Takara Transformers

[Mandingo Rex]

The hell? When was this announced? I couldn't give a shit less about Sunstorm, but it's a cool official deco with the wing's melted/on fire like that.

http://www.yahobby.com/takara-tomy-transformers-masterpiece-sunstorm-p-3309.html

They better announce a new damn mold before long, though. I'm quickly losing interest in official products.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

thats not a custom?...with all that paint detail, its hard to believe its an official release...

and i long ago lost interest in official stuff...they either wanna keep making movie/toon sh!t or keep repainting or reinventing the same wheel...

they can take their 40 OP versions and 35 Seeker versions, and stick them in the same place i told them to stick their 40 SE/SS/CC/Duke versions

 

[Mandingo Rex]

Sorry, I think it is a custom. That site posted one by Frenzy-Rumble at the TF boards. How dumb.

Really, they just need to either do official coneheads or give that fucking mold a rest. The only thing I'd be remotely looking forward to is a US Thundercracker release of the new fixed mold, so I can sell off my Takara one for a pretty penny and maybe my Skywarp and Starscream, too.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

i have yet to pick up a seeker...i'd like to get just one, but i'm not sure which one to get...kinda leaning towards TC

 

[Mandingo Rex]

I'd get the latest Starscream with the fixed kibble, new head and feet if I didn't have any already. I really like that, honestly and regret not having it.

But after having bought the mold nearly a dozen times already with Greenscream, US Walscream, Takara Skywarp, Walwarp, and Takara Thundercracker, and the 3 iGear Coneheads, they can suck my taint. Eventually I'll sell off a duplicate set of the 3 main Seekers, I just want 3 that match, and so far, a US deco with tampo'd wing art has yet to be seen for TC.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

yeah, i was thinking between SS or TC...

SS is THE seeker, and it'd be cool to have the main one, but i really like TCs color and how he always kinda strayed...i really like how he's been portrayed in IDW lately too...

 

[nacho]

That might be a custom in the photo, but apparently Takara is releasing a MP Sunstorm. No idea if it'll look like the pic, but it's coming.

Ignoring all the seeker molds, THIS is the best TF news of the day:

http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-news/3rd-party-unlicensed-41/igear-presser-update-174418/

I had feared we'd never see this project again. I'm excited that it's progressing.

 

[Mandingo Rex]

http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/tfc-007-hercules-upgrade/24052/

Hercules Upgrade kit. Really? Did we not spend enough on him yet?

And Eddie will love seeing yet another "RAGE" face! LOL.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

I like the kit only because I like having display options...it'll be cool to G1 him up if I feel so inclined...

Funny thing about their face...it looks more like the "do I have anything my teeth" face than rage...lol


It'd be cool if TFC openly admitted to copying me like Wu did...

 

[Mandingo Rex]

Oh, snap! Eddie getting a shoutout!

http://www.seibertron.com/transform...rrival-dw-04-roaring-and-km03-preorder/24086/

 

[pcsguy88]

Oh, snap! Eddie getting a shoutout!

http://www.seibertron.com/transform...rrival-dw-04-roaring-and-km03-preorder/24086/

That's fucking awesome Eddie! Props!!!

 

[nacho]

Very nice. You don't normally see credit given like that. Congratz! Now if they'd only send you a check...

 

[Mandingo Rex]

This Ratbat looks pretty awesome, but that Ravage is awful.

http://www.seibertron.com/transform...rder-up-combines-with-tremor-frequency/24140/

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

I actually like both of them...are there better versions out there of Ravage?

As for the face credit, man, that situation got crazy, and I didn't even care that they ripped me off...it was flattering and a bit of an ego boost...it was other fans that pitched a fit...so much so that Robot Kingdom wouldn't carry the Wu face unless I gave my blessing to Wu officially, as they feared fan backlash and boycotting...and it was another fan that suggested to Wu to credit me since it was so blatant...Wu contacted me and thanked me for being so understanding about and is sending me a box of crap I'll likely not use, but it's better than a poke in the eye...


Whats most interesting to me...Wu didn't have to do crap for me...didn't have to credit me nothing...they are in china....nothing I could do about it even if I had a trademark/copyright (fogger?)...so it was really cool and classy the way he handled the whole thing...

 

[Mandingo Rex]

The word you're looking for is traderight.

Yeah, I know what you mean. As for the Ravage, I think both the Classics and USB drive Ravage, or even the vintage G1 version, look better and more cat-like than that one.

Here's the USB one:

The only thing I don't like is his tail. It needs an extra joint so it doesn't stick out so straight. What I want is a Laserbeak, Rumble, and Frenzy that don't suck. I'm hoping for all 4 to come with an MP Soundwave some day.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

That is a pretty freaking sweet Ravage!

 

[Mandingo Rex]

That is a pretty freaking sweet Ravage!

Yeah, he's my default Ravage. Just needs a little more flexibility in the neck, and the tail needs at least one more hinge in it. I also have the Classics one, which has a port for the vintage missiles, but doesn't come with them.

Both the Classics and USB versions lack those hip launchers, which are always a staple of Ravage, but even without them, the USB one is my favorite.

 

[Monkeywrench]

The word you're looking for is traderight.

Yeah, I know what you mean. As for the Ravage, I think both the Classics and USB drive Ravage, or even the vintage G1 version, look better and more cat-like than that one.

Here's the USB one:

The only thing I don't like is his tail. It needs an extra joint so it doesn't stick out so straight. What I want is a Laserbeak, Rumble, and Frenzy that don't suck. I'm hoping for all 4 to come with an MP Soundwave some day.

that looks very cool

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

couple more pics of that Fans Toys Soundwave...looking pretty spectacular...

 

[Mandingo Rex]

I just wish they'd produce him. While I don't want to rush it into production without working out the kinks, those first pics surfaced last June or July and they looked pretty polished in the gray proto stage. Why the wait? I figured we'd be seeing painted samples by now.

 

[Cloud Strife]

Soooo... I don't think this is Takara, but you have to read the description on this dude's Transformer ebay listing:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/300620704305?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

 

[Mandingo Rex]

Haha. Fans of "Beast Wars" hype its story, but I just never could see any good in the toys or the series. I'm a Gee-Wun fan for life. Robots that disguised themselves as beasts always seemed dumb. (Although I admit to be a fan of the Dinobots and Soundwave's cassette minions, but not many of the others from G1.)

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

Haha. Fans of "Beast Wars" hype its story, but I just never could see any good in the toys or the series. I'm a Gee-Wun fan for life. Robots that disguised themselves as beasts always seemed dumb. (Although I admit to be a fan of the Dinobots and Soundwave's cassette minions, but not many of the others from G1.)

same here...anything past that and ya lost me...

and i agree with the animals thing and insect thing...though i like the Insecticons, them being GIGANTIC was a horrible disguise unless they were on Jurassic Park Island

 

[nacho]

I've found fans of BW to have a massive chip on their collective shoulder. They resent the fact that G1 fans look down on them (as we should). But a whole race that disguises themselves as beasts... who are they disguised from? Who are they fooling? And the most important part, the G1 disguises are actually utilitarian. Turning into a car or a jet is a better means of transport or attack. Turing into a cassette player is useful for espionage. Turning into a robot cheetah is.... f*@#!^$ stupid.

Go G1 or go home.

 

[Mandingo Rex]

I like your guys' views on the matter.

I forgot the Insecticons. Giant robot bugs, dinosaurs, or robot cassette birds were dumb, but they were the exception to the rule, not the rule.

Beast Wars kind of ran with that whole concept, and although I was out of their target demographic at the moment, I probably wouldn't have liked it as a kid. I had a cousin who was into it mildly, and he always seemed kind of sad that they weren't more like my cooler robot vehicles and weapons.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

I forgot the Insecticons. Giant robot bugs, dinosaurs, or robot cassette birds were dumb, but they were the exception to the rule, not the rule.

Beast Wars kind of ran with that whole concept, and although I was out of their target demographic at the moment, I probably wouldn't have liked it as a kid. I had a cousin who was into it mildly, and he always seemed kind of sad that they weren't more like my cooler robot vehicles and weapons.

honestly, all those ideas were kinda, lame...but not THIS bad

 

[Monkeywrench]

WHAT THE FUCK....

 

[nacho]

Rock Lords? I had forgotten those POSs...

 

[Mandingo Rex]

Hey Nacho, did you ever pull the trigger on the iGear Thundercracker? I'm thinking about getting it and selling off my Takara one. Was curious as to the quality.

 

[pcsguy88]

Dinobots are fucking awesome and MP Grimlock is easily my favorite Transformer made to date. He is perfect in both modes for display and play. MP1 is a very close 2nd, but his stupid arms are too limited due to their blockiness.

I agree Beast Wars is worthless and their fans do have an inferiority complex, especially once the movies came out. Atleast Hasbro came up with a story of why the dinobots existed. They did a fairly good job incorporating all those different Japanese toys into 1 toyline/storyline for the US.

 

[nacho]

Hey Nacho, did you ever pull the trigger on the iGear Thundercracker? I'm thinking about getting it and selling off my Takara one. Was curious as to the quality.

Yeah, I bought the three 'toon accurate repaints. I have SS & TC so far (SW isn't out yet), however I haven't actually opened them. I can only assume they are of similar quality to the coneheads, and that seemed to be no different than HasTak quality-wise. I am excited that they improved the legs quite a bit, and it seems like HasTak took a cue from them with the upcoming coronation MP-SS.

 

[Mandingo Rex]

Are you getting that SS? The new HasTak one? I am passing on that one. It's nice, but too little, too late, and too damn pricy.

I may get the TC for the brighter colors. At worst I flip my MP-3 Starscream and Takara TC to cover costs. Both of those go for outrageous prices.

 

[pcsguy88]

Pissed I missed out on the Takara TC.

 

[nacho]

No, I'm not getting the new HasTak coronation one. It has the corrected tail-fin kibble, but it offers little that the igear one did not. I don't care about the coronation accessories. Plus, I'd already ordered the igear version, and it was much cheaper too. HasTak is too late, and too high.

For the life of me, I can't figure out how the billionth repaint of a $100 MP figure should be priced at $169.

 

[Mandingo Rex]

Well, I got the coronation kit nearly 4 years ago if not longer, so that's a complete waste. I really don't know why I got it then, to be honest. Probably because I figured it'd be hard to find later.

I am glad I got those Binaltech Arming kits, though. Still wish I'd gotten about 4 more sets, but they were pricy 5 years ago when I got the damned things, so I stopped at the 4 sets I got. I still need at least 2, but 4 would be awesome to get ahold of.

 

[nacho]

I was late to the BT craze, so I'm not even familiar with the arming kits...

 

[Mandingo Rex]

They're awesome. I got them so that Bluestreak and Smokescreen (and if I ever get around to it, the Prowl re-engineer of Red Alert, when I turn Prowl into Red Alert) had their dual shoulder mounts, but I also got a set or two (or still need an extra set, I can't remember) for Jazz, Wheeljack, and Hound.

All the arming kits are, is a reissue of the shoulder missile system that was released with the first Binaltech mold of the Subaru.

They look like this, if you're unfamiliar:
http://twitpic.com/2glrdx

 

[nacho]

Hmm, those do look nice. I hope we get that kind of stuff if they continue making MPs.

I have lots of BTs/Alts, but I don't know why. I'm not that fond of them.

 

[Mandingo Rex]

I got them to supplement the ranks of the Autobots and Decepticons for the MP series "leaders" (meaning Prime, Grimlock, Megs, etc., not the "leader" size class). I am fond of them, but they're already starting to get dated. It's more the car designs than anything, but articulation has improved immensely since then.

I will eventually thin out my collection, but I have 1x each of all the US releases, but I don't want all of them. I originally had most of them, but lost them in a fire, then had to replace them. I lucked out and got a full lot of all 27, plus I got a few more elsewhere, and it was not a bad price for all of them, to be honest. Like $1100 for all 27.

Some are way better than others, and a few are kind of bad. But I really dig them. What I can't get into, are the Classics. They still feel too much like toys, and I don't like the vehicle designs. It helps that the BT/Alt series was real, licensed vehicles, at a 1:24 scale for consistency's sake.

 

[nacho]

Yeah, I see that, but they are so far removed from the nostalgic G1 appearances, they don't feel familiar or fun to me. Wheeljack is not a #$%&* Ford Mustang. Nor is Grimlock (WTF!). And the Z-cars became little punk rice-racer Subarus (who don't transform for shit... don't get me started on how horrid the alt modes are...). And the Lambo twins are Vipers... convertable vipers... Bottom line, if you removed the heads, you wouldn't automatically know who any of them are. Since most of my toy collecting is heavily nostalgia-based, Alts/BTs just don't scratch that itch.

The more I type, the more I wonder why I bought any of them. I suspect that one of these days, I'll cannibalize many of them for heads and weapons to make some killer MP-sized ActionMaster/Revoltech non-transforming highly-posable G1-looking figures. That's my long-term plan (i.e. in the next decade).