Would you buy a Transformers Model Kit?

[Hereticpoo]

This question draws inspiration from my underwhelmed reaction to alot of the Universe / Classics 2.0 molds.

I find myself liking alot of the molds, however as the final versions are released and reviews have occured I find myself just wishing there was more.

More what? I honestly don't know. Cyclonus for example, a great character and a good choice for revamping. I look at the bot and alt mode and see coloured plastic instead of paint, which really makes the toy look cheap.

And it seems that cheap is the point. I was really excited when Classics 2.0 was announced, but I haven't been able to bring myself to buy any of them. Even the twins Sunstreaker and Sideswipe which are the best so far haven't made their way to my place. I just don't want to open up a TF and be disappointed. For example;

Ultimate Bumblebee, paint app is nothing like the box 'photo'. Ulimate is too strong a word. He should have been called Large Scale: Bumblebee.

So I figure if you want a truly beautiful figure without spending mega cash you're going to have to do it yourself. There are some unofficial TF kits out there but I'd love to see something official. Many of the current board members build and custom atm and do it very well. I would love for a reputable hobby kit manufacturer to get a TF licence, that way we could get a detailed, scaled, well engineered TF and any quality issues would be falts of our own. What do you think? :)

[Kyle]

A Bandai Gundam quality TF kit is forever a dream...

[kup]

I share your pain in this. Quality wise Classics 2.0 (and the whole TF franchise after the movie) has been a great dissapointment.

Unfortunately with the AU$ going down and the Yen going up its become expensive to import Henkei when once it was cheaper. Unfortunately the quality of Henkei and general TakTom releases is also decreasing even though its still far above Hasbro. It seems that the TOMY merger is taking away the charm that Takara products once had.

I can't really say that I am excited about the new releases either and due to the crashing dollar its become hard to collect the vintage figures so I am also feeling my Transfan Morale taking a hit.

[Hereticpoo]

I can't really say that I am excited about the new releases either and due to the crashing dollar its become hard to collect the vintage figures so I am also feeling my Transfan Morale taking a hit.

I like it, Transfan Morale. I was going to submit a question regarding plastic kits to Hasbro but the answer would have been;

"We thought we told you fans to stop collecting? The more of you that collect the more issue's you'll see. We don't have plans in the near future for TF plastic kits. Our focus now is the ROTF Movie and Animated. We may look at releasing unpainted robot heroes, but not till 2020, by which time your old arthritic hands won't be able to hold a TF" :D

(By the way I do like the animated toys :))

[iceburn]

i would love to own a kit that comes with a female model

[Hereticpoo]

i would love to own a kit that comes with a female model

Hard to reply to this one being G rated! :D

[i_amtrunks]

I thought that the last Classics wave were model kits?

The impressively low QC of the last few waves of figures has me thinking Hasbro could easily make model kits, even if they were basic snap on limb kinds.

[MV75]

I wouldn't mind something that is basically the whole toy, still on sprues, thrown into a box with all the parts and you have to assemble it. That would be pretty cool to snap/screw it together yourself. Pretty much like the old zoids were. I dunno if the new ones come assembled or not, but I remember having to put together my old mammoth set. :)

But a "proper" model kit that you have to paint yourself..... I dunno, I've never been able to end up with smooth painted surfaces.

[gamblor916]

The thing is models need to be built and painted, so you need glue, paints and all the paraphernalia that goes along with building it. Plus the skills to put it together.
Also injected polystyrene is not very good for areas under stress or repeated force.
I would love to see a plastic kit of say the Barricade Mustang but making a transformer out if it would be very difficult.

[optimus1]

Iv got a Takara Grand Scourge (i think its called that?) model kit, but never got around to putting it together. The quality doesnt look too bad though, but havnt got as far as taking out the sprues out of the plastic bags.

I got it with the intention of painting it up as Energon Prime, but with am undecided on what to do!

I still wouldnt mind a proper kit, even if it isnt transformable. One of my future projects is to try my hand at painting up a transformable Valkyrie model kit into Jetfire/Skyfire

[Gutsman Heavy]

Iv got a Takara Grand Scourge (i think its called that?) model kit, but never got around to putting it together. The quality doesnt look too bad though, but havnt got as far as taking out the sprues out of the plastic bags.

I got it with the intention of painting it up as Energon Prime, but with am undecided on what to do!


oh god sell it to me!

[Tallestblue]

[QUOTE=optimus1;57669]Iv got a Takara Grand Scourge (i think its called that?) model kit,

I loved the idea of Grand Scourge (A Nemesis Prime repaint of the Grand Convoy model from Superlink) And would have loved an energon nemesis prime.

On topic, If the model kits are the same quality as Fansproject's self made toys then yes. I'd buy those, but All my Gundams and Tekkamans died slow painful deaths.

[Pulse]

I don't know...

It'd have to be both very cool & reasonably priced. Then again, I have no model-building ability so I doubt I'd ever assemble it....

[jacksplatt11]

I would most likely buy one, cause its TF and model kits are always something to do on a weekend/rainy day..

But in saying that, the last model kit I tried to make didn't work out to well.. Super Glue getting spilled etc, got a bit messy and sticky

[Eruntalon]

A Bandai Gundam quality TF kit is forever a dream...

As Kyle has suggested, if there were 1/100 scale or even greater sized model kits (even 1/60 or larger) like Bandai make all their Gundam/Patlabour models as then I would definitely give up my money and purchase a few molds/ take the time to paint them.

I've had a bit of experience in the past with collecting 1/100 and 1/144 scale Gundam models and painting, not so much recently but in the past. The biggest problem is the cost of paint which usually works out to become more expensive than the model kit by itself.

On the subject of Transformer model kits, I was browsing a Japanese site that was offering very accurate custom made TF kits (not sure if they are fully assembled or in parts). The artist had already released Cyclonus, Wheelie, Powerglide, and was working on a highly accurate Ironhide not yet released. I believe it was Jizaitoys (http://jizaitoys.seesaa.net/).

[Pulse]

On the subject of Transformer model kits, I was browsing a Japanese site that was offering very accurate custom made TF kits (not sure if they are fully assembled or in parts). The artist had already released Cyclonus, Wheelie, Powerglide, and was working on a highly accurate Ironhide not yet released. I believe it was Jizaitoys (http://jizaitoys.seesaa.net/).

His Ebay name is Pompomnet (http://myworld.ebay.com/pompomnet/) :)

[GoktimusPrime]

I do have a few TF models - they're all small simple things manufactured by Kabaya (under license from Takara) packaged with confectionery. Beyond that I have no interest in getting TF model kits - nothing along the lines of say a Gundam or Macross level model kit. Models typically don't transform either so you'd be collecting different models of each character in their various modes (like say most Macross Valkyrie models).

During the G2 years I bought and made a few Gundam and Macross models but I soon got sick of them because I soon discovered that they made really crap action figures. Yeah yeah, they're not meant to be action figures, I know... so that's why I stopped collecting them and I just stick to toys now.

I don't like toys that I can't play with.

[Burn]

Oh I dunno, years ago I had a transformable Veritech that I had to put together from a model kit. Admittedly the Veritech is a rather basic transforming figure, but it was still a nice little model kit.

At the very least i'd love to see Hasbro put out weapon/add-on packs. Mini-Cons were one thing but to really make your bots unique these packs would do the trick.

Body kits for Alt's/BT's would have been a wonderful thing.

But anyway, Gundam-esque model kits? I'd love to see them and I don't see why they couldn't be done. And given the rise in popularity of kitbashing/repainting over the last few years I wouldn't be surprised to see them try it down the track.

[GoktimusPrime]

Yeah, I have a transformable Valkyrie model... it's falls apart really easily and just can NOT be played with at all. :/ It's a cheap game machine prize thing though. :p