C-09 Cybertron Hero Set Transformers Missing Link Review
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I have been looking forward to this one since Bumblebee and Cliffjumper came out as separate releases, and getting the C-09 Cybertron Hero Set in hand is exactly what I was hoping for. Takara Tomy and Hasbro have been doing something really special with the Missing Link series, essentially taking the original G1 toy engineering and giving it a fresh coat of paint and updated details to match how these characters actually looked on screen in the Sunbow animated series. This set gives us anime-accurate versions of both Bumblebee and Cliffjumper, building on the previously released C-03 and C-04 figures with newly designed heads sculpted to match their cartoon appearances, along with revised paint apps on the arms, windows, lights, and Autobot emblems. The diecast construction still gives both figures that satisfying heft that collectors who grew up with the original toys will immediately recognize, and the included accessories round things out nicely with blasters for each figure and a cannon for Cliffjumper. For anyone who has the toy-accurate versions already in their collection, seeing these two side by side with their anime counterparts is one of those full circle moments where everything finally clicks. This set really delivers on the promise of the Missing Link concept, and I am really happy with how both figures turned out. Huge thanks to Big Bad Toy Store for sending this C-09 Cybertron Hero Set over for review, and if they have been on your must have list, you can still grab them now at Big Bad Toy Store.
Packaging
The box design keeps things clean and minimal, with bold white typography set against a matte black surface and a thin white border framing the front panel. It’s a sharp, no-frills presentation that leans into that premium Japanese collector product feel.
The back of the box continues the same matte black and white border treatment, keeping the overall packaging design consistent and understated. No character artwork or product photography appears on this side, leaving it clean and utilitarian.
The front of the box features a vibrant red grid design with character artwork of Bumblebee and Cliffjumper in their robot modes, each illustrated in that classic G1 anime style with exaggerated proportions and bold line work. Both figures sit in vehicle mode above the artwork window, with Bumblebee’s yellow Volkswagen Beetle and Cliffjumper’s red Porsche 924 nestled side by side in the open display tray.
The side panel features the same red grid artwork style, showcasing both Bumblebee and Cliffjumper in robot and vehicle modes with that bold G1 anime line work. A this angle, a larger central illustration of Bumblebee in robot mode dominates the panel, holding his blaster with Cliffjumper partially visible on the adjoining face of the box.
The opposite side panel mirrors the red grid layout, with Bumblebee and Cliffjumper in both robot and vehicle modes stacked along the right face of the box. I like how the artwork on this panel gives a clear look at Cliffjumper’s red Porsche 924 alt mode alongside his robot form, with Bumblebee’s yellow Beetle and bot mode shown just above.
The back panel features the red grid design seen on the other faces of the box, with tech spec cards for both Bumblebee and Cliffjumper laid out in that classic G1 style, complete with stat bars for attributes like strength, speed, and firepower. It’s nice to see the tech specs included here, as that’s a detail that really ties back to the original G1 packaging format.
Both Bumblebee and Cliffjumper are nestled in white styrofoam inserts, a packaging touch that echoes how the original G1 figures were stored in their larger boxed releases. The pink collector cards laid out in front feature illustrations of each character in both robot and vehicle modes, with classic G1 artwork showing Bumblebee’s Beetle and Cliffjumper’s alt mode alongside their bot forms.
Figure Details
Bumblebee stands alongside Cliffjumper with their full loadouts displayed, where Bumblebee’s accessories consist of just a small gray blaster while Cliffjumper comes with both a gray blaster and a larger gray cannon. The collector cards show their reverse sides here, featuring pink backgrounds with technical illustrations of each character in both robot and vehicle modes alongside Japanese text detailing their specs.
Bumblebee and Cliffjumper are posed side by side with their weapons in hand, and the blasters and cannon look great gripped in their fists with a nice sense of scale. The articulation on both figures is clearly a huge step up from the original G1 toys, allowing for wide arm spreads and natural leg positioning that those vintage molds could never achieve.
The rear view of both figures shows off the chunky, blocky back panels that are a hallmark of these minibot molds, with Bumblebee’s yellow shell and Cliffjumper’s red shell each featuring exposed screws and the vehicle mode wheels tucked into the shoulders and lower legs. Cliffjumper’s cannon is mounted here, and the mix of plastic and diecast across both figures gives them a satisfying heft that you can practically feel just looking at them.
Bumblebee and Cliffjumper are posed together with weapons raised, and you can really see the new anime-styled head sculpts here, with both featuring sharper, more cartoon-accurate facial details than the original C-03 and C-04 releases. The head articulation on both figures allows for a nice upward tilt, something I noticed right away since the vintage molds had completely static heads.
A close-up of both figures’ lower legs and feet shows the foot cavities where each figure can stow their blasters, with Bumblebee’s yellow feet featuring the same compact gray bumper detailing as Cliffjumper’s red ones. I like how they handled the pistol storage here, tucking the weapons right into the feet for a clean look in robot mode without needing to remove them entirely.
Bumblebee’s yellow Volkswagen Beetle and Cliffjumper’s red compact sit side by side in vehicle mode, both sporting Autobot insignias stamped on their roofs and translucent blue-tinted windows. I like the look of the silver chrome bumpers on Bumblebee’s Beetle, and Cliffjumper’s hatchback profile has a nice chunky proportion that feels true to the G1 minibot aesthetic.
The rear view of both vehicles shows their back ends, and you can just barely see the tops of the robot heads peeking out above the vehicle shells, not sitting flush against the body. With all the engineering that went into these figures, it’s a little frustrating that the heads don’t seat properly in alt mode, something that feels like it should have been an easy fix.
The underside of both vehicles shows the rubsigns stamped onto the bottom of each figure, with Bumblebee’s Autobot insignia on yellow plastic and Cliffjumper’s on red. It’s a shame those rubsigns are hidden underneath rather than placed on the hood, since they’re completely obscured in both vehicle and robot mode.
