Takara Transformers

[nacho]

After looking at my shelf, the MP3-mold Thundercracker and Skywarp looked really bad next to DS Starscream. He ruined me.

Thus I looked all over for the other two seekers from Deformation Space, and the best price I could find was about $120/ea. Real bummer. However, while searching Aliexpress, I found TC and SW MP52 KOs for around $66/ea. Thus I pulled the trigger on those, as they look very toony, much like DS, so aesthetically they'll fit right in.

I love and hate this stupid hobby!

Now if only I could find that stupid Kingdom 2-pack Sideswipe for less than $50... I refuse to pay that much for a $20 figure and some beast wars bot that will go in the trash.

 

[ThunderDan19]

It’s a sickness, and you got a couple of them…

 

[nacho]

You're telling me!

Been working on my Hot Wheels '84 autobot project lately. I've planned it forever, but when Mattel announced they were actually making a Bumblebee and Prime, I knew it was time to get my butt in gear. I've only finished a couple, but I'm making progress. Right now, I'm resin-printing Sunstreaker's air intake and spoiler and some countach rims.

So far... (probably going to do another wheel swap on Prowl, but these will do for now). Jazz came out particularly well given that he started life as a basic mainline with a different deco.

 

[nacho]

I've been enamored with some of NewAge's toy-deco legends figures and broke down and ordered several I'd skipped from Ali. But I started looking at reviews online and re-stumbled across this video, and it just makes me happy.

I'm sure I've posted this before, but I watched it again, and it's still incredible. What's even more impressive is that he did it with tiny legends scale figures, mostly New Age. You can tell he got several figures during the shoot, as the toys used change, faction symbols come and go, etc. But still, it makes me want to do something like that.

HEAVY METAL WAR 4K Remaster Ver. (1984 Transformers G1 S1 EP16）[Transformers Stop Motion Animation] - YouTube

 

[nacho]

So I picked up Yolopark AMK Pro series Prime and Megatron 20cm model kits. They're really cool. Yes you have to put them together, but they're so simple, you don't need instructions (peg in the feet, legs, arms, shoulders, head, couple of panels... easy peazy).

They're about an inch taller than their MDLX counterparts, and they're about as G1 you can get. Mostly plastic with a small amount of diecast, painted, weathered, and plenty of accessories (flight stands, energy axe/mace, pistol for Megs, metal key to Vector Sigma, battle-damaged chest for Megs). Both have light up eyes too.

For $60-something retail each, these are a steal in terms of articulation and shelf presence, like mini-MPs that aren't compromised by transformation gimmicks. I'm going to have a lot of fun photographing these. I am going to have to really consider which brand of highly articulated non-transforming bots I collect. MDLX are great, but they're very stylized. These ooze G1 out of their ears.




Starscream has been announced and PO'd. He looks even better than these two.

 

[Marlene321]

Nice Optimus

 

[nacho]

Nice Optimus

The kits make really nice figures if you're not bothered by the lack of transformation. The articulation is very good, the likenesses are spot-on, and the paint work is premium. I highly recommend if they fit in your budget.

Also, there is a new Prime/Megs 2-pack coming out that's a bit cheaper than buying them individually, but I think it has less accessories (most of which you'd never use anyway).

 

[nacho]

During a search for some specific HTF legends figures (more on that later), I found a 4th Party Omega Supreme that is super awesome. He's roughly 10" tall, has a nice metallic paintjob, comes with all kinds of accessories, clicky ratchet joints... for $35.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807426270339.html

He just came today (only took 9 days from asia), and I couldn't be more impressed for the price. He's made by Pangu (same folks that made the 18" knocked-up copy of MP-44), and I'm sure the design is another 3P that they copied and scaled down, but I think they also improved it. So if you need a 10" Omega Supreme, the bang for the buck with this one is off the charts.

 

[nacho]

Totally weird... I posted in the TFW Pangu Omega discussion, and the Aliexpress seller I bought from actually commented in the thread... said that the price was so good because the item was subsidized by the platform and that he'd have other super deals in the future. I had no idea Ali subsidized some of their sellers' items, but it's china, so i'm not TOO surprised.

I'd object to the practice if US sellers actually made/sold this item, but it's pretty much exclusive to chiner, so might as well let them make it cheap for us.

 

[nacho]

The last month or so, I've been on a catch-up binge with tiny, tiny overpriced Newage Legends-minus figures. A lot are out of production, but a few Ali sellers still seem to have stock with minimal late-penalty on most characters. And NA does a lot of re-issues, repaints, toy/cartoon/comic/G2/SG/clear variants, etc, so that helps. (still more on that when I get them all in-hand).

But in my searches, much like Pangu Omega above, there are a lot of great TF deals on Ali during their BF sale, and there are sitewide discounts that increase with size of purchase. One of the best deals I've found is on an MP scale figure, an impressive high-quality KO of FT Cyclonus. The reviews are stellar, and the fig is selling for $45 + 12 shipping. That's a crazy price, since people were impressed when it was $75. The actual FT figure typically costs $175. So fifty-something is insane!

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807743315660.html

Another ultra-cheap deal is some really nice high quality (I have some) faction stickers of all styles for 44-cents per sheet:

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804601332806.html

And of course, lots of Legends (Newage, Magic Square, MFT, Iron Factory, etc), best deals I've found coming from these guys:

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1101378643

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1101985852

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1101598855

I know we don't have a ton of TF collectors here, but I just wanted to make sure any of you don't miss out if you have holes you need to fill.