Human Alliance Bumblebee

Presenting the Transformers Human Alliance Bumblebee.

It actually did take me a while to get this particular Transformer that's been out in the market for quite a while now - I think two years. While I admired the design and heard great things about it, I was a) Not a Bumblebee collector, and; b) Severely turned off by the price - it was being sold locally for something like PhP 3,200 (Roughly US$ 73), which was waaaay too pricy for another Bumblebee - especially since it included a Sam Witwicky figure.

I hate Sam Witwicky. All he does in the movie is run around, screaming like a little girl and yell out "Optimus!!!" everytime Optimus Prime makes an appearance - like his herald - despite the fact that everyone can already see the big lug barreling down the road - or soaring across the sky.

But when the price dropped.... BAM!!!!


Transformers Human Alliance Bumblebee's blister card reads: "Together Bumblebee and Sam have had more than enough adventure to last a lifetime. They've fought side by side through more battles than either of them cares to count. Though the Decepticons don't have a lot of respect for humans generally, they've learned - painfully - that Sam and Bumblebee are an unstoppable team."

Well I can't really blame the Decepticons for not having respect for humans in general considering that Sam Witwicky is at the forefront of representing us and he's downright pathetic.

The blister card also puts Bumblebee's statistics as follows:

• Strength - 6 - respectable 
• Intelligence - 8 - not bad for someone who can't speak
• Speed - 6 - also respectable. Thought he'd be faster
• Endurance - 5 - Definitely not a long campaign fighter
• Rank - 5 
• Courage - 10 - a whopping will will dive into hell if asked to
• Fireblast - 3 - Hmmmmm. No wonder Bumblebee kills through physical blows, not by shooting.
• Skill - 9 - Definitely a boxer.

What's to like about the Human Alliance Bumblebee?

Just look at that beautiful picture to the right! That's what you have to love about the Transformers Human Alliance Bumblebee! He's, in my humble opinion, probably the best looking and best built Bumblebee in the market.

I love the right-hand cannon, I love the flip down battle mask, I love the excellent articulation and I love the detailing - speaking of which, do note the "chain-linked" front wheels underneath his arm pits. I think it's a nice touch to give him a more mechanical or a more deadlier (Chainsaw) look.

The Transformers Human Alliance Bumbleebee comes with a pair of missiles for his spring-loaded right-arm cannon that can be clipped onto either forearm, but personally I think he looks better without the missiles.

The Human Alliance Bumblebee is also quite solid in his Camaro mode. Both doors open and you can fit two Human Alliance figures inside - driver and passenger. There is a small stud on the Driver's side corresponding to a hole at the back of Sam Witwicky's back, but this just raises him too far up out of the seat. Just sit him down if you want to use him.



Whoops! Forgot to close the hood :(

Note the folded right-arm cannon and the two missiles clipped onto Bumblebee's underside:

As seen above, Bumblebee can kneel quite nicely:

The Human Alliance Bumblebee can also fold out additional weaponry, specifically an 8-pack micro missile launcher over his right shoulder, and a "scorpion sting" like beam emitter from the engine cowling above his head.

Of course, this is the Transformers Human Alliance Bumblebee, so he comes with Sam Witwicky seen here with Mikaela Banes borrowed from the most disappointing Transformers Human Alliance Shadow Blade Sideswipe. As you can see, Bumblebee has a peg on his left hand that allows you to attach Sam to his hand and.... well... cradle him.

Sam can be attached to a foldout stand on Bumblebee's back in between his shell carapace and his torso. Doing so allows him to access Bumblebee's 8-pack mini-missile launcher:

Sam, or in this case, Mikaela (really hate Sam) can also be mounted on the seat on the underside of Bumblebee's left arm. A pair of shoulder mounted lasers can then be brought out for the human pilot to use.

Personally I think the way these Autobots move? Anyone mounted outside is a dead guy.

Scale-wise, I also believe that the Transformers Human Alliance Bumblebee is a better match for the Leader Class Optimus Prime



But here is what I absolutely love about the Transformers Human Alliance Bumblebee: He's so well made, he's balanced enough to easily do this:

What's NOT to like about the Human Alliance Bumblebee?

I love him, but I do believe there's still a little room for improvement.

Personally I would love to rip his arms off so that the undersides of his arms aren't seats. I think that his design should - and still could - incorporate folding seats.

I'm also not too happy about the lack of articulation in his left hand. Surely they could have given him individually articulated fingers.

And lastly, it would have been nice if that right-hand cannon could be swapped out for a regular hand - or maybe I'm asking for too much.

This particular Transformers Human Alliance Bumblebee was purchased from Toy Kingdom here in the Philippines for PhP 1,000 - it was on sale as mentioned - (Roughly US$ 23). He's available on Amazon for US$ 47.94 (Roughly PhP 2,100 plus shipping).

Definitely the steal of the year for me.