Gobots finally making a return?

[DELTAprime]

So according to TFW Bandai of all people are making Masterpiece Go-bots.http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-...gobots-182019/

I'm not sure how Bandai is making toys of a Hasbro cartoon, but they are.

[Paulbot]

They're making Machine Robo toys. Nothing to do with the international toyline that reused the original Machine Robo toys or the cartoon that followed based on the toyline.

[DELTAprime]

But the design looks like Hasbro/Tonka's cartoon appearance, not the Machine Robo toy. Anyway I'm no expert on Gobots, I've only seen screen caps and pictures of the toys.

[Robzy]

This is great!

I'd say these designs look more like the MR toy counterparts than the US cartoon (mind you, the cartoon appearances were closer to their toy designs than Transformers ever were). Don't forget that Bandai already released updated versions of the original design with Machine Robo Rescue in 2003, which included similar designs to what the original GoBots were based on. They own the rights.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Yay, this makes me fairly happy! Always had a soft spot for the machine men.

[Trent]

I'll probably pick up Leader-1 and Turbo

[liegeprime]

Ill buy them all....I wonder if they'll make more... hoping for a Crasher, Coptur, Pathfinder and Scooter... Hmm I wonder if they'll come up with the Monsterous figures. As well as Vamp, Scorp, Creepy, Pincher Et all. Are these all in plastic or are there metal parts as well?

[GoktimusPrime]

But the design looks like Hasbro/Tonka's cartoon appearance, not the Machine Robo toy. Anyway I'm no expert on Gobots, I've only seen screen caps and pictures of the toys.

The Gobots have never appeared in the Transformers cartoon or Hasbro's toyline. As others have mentioned, this is actually a return of Bandai's Machine Robo rather than Gobots... so calling them Gobots is kiiinda misleading (akin referring to Macross or Diaclone as 'Transformers').

Also, even if Hasbro does own the rights for the Gobots designs, it still wouldn't affect what Bandai does with it for Machine Robo in Japan. I think it's similar to how Harmony Gold owns the rights for the Robotech designs in the USA, but Big West still holds the rights to continue making Macross in Japan. Cos knowing what HG are like with jealously hoarding and squatting on their IP, there'd be no way that they would've allowed Studio Nue/Big West to do anything w/ Macross if they had the chance! Thankfully this hasn't been the case, and Nue/Big West have continued to make numerous Macross series since the original.

Video links for comparison:
Challenge of the Gobots intro
Original Machine Robo (Revenge of Chronos) Opening
Gobots toy commercial
Machine Robo toy advert
...although I'd really love to see the Australian version of the Gobots commercial which called the toys "Machine Men" instead.

[High_Q]

These look amazing in both modes. Not usually a collector of transforming toys that aren't TFs, but I'll get the Blue Jet Robo. Was tempted to get the EM Gokin release of it but was disappointed by the parts-forming. It seems like for this version of Blue Jet, the jet's nose cone splits to become the robot's two scabbards. Clever if that's the case.

[griffin]

But the design looks like Hasbro/Tonka's cartoon appearance, not the Machine Robo toy. Anyway I'm no expert on Gobots, I've only seen screen caps and pictures of the toys.

The Gobots have never appeared in the Transformers cartoon or Hasbro's toyline. As others have mentioned, this is actually a return of Bandai's Machine Robo rather than Gobots... so calling them Gobots is kiiinda misleading (akin referring to Macross or Diaclone as 'Transformers').

DeltaPrime was actually correct, as he said "Tonka's cartoon", not Transformers cartoon or Toyline - and it was the cartoon that he thinks they look more like than the physical Gobots/Machine Robo toys (similar to how most of the Transformers Masterpiece toys look more like they do on the cartoon/comic than their original 1980s toy).

(and Tonka is now part of Hasbro... so retroactively, it's Hasbro's cartoon now, but can't do much with it because of Bandai's ownership of the toy designs)