Origins Jazz (Buzzworthy Bumblebee)

Like many folks, I was pretty excited when first seeing Origins Jazz announced online. Those cool Cybertronian forms from the opening scenes of More than Meets the Eye have stayed in the fandom lexicon since those olden days. Having these cool new toys of them is really neat. Jazz is a Buzzworthy Bumblebee release, meaning it's exclusive to Target stores here in the states. Normally it's pretty easy to get those, but not this time. I had firmly accepted that I wasn't ever going to find one until recently lucking stopping by Target for pasta. The didn't have the ravioli (seriously, it took 3 stores), but they did have an Origins Jazz.

This may be my favorite Jazz figure so far. I'm not just saying that because of the cool alt mode, or the elation of finally finding one, but it's just a really good figure. Jazz is like that, they seemingly improve each design as they go along. Considering the formula and regular updates to existing characters, that's great. I know that's the general idea... but it doesn't always work out. Jazz also looks similar to his Action Masters figure. I've always been pretty fond of that toy, so it's something I'd like overall.

Another neat feature is the weapons. Jazz has his standard Photon Rifle as well as a grappling hook. In transformation, fists are folded inwards. This provides a place to plug the grappling hook in similar to it's appearance on the show. There's even a winch on the left arm for it! The hook can also attach to the rifle so Jazz can fire it up high. I really like the inclusion of the hook, it's just a neat little extra they could have skipped and I wouldn't have noticed. It's inclusion is a fun little extra that frankly the rising cost of Transformers really should have. I'm paying more, I should get more. There's a difference between rising costs and gouging. They've been firmly in the latter lately.

Origins Jazz is an overall excellent figure. He has a ton of articulation and that dang grappling hook is a winner. Transformation is a little persnickety. It's not super hard or anything, but there's some points I found myself saying "come on dammit" or "aw dammit" and sometimes just plain "dammit". Ultimately, that's my only complaint with the toy. There's a few spots where you've got to get everything just right and I fumbled with it a little getting it there. Jazz's rifle can store on top of the car and it kinda looks like that's where it belongs. I really like this figure and wish he wasn't so hard to find. When he was announced it was a cool surprise as was finding it that day.