Things That Aren't Rocket Science.

[Sky Shadow]

Do you ever get annoyed that Hasbro, Takara Tomy or their franchises don't do something that seems obvious. This thread is for bemoaning that neglect and (maybe/hopefully/eventually) celebrating the things that are obvious that HasTakTom does end up doing.

For example:

Encore Reflector - he/they is/are the Season One toy character left whose mould hasn't been explicitly lost, is owned by Takara and has never been reissued.

Or:

Deluxe Generations Reflector - just recolour Reveal The Shield Perceptor already.

Or, you know, even stuff that doesn't have anything to do with Reflector. If you're frustrated that something in the world of Transformers obviously should have been done, but never was, this is the thread for you.

[Sky Shadow]

Deluxe Generations Reflector - just recolour Reveal The Shield Perceptor already.

P.S. A reason why this is a particularly obvious move is because lots of people would buy three of these for their collection rather than just one. Ergo, more sales for Hasbro.

[GoktimusPrime]

* Hasbro Australia: release Generations!!!

* Encore Trypticon

* IDW Megatron with just a rub sign on the chest. Make half of them Autobot and the other half Decepticon, the only way to tell is to buy the toy and open it. It could elicit some collectors to buy multiples in an attempt to get the faction that they want (or one of each), thus more sales for Hasbro (though potentially frustrating for collectors who may have difficulty finding the toy because other people are buying multiples :p).

* Generations Voyager IDW Fortress Maximus and Overlord.

* Generations toys based on all the recurring non-toy characters from the IDW comics. Rung could have a motorcycle alt mode (thus making it more saleable) but also could be unofficially transformable into a lever or whatever the hell he transforms into. I'd even accept this being done at the Legends Targetmaster level for Rung.

* Finish all the 1984/85 Autobot Cars as MPs. We already have all 1984 Decepticons as MPs, I'd like to see the 1st year Autobots done too. Now given that Transformers started in Japan in 1985, TakaraTOMY may not care about discerning between the 84 and 85 Cars; both would make equal sense for their market as their Year 1 Autobot cars. There's quite a few redeco potentials too. I hope that TakaraTOMY is already considering this. :o

* MP Bitstream. They've done Acid Storm, now Sunstorm... bring on Bitstream! (though I wish they'd call him Blizzard Storm or something)

* Deluxe Class Stinger. Considering that this is a freakin' army builder, it could sell rather well like the TF Prime Vehicons.

* Reissue Metro Titan and Grand Maximus as eHobby (or similarly limited) exclusives.

* Generations Titan Class Trypticon

* Generations Titan Class Metro Titan (hey, Hasbro went and made repaints of Energon Omega Supreme and Unicron -- why not Generations Metro Titan? Possibly as a store exclusive). Make a chase Necro Titan. Maintain a windowless box as they did w/ Metroplex, thus the only way to know if you got the rare chase Necro variant or not is to purchase and open the toy. ;)

* Encore, Generations and Masterpiece Time Warrior :p

[Bidoofdude]

* Hasbro Australia: release Generations!!!

* Encore Trypticon

* IDW Megatron with just a rub sign on the chest. Make half of them Autobot and the other half Decepticon, the only way to tell is to buy the toy and open it. It could elicit some collectors to buy multiples in an attempt to get the faction that they want (or one of each), thus more sales for Hasbro (though potentially frustrating for collectors who may have difficulty finding the toy because other people are buying multiples :p).

* Generations Voyager IDW Fortress Maximus and Overlord.

* Generations toys based on all the recurring non-toy characters from the IDW comics. Rung could have a motorcycle alt mode (thus making it more saleable) but also could be unofficially transformable into a lever or whatever the hell he transforms into. I'd even accept this being done at the Legends Targetmaster level for Rung.

* Finish all the 1984/85 Autobot Cars as MPs. We already have all 1984 Decepticons as MPs, I'd like to see the 1st year Autobots done too. Now given that Transformers started in Japan in 1985, TakaraTOMY may not care about discerning between the 84 and 85 Cars; both would make equal sense for their market as their Year 1 Autobot cars. There's quite a few redeco potentials too. I hope that TakaraTOMY is already considering this. :o

* MP Bitstream. They've done Acid Storm, now Sunstorm... bring on Bitstream! (though I wish they'd call him Blizzard Storm or something)

* Deluxe Class Stinger. Considering that this is a freakin' army builder, it could sell rather well like the TF Prime Vehicons.

* Reissue Metro Titan and Grand Maximus as eHobby (or similarly limited) exclusives.

* Generations Titan Class Trypticon

* Generations Titan Class Metro Titan (hey, Hasbro went and made repaints of Energon Omega Supreme and Unicron -- why not Generations Metro Titan? Possibly as a store exclusive). Make a chase Necro Titan. Maintain a windowless box as they did w/ Metroplex, thus the only way to know if you got the rare chase Necro variant or not is to purchase and open the toy. ;)

* Encore, Generations and Masterpiece Time Warrior :p

I agree with all of these, especially those about Trypticon. He needs love. I really want a Rung figure as well.

I'd like to add:

-A Decepticon leader MP in the new scale. Galvatron, Megatron, I don't care, just give me one that scales well to MP-10

-Encore/reissue Dinobots- given the spike in Dinobot popularity due to AOE, now seems like a no brainer to reverse engineer moulds to either Takara or Hasbro (preferably the former, though it's less likely). They'd sell pretty well, considering they did the Constructicons and Soundwave. I know Dinobots aren't as popular in Japan as in the Western Transformers fandom, but they're pretty worthy

[Tober]

Masterpiece conehead seekers. MP-11 recolors as SW and TC would be nice too.

[liegeprime]

CAR Arcee... granted that the figure is "said" to be coming up soon but with it 's release being pushed back and back and back and Hasbro's NOTORIOUS history of F@%E^% up this figure and releasing all them 2 wheelers instead or not releasing a planned one at all --- Titanium Arcee. Getting past the big hurdle of issuing the darn generations figure alone is both annoying, exasperating and frustrating as!

figures that even KOers with limited budget can do but HasTakTom seem to really miss the point on why those figures sells - because you freakin won't give us an official one, that's why!!! Stop issuing us endless bumblebee that shelf warms now...



DONT KILL OFF ENCORE LINE TAKARA!!!
Reissue G1 Dinobots for Encore line....
I agree with an Encore Reflector
Encore Coneheads - Thrust and Ramjet - they've already redone dirge so obviously they can do the other two.
Generations Brawn and Huffer - these two are the only ones left from the early autobots batch that doesn't get a figure
Encore TrypticonEncore Blitzwing - the mold is there - you've done it for the Booktype reissues why not again? lots of people still need it for their collection
Encore Sharkticon Gnaw - if the KOer's can do it, so CAN you!! and this is Army builders fodder... those people (eherm) alone can buy a whole lot to cover the sale of said figure.
Retromould and give us Encore Mirage, Sunstreaker and Wheeljack!!

Generations Kickback - I've seen pics of Bombshell on the way so hopefully they don't F@$% us up by not issuing the 3rd and last one of the trio -

and as an idea I mentioned in another thread - why not make their guns the other two components of Reflector - Targetmaster partners Bombshell could have Spectro and thenKickback can have Spyglass or vicevversa doesn't matter, as long as they DO IT!!

I'd even accept that as Generations reflector... they can then sell it as a three pack even if they don't combine, they can sell it as a weapons upgrade pack /figures kinda like the minicons three packs in Armada. But at least there's a representative of that often forgotten character --- and I thought Skids had the Powers of Obscurity alone....

[BigTransformerTrev]

For stuff that isn't rocket science, I thought doing toys of characters that have never had a toy before would be a good idea. It's taken nearly 3 decades since their intital appearences to get G1-based Chromia and Arcee toys. So I'd like to see more like that such as Elita-1, a mass produced Devcon etc. Also some Quintesson toys wouldn't go astray so I dont haver to keep buying 3rd party ones.

Also, either a Generations based cartoon or another animated movie - it so could be done!




Generations Kickback - I've seen pics of Bombshell on the way so hopefully they don't F@$% us up by not issuing the 3rd and last one of the trio -



Don't think I've seen Bombshell so this is welcome news to me. I quite like FOC Kickback but it would be good to have one in scale with the other two.

[Verno]

Hasbro loves repainting toys, right? Seemingly at random at times, yes? But a blindingly obvious set of repaints they've overlooked is a series of G1 Seekers from the Transmetal Waspinator mold. The thing transforms into a jet!

[GoktimusPrime]

I would like to retrospectively include the Classicsverse Seekers on this list. Although all of them have now been released as regular store releases, we spent a good five years waiting for it! For half a decade I kept on thinking that releasing all the Seekers was a no-brainer. It eventually was, but talk about a looong wait between figures! :eek: Quite a few of us ended up forking out higher prices for the BotCon and Gentei exclusive Seekers because it seemed unlikely at the time that Hasbro would release them in stores. :( I can't believe that Hasbro released Acid Storm before releasing Thundercracker, Thrust and Dirge! :eek: I totally agree with Tober's suggestion of releasing the Coneheads as MPs.

IMO reissuing the Dinobots isn't an "obvious" choice, as TakaraTOMY have reportedly lost the moulds and have stated that even rebuilding part of a mould is very expensive and not worth the expenditure. The only time it's been done was for the reissue of the original G1 Convoy mould, and even then it was really cast from the 1993 G2 mould with reconstructed arms. And of course, that toy has become the single most reissued toy in Transformers history. I'm not sure if the Dinobots have as much re-re-re-re-re-reissue potential, and rebuilding the entire moulds would be more costly than just rebuilding arms. Look at how expensive recent BotCon and TFCC exclusives have become to, I assume, offset the cost of some new heads. Keep in mind that Takara(TOMY) produces reissues in limited numbers too (as they are explicitly targeting the collectors niche market).


CAR Arcee... granted that the figure is "said" to be coming up soon but with it 's release being pushed back and back and back and Hasbro's NOTORIOUS history of F@%E^% up this figure and releasing all them 2 wheelers instead or not releasing a planned one at all --- Titanium Arcee. Getting past the big hurdle of issuing the darn generations figure alone is both annoying, exasperating and frustrating as!
They have done car Arcees (Binaltech, Animated), but we still haven't had a G1-based Carcee. ;) C'mooon Generations Arcee!! Generations Arcee could very easily be repainted as Paradron Medic.


and as an idea I mentioned in another thread - why not make their guns the other two components of Reflector - Targetmaster partners Bombshell could have Spectro and thenKickback can have Spyglass or vicevversa doesn't matter, as long as they DO IT!!
^I like this idea. They could also make more money back from the Insecticons by repainting them as Salvo, Shothole and Zaptrap; again, each with repainted Reflectors. One of them should be a toy-accurate repaint of Viewfinder (i.e. dark blue instead of purple). Repaint another Reflector entirely in silver chrome (so it looks more G1-like in gun mode), and another one where the camera has more G1-accurate colours (e.g. black and silver barrel etc.).

P.S.:
More obscure character repaints; may be released as limited exclusives or store releases (e.g. MP Acid Storm & Sunstorm, MP Exhaust, Generations Crosscut etc.).
e.g.
+ Generations & MP Clamp Down
+ Generations & MP Deep Cover
+ MP Diaclone Ultra Magnus
+ Generations & MP generic purple Seeker
+ Generations/United "Protect" Ironhide
+ Generations (FoC) Battle Gaea
+ Generations/United Load Hauler
+ Generations Minimus Ambus (redeco of Generations Orion Pax)
+ Generations Dominus Ambus (redeco of Voyager Optimus Prime)
+ Generations/United Overcharge (repaint of Generations Blitzwing with fixed shoulder!)
+ Generations/United Eject & Rewind (redecos of United Frumble); potential repaints as Rosanna and Flipsides.
+ Generations/United Detritus w/ Glit and/or Howlback
+ Generations (data discs) & MP Cassettrons: Enemy, Howlback, Glit, Garboil

Also, a lot of Classicsverse figures could be done in their G2 colours as limited exclusives, as we've seen with Ramjet, Breakdown etc. They could even do them in unreleased G2 colours, such as Mirage etc.

[Lord_Zed]

Some of these answers read more like wish lists rather than how I interpret a no brainer for Hasbro or Tak/Tom. Some of the above ideas are pretty good though when it comes to obvious repaints to minor remolds.

I'm going to say why not release Blue Diaclone MP Bluestreak as a Decepticon? They have already set a precedent with Exhaust.

[Sky Shadow]

I'm going to say why not release Blue Diaclone MP Bluestreak as a Decepticon? They have already set a precedent with Exhaust.

Definitely - it's a colour scheme that the fandom demands, and a great opportunity for a new Decepticon car character.

[Paulbot]

They can have the Oilchange idea for free. ;)

[Sinnertwin]

* Generations Titan Class Metro Titan (hey, Hasbro went and made repaints of Energon Omega Supreme and Unicron -- why not Generations Metro Titan? Possibly as a store exclusive). Make a chase Necro Titan. Maintain a windowless box as they did w/ Metroplex, thus the only way to know if you got the rare chase Necro variant or not is to purchase and open the toy. ;)


:D :D :D
I'd love to see EB Games put a box of 12 on one of their counters

As for no-brainers, Masterpiece Coneheads come to mind. But, no, instead we get more F freakin' 15 repaints or Grimlock, in case you missed the other 45 reissues..

[Bidoofdude]

:D :D :D
I'd love to see EB Games put a box of 12 on one of their counters

As for no-brainers, Masterpiece Coneheads come to mind. But, no, instead we get more F freakin' 15 repaints or Grimlock, in case you missed the other 45 reissues..

To make coneheads, they'd still have to retool wings, the heads and pretty much the whole cockpit section to accompany said heads. (The cockpit is a completely different shape on the coneheads in the cartoon anyway)

If they did all that, I'd love to see them.

[Sinnertwin]

To make coneheads, they'd still have to retool wings, the heads and pretty much the whole cockpit section to accompany said heads. (The cockpit is a completely different shape on the coneheads in the cartoon anyway)

If they did all that, I'd love to see them.

Obviously.

If a third party company like iGear can pump them out, there's no reason why TT can't throw a few bucks into it and make some of their own, rather tahn give us more nobody F15 repaints.

[GoktimusPrime]

Deluxe class toys like Armada thrust, movie dirge and the classicsverse cone heads have different sized nose cones in robot and jet modes, so it should surely be possible at the MP level. Retooling the wings is simple since they pose no issue with transformation. The base seeker mould already exists so the only R&D needed is for the retooling. They don't have to come up with a whole new mould.

[Raider]

2 months ago I would have begged them to re-release all the headmasters... now that I have almost all of them I will be very upset if they do that!

As previously mentioned encore Trypticon is long overdue (I'm close to giving in and purchasing a g1 version) as well as MP Coneheads. They have the design already and iGear did a pretty good looking job of not-Ramjet, Thrust and Dirge. I'd love to see them.

[BigTransformerTrev]

How about as detailed tech specs on current toys as with the original toys? Personality quirks, function, weaponry, special abilities, top speed, weaknesses etc? I really miss those - they really helped flesh out the characters and made them more than simply transforming robot toys

[tinyJazz]

Yeah, character is what makes them really endearing. Provided you have actually knows what they're writing about of course. :p
Prime/Beast hunters and AOE really cheaped out on the bios and tech specs. Generations are still pretty decent though.

[liegeprime]

Well it may be too late since the lines are dead, but, it was an obvious figure/playset to make, yet, never got any
---- TF Animated Supreme Class Omega Supreme (can serve as playset ship for Legion class figures),

in the same vein

- Nemesis Starship for TFPrime --- Playset for Legion class TF Prime figures...

instead of wasting precious plastic from some big shelfwarmers like Supreme Cheetor or these giant AoE flipping figures....

[GoktimusPrime]

The best post-G1 tech specs we've seen, IMHO, are:
+ mid-to-late Beast Wars (i.e. after the toy continuity aligned itself with the cartoon)
+ Beast Machines
+ Cybertron
+ Various high-end collectors' lines from Japan (e.g. BT, MP, eHobby G1 etc.).
...the rest are pretty forgettable.

[CyberiusPrime]

I personally think one no brainer, is the rest
of the dinobots as Masterpiece line to go with
MP Grimlock. What use is a king without his
subjects.

Another no brainer or at least a mini wish list,
would be the combiners as a MP standard.
I know this wont happen with the impending
Combiner wars.

[SuspectimusPrime]

I'm personally against redoing more Decepticon cars out of Autobot car moulds. One or two following original Diaclone/80's precedence is fun for exclusives, but I think if the fandom becomes more universally accepting towards this, by 2020 we may have a line where the Decepticon team is comprised of a single unique Megatron mould (repainted as Galvatron/G2 Megatron/Bludgeon) and an armada repainted from whatever they're using in the opposing Autobot team. What a bleak future! :(

Or just skip Decepticons altogether, and just have Autobots vs SG/Diaclone Autobots.

[GoktimusPrime]

I think that Wheeljack is a special case, as it is kinda amusing to see an 'evil' Decepticon being made from a toy that originally featured tobacco sponsorship. ;) Hasbro could also repaint it as the Decepticon Slicer, as that would be an easy homage to the G1 toy that was already a repaint of Wheeljack in the first place. Another redeco of the Wheeljack/Exhaust mould could also be released as Makeshift, who of course was the shape-shifting Decepticon from TF Prime who impersonated Wheeljack. :)

So I don't mind Autobot cars becoming Decepticons if there's a special reason for it (especially if there's an existing precedent for that character, as would be the case for Slicer and Makeshift). But otherwise I would prefer to see the Autobot car moulds being used to create new Autobots, as Ichikawa Hirofumi did w/ the eHobby retconned Diaclone reissues (Crosscut, Road Rage et al.).

Doing the coneheads then making more Seeker variants would be a preferable way to bolster the MP Decepticon ranks (as well as adding Bitstream and various other generic Seekers which have appeared in the G1 cartoon).

We know that redecos help TakTOM to make more money out of the mould and keep down the price of the toy. So what would be people's suggestions for repaint/retools of the Autobot cars without an obvious alternative? (e.g. MP Trailbreaker would obviously be redecoed as Hoist).

My recommendations would be...
+ Hound <--- Detritus
+ Mirage <--- Electro Disruptor Mirage (i.e. clear plastic)
+ Skids <--- Cross Cut
+ Tracks <--- Road Rage
+ Grapple/Inferno <--- Load Hauler
+ Sunstreaker <--- red Diaclone colours as new character, police car variant as new character.

But what about Jazz? :confused: Other than a G2 version (which would most likely be limited like G2 Lambor), I can't think of any obvious repaint potential.

[Paulbot]

But what about Jazz? :confused: Other than a G2 version (which would most likely be limited like G2 Lambor), I can't think of any obvious repaint potential.

Wheelie (http://www.tfu.info/2012/Autobot/GDOWheelie/wheelie.htm)

Or Jackpot (http://www.tfu.info/2013/Autobot/TFSSJackpot/jackpot.htm)

And how'd I forget? Zoom-Zoom (http://www.tfu.info/2004/Cybertron/Zoom-Zoom/zoom-zoom.htm)

[VERT]

And Stepper or whatever hasbro called him.

[Sinnertwin]

Golden Lagoon Martini Electrum Edition

http://i1335.photobucket.com/albums/w661/sinnertwinsphotos/Laserrave_zpsfa3a5c7a.gif (http://s1335.photobucket.com/user/sinnertwinsphotos/media/Laserrave_zpsfa3a5c7a.gif.html)

:p

[Paulbot]

And Stepper or whatever hasbro called him.

D'oh. How'd I forget that? How did Goktimis forget that?

[Magnus]

MP-11 recolors as SW and TC would be nice too.

I'm surprised this hasn't already been done. This one really is a no-brainer for TakaraTomy.


I'm going to say why not release Blue Diaclone MP Bluestreak as a Decepticon? They have already set a precedent with Exhaust.

For some reason, I think the Diaclone blue Bluestreak should remain an Autobot. They already have Silverstreak in addition to the 'normal' Streak, so why not Bluestreak?



And how'd I forget? Zoom-Zoom (http://www.tfu.info/2004/Cybertron/Zoom-Zoom/zoom-zoom.htm)

Interesting idea for a repaint, but I don't think it can be called 'Zoom-Zoom' because the phrase is a Mazda advertising slogan.

[GoktimusPrime]

Stepper -- of course! <slaps.forehead> :D
Thanks, VERT. :)
Jackpot might work too, as could Zoom-Zoom.

Interesting idea for a repaint, but I don't think it can be called 'Zoom-Zoom' because the phrase is a Mazda advertising slogan.
They could modify the name to approximate Zoom-Zoom, like maybe Vroom-Vroom (although that would be challenging for a lot of Japanese speakers to correctly pronounce :p). Perhaps they could use the equivalent Japanese onomatopoeia, such as Burun-Burun or Buun. :o

[CaminusPrime]

Human alliance would have been amazing for age of extinction, just saying :P

[CHILENO20]

Golden Lagoon Martini Electrum Edition

http://i1335.photobucket.com/albums/w661/sinnertwinsphotos/Laserrave_zpsfa3a5c7a.gif (http://s1335.photobucket.com/user/sinnertwinsphotos/media/Laserrave_zpsfa3a5c7a.gif.html)

:p

Bwahahahahahaha to the pic!!!!

[liegeprime]

But what about Jazz? :confused: Other than a G2 version (which would most likely be limited like G2 Lambor), I can't think of any obvious repaint potential.

other than the ones mentioned, they could re mould him just like what they did in TFCC for Kick Off figure. fits the mould actually.

[Bidoofdude]

Would Stepper demand his own number? Sunstorm was MP-11s, so it would be interesting to see how they would classify a more obscure character such as Stepper. More importantly, whether they give him his own number or not, there will be people bitching. :p;)

[Paulbot]

Would Stepper demand his own number? Sunstorm was MP-11s, so it would be interesting to see how they would classify a more obscure character such as Stepper. More importantly, whether they give him his own number or not, there will be people bitching. :p;)

"A more obscure character such as Stepper"? Actually that's only in the Western Countries. In Japan Stepper actually had a toy in the 80s so I'd say he was less obscure compared to a more recent invention like Sunstorm.

[Magnus]

They could modify the name to approximate Zoom-Zoom, like maybe Vroom-Vroom (although that would be challenging for a lot of Japanese speakers to correctly pronounce :p). Perhaps they could use the equivalent Japanese onomatopoeia, such as Burun-Burun or Buun. :o

How about Meister? Keep the Jazz name for the classic Martini Racing colour scheme, and use the Meister name on the red repaint.

[GoktimusPrime]

How about Meister? Keep the Jazz name for the classic Martini Racing colour scheme, and use the Meister name on the red repaint.
All Japanese MPs in Japan use their Japanese G1 names (e.g. Convoy, Lambor, Alert, Condor, Jaguar, Bumble etc.), so an MP Jazz would invariably be called "Meister" anyway. Unless they went the other way and called the red version "Jazz." :o

[Yongeltron]

Looking at Griffin's toy checklist for 2014 I saw "Decepticon Stinger" deluxe in the checklist and in the leaked Hasbro database.

I really hope they get around to releasing it although I'm not getting my hopes up. Toys in such late waves often don't make it out. I'm sure that if it does though, it'll be worth it for Hasbro. It is an army-builder after all.

I assume that if it does happen it'll just be a straight repaint of the Concept Camaro BB. But does anyone think we might get a retool or a new mould? I wonder if it might be possible for them to keep the robot body from the BB toy and just retool the car parts into the Pagani? From what I've seen of the mould (I don't have one myself) the car parts mostly seem to hang off the robot body rather than being part of it.

Can anyone else comment on whether that might be possible/viable/likely?

[Magnus]

All Japanese MPs in Japan use their Japanese G1 names (e.g. Convoy, Lambor, Alert, Condor, Jaguar, Bumble etc.), so an MP Jazz would invariably be called "Meister" anyway. Unless they went the other way and called the red version "Jazz." :o

That sounds reasonable. The reason I brought that up was because the TakaraTomy feedback/survey (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showpost.php?p=350403&postcount=12) you linked to once says 'Jazz' not 'Meister' in katakana (unless I'm reading it wrong :confused:).

[Bidoofdude]

"A more obscure character such as Stepper"? Actually that's only in the Western Countries. In Japan Stepper actually had a toy in the 80s so I'd say he was less obscure compared to a more recent invention like Sunstorm.

Stepper had a toy in 87, but he was seldom featured in fiction, only being in Headmasters comics. You can appreciate his presence as a toy, which has also had a reissue in the collection series. He's definitely not as obscure as Sunstorm, who was just thought up on the spot it seems, but still generally obscure.

[GoktimusPrime]

That sounds reasonable. The reason I brought that up was because the TakaraTomy feedback/survey (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showpost.php?p=350403&postcount=12) you linked to once says 'Jazz' not 'Meister' in katakana (unless I'm reading it wrong :confused:).
Hmmm, you're right, but that might be an anomaly on the survey. MP Condor's (Laserbeak's) tech specs says "Autobot" instead of "Cybertron," which I've never seen before in MP literature (as they always use the original Japanese G1 names). But we know that since 2007, TakaraTOMY have started adopting the Anglophone names for Japanese TFs, so perhaps they're getting confused at some stages.


Stepper had a toy in 87, but he was seldom featured in fiction, only being in Headmasters comics. You can appreciate his presence as a toy, which has also had a reissue in the collection series. He's definitely not as obscure as Sunstorm, who was just thought up on the spot it seems, but still generally obscure.
The Obscure Transformers Web Site (http://s90690880.onlinehome.us/jhiaxus/) defines a truly "Obscure" Transformer as one that has never appeared in more than one medium. Stepper is not obscure because, as you've noted, he originally appeared in two media in 1987 -- the toy and the manga. Oh, and "Obscure" Transformers also must be named, nameless ones are called "Generic" Transformers. Until the eHobby toy came along, Sunstorm was a Generic Transformer because he only ever appeared in one media and was nameless. :o

[SuspectimusPrime]

The Obscure Transformers Web Site (http://s90690880.onlinehome.us/jhiaxus/) defines a truly "Obscure" Transformer as one that has never appeared in more than one medium.

I can't believe this site exists... What sort of update is this?


14/02/2003:
Updated the US Cartoon characters. Not much revised content, just added thumbnails to create galleries for this section.

[GoktimusPrime]

The site was created before TFwiki existed. Both of (http://tfwiki.net/wiki/User:Monzo) the guys (http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Andrew_Sorohan) who made the site are now part of the crew who maintain TFwiki. The Obscure TF Web Site doesn't really need updating though as it's pretty much an online time capsule of what were the Obscure and Generic Transformers during the original G1 and G2 run.
e.g. Hauler was an Obscure Transformer during that time. He has since become un-obscure since the toy was released, but that happened many years after G1 finished. Hauler was still an Obscure Transformer during the original G1 series. Stepper on the other hand was never an Obscure TF during the original G1 run, as he did appear in two media in 1987. Not that the Obscure TF web site ever covers Japanese TFs, but going by their definition of Obscurity, he wouldn't have counted anyway. ;)

[GoktimusPrime]

If TakaraTOMY ever decide to make MP Sunstreaker, one redeco potential could be the police car (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-snX1ZnRH_nM/UyECCTLjBII/AAAAAAAAApQ/WZCa2mMBrUo/s1600/PoliceCountach1.jpg), but as a new character -- here's a suggestion: Barricade, and yes, it'd be another Decepticon like Exhaust. Also have the tech specs bio establish that this Barricade is the same character as the original G1 Micromaster; and either this is before Barricade has been rebuilt as a Micromaster (similar to how Hot Rod was rebuilt as a Micromaster), or perhaps Barricade has now been upgraded as a larger Transformer. And you'd have that "To Punish and Enslave" logo on the toy. That way, the toy would be paying triple homage to Diaclone, original G1 (Micromaster) and the live action film. ;)

[Starscream77]

If TakaraTOMY ever decide to make MP Sunstreaker, one redeco potential could be the police car (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-snX1ZnRH_nM/UyECCTLjBII/AAAAAAAAApQ/WZCa2mMBrUo/s1600/PoliceCountach1.jpg), but as a new character -- here's a suggestion: Barricade, and yes, it'd be another Decepticon like Exhaust. Also have the tech specs bio establish that this Barricade is the same character as the original G1 Micromaster; and either this is before Barricade has been rebuilt as a Micromaster (similar to how Hot Rod was rebuilt as a Micromaster), or perhaps Barricade has now been upgraded as a larger Transformer. And you'd have that "To Punish and Enslave" logo on the toy. That way, the toy would be paying triple homage to Diaclone, original G1 (Micromaster) and the live action film. ;)

Now this I like, Sunstreaker would be good and a police car Barricade would be awesome