[Blaster: as cool as Soundwave but funnier]Written by GL
I has been a while since we here at Classic Articulation posted anything to do with Transformers. Partly the reason for this is because we felt Transformers has had enough focus already; what with the big Hollywood movie coming out and the release of movie figures to compliment it.
So, it's been a few weeks on now and it seems time to bring back stuff about Transformers.
It seems that, around the internet, there's a lot of flack and talk about a certain fella named Soundwave. I've been reading things along the lines of 'Soundwave this...' and 'Soundwave that...' and it's all worthwhile to read. However, I believe he gets too much focus. He gets why too much media talk and I wouldn't want him to get an ego about it.
[Blaster From The Series: he speaks like 50 Cent, trust me, check it out]This time around, we're gonna talk about someone just as cool, if not cooler (in my opinion). We're gonna talk about Blaster.
Blaster is close to being one of the most awesome Transformers ever made - and I, personally believe he is. Blaster is the communications center of the Autobots in the Transformers television and comic-series. And, of course, he (and a lot like him) was based on the toy line produced by Takara and Hasbro.
If you don't already know it, Blaster transformed into an AM/FM Stereo Cassette Player. He was a popular character from the original series even though he wasn't such a re-appearing member. As a member of the Autobot communications team, Blaster usually worked with its other members - mostly consisting of Eject, Grandslam, Raindance, Ramhorn, Rewind and Steeljaw.
Blaster, like Jazz, has a great love of Earth culture, rock music and other forms of music. As an AM/FM stereo cassette player, he can perform as a tape deck, as well as receive radio signals on a variety of frequencies. Acting as the Autobot communications center, he can transmit signals within a 4,000 mile radius. Blaster also carries four cassette tape warriors within his deck - Steeljaw, Ramhorn, Rewind and Eject.
In robot form he carries an electro-scrambler gun, which emits powerful waves of electromagnetic energy that can disrupt the operations of all electrical devices. In theory, the gun could even mess with the electrical impulses of the human nervous system (but Blaster's gun has never been used on a human and we don't wanna get technical about it)
Blaster's first serial appearance was in episode 30, 'Dinobot Island Part 1'. He subsequently appeared several more time in season 2 (check out the episode title 'Blaster Blues'). He also had a prominent role in the episode titled 'Auto-Bop', where he faced off against Soundwave in a sonic duel. This is one show to keep an eye out for.
[Blaster From The Movie: attempting to contact Optimus Prime]In The Transformers: The Movie (the one with all the 80s rock hit), Blaster was assigned to Autobot City on Earth. During the invasion by Megatron's forces, Blaster was responsible for sending a distress signal to Optimus Prime on Moonbase One. However, Blaster's transmission was jammed by Soundwave's cassette warroirs. The signal managed to be sent through and Optimus Prime (supported by some really inspirational rock music) was able to arrive with reinforcements to hand the Decepticons their backsides.
And then, he didn't appear for the rest of the movie.
Blaster continued to appear throughout the 3rd season. His last appearance was in the pivotal show, The Return of Optimus Prime.
Of course, we have to mention Transformers: Headmasters. Even though this Japanese series is not very popularly receive over here in our outback of Asia, this series hold one very important fact.
Blaster and Soundwave managed to kill each other in the Headmasters series. Blaster was rebuilt two episodes later under the name Twincast. This Twincast had a a blue/yellow color scheme (no longer the old red/yellow).
[Sneak Peek: the little known Autobot called Twincast]And check this: aside from the blue/yellow color scheme, the Twincast toy can also hold two cassette Transformers simultaneously.
The very cool Blaster toy was released by Hasbro in 1985 and was part of the second wave of Transformer releases. Twincast (just mentioned), who was a remold of Blaster, is available only in Japan - however, an company called ehobby recently reissued Twincast exclusively.
[Blaster In Robot Form: awesome, awesome figure]And that's the end of another one of my all time favorite Transformers characters. How stupid can some of us be to leave our toys lying around, to eventually disappear to monkey-knows-where. Needless to say, Blaster, like many of the G1 cast were as boxy as Lego, but they were still awesome. So, keep remembering the good old days people and, in the words of the classic Blaster, 'when the music is rockin', I'm rollin'.
What that has to do with anything, I have no idea.
[The Two Communicators: totally cool! totally!]