Universe Ironhide in Package

Chinese TF Club posted pics of Universe Ironhide, but I'm reluctant to link them here just in case they never bothered to fix that malware problem.

BTW, Ironhide isn't supposed to have a MEGACROTCH. Nearly all pics (official and not official) have mistransformed his waist in some manner or other, giving him a huge codpiece.

This is how the codpiece is supposed to look (picture by Peaugh at TFW2005):
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...e/DSCF0011.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime

And Takara/TOMY does have 'fixed' price points like Hasbro does. The actual sale price is determined by the retailer but they do have recommended retail prices (which you can see on TakaraTOMY's web site)
e.g.:

As you can see Iron Man's RRP is 3675JPY. You can find it sold at different prices depending on where you shop but that's the general price. In my experience I've never seen Transformers sold above RRP in Japan. It's always either exactly on RRP or under but I've never seen it sold for above RRP.

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Then I retract my comment. I think I confused myself from memory of Hirofumi Ichikawa's story of designing Energon Wing Saber. I recall he said Hasbro had much stricter, fixed budget price points for figures and strict restrictions on toy dimensions so they can fit inside boxes, while Takara could go over what was usually spent if necessary (and obviously can custom tailor a box to go with a particular toy).

The original prototype for Godbomber in G1 was abandoned in favour of the one we got because it exceeded set the set budget price point that Takara wanted for that figure in 1988. Anyone who has Godbomber will know that it's a pretty ordinary figure - essentially just a configurable accessory pack for Ginrai. The prototype looks way cooler but would've exceeded manufacturing/retail costs.

The same happened with Ginrai/PM Prime too - initially Takara had designed Super Ginrai/Prime's head to transform into a roller buggy, but that was scrapped as it would've exceeded costs. That's why PM Prime and Ginrai's trailer actually has a small compartment that can fit the super-robot head... it was initially designed so that the head could roll in and out in buggy mode. It still does fit the head in there for storage. :)

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y22..._prototype.jpg abandoned prototype for PM Prime/Ginrai's super robot head

Is that the crazy design that would have been the most gimmick-loaded Transformer of the time? Headmaster, triple-changer and combiner.

I can see the influences this design (and God Ginrai overall) had on the similarly abandoned Euro Autobot leader Hyperdrive.

I think dumping the extra cost for God Bomber was the right idea - even with the extra touches, he would have sucked just as much.

Just a link to ironhide review

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEywg...eature=related