Beast Hunters Starscream

[Gouki]

The problem with that is that as you get further and further away from being a kid and knowing what kids want (and, for example how different 2012/2013 is from 1984 or 1997, or even 2007 in terms of business plans from Hasbro, distribution models of stock, retailers attitudes, technology that has kids interests, kids themselves), it becomes harder and harder to say you understand what does and doesn't work for the franchise. Because you don't. You know what works for you now and what worked for you in the past.

That might have sounded harsher than intended, I mean, I absolutely know where everyone who says that is coming from (and I say it all the time about things like Power Rangers no longer importing sentai mecha), it's just... it's a fallacy.

[griffin]

Uuh. First thing I saw was "Distributed in Australia".
This is new?

It's a standard packaging template for Hasbro US, to allow them to sell stock to Australia, NZ and North America, if ever they are able to. When people are doing up the packaging design, they don't know if the American product is going to end up in Australia or NZ, but they know that it can be sold here if Hasbro AUS needs it or wants it.
It's just forward planning (to save money later) ever since the late 90s when Hasbro Australia started getting their stock from Hasbro America in stead of Hasbro UK... Otherwise, it would cost money to do up completely new packaging just for Australia.
It doesn't cost them anything to have the extra bit of text on every packaging from the start.

[Bidoofdude]

They all think FOC Grimlock is a masterpiece as well, so um, yeah ?



I dont think anyone is feeling they will be forced to buy it at all from the comments so far. The criticism is well justified. It is an ugly looking toy regardless of purchase or not.

I for one like some of the retooled beast hunters stuff. Wheeljack looks good and it reminds me of Mad Max in a way, so am very interested in the new toys. However Soundwave and Starscream are the two weakest figures they have shown imo. Maybe it's a plane thing?

I always did sorta like TFW...

[The_Damned]

My first question is, "is it a retool or a new figure?" My second one is, "what's with the Cybertron brimstone homage?"

I love the vitriol this thread has generated. It's like you'll be forced to buy it for some abstract reason. A Hasbro rep holding a gun to your head or something. It's funny.

i find the hate funny as i am sure my 4 year will love this starscream and that is who the TOY is aimed at and not some 20+ toy collector. Anyway i find it hard to really make my mind up abou the toy without seeing a good pic of it.

[SuspectimusPrime]

My second one is, "what's with the Cybertron brimstone homage?"

I was thinking the same thing when I saw this.

Maybe the same guy who did Starscream was also the same person who did Predaking, and absolutely LOVED Cybertron/Galaxy Force..

[SMHFConvoy]

There is that whole, "reforging" thing in the Rage of the Dinobots mini maybe that's what has happened to Soundwave and Starscream hence the Cybertron call backs.

[i_amtrunks]

Not sure if the hasbro demographic has shifted a few years younger, but I just showed some of these pics to my 8 and 10 year old cousins and they were not impressed. Possibly could have something to do with them not seeing the show.

These kids loved the movie toys that they could actually transform too, so they are not non-tf kids.

I do find it silly that animated got cancelled for Prime, and now Prime is going off the crazy side, when Animated would have possibly been a better fit for a series with armour and spikes and costumes.

Maybe Hasblow have seen the success of costume sets for bayblades, zhuzhu pets or even the non movie batman toys and decided to chance their arm on what is a diminished toyline to them? Can't say I think it's a good idea, their last two forays into new markets with the tf license have been lacklustre; hot wheels tf and Lego tf (I like kreo, but they were not a big seller.) even botshots have been poor sellers locally, but I'd wager that is more due to price.

[griffin]

Clearer images of DLX Starscream, in and out of packaging.


The changes make that tiny toy a lot bigger, but very ugly.

[SMHFConvoy]

In hand pics of Beast Hunters Starscream and Ripclaw at TFW2005

Like Bulkhead, A Starscream's smaller. I think the BH SS would look better in silver with gold accents. Looks a lot like an unmanned drone like Soundwave. Ripclaw looks awesome though.

[kaiden]

SS looks like some kind of ugly jet/insecticon lovechild.