Takara Transformers

[pcsguy88]

The TFW2005 consensus is Snarl will be made due to those blink and you’ll miss it appearance in the movie and the fact Hasbro said they would complete the set. I love my Studio Series Grimlock far more than my MP version due to paint and durability. They are almost the same size. Who knows when my Slag/Slug will arrive, but people say he’s even better even though I’m not a fan of the red head.

 

[pcsguy88]

Damn. Will be watching the price on DM.

 

[nacho]

Yeah, if it ever gets sub-100, I might have to consider replacing TRUscream. I can't justify any more than that to replace something I'm perfectly content with.

 

[pcsguy88]

 

[pcsguy88]

This is all I could ask for in a retail line. Finally.

I hate how the camera exaggerates Streaker’s painted chest. Sucks they did not give Swipe the ports to add the tail fin.

 

[nacho]

Do you have Seige Sideswipe? Just curious how they compare. I really hate that black square Swipe's car-side, and the lack of a wing is a massive visual distraction. I'd definitely have to add one if I picked this up. But I'm a sucker for a red lambo, so I might get one and fix it up. I will say, those heads look sharp for retail figures, much better than some in the past.

I think Siege Sideswipe was the last Hasbro TF I bought (for me), and I haven't opened him up... three years later. The boy has basically aged out of toys (he's 14 and only cares about video games now), so I suspect my Hasbro TF-buying days are about over.

Is it me, or are "deluxe" figures getting smaller and smaller? I was looking at some in the store the other day, and they're barely larger than most of the MFT Legends+ figures I buy these days. I recall CHUG deluxes being larger, but maybe my memory is going. Like everything else, they're shrinking and getting more expensive.

 

[pcsguy88]

Deluxe is only 5” now, but Voyager and especially Leader is where the shrinkage really shows. Most of the leaders are just 8” voyager figures with accessories like Prime’s trailer or all the useless crap that came with Shockwave and Astrotrain. I care not though since they are all near perfect scale to each other as the MP line is and Sideswipe is my last one unless they do Earth mode Hound and obviously whatever giant Studio Series ‘86 Dinobots they choose. It feels great to have a full enough G1 cast in playable form.

The Lamborghini twins have always been my favorite, so $50 to get matching cars that transform completely different and especially the correct chest plate on Swipe was worth it to me. The 2 Swipe versions are so close that non-geewuners probably would choose the Siege mold if they could even tell them apart, but for me it’s all about being twinsies. I’m skipping Mirage (who is a way better mold update) to balance the books with myself since I will never touch that trash beastformer bird I was forced to pay for.

 

[nacho]

Anybody considering these?

Transformers MDLX Articulated Figures Series Optimus Prime (bigbadtoystore.com)
Transformers MDLX Articulated Figures Series Bumblebee (bigbadtoystore.com)

I thought I was done buying TFs for the most part, but these intrigue me. Mostly, I look at these and think: THIS is what bayformers SHOULD have looked like, instead of bugs. THIS is how you do a modern, detailed mechanical looking bot that captures all the G1 essence without being retro-cheesy.

They are G1 with a bit of an artistic twist. Better looking and more sturdy than anything hasbro has ever made, not as pricey as MP or 3PMP. Since they're highly articulated and don't transform, I'd be tempted to compare them to Revoltechs, but they're larger and seem less fiddly and made of pvc and diecast rather than softer squishy plastics.

Consider me tempted. I just wish bumblebee wasn't first. Can you imagine a Sideswipe in this line?!

 

[Videoviper]

Just for my own records, since I don't know modern TF that well.

Which are the Optimus Primes that work well with 4" figures.

I saw someone converted the modern semi, into a MASK Rhino. & of course I wouldn't mind a classic vesion.

Transformable could be optional, but prefered.

Is there a size difference between offical & KO?

 

[nacho]

There's only one prime I know of that scales with 4" figures... MAS-01, which someone here (pcsguy88 ?) just recently acquired. Definitely doesn't transform. There were some larger movie Primes, but I don't think any of them ever got THAT big.

 

[Videoviper]

found this beauty

Was looking at this one close enough to Rino from mask.

 

[nacho]

Oh, I thought you were looking for a 1:18th scale robot... but you wanted the truck. My bad!

 

[Videoviper]

1:18 vehicles dangerous Rabbit Hole.
of course this will lead to wanting the robot versions too. Dam my scale fixation.


(Bumble Bee is incoming )

 

[nacho]

I have been down that rabbit hole, and it's challenging.

I have acquired in 1:18 scale :
- Lambo Countach x2 (red and yellow)
- VW Bug (yellow)
- Porsche 924 Turbo (red)
- Porsche 935 (Martini livery)
- '80's Trans Am (red)
- Datsun 280z x2 (silver and white) (need to paint the black and add some police lights)
- a late 70's F1 car, but I'll have to paint and decal it into a Gitanes Ligier JS11
- Lancia Stratos in white that I'll have to build styrene ground effects to make it into a Group 5 turbo.

It's all a lot of work, but one of these days, it'll look great. It mostly illustrates that I have a problem starting projects that I haven't finished

EDIT: I also have all of the Dukes of Hazzard cars in 1:18: General Lee, Daisy's RoadRunner/GTX, Daisy's Jeep, Uncle Jessie's truck, Cooter's racecar, the rival "00" mustang, two different variants of Hazzard police cars, and a white caddy convertible that I need to paint the interior of and add some horns. And I have a tow-truck I need to fully customize for Cooter's wrecker.

It's a sickness.

 

[Videoviper]

I was just thinking of making a drive in for all my movie cars.
A-team
GI Joe/ Cobra
Batmobles
Transformers
Dexter w boat
Bigfoot
Etc

 

[nacho]

Good call! I've got an A-Team van too... and a Bandit Trans-Am, an Eleanor mustang, mutable Batmobiles... I agree, a drive-in dio would be sweet! Can't wait to see what you come up with.

 

[nacho]

I've had this figure since before the holidays, but I just got around to opening it. I gotta say, while I usually lean toward toy-deco figures, TE-03 absolutely smokes MMC Sphinx in the "Mirage aesthetic" department. Of course, he's going to need a full complement of reprolabels, but he's solid, hefty, and he's spot-on with the likeness. Knees and elbows are all double-jointed, thighs are diecast, and can do nearly 180-degree bends, comes with multiple heads and faces, etc. He's not nearly as finicky, kibbly, or greebly as the MMC figure. He's ridiculously poseable.

And if that wasn't cool enough, he was $49 from ShowZ. Takara can go suck donkey balls with their pricing. This is the best value I've come across in MP-scale in ages.

Transform Element TE-03 Phantom Mirage - Show.Z Store (showzstore.com)

 

[pcsguy88]

My MAS-01 is too big for 4” figures just going by truck cab on his chest. More like 1:16 if not bigger.

 

[Videoviper]

Thought I posted this.

 

[Videoviper]

Damm YOu Hasbro!!!!! You get me what I've been asking for..... for years! 118 hisstank transformers

 

[nacho]

Damm YOu Hasbro!!!!! You get me what I've been asking for..... for years! 118 hisstank transformers

View attachment 15480

View attachment 15481

I'll sell you the Megatron/HISS. I just want the carded Baroness.

 

[Videoviper]

I ordered it already.

 

[pcsguy88]

Finally all is right in my TF toy universe.

 

[nacho]

1/60th VF-1S? Bandai with Strike parts? Very nice. Is it a recent edition? I know some of the ones produced about ten years ago had serious shoulder-breakage problems.

I have one of those, still in the box, and I think it's the generation just after the shoulder correction. I had plans to get rid of the skull plate and invert the red/black stripes at the top of the chest to make them correct, but it's on the list of customs I still haven't gotten to.

 

[pcsguy88]

Bandai DX VF-1S movie edition. Everything is painted with even the smallest text being clear. This thing absolutely blows the one Yamato I owned out of the water with it’s smooth metal joints and refined design. I have not read of any mass breakages like with Yamato 1/48s. Nice and heavy with the feet being solid metal.

 

[pcsguy88]

It would be an unforgivable crime to paint one of these guys. Easily the best transforming robot I have every owned. Takara has no excuse charging $300 for Starscream V3 or $500 for Prime V3 while this Bandai exists. I did not know you could have Soul of Chogokin quality metal joints in a transforming robot and still sell it for under $200 MSRP.

 

[nacho]

The one I have is a Yamato 1/60 v2 that I bought to go with my CHUGs... all of which I sold, so he's an orphan in my collection.

Sounds like you have a cool piece, especially if you paid under $200 for it. These days, I don't see any 1/48 DX Valks for less than $400-500. That must have been quite a deal you found.

 

[pcsguy88]

The one I have is a Yamato 1/60 v2 that I bought to go with my CHUGs... all of which I sold, so he's an orphan in my collection.

Sounds like you have a cool piece, especially if you paid under $200 for it. These days, I don't see any 1/48 DX Valks for less than $400-500. That must have been quite a deal you found.

I traded a Harrier for it, so all works out since I would never pay the secondary prices for it.

 

[nacho]

The JSI/Merit Harrier?! I assume that would sell for way more than any Valk, even a spiffy metal one.

 

[ThunderDan19]

That's a beautiful Jet (don't you dare call him Sky) Fire! I had one as a kid. I can't remember what I traded for him (probably too much) and he was even broken at one of his joints, but was still a favorite because he looked so epic in either configuration!

 

[nacho]

My son still has my original '85 chunky-monkey JetFire. It makes me smile every time I see him up on top of the dresser watching over the boy.

 

[pcsguy88]

We both paid $300, so it was an even trade. I didn’t know I needed a Valkyrie so badly to round out my 80’s nostalgia wall.

 

[pcsguy88]

I just realized I’ve been gone since before my bday. I have fallen out of my TF trance and onto Bandai’s bossum.

 

[nacho]

My kids enjoyed the Netflix voltron series, and the boy even collected the lions from that one, as well as the giant lego voltron.

Living in the boonies and only having cable at my dad's office, I never saw a lot of those japanese shows that aired over here in the 80's. Robotech/Macross, Voltron, Battle of the Planets, Gundam, Machine Robo... they were just completely off my radar back in the day, so I never developed the nostalgia bug for them in adulthood. But if I were into them, I would definitely be Bandai's bi-atch. They're making some solid stuff these days. Congratz.

 

[Videoviper]

God help me I actually bought a king Starscream. I fear the friends he may bring!

Megatron Hisstank is also coming.

 

[nacho]

I hear you. I canceled my TF crossover HISS and Stinger. It's money and space I don't want to give up, and I refuse to start another TF style/scale collection. MP/3PMP along with Magic Square and MFT legends is all the TF I have room for in the collection.

But I admit, earlier in the year when I stumbled upon several SS86 transformers in one store, I stood there pondering the possibilities waaaaaaaaaay too long.

 

[Videoviper]

I am painting it blue & will slap an autobot symbol on it.

Kup the Tesla

 

[pcsguy88]

Just to irk Nacho

 

[nacho]

Just to irk Nacho

View attachment 15897

Eh, nothing wrong with that setup! (Erkelpants, notwithstanding )

I'm anxiously awaiting FT Mirage (and Jazz). I bought Invisible... then I replaced him with Sphinx... then I replaced him with TE-03... and I'll likely swap him out for the FT version. I might end up with a shelf of MP Mirages (Miragi?)

 

[pcsguy88]

Every time I try to sell Gundog and Sphinx I end up backing out. Sphinx is a bit sloppy in both modes and could probably use a replacement, but I have yet to see anyone else match Gundog.