Transformers exhibit at TMT Plaza in Hong Kong

[griffin]

As one of the many Transformers Movie promotions and exhibits in Asia, this one is in Hong Kong, in the middle of a shopping centre in the North West city of Tuen Mun. The Shopping Centre is called Tuen Mun Town Plaza, or TMT Plaza... and there wasn't any signage that I could find to say how long it will be there for.

The exhibit takes up a lot of floor space, with several large robot statues, a console gaming area, toy displays, and a mini-store jointly run by ToysRUs (who have a store in the centre) and a merchandise store.

Now why can't we have this sort of thing in Australia... just about every other country in this part of the world has had a nice Transformers exhibit in the last month.

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062301.jpg
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http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062302.jpg

This is an amazing set up, and the statues are really nicely detailed. I hope they don't just get trashed when the exhibit is finished.
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062303.jpg
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http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062304.jpg
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http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062309.jpg
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http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062310.jpg

Bumblebee and Optimus
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062311.jpg
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http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062312.jpg
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http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062313.jpg
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http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062314.jpg
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http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062315.jpg

Megatron
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062316.jpg
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http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062317.jpg

Hot Rod
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062318.jpg
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http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062319.jpg

Sqweeks.
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062320.jpg

They also had a competition, to win one of 10 gold coloured Optimus statues (I can't tell if it is an existing licensed statue, or something specially created for this event). People have to post up their "happy moment" to the facebook page of the TMTplaza before June 30th (https://www.facebook.com/tmtplazafans/photos/a.162764114593.116261.127819859593/10155465364959594/?type=3), to win one.
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062321.jpg
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http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062322.jpg

(to be continued)

[griffin]

Over at the toy display corner, some nice dioramas and mini-displays.

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062323.jpg

The Headmasters display is really interesting, for having both old and new versions of most toys in the display.
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062324.jpg

Movie mini-displays...
Movie 1 and Movie 2.
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062325.jpg

Movie 3 and Movie 4.
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062326.jpg

Movie 5... and evil "Optimus" toys (maybe inspired by the theme of the fifth movie)
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062327.jpg
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http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062328.jpg

Primus and Unicron... also intentional because of an element in the fifth movie?
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062329.jpg

Star Saber - old and new. (not sure why this one is featured)
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062330.jpg

A panorama photo, so some people are blurred from moving while it was being taken.
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062331.jpg

The mini-store, with three giant Super Deformed figures in front.
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These watches looked expensive... and reminded me of Cogman.
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062337.jpg
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http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062338.jpg

These two rubber things looked really nice and I would have bought them if they didn't cost so much - about AU$70! That's more than the price of a Deluxe toy for each of them, and they are only about the size of a Legends toy (and they don't transform).
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062339.jpg
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http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062340.jpg

Vinyl Optimus and Bumblebee, in two different decos for each.
http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062341.jpg
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http://www.toycollectors.com.au/news/2017/062342.jpg

These things make me think of South Park...
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Bladestorm and I were there from about 3.10pm to 4pm, and then went upstairs to check out the regular ToysRUs store. (and I ended up leaving with several more Transformers toys)

[Bladestorm]

Here are a couple of walk-around videos of Megs and Optimus.

Optimus Prime @ TMT Plaza (https://youtu.be/AQpQ0CPzML0)

Megatron @ TMT Plaza (https://youtu.be/HQf2qgtxWjs)

Here are some of my photos from the display to complement the ones above.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4202/35472725881_60515eaf38.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/W3AZy6)
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4178/35603002275_8c2c19f95d.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Wf7GbP)
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4229/35564164506_b0f8510968.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/WbFD57)
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4258/34761778904_a647fdf84b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/UXMcMA)
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4280/34794142743_8c2db52e03.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/V1D5qP)
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4249/35434722532_905af8d72e.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/VZfdtW)
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4245/35472727811_f131c71981.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/W3B18n)
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4058/35603005185_28791bb730.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Wf7H3Z)
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4270/34794142363_a274a85a8f.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/V1D5jg)
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4096/35564164746_1205fe4266.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/WbFD9f)
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4179/34794140183_77739db764.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/V1D4EF)

[FatalityPitt]

This is AMAZING! Makes you wonder how creators who worked on Transformers in the 1980's like the Diaclone/Microman toy design team, Bud Budiansky, Flint Dille, and the voice actors (Peter Cullen and Frank Welker) feel everytime they see stuff like this, and if they ever expected their brainchild to get this big.

[shockNwave]

Apart from the non-movie toy displays (which are always highlights at such events) those MemOrigin watches blow my socks off:eek:. Will have to investigate.

[jazzcomp]

Great pictures; wish I was there. :cool:

Hope those high priced ones go on clearance. :eek: Bladestorm please buy for me if they do go on clearance :p

Why Australia doesn't have this? :confused: :( But I guess my expectation has always been low. :rolleyes:

[Bladestorm]

Great pictures; wish I was there. :cool:

Hope those high priced ones go on clearance. :eek: Bladestorm please buy for me if they do go on clearance :p

Why Australia doesn't have this? :confused: :( But I guess my expectation has always been low. :rolleyes:

If the SOAP figures (which are the vinyl Optimus Prime and original vehicle figures) ever do come down in price I will definitely scoop them up. At the moment SOAP are being stubborn about their pricing despite the fact the figures haven't been selling well... but that's for another time, another thread.

I wish Australia (and other countries) did stuff like this too. The shopping malls definitely have the areas for it and I know I'd rather see this than a "discount" book stall in the open areas of a mall. From a marketing perspective it makes sense because kids drag their parents into these things and it leads to movie ticket sales and toy/merchandise sales from people that otherwise would be oblivious.
The malls benefit because people will come from all over the city just to see the displays (and thus the potential for increased revenue all around). We drove the 40 odd minutes to this mall which is a "long way" from the hub of Hong Kong just to see the Transformers display and my son is nagging me to go back!
Spiderman is also doing a similar thing over here at the moment at a shopping mall in Mong Kok (as well as a vehicle that is driving randomly around the city with Spidey on the back towing a car with his web) and Avengers always have a huge Hot Toys display when their movies roll around so Hong Kong people almost expect this.
There was a similar event for the 2014 movie at a different mall here and interestingly some of those giant figures and props have ended up in the Philippines for a mall display there. Here's hoping one day Hasbro/Paramount Australia want to give it a go too.

[reillyd]

Wow, I didn't even know those soap vinyls existed for pre-Cybertronian forms of Starscream and Bumblebe. I just picked a set up on eBay for 50 shipped, but there were others at much higher prices. Thanks for the photos - they look so cool.

I remember there was a Japanese summer festival one of these two chars that I could never acquire. This will do nicely, but I am sure would sell like hot cakes at a much lower price