Plastic Addict 21: Retrax

[@henryalberts539]

I will defend the color on the fact that we got a purple T-Rex, a green wasp, a dalmatian Velociraptor, and a water-blue mandrill all before this in Beast Wars.

[@Fluffkitscripts]

Lime green isn’t a terrible bug color, all things considered

[@mariodude345]

green wasps do exist tho

[@donkeykong6426]

i see it as a Deinonychus

[@griffinkimball2454]

Beast Wars was VERY hit or miss in terms of if thry cared about realistic coloring

[@AcanLord]

Also, Isopods are pretty diverse and some of them are pretty threatening. Many of the marine varieties bite and are in fact, green.

[@RobotFilmProductionsTMcom]

i love how even takara even knew about the hugging gimmick and called the repaint powerhug XD

[@prophet5of4]

And to think, this thing is apparently getting a reissue

[@ciernselar6549]

Considering the way it is segmented and the pincers on the front and back, it looks more like a very short centipede. If there was a remold without the gimmick it might actually have been a decent toy.

[@NXTangl]

Powerhug did get used as "Blinky, the world's loveliest pillbug" on Insecticomics, who did indeed hug everyone.

[@thegreatgoldfilms6311]

of all the beast modes we got in beast wars, how did we *NOT* get a hippopotamus?

[@nixxgen9574]

What would it’s name be? Also we never got a zebra either

[@Ragna_Rock54]

And we never got a platypus

[@PunchCounterpunch_Lizzy]

@@Ragna_Rock54 I wanna gonna say that too, that would be perfect

[@FinnGreenland]

Someone probs has broken the horns off Rhinox at one point so there is ur hippo

[@MrGojira95]

He would be Warpath

[@TheAxelandx1]

when i was a kid I used to have this guy but after i took him out of the box i was so scared that i haven't even dared to transform it

[@AcanLord]

is it weird that i actually quite like retrax?

[@danielkaufman2776]

AcanLord yes

[@darkstar5081]

AcanLord if I had never ever seen a transformer before I would love retrax, but only if I had never seen one before

[@delirium4327]

Its not weird its a cool toy. he gets alot of hate though.

[@michaelgum97]

KABAR432 Can you name some good points about it that TJ didn't mention?

[@Fluffkitscripts]

Some things are so goofy, cute and harmless you can’t help but be fond of them

[@RizzyKhaos]

It's Pac-Man!!! sooo cute. And it transforms into Robot Jesus.

[@nikolaileatherwood7928]

Riz Vicious entwined reserved btycnr

[@Hyren_Seris2000]

5:29: that is the most metal thing I have ever seen on a transformer. other than maybe guiledart's "dead mode" or universe nemesis's bloody tusks.

[@lastchance1829]

you can't deny that his pill bug for is just plain cute, he is trying so hard to be scary this it's cute, no wonder he gives a mega hug

[@TheMagicRobot]

I can't believe they're re-releasing this figure. just... why?

[@fun2building]

I dunno but I bought it because it's such a weirdo

[@TheMagicRobot]

I admit. . . so did I.

[@MunkyDrag0n]

A sea scorpion would be much more threatening and have the same general shape. Just goes to show how much a gimmick can ruin an entire figure.

[@SSorrens]

Powerhug? Really?

[@dol_mel7487]

Its pillbug ges a maximal btw

[@companylovesmisery1463]

(^_^) That panda Predacon idea with horns, fire-breath and buzzsaws actually sounds pretty badass.

[@Lockimus]

Wrong video

[@TJOmega]

You've actually got that backwards. The toy was released in the US before it was in Japan, so Powerhug actually gained his name because of the toy's gimmick, not the other way around.

[@zappgl]

HE’S COMING BACK BOYS

[@NoahR_]

He's returned to once more warm the shelves as he had done in ages past.

[@gyrrakavian]

It actually looks closer to the deep sea cousins of the common pillbug. Though, the legs aren't long enough for it to be one of those either.

[@OtakuUnitedStudio]

This looks far less like a pillbug and more like those giant bugs from Super Metroid. Either way, it's far more generous to just slap him with a generic "isopod" to name his beast mode. It's weird, because despite the stupidity of the whole thing, I still kind of want one for the absurd novelty.

[@AJSSPACEPLACE]

atleast the gimmick makes sense.

[@rubikthegeek2138]

Yeah!

[@matthewdennler2953]

That is my one rule with gimmick formers a long as it makes sense I will think about buying it

[@hollowknightfan2379]

I will now need a Unicron custom from Retrax. Please and thank you.

[@Gaming_Nerd1993]

Looks like Retrax ate the great Kanohi Hau.

[@Mothbean]

Unity Duty Destiny

[@Hyren_Seris2000]

tahu was no match for the almighty pill bug

[@matthewdennler2953]

@@Hyren_Seris2000 you can just hear kopaka laughing mentally in his head

[@AKShamu28]

hasbro: *writing this down* buzz saw panda... breathing fire... good idea! LETS DO THIS

[@owenslaughter9438]

I remember having this figure as a Kid and I remember loving it for some reason. I Mean I agree with you TJ on the whole gimmicks can ruin a toy. For some reason as a kid I just loved it. Maybe because I kinda knew it was silly to have evil Pill bug, I don't know.I Just remember that when I played with him, him and Snapper where these psychotic killers that Megatron was always unwilling to let loose from their holding cells, until ever other option had been explored. Retrax was something to be fear. lol

[@ShalkaChannel]

Fun Fact- there was, in the Precambrian period, a giant pillbug/centipede hybrid known as Arthopleura which ate.... well, our reptile ancestors.

[@mr.t-king6660]

fun fact- you are wrong, arthropleura ate plants. he still is an ancestor to centipedes and milipedes,pillbugs......

[@ShalkaChannel]

Ubi maior minor cessat ^^ My bad, sorry ^^

[@kyoswimm]

His eyes I find adorable. They look like ">_

[@izziewolf2834]

Just got the reissue and i love my little ball-of-death bug boi Edit: they fixed the mandibles hitting the antennas on the reissue with flipping the antennas the opposite direction

[@Alex876]

and here we are again

[@SEANxLONG]

LOL! I love this Review TJ! I Love how you Hit him out into Space! You got Skill!

[@alterbr33d]

When I was a kid I got two of these for Chrismas at the same time by two different people who didn't know. So I told them both, and they both took it back thinking I'd have one cause they thought only one was taking it back.

[@tosthage1]

i love that the repaints name is powerhug

[@markc12345]

Believe it or not, this review made me want a Retrax. If anything then to see if he could be cut up and customized into a better version.

[@Draco84]

funny enough, there are some species of pill bugs with spikes. However none of them have crazy mandibles or big stingers.

[@HeadmasterAutobot]

The whole 'cute' aspect of this guy (and the endearing hug ability) makes it seem like this toy was MADE to be Powerhug. Funny, that.

[@lordkrythic6246]

Did Retrax ever come in red? I remember a toy like this from the 1990s, but it was red.

[@TJOmega]

Retrax was only repainted once in Japan, and that one was the blue and silver one I showed in this video.

[@lordkrythic6246]

@@TJOmega Do you know of any other toys that looked like Retrax, that may have been a different brand? I remember an all red and black one. This has been bugging the hell out of me.

[@TJOmega]

@@lordkrythic6246 Sorry, if something similar in red was out there then I haven't seen it.

[@lordkrythic6246]

@@TJOmega Thank you.

[@bromodragone8405]

They could've made it less intrusive if the remove the switch gimmick and made it so you could fold the arms and legs of the robot mode into the ball mode.

[@targetseeker]

ball mode *deep breath* it's a reverse bakugan.

[@dgb751]

in the cenozoec period there actually were pill type bugs that were 300lbs and 12 feet long. it was the age of enormous insects, dragonflies had 3ft wingspans.

[@TMan978]

I think you were reaching a little bit with your complaints on the bug mode. I never owned the toy myself, my little brother did but I found the pill bug mode very fun.

[@thetformerchannel]

I've got Powerhug myself. Mainly bought it for the "lols" but I've grown fond of the guy. He's got a big deal of novelty going on and I find him fun to play with. I must be the only one on the face of the earth who enjoys this mold...

[@_underscore_9271]

I like retrax for the goofiness, he's so novel that it circles back and becomes fun

[@babysinclairfan]

9 years later, I got the Walmart reissue and I honestly love it. Also why is a deluxe from 1997 bigger than a voyager in 2024

[@Da_Baron]

I actually really want the blue-and-silver recolor of this figure. I know that it's not a really good figure (trust me, I've seen this review enough times that I could point out all the flaws by quoting TJ), but I love Insecticomics and, goddammit, I want Blinky!

[@capmodesty]

my main problem with retrax is the way that his arms have a habit of trying to hurt me or bending stupidly.

[@Phantom9252]

i once had a retrax, it was missing its legs and chest armor, and the stinger and jaw gimmicks didn't work. it also gave me nightmares, i don't know were it is now, but sometimes when i feel like something is watching me, i'll look around for an evil, mutant pillbug.

[@asmr3284]

I actually didn't mind this toy as a kid :3

[@Potterformers]

there a blue repaint of this called: Powerhug

[@Trev44productions]

Where is armada optimus ?

[@babysinclairfan]

At 9:20 you made a mistake. Retrax can indeed "clap". Undo the yellow flaps on the back and press on the arms. They're held by pegs on the hands and are meant to be removed. An undocumented feature is that you can leave the arms. Connected but loosen the tabs so he can use the beast mode weapons. A lot of your complaints come from not transforming him properly. I assume you bought him used without instructions

[@THEWATCHERISLOOKING]

It reminds me of the Mothra slugs that Godzilla fought. Or maybe its a fuzor between a polybug an a centipede.

[@holsson85]

I think this one is awesome!!! How can you NOT love it? Hell, you can even hang it in your christmas-tree!

[@theotakux5959]

I had that as a kid. Somehow completely forgot it existed until recently when just looking at random Beast Wars figures.

[@DanielDAdkins]

Well, the animation was done overseas by Japanese (as well as Filipino and Korean) studios, but all the writing, creative stuff, and voice work was done in America by Sunbow Productions.

[@russellwilhelm5130]

All this and I'm boutta go to 3 walmarts near me to hunt this thing in a month

[@danielkaufman2776]

I'm curious to know what you would like to see as a Predacon.

[@superalfredchicken]

I got one of these for my birthday when I was a kid but it was missing a bug leg so I returned it. And got another one...

[@cheezman22production]

the weird thing about a pill bug is that its not a bug its a crustacean ... meaning it has gills... oddly enough they live on land....

[@Bariprime]

Oh Primus, what were you thinking when you were creating Retrax!?

[@django60617]

it's 2024 and I just purchased one of these at Ollie's bargain bin for $9.99 and I have no idea why.

[@aqua8785]

Removing the gimmick and adding kibble to make the legs bigger I could see this design being decently posable. Maybe even just add hinges in his torso to manually fold him up.

[@Ojunix]

Even got a Free Naulitator with it since it's not part of the Set which now with some Gundam Markers I gonna try my first attempt to Rrepaint to match with the others. The only problem is I can't decide what parts should be what color?

[@TechnicalJimActual]

Did anyone else notice the Royalty Free Blade's tip flew off when TJ deployed(?) the thing?

[@band43seat]

dont diss retrax, he was one of my favorite transformers. mostly cause i used him for any ball monster i needed for other toys

[@iron1349]

I'm looking at him and wonderhing why he's made of clear plastic shell pieces.

[@Isolder74]

I see Starfleet logos painted on it's eyes if you ask me.

[@kondosoggoth]

Oddly, this fellow was one of my favourite Beast Wars toys. I guess the power-hug entertained me... anyhow, mine's the same as the one in your video except it didn't have that translucent bit that becomes the chestplate, so his head was just staring out from a gap in the side of the woodlouse, somehow making it more disturbing...

[@Fluffkitscripts]

I will now go draw up some fire-breathing buzzsaw panda transformer concepts now, because they’re alien robots who transform into animals. We crossed the “realistic” line long ago, so we can do whatever we want!

[@Fluffkitscripts]

Also it’s going to be fire engine red, because screw you lol

[@sidorak12814]

I literally had the Beast Wars Unicron thought as a kid - glad I wasn't the only one! XD

[@flameflamedramonva]

i repainted retrax he actually looks pretty cool and since im a customizer new feet and arms plus a raised head

[@TJOmega]

If a few promotions honestly bug you that bad, don't watch. Bottom line right now they're helping me out when I really need it, so I'm helping them in return. It's not as clean cut as "selling out", sometimes people just have to do things to keep going.

[@cgoose500]

I got half of this a looong time ago at a place that's pretty much a giant outdoor thrift store.

[@ian1231100]

Maybe it's meant to be a giant isopod...

[@AcanLord]

+ian1231100 Actually i`ve found quite allot of inter tidal isopods are exactly the same color as retrax.

[@brendaveles2443]

I break mine out of rage of how it help springing it self over and over

[@astrotanker3887]

my first figure was the generations grimlock not fall of cybertron the 1 which legs keep coming out atleastmine does

[@frenzyXprime]

omg! I LOVE HIM SO MUCH! I WANT AND NEED HIM NOW!!!

[@dingle2987]

I mean, Beast Wars did take place on ancient Earth, so it could be a take on ancient arthropods. Only thing I didn't like about Retrax was his limited mobility due to the giant bug hug arms making him top heavy. No where near the worst transformer toy though. Take a chill pill.

[@000xyz]

yeah....i kinda wish i saw this review before i got this guy. i just saw him at a comic store glass case for 10 bucks in his beast mode, and though....i'm curious what creative thing this figure can turn into.....now i keep him shelved as a....mutated..posessed...pokeball....trust me, i love insecticons. i would collect them all (more relevent pokemon references), but even i would release this from my PC

[@metalmangaming642]

the eyes in the pill bug mode looks part of the Skyrider logo, just red

[@7171schocker]

@TJOmega Will you do a PlasticAddict Video for Airachnid from the Transformers Prime RID line?

[@nathanmoss8481]

I remember this as a kid and felt so robbed lol

[@austinreed7343]

3:04 Ever thought of doing Break on Plastic Addict?

[@Newsystuffs]

This was my first Transformer. Eventually he lost his legs and I donated him. I saw him three times since then. Complete with missing legs.

[@S0n0fG0D]

Man dont diss my boy retrax. This dude is the best and you take back your negstives. This is from a show about giant robots that turn into extinct animals. So the biology realism criticism is laughable on your part.

[@GodOfPlague]

TJ do you have Beast Machines Snarl? I was interested in learning more about him and the ankliosaur

[@OptimusPhillip]

His repaint's name is POWERHUG!? Well, it incorporates the gimmick. Also, I think the ONLY reason they included the mandibles and stinger was because he needed a stand in curled-up mode, and why did they even expose the bug face? On the real pillbug, it's barely even visible, why expose it on the toy?

[@Ojunix]

Awesome Review Glad to see my Old Retrax but I'm happy with his Brother Powerhug. Which BTW what scared you more the Name or the Colors? By any chance be seeing a Review of Hellscream in the Future? I want a Banzitron Panda Bear of Doom why hasn't Hasbro Hired you Yet!!!

[@TFGfanguide]

wasn't there a predacon that transformed into a scorpian with a snake for a tail in the beast wars show?

[@dclaiche]

Banzaitron. Am I the only one that thinks that would actually be a cool transformer name?

[@guyfireyboi1982]

There is a transformer from generation 1 called banzaitron

[@guyfireyboi1982]

tfwiki.net/wiki/Banzai-Tron_(G1)

[@MeowMackDog]

Yeah I got that one and when I was a younger and I first got it I had the what the hell face and when I was thinking about the toy playing with it it would have came off better if they would have made him look more cleaner on the show and like a medical bot so it doesn't have no attacks it only has deterrence and it would have probably been a bit of thought process to that

[@runescape228]

Just a curiosity -- what are the other potential "Beast Wars" Plastic Addict victims, aside from Break?

[@dol_mel7487]

Cough cough Beast Wars Randy cough cough

[@pyroclasticdog]

+Jetfire48 That thing a death trap

[@illiniguy34]

seems that none of the pillbug formed a robot part.

[@HiperPivociarz]

You wouldn't be saying these things aren't scary if you saw that clip of a giant sea pillbug facehuggering a shark to death.

[@Cdr2002]

I wonder if he was a rejected Animoprhs alien character, like the Mutants being animorphs leftovers

[@megamanpwn3dmario]

k... why wont this video play? every other video of yours plays, so why not this one?

[@GoldKnightProduction]

You're more likely to find a pill bug in your transformer than retrax in your transformers collection. XP Literally, there was one inside of my g1 blaster. Certainly explained why the cassette deck wouldn't open.

[@1cioda]

In the beast wars 2 show, his name was hugor or something like that

[@StevenDolce]

How does this guy pass for a Maximal in Japan?

[@ArcNeoMasato]

As I understand, the Japanese release of this guy was a Maximal, and his attack in robot mode was actually a legit hug. Like.... they actually did it better just by accepting that he's silly as hell. That said, I actually just ordered this guy from TransformersLand for like.... $6. I'm weird in that I like gimmick figures, and he's just too perfect for my weird collection.

[@DanielDAdkins]

Actually, the only series to be created in Japan first and then dubbed in America were Armada, Energon, and Cybertron. All others shown in America were made State side. Although there were several series in Japan that never made it here like Headmasters, Super God-Masterforce, Victory, Zone, and Beast Wars 2 and Beast Wars Neo.

[@TheSlitknot]

Would u think retrax is in the tripredicus council