Fan-backed Hasbro project: Unicron

From JAN 7th here, and also told to me again today that they are still on track for this date....

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For those who have one on order at EB/Zing, they are on track for release/pick up early-mid March. That's current info from Hasbro as of today.
So if you are still saving up or paying it off in advance, you have about 8 weeks left.... plan ahead, because I'm sure they will easily find new customers if you aren't able to pay for it as soon as it arrives.

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So now it is down to about 5 weeks left... if anyone is still yet to start paying it off, or saving up the rest of what they owe (to pay on pickup), time is running out.
Because when they come in, the stores may not want to hold them for more than a few days, as they will be too big to keep in the back, and they won't want the big brown boxes blocking areas of the store and get in the way of customers (who can't touch or buy them).

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Originally Posted by Skyfire

The biggest Transformer ever... and griffin's looking at butts. Buttformers.

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I didn't even notice until you pointed it out -i skimmed over the photos.
Now I'm staring at mens butts.

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Originally Posted by nalops

Should be an option up top saying open preorders.

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That vanished months ago for me....

I've paid for mine already through another company. So am looking forward to getting it, hopefully around the same time as other sources like EB/Zing

New update with a video on assembly.
https://hasbropulse.com/blogs/hasbro...icron-update-5

So.... the maw... thoughts?

Well, I'm not ranting and raving like the ... people ... over on TFW2005... So much stupid over there, I've had to unsubscribe from the thread (again...).

I don't mind it, but I've not really looked at it too closely. What's the point? I've bought it, and it'll turn up later this month (or maybe next month). It's on the way. The time to have any changes made (if there was one) was months ago.

Anyway, I'm not fussy. I'll simply be happy when it arrives.


And now, having watched that video above and seen just how they paint it (I did wonder if it was all manual, or if there was some automation), there's no way in hell I'm going to complain about the price. Can you imagine the cost if it was made in a non-3rd-world country with a decent standard of living and decent wages?

Oh no, so much styrofoam. That noise puts me on edge somewhat shocking. Even thinking about it as I type this I'm getting goosebumps.

I am dreading the answer JJJ, but what are they tearing up about?

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Originally Posted by Thurmus

I am dreading the answer JJJ, but what are they tearing up about?

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The colour of the plastic surrounding the teeth in the planet mode maw. In the prototype that plastic was orange. As seen in the latest videos (got to 2:48 in the video a few posts up), it is now the blue-grey of the shell.

Yep, that's it.

Now sure, it isn't entirely cartoon accurate, but ... bloody hell, some of those people over there have insane entitlement issues. The last few weeks, especially since it was announced that Robotkingdom has physical possession of stock, have been full of people angrily demanding this, that, and the other from Hasbro like their little worlds depend on it.

TFW have a heap of screenshots here, if anyone wanted to use them for reference or to show off details or its size to others.

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Originally Posted by JJJ

The colour of the plastic surrounding the teeth in the planet mode maw. In the prototype that plastic was orange. As seen in the latest videos (got to 2:48 in the video a few posts up), it is now the blue-grey of the shell.

Yep, that's it.

Now sure, it isn't entirely cartoon accurate, but ... bloody hell, some of those people over there have insane entitlement issues. The last few weeks, especially since it was announced that Robotkingdom has physical possession of stock, have been full of people angrily demanding this, that, and the other from Hasbro like their little worlds depend on it.

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I couldn’t agree more they are acting rather childish. Like I understand like all franchises the fans can be bad (spend 5 minutes amongst star wars fans online in some groups and you’ll wish you went the way of the death star) but i expect better from grown adults.

We aren’t kids, things aren’t ever perfect, in what fantasy world is anything the exact way you expect it?

Ignoring the fanboy outrage, I do wonder why they would change it though. Looking up the prototype transformation vid they posted way back shows the maw and front of the planet just fold away into a backpack (the lazy backpacking/shellforming aspect is the real crime here :p), thus the blue wasn't needed for the robot mode. So considering they've had it "animation accurate" all this time, what caused the change?

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Originally Posted by Borgeman

So considering they've had it "animation accurate" all this time, what caused the change?

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Is it animation accurate though? They?ve taken too many liberties for it to be a close representation of Unicron from the movie.

It's only 50% animation accurate anyway. Im certain they said inspired by & not a direct copy.
The Hasbro bot mode is a lazy mess of dangling shells which look nothing the source material -Zeta Toys' 3P Unicron puts Hasbro to shame there. Their planet mode however is the downside to having a screen accurate bot.
As for Mawgate, meh.

Just fix it with Reprolabels.

Interesting tid-bit:

When we got Zing pricing, we were better off than the US price in a straight conversion (can’t remember how much)

Now we are about $100 overpriced (today’s exchange rate)

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Originally Posted by danny-boy

Is it animation accurate though? They?ve taken too many liberties for it to be a close representation of Unicron from the movie.

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Sorry, I didn't mean to infer it's properly animation accurate, just meant that the parts that matter looked to be more closely faithful, rather than the general look/overall engineering.
And besides all that, the maw was previously shown to be all the one yellowy orange colour. It is curious to say the least.

I'd surmise more than a few of the angry rabid people probably planned to keep him in planet mode, being the better looking (and probably more imposing) mode, aaaand now their dreams are ruined

Ruuuuuuuuuned, it's all RUUUUUUUUUNED FOREVAH!!!11!!!1! eleventy.

Fans. Ugh.

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Originally Posted by Krayt

Interesting tid-bit:

When we got Zing pricing, we were better off than the US price in a straight conversion (can’t remember how much)

Now we are about $100 overpriced (today’s exchange rate)

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I did that caculation about a month ago. With the increase in the value of the Australian dollar, back then AUD $848 was USD $571, now it is USD $657. Not really bothered; I mean yes, it would be nice to pay less for it, but when I see what other people are being charged for postage (especially that poor bastard in, I think, central or eastern Europe)...

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Originally Posted by JJJ

Ruuuuuuuuuned, it's all RUUUUUUUUUNED FOREVAH!!!11!!!1! eleventy.

Fans. Ugh.



I did that caculation about a month ago. With the increase in the value of the Australian dollar, back then AUD $848 was USD $571, now it is USD $657. Not really bothered; I mean yes, it would be nice to pay less for it, but when I see what other people are being charged for postage (especially that poor bastard in, I think, central or eastern Europe)...

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Wasnt postage more than the item itself? Something like $700US for EMS?

It was so much I've blotted it out. Really happy I'm going to be able to drive 5 minutes and pick it up from EB.

More missed paint being realised... top teeth ARE painted, but bottom teeth are blue plastic....

Some people in Asia are now posting up images and videos of Unicron, so places like Robotkingdom must have already been shipping out their stock to the locals.
There are some nice comparison shots with other big Transformers, and previous Unicron toys.

Niiiiiiiiiice...

Come on EB! :)

Oh, you're kidding - they put blast effect posts on it! Hilarious!

Nice to see extra spots for the tiny slug bots.... was worried OP wouldn't have a spot to fit...

But there are heaps more.... so are there more slugs to come?

What I can't seem to grasp is why the screw holes are visible on is left arm. Seems like an oversight to me. Still, I am looking forward to trying to find a place for him when he arrives.

https://youtu.be/UNlxSUmc4Ao

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Originally Posted by 1AZRAEL1

What I can't seem to grasp is why the screw holes are visible on is left arm. Seems like an oversight to me. Still, I am looking forward to trying to find a place for him when he arrives.

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They probably just mirrored that part of the assembly
There's a sprue included with covers for them for you to play arts and crafts hour and plug them gaps ;p

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Originally Posted by Sinnertwin

There's a sprue included with covers for them for you to play arts and crafts hour and plug them gaps ;p

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Did not know that. That's cool that they at least included a fix for it.

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Originally Posted by Tha_Phantom

Did not know that. That's cool that they at least included a fix for it.

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It isn't a fix as such, that sprue of screw covers has been visible in production updates right from the start (or so I recall). It was always going to come like this.

I must have missed those parts. So I guess I'm ok with it anyway

That video of the assembly process was incredible. I had no idea how much of it was hand painted: I?d just assumed it was mechanically automated. I?d always wondered though how they masked off parts of a toy that were NOT to be painted... I use masking tape on customs, but that would be way too slow for mass production.

I?d love to know how many people it takes to manufacture a Unicron. I?d hate to be the guy at the end having to transform them all for shipping though. Guess you?d get real fast at doing it though after the 10,000th Unicron transformation.

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Originally Posted by reillyd

That video of the assembly process was incredible.

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My thoughts also. I love knowing how things are made. Manufacturing, even just toys, is a testament to human ability.

Available to collect in Singapore yesterday.

People are already bitching about the change in paint apps being false advertising *smh*

I don't mind the maw so much, but don't understand why they couldn't make the lower teeth white

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Originally Posted by 1AZRAEL1

People are already bitching about the change in paint apps being false advertising *smh*

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I saw that the thread over on TFW2005 jumped 50 pages in one day when the review appeared. I scanned a few posts and was not disappointed. Am leaving it alone permanently.

The anger over the gummy Galvatron that's no bigger than a 5 cent piece is peak 1st world problem :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by SMHFConvoy

The anger over the gummy Galvatron that's no bigger than a 5 cent piece is peak 1st world problem :rolleyes:

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I just find it sad people don’t notice the fact there’s 2, one to be eaten which is larger and then the tiny tiny one

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Originally Posted by 1AZRAEL1

People are already bitching about the change in paint apps being false advertising *smh*

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I mean, i can see their point. Personally it wouldn't bother me, but if you've been shown samples of x all the way up to production & then someone changes it to Y, I can see why they would be frustrated. Much like the bottom row of teeth not being painted etc

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Originally Posted by Jaxius._

I just find it sad people don’t notice the fact there’s 2, one to be eaten which is larger and then the tiny tiny one

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What? There isn’t 2....