Official Transformers Super Thread 3

[Eazy D]

To whoever posted the comparison pic between MP SS and GI thundercracker:

SPOT ON BROTHER!!

Why has no one complained that in addition to giving us a robot with a skirt to pass off as MP SS we are also getting a jet mode that isn't even SS in the first place......How the hell do they plan to do a thundercracker repaint now????

I don't really care about alt mode realuism too much in a masterpiece. The MP line is all about super cartoon accurate bot modes with oodles of articulation and a pretty good alt mode. Prime was spot on.

Shoji Kawamori musn't have read his brief properly....he's gone and provided us with Alternator SS not MP SS.

422903[/snapback]

You couldn't have said it better.

422914[/snapback]

So Kawamori's THS-2 Convoy is also a Masterpiece? Because he spots a kick ass accuracy to the cartoon over the Alt mode, great detail and it even beats the crap out of MP Prime in articulation (and it is just 4" high).

It even comes with a cartoon accurate trailer full of the gimmicks the original toy had and more. The MP Prime is yet to do so.

A MP is... a big and expensive Transformer toy; just ask non G1 accurate MP Ultra Magnus.

422936[/snapback]

You'll notice i said "pretty good" alt mode. THS-02's alt mode was "pretty average". I agree with your point that a masterpiece should be a large scale toy which would rule out the hybrid convoy as an MP.

My main point is that an alternator should tip towards the alt mode while a masterpiece should tip towards the bot mode.

Kawamori's starscream is obviously tipping far too much towards the alt mode and unneccesary sacrifices have been made to achieve this such as the paint-scheme and positioning of the kibble.

I'm not a hardcore fanboy but I have an impression of what GI starscream should be in my mind and it pains me to see someone mucking with it unneccesarily. The torture is that he nailed it with the first prototype and then botched it from there.

BTW - magnus doesn't even fit into this debate because he was just a repaint

[Twoducks]

To whoever posted the comparison pic between MP SS and GI thundercracker:

SPOT ON BROTHER!!

Why has no one complained that in addition to giving us a robot with a skirt to pass off as MP SS we are also getting a jet mode that isn't even SS in the first place......How the hell do they plan to do a thundercracker repaint now????

I don't really care about alt mode realuism too much in a masterpiece. The MP line is all about super cartoon accurate bot modes with oodles of articulation and a pretty good alt mode. Prime was spot on.

Shoji Kawamori musn't have read his brief properly....he's gone and provided us with Alternator SS not MP SS.

422903[/snapback]

You couldn't have said it better.

422914[/snapback]

So Kawamori's THS-2 Convoy is also a Masterpiece? Because he spots a kick ass accuracy to the cartoon over the Alt mode, great detail and it even beats the crap out of MP Prime in articulation (and it is just 4" high).

It even comes with a cartoon accurate trailer full of the gimmicks the original toy had and more. The MP Prime is yet to do so.

A MP is... a big and expensive Transformer toy; just ask non G1 accurate MP Ultra Magnus.

422936[/snapback]

You'll notice i said "pretty good" alt mode. THS-02's alt mode was "pretty average". I agree with your point that a masterpiece should be a large scale toy which would rule out the hybrid convoy as an MP.

My main point is that an alternator should tip towards the alt mode while a masterpiece should tip towards the bot mode.

Kawamori's starscream is obviously tipping far too much towards the alt mode and unneccesary sacrifices have been made to achieve this such as the paint-scheme and positioning of the kibble.

I'm not a hardcore fanboy but I have an impression of what GI starscream should be in my mind and it pains me to see someone mucking with it unneccesarily. The torture is that he nailed it with the first prototype and then botched it from there.

422961[/snapback]

My whole point is that what people say a MP should be means crap in the real world. Takara makes the toys and calls them whatever it wants to.

Liking it or not doesn’t have to do with it being labelled MP or not, it’s just a personal opinion the same goes for it looking G1 accurate or not (to me it does for example, but that is just me). If you want literal G1 accuracy this things stopped being accurate the moment they where given panel lines, pistons and other such details the cartoon never had.

BTW - magnus doesn't even fit into this debate because he was just a repaint

422961[/snapback]

No, Magnus fits perfectly with my point. The box clearly calls it a Masterpiece Ultra Magnus, not “Repaintâ€. Does it look like the big hulking robot we all associate with Ultra Magnus in the original cartoon? Not at all, but it is still a Masterpiece because Takara called it that.

[Dobber]

People keep calling this an Alternator or say it should be considered one.....I asked before, is there or going to be an Aircraft Alternator line? Or are they just saying that because Alt's look so good in car mode? I for one would love an Aircraft Alt line.

Chris

[eriku]

Hasbro announced earlier this year there would be a line of plane Alts. They have said nothing more since then.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

Hasbro announced earlier this year there would be a line of plane Alts.  They have said nothing more since then.

423007[/snapback]

They were asked about it a few weeks ago@the SDCC panel. The 1.72 scale one was a rumor from a trade show during 2005 I believe.

FRom the SDCC panel:....

Hasbro was asked about working with Aircraft makers for new figures. They've responded saying they have thrown ideas around putting other vehicles into the line, but the scale is prohibitive at 1:24 as it will not fit in the package. It was stated that “one offs†are still an option they are looking at. They mentioned that this was how the Starscream fig came about.

[Vermillion21]

Thanks for the clarification on the TF Alternators aircraft line ....

[rosedoggydog]

Thanks for the clarification on the TF Alternators aircraft line ....

423027[/snapback]

Ah, a place where I can get my foot in the door.

n00b here to Macross but not to TF's.

Word is MP SS is gonna test the water for that line. We'll see how that goes. Hopefully if they ever decide to make them we won't get plagued by the shelf warming repaints that we have currently with Alt. line.

While I just bought my first Macross ever this weekend (VF-1J-SSS) I have amassed a frightenly huge collection of TF's since 20th Ann. Optimus Prime came out.

I'm hoping to take it slow with TF's for awhile since they're done with Alts. for the year but with the 6" titaniums now out and with Classics coming up, we'll see how that goes...

As for the Macross I've been kinda eyeing that for the past few years but I don't anything about it since I've know it was called Robotech from the cartoon many many moons ago.

I originally wasn't going to buy the VF-1J SSS once I saw MP-03 was coming out because I knew MP-03 would have better articulation but when I found him sitting in the store I had to have him. I could pass up a Jetfire/Starscream dual. Now if I can only find a VF-1S 1/48 head.

[Vermillion21]

Welcome to MW rosedoggydog!! A great forum to discuss Macross and most other things. Try the vendor threads to find out places to buy more Macross stuff ....

As for TFs, I got back into them the last few months ... it's strangely exciting to recapture the childhood memories. So I know the feeling of getting "hooked" again. Can't wait for the Classics line ....

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

If you start on macross, watch out or you will become a valkoholic and you're wallet will be bleeding. The vf1 market is flooded so there is lots of temptation to make sudden impulse purchases.

Can't wait for the yf19 to come out.

If we do get alt jets that will probably end up eating into macross stuff. (hopefully the releases are spread apart so I don't miss the stuff I want completely and it becomes a pain to find in future) I'm having trouble finding alts in my local areas enough as it is. Pisses me off to have to look for them.

Edited August 7, 2006 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[JB0]

I just wish they remade the cartoon in 3d CG so people were forced to have to see the ugly kibble that has to be placed somewhere (rather than it conveniently disapearing)

422937[/snapback]

There's nothing about CG that prevents vanishing parts.

The robot and vehicle would be distinctly diffrent models, not manipulations of the same model. The transformation sequence can still bring the full might of anime magic to bear.

[doodler7]

uh, so where do we sign up to get "roller" for the upcoming MP-04?

i've pre-ordered with tmpanime.com ... oh man, this news breaks my heart ... spending close to $200 for an incomplete toy.

thanks for the pix Wolfx.

[Veritas]

uh, so where do we sign up to get "roller" for the upcoming MP-04?

i've pre-ordered with tmpanime.com ... oh man, this news breaks my heart ... spending close to $200 for an incomplete toy.

thanks for the pix Wolfx.

423153[/snapback]

You know i'm going to bet that the roller and the Cartoon Starscream are only going to be avaliable to people living in Japan and in limited quantities as well. Time to get a penpal .

[wolfx]

uh, so where do we sign up to get "roller" for the upcoming MP-04?

i've pre-ordered with tmpanime.com ... oh man, this news breaks my heart ... spending close to $200 for an incomplete toy.

thanks for the pix Wolfx.

423153[/snapback]

Like i said before, whoever that said there was no roller just because the pictures didn't show it, was being sarcastic.

There SHOULD be a roller so wait for more pics. Cause i doubt Takara can be THATTTTT stupid. Or can they?

[David Hingtgen]

As stupid as making "how he actually looked" MP SS an exclusive? Yup. Current word is still "Roller only available with the club exclusive version of MP-04".

Remember---the trailer should have been available with MP-01! They're going to make you wait and pay for every little thing. I'm surprised they're giving us blue stripes on the trailer at this point, figuring that'd be an optional $20 sticker sheet...

[wolfx]

Has there been an official statement from Takara about a roller club exclusive? I've not seen it....now I am confused with your sarcasm.

[eugimon]

Has there been an official statement from Takara about a roller club exclusive? I've not seen it....now I am confused with your sarcasm.

423199[/snapback]

no official word.

I'm glad to see we've lumped Takara into our "yamato sucks" whines.

[Twoducks]

As stupid as making "how he actually looked" MP SS an exclusive?  Yup.  Current word is still "Roller only available with the club exclusive version of MP-04". 

Remember---the trailer should have been available with MP-01!  They're going to make you wait and pay for every little thing.  I'm surprised they're giving us blue stripes on the trailer at this point, figuring that'd be an optional $20 sticker sheet...

423193[/snapback]

Stupid? Best marketing ploy they could do. People are asking left and right in other forums how to join this "club", of witch close to nothing is known, just for the more expensive anime colours of the same toy. So there is a demand to pay more for the same toy.

People who want a MP SS will either buy the normal one or pony up more cash for the anime version. Best way to kick start a club$$? Promise something a lot of people really want.

Even if they end up with some unsold normal colour SS’s, they can just release anime version (after making a very good profit out of the club thing) and people would buy it.

If said club is only for Japan residents, Japanese Ebayers are going to enjoy some easy cash.

[rosedoggydog]

Welcome to MW rosedoggydog!!  A great forum to discuss Macross and most other things.  Try the vendor threads to find out places to buy more Macross stuff ....

As for TFs, I got back into them the last few months ... it's strangely exciting to recapture the childhood memories.  So I know the feeling of getting "hooked" again.  Can't wait for the Classics line ....

423102[/snapback]

Thanks!

As for the childhood memories, I understand and it cool getting my son into also.

If you start on macross, watch out or you will become a valkoholic and you're wallet will be bleeding. The vf1 market is flooded so there is lots of temptation to make sudden impulse purchases.

Can't wait for the yf19 to come out.

If we do get alt jets that will probably end up eating into macross stuff. (hopefully the releases are spread apart so I don't miss the stuff I want completely and it becomes a pain to find in future) I'm having trouble finding alts in my local areas enough as it is. Pisses me off to have to look for them.

Yeah I know all about bleeding wallets and Alts. haven't been helping the cause. I dropped and easy $150 for my G1 Jetfire and thats because it came with the styro-foam.

Some of the Takara re-issues have been commanding top dollar (00-Optimus Prime = $230.0 +, Soundwave = $150+). SDCC didn't help matters either with Hasbro releasing Alt. Nemesis Prime the same day on their website and at SDCC. HTS.com got crashed from to many people and then SDCC didn't have enough Alt. N.Primes. A few people were able to get their orders in but if you weren't lucky enough (like me) you have to turn to evilbay where he's at $50 before shipping.

What is really cool with the Alt. line is that repolables.com have been making decals for Alts giving them more of a G1 appel. Meister/Jazz is probably the best of this example.

As for the jet alts. if they are produced I would assume that their cost is going to go up because of their size. It might not be that far off to expect a $25-$30 price range.

What sucks about the alt line is that if you choose to take a break from them or decide to pass on one (because its a repain) only to get it later, it might not be there and it may be commanding $100 (see Alt. Swerve on ebay).

1/1 LowViz Lurker - if there are any particular alts you are looking for let me know and I "might" be able to help you out.

[David Hingtgen]

I'd be surprised if the club isn't Japan only, so having non-Japanese across the web wanting to join won't bring in any money.

And Takara won't see any money from Japanese auctions. "Helping people in Japan who sell on Ebay make easy money" probably isn't one of Takara's goals.

Also---having high demand for a small-run exclusive won't help sales of the regular one. If EVERYBODY wants the exclusive, that means 90% of the production run will be unsold.

[JB0]

What sucks about the alt line is that if you choose to take a break from them or decide to pass on one (because its a repain) only to get it later, it might not be there and it may be commanding $100 (see Alt. Swerve on ebay).

Yeah... I successfully resisted the Alternators for ages.

Wasn't until I saw Shockwave on the shelves that I even cared. Once I had him, I started to realize exactly how awesome they were.

Most of the ones I'd really like aren't in production anymore.

Only one I've added to my collection so far is Jazz. He has addead appeal, what with Shockwave being his "evil twin" in the Alternators.

And the stores in my area aren't big on Transformers to start with, much less Alternators. Makes picking one up a bit of effort.

Still haven't seen Mirage, for the record.

[David Hingtgen]

I bought many of the early Alternators, but quickly thought "they're just slight re-hashes of the same transformation". There's a few "new" ones, but there's really only 2 or 3 transformation schemes. Saw Mirage, and it looked really nice, it just looked to transform exactly like several others I already had, only with fender-shoulders.

Smokescreen was the first, and still the best IMHO.

[UN Spacy]

Wow.

It was 20 years ago that Transformers: The Movie was released in theaters nationwide! Happy annivesary!

[rosedoggydog]

And the stores in my area aren't big on Transformers to start with, much less Alternators. Makes picking one up a bit of effort.

Still haven't seen Mirage, for the record.

423384[/snapback]

Don't feel bad, most TF fans haven't seen him yet (in store). I bought mine off of ebay and one day walking through target I finally found one but the next day he was gone.

It also doesn't help that some Wal-Mart have started clearancing Alts. @ $15.00 right before the holidays come upon us. Can't wait for the new molds that are supposed to hit us next year (Honda, Cadillac, Jaguar).

[Twoducks]

I'd be surprised if the club isn't Japan only, so having non-Japanese across the web wanting to join won't bring in any money. 

423324[/snapback]

Yes, that’s evident. It just shows that people are willing to pay more for the same toy but with different colours. If a non-Japanese is interested in all the hassle of joining a foreign club, then Japanese residents that like the anime colours are very likely.

And Takara won't see any money from Japanese auctions.  "Helping people in Japan who sell on Ebay make easy money" probably isn't one of Takara's goals. 

423324[/snapback]

Yes, that’s evident. No one has said they would. Their goal is to sell toys.

Also---having high demand for a small-run exclusive won't help sales of the regular one.  If EVERYBODY wants the exclusive, that means 90% of the production run will be unsold.

423324[/snapback]

If you want the exclusive and can’t get it because there aren’t any left, you can get the normal one.

If you don’t want to pay extra for the same toy you buy the normal one.

If you like the normal one you get the normal one.

That toy looks very nice, it looks very well engineered and has the name of a famous personality attached to it. I think is safe to assume it will sell.

Yamato is selling the same valks but with different colours (non anime existing colours to be exacts) and they aren’t slowing down. That menas people can buy a toy not coloured like in a cartoon and be happy. So your 90% unsold scenario is a bit exaggerated.

In other words, please tell me why is Takara doing something stupid? Are you calling stupid what the company is doing because you don’t like it? Well, companies are there to make money, not to make you happy. If making you unhappy has a pretty good chance of making them more money, they will do it.

I don’t like what Yamato is doing with all their repaints but I sure as hell don’t call them stupid for trying to make more money out of the same old mould.

Doing the normal production run of a made up non anime repaint first will generate equal or more money that doing it after chucking out all the real anime repaints.

[eugimon]

For all you southern california folk:

I was at the new target at the Irvine Spectrum over the weekend and they had the alt prime there... just 1. I picked it up to look at it, and put it down to go track down my wife. Came back in four minutes and he was gone.

oh well. more money for MPC SS.

[Doctor Reggae]

Wow.

It was 20 years ago that Transformers: The Movie was released in theaters nationwide! Happy annivesary!

423438[/snapback]

Good lord...20 years? To help date us old-school fans a bit, the average 18-year old incoming college freshmen this year weren't even born yet.

One of my best memories of that movie was when I first saw the commercial for it. I ran into the kitchen and told my mother that there was a TF movie coming out, and was greeted with a look of abject terror. She swore to never take me to it, but ended up conning a friend of Mom and Dad's instead.

[Metal_Massacre_79]

I was at the new target at the Irvine Spectrum over the weekend and they had the alt prime there... just 1. I picked it up to look at it, and put it down to go track down my wife. Came back in four minutes and he was gone.

I found him at the Target in Racine, WI a few days ago. I didn't even bother to ask the wife, I just put him in the cart and walked away. Only missing Mirage now, but I doubt I'll find him on my own.

[rosedoggydog]

Wow.

It was 20 years ago that Transformers: The Movie was released in theaters nationwide! Happy annivesary!

423438[/snapback]

Good lord...20 years? To help date us old-school fans a bit, the average 18-year old incoming college freshmen this year weren't even born yet.

One of my best memories of that movie was when I first saw the commercial for it. I ran into the kitchen and told my mother that there was a TF movie coming out, and was greeted with a look of abject terror. She swore to never take me to it, but ended up conning a friend of Mom and Dad's instead.

423494[/snapback]

Even at 20yrs old, it still remains the best commerical ever (It was a good movie too).

Supposed to be re-released with re-issue 20th Ann. Optimus Prime.

[Phyrox]

If EVERYBODY wants the exclusive, that means 90% of the production run will be unsold.

423324[/snapback]

I'll take that bet.

[David Hingtgen]

It's stupid because nobody expected that they would change the colors to overall teal-grey, with fuschia and blurple accents. For a character that is DEFINED by his color scheme (since he's physically identical to Skywarp and Thundercracker) changing the color scheme pretty much re-writes the character.

I don't see anybody who actually prefers the scheme that's coming out--some find it acceptable, but it seems all would prefer the many digi-repaints we've seen of either G1 toy colors, or a real F-15E grey with G1 red and blue. If the G1-colored version was the normal version, and was as easy to get and the same price, I think almost everyone would go for it. Nobody prefers the teal/fuschia one, but they'll take it because it's easier/cheaper to get.

It's no different than if the Yamato VF-0S would have had dark grey and orange accents (and how about a purple visor to boot). Kinda close, but clearly not what it should be. Then making "correct" yellow and black with green visor a limited-run exclusive. How many people do you think would have gone for orange/grey as their first choice? How many would have preferred black/yellow but ended up with orange/grey because it's all they could get? What would MW's boards be like if if Yamato just flat-out changed the colors of certain valks, then made the REAL colors only available as exclusives, so most people couldn't get the colors they wanted, they colors that should have been available in the first place?

"New VF-22 announced! Available in Milia orange and Max purple!---also we will make 20 red and 20 blue ones to people who win a cell-phone contest in Paris--good luck"

[JB0]

Speaking of Yamato...

Anyone remember the Toys R Us exclusive cannon fodder? That ceased being exclusive as soon as sales slacked off?

I see no reason Starscream can't follow the same route.

Sell all the "less desirable, but adequate" options that you can. Combined with a few "YEAH! THIS IS THE WAY IT SHOULD BE DONE!" at a premium. Once sales of both slip, release the "Y!TITWISBD!" version as a mass-market product.

Everyone's STILL pissed, and justifiably so(it's a major fan screwjob). But at least it becomes widely available... eventually.

[Macross73]

well accroding to

tformers both SS and OP will be availble later this month in japan. and according to their forum theres no roller. it an exclusive for 3000 YEN ($30 US)

http://www.tformers.com/article.php?sid=6310

I dont plan on getting either . The color on Satrscream is a big, huge disappointment and I dont need the Trailer and I'm not about to hunt down a Roller on ebay for over ...who knows how much. If they had gone with the orginal color scheme then I definately would have bought Starscream. Though the toy looks good overall its not what i was looking forward too. and as for Prime well I've got the 20th Anniv Version (4 of them) He look so good in Bot mode that i cant see spending $$ just to get the trailer. If they offer Starscream in the proper color scheme and its not an exclusive then I'll get him and maybe get this version later on but for now its not gonna happen.

edit :alt car lineup so far :

http://www.tformers.com/Alternators_Guide.php

and hasbro has Camshaft for sale on their website:

http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com/ProductsByBra...?BR=496&SBR=167

Edited August 9, 2006 by Macross73

[ruskiiVFaussie]

I just cancelled my pre-order for the starscream, and prime (was to be my bro's prezzie but he reckons he's not wantin one so yeh), mostly due to the fact that there are other more important things to snap up (1/60 M+ series) and the cannon fodder 1/48 i always been meanin to get. I can wait for the original colour scheme for Starscream, it will have to happen!

[David Hingtgen]

Latest pics reveal to me the first actual "they got the shape wrong" part. The tailbooms ironically enough. From the leading edge of the v.stabs back, it's off. Like there's strakes or something. Basically the rear "inch" I'd guess on the actual toy.

[Fit For Natalie]

I just want my Starscream toy, with his schemes, his treachery and his speed. I care not a whit for 'real-world accuracy'.