Transformers Takara LG 15 Nightbird Shadow

Shadow KICK!!!!!

Nightbird Shadow is a beautiful retool of the Transformers Generations Arcee figure and a nostalgic tribute to a great G1 cartoon episode.

To the uninitiated, this is Nightbird Shadow: originally a drone built by Dr. Fujiyama to "benefit mankind" (He probably meant to "Protect mankind" against the big giant robots who've come to fight a war on Earth).

Anyway the Decepticons stole her and Bombshell (Yes, the Insecticon) implanted a consciousness chip into her brain turning her into a sentient super-ninja Autobot butt-kicking Decepticon!

That the Autobots eventually captured and put into cold storage never to be seen again.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP

Sadly we're not sure where we put her box, nor where the pictures are that we shot of her in her box- not that it would have mattered given that the blister card is in Japanese which we don't read nor speak.

Anyway, the Takara LG-15 Nightbird Shadow comes with a pair of golden, translucent sais, a pair of guns and a pair of bladed swords which are all the same as the ones Generations Arcee has.

In the G1 cartoon Nightbird comes loaded to bear with a set of nunchucks; a pair of sais; a wrist-mounted grappling hook; surface adhering feet; sawblades that take the place of her hands; a flash ability that allows her to make her escape; energized shuriken; a beam saber; a magnetic tractor beam; sound-nullifying discs, and; supposedly the ability to turn invisible like the Autobot Mirage.

Ninja Power

WHAT'S TO LIKE ABOUT TRANSFORMERS LG-15 NIGHTBIRD SHADOW?

FIRST: Nightbird Shadow is built upon a strong, highly articulated action figure - Generations Arcee. 

Unlike  Generations Arcee though who did not come with bladed weapons of any kind in the G1 cartoon, the new bladed weapons - while not all G1 accurate - are perfect for Nightbird Shadow.

As with  Generations Arcee, Nighbird Shadow has difficulty holding her large blades. But we eventually figured out that you could mount the blades on her forearms and they look absolutely wicked! And as you can see below, it's actually possible to mount all her weapons on her - just find the right slots. 

Yes she can kneel

Now you will taste my blade!

In the G1 cartoon, Nightbird Shadow was better known for her sai use. You can also mount the sais on her wrists, but we prefer that grip them instead:

And here she is with  Generations Arcee's pistols - which she again didn't have in the G1 cartoon:

SECOND: Nightbird Shadow's facial sculpt is the bomb! Sadly we couldn't make her eyes glow as they should. And don't you just love that metallic sheen? 

THIRD: Nightbird Shadow doesn't actually transform in the G1 cartoon - she's a drone - if we're right she later transforms into a swan. So this is actually a strike against her, but at the same time, Generations Arcee's car form is quite solid. Sadly there aren't enough hard points for her weapons. 

The Decepticon Ninja

WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE ABOUT TRANSFORMERS LG-15 NIGHTBIRD SHADOW?

FIRST: Nightbird Shadow is built  upon the design of Generations Arcee, as such she has the same faults as her Autobot base. She's a shellformer. No amount of black background can hide that hideously large chassis on her back.  Nighbird Shadow had a backpack in the G1 cartoon, but it was a small pack that carried her weapons, not a huge plate of armor.

SECOND: Takara did not bother to smoothen down the hand-holds of Nightbird Shadow, so there is again difficulty with her grasping them. Chances are you will break either the weapons or the hands of Nightbird Shadow if you force them all the way into her grip. 

Takara also did not bother to fix the big crack that runs down both side of her torso. 

Still a great Decepticon to have if you love the G1 cartoon. The Transformers Takara LG 15 Nightbird Shadow is available on Amazon for US$ 39.44 (Roughly PhP 2,050 plus shipping) 

Sharp.