If you've got a household with a technically-oriented dad and a five-year-old boy, then Ultimate Bumblebee rocks.  It's basically the Transformer toy I wish I had when I was a kid.  It takes time to transform (which I have to do), but robot mode and car mode each have their own effects.

In robot mode, his arms, wings and head animate.  (A special button causes his weapon arm to raise, "aim" and shoot a little missile.)

In car mode, pushing him along changes the rev of the engine sound, and causes different audio clips to play.

Maybe we'll get tired of it, but right now we're both loving it!  Aaron's other action figures are all surprised that the car turns into a robot.  (He's introducing them one at a time.)  He'll wiggle spiderman in front of the car and say for him, "But it looks like just a car."  Then he'll tell me, "Okay, Dad.  Transform him."

And the mini poseable Bumblebee is going to work with me and will stand with the little tachikoma.  (Um, don't tell the kid.)

P.S.  I know this really sounds like an Amazon review.  But it's sincere, and I wanted to blog here.

Somebody at Wired has Gunnm's blade.

In case you can't wait for the new tachikoma model, you have an alternative to tide you over.

For years, I've been searching for a good tachikoma model.  Now, by way of Dan and zannah , I see that it's finally here!

Squee!