Takara Transformers
- Thread starter Bravestarr
- Start date
It's Rodimus and Arcee when they get turned into synthoid humans by "Old Snake", aka Cobra Commander in the future. It was just one episode of TF, but it's the closest we ever got to a Joe/TF crossover in the animation. The other instance being Marissa Faireborn talking to her father, who was clearly Flint.
TF Season 3, episode "Only Human". It's one of my favorites, as we see Cobra Commander in the future year of 2006! Cobra is long gone, but he still slinks around in a hat and trenchcoat, selling secrets.
The four main TF characters at the time (Rodimus, Arcee, Ultra Magnus, and Springer) have their personas stolen and inserted into synthoids:
Also in Season 3, "The Killing Jar" Marissa Faireborn has a conversation with her father, voiced by the Flint voice actor. It was later confirmed in some DVD special features that Flint and LJ were her parents. The TF club did some cool Joe figures before going tits-up. Old Snake is one of the all-time best versions of Cobra Commander.
The four main TF characters at the time (Rodimus, Arcee, Ultra Magnus, and Springer) have their personas stolen and inserted into synthoids:
Also in Season 3, "The Killing Jar" Marissa Faireborn has a conversation with her father, voiced by the Flint voice actor. It was later confirmed in some DVD special features that Flint and LJ were her parents. The TF club did some cool Joe figures before going tits-up. Old Snake is one of the all-time best versions of Cobra Commander.
Wow, yeah, I‘m pretty sure I stopped watching when Rodimus took over. I was mighty partial to Optimus. Though that all seems familiar now that you described it. Maybe I caught that episode at some point.
I remember a bunch of episodes featuring organic aliens and Unicron’s orbiting head, but none of it deposited in the nostalgia banks. Also, I moved to Kansas the summer of ’87 and went from 6th grade in elementary to 7th grade in middle school. Those 2 huge changes ended my golden years of toys and I remember playing Micro Machines with the kids here and that my mom sold off my other toys in a garage sale. To summarize, Optimus died and then my childhood died the next summer. Everything after that does not matter.
Crazy how you can look back to your childhood and see those distinct pivot points and remember the concurrent events in our favorite genres. Your experience sounds a lot that of many of us. You had your roots pulled up and had to “grow up” abruptly. Some kids ”grow up” too fast and get into trouble. Others fight to hold on to their youth as long as possible, but that can end up negatively as well. It’s always tough when you have to start from scratch somewhere new, but, I guess in the end, we wouldn’t be the same people we are if we hadn’t gone through it.
It was a lot for sure since Redmond, WA was fatigues and dirt while Leawood, KS was all about how much money you had and how trendy you dressed. I finally found my place here after high school. Definitely made me not a coddled little shit teen/adult. Also opened my eyes to multiple realities by tearing me out of my west coast bubble.
It's weird, I never had an abrupt end to my childhood toy phase, just a slow decline. I specifically remember being pissed that they killed Optimus off, but I still bought the '86 toys and watched the cartoon, and I recall being elated when they brought him back. It wasn't until half the '87 line was the same characters as '86 but with a lame "target master", and the rest were "head masters" or "power masters" or "pretenders" (WTF, that's not even a transformer!). That's really when TF jumped the shark for me. Never could wrap my head around who was in charage of the robot when the head was a completely different character than the body. WTF. I lost interest after that, but that also coincided with the death of the G1 toon, so it was probably a combination of factors.
Joe hung on much longer for me. I collected Joe hard from '82-'87, got my last vehicles in '88 and a small number of figures in '89, but by then, I was discovering cars and girls. Toys just drifted off naturally, but I held on as long as reasonable. A few of my friends jumped ship earlier than me, and I was more than happy to buy some of their early Joes that I had missed along the way, so that probably fueled the fire a little longer.
But I didn't turn into a little shit. My dad put me to work on his construction sites during summers at 14, and you have to get tough pretty quick. You grow up pretty fast carrying rebar and learning to drive 16-penny nails.
Joe hung on much longer for me. I collected Joe hard from '82-'87, got my last vehicles in '88 and a small number of figures in '89, but by then, I was discovering cars and girls. Toys just drifted off naturally, but I held on as long as reasonable. A few of my friends jumped ship earlier than me, and I was more than happy to buy some of their early Joes that I had missed along the way, so that probably fueled the fire a little longer.
But I didn't turn into a little shit. My dad put me to work on his construction sites during summers at 14, and you have to get tough pretty quick. You grow up pretty fast carrying rebar and learning to drive 16-penny nails.
Growing up is definitely less abrupt when you aren’t uprooted and can naturally age with their friends. Starting over in a new place is tough.
Yeah, I can imagine. By the time you're in middle school, friend groups are cemented and have "history". There is no way to not be the new kid in perpetuity, and trying to find a niche of people to fit in with (on top of regular teen crap) is not something I'd wish on any kid.
It was especially abrupt since we were in elementary thru 6th grade in the west and they have middle school here which is 6-8, so I was dropped into the middle completely clueless of changing class rooms and having lockers. The timing really was perfect for me in hindsight since that is the age you should start to shift as opposed to my brother being dropped into his sophomore year in a completely new place where everyone was gifted their parents Acura’s and BMWs. We went from one of the richest families we knew in Seattle to being peasants here. That’s saying something considering my dad was a director at AT&T.
That's funny. I had a very similar experience without even moving. My parents got fed up with the local school system when we were kids, and they sent us to a private school in Knoxville (aka, the big city). So we went from being some of the wealthiest kids in our small town to the absolute poorest kids at the private school where everyone's parents were doctors, lawyers, and captains of industry. I started there in the 6th grade, knowing nobody, but it worked out fine. After a couple of months, I had new rich friends, no biggie. My older sister was entering high school and had a much tougher transition.
Ironically, I'm back here, and I don't really keep up with my small town friends OR my private school friends. The people I talk to regularly are my college friends, who are the furthest away.
Ironically, I'm back here, and I don't really keep up with my small town friends OR my private school friends. The people I talk to regularly are my college friends, who are the furthest away.
Most of the friends I made here were transplants from around the country, so we had a shared history.
Yeah, my closest friends are fellow (voluntary) transplants to No VA in young adulthood. I don’t keep up with anyone from high school or college. Most of us have moved away from there, but still catch up multiple times a year.
Very nice $100 figure. Probably never going to transform him and I appreciate that he is not painted unlike the real MP-44. ShowZ Store got him to me in 2 weeks.
Edit: He did not come with instructions, so definitely never transforming him.
Edit: He did not come with instructions, so definitely never transforming him.
Looks like MP44 to me! Very toony. I'm still not sold on the high waist, as I always thought of that as a function of perspective (i.e. in the shots that depict the high waist, the view is clearly from a ground-level human, not eye-level with Optimus). BUT, I'm a sucker for Optimii, so if I find myself with $100 burning a hole in my pocket, I might take a chance.
Gonna have to paint the dead eyes though. Is that due to some failed attempt at light-piping? He looks like he should be lying on a table about to turn grey.
I do like the big chest windows and broad shoulders. Based on the toony nature of the figure, I understand why it checks some boxes.
Would you believe that Gravestone (i.e. XTB Motormaster) is the only MP-style figure I've bought this year?! I've had it for months and haven't even opened it. It's never crossed my mind that I need to build XTB Menasor, as that feels like it's just going to be two hours of work.
I have XTB Springer and Kup on pre-order to replace the FT versions that are so-so, but for the most part, I have just about every character I want in this scale. MP saturation is a real thing. I might jump on a good Blitzwing, Astrotrain, or G1 faithful Bruticus or Computron. G1 MP Jumpstarters would be cool, but I've reached the point that if I never bought another TF in my life, I'd have more than enough. I did pick up G1 retro Blaster from WM the other day. He was cheaper than some of the other G1 releases, and I didn't have a G1KO of him, so I figured why-the-hell-not.
Is you new house going to have room for your toy display shrine? Gotta get that stuff out of storage....
Gonna have to paint the dead eyes though. Is that due to some failed attempt at light-piping? He looks like he should be lying on a table about to turn grey.
I do like the big chest windows and broad shoulders. Based on the toony nature of the figure, I understand why it checks some boxes.
Would you believe that Gravestone (i.e. XTB Motormaster) is the only MP-style figure I've bought this year?! I've had it for months and haven't even opened it. It's never crossed my mind that I need to build XTB Menasor, as that feels like it's just going to be two hours of work.
I have XTB Springer and Kup on pre-order to replace the FT versions that are so-so, but for the most part, I have just about every character I want in this scale. MP saturation is a real thing. I might jump on a good Blitzwing, Astrotrain, or G1 faithful Bruticus or Computron. G1 MP Jumpstarters would be cool, but I've reached the point that if I never bought another TF in my life, I'd have more than enough. I did pick up G1 retro Blaster from WM the other day. He was cheaper than some of the other G1 releases, and I didn't have a G1KO of him, so I figured why-the-hell-not.
Is you new house going to have room for your toy display shrine? Gotta get that stuff out of storage....
I immediately took the head apart and painted the eyes metallic turquoise, no clue why they left them unpainted.
This is the first and probably last MP figure I’ll buy unless they do a V2 toon Sideswipe to go with his awesome brother.
I definitely prefer the hyper real Optimus over the hyper toon.
This is the first and probably last MP figure I’ll buy unless they do a V2 toon Sideswipe to go with his awesome brother.
I definitely prefer the hyper real Optimus over the hyper toon.
Ahhh, that looks much better, not dead-eye'd at all!
That hyper-real has a very steam-punk vibe to it. I'm not into that much greeble because it still reminds me of Bay's busy for busy's sake designs. I definitely wouldn't buy a whole collection of them, but as a one-off piece, it's pretty cool.
That hyper-real has a very steam-punk vibe to it. I'm not into that much greeble because it still reminds me of Bay's busy for busy's sake designs. I definitely wouldn't buy a whole collection of them, but as a one-off piece, it's pretty cool.
I’m really glad I waited. As much as I like TE-01, I just couldn’t get past the knees and he actually costs more than KO-44.
I went with the Magic Square offering, and I'm still quite happy with it. The taller torso and elongated grill just suit my taste better. The little square fake chest grills on the others that look nothing like the grills on the truck-modes just bug the $#!& out of me.
But, the truth is, we'd have killed for any of them back in the day. It's embarrassing how we're spoiled with good figures these days.
But, the truth is, we'd have killed for any of them back in the day. It's embarrassing how we're spoiled with good figures these days.
Oops, it was the Magic Square that I wanted. TE-1 is the worst to my eyes. The pointy kneecaps and availability of the original colored MS is what kept me from buying it.
Finally getting around to trying to ebay my G1 Optimus (From choldhood.) & I can't find the freaken gun?!
Why would you sell your childhood optimus?!
I don't think I would part with my originals. They don't take up much space, and TBH, they're so worn out from being massively loved and enjoyed, I doubt they'd bring anything. My poor Optimus, I know his legs were colored with a silver paint pen when I wore all the chrome off...
I don't think I would part with my originals. They don't take up much space, and TBH, they're so worn out from being massively loved and enjoyed, I doubt they'd bring anything. My poor Optimus, I know his legs were colored with a silver paint pen when I wore all the chrome off...
I don’t really collect Transformers & just don’t want to be tempted but it’s more about clearing out anything I haven’t touched in years.
This strikes me as the quintessential example of "just because you can, doesn't mean you should."
Who is this for exactly?
Transformers Collaborative: X-Men Mash-Up – The Ultimate X-Spanse Figure In-Hand Look (marvelousnews.com)
Who is this for exactly?
Transformers Collaborative: X-Men Mash-Up – The Ultimate X-Spanse Figure In-Hand Look (marvelousnews.com)
Agreed. Is Darth Vader a robot? Why does Chewbacca turn into a starship? The SW crossovers were all very stupid, IMO. They serve no play purpose or fit into any TF or SW narrative.
WTF, Mattel??? This is an abortion.
WTF, Mattel??? This is an abortion.
Do kind of wish I picked up Darth Vader/Death Star but I'm sure that would have opened a padora's box that can't be closed. Need to stay in scale for toys.
