Transformers Missing Link C-16 Arcee Headmasters Version Rebirth Preorder
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Transformers Missing Link C-16 Arcee (The Rebirth Type) is officially up for preorder at BigBadToyStore and Entertainment Earth! Takara Tomy’s latest addition to the Missing Link series revisits Arcee’s appearance in The Rebirth, the three-part finale of the original Transformers animated series, where she became a Headmaster alongside Daniel Witwicky. We’ve been following this figure since its appearance at the 64th All Japan Model Hobby Show, and just recently shared the full official image spread. Now that preorders are live, collectors can finally get their orders in. What makes this release particularly interesting is that Takara Tomy is revisiting a figure that never existed during the original Generation 1 toy line. While Arcee became a Headmaster in The Rebirth, she never received a corresponding toy in the 1980s. Missing Link C-16 imagines what that release might have looked like, using the earlier C-07 and C-08 Arcee figures as its starting point. The biggest addition is Daniel Witwicky, who transforms from his Exo-Suit into Arcee’s head. He can also sit inside her vehicle mode, and the Headmaster connection is compatible with many original 1980s Headmaster figures. Takara Tomy has also updated Arcee’s pink color and head sculpt to better match her appearance in The Rebirth. Arcee includes two Small Laser Guns, a heat-activated Secret Emblem, and vintage-style foil stickers. The packaging recreates the overseas Transformers Headmasters box design with a newly commissioned illustration and matching collector card.
Where to Buy
You can preorder the figures at the following retailers below
Transformers Missing Link C-16 Arcee Official Images
Takara Tomy went with the classic Transformers Headmasters packaging for this release, complete with the red grid background, yellow Headmaster identification panel, and separate windows for Arcee and Daniel. The front illustration features Arcee in robot mode, while the box displays her in vehicle mode. Even the original “More… Much More Than Meets the Eye!” tagline makes an appearance.
Arcee’s pink, white, and gray color scheme stays close to her animated appearance, although the larger Headmaster helmet gives her a slightly different look from C-08. The pale pink face and blue eyes work well with the white helmet, while the gray components surrounding her head are a necessary part of the Headmaster design. The sculpt includes mechanical detailing around the waist, with yellow, orange, and red paint applications.
Articulation is one of the big reasons to collect the Missing Link series, and Arcee has plenty of it. Her shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees allow for a good range of poses, and she can hold both pink blasters. The shoulder wheels and folded vehicle panels retain the vintage Transformers design.
The transformation follows the familiar Arcee design, with the vehicle’s front panels forming her chest and the rear sections folding into her robot mode. Daniel transforms into her head, which can be removed and swapped with other compatible Headmaster figures. It’s a feature that goes back to the original Headmasters toys and one that makes sense to revisit with Missing Link.
Arcee’s robot and vehicle modes stay close to the original animated design. The pointed front end, open cockpit, and raised rear spoiler are all present, while the robot retains her familiar proportions. The larger Headmaster assembly is the coolest change from the earlier C-08 release.
In vehicle mode, Arcee features a transparent blue-tinted windshield, gray cockpit, and an Autobot insignia on the hood. Her two pink blasters mount behind the passenger compartment, and Daniel can ride inside. The little gray Headmaster figure has yellow eyes and a light blue head component, with molded mechanical details throughout.
The overhead view gives us a better look at the pink and white body panels, along with the gray sections surrounding the cockpit. Takara Tomy has included two matching pink blasters and the transforming Daniel figure. It’s a relatively small accessory selection, but the Headmaster functionality is really the point of this release.
Takara Tomy has now produced three versions of Arcee for Missing Link. C-07 Prototype Type features the orange helmet and body panels, while C-08 uses her more familiar animated colors. C-16 builds on that second release with a revised Headmaster design, including the larger helmet and gray components surrounding her face. For collectors who already have C-08, the Headmaster feature is the main reason to consider picking up another Arcee.
The Headmaster compatibility comparisons are another nice touch. Arcee’s head can be attached to other compatible Headmaster bodies, while her body can accept a different Headmaster head. Takara Tomy demonstrates this with Chromedome and another vintage Headmaster figure. None of those additional figures are included, but the interchangeability is part of what made the original Headmasters toys fun.
Takara Tomy Has Some Catching Up to Do With the Decepticons
The full Missing Link group shot really drives home just how heavily this lineup favors the Autobots. We’ve had multiple versions of Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, along with Ultra Magnus, Arcee, and several other Autobots. Meanwhile, the Decepticon side of the collection is looking pretty thin.
Granted, some of that imbalance comes from Takara Tomy releasing multiple versions of the same characters, but that doesn’t change the bigger issue. We need more Decepticons in Missing Link, and Takara Tomy has a lot of catching up to do.
There are plenty of characters to choose from, and I’d love to see Takara Tomy start giving the Decepticons the same attention they’ve given the Autobots. The Missing Link concept has a lot of potential beyond revisiting Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, and the Decepticons deserve a much larger share of the lineup.
