Shuriken
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When a Transformer desires the long-range capabilities of projectile weapons, but just can't do without the visceral cutting capabilities of a blade, shuriken (手裏剣) are always an option! These weapons, often wielded by those trained in the ninja arts, are also sometimes referred to as throwing "stars."
Fiction
[edit]Generation 1 cartoon
[edit]Nightbird possessed a seemingly endless supply of hip-stored energized shuriken. Enter the Nightbird
2007 Transformers film
[edit]Frenzy used shuriken as his main weapon, which he shot at high speeds at the humans Seymour Simmons, John Keller, Maggie Madsen, and Glen Whitmann. Unfortunately for Frenzy, one of them ricocheted right back at him, slicing off most of the little Decepticon's head. Transformers
Transformers Animated
[edit]Prowl deployed his shurikens, as any self-respecting cyber-ninja should, with impressive precision.
Beast Wars: Uprising
[edit]Jai-Alai wielded shuriken in the raid on Megatron's mansion. Not All Megatrons
Toys
[edit]Beast Machines
[edit]
- Optimus Primal (Deluxe Class, 2000)
- Accessories: Energy shuriken
- The first Beast Machines Optimus Primal is a dark bronze and translucent blue technorganic gorilla that transforms into a technorganic robot. His main weapon is something that his in-show appearances never portrayed him having: a sort of energy-shuriken. His right robot-mode arm is spring-loaded to throw the shuriken, and it can be stored in his left leg (the ape mode's left shoulder).
- Official Hasbro stock photography of this toy shows a differently-molded shuriken, lacking the "energy flame" effect.
Transformers (2007)
[edit]Fast Action Battlers
[edit]
- Disc Blast Decepticon Frenzy (Fast Action Battler, 2007)
- This version of Frenzy transforms into a two-speaker stereo CD/cassette/radio. Like other FAB toys, it features an action feature of some sort: A disk (sculpted to look like one of his bladed shuriken-things) ejects from his chest as a pressure-launched projectile when a button on his back is pressed.
Fast food kids meal toys
[edit]
- Frenzy (Red Rooster, 2007)
- Accessories: 2 discs
- Frenzy transforms from a stereo to a stereo with legs! He comes with two discs, which he can launch. He can launch them mightilly! No, seriously. That little bugger sure can shoot. Which is good, because it's basically all he does.
Universe (2008)
[edit]
- Cheetor (Deluxe Class, 2008)
- Accessories: Tail-whip, throwing blades
- First available in the fourth wave of Universe Deluxes, this version of Cheetor is based on the original Beast Wars Cheetor. Amongst other departure from the original version of the toy depicting this character, he has been given a club (formed from his tail) and a pair of shurikens, or triple-bladed battle discs as his packaging calls them. These throwing stars can be stored in compartments on his legs.
Henkei! Henkei!
[edit]
- Cybertron Cheetus (December 27, 2008)
- ID number: C-12
- Accessories: Battle Club, Triple-Bladed Battle Discs
- Henkei! Henkei! Cheetus replaces some of his yellow plastic—including his arms, and stomach among other parts—with gold plastic. As with all Henkei toys, he has vacuum-metalized plastic parts, specifically his entire head and the bodies of his throwing blades.
Animated
[edit]
- Prowl (Deluxe Class, 2008)
- Japanese ID number: TA-05
- Accessories: 2 bladed mecha stars, 1 traffic light "chain" weapon
- Prowl transforms into a black and gold police "superbike" of made-up model. Two of his hubcaps are removable, and they both can reconfigure into three-bladed "mecha stars" which he can hold in robot mode. The mecha stars have a pseudo-automorph feature; pulling out on one blade simultaneously opens the other two.
- Samurai Prowl (Deluxe Class, 2009)
- Japanese ID number: TA-34
- Accessories: Sidecar/battle armor, wheel/"sword", 2 bladed mecha stars
- This heavy retool of Prowl includes an all-new sidecar which transforms into the "samurai" armor that appeared in "A Fistful of Energon." Prowl's bladed ninja stars don't really seem to be intended to be removed from his legs, but with a bit of force, you can still pry them out of there. They have, however, been remolded so they're now fused together and no longer able to open, but they are exchangeable with the stars from the original Deluxe Prowl.
- Prowl Elite Guard Ver. (2010)
- Accessories: 2 bladed mecha stars, 1 street lamp "chain" weapon
- Available exclusively at Tokyo Toy Show 2010, Prowl Elite Guard Ver. is a redeco of the original Deluxe-class Prowl toy in a color scheme based on G1 Prowl. And yup, he still comes with those nifty throwing-stars!
Prime
[edit]- Set ID number: AM06
- Micron ID number: M-06
- Energon Crystal: AP Mud
- Available only with his larger Deluxe-sized partner Skywarp as part of the first wave of Japanese Prime toys, Balo comes as an unassembled, unpainted "kit", his deco supplied by customer-applied foil stickers on a sheet shared with Skywarp. He transforms from a buffalo-like robot into a shuriken/shield. His multitude of redecos also feature the same mode. Awesome.
Legacy
[edit]- G2 Universe Road Rocket (Deluxe Class, 2022)
- Velocitron Speedia 500 Collection "G2 Universe Road Rocket" is a redeco and new-head retool of the mainline Legacy Prime Universe Arcee toy, transforming into a '90s-style sportbike motorcycle. She includes the same Energon blade accessories as Arcee, but with additional paint decos in the center to show the sculped shuriken. The blaster weapon formed by splitting her front tire can also be plugged into a 5 mm port on her back, allowing her to better resemble the original Road Rocket figure with its distinctive shoulder wheels.
- Animated Universe Prowl (Deluxe Class, 2023)
- TakaraTomy ID number: TL-33
- Cyberverse Universe Chromia (Deluxe Class, 2024)
- TakaraTomy ID number: TL-72
- Accessories: 2 Bladed Mecha Stars
- The Legacy: Evolution Deluxe Class Prowl (and by extension, his redeco/retool Chromia) comes with two Mecha Stars which can be stored in the motorcycle wheels, and deployed by twisting the blade housing.
Notes
[edit]- In the Beast Wars II comic, the Surumerang, which is supposed to be a single boomerang, of the ninja Scuba is treated as a collection of shuriken none of which look anything like a boomerang.
- Coelagon's Coelafubuki ability involves him firing his scales at his opponent. Supplementary material likens these scales to shuriken.