How do I know BM isn't liked?

[GoktimusPrime]

I couldn't resist the Japanese versions, they're much better, and they put out a Blackarachnia and Tigatron.

Takara care, Hasbro are... stupid.

+1. Hasbro's reissues would have sold better if they'd taken more care with it. The Telemocha reissues had a lot of appeal because they reissued a lot of the toys with more show-like colours. As kup pointed out, some of the Hasbro reissue repaints were just... randomly weird (like Dinobot's blue shield).

Reissues tend to sell better if they are:
1: Accurate to the original toy, or...
2: Resembles cartoon models.

...some of the changes that Hasbro made for their BW reissues achieved neither of these objectives, making the toys inaccurate to the original toys and the show models. Where's the appeal factor?? :/

Takara are generally better with dealing with reissues because they're usually more attentive and try to make the toys either look faithful to the original toy (e.g. TFC Hound, reissue Sixshot etc.), or like the cartoon (e.g. TFC Starscream, Encore Meister etc.). At other times Takara will make colour variations that are different from the original toy and cartoon appearance, but still help to enhance the look of the toy, e.g. face and eye paints on reissue Multi Force (as well as tampographed faction symbols), added colours inside Encore Sky Lynx's mouth, white replaced with silver on reissue Star Convoy etc. -- the repaints aren't just seemingly random like with some of Hasbro's reissues.

From an outsiders perspective, it seems the best BM toys were either:

A: Repaints from Beast Wars, as in Primal Prime

or B: Released under another line, as in Air Attack Optimus Primal coming out in RID.

Poor BM, I'll write you out of TF history when I get published

Some of the Vehicons were okay. Blackarachnia was also pretty well designed too (even though she only stands on 6 legs in beast mode). Most of the other Maximals were fail -- Nightscream was especially epic fail.

All this talk about Beast Wars Dragons pleases me greatly.

Yes, but keep in mind that Beast Machines Dragon Megatron is an entirely different toy from Beast Wars Dragon Megatron.

Pics for comparison:
BW Dragon Megatron
BM Dragon Megatron
...as you can see, BM Megatron is a simplified version of BW TM2 Megatron -- much smaller too. The robot mode is about the size of a Basic (although bulkier because of the wingalings) but sold as a Mega (by today's standards it's like trying to sell a Scout or Commander as a Voyager). Riiight.

TM2 Megatron was also really hard to find here too - made hen's teeth look common. Plus he looks like Bomber Man.

I think the only figure I'd like to try and get would be the Red/Blue version of Megabolt Megatron, that giant ominous floating head of Megatron in BM was about the only thing that made me actively sit up and think: "Man, that's freaky and cool!" - In the entire show.

Floating head with spider legs!!

Megabolt Megatron's robot mode is also tonnes gooderer than BM Megatron's; even the helmet is removable so he can look like either his "cloaked" robot mode or "open" robot mode (at least with the head) - well worth the Deluxe price point. Much better value than the Mega for sure.