Things you never realised about Transformers (toys etc)

[GoktimusPrime]

I'm generally skipping repaints in BotBots, and as such I initially passed up on Songwave. Until I discovered that the redeco is an homage to Tron, and I've since acquired the toy. :)
https://i.ibb.co/yXtYFtz/botbots-TRON.jpg

[GoktimusPrime]

In 2016 IMDB made a page for a Beast Wars live action movie (https://www.imdb.com/list/ls061965155/) that's supposedly meant to be released this year. :confused:

Buh?

[Paulbot]

Let me fix the post above: anyone can submit new film titles to IMDB including based on rumours and gossip. This isn’t a movie database listing though, it’s a fan named Septembermorn321 doing a fantasy casting list. He’s got a similar list for a Last Knight sequel and people they think should voice Galvatron and Jazz.

[GoktimusPrime]

Holy cow, this video essay (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKyrUMUervU) has made me realise that there really IS more to meets the eye to Mikaela Banes! :eek:

[Bidoofdude]

Lindsay Ellis makes great videos on all kinds of media, and is a big Starscream fan.

[BigTransformerTrev]

Until I read a ‘choose your own adventure’ Transformers Animated book to my son last night, I never realised Animated was set in the 22nd Century :eek:

[Sinnertwin]

A true fan would have known that
*runs for cover*

[BigTransformerTrev]

A true fan would have known that
*runs for cover*

You... you what?

What the frag did you just say to me?

Not a fan? NOT A FAN?! I am THE fan mother-fragger! It is I who has the Transformers Blog! It is I who slavishly collects toys from all TF genre's! It is I who brings the fandom together! I speak Cybertronian, breathe it's air and embody it's lore! I am the Alpha Trion and the Omega Supreme - I AM TRANSFORMERS AND WITHOUT ME TRANSFORMERS WOULD BE NOTHING - NOTHING DO YOU HEAR!!!!


Ahem... not that I wish to give myself airs or anything.

But yeah, did they ever say in the cartoon what year the show was set in? The revelation in the book did come as a surprise to me. Spose it makes sense considering how mechanized that world was.

[Krayt]

But yeah, did they ever say in the cartoon what year the show was set in? The revelation in the book did come as a surprise to me. Spose it makes sense considering how mechanized that world was.

Footnotes
? The packaging blurb on the "Transform and Roll Out" DVD refers to the movie taking place in the 22nd Century. Additionally, in "Blast from the Past", Professor Sumdac mentions that his updates to Dino Drive's animatronic dinosaurs will "bring Dino Drive into the 22nd Century".

taken from https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Transformers_Animated_timeline

[BigTransformerTrev]

Footnotes
? The packaging blurb on the "Transform and Roll Out" DVD refers to the movie taking place in the 22nd Century. Additionally, in "Blast from the Past", Professor Sumdac mentions that his updates to Dino Drive's animatronic dinosaurs will "bring Dino Drive into the 22nd Century".

taken from https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Transformers_Animated_timeline

Well there ya go, Heh - I must have been a bit oblivious to it all.

[Sinnertwin]

*Nelson Laugh*

[DELTAprime]

I just learned that there are two G1 characters named Ricochet. The Japanese repaint of Jazz known as Stepper in Japan but known as Ricochet in the West and a Targetmaster from 1988 that was partnered with Quickmix.

[SMHFConvoy]

I only realised tonight that SS Shatter has 5mm ports on the inside of her arms.

[GoktimusPrime]

Never knew this before! But now suddenly the fact that Megatron's scope has handles and part of the stock has a peg on the side makes sense! :) Naturally Megatron was originally a Microman toy so it makes perfect sense that he would've been designed to be compatible with Microman figures.
https://i.ibb.co/zfyWGZB/megatron-microman01.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/mXPPJtX/megatron-microman02.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/5RmLcPh/megatron-microman03.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/3pR7rd1/megatron-microman04.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/JtM7FGx/megatron-microman05.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/JB7FRxh/megatron-microman06.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/Y2sRGSv/megatron-microman07.jpg

Thanks to tha_phantom for pointing this out to me. :) I've also just realised that the position of the plug hole on the back of Microman figures can vary. On Gamede and Kicker* they're located on the upper back (between the shoulders) but on vintage Microman toys it's on the mid back (upper lumbar). And while doing a Google image search I found that some Microman toys appear to have holes in either or both positions!

--------------------------------------------------
*Not that it does Kicker much good since his backpack seems to be permanently attached (I can remove his chestplate but the straps don't feel detachable)

[DELTAprime]

I got my first Targetmaster style Battlemasters today. I didn't realise how much of downgrade they are from the LG-EX Targetmasters. Good thing I bought all of the LG-EX stuff so I can skip the Battlemasters that are repeated characters.

[Dan]

Around the turn of the century I got a second-hand Astro-Magnum or Galaxy Man or knock-off (still never verified which) and I love it. But only recently, for some reason, I was watching a YouTube review of G1 Shockwave and was astounded to see its head turns. I went to my toy and discovered that, while stiff, its head turns! I'd never even bothered to check that.

[griffin]

I never noticed or knew that two of the Japanese Seacons had the same names as the Hasbro Seacons (Overbite and Tentakil).
With four of the names being Turtler, Gulf, Kraken and Lobclaw, I was expecting the other two would also have odd "Japanese English" names when the third pair of Generations Selects were added to the TakaraTomyMall website today... but when they had the Hasbro names listed, I actually had to check tfwiki to see (https://tfwiki.net/wiki/King_Poseidon) that two of the six indeed have Hasbro names.
I guess since I never had an interest in the Japanese Seacons as toys (the toys were identical to the Hasbro ones) and I only watched the Japanese Masterforce cartoon once, I never took notice of the names.

[griffin]

I just found out that the music score to the Rescue Bots cartoon from Season 2 onwards, was done by an Australian composer Christopher Elves (https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Christopher_Elves) (from Brisbane).

[UltraMarginal]

I just found out that the music score to the Rescue Bots cartoon from Season 2 onwards, was done by an Australian composer Christopher Elves (https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Christopher_Elves) (from Brisbane).

That's very cool and interesting

[GoktimusPrime]

CHICKEN TRANSFORMERS EXIST

Sort of.

Titans Return Crashbash and its Legends repaint Servant transform into robotic birds which, according to at least one source of canon, are chickens.
Of course, these sort of vehicles don't count individually as Transformers (under the UCM), but still -- I must have at least one of these now as they're currently the closest thing we have to a chicken TF until HasTak actually properly do one! I now have a new Grail.

[SMHFConvoy]

CHICKEN TRANSFORMERS EXIST

Sort of.

Titans Return Crashbash and its Legends repaint Servant transform into robotic birds which, according to at least one source of canon, are chickens.
Of course, these sort of vehicles don't count individually as Transformers (under the UCM), but still -- I must have at least one of these now as they're currently the closest thing we have to a chicken TF until HasTak actually properly do one! I now have a new Grail.

You can probably find one for $8 at Toymate Bankstown

[GoktimusPrime]

You can probably find one for $8 at Toymate Bankstown
Probably! That seems to be ToyMate that time forgot! :D

[GoktimusPrime]

Transmetal Waspinator's jet mode is possibly a reference to Starscream's possession of him back in Season 1 of the cartoon.

[GoktimusPrime]

Marcelo Matere is an identical twin.

[DELTAprime]

Until I got Spinister in hand I didn't realise how Euro G1 like his colour scheme is.

[GoktimusPrime]

In the UK, Transformers Cyberverse is called "Transformers Bumblebee: Cyberverse Adventures."

Better than "Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles" I suppose. :p

[Tha_Phantom]

Armada Jetfire is an homage to G1 Galaxy Shuttle. Vairn and I noticed some similarities and sure enough TF Wiki (https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Jetfire_(Armada)) confirms they are intentional.

[Jellico]

Soundwave transforms into a blue box.

And he is bigger on the inside.

[griffin]

That took me a moment to think about, but that's true... like a tardis he seems to be able to house quite a few cassettes inside him at one time in the cartoon.

[GoktimusPrime]

Blaster transforms into an orange box and has the same ability. Soundwave was a purple box in the G1 comics, and in the Japanese anime he becomes a black box [Soundblaster] (not a black box flight recorder, which are orange). Blaster does become a blue box [Twincast] in the anime.

Every Transformer has some degree of mass cheating though. Just by virtue of all their internal robot parts largely vanishing in alt mode and vice versa.

[GoktimusPrime]

Well, now we know why MP Hound has Super-GPS*. :rolleyes: HasTak's factory in Vietnam used an inferior grade of plastic. :rolleyes:

The other one is super obvious which I'm sure everyone already knows, but the reason why MPs are getting so expensive is because of the overwhelming demand from fans for slavish screen accuracy, which in turn increases the number of parts that must be manufactured. I cannot imagine how this news could possibly come as a surprise to anyone. So long as people pine for "kartoon akkurasee" then toys will become more complex and expensive. So long as the majority demand greater "sHoW AkKuRaSseY" then that's what TakaraTOMY will cater for. I personally don't care either way, and as many of you know, I actually prefer toy-accuracy (since the toys usually came first).

https://i.ibb.co/q1v7YqN/ironhide-toyacc.jpg
G1 Ironhide is not inaccurate to the cartoon, the cartoon is inaccurate to the toy.

------------------------------------------------------------------
*Super Green Plastic Syndrome. Unlike standard gold/brown/blue plastic syndrome which takes years or decades to manifest, SGPS manifests only days or weeks after receiving MP Hound.
https://news.tfw2005.com/2020/02/09/tfw2005-reports-from-wonderfest-takara-tomy-representatives-declarations-extra-images-from-the-event-404884

[Bidoofdude]

Well, now we know why MP Hound has Super-GPS*. :rolleyes: HasTak's factory in Vietnam used an inferior grade of plastic. :rolleyes:

The other one is super obvious which I'm sure everyone already knows, but the reason why MPs are getting so expensive is because of the overwhelming demand from fans for slavish screen accuracy, which in turn increases the number of parts that must be manufactured. I cannot imagine how this news could possibly come as a surprise to anyone. So long as people pine for "kartoon akkurasee" then toys will become more complex and expensive. So long as the majority demand greater "sHoW AkKuRaSseY" then that's what TakaraTOMY will cater for. I personally don't care either way, and as many of you know, I actually prefer toy-accuracy (since the toys usually came first).


G1 Ironhide is not inaccurate to the cartoon, the cartoon is inaccurate to the toy.

------------------------------------------------------------------
*Super Green Plastic Syndrome. Unlike standard gold/brown/blue plastic syndrome which takes years or decades to manifest, SGPS manifests only days or weeks after receiving MP Hound.
https://news.tfw2005.com/2020/02/09/tfw2005-reports-from-wonderfest-takara-tomy-representatives-declarations-extra-images-from-the-event-404884

Technically the G1 toy is already a 100% toy accurate figure, you could not possibly get any closer. The reason MPs exist in the first place is because the cartoon models didn't previously have accurate figures, which themselves were already refined a lot from the toy designs, to a point where they're mostly not comparable beyond the time they came out. Homages are good like the toy-accurate MP-36, but they shouldn't be a substitute for the base figure, which was made for a clear purpose that is easy to understand.

[GoktimusPrime]

Homages are good like the toy-accurate MP-36, but they shouldn't be a substitute for the base figure, which was made for a clear purpose that is easy to understand.
↑This so much. :) What I love about CHUG and earlier MPs is how they were more focused on homaging the G1 cartoon aesthetics and design features rather than just trying to exactly emulate them. Homaging>fidelity.

But it is true that fans do keep on pining more and more for "show accuracy." Even before the internet existed. I remember even in the 80s listening to people talk about how they wanted their toys to look more like the cartoon. My G1 Trailbreaker and Skydasher, which I obtained second hand, had their eyes painted blue by their original owner (why Powerdasher? He never even appeared in the 'toon!). And one thing that Action Masters did was start introducing cartoon biases into the toys (e.g. Bumblebee's head etc.).

Granted that I haven't filled out a TakaraTOMY survey since 2017 (thank you, geoblocking), but the last time I checked Q14 asked why you like the toy, with one of the options being "G1 accuracy."

Q14 - Why did you buy this toy? (you may select more than one choice)
○ I like Transformers
○ It is the best line out of all TFs
○ G1 accuracy
○ The high level of design
○ I like the character
○ The transformation is intuitive and challenging
○ High level of poseability
○ I had the original as a child
○ I am collecting the series
○ I want to display this toy
○ I want to recreate battle scenes with this toy
○ Fun to transform and play with
○ My friends also have this toy
○ Other
But the big indicator would be sales. How many people here started collecting MPs before or after their shift towards slavish screen accuracy (around 2015/16) vs those who started collecting before then? How many of us have proportionately more pre-2015 MPs vs post-2015 MPs, and to be fair, proportionate to the number of MPs produced in those periods? And the fact that TakaraTOMY are now pumping out more MPs than they did before indicates that the line has been a strong seller.

At the end of the day we all vote with our wallets. If people want to get an MP but circumvent the "vote," then just get the toys second hand. That way you're not adding money into TakaraTOMY's pockets -- that vote was already cast by the toy's original owner. Plus getting MPs LMIB even a few months after its release date is significantly cheaper (as Japanese fans prize sealed mintiness). Often these toys will have been opened but rarely handled if at all -- they're really loose mint. It's just that the sticky tape's been broken.

[GoktimusPrime]

On King Cheats, the 2 of Spades is red and the 5 of Diamonds is black (blue).

https://i.ibb.co/nP2cvMB/botbots-kingcheats0.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/zbCV8gR/botbots-kingcheats1.jpg

[reillyd]

Well I had been thinking of ordering myself a hound (to go with Ravage, and I have a 3D printed cage to keep him in too!), but hasn't been following the QC issues. If the toy is breaking down days or weeks after opening then I'll have to hold off. Is it all of them, or isolated cases?

[GoktimusPrime]

Is it all of them, or isolated cases?
Isolated cases, but a fair number of them. I've stopped transforming my MP Hound after the cases became more prevalent. I now keep him permanently displayed in robot mode (with my BT Hound displayed in Jeep mode). Basically it's like the worst case of Brittle Plastic Syndrome ever, because even Gold Plastic Syndrome takes years if not decades to manifest, whereas Hound's Green Plastic Syndrome is showing up only weeks after opening in the hands of careful adult collectors.

But yeah, I treat my MP Hound as I do with other toys w/ BPS. He's more of an overglorified Action Master. :( The last known BPS toy that I tried super-carefully transforming was Chewbacca (the rear half of the Millennium Falcon TF)... and yeah, broke the arm off (which I've since super-glued back on and now he and Han Solo are permanently displayed in Corellian cruiser mode - but even then, this was a good 13 years after I'd bought the toy!).

[Seraphim Prime]

This is not so much a thing I never noticed as much as a thing I have new appreciation of.

I just wanted to point out that the designing of the Transformers figures since Combiner Wars has been amazing - providing figures that fit well with the line before and the line after.

Combiner War really is a great bridge between the old CHUG line and the newer lines and could really fit either way.

[Jetfire in the sky]

TFTM (Cartoon) used Fist of the North Star animation. How good were the 80's!

This has probably been posted already :cool:

[GoktimusPrime]

Yeah, when I visited the Toei Movie Village in Kyoto (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php/5673-%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E8%AA%9E%E4%BC%9A%E8%A9%B1-The-Japanese-Conversation-Thread/page6), there was an anime timeline on a wall showing all the anime series that they made, which included Fist of the North Star. More importantly, it also included Transformers but the timeline only showed the Transformers series made exclusively by Toei and did not include stuff made in collaboration with Sunbow. :( So it only showed stuff from The☆Headmasters to Zone. :( I guess they only wanted to display things produced by Toei. <shrugs>

[GoktimusPrime]

Not only "Scrapper" and "Mixmaster," but the card art of all of the Late G1 Constructicons are entirely different works of art from the Early G1 Constructicons - many of them being emulations but not exact duplicates of their Early G1 art. :eek: Whereas the G2 Constructicons' card art are all just recolours of their Early G1 art.
Big Horn
https://i.ibb.co/6RLZtGK/constructicons-bighorn-compar.jpg
Desmond
https://i.ibb.co/7Jj6Xf0/constructicons-desmond-compar.jpg
Evicerater
https://i.ibb.co/3mD7n6R/constructicons-evicerator-compar.jpg
Heavy Lode
https://i.ibb.co/BC7sktV/constructicons-heavylode-compar.jpg
Hooks
https://i.ibb.co/WphpdzJ/constructicons-hooks-compar.jpg
Ventus Lamina
https://i.ibb.co/txQCpZK/constructicons-ventuslamina-compar.jpg

[Seraphim Prime]

Not only "Scrapper" and "Mixmaster," but the card art of all of the Late G1 Constructicons are entirely different works of art from the Early G1 Constructicons - many of them being emulations but not exact duplicates of their Early G1 art. :eek: Whereas the G2 Constructicons' card art are all just recolours of their Early G1 art.

That's extraordinary that they'd go to that effort.
I got the late G1 figures as a kid, and recall that they all had the same standard packaging, like the Rescue Force figures, so looking up the backing on Captured Prey (http://www.capturedprey.com/store/g1_european_yellow_constructicons) it looks as if it was something that would have been done for reproducibility and image balance, which is a really interesting visual design choice.

[GoktimusPrime]

That's extraordinary that they'd go to that effort.
And yet they put zero effort in giving them names!

[Tha_Phantom]

And yet they put zero effort in giving them names!

How dare you speak that way about Desmond!

[dirge]

How dare you speak that way about Desmond!

:D :D :D

[GoktimusPrime]

How dare you speak that way about Desmond!
That was my effort! :p

[griffin]

(copied from the saleyard, because this was something I didn't know about Transformers until today when I actually met him in person)

For those who are interested (and you all should be), the seller (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php/26903) was one of the 2 (that I know of) Australians who have worked on IDW comics projects (the other being Shane McCarthy).

Lloyd Young was approached by IDW's James Roberts (who lives in the UK) to contribute images and scans from the original UK comics (primarily the bonus items), for IDW's Classics UK compilations (https://tfwiki.net/wiki/The_Transformers_Classics_UK). Unfortunately, the reprint series only made it to 5 volumes of their 8 volume plan, with the 6th volume (https://www.idwpublishing.com/product/transformers-classics-uk-vol-6/) being officially cancelled in November 2018.
That's unfortunately a huge shame, as there would have been a lot of work being done for the unreleased volumes, including the colouring of the original B&W stories. Fortunately the coloured stories ended up being used in the Hachette Complete Collection, but all of the bonus non-story items and behind the scenes articles by the creators are probably now wasted.
Finding out what extra stuff was in these books, I might have actually been tempted to buy the set for the non-story content, despite having two sets of the stories so far (including the coloured set in the Hachette series). Hmmm, I might have to see if I can find one of the five that have been printed to see what sort of content is in them, to see if it is still worth buying those issues they did print.

To find out who Lloyd is and what he contributed, this article from March 2015 is very comprehensive (https://thesolarpool.weebly.com/addendum-11.html) (scroll down halfway to his part of the interview), and have a really fascinating look at some of the comic rarities and obscurities he has... some of which I've never even seen before. And all that obtained by someone in Australia.

[Paulbot]

Most of us have seen the early TFTM promo by now, the one with Ultra Magnus in the Powered Convoy colours, thanks to special features and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVl7cix4Apc)

I haven't seen anyone do a breakdown of changes of shots that were in the promo and made it to the finished product before and thought others might find this interesting too

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1270781555896713221.html

Also here: https://imgur.com/a/YB37Er1

[Paulbot]

Studio Series Arcee is three bikes that turn into three robots... but they don't combine. I assumed this was a given.

I've seen some people combining them but it's not an official transofrmation?

(I know they didn't actually combine in the movie but it was the original design intention and thought it gave more credence to these being a Deluxe package)

[SMHFConvoy]

Studio Series Arcee is three bikes that turn into three robots... but they don't combine. I assumed this was a given.

I've seen some people combining them but it's not an official transofrmation?

(I know they didn't actually combine in the movie but it was the original design intention and thought it gave more credence to these being a Deluxe package)

Yeah, a couple of reviews show that the stands peg together in some fashion and there's a BFG that makes no sense accessory wise.

[Autocon]

Has anyone made a review thread on arcee triplets?

[griffin]

Has anyone made a review thread on arcee triplets?

Look in the Review section and search that section for "Arcee" or "Studio"... or, just scroll down the first two pages, as the toy hasn't been out too long, and the second page should go back far enough.
If there isn't one, you can start one.

[Unicran]

Has anyone made a review thread on arcee triplets?
No (for good reason ;)). Why you ask?

[griffin]

Has anyone made a review thread on arcee triplets?

Here it is (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php/27275)... now, you had better use it since you asked about it.

[Paulbot]

I've had this ad on a VHS tape since the late 80s. A conversation on Twitter made me discover it's different from the US and UK versions.

It also meant I discovered the Decepticon in it has a name: Zarak Maximus (https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Zarak_Maximus).

I ripped it and shared it on Twitter and it's been popular, so thought I should share here too


https://youtu.be/iXzbC6LvxSc

[DELTAprime]

I love old TF commercials. :D

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

It also meant I discovered the Decepticon in it has a name: Zarak Maximus (https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Zarak_Maximus).

blast, I was kind of hoping Purplepants Stompyboots would catch on...

[griffin]

Until Hasbro sells a toy resembling that character and name it "Zarak Maximus", I see anything on the tfwiki that comes from the "ask vector prime facebook page (https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Ask_Vector_Prime#Facebook)" (run by FunPublications), as being as official as things said in the UK comics letter pages, like "Grim Grams" etc. Both were written by someone, or some people, related to a licensed source of fiction, but were generating non-story info outside of the Hasbro viewed and licensed fiction, that wouldn't have been seen or verified by Hasbro.

The concept for the Vector Prime facebook page was probably first meant to deal with explaining issues with their multi-verse, and any loose ends (like animation errors and unnamed characters)... but unless their info shows up later as an official toy or in a comic or cartoon, to me it is still officially unnamed, and up to the individual.

(Hasbro used to have people in their TFs toy division who were fans who worked their way into official roles, but these days I think the Hasbro people who are there now, who name unusual redecos and homages would refer to the tfwiki, as I doubt those people have read everything ever printed to know obscure names... like Greenlight and Lancer, who were both named in an online-exclusive text story for FunPub Club members that very few people would have read (https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Flames_of_Yesterday) after 25 years without a name, so when Hasbro did toys of them last year, they could have easily created their own names... but my guess is they checked the tfwiki first.)

[GoktimusPrime]

Until Hasbro sells a toy resembling that character and name it "Zarak Maximus",
This comment made me look up "Zarak Maximus on tfwiki (https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Zarak_Maximus). I hadn't realised that he'd been officially assigned a name. Now I kinda want an official toy. :p (even a small Legends Class figure that could potentially pre-tooled as Double Punch would suffice)

[griffin]

This comment made me look up "Zarak Maximus on tfwiki (https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Zarak_Maximus). I hadn't realised that he'd been officially assigned a name.

Only if you consider that short-lived FunPub facebook page as an official authority to name characters that don't yet have an official toy. Chances are that an obscure homage toy will be done at some point later (or for a future convention), and the nameless Hasbro people will look refer to the name FunPub gave it (noted on the TFwiki page)... but to me, it doesn't have an official name yet.

(I'm probably a little too obsessed about this point, but it really bugs me - a short-lived funpub facebook page is not Hasbro, and I think all those other hundreds of license-holders in the past who have produced or published random things or names that weren't fully scrutinised by Hasbro, shouldn't dictate what Hasbro should refer to in the future... however, if Hasbro specifically approved a name or concept and uses it for a toy, or later wants to copy something a license-holder created, then it will be official to me.)

[Magnus]

I finally figured out what the pointed object on Sentinel Prime's right forearm is. (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3oory2FJqvc/Tb7A7eetw3I/AAAAAAAAAMM/gQIWUS9Mows/s1600/TF3%2BDOTM%2B1680x1050%2B13.jpg) It's a piercing tool, mounted at the end of the Rosenbauer Panther's 'Stinger' turret. The idea is that it pierces the skin of a burning aircraft to deliver water directly onto a fire inside.

Here it is on the actual truck used to portray Sentinel. (https://i.pinimg.com/originals/da/6c/ae/da6cae9a7e558a7ee44d0f0571dc43e1.jpg)

[GoktimusPrime]

So... DOTM Sentinel Prime is quite literally a prick. :p

[Seraphim Prime]

I've been looking at my Earthrise Optimus on and off for the past month wondering what the vestigial hitch point on the outside of his leg will be used for, until I realised that Earthrise Optimus shares the legs of Siege Voyager Optimus (as well as what looks to be all the natural blue parts on the two moulds).

The transformation of the Earthrise Prime was such that the legs no longer rotate around to face the front so a new hitch point was needed, which is moulded into the grey pieces that replace the rotating pieces on the Siege mould.

I think this sprue reuse mentality among the current design team is a really fascinating way of design which is giving use more variety in a line with less direct remoulds than we used to get.

[griffin]

After already buying two Cyberverse toys that have "Cybertronian" modes (Bumblebee and Starscream), which have been seen or been out since the beginning of this year, it was only today that I realised from the first sighting of Cybertronian Mode Optimus in America (https://news.tfw2005.com/2020/07/13/transformers-cyberverse-wave-8-warrior-class-cybertronian-optimus-prime-out-at-us-retail-414653), that the front of the toy packaging has a special icon to say that these toys (and a Megatron toy that came out with Bumblebee), are special Cybertronian modes.
Looking at the packaging of the two toys that I already own, and sure enough, there it was... and I didn't even notice it.
(and just now I see that there are two 1-step toys that also have the special icon on it as well, for Ratchet and Megatron (https://news.tfw2005.com/2020/07/13/transformers-cyberverse-1-step-changers-cybertronian-ratchet-megatron-and-ultimate-iaconus-new-stock-images-414579))

I wonder how many they are going to do, especially now that the cartoon has ended... and it seems to be a lot of sublines and subtitles for Cyberverse this year.

[SMHFConvoy]

Got Cyberverse Deluxe BAF Hotrod, there's 2 protrusions at the front of his vehicle mode, they do nothing but you can clip his flame effects onto them but there's not enough clearance under the vehicle mode.

They're like Hotrod's appendix.

[Dan]

I was watching a Skylynx review and it just a occurred to me that space shuttles are obsolete, just like cassette recorders are obsolete. Is this a problem for kids buying space shuttle toys (whether Transformers or other)? Should vertical takeoff and landing rockets (which for most of my life were a fictitious relic of 50s SF) become the norm for space toys? Or are space shuttles just intrinsically cool? :)

[Jaxius._]

I was watching a Skylynx review and it just a occurred to me that space shuttles are obsolete, just like cassette recorders are obsolete. Is this a problem for kids buying space shuttle toys (whether Transformers or other)? Should vertical takeoff and landing rockets (which for most of my life were a fictitious relic of 50s SF) become the norm for space toys? Or are space shuttles just intrinsically cool? :)

space shuttles will always be cool

[Seraphim Prime]

I think space shuttle will still have it's place in the collective psyche for a long time.

We're only now entering the post space shuttle world so it will take a few years still before the new launchers becomes common enough to be in the collective thought.

[Dan]

Thanks, that's what I figured, and there's something about a spaceship that looks more like a plane and less like a tin can. Mind you, I also still think tape decks are cool. ;)

[Lint]

I just noticed that the tiny Basic class human figures in the DOTM Human Alliance toyline have wrist rotation articulation. That's a luxury reserved only for our Leader class figures these days!

[Tha_Phantom]

Fired up my external hard drive and rewatched some G1 commercials I downloaded around 2006/2007. For a long time I had it in my head that some of the later commercials said "so much more than meets the eye" but what is actually said is "more, much more than meets the eye" which makes sense when you look at packaging from that era. :p

[GoktimusPrime]

Both Tigertrack and Spinout appear in the G1 episode, "A Plague of Insecticons." ;)
https://i.ibb.co/K67SJHQ/spinout-cartoon.jpghttps://i.ibb.co/yBTcFfT/tigertrack-cartoon.jpg
The additionally funny thing is that in both shots, the other twin has their normal colour, so it's not even a case of accidental palette swapping.
e.g. as you can see in the shot with Tigertrack we can see Sunstreaker in yellow.
I've cropped it out, but in the shot with Spinout you can also see Sideswipe in red.

And Cordon appears briefly in the episode, "Hoist Goes Hollywood."
https://i.ibb.co/9gbRT3W/cordon-cartoon.jpg

P.S.: Yes, I know that these are colouring errors, but I still like to believe that it basically means that these characters have had screen appearances, regardless of authorial intent. :cool: :p

[SharkyMcShark]

Hey if the rainmakers, generic seekers and Nacelle count, so does that.

[DELTAprime]

I just realised when I read TFWiki that a lot of the new characters that are being released in CHUG like Smash Down and Sound Barrier have zero canon outside of their packaging. I thought for sure they would get some type of canon in IDW, but apparently not.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I just realised when I read TFWiki that a lot of the new characters that are being released in CHUG like Smash Down and Sound Barrier have zero canon outside of their packaging. I thought for sure they would get some type of canon in IDW, but apparently not.

I guess all they have is the online manga that has been dropping with the Selects toys (volcanicus and Abominus specifically)

[Thurmus]

I never realised until I just watched a review that Generations Metroplex has a gun station in his right forearm.

[GoktimusPrime]

Comparing the box art between Takara's Middle-G1 Brainmasters (1989) and Hasbro's Late-G1 Motorvators (1991)...
https://i.ibb.co/NWZCv2f/temp.jpg
Hasbro did NOT reuse Takara's box art for the Motorvators. They are all new pieces of artwork, although clearly based on the Takara art.
Lightspeed's art appears to have extended the left foot which is cropped on the Takara art, although the Hasbro artist may have had access to an uncropped copy of Braver's box art.
Flame's art portrays him as having a shield, but of course, none of the Motorvators came with any of the combining parts to form Road Caesar - so Flame is shown holding a shield that he NEVER had!
Gripper's art suggests that the Hasbro artist may have only had access to the Takara box art but not the toys themselves. Notice that there is a rather clean line along Gripper's left shoulder and back kibble - not only that, but the front left wheel and bumper tip which should be visible are clearly cut off. These parts were obscured by Blacker's shield on the Takara version and have not been drawn in by the Hasbro artist.
The Motorvators' art also all have inaccuracies. All of their eye colours don't match the toys. Lightspeed is blue instead of teal. Flame has a purple face instead of silver. It lends further credence to the theory that the Hasbro artist never had the actual toys in front of him/her, and perhaps these colours were based off earlier sketches before the final colours were determined for the toys. Flame's shield is a strange one - Lightspeed and Gripper have had their shields "removed," but just not Flame!

[griffin]

Thanks to a post on fb, I never noticed that the Ark in the original cartoon was crashed at an angle, but all the floors inside were level...

[DELTAprime]

Thanks to a post on fb, I never noticed that the Ark in the original cartoon was crashed at an angle, but all the floors inside were level...

I always thought it was odd how the Ark was drawn, but it was still cool.

[Paulbot]

Thanks to a post on fb, I never noticed that the Ark in the original cartoon was crashed at an angle, but all the floors inside were level...

That has bugged me for decades. It’s also why I think some of the early episodes have the often forgotten outside base.

My no prize explanation has always been that the ship’s artificial gravity is still working (once they move past the entrance area into the ship proper.

[Tha_Phantom]

Thanks to a post on fb, I never noticed that the Ark in the original cartoon was crashed at an angle, but all the floors inside were level...

I wish I hadn't read this. Can never be unseen.

[griffin]

The artificial gravity was something that was suggested on fb, but after 4 million years, that's a pretty good power source to still be operating to hold everything in place all that time... almost as if they had the sort of energy technology that could have kept Cybertron powered up enough to not need to look for more millions of years ago. ;)


I wish I hadn't read this. Can never be unseen.

Hehehe.... you're welcome. :p

I should watch some episodes to see if it sticks into the back of my head to notice it...

[dirge]

Thanks to a post on fb, I never noticed that the Ark in the original cartoon was crashed at an angle, but all the floors inside were level...

Simple. They built a level floor after re-awakening. To make it a usable base of operations.

[griffin]

The angle of the ship sticking out the side of the mountain is too great... they would lose a lot of space... and would have to gut out most of the ship just to create a couple of usable flat levels. If they did that, it would have been easier to dig out the Ark and have it level on the ground next to the volcano (or in the dug out cavern).

It was shown at two different angles - pointing down into the mountain, or with the left/port side angling down. The exit they would drive out of was level to the ground, but the ship itself was always left at a rather big angle from being level.... which is now overthinking a kids cartoon way too much. :p

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/blog/f713.jpg

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/blog/f712.jpg

[DELTAprime]

Maybe Hasbro can use this year's Titan Class figure to do a little retconning for you Griff. :p

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I just assumed the floor dropped down somehow and the top bit was too wedged in for them to get out.

The thing that really bothered me about the ark is that there are no front doors. No wonder Ravage, Soundwave, Nightbird etc. were just strolling in whenever the needed to get a glass of milk

[Paulbot]

I just assumed the floor dropped down somehow and the top bit was too wedged in for them to get out.

The thing that really bothered me about the ark is that there are no front doors. No wonder Ravage, Soundwave, Nightbird etc. were just strolling in whenever the needed to get a glass of milk

Spoilers, maybe, but there were doors... spoilers we saw them in Beast Wars and I think they were damaged then a retcon but an explanation anyway!

[Justice for Ironhide]

I never realised until watching “The Lazy Eyebrow’s” review of the Earthrise seeker mold that Starscream (and therefore Thundercracker and Skywarp), has a small peg behind the joint of where the knee bend is located. Once the peg is pegged into a slot inside of the leg, the knee bend joint ends up being more secured and not prone to being floppy (at least on my copy). After discovering this, I went to check on my copy of the instructions, and that peg was not even mentioned (visually) in the instructions. Is it just me or did most people didn’t know about this? (Even the lazy eyebrow didn’t know that this peg existed until someone commented on one of his videos on YouTube that this tab existed).

Link to video:
https://youtu.be/YDaCJbE1q9E
( the exact timestamp where the lazy eyebrow mentions this peg begins at 18:46, during the transformation section of the review)

[nalops]

It's present on the Coneheads too. I think I accidentally found it while transforming Starscream back from jet one time. Tend not to look at instructions unless I'm really stumped so didn't know it wasn't mentioned.

[Seraphim Prime]

I was going to say "of course I knew about the tab" but watched the section you were talking about and realised it wasn't the shin panel tab.

I never even knew it was there, I've never had the collapsing issue mentioned, so perhaps I was just doing it properly because previous experience has shown that when the instructions say to move a piece, they typically are implying "until resistance" so have always fully converted the knee without knowing about the locking tab.

[DELTAprime]

I just took a good look at my Henkei Cyclonus because I moved him from being around the TFTM characters to be with The Rebirth characters.

I don't think I ever realised how long and narrow his legs are.

[Skyfire]

I've watched the G1 cartoon first season lots of times, when it aired on TV and on DVD. But only after watching it on the computer did I realise there are 2 Starscreams in the intro (or a Skyscream?)

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50984037323_4670b012a4_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2kFhw3g)

[Geminii]

The artificial gravity was something that was suggested on fb, but after 4 million years, that's a pretty good power source to still be operating to hold everything in place all that time... almost as if they had the sort of energy technology that could have kept Cybertron powered up enough to not need to look for more millions of years ago. ;)

Eh, it was probably switched off for all that time and only fired up again once Teletraan was online. Although... if that was the case, wouldn't the bodies scattered around the floor in the first episode all have slid off to one side? Unless the floor had specific high-grip surfaces, which I suppose could be the case. Ark crashes with internal gravity on, everything is pulled to the floor and against the grippy surface, gravity slowly fades over the next couple of centuries/millennia, there's not enough of an angle for stuff on the floor to start sliding.

[DELTAprime]

I always thought Car Robots (RID 2000) Ultra Magnus was a Cybertronian car carrier. However, I just realised when I found the Wikipedia article on these trucks that he is actually a Dekotora truck.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Dekotora

[griffin]

I always thought Car Robots (RID 2000) Ultra Magnus was a Cybertronian car carrier. However, I just realised when I found the Wikipedia article on these trucks that he is actually a Dekotora truck.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Dekotora

My eyes!!!
:p

If those decorated trucks were a thing before 2000, I guess it could have been the inspiration of one of the Japanese designers, just like Fire Convoy was based on a Japanese fire truck. Car Robots was after all a Japanese-first series, so I would imagine that the original concepts (toys) in Car Robots were created by Takara people instead of Hasbro people... and their inspiration for alt-modes probably didn't have to have Hasbro approval, if Hasbro was busy working on Beast Machines and was expecting it to go for another year and become Transtech.
After all, we also saw a combiner set of Trains done in Car Robots, which Hasbro would never do in a series that they had created, as trains are popular in Japan... and Hasbro people have said in the past that trains aren't as popular in America.

As much as I'd like to think that CR/RID Ultra Magnus is a Cybertronian truck, those decorated Japanese trucks unfortunately make too much sense to ignore.
But, does that mean his toy/cartoon colours are not real-world accurate, and we should have had the toy blinged up with lights and shiny? :p

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

As much as I'd like to think that CR/RID Ultra Magnus is a Cybertronian truck, those decorated Japanese trucks unfortunately make too much sense to ignore.
But, does that mean his toy/cartoon colours are not real-world accurate, and we should have had the toy blinged up with lights and shiny? :p
Maybe he's a bit more humble :D
It bothered me that his truck wasn't articulated, but in Japan very very very few trucks are. They are much smaller than some of the trucks in Australia. Nothing to compare to the old road trains.

[Tha_Phantom]

This makes a whole lot of sense, since all the new moulds for Car Robot were real-world inspired (Megatron/Gigatron aside).
I'm glad that they dialed it back a fair bit from the actual trucks, lol.

[Lint]

Not truly a 'thing I never realised' but the textured tongue on TR Skullcruncher is such a nice touch. Tee hee!

[reillyd]

I just noticed it, and now that I have I can?t thing of anything else.
The new Studio Series Wreck-Gar is male (since he has a moustache)?? but he also has protruding nipples.
And from the looks of it, they are actually a point of articulation (two points, actually). Why, Hasbro, why?!?!?

[DELTAprime]

I just noticed it, and now that I have I can?t thing of anything else.
The new Studio Series Wreck-Gar is male (since he has a moustache)?? but he also has protruding nipples.
And from the looks of it, they are actually a point of articulation (two points, actually). Why, Hasbro, why?!?!?

Because it's cartoon accurate.

[Skyfire]

I just noticed it, and now that I have I can?t thing of anything else.
The new Studio Series Wreck-Gar is male (since he has a moustache)?? but he also has protruding nipples.
And from the looks of it, they are actually a point of articulation (two points, actually). Why, Hasbro, why?!?!?

So this guy wouldn't feel so bad:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51286678496_5c04c6b569_k.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188963544@N02/Q77B5U)

[Seraphim Prime]

Men have nipples too, which can even protrude when it gets too cold.

https://i.imgur.com/ri5yq.gif
https://imgur.com/ri5yq

[GoktimusPrime]

The G1 Breastmasters (https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Breastforce) are all male. Just sayin'.

[Paulbot]

Wreck-Gar doesn't actually transform in TFTM at all. He rides another Junkion who looks like what we assume Wreck-Gar's motorbike mode looks like, given the other pairs of Junkions we see trade rider/bike places after being knocked over.

We don't really get a good look at that guy he's riding except for when Springer knocks Wreck-Gar off him. It wouldn't be a stretch for the rumoured Studio Series 86 Junkion to be that guy (and a very limited retool of Wreck-Gar the same way the Sweep is of Scourge).

[DELTAprime]

Wreck-Gar doesn't actually transform in TFTM at all. He rides another Junkion who looks like what we assume Wreck-Gar's motorbike mode looks like, given the other pairs of Junkions we see trade rider/bike places after being knocked over.

We don't really get a good look at that guy he's riding except for when Springer knocks Wreck-Gar off him. It wouldn't be a stretch for the rumoured Studio Series 86 Junkion to be that guy (and a very limited retool of Wreck-Gar the same way the Sweep is of Scourge).

I'm fully expecting at least a couple of Junkeon remoulds of Wreck-Gar.

[JJJ]

A toy that is basically the same mould but with one or two swappable parts (such as heads) would be great, but Hasbro doesn't do that sort of thing, right?

[Paulbot]

Not with Transformers but if you look at the Marvel Legends line they do that sort of thing a lot.

They released one New Mutants body (https://www.entertainmentearth.com/product/xmen-marvel-legends-new-mutants-dani-moonstar-6inch-action-figure-exclusive/hse5181) with two extra heads (and two extra set of hands) so you could make it one of three characters (buy the same toy three times if you want all three on your shelf).

[GoktimusPrime]

A toy that is basically the same mould but with one or two swappable parts (such as heads) would be great, but Hasbro doesn't do that sort of thing, right?
Legends Overlord says hi. :)

It is extremely uncommon though. HasTak are more likely to pre-tool a mould with different parts that are swapped out for different releases.
e.g. Masterpiece Datsuns

[griffin]

Didn't know or didn't remember... the Autobot Deepcover (redeco of Sideswipe) has the ability to shrink to "toy size". Think Soundwave in cassette player mode, but Deepcover can shrink without transforming, as part of his spy function... so if you have the original ehobby toy, you can pretend it is real at that size, if you wanted.
https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Deep_Cover

[Handsprime]

Even though my avatar is of Cybertron Jetfire, he can be repurposed into the G1 character Dreadrock (https://tfwiki.net/wiki/Dreadrock) (who is named after the galaxy force name of Jetfire).

Pretty cool to have a UT adaptation of one of the characters being adapted into the G1 universe, especially one that had a different name in the Japanese series.

[Skyfire]

The War For Cybertron Battle Across Time (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWhXjeDBKxQ) sets boxes line up to form a larger artwork.

[Paulbot]

I've only just noticed that there's a recommended age in a circle at the front of Transformers packaging since Earthrise. I saw the recommended age on the Ark box (15+) and thought 'oh that's new' but looked around and every other unopened TF box in my room has one of those age circles on it!

[Autocon]

15+? Thats a bit old I would of thought

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

15+? Thats a bit old I would of thought

IIRC Japan has been doing that from at least the Legends line. I suspect absolutely nobody pays any attention to it, so it covers them if Jnr chokes on a gun. Interesting though as 13 was the age when I was dropping out of Transformers. Didn't get back in again until I was in my s

[High_Q]

Maybe it's common knowledge, but this is new to me... was browsing through some Star Wars info and someone there shared screencaps from TF Victory series which shows Artoo and 3PO walking past Braver and Holi (https://transformers.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Wars_Transformers?file=R2d2_c3po.jpg), and other shots of an Ewok and a Jawa somewhere in the TF universe (http://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/8df234820f3955901ab8bb7df1378bd795857a8df6f771464e 125eb89d255c47.jpg).

[DELTAprime]

Maybe it's common knowledge, but this is new to me... was browsing through some Star Wars info and someone there shared screencaps from TF Victory series which shows Artoo and 3PO walking past Braver and Holi (https://transformers.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Wars_Transformers?file=R2d2_c3po.jpg), and other shots of an Ewok and a Jawa somewhere in the TF universe (http://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/8df234820f3955901ab8bb7df1378bd795857a8df6f771464e 125eb89d255c47.jpg).

Marvel Sunbow straight up stole FX audio from Star Wars for the G1 cartoon and movie. If anyone did that today Mickey would send his attack lawyers after them. lol

[Seraphim Prime]

This isn't quite something you never realised - but I've been playing with the Unite Warriors Devastator after getting him from a member here and I forgot how big the individual Constructicons were.

[High_Q]

This isn't quite something you never realised - but I've been playing with the Unite Warriors Devastator after getting him from a member here and I forgot how big the individual Constructicons were.

Size-wise at least, UW Devastator is a better fit with MPs than recent Generations figures.

[Paulbot]

UW Devastator feels a bit lost now huh? MPG Devastator seems a likely future thing if Raiden is a success and I could see a WFC/Legacy/SS86 Devastator coming along. Both of which would replace the current Titan toy for many.

[griffin]

Maybe it's common knowledge, but this is new to me... was browsing through some Star Wars info and someone there shared screencaps from TF Victory series which shows Artoo and 3PO walking past Braver and Holi (https://transformers.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Wars_Transformers?file=R2d2_c3po.jpg), and other shots of an Ewok and a Jawa somewhere in the TF universe (http://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/8df234820f3955901ab8bb7df1378bd795857a8df6f771464e 125eb89d255c47.jpg).

If you check out the tfwiki (https://tfwiki.net/wiki/The_Transformers_(cartoon)), they actually detail all of the Star Wars sounds Sunbow used in the Original Series cartoon (in the real world references section). And those visual homages were in the Japanese cartoon, which probably would have been a lot easier to throw in as easter eggs back then, like the car moulds that didn't bother with licensing back in the 70s and 80s.
(Lucasfilm put R2D2 into Revenge of the Fallen somewhere as debris... but since Disney didn't buy Lucasfilm until 3 years later, there was no risk of the later parent company stepping in to stop it).

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

This isn't quite something you never realised - but I've been playing with the Unite Warriors Devastator after getting him from a member here and I forgot how big the individual Constructicons were.

I thought they felt like nice bog bish-bash toys to be honest. Big and simple and tough enough to smack into one another. I liked them.

[Ravagecat]

Just realised last night, that if you keep pushing Studio Series Wreck Gars wheels onto the talons on his arms/legs the centre of the wheel pushes out and locks it in place so they don't keep falling off...
Duh! LOL! :D:rolleyes:

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Oh, that's a nice tip. I was wondering about that as many pictures I've seen of him seem to have the tyres just loosely hanging there.
Thanks chum!

[Paulbot]

Until last night, I've never noticed in TFTM that Ramjet is pointing his weapon at the crowd after Starscream silences the Constructicon's trumpets.

https://i.imgur.com/il5UMeWl.jpg

[griffin]

Like an enforcer perhaps? To keep the cons quiet, or stopping any more challenges.
If so, he probably would have been the only one loyal to Starscream.

[Sinnertwin]

I love that after all that happened on Titan during The God Gambit episode, Astrotrain is the one crowning him.

[klystron]

I just found out that the "King Grimlock" comics are based on G1 Season 3 Ep 13 'Madman's Paradise.'

Yep, I am really really late to the season 3 party.

[griffin]

I didn't realise that former Hasbro designer Eric Siebenaler (from Armada-Animated era) has been dabbling in the Transformers universe again on a professional level, doing some concept art for the Cyberverse cartoon, including some of the main characters (based on the toys) from the beginning of the series a few years ago, to the Dinobots on last year's episodes.
His instagram is here (https://www.instagram.com/ericjsiebenaler/), which he has posted up some of the Cyberverse artwork... and some other random Transformers art along the way.

For those new, Eric was from America, but spent a couple years in Australia back around 2008 (during Animated)... because someone special was working at the Australian Hasbro office at that time, but it was a big secret at the time as there was a cover story as to why he was in Australia (they both eventually moved back to America a couple years later).

There was an Animated promo event for kids (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php/2527) that he was at in Sydney and Melbourne in November 2008, which a number of fans visited both (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php/2667).

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/cnsyd01.jpg

[Seraphim Prime]

For those new, Eric was from America, but spent a couple years in Australia back around 2008 (during Animated)... because someone special was working at the Australian Hasbro office at that time, but it was a big secret at the time as there was a cover story as to why he was in Australia (they both eventually moved back to America a couple years later).

I remember at the time it was talked about as like an international exchange. Who was the other employee? Did we ever have that confirmed?

[griffin]

They did a lot of spin on that one at the time to avoid bad press... but it was purely a case of boy meets girl, and Eric was too important to Hasbro at the time to risk losing him over a girl, so he was allowed to be in Australia for a couple years while working on Transformers until the both of them could move to America.

[TaZZerath]

At random today I was reading the tfwiki about Shattered Glass Jetfire (the toy section, based off his Siege Commander body, which is a straight repaint) and read the line about the twin cannons being able to be separated. I did a double take and looking at my Siege Jetfire and popping one off his arm I realised there was a little peghole holding the cannon barrels. A bit of a wiggle and off it came. Doing so actually creates a great weapon/shield combo for smaller figures.

Honestly had no idea and would've stayed that way had I not been randomly browsing!

[GoktimusPrime]

I only just noticed that the mastodon Fossiliser's name is Masterdominus. DOMINVS means "master" in Latin, so "Masterdominus" means Master Master. :D

e.g. DOMINVSSERVVMSALVTAT = "The master greets the slave."

[Tha_Phantom]

I only just noticed that the mastodon Fossiliser's name is Masterdominus. DOMINVS means "master" in Latin, so "Masterdominus" means Master Master. :D

What's "baiter" in Latin?

[GoktimusPrime]

What's "baiter" in Latin?
Maybe "INESCATOR."

[GoktimusPrime]

I was told by someone who was told by a Hasbro insider that Hasbro was initially reluctant to allow Lego to make the Optimus Prime set due to Lego being their competitor. I guess this is why Hasbro made attempts at competing with Lego (Mega Bloks, Construct-Bots, Kre-O etc.), but ultimately just could never match Lego's success. I suppose they've come to a point of, "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em." I don't actually know how well Mega Bloks, Construct-Bots or Kre-O sold, but seeing as neither line exist anymore while Lego does, I'm gonna guess that they did not fare as well.

[KELPIE]

I was told by someone who was told by a Hasbro insider that Hasbro was initially reluctant to allow Lego to make the Optimus Prime set due to Lego being their competitor. I guess this is why Hasbro made attempts at competing with Lego (Mega Bloks, Construct-Bots, Kre-O etc.), but ultimately just could never match Lego's success. I suppose they've come to a point of, "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em." I don't actually know how well Mega Bloks, Construct-Bots or Kre-O sold, but seeing as neither line exist anymore while Lego does, I'm gonna guess that they did not fare as well.

Does Mega Bloks not exist anymore? I still see them on Shelves...

Mega Construx seems to be doing pretty well for Mattel. However they leverage the "Minifig" aspect of it very well and that's where Hasbro potentially dropped the ball?

[Handsprime]

Does Mega Bloks not exist anymore? I still see them on Shelves...

I think Gok means the Built to Rule toys, since Mega Bloks does still exist, even if they are called Mega Construx nowadays. It seems nowadays they mostly do licensed toys (whether it be Mattel brands like Hot Wheels and Barbie, or licenses that aren't owned by Lego like Halo, Pokemon, Call of Duty, etc.)

Should be noted that what is called Mega Bloks now are building blocks designed for pre-schoolers.

[GoktimusPrime]

I think Gok means the Built to Rule toys, since Mega Bloks does still exist, even if they are called Mega Construx nowadays.
I stand corrected, sir. :)

[griffin]

I was just watching some mini-clips from TakaraTomy for a cross-promotional thing in Japan (https://news.tfw2005.com/2022/08/10/transformers-x-hal-vocational-school-collaboration-463016), and I think that I have been pronouncing "Takara" wrong all this time.

All this time, I have pronounced it (and heard it from others) as Tar-car-ah (as if you had the word "car" in the middle)... but these three mini-clips from TakaraTomy had at the very beginning, the name pronounced like Macca (Macdonalds), with the "M" replaced with a "T", and "ra" at the end.
So if you say - "Macca-ra" a few times and then change it to "Tacca-ra", that was how they were pronouncing it in the mini-clips.
A small change, but it now sounds significantly different in my head.

Even though I know the various sounds of Japanese characters, I've never heard anyone pronounce "Takara" in this way before.
(unless the Japanese person on these mini-clips is pronouncing it wrong?)

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

I was just watching some mini-clips from TakaraTomy for a cross-promotional thing in Japan (https://news.tfw2005.com/2022/08/10/transformers-x-hal-vocational-school-collaboration-463016), and I think that I have been pronouncing "Takara" wrong all this time.

All this time, I have pronounced it (and heard it from others) as Tar-car-ah (as if you had the word "car" in the middle)... but these three mini-clips from TakaraTomy had at the very beginning, the name pronounced like Macca (Macdonalds), with the "M" replaced with a "T", and "ra" at the end.
So if you say - "Macca-ra" a few times and then change it to "Tacca-ra", that was how they were pronouncing it in the mini-clips.
A small change, but it now sounds significantly different in my head.

Even though I know the various sounds of Japanese characters, I've never heard anyone pronounce "Takara" in this way before.
(unless the Japanese person on these mini-clips is pronouncing it wrong?)That's a linguistic transference thing, applying English word-stress patterns to foreign words. :) If it was pronounced the long-middle sound English way it'd be タカーラ ta-kaa-ra as opposed to タカラ ta-ka-ra. The closest way to the Japanese-style pronunciation would probably be the first syllable sound of 'cutter' repeated for all three 'a' syllables. Goki can probably explain it better than I can.
Honestly, I wouldn't worry about it too much, but yeah, the ad had it right. Takara means 'treasure' in Japanese btw, though I'm not sure if they chose the name based on that (again, Goki would probably know) - it's written in katakana (usually used for foreign/loan-words or for emphasis) which is reasonably common for company names.

[GoktimusPrime]

The difficulty here is that Japanese is not a stress-accented language like English, but rather a pitch-accented language; and as Odie pointed out, Anglophones have a habit of transferring stress onto Japanese words (and phonemic transference is a main source of foreign accents).
There are four main pitch accents in standard Japanese, which this video explains quite well:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6AoilGEers

The pitch accent that applies in the standard pronunciation of "Takara" is the Odaka (low-high-low) pitch:
ta KA ra
low high low

The other thing that Anglophones tend to do is muck up vowel lengths. In the word "Takara," every "a" is a short /a/ sound; as Odie said, like the "ah" sound in "cutter" (or "up"). I think Anglophones are okay with the short "a' sound when it's in the first syllable of a word, like WAgyu or WAsabi etc., but then they tend to lengthen the vowel in the second syllable, so "wasabi" becomes "waSAAbi." Note that saying wagyu as waGYUU is actually correct (it is supposed to be a long "u" sound). So sometimes it's right, sometimes it's not; it's easier to see when you read it in Hiragana text or more transliteral forms of Romanisation (e.g. "wagyuu").

So every syllable in "Takara" is a short vowel. Ta. Ka. Ra. Not "taKAAra." Think of it as the "ka" as in "KArate", even Anglocised it's kaRAAte, not KAArate.


Takara means 'treasure' in Japanese btw, though I'm not sure if they chose the name based on that (again, Goki would probably know) - it's written in katakana (usually used for foreign/loan-words or for emphasis) which is reasonably common for company names.
Yes, "Takara" does mean "treasure" in Japanese. :) As you have correctly stated, Japanese names/words are often written in Katakana for em-far-sis. ;)

TL;DR: Go to Google Translate, set it to translate from English to Japanese. In the English panel, type "Takara" in English. You will see the Japanese text appear on the other side. Under the Japanese text is a speaker icon. Click on it to hear a recording of a native Japanese speaker saying the word. You can also type in "Takara Tomy" and click on the icon to hear it being said.

[DELTAprime]

Is anyone here acquainted with the Japanese legal system? Because now I'm wondering how Takara and Treasure were both allowed to be in the same market segment of video games simultaneously.

In the west that would be considered brand confusion and get one of the companies to get a big legal win.

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Is anyone here acquainted with the Japanese legal system? Because now I'm wondering how Takara and Treasure were both allowed to be in the same market segment of video games simultaneously.

In the west that would be considered brand confusion and get one of the companies to get a big legal win.At this point I should probably mention a few things about Goki and myself so people know why we're chiming in on this. Goki (hope you're OK with me mentioning this @Goki, it's reasonably common knowledge and you've mentioned it yourself on the boards a few times) is a Japanese language teacher here in Oz, i.e. he teaches kids Japanese in schools. His Japanese is way better than mine, which is very rudimentary, mostly strong Osaka dialect, and also very rusty. I'm an English as a Foreign Language teacher - technically we're supposed to call it TESOL now, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, which includes English as a Foreign and English as a Second/Additional Language, but I'm very much specialised in being 'the token English/foreign guy' in contexts where there's not much English used in everyday life. I have a Master's degree in Applied Linguistics and a few other postgraduate 'teaching English as a language' qualifications, and I lived in Japan as a school-based English teacher for a couple of years where I learned Japanese from scratch, hence why I speak a local dialect. My Japanese should be way better than it is but I basically worked too much and didn't practice enough so it never developed as much as it should have. Baka Odie.:o Either way, both of us have a reasonably solid English-Japanese issues knowledge base, but as a general rule I figure it's better to let Goki do the board explanations on Japanese language stuff because he teaches it to English speakers whereas I taught English to Japanese speakers, so he's the Expert so to speak.
Goki actually came to Japan when I was over there and we spent a day along with his family and some friends of his hitting up the Transformers shops in Osaka, it was a fun day. :)

Anyway, as for Treasure VS Takara, I can't speak as to the legal side of things, but from a straight-up language side of things Takara (the company, which is now Takara-Tomy after a merger with Tomy) uses the Japanese word for 'treasure', albeit written in a script that wouldn't normally be used for the word - Japanese uses a few different 'kinds' of written scripts, the main ones are katakana, hiragana, and kanji, with (a few different styles of) Romaji which is basically using the English alphabet to transcribe Japanese words/sounds. I won't go into it a lot because it's kind of complicated. The key bit is that Takara is a Japanese word that 'means' 'treasure', whereas the Treasure トレジャー company uses the English word written in Japanese (katakana) script, so they're two different words. It's kind of like if you had a company called 'Red Company inc.' here in Australia and someone else started up a 'Rouge Company inc.' (rouge being French for 'red'), the different language used for the name would probably address the legal-confusion angle. It's a little bit different from that because English is basically the world 'lingua franca'/common language these days, i.e. it's pretty much the default most common language people use to talk with other people if they don't speak the same native/national/regional languages, and Japan also has a pretty strong historical relationship with 'the West'/America ever since America forced them to open up to the world back in the mid-1800s (again, long and complicated bit we don't have to get into), so English has a kind of national-psychological 'bigger place' in Japan than French does here in Australia.
But yeah - different names, different companies, also different main focus for said companies - shouldn't cause legal problems or misunderstandings, not least because 'treasure' isn't a widely-known English word in Japan.

[GoktimusPrime]

It's a little bit different from that because English is basically the world 'lingua franca'/common language these days, i.e. it's pretty much the default most common language people use to talk with other people if they don't speak the same native/national/regional languages, and Japan also has a pretty strong historical relationship with 'the West'/America ever since America forced them to open up to the world back in the mid-1800s (again, long and complicated bit we don't have to get into), so English has a kind of national-psychological 'bigger place' in Japan than French does here in Australia.
I'm not a history expert, but I think English words started flooding into the Japanese language and overall society during the U.S. post-war occupation of Japan. Post-pre-WWII saw a lot of German, Dutch, French (etc.) words enter Modern Japanese, e.g. arubaito (arbeit), enerugii (energie), desshin (dessin) etc. Pre-Meiji European loanwords mostly came from Jesuit missionaries; so words entering from Portuguese and Spanish e.g. pan (pan), tempura (tempora) etc.
Yes, the "Japanese" word 'tempura' is actually of Portuguese origin and is related to the word temporal. Tempura anomaly detected, captain. :p
But yeah, I think a lot of 20th Century loan words have come from American English. Hence why 'soccer' is pronounced with an American twang as "sakkaa" instead of a more English sounding "sokkaa" etc. When I was a kid, I used to think that Shockwave's name in the G1 cartoon was "Sharkwave," because the way that Americans say "shock" sounds like how we Aussies say "shark." :p Yes, I know his name was Shockwave from the comics, catalogues etc., but I thought that "Sharkwave" was just his Sunbow variant name, like how Jetfire became "Skyfire." :p


But yeah - different names, different companies, also different main focus for said companies - shouldn't cause legal problems or misunderstandings, not least because 'treasure' isn't a widely-known English word in Japan.
I'm not an IP expert, but my understanding is that you can trademark common words so long as you don't use those words in a generic sense. This is why Hasbro never uses the word "transform," but only ever "converts." Words like transform, transformers, transformation etc. are generic words, but because Hasbro has trademarked "Transformers" as a brand name, they cannot generically use any of these words in reference to the Transformers brand/products, otherwise they could lose their trademark.

I would imagine that this applies in other countries and languages. So while "takara" (treasure) is a generic word, I suspect that TakaraTOMY cannot use that word in reference to their own company.
e.g. "Kabushiki kaisha Takara-Tomy wa takaramono desu." = "Takara Tomy Co., Ltd. is a treasure."
I have no idea why they would want to say that, but yeah. Or similarly, "Hasbro, founded by the Hasbros (Hassenfeld Brothers)..."

I think that they can refer to their products as "treasures," but not the company. So I think that Hasbro can say things like, "We've transformed the market...," but they cannot label say any of the R.E.D. Series with "product does not transform." Just, "Product does not convert." When I was translating for Hasbro AU, I was always careful to translate "transform," "transformation" etc. as "convert," "conversion" etc. I even had to explain this to my Hasbro AU contact as he didn't know this. :)

[DELTAprime]

I totally forgot that there was a Generations toy made of Optimal Optimus until the comparison images to Legacy TM2 Megatron came out the other day. I guess I'm going to have to hit up ebay for a POTP Optimal Optimus in addition to the other figures I need to chase down before they get too expensive.

[Dan]

Recently occurred to me that the live-action Jetfire is not bent over with age, rather, he is in gerwalk mode. Maybe he's forgotten how to fully convert. :)

[GoktimusPrime]

griffin pointed out something to me today that I hadn't noticed... the MPG Trainbots are being released in the same order as their G1 numbers.
i.e.
C-125 Shouki
C-126 Getsuei
C-127 Yukikaze
C-128 Suiken
C-129 Seizan
C-130 Kaen

C-131 was Raiden, so I do wonder if they will release a massive (and expensive) MPG Raiden gift set later; similar to what happened with SS Devastator.

https://i.ibb.co/7tCkNQK/trainbots-G1-boxed.jpg

[griffin]

Two weeks ago while looking up something for Kingdom, I found out (after the entire 3 year WFC series is over :p ) that the logo for each series has a number imbedded into the word "War"... so Siege has "1", Earthrise has "2" and Kingdom has "3".

This was on EVERY toy box too, and I never noticed it.
Talk about hidden in plain sight...

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/blog/f946.jpg

[Ravagecat]

That's cool! Like you, never noticed it lol

[Paulbot]

How about that!

Also the next thing in that sequence would be "4/for"!

The "A" in "War" in Earthrise's logo is so wierd once you see it

[Seraphim Prime]

That's so cool.
Similarly I never noticed that.

In addition the 1, 2 and 3 and on the first, second and third letters respectively.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

That is cool. And here I was whinging about how similar they all look making me click the wrong links on the small logos on the TT website.

[GoktimusPrime]

G1 Cosmos' Greek name is Kυρίαρχος (Kyriarchos), which means "sovereign," and is where English gets the word kyriarchy ("a social system or set of connecting social systems built around domination, oppression, and submission") from.

https://i.ibb.co/j8D6rQ8/temp.jpg
(photo credit: F. Work)

Japanese: Adams (named after George Adamski)
Italian: Disco (meaning "saucer" or "disk")
Mandarin: Yǔzhòu Fēidié ("Space UFO"; which is silly, because the fact that we can identify Cosmos as a flying saucer means that he's an identified flying object)

Other languages' names for Cosmos are basically just their equivalent word for it...
Hungarian: Kozmosz
Portuguese: Cosmo
Russian: Kosmos

Somewhat funny that the Greek name for Cosmos isn't "Cosmos" considering that the word 'cosmos' itself comes from Greek! :D A direct English translation of "Cosmos" would be "Allworld."

[GoktimusPrime]

In 2000 Takara repainted Fortress Maximus as Brave Maximus in Robots in Disguise (who was called "Fortress Maximus" in the RiD dub but the toy was never released by Hasbro). It's only just dawned on me that the word "Fortress" comes from the Latin word "fortis," which means "brave." :eek:

Also, Grand Maximus' name just means "big biggest." :p :D

[jimoinj]

Has anyone ever realised that based on the scale chart, Full Tilt (Trypticon's included car on his chest) is as big or even bigger than a full sized combiner?

[Tha_Phantom]

In 2000 Takara repainted Fortress Maximus as Brave Maximus in Robots in Disguise (who was called "Fortress Maximus" in the RiD dub but the toy was never released by Hasbro). It's only just dawned on me that the word "Fortress" comes from the Latin word "fortis," which means "brave." :eek:

Also, Grand Maximus' name just means "big biggest." :p :D

Wow, it's only just dawned on me that "Brave Maximus" is the only non-dub name I use when discussing RID 2001. I guess to be fair it's not a Hasbro toy though.

[DELTAprime]

I always knew Rodimus was supposed to be a futuristic truck, not a Winnebago. But I never knew until today exactly what Rodimus was based on. Enter the General Motors Bison from 1964.

https://designyoutrust.com/2019/06/1964-general-motors-bison-concept-the-future-looked-so-awesome/

[Thurmus]

We have the new/old style Landcruisers and the PT Cruisers. Why not the Bison?

[High_Q]

I always knew Rodimus was supposed to be a futuristic truck, not a Winnebago. But I never knew until today exactly what Rodimus was based on. Enter the General Motors Bison from 1964.

https://designyoutrust.com/2019/06/1964-general-motors-bison-concept-the-future-looked-so-awesome/

Very nice. This is the closest thing to a real-life Rodimus Prime altmode i've seen. All it needs are flames decal.

[DELTAprime]

I only just realised that with the release of Inferno, Hasbro has actually made a toy of every mainline cast member from season 1 of Beast Wars in the Generations line. Too bad there doesn't currently seem to be the same level of dedication to getting season 2 and 3 cast members produced.

[MayzaPrime]

I only just realised that with the release of Inferno, Hasbro has actually made a toy of every mainline cast member from season 1 of Beast Wars in the Generations line. Too bad there doesn't currently seem to be the same level of dedication to getting season 2 and 3 cast members produced.

Well the have done Transmetal Dragon Megatron and POTP Optimus Primal... but I doubt that you will see any others soon given how close it is to the release of RoTB.

[SharkyMcShark]

I only just realised that with the release of Inferno, Hasbro has actually made a toy of every mainline cast member from season 1 of Beast Wars in the Generations line. Too bad there doesn't currently seem to be the same level of dedication to getting season 2 and 3 cast members produced.

I expect that they'll circle back at some point.

I feel like there's perhaps slightly less of an urgency for that kind of thing as by the back two-thirds of Beast Wars the figures were generally quite animation accurate. The only one that really suffers is TM2 Blackarachnia. I think we'll see that figure in the next couple of years because it will allow HasTak to get some added value as a BotCon Arcee repaint. They've already released a BotCon Sandstorm update at retail so its on their radar.

That said, Commander Class Tigerhawk when?

[Skyfire]

Studio Series 86 core class Rumble's pile drivers can be extended. The end just pulls off allowing you to adjust the length a bit. And since it's a 5mm plug... batter up!

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52588790056_553fe46433_b.jpg

[GoktimusPrime]

The 1995 G2 Cyberjets are flight-stand compatible.
https://i.ibb.co/fnxS92c/temp.jpg
I wonder if they're the first Transformers to have purpose-made holes for action figure stands.

[Discosis]

I had ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA about this and just learned about this post today. Amazing!


Studio Series 86 core class Rumble's pile drivers can be extended. The end just pulls off allowing you to adjust the length a bit. And since it's a 5mm plug... batter up!

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52588790056_553fe46433_b.jpg

[Tha_Phantom]

Just realised that G1 Springer's gun is meant to fit properly into the roof (on the car mode). I bought one back in 2007 and the gun never fit properly so I never really bothered plugging it in when I'd transform it. But I bought a plastic chest one today from Dirge and the gun fits snugly. I guess my metal chest one must be a mismatch of parts. I just thought it was poorly thought out all this time.

[DELTAprime]

I just realised that Mirage's Japanese name is Ligier, but spelt in a Japanese way. For those non-motorsport fans, Ligier (French pronunciation: ​[li.ʒje]) was the manufacturer of the JS11 Formula 1 car that Mirage was given as his alt mode. While the Ligier F1 team went bankrupt after Ligier sold it to Alian Prost, Ligier themselves still make race cars in LMDh, LMP2 and LMP3.

[SharkyMcShark]

The 1995 G2 Cyberjets are flight-stand compatible.
https://i.ibb.co/fnxS92c/temp.jpg
I wonder if they're the first Transformers to have purpose-made holes for action figure stands.

I have such a soft spot for all of those figures.

[JJJ]

I just spotted the stealth pun in Beastbox's name. I put it down to not having any connection whatsoever to US rap and hip-hop culture back in 1988 (and no real connection now, either, but I do at least know some terms these days :) ). It also has some substance to it when you stop to think about it, unlike a lot of puns.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I just spotted the stealth pun in Beastbox's name. I put it down to not having any connection whatsoever to US rap and hip-hop culture back in 1988 (and no real connection now, either, but I do at least know some terms these days :) ). It also has some substance to it when you stop to think about it, unlike a lot of puns.

Ah glad you got that, I have a specific soft spot in my heart for Beastbox and Squawktalk, for that very same reason. Beastbox is a great use of a name. I also love the way the cassette teams are registered in high and low groups. Beastbox is bass, Squawtalk is treble kinda thing.

[dirge]

I'm colour blind.

I've had Huffer since 1985.

Yesterday, I discovered he's blue, not purple :eek:

[Tha_Phantom]

I'm colour blind.

I've had Huffer since 1985.

Yesterday, I discovered he's blue, not purple :eek:

This was news to me too.
I did a poll and approximately 2/3 of respondents said they see him as blue not purple.

[DELTAprime]

His shade of Blue is verging on Purple, so I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[GoktimusPrime]

This was news to me too.
I did a poll and approximately 2/3 of respondents said they see him as blue not purple.
Either 1/3 of respondents are also colour blind, or it's some kind of ManHuffer effect. ;) :p

[dirge]

His shade of Blue is verging on Purple, so I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Oh I'm not. I can't do anything about being colour blind.I was surprised, though.

[GoktimusPrime]

What colour would you say this is?
https://i.ibb.co/8sCD0mS/temp.jpg
Blue? Purple?

That colour was lifted directly from this photo of Huffer. Here is a comparison of Huffer and his blue next to Hook and his purple.
https://i.ibb.co/yPKgjdn/temp.jpg

[DELTAprime]

What colour would you say this is? ~snip~

Oh, I've never seen his G1 toy. That is clearly blue. However, his cartoon appearance is close enough to purple I wouldn't care if someone said he is purple.

https://tfwiki.net/wiki/File:WFC-Kingdom_Deluxe_Huffer.jpg

[Tha_Phantom]

I think it's one of those visual trickery things like the gold dress.

To be clear: I accept he is blue, I'm NOT arguing otherwise. Especially after seeing Gok isolate the colour like that.

However, some people like myself may THINK we're seeing purple because of other colours on his deco? I don't know.

[GoktimusPrime]

The Marvel Comics was the first to recolour Huffer as purple, then the Sunbow cartoon followed suit. Other G1 media portrayed Huffer as blue like the toy though.
https://i.ibb.co/2qRnHGj/temp.jpg

I cannot think of any G1 Autobots with purple. Hasbro seemed to have reserved that as an "Evil" Decepticon colour. Even now there are very few Autobots with purple; Impactor, Alpha Trion and Nautica are outliers, and none of them ever existed as toys in the 20th Century. There are also not many Decepticons in white, again with Glit being an outlier. And even Shattered Glass still assigns purple to "Evil" Autobots and white to "Heroic" Decepticons.

P.S.: Sunbow-Rumble is chiefly purple while Non-Sunbow-Frenzy is chiefly navy blue. Sunbow-Reflector is also purple, while Viewfinder is navy blue.

[JJJ]

Data-point - the early UK comics (when they showed him at all, or when they weren't black and white...) used the toys as a reference, and made Huffer a nice deep blue.

Carry on :)

[GoktimusPrime]

Data-point - the early UK comics (when they showed him at all, or when they weren't black and white...) used the toys as a reference, and made Huffer a nice deep blue.
Yeah, Marvel UK were often more toy-accurate with their colours compared to Marvel USA. ;)
:p https://i.ibb.co/4K2gz9r/temp.jpg :p

[GoktimusPrime]

Morgan Lofting, voice actress most famous for playing the Baroness in G.I. Joe, also voiced Moonracer, Dr. Harding, Joan the Archaeologist (Microbots) and some random human reporters in the G1 cartoon. Although TBH, her Transformers roles were all guest appearances, given that they're all just one-episode wonders, as opposed to the Baroness being a recurring character in G.I. Joe.

[griffin]

Morgan Lofting was at two BotCons, which also noted her as the voice of Chromia and Firestar, but TFWiki's pages for both of those characters says that it can't be verified and has them both noted as having unknown American voice actors.

2011
Voice actor panel - http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc11/bc11va.html#g1
Script reading - http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc11/bc11sr.html

2014
Voice actor panel - http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc14/bc14wa.html
Script reading - http://www.toycollectors.com.au/bc14/bc14sr.html

[High_Q]

:p https://i.ibb.co/4K2gz9r/temp.jpg :p

What's the source of this image? It looks like it's from a cartoon but i don't recall this ever.

[JJJ]

It's some fan art. (https://www.deviantart.com/zucchinna/art/Screenshot-Redraw-Marvel-Comics-Soundwave-945066024) Their name is at the top of the picture.

[KELPIE]

Morgan Lofting, voice actress most famous for playing the Baroness in G.I. Joe, also voiced Moonracer, Dr. Harding, Joan the Archaeologist (Microbots) and some random human reporters in the G1 cartoon. Although TBH, her Transformers roles were all guest appearances, given that they're all just one-episode wonders, as opposed to the Baroness being a recurring character in G.I. Joe.

There's lots of examples of this cross pollination with different actors filling in bit parts.

[GoktimusPrime]

There are several Microman songs that can be heard in the 1983 toy ads, sung by the late Mizuki Ichiro. One song that I always liked the sound of, but had never thought to look it up until now is called "Good Luck, Earth."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zOnfEzWAW0

You can skip to 1:07-1:20 to hear the portion of the song that appears in the Microman toy advert. There are more of his Microman songs that appeared in the toy ads which I'll look into later.

Lyrics:
https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/224175/lyrics/I066981/
English translation:
https://micromanclub.tumblr.com/post/115439342139/microchangesingle

MEE KOO RO MAN!

[GoktimusPrime]

I was today years old when I learnt that Buster Witwicky's early draft name was "Spike Witwicky." It was later changed to Buster when Transformers debuted, but the Sunbow cartoon stuck with Buster's draft name and ran with Spike. Also, Stalker was the draft name for Ravage.

[griffin]

When I opened up my VNR Optimus (the new Volvo truck, which had the christmas deco last year), the instructions say that it is (or was) a Collaborative toy with Volvo... but doesn't say it anywhere on the box.
I'm wondering if it was meant to be part of the Collaborative series, but dropped later when the toy was delayed, but didn't want to waste the time to remove it from the instructions (it has an earlier product number on the box to the Christmas deco toy that ended up coming out first).


Also... apparently this has been found out already on some other obscure sources - the most recent JP Generations book had on its mini-poster, the ROTB Movie characters, and calls the two mini Terrorcons (Freezer and Novakane) as being Scourge's Sweeps. I couldn't see it noted anywhere else in the book, and it isn't on the toy packaging, but since this is an officially licensed product that would only have gotten these sorts of details from TakaraTomy, it could be an official homage to the Gen1 "Scourge and his Sweeps" from the 1986 movie.

[DELTAprime]

Not really Transformers but rather the greater Hasbro Corporation. I just found out that Hasbro is selling Entertainment One for 500 million US dollars. But it's rather bad for Hasbro given they paid 4 billion dollars to acquire Entertainment One in the first place.

I'm now thinking of what we could have gotten out of The Transformers brand if some of the 4 billion dollars went into Transformers instead of being wasted on a media company that would be sold at a loss 4 years later.

[DELTAprime]

Hmm, the German actor that dubs Optimus Prime in the Bayvers movies is a freaking good stand-in for Peter Cullen.

https://fxtwitter.com/SvenPlate100/status/1728878318651580747?s=20

[Paulbot]

There is an actual Lookout Mountain (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lookout_Mountain) in the USA, and according to DVD special features (so grain of salt) Autobot City: Earth is located near this real mountain.

Looking at photos (https://www.google.com/search?q=sunset+rock+lookout+mountain&safe=active&sca_esv=587603400&rlz=1C1GCEB_enAU1022AU1022&tbm=isch&sxsrf=AM9HkKkksQxdKVhtMoBIIisvwleibxA8PA:170167522 3471&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiM9N6ZovWCAxWC7zgGHcarAIkQ_AUoAnoECAMQB A&biw=1920&bih=1083&dpr=1"), I guess it could be.

[DELTAprime]

I just realised that since the introduction of the Titan Class, every main-line Generations series has had one Titan Class figure, except Titans Return. That line got both Fort Max and Trypticon, I never realised that both Fort Max and Tryps were in a single line.

[Thurmus]

I saw that the other day and was surprised. I didn't remember two in the one series but I waited and got both on clearance so that would have thrown out the timeline for me.

[Jaxius._]

Titans Return was also extended by 6 months due to the success of the line from memory

[Paulbot]

I forgot that Trypticon was a fan-vote.

When you think about it, it makes sense for the toyline called Titans Return to have more than one Titan.

[GoktimusPrime]

I only recently learnt about why Transformers Zone has only ever been released as a dodgy fan-subbed video on DVD instead of a proper high quality master with non burnt-in subtitles, as is standard. And also why Zone is a Special Feature, not a main feature on the last DVD of Victory.

It's because Toei refuses to license OVAs outside of Japan, and including Zone as a low-quality fan sub as a Special Feature is a legal workaround. Apparently this is also why Scramble City has never been released on DVD outside of Japan.

[DELTAprime]

I haven't been paying attention to Transformers pricing outside of Australia. So seeing the price tag on Silverbolt on the shelves at an American Target was a bit of a shock. In my mind they have always been the $20-$23 USD price point of the Mega/Voyager class when I started collection. Also, I sound like an old man right now.

https://news.tfw2005.com/2024/03/31/generations-legacy-united-voyagers-wave-2-at-us-retail-507909

[DELTAprime]

I only realised when I opened my SS86 Blaster last week that Kingdom Blaster's chest window is moulded in the same transparent blue that Eject is moulded in. Seeing the bright solid blue of SS86 Eject's plastic inside Blaster's chest cavity gave it away.

[GoktimusPrime]

I was today years old when I discovered that the back of Legacy Gears' head has that Mysterians "M" logo sculpted on it (same as on G1 Gears' bonnet/back of head).