Animated - Japanese Edition Set of 7

[Tober]

Set for release in April. By which time I hope they've changed Bulkhead's paint apps. :rolleyes:

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj230/AUST_Tober/TAK11009.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj230/AUST_Tober/TAK11009-1.jpg

From BBTS (http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=TAK11009&mode=retail&picture=out)

[GoktimusPrime]

Animated Goldbug! Convoy has an Autobot insignia, as I have forseen (something something Dark Side...)
Btw these images are all marked with "Do not distribute image" :confused:

[griffin]

Usually TT improve on the colour of toys to better match the cartoon, so it is odd to see them alter colours that were already fairly accurate. I like the shiny look of Bbee and Bhead, so might get those two.

[Vector Sigma 13]

Those guys always do everything just that little bit better... dammit :(

[5FDP]

I love the paint jobs on these guys - especially Bumblebee.

[Kyle]

Damn you TakaraTomy!!! It's Henkei all over again!!! :(

[Bumbleb33]

You know what really sucks about these is that we're all really impressed with the paint jobs on what are probably some of the most basic figures of the line, if they can make BB or Prime look that awesome, can you imagine what Shockwave or Blurr or Ultra Magnus are going to look like?

[kurdt_the_goat]

Usually TT improve on the colour of toys to better match the cartoon, so it is odd to see them alter colours that were already fairly accurate. I like the shiny look of Bbee and Bhead, so might get those two.

I think in this case, it's a matter of what could they do to differentiate? As we know the Hasbro toys are already pretty much show accurate. They've been available to Japan as imports in local stores for at least a year, so simple 'slightly' more show accurate paint jobs wouldn't be enough to encourage either overseas fans or Japanese fans who already have the Hasbro versions to buy again.

They risk polarising opinion of course by being different and not particularly show accurate, but just from skimming the response threads on the international boards, it seems to be a 50/50 split of opinion.

Personally i think Bulkhead's colour looks off, but the rest look good. Sure, the animated cartoon is clearly matte, but they're still made of metal, so shiny isn't that far off. And the light source is likely over-emphasizing it on some of them.

[Gutsman Heavy]

I wouldn't mind getting a Lockdown that has better apps which show off his Frankenstein Monster vibe better. Hope it happens.

[Sky Shadow]

None of these are worth repurchasing. A shame. (Of course, I'm sure I'll change my mind when I see TakaraTomy Lugnut. ;))

[SilverDragon]

Why is Bulkhead turquoise? I thought TT were supposed to make toys more show-accurate, not less.

I'm interested to see what other Animated toys will look like, Snarl in particular due to the Hasbro version having an unpainted club in package but a painted one in the photo.

[optimus1]

They look impressive! Makes me really wonder how they treat the rest of the line. They even could end up having a better looking Wasp then the one we should be getting :)

I also hope they can improve on the Twins

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

These looks pretty good. Unfortunately though I have multiples of most of the Animated line. Still wont stop me from getting some though. Would love to see lockdown and interested in seeing how Blitzwing looks too.

Hopefully TT bust out an Animated Omega Supreme... </wishing mode>

[Bartrim]

(Of course, I'm sure I'll change my mind when I see TakaraTomy Lugnut. ;))

I think I just heard Trunks squeal in delight at the very mention of that:p

[GoktimusPrime]

It'd be really neat if TakaraTOMY took the opportunity to release some Animated characters that Hasbro never released as toys... e.g.: Mixmaster, Scavenger, Omega Supreme, Perceptor etc. I'd grab those like hotcakes. :)

[i_amtrunks]

(Of course, I'm sure I'll change my mind when I see TakaraTomy Lugnut. ;))

Of course you will, and for good reason!

I'd like to see what they are going to do with the Dinobots (thinking of their "lava" Weapons more than anything). Might be an ideal opportunity to get Wreck-Gar if he is released.

[Doubledealer]

I'd far rather have what we got compared to these cartoon inaccurate shiny metallic repaints. Having said that, it's nice to see the toys aren't the exact same as ours as it gives people some choice. Choice bro!

[SilverDragon]

It'd be really neat if TakaraTOMY took the opportunity to release some Animated characters that Hasbro never released as toys... e.g.: Mixmaster, Scavenger, Omega Supreme, Perceptor etc. I'd grab those like hotcakes. :)

I was going to say that this was unlikely, then I realised that TT had made new additions to the 2007 movie line in the form of the TransScanning toys, so, while it's sill unlikely, it's also not impossible. It will probably depend on how well Animated does in Japan.

[GoktimusPrime]

The whole "thing" with Animated is that it's the first Transformers franchise/series where the toys were engineered in concert with animators. Hasbro, TakaraTOMY and Cartoon Network all collaborated almost simultaneously to create a TF franchise which (at least in theory) would create superior cosmetic fidelity (or visual "accuracy") between the toys and cartoon. Previous Transformers franchises haven't been like this... we've had some individual toys where HasTak and animators have collaborated (e.g. G1 Galvatron, Hot Rod, Rodimus Prime, Kup, Blurr, Gnaw etc.), but not the entire line/series/franchise (e.g.: toys like Ultra Magnus, Sky Lynx etc. existed as toys first; even the Scramble Gestalts, Metroplex and Trypticon were based on concepts that were abandoned for Diaclone and ressurected in Transformers).

So anyway, what all this means is that - in theory - every Animated Transformer created by Cartoon Network should have been done so with the intention that HasTak could later engineer these designs relatively easily into toys. They shouldn't be like say G1 Arcee or Unicron which were never intended by animators to be made into toys, and thus would have been quite difficult for HasTak to engineer as toys by the standards of the day (as is evident in the G1 Unicron toy (http://tfwiki.net/w2/images2/2/27/Unicron_Proto.jpg)).

The only reason why Mixmaster and Scrapper weren't made into toys was because Dreamworks decided to include Constructicons in Revenge of the Fallen, and Hasbro didn't want two different lines of Constructicons competing with each other on toy shelves (although apparently it's fine to have 500 different Bumblebees... but I digress...). With Transformers Animated coming out in Japan in 2010, a year after Revenge of the Fallen, then this concern should no longer be valid, which should free up TakaraTOMY and give them the option of creating the Animated Constructicons. A lot of other characters look like they could be easily made into toys, e.g. Perceptor. Omega Supreme could work if done properly; i.e. a balance between size, price and engineering. We don't need an oversized and simplistic toy that retails at 10000JPY just because it has some stupid electronic sound gimmick.

Another neat thing; and I know the irony of _me_ saying this; is to have toys of the human characters. Even if they're just small non-posable PVC figurines made by Kabaya; it'd be neat to collect the non-Cybertronian cast. I'd really like to see a Microman Sari figure (à la Microman Kicker and Gamede).

I know this sounds like a lot of wishful thinking, but unless TakaraTOMY offers something that Hasbro already hasn't with their Animated line, then I don't feel any compulsion to get any TakaraTOMY Animated stuff. But I'm not actually expecting TakaraTOMY to exclusive pander to my wishes. :p If they do it then I'll be stoked, but I'm not going to lose any sleep if they don't. :)