Bandai Gobots/Machine Robo Series Toy Thread

[sh9000]

$45 each? Pass.

[Sandman]

How big are these robos?

[sh9000]

4.5" tall.

[mikeszekely]

BBTS had the first two up for preorder. They're $45, which isn't bad, but 4.5" is tiny.

[JB0]

That is definitely smaller than I'd like for that price, but it isn't an immediate dealbreaker.

[David Hingtgen]

Considering design/factory, they're about what I'd expect, if not cheaper.

[dizman]

Considering design/factory, they're about what I'd expect, if not cheaper.

Hah same, I think its from buying 3P stuff for so long that I just expected these things to be in the high $60 range.

[Jeremy007]

Action Toys has said these figures will be $22-$30 each. I think bbts's $45 is thier usual price hike. I expect these to be cheaper at overseas retailers. MP shockwave was around $108 in Japan while bbts has it for $170.

I doubt hlj, amiami, etc will have these at $45.

[mikeszekely]

Hah same, I think its from buying 3P stuff for so long that I just expected these things to be in the high $60 range.

Same-ish. I've spent over $1300 already this year on 3P toys, and that'll probably be closer to $2000 by summer. So it's not really the price that's my hangup, it's the size. 4.5" is, what, Deluxe-sized? I'd rather they cost more but were Voyager-sized.

[M'Kyuun]

The two that I'm most interested in are Leader-1 and Snoop, followed by Spay-C.

I'm hoping HLJ will carry these at lower prices. Actually, it'd be cool if Hasbro made a contract with Bandai to make them available for North American retail. I doubt it, but dreaming is fun.

[JB0]

The two that I'm most interested in are Leader-1 and Snoop, followed by Spay-C.

I'm hoping HLJ will carry these at lower prices. Actually, it'd be cool if Hasbro made a contract with Bandai to make them available for North American retail. I doubt it, but dreaming is fun.

I want drilltank and Snoop, because they have vehicle modes that speak to me.

And CyKill. He's one of the bots on my childhood wanted-but-unowned list.

[mikeszekely]

I think I'm still in for Cy-Kill and Leader-1. Like JB0, I had a ton more Gobots than Transformers. In fact, my dad was laid off a couple times when I was young, and Sideswipe and Bumblebee are the only series 1 TF's I had (and even then, I'm pretty sure I got Bumblebee later). I used to pretend my Rest-Q was Ratchet and my Loco was Astrotrain. I never had the regular Cy-Kill, but I had the black and green repaint and the Super Gobot Cy-Kill. As for Leader-1, I had both versions of him and the Super Gobot version. Beyond that, I'm not sure that there are any other characters I like enough to pay $45 for. Maybe Turbo and Crasher.

[JB0]

Oh, if they make one, I'm in for a Pathfinder too. She was an awesome take on the typical flying saucer.

[sh9000]

http://www.taghobby.com/tag/action-toys/

[Dangard Ace]

http://www.taghobby.com/tag/action-toys/

OT: pizza cats and starzingers(spaceketeers?!). Hells ya!!!!

[sh9000]

Leader-1 appreciation.

[David Hingtgen]

I've always disliked the repaint Leader-1 (despite owning one) because I always (rightfully?) saw his existence as denying me the "proper" grey one. I honestly can't remember if I had a grey one before the blue one and lost it, but I know that it took FOREVER to find a grey one after getting a blue one. The grey one just disappeared from shelves the moment the blue one showed up.

OT: pizza cats and starzingers(spaceketeers?!). Hells ya!!!!

Even more OT---Spectacular Spamurai! http://www.taghobby.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/sic.jpg

[M'Kyuun]

I've been shopping around the various online stores to see if anyone is carrying these for less than $46 (Eagle and Battle Robo) or $41 (Bike and Drill Robo), and so far, nope. HLJ doesn't have them at all, and I had hopes that they'd carry them for less. I'd like to get Eagle and Bike (such creative names in this series ), but I'm afraid once I put in an order, then HLJ or someone else will have them for less and I'll have to go through the sometimes sticky process of cancelling my initial preorder. What really makes me hesitate is the thought that Hasbro will strike some kind of deal with Bandai to license and sell these under the Gobots name, at about half the current going rate. I doubt it'll happen, but stranger things have. I'd be really happy if they did, though.

There are quite a few pics of these guys out there now, and honestly, $41, let alone $46, is too much for what amounts to a deluxe sized figure. They're neat, but not $46 neat, and certainly no where near MP TF quality, plus that kind of price gouging leaves a bad taste and makes me not want to reward their greed.

[JB0]

Hasbro is unlikely to make a deal with Bandai. My understanding is they actively avoid doing business with Bandai so they don't upset Takara.

[M'Kyuun]

Hasbro is unlikely to make a deal with Bandai. My understanding is they actively avoid doing business with Bandai so they don't upset Takara.

Makes sense. Still, part of me wishes.

[treatment]

Veef just posted his Action Toys Rod Drill/Drill Robo video-review for CDX:

https://youtu.be/dC-CfldZ5LM

[M'Kyuun]

Out of fear of missing out, I PO'd Eagle and Bike Robo (Leader-1 and Cy-Kill) about a week or so ago. I'm still not crazy about the prices they're charging for these guys, but b/c they're very niche, and b/c I want them to make the SR-71 and the Space Shuttle figures, I bit the bullet. I've watched a couple reviews of Eagle and he seems like a decent fig, very poseable, and a really good update to the original toy. I haven't seen any Bike Robo reviews yet, so I guess he's the last figure to release in the first wave. I watched vids on the other two as well (Battle and Drill), and they all seem like decent figures, albeit about $20 overpriced IMHO. Battle's transformation surprised and impressed me--a fair bit of plastic origami going on, esp considering the original just bent forward over his legs.

In one of the reviews, I believe they mentioned that Jizai Toys may have been involved in designing these. That's a nice step up for them if true.

[JB0]

Veef just posted his Action Toys Rod Drill/Drill Robo video-review for CDX:

https://youtu.be/dC-CfldZ5LM

That is pretty cool.

I wish Screwhead R. Drilltank was "shinier", like the G1 toy. Glossy paint and a metallized drillhead. I also like the bigger teeth on the original drillhead.

But other than that... there's nothing I see really wrong with him aside from size.

[captain america]

[sh9000]

Back in the day I used to buy Transformers lots and those POS Zybots used to be mixed in. Garbage.

[M'Kyuun]

Zybots. Funny, I don't remember ever seeing these as a kid. I do have to say, though, I miss all those various transforming robot toylines from the 80's. I wish there were more transforming toylines today in the US at TF or better quality.

Still have a few Gobots/ Gobot KO's and some Converters laying around. Alot of the Converters became insects, which always appealed to me. I also have the transforming F-15 Scramble Egg plane by Bandai; cute and cool little toy that still sits on my desk. I'd love a line of transforming egg planes based on the Hasegawa models.

It would have been cool if Hasbro didn't own the Gobot name, and Bandai/Action Toys licensed it to sell their renewal Machine Robo figs here in the West. Alas, what could have been. Too bad MR was never dubbed and broadcast in the US during the 80's, or there may have been an avenue.

[mikeszekely]

I have no memory of Zybots. I remember the Mighty Orbots, though.

[Valkyrie Hunter D]

I have no memory of Zybots. I remember the Mighty Orbots, though.

If you saw Zybots, chances are good that Convertors were found on the same peg/shelf. This was a common occurrence in stores like Walgreen's, Long's, or even grocery chains like Safeway. My cheap toy sources were Alpha Betas and Thrifty's.

[Big s]

One of my favorite transformer cash ins was ( I could be wrong on the name) Rocklords. They were different colored rocks that changed into robots. I seriously don't get the point of it, but I had a few back in the day.

[M'Kyuun]

Rocklords were part of the Gobots line, which also stemmed from Machine Robo. I remember seeing them in stores, but never got any. The concept was interesting, but I'd rather they turn into vehicles.

I perused a Machine Robo Wiki today to get an idea about the show and subsequent characters. There were a number of them in Revenge of Cronos that became jets, and I hope, if this line does well, those guys will get made. I'd so love to have a renewal Harrier Robo (Royal-T). I'd also be interested to see their take on Triple Jim. (never even heard of this guy before today, and here I thought TFs cornered the market on triple changers)

[JB0]

I have a Rock Lord. Sure enough, it turns into a plastic rock.

It actually makes a neat-looking robot, for all the crap the line gets about the altmodes.

[Scyla]

Are they only available through US retailers? I wasn't able to find them on the Japanese sites.

[technoblue]

Are they only available through US retailers? I wasn't able to find them on the Japanese sites.

Yeah, the usual US stores have them like BBTS, TFsource, The Chosen Prime, Toy Dojo... For other stores, I've seen stock at TF-Direct, Ages 3 and Up, and Kapow Toys.

No Japanese sites, though.

[treatment]

taghobby blogged some new pics of upcoming Turbo, Blackbird, and Cement robo from Action-Toys:

http://www.taghobby.com/1-0/1-1/action-toys-machine-robo-series-07%e3%80%8a%e5%a4%a9%e5%a8%81%e5%8b%87%e5%a3%ab%e3%80%8bturbo-robo/

http://www.taghobby.com/1-0/1-1/action-toys-machine-robo-series-06%e3%80%8a%e5%a4%a9%e5%a8%81%e5%8b%87%e5%a3%ab%e3%80%8bblackbird/

http://www.taghobby.com/1-0/1-1/action-toys-machine-robo-series-05%e3%80%8a%e5%a4%a9%e5%a8%81%e5%8b%87%e5%a3%ab%e3%80%8bcement-robo/

[Mog]

Thanks for the links to the additional pics.

Wonder if Turbo will still come with those guns he was sporting in the prototype pics.

Still not feeling the back fuselage part of Blackbird's jet mode. Just too blocky looking for my tastes. Though, it's probably still one of the better looking/robot concealing SR-71 toys out there now.