Budget weapons expert.

Taikongzhans.

That name should be familiar to anyone who lives in Southeast Asia. In the majority of supermarkets, department stores and open markets you’ll find this brand. If shampoo bottle KOs are the bottom and KBB is the top, Taikongzhans are firmly in the middle.

They’re cheap without too much compromise. They’re anywhere from RM30 to RM50 here in Malaysia, which is less than a third of the price of an original Hasbro Voyager. One third of the price for two thirds of the quality? Sign me up!

It’s actually very viable to buy these figures just to take their MechTech weapons to give to your original figures. They are that cheap.

Case in point, Ironhide. He’s still got the same articulation, joints and paint as the original. Put him on display and it’s very difficult to tell that he’s a knockoff.

He’s only been simplified in one way, and that’s on his MechTech weapon which can’t lock in place anymore. Ironhide here is lighter than the original but that’s only really noticeable if you have both on hand to compare.

I paid RM30 for this guy, and for that price, I am completely satisfied with him.

Robot mode

Vehicle mode

PS: Yes, GMC has been changed to EWD. But they’re still the same number of letters, so that means it’s not a simplification. It’s a stylistic change.