Takara Tomy AMT-01 Adamas Machina Rodimus

▼Its design is highly futuristic, though it does not fully match the comic Hot Rod. In fact, its accuracy is even lower than MMC Hot Rod. Of course, this is due to the different approaches taken by Adamas Machina and MMC in robot mode accuracy. Given the well-known variability in Western comic art, where different artists depict the same character with significant differences, if we take Flame Toys’ Kuro Kara Kuri Hot Rod as a reference, Adamas Machina’s rendition is undoubtedly more faithful. However, the intricate mechanical detailing inevitably results in a vehicle mode that is far from the streamlined appearance of the comic version.

▼The toy showcases the best quality seen in official figures in recent years—perhaps even in the past decade. Despite featuring numerous metal joints, it still rolls smoothly.

▼The leg transformation primarily involves folding, but the joints are handled well, leaving no visible flaws at the rear of the car.

▼The underside reveals the general shape of the robot, with the fists being particularly noticeable.

▼Hot Rod’s two weapons, one long and one short, can be mounted on the vehicle, though the peg holes are slightly tight. I was genuinely worried about chipping the paint when inserting or removing them—considering the high price, replacing it would be quite painful.

▼The cockpit cover doesn’t fully close, though I’m not sure if this is a widespread issue or just a defect on mine. Ignoring this flaw, the toy's paintwork is exquisite, with carefully applied colors and well-done silver detailing on the engine.

▼The vehicle’s exhaust pipes are an iconic feature of Hot Rod. The toy uses a darker finish, making it hard to tell that they are actually a combination of arm and leg components.

▼The large wings are highly recognizable—something we’ve already seen on Kuro Kara Kuri Hot Rod. The fact that the official design managed to incorporate them into a transformable figure is truly impressive.

▼Adamas Machina Hot Rod’s transformation isn’t particularly ingenious, especially the leg transformation, which is somewhat frustrating. There have even been reports that following the instructions could damage the toy. In contrast, the shoulder transformation is much better, with a clever design that hides the front wheels within the back and shoulder armor.

Once transformed into robot mode, Adamas Machina Hot Rod looks absolutely stunning—so much so that it could be mistaken for the non-transformable Kuro Kara Kuri Hot Rod.

▼The back of the figure is also well-executed. Although some compromises were made for transformation, at first glance, it’s difficult to tell it apart from Kuro Kara Kuri.

▼From the side, there’s essentially no backpack. It seems that with Adamas Machina, the official designers are declaring that as long as cost is not a concern, they remain unbeatable. However, looking at the single-member prototypes of Adamas Machina’s second release, Predaking, this might not hold true…

▼The official sculpting quality has always been reliable, and I believe Adamas Machina’s head sculpt surpasses that of Kuro Kara Kuri Hot Rod. If we set aside size differences, in robot mode, AMT-01 is nearly on par with Kuro Kara Kuri in terms of overall quality.

▼Hot Rod’s feet are somewhat carelessly handled, as the ankle joints merely fold without additional securing, making them feel a bit sloppy.

▼The hands are not fully articulated, though, to be honest, I actually prefer this approach. Some manufacturers’ fully articulated hands tend to have fingers popping off everywhere, making them more frustrating than useful. That said, for a figure at this price point, the lack of articulated fingers is still a bit disappointing.

▼The term “Adamas Machina” does not mean the toy is made entirely of metal—otherwise, transformation would be impossible. Instead, Hot Rod features metal in select parts and joints, striking a balance that maintains both paint durability and transformation feasibility while adding a premium feel.

▼The massive shoulder armor and twin wings are key identifiers of comic Hot Rod. For a transformable figure, wings are easier to handle since they don’t heavily interact with transformation. However, integrating the large shoulder armor is a challenge, and Adamas Machina’s solution is nothing short of perfect—it not only preserves the original design but also cleverly hides half of the wheels within them.

▼Although the wings mostly remain external during transformation, the designers didn’t just slap them onto the back. Instead, they implemented dual-action joints that allow the wings to extend outward in robot mode, further increasing their size and making them look even more imposing.

▼Thanks to a well-thought-out design and broad feet, the toy maintains excellent balance. Even with the wings adding extra weight, Hot Rod can lean slightly backward without the risk of toppling over.

▼The articulation is above average. Even the waist, which initially appears immobile, can bend forward after unlocking the back panel. Of course, compared to Kuro Kara Kuri, AMT-01 falls short in areas like knee bend angles.

▼Fortunately, due to its relatively lightweight body, Hot Rod remains stable even without full foot contact, allowing for more dynamic poses, which somewhat compensates for its articulation limitations.

▼That said, these so-called articulation shortcomings are only relative. At the very least, this Hot Rod can easily perform a natural kneeling pose.

▼The toy includes a chainsaw and two guns of different lengths. The guns can be combined into a long rifle, though for a figure at this price point, the accessories feel rather stingy. Thankfully, the weapon combination adds a bit of playability.

Overall, the AMT-01 Adamas Machina Hot Rod successfully kicks off this series. This figure proves that even when the official line delivers with sincerity, a truly excellent product can still be made. In terms of both appearance and paintwork, the AMT-01 exhibits exceptional quality, even rivaling the much more expensive and non-transformable Kuro Kara Kuri Hot Rod.

However, it does have some shortcomings in transformation and articulation, though it still surpasses most Transformers figures. Calling it a “hexagonal warrior” might be an exaggeration, but it’s not entirely unwarranted. My main concern now is whether this momentum can be sustained—after all, from the AMT-02 Skyfire’s gray prototype, we can already see signs of the old issues reemerging.