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Well we might have our first look at LG14 Ultra Magnus and it looks like it includes a Alpha Trion repaint of the Minimus Ambus figure. This is unconfirmed at this point as Takara Tomy have not official released any pictures.
http://www.seibertron.com/transforme...a-trion/32851/
(beaten to it by two minutes)
A product picture for the Japanese version of Ultra Magnus has leaked from an anonymous source in Asia, so we don't know where it is from, or if it is even a legitimate image. But BWTF who posted up a copy believes it is real... and I guess from the Japanese perspective, the character of Minimus Ambus is probably not known, as it is a creation of IDW for their comics.
So if this image is true, the Japanese version of Ultra Magnus will have the mini-bot recoloured and renamed as Alpha Trion.
Apparently the face sculpting works, but I'm not sure about the alt-mode though.
Oh my. Other than that BotCon 2007 exclusive, is this going to be the first official Alpha Trion toy?
Theres a Kreon and EX Gokin of Alpha Trion, so this would be the 4th Alpha Trion.Quote:
Originally Posted by FruitBuyer
I think if this is legit I might do something I normally never do and buy both the Hasbro and Takara Tomy and parts swap the red thighs on UM. Then I would have both Alpha Trion and Minimus Ambus.
I meant vanilla Transformer Alpha Trion.
I like the Ambus figure better, for me Alpha Trion being one of the Original 13 Primes he deserves more than a legends sized figure.
Having said that the Takara version again looks fair superior to the Hasbro version on UM.
Takara:
IDW accuracy + not-Minimus Ambus= win :rolleyes:
Would that mean that in the Japanese continuity that Ultra Magnus is really Ultra Maureen and is pregnant with Alpha Teeny? :eek:
Seriously - how do they rationalise within the genre that Alpha Trion is the fruit of Ultra Magnus' belly? :confused:
What??? I never realised he has red thighs in the IDW universe. I guess not need to parts swap since it's canon, but still means I'll need a Minimus Ambus from Hasbro.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bidoofdude
http://tfwiki.net/wiki/File:MTMTE12_..._in_action.jpg
It's worth noting that such was only the case in season 1.Quote:
Originally Posted by DELTAprime
I can see why TakaraTOMY have made this decision, as Minimus Ambus would certainly be extremely obscure to most Japanese collectors (as it's an Anglophone continuity exclusive character/concept). Still... I'll be getting the Hasbro version myself. :)
So why make the paintjob IDW accurate? It's mainly cartoon, but has the red thighs of the toy/comic.Quote:
Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime
Perhaps it's a tribute for the Japanese fans who do know about IDW, and the colours are similar enough to the cartoon character that it's still identifiable for those who aren't. There are Japanese fans who are familiar with the Anglophone continuity, just as there are Anglophone fans who are familiar with Japanese continuity. But most fans on both sides would be more familiar with their own 'indigenous' continuities. :o
Takara's classics-verse releases tend to focus more on toy accuracy than media accuracy (MP line is the opposite) so not too surprised here.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bidoofdude
And while it's the comics that make me want this Ultra Magnus mould, the red thighs just seem a little "odd" to me, so I'll probably stick with the Hasbro version, unless Takara pulled a United class shiny paint job
Hahaha, oh Trev, you amuse me :DQuote:
Originally Posted by BigTransformerTrev
Okay, now you have SPOILED both versions of Magnus for me, as well as the whole Pretender concept. Thanks for nothing man ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by BigTransformerTrev
Actually though, I'm going to choose to see him as the first modern Pretender Shell, rather than something sexual. I mean, who was the father then? Primus through divine conception
It worked for Mary...Quote:
Originally Posted by reillyd
Keeping things out of the gutter for a moment... :rolleyes:
From a toy POV, Ultra Magnus is very much like a Mega Pretender (i.e. both the inner robot and outer robot can transform; although Mega Pretenders can combine in vehicle mode; I'm not sure if Minimus can combine w/ the Magnus Armour in vehicle mode (or if he just rides in the trailer)). From a canonical POV, Ultra Magnus is something entirely different from Pretenders. He is a load bearer, which means that unique features of Minimus' Spark allows his body to specially augmented like a Russian nesting doll, carrying one or more "loads" at a time. In the IDW comics, Minimus carries two loads - a larger Minimus Ambus shell, and the Magnus Armour. This toy carries a single load; the Magnus Armour.
This is also a homage to the original G1 Ultra Magnus toy who, as we all know, is a the same body type as Optimus Prime, but the trailer transforms into power armour for the cab robot. Now of course, Alpha Trion was never anything like this, but as explained, this decision was most likely done to make the Minimus toy more appealing to the general Japanese market, most of whom would have no knowledge of Minimus Ambus. I personally prefer the Hasbro version, as Minimus Ambus makes way more sense than Alpha Trion, but I can understand why TakaraTOMY made that decision for their market.
At the end of the day, if a few colours here or there really bother you... repaint it yourself? :o
Doh!
I was afraid this would happen, I didn't think that Takara's Magnus would come with Minimus Ambus and now it appears true. Now I don't know what to do, I want that Minimus Ambus figure, but if this photo is accurate the Takara Magnus toys colour aps are so much nicer looking than the Hasbro version, actually worthy for a Leader class.
A rather expensive solution for a Leader class toy, also red thighs are correct for MTMTE IDW Magnus.Quote:
Originally Posted by DELTAprime
http://tfwiki.net/mediawiki/images2/...gnus_armor.jpg
;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Mythirax
Quote:
Originally Posted by reillyd
Well if it's a Pretender Shell then it begs the question of why Alpha Trion is dressing up like Ultra Magnus? Maybe he is going to a fancy dress party:
"Hey everyone! I'm the Duly Appointed Enforcer Guy! Howdy Howdy Howdy!"
And after a few strong cubes the impressions start:
"Yes Optimus, No Optimus! Rodimus that's a bad idea! No one liked me in Season3!"
Really? It's the colour of just the thighs that has people struggling to decide which one to buy. Considering how badly Hasbro have butchered the colours of toys in the past, I think "just" having the thighs be the wrong colour, is probably the best outcome we could ever get from Hasbro. :p
I just want the Alpha Trion AND Minimus, but don't want to buy a whole second Leader class toy to do it. :(
Quote:
Originally Posted by griffin
I'll give u $10 + postage for your spare Leader ;)
Although.... Now I'm kinda into the idea of Trion playing fancy dress as Magnus so maybe I should get it myself - could make for quite an amusing stop-motion video :p
lmao:p:D:pQuote:
Originally Posted by BigTransformerTrev
The red thighs look better and Alpha Trion is a cool addition, but I won't be going out of my way to get this instead of the Hasbro version. If I happen to stumble across this version first I'll get it.
Looks official. We now have images from E-Hobby. http://www.seibertron.com/transforme...-magnus/32883/
I found LG14 and MP26 in HLJ's system just now, so looks like Japanese retailers are now taking preorders.
I'm kinda bummed about the Alpha Trion thing TBH. I would much prefer Minimus Ambus and I don't even read the comics. I do like the red thighs though. Looks nice IMO.Quote:
Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime
I have always seen AT as being kind of uninvolved in the conflict (although this is not the case) and would have preferred him to have not been a Transforming character.
Surely they could've written Minimus Ambus into the bio of Magnus somewhere for those who were unsure of who he is. It just doesn't really make sense for AT to be riding around in a Magnus shell...:(
after comparing the two, the Takara version has a much better paint job for the Truck mode as well. I kind of hope this is one of the con exclusives that gets released in Australia later in the year. A higher end paint job and a Minimus ambus.
Takara wins hands down in those new pics of both toys, and the recent in hand ones of CW Magnus do him no favours and make him look a bit cheap for such an expensive toy.
It's Takara Magnus for me, I'll either have to give Alpha Trion a new paint job or see if a 3rd party make their own Ambus toy for my Minimus Ambus fix.
As far as the main toy is concerned, I'm seeing a few yellow/gold paint apps and a couple of faction symbols other than the red on the legs. It doesn't help that Hasbro's photography people are so piss poor at posing the pieces for pictures (say that three times quick), but they look about equal to me. The Takara one is slightly nicer if only for the red but I can live without it. The next time I get the chance to buy toys away from Aus retail will probably be when I and my wife go on our UK trip in October, so if the Hasbro version hasn't turned up and I find the Takara version at a shop over there then I'll probably get it, but I'm not going to hunt it down on the internet or anything. I'm fine with either Minimus Ambus or Alpha Trion - I'd be regarding them as a partner character rather than the "real" Ultra Magnus anyway.
Amazon Japan has a pic of vehicle mode too... painted rims win every time!
http://i.imgur.com/ltUkDyNl.jpg
I really like the darker blues on TT's Magnus'. Both this one and MP22. The baby blue on Hasbro's recent G1 Magnus is a turn off for me.
Now this altmode is definitely a win!!!
Yup, painted rims go a long way making a toy looks less toy like and cheap. Aside from that the Increased use to blue plastic in the trailer makes the truck mode look far more unified than the Hasbro version. It's long wait for me, what with the Yen still weak there's no premium for the Japanese version at the moment.
Anyway each to their own, while the Takara versions may not always have more appealing colours to everyones taste than Hasbro's, I've never seen a Japanese toy who's paint job wasn't executed better than the Hasbro version.
MP3 Starscream ;) I also prefer the chrome on Reveal the Shield Perceptor over the chrome-less United Perceptor. The orange paint job on United Grapple is also pretty ordinary, whereas Solar Storm Grappel's head is black plastic. I got United Grapple because I didn't want a toy named "Grappel" (I also got Henkei Octane because I didn't want the toy to be called "Tankor"; I don't actually care about the chrome :p).Quote:
Originally Posted by Lord_Zed
But yeah, they're the exceptions rather than the norm. On the whole I agree that Takara's TFs do look gooderer than Hasbro's. ;)
yup, it's the painted rims that I really like, the darker hues are better to in my opinion but Minimus Ambus comes with the Hasbro version...Quote:
Originally Posted by kurdt_the_goat
Takara Tomy Mall was just a bit late that the other Japanese online stores.Quote:
Originally Posted by DELTAprime
They also just listed MP26 Road Rage and LG14 Ultramagnus
Ultra Magnus release date: Sept 19, 2015
http://takaratomymall.jp/shop/g/g4904810831730/
...you do realize that you can call the toy whatever you want, right? ;) The toy-police are unlikely to issue you with a fine. :pQuote:
Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime
Those new pictures of TT's Ultra Magnus look really nice! I would probably go for it over the Hasbro one if only it still came with Minimus...
Yeah I don't see much difference in moving/changing one letter in a name (Grapple/Grappel, Scattorshot/Scattershot, Breakdown/Brakedown etc). You still know who it is :)Quote:
Originally Posted by llamatron
I'm not sure if it's lighting or the different colours or the paint additions or a combination but that TT version just looks really really fantastic compared to the Hasbro one to me. I seem hesitant to use the term but the Hasbro one does kinda look 'cheap' in comparison.
I have a mix of Takara and Hasbro too, and there are some toys that I like the Hasbro colour choices better, but even when that is the case like for example with Hasbro's Generations Blur vs united Blur for example where I prefer the Hasbro scheme the Japanese ones always seem to be done to a higher standard. I guess it's because the Japanese market is more picky. Much like that new Uniqlo store, the stuff they sell in the Japanese stores are way better quality than what they sell in the international stores.Quote:
Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime