Takara Transformers

[nacho]

http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/list.aspx?list=10366

Has anyone seen a more sorry set of figures than these? What collector would sign up for this? Who has interests in EVERY iteration of TF that you'd actually get this subscription?!

Other than Breakdown, these are 100% fail, and I've had a KO Breakdown for months at a fraction of the cost of this figure that might come out next year. WTF.

 

[K-Tiger]

Bad repaints of existing molds?

 

[pcsguy88]

TC looks pretty bland to me in bot mode. Just seems like he's missing paint that the Taks had.

 

[nacho]

Bad repaints of existing molds?

Yep. But if they were from one particular continuity of TF, they might at least make sense. At least it would appeal to some small segment of fans in a big way. Mixing in figures from six different lines/continuities ensures that only two people on the planet who collect everything with a TF logo on it actually want the whole overpriced set.

And they got tired of repainting Optimus white for Magnus and black for Nemesis, or another shade of black for Motormaster....so they repainted him yet another shade of black and called him Scourge. Sure, Scourge is a black truck. I don't know what TF continuity that's from, but it makes me glad I don't collect it.

 

[K-Tiger]

Yep. But if they were from one particular continuity of TF, they might at least make sense. At least it would appeal to some small segment of fans in a big way. Mixing in figures from six different lines/continuities ensures that only two people on the planet who collect everything with a TF logo on it actually want the whole overpriced set.

And they got tired of repainting Optimus white for Magnus and black for Nemesis, or another shade of black for Motormaster....so they repainted him yet another shade of black and called him Scourge. Sure, Scourge is a black truck. I don't know what TF continuity that's from, but it makes me glad I don't collect it.

So they're pulling a Mattel and scraping the dregs for characters to do?

 

[nacho]

Yeah, but it's the first year of the subs. If they're already struggling to find anything worth making, why bother?! The previous animated series, beast wars, CHUG, etc all in one sub seems like it would appeal to no one.

Plus the character selection seems so weak that I don't see any of them as must-haves like Cover Girl. And Breakdown, arguably the only interesting fig in the bunch has had a KO version out for months.

 

[K-Tiger]

Isn't there some big ass combiner they could be doing? The Constructicons weren't the only ones, were they?

Hell, Insecticons are a better idea than most of those.

 

[nacho]

I think ANY idea is better than the road they've chosen.... which is to say, I think the response will be so lukewarm at best, I doubt it will justify a second attempt next year.

A combiner would have been cool. A sub-team like the wreckers would have been great (I don't even acknowledge that WFC Bruticus repaint they have planned), or heaven forbid, crate something new, cool, and original.

While subscriptions aren't exactly the same thing as a mail-away, back in the day, Joe and TF had great success in adding new things to the mythos via non-retail methods. Starduster, Steel Brigade, Reflector, Omnibots, "Reinforcements from Cybertron", etc.

In 2012, repaints from Beast Wars and the pre-prime animated series that a lot of fans hated seems to be the worst idea. My first reaction upon seeing the choices was, "Did someone lose a bet?!"

 

[Mandingo Rex]

Yeah, as much as I bitch about the JoeClub stuff and how they handle it, they did a way worse job on the TF Collector's Club selection this year. What a lackluster selection of random mediocrity.

It's like the GIJCClub doing a set with one each from Sigma Six, new sculpt, Extreme, ARAH, ME, 12", Action Man, Action Force, and Sideshow, with 4th tier character selections.

Hell, at least with the GIJCC selection, I've heard of 3/4 of the characters before, and the designs/parts selection aren't total shit.

 

[nacho]

Exactly. My problem with the Joe club is purely price. I'm just not paying that much when only a few of the characters are home-runs to me, but they look like good figures overall. I'm not subscribing, but it could be worse.

The TF club shit the bed.

 

[Goldbug]

Sure, Scourge is a black truck. I don't know what TF continuity that's from, but it makes me glad I don't collect it.

He is from Robots in Disguise.

I've never been interested in any of the TF Club stuff because it is all repaints.
At least the Joe Club gets new heads & gets to use unreleased molds.

 

[nacho]

That explains why I didn't know. RID/Cybertron/Armada were just awful IMO.

I understand why they need to keep things fresh, but I've never understood the TF team's need for complete reboots every three years. Modernizations and new takes on classic themes maybe, but the constant need to start TF's from the beginning just drives me up the wall. RID/Armada was one of the worst false starts they've had.

 

[Mandingo Rex]

Holy shit! Why hasn't anyone posted this yet?

It's apparently a Takara custom of Ultra Magnus, but damn if it doesn't look pretty slick. Needs a bit of tweaking on parts, but not a bad start...

 

[nacho]

Nice! I bought a vintage UM with the intent of making a MP-style custom one of these days. That's pretty cool. Maybe HasTak will beat me to it.

In the same vein, I got my FP Warbot Steel Core in the mail today.

http://fansprojectcore.com/product/wb-002-warbot-steel-core

That thing is pretty sweet! The design is great. I know a lot of people are adamant that Steel Core is a FP original design/character that is not based on a TF character, but I don't buy it. Those same people think that the name is in reference to the little guy that comes with him that sits inside. I don't think that's it either.

Bear in mind, this is my own personal speculation, nothing more: I think Steel Core is the base figure for a FP Ultra Magnus. He transforms into a futuristic truck-cab that specifically has a hole for a trailer peg. They show the "team" as Defender (FP Springer), Assaulter (FP Broadside) and SC. The other two are Wreckers, so it stands to reason that another member of the team would also be an homage to a wrecker. I think that in the coming months, we'll learn that FP is making trailer-armor. I think it will look like UM, and that the Steel Core name of the figure is based on it being the core of the larger armored figure, not named b/c of the micro figure he comes with. While the SC figure looks nothing like a white repaint of Prime, I think this is FP saying that he shouldn't and does not need to look like Prime underneath. This might be the rantings of a madman, but I think SC will end up being FP Ultra Magnus.

I will now go back to wearing my tinfoil hat....

 

[Mandingo Rex]

^ Crazy guy!

HOORAY!

http://www.seibertron.com/transform...tomy-mp13-soundwave-and-mp14-red-alert/25666/

 

[nacho]

Very nice. While I still feel the bot modes are a little small/short, I like the lambos immensely. Soundwave and Laserbeak look great too.

When it's all said and done, I think I'll ending up selling all my TFs except MPs and whatever CHUGS my kids decide to like. They aren't ever going to top these. The other lines look kind of pitiful in comparison.

Well, I'll keep my revoltechs... I still have about 20 custom revoltechs in the queue.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

Bear in mind, this is my own personal speculation, nothing more: I think Steel Core is the base figure for a FP Ultra Magnus.....

I don't know man...the only reason I can come up with against this theory is that IF FP was doing that, they'd have announced it concurrently to help produce more sells...

I think one day that damn awesome MP line is gonna suck me in...

 

[nacho]

I thought you were all-in on the MP line, even with your scale hangups. For pete's sake, Sideswipe fits in MP-10's trailer!

I agree that it would make sense for FP to say that up front, but nothing will stop them from doing a second batch of core figures when the armor is ready to be announced. The guy is UM blue. He has a trailer hitch. The "core" theme fits. Their other two warbot figures are wreckers. PLUS, they have experience with making armor for existing figures since they built the trailer for CHUG Hotrod to make him into Rodimus. The UM theory seems right up their alley. It's almost too perfect.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

Maybe they are waiting around to see what Hasbro does with UM?

 

[Mandingo Rex]

I will wait on Takara for the UM with armor, unless theirs is fucking awesome. I just figured that they'd use their mini-MP-04 to base their own armor on. I just hope they don't take for damned ever, whoever does it.

I actually want a redone Megatron first, so I can sell off both my MP-04 and MP-05. Without a replacement Megs, though, I'm going to hang onto both of them for the time being. I don't want a gigantic Megatron.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

the toyworld megatron is tits!

 

[nacho]

Which one is that? Hegemon?

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

Yes sir...he looks great but may be too small for some...

 

[nacho]

Yeah, I picked one up, and he's perfect as a leader-class CHUG figure, but he's too small for MPs. I'm not sure how he compares to Faith Leader, but I assume he's too small there too.

We do need an MP10 scaled Megs, one with much thicker legs. Everything else in the MP line is very G1-animation-centric in design, yet Megs was terribly toy-centric. It was a great oversized version of the original, but it really didn't fit with everything else.

The toon versions were the realization of everything we wished the G1 toys had been back in the day. That's what makes them so wonderful. MP-05 simply was a big version of what we actually got back in the day. That makes it neat, but ultimately ho-hum.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

I saw a good pic of him, the TFC constructicons, PE Reflector and FP insecticons and they looked SOOO cool together...

 

[nacho]

I think I have all of those. When I get all my stuff out of storage, maybe I'll take some pics like that!

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

I just don't have Hegemon

 

[nacho]

The PP05's arrived today. It only took 13 months, but I expect that they will be worth the wait!

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

Boxes look pretty cool...kinda nostalgic...you displaying them with MPs?

 

[nacho]

I'm not displaying them with anything yet... the never-ending house construction project continues. So it's into storage for now, and it'll be like christmas x100 when I get everything out.

I like the boxes too. I've determined that I'm not that enamored with vintage toys, but I'm a whore for vintage or really slick-looking packaging.

 

[Bravestarr]

Thank you for sharing the modern photos of Soundwave, Red Alert and Sideswipe! Also love the custom Ultra Magnus photo.

Thank you for the intel, guys!

 

[Mandingo Rex]

I'm not displaying them with anything yet... the never-ending house construction project continues. So it's into storage for now, and it'll be like christmas x100 when I get everything out.

I like the boxes too. I've determined that I'm not that enamored with vintage toys, but I'm a whore for vintage or really slick-looking packaging.

Nooo! Pics with an Alternator first! I don't give a shit if it's a phone pic, I just wanna know what the scale is next to say, Jazz or Hound, etc.

 

[nacho]

Well, my alts are in storage too, but I think I can get to one or two for a pic. no worries!

 

[Mandingo Rex]

Hooooway!!!

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

Neato gang!

 

[nacho]

The pics in the link show Ironhide & Ratchet as being almost identical in size to CHUG Prime. I've seen other pics where they are noticeably larger than CHUG deluxe figures, but they are not as large as an alt. Just looking at Ratchet in the box in vehicle mode, he would likely not fit with an Alt/BT display. It's almost as if they are perfect for Faith Leader... somewhere between CHUG and Alt/BT/MP scales.

http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers...final-product-images-and-release-soon-175387/

Here's a random pic from facebook...

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

That pic is with FL?...yeah, they look pretty dang good with him

 

[nacho]

No, that's MP10... just a pic I found on igear's FB page. Faith Leader is smaller than MP10 by about a head, so he'd look really good with PP-05's, IMO.

 

[nacho]

Here is a pic with FL and a couple of real MPs:

(again, another grab from igear's FB page)

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

Looks better with MP-10 IMO...not necessarily for the height, but more for the bulk...FL just looks too wimpy next to that IH