Fit For Natalie

I'd like to say Classics Skywarp shows how cool this sort of semi-realistic F-15 looks in glack and purple. Black and purple FTW

I cancelled my order Mainly because of some personal difficulties, but the QC problems worry me (I've been having very very bad luck with consumer goods lately), plus I think the colours will look VERY WEIRD in my room due to the light.

Okay, this is annoying, and as I recall, the second time that figure (or another SCF pvc) has been used by people who argue against cartoon accuracy to prove a 'point' that there's plenty of 'cartoon accurate' SS products to please people who preferred the original prototype. Some people (like David) want a Starscream that's a fusion of semi-realistic F-15, cartoon robot design and toy design. Essentially a compromise between all those elements. Not an absolute of one aspect or another. Like I said before, this toy is being sold to fans of Shoji Kawamori's work, fighter plane and mecha collectors in Japan. The fact that its a Transformer product is a 'bonus'. Why else would the design have elements of a Macross YF-19, as well as being painted in colours the character has never been seen in, in any incarnation, especially when this is supposed to be a G1 product?

I wish Starscream was taken less as a semi-serious variable F-15 fighter jet mecha replica and more a TF. Not to say I want the traditional Transformer jet design of having a bunch of robot junk understand sticking out like a brick, but I preferred the original prototype's design for the balance between semi-realistic plane and cool G1 robot. I also think less plane replica gimmickery could have resulted in a much more robust toy, like 20th Anniversary Prime/MP Convoy. Then again since nobody seems to care about Transformers in Asia, Takara is really selling this as a variable F-15 replica by Shoji Kawamori than as a Transformer. I don't know about you, but that's bad for Transformers.

Classics have also appeared at Toys R Us and whatever Fred Myers is. Sightings They are also in stockrooms at Target, but you can only get them if the Target workers aren't feeling particularly lazy/surly by quoting these DCPI numbers Deluxe: 087-06-1166 Voyager: 087-06-1167

I was basing on odd decisions Takara have made in the past few years to (presumebly) save some money. Erm, his smokestacks have always been plastic regardless of what version there is. The shiny stacks are made of vaccum-metalised plastic. Different paint. His red hue is different. Mostly his new colours are a weird combination of Classics Prime (yellow vents on his head as I recall) and G1 cartoon Prime (white paint for stripes instead of silver).

Presumebly (since he designs the concept for the figures) Don wanted to do the GI Joe Vs TF Megs first and had a relatively elaborate toy in mind with rubber treads. The Titaniums are done in-house by Hasbro's Galoob division, apparently.

I don't. But I do know its Takara. They're always under a budget. Everybody is, but especially Takara I believe he's still diecast metal - Hasbro said the one on display at SDCC was plastic, though painted and the release would be metal.

Hasbro made the combiners on their own as a last-minute addition to the line. They ran out of time and money so they could not do 5 distinct toys and made do with 3 + 2 doubles for each team. Originally, the 5-bot combiner team was not going to be in Energon until people pestered Aaron Archer day and night on his old forum, it seems.

I've noticed he looks abit uncomfortable in every photo I've seen of him, like as if he'd prefer to be back in his studio or something. You guys pay tribute to him, but let's not forget Takara's designers and engineers. They were the ones who actually managed to figure out how to get his concept into a working toy under budget

Wazzzzpinator, yes! Wazzpinator plans, Wazzzpinator waits patiently for right time to get revenge on Starscream! *cackle*

I think Hirofumi Ichikawa is responsible for the decal designs given the references to the american series - he's a former japanese TF fan who was hired by Takara as a designer. He's been involved with TF designs in varying degrees for the past few years and he responsible for alot of box art, such as the G1 reissues (the ones not done by Pat Lee), and the Binaltech cardart. He is well-known for his preference of the american Transformers series, though he is not a fan of the more spiritual aspects, such as Primus. My apologies, since I did not see a distinction in the second paragraph, I thought you were talking about the Classics toy.

Well, Takara engineered both, but they were developed by Hasbro and Takara/Kawamori respectively. Presumebly Takara used whatever reference materials they had for the F-15 for both fighters. As for panel lines... dude, its not even supposed to be a hyper accurate F-15, given it has an F-14 canopy. Who cares? So long as its a nice looking toy. I don't think anybody really cares about panel lining accuracy on a $10 toy that is not a scale replica.

Now you're nitpicking. For the core of G1's existance, rub signs were used (except for the very late 80s and early 90s) and thus are recognizable to most of the people who had TF toys back then. And as I said, they would be a new thing for kids of today. Thanks for being rude.

- Hasbro said that if they release MP Starscream, they'll do him in his G1 colours. - It was also reported that Hasbro said they gave the idea for MP SS to Takara. I assume this was misinterperated from the meeting Hasbro had with Takara after Botcon 2005 to discuss plans for an Alternators plane line. Presumebly this evolved into MP Starscream. - Alternators is on hiatus next year, but not cancelled. - Don Figueroa has said there will be a new Titanium 6-inch War Within Prime Vs War Within Megatron pack, new and improved, since he was dissapointed with the initial toys.

The SDF-1 and other japanese mecha used in the conceptualisation presentation pics for Cybertron were just pics Hasbro grabbed as placeholders for presentation to Hasbro and Takara bosses. Since they didn't have any solid, completed designs, using existing mecha that evokes the 'feel' of what they were after is appropriate for these (formerly) internal company documents. EDIT: Added above.

Pics from Botcon Hasbro's design decisions panel (concept art for Cybertron, classics). Pics by Blackstar NOTE: The SDF-1 and other japanese mecha used in the conceptualisation presentation pics for Cybertron were just pics Hasbro grabbed as placeholders for presentation to Hasbro and Takara bosses. Since they didn't have any solid, completed designs, using existing mecha that evokes the 'feel' of what they were after is appropriate for these (formerly) internal company documents. Hasbro Booth Photos Day 1. Pics by Joe Moore. Includes Soundwave and tapes statue, Titanium BM Cheetor and figures we've seen, Classics Ramjet in colour, Classics Jetfire, Classics minicons, Classics LOCs ect. Homage. Since Classics is basically 'G1 toys with new designs' homage city, they use rubsigns to play up the G1 nostalgia angle. Responses have been mainly positive, and hey, it would be a new thing for kids as they haven't been used since the initial Transmetal/Fuzors line in Beast Wars. They don't cost you anything extra and if you don't like them, they can be peeled off.

Well... you aren't looking at it from the bottom all the time. Or leave it in bot mode, smirking all the time and giving you the thumbs up!

TF Classics have been released in the US, first spotted at a chain called 'Fred Myer', whatever that is. Its out now, and I believe the picture comes from somebody on the japanese TF Image board. Colours can change depending on the camera, plus the background the owner shot it on influences the reflected colour on the toy... besides the posing is abit unprofessional-looking for Takara's photographers Still better than Hasbro photography LOLApparently a fair number of japanese TF fans are rather unhappy with this toy, and don't want Kawamori to have anything to do with TF anymore.

Takara have made nice tiny trucks in the past though, in particular Cybertron Armorhide.

Prototypes of Gameboy/PSP TF, camera-TF and cell phone-TF. Most likely from the movie Only if he'd taken the truck mode into account. I'm willing to give him that scale played a factor, but that truck is woeful.

Well, Energon Skyblast was a Skyfire homage (same head and chest), and Classics Jetfire has Skyfire's head when he doesn't have the FAST pack gear on. I believe Hasbro (for some reason) doesn't have the name Skyfire anymore.And yeah, Strike Valk, Titanium Jetfire is out.

I believe Walky is showing an extreme example of fanboy that's popped over the last few years, and most recently, over the new TF movie.

Shortpacked I'm pretty sure I've seen this guy and his various dopplegangers before...

1:18, thus out of scale and not particularly well-made.