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Posted

A question for those who frequent the TF boards and might know. Now that Dreamwave is dissolved, who will be doing the art for the the TF "Book Collection" series if the reissues continue? Also, will Galvatron be issued in the book style box or will it be in the old-style packaging 'ala Predaking?

Posted
I read it, indeed very bad no more Takara since we knew when were kids. I mean why ? are they not making good business with all these TF merchadise.  So what`s the new company`s name now :  

Tomykara

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Er... Is this a joke? :unsure:

That is the STUPIDEST company name ever.

As for the TF merchandise, I admit that I have no interest in 95% of it, but still, I like to see TF becoming mainstream again. I have this hope that one day it will reach Gundam levels of recognition in Japan.

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Erm, obviously a joke.

Calm down, the company will most likely just be Tomy - Takara's creative staff will still work in the same building with more or less the same workmates.

It is highly unlikely Tomy will dump TF, as it is one of Takara's better money earners, even though its relatively obscure in Japan. Takara may be the number 2 toy company in Japan, but it doesn't tend to post a profit. Because Tomy (number 3) DOES post a profit, it becames the winner in this merger.

Regardless, Tomy still has deals with Hasbro, and Hasbro still part-owns Transformers. Tomy won't just give up the TF license as Hasbro manufacturers them under license from Takara (you'll probably see 'Manufactured Under License from Tomy' sometime next year).

Unless the upcoming TF movie generates some major, major excitement in Japan, Transformers will never become as 'mainstream' as Gundam or Macross in Japan. One of Transformers shortcomings for the Japanese market (regardless of the fact the toys are engineered in japan and most of the shows are written and animated in Japan), is that its an obscure gaijin series. Much in the same way anime geeks in the west love anything japanese, Otaku geeks in Japan like TF for the same reason, but because its gaijin, it makes it more difficult for the rest of the geeky population to accept.

Then again, mainstream isn't entirely accurate either. Gundam and anime is reserved as nerdy stuff over there.

Posted
Unless the upcoming TF movie generates some major, major excitement in Japan, Transformers will never become as 'mainstream' as Gundam or Macross in Japan. One of Transformers shortcomings for the Japanese market (regardless of the fact the toys are engineered in japan and most of the shows are written and animated in Japan), is that its an obscure gaijin series. Much in the same way anime geeks in the west love anything japanese, Otaku geeks in Japan like TF for the same reason, but because its gaijin, it makes it more difficult for the rest of the geeky population to accept.

Then again, mainstream isn't entirely accurate either. Gundam and anime is reserved as nerdy stuff over there.

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OK, when I say mainstream, I'm really just talking about brand recognition. Everybody knows what Gundam is, but it's really only kids and otaku that know about Seed Destiny. As for Macross, it's just otaku that remember it. However one of Takara's plans for the TF franchise recently has been to push it way into the public eye so that even non-fans could see what it was. They did this by having loads of these little convenience-store figure items, loads of different TF lines, the RX-8 event, etc.

I'm just worried that that plan might be scrapped.

Posted

Its possible they might.

Tomy has been known to make a profit, something that has eluded Takara, even though Transformers have been doing pretty well for them since Armada/Micron Densetsu.

From what I understand, Tomy has better management in place than Takara, but are also more budget concious - look at Tomy's Zoids lines - most of them are retools and repaints, but they sell.

Since Galaxy Force is ending in December, I think, if there is a TF mainline next year, we'll probably see something as cheap to produce as say, Car Robots. That is, repaint and retool a load of old toys, and introduce a few brand new ones.

Though Car Robots was a total disaster that nearly bankrupted Takara...

Posted

I wonder how profitable BT/Alternators is? I imagine that there are some hefty license fees involved. The design costs are probably more than the main stream Transformers lines due to the complexity.

Posted

And yet those suckers sell like nuts.... I dont know if they hit the casual fan well enough, but they are most certainly a hardcore TFer's dream come true.

Posted (edited)

I just got blue Binaltech Prowl from BBTS yesterday and I think he's one of the best Bin/Alts so far. Parts of him do seem to be made with a more brittle and cheap plastic, such as the mirrors, head and arms. It's unfortunate, but it doesn't spoil my enjoyment of the figure. And unlike Grimlock, the diecast content seems to have gone back to normal. The transformation is very slick and probably the easiest so far. I did pop an arm off trying to flip it around but that wasn't a fault of the toy. I'd rather something popped off than broke. A lot of people seem to like his legs transformed with the rear windows facing the front, but I prefer the original way. And even though no pictures seem to show it, you can wrap his rear bumper pieces around to cover his knees, just like that one bio drawing shows.

If the Alternators Prowl ends up having higher quality plastic for the head and arms I might buy one and do a little swap.

BTW, does anyone know if the blue version of Prowl is going to be released in the US?

Edited by eriku
Posted

I REALLY need someone to sell me on the Integra Prowls....a cool picture or something. Right now it just looks too awkward and blocky to me...and I've very happy with my modified Jazz Prowl custom I have...he's not exactly a Bluestreak/Smokescreen twin, but he's close enough and the fact that he and Jazz match works well as Optimus' two right hand men. I might consider the blue one just to have one of the car type, but I'd probably customize it to someone else (don't like the white arms and head). Anyone have or have a good link to some better/more dynamic Prowl pics?

Posted

Did you check out Remy's galleries?

(car) http://tfkenkon.com/collection/act366/

(bot) http://tfkenkon.com/collection/act367/

I REALLY need someone to sell me on the Integra Prowls....a cool picture or something. Right now it just looks too awkward and blocky to me...and I've very happy with my modified Jazz Prowl custom I have...he's not exactly a Bluestreak/Smokescreen twin, but he's close enough and the fact that he and Jazz match works well as Optimus' two right hand men. I might consider the blue one just to have one of the car type, but I'd probably customize it to someone else (don't like the white arms and head). Anyone have or have a good link to some better/more dynamic Prowl pics?

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Posted

Alternators is doing fairly well for Hasbro. They claim to have another 5 or more new vehicles coming up.

And yet those suckers sell like nuts.... I dont know if they hit the casual fan well enough, but they are most certainly a hardcore TFer's dream come true.

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They sell fast is because each store has like only 5 in stock. :ph34r:

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You guys sure about that?

I have it on pretty good authority that they were quite the shelfwarmers in Japan - even our japanese friends might have a hard time justifiying the relatively high cost at regular intervals.

Posted

hehehe, I like that group shot. :D:p:lol:

Posted

haha, yeah, that's what the Transformers would look like if the producers of Power Rangers made it into a live action TV series.. :D

Posted

New Pix from FantoFan from hobby expo 2005!!

soundwave

SANY0055.jpg

laserbeak

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metroplex

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bt skidz

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SANY0014.jpg

bt *

red alert

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sunstreaker

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galvatron

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starconvoy

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Posted

I don't know why, but the concept of BT* is starting to grow on me. I do have to wonder where the girls go mid-transformation, though, it seems painful.

And Soundwave is seriously bitchin'.

Posted

That Sunstreaker is beastly. I absolutely love it, even though it's nothing new. I guess I just fell in love with it way back before Dead End was announced, and I was extremely disappointed that it never made it out.

Posted

I know I'll get flamed for saying, but Soundwave looks like a 1970's Glam band guitarist.

Posted
I gotta get that Transformers skirt for my wife!  :p

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... :rolleyes:

... same nasty thoughts here... :blink:

:ph34r::ph34r::D:lol:

manu

Posted

Oh man. All awesome stuff there. Does anyone else notice tho that Metroplex's paint scheme is almsot identical to RiD's Brave Maximus repaint? Soundwave is friggin awesome, and I am soooo excited for Star Convoy and Galvatron that I can't even stand it.

Posted

i like the BT sunstreaker the best, i am not interested in the galvatron, i used to have him when he first came out and i thought it was the worst toy ever.

Posted

It's weird that they showed that one. They had a picture of the anime accurate galvatron. I guess it might be an ehobby exclusive then. <_<

Posted

Slightly OT... but check this out: Transforming robot toy from Korea. Who knows maybe one day our favourite Transformers toys will really transform! :D

Yujin Robotics Transbot

PS: Pepsi Convoy is interesting, not sure about the pepsi coloured cab though? But atleast it makes it possible to get a Convoy.

Cheers,

Posted (edited)

And, most importantly, King Exkaiser. :)

Soundwave is looking really fantastic. I'm so happy that they are remaining as close to the original as possible, color scheme and all. Lazerbeak (Killer Condor??) looks really good too, and I like how he's being called a Hexigon, although Hexicon would have been cooler. The only thing I hope is that Soundwave's shield is removable, but even if it's not I'll love him like he was my own son. :)

Also I hope there are more Hexigons for Soundwave, including ones that turn into little red and blue humanoid bots (even if they aren't called Rumble and Frenzy).

FanToFan has some Dengenki Hobby / Figure Oh! scans featuring the following:

FanToFan

GF Soundwave

GF Master Galvatron

GF Megalo Convoy

etc...

:D

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Edited by eriku
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