoon have appeared in the Studio Series.