Unite Warriors Defensor

[griffin]

We only just had the Devastator teased, and now we get Defensor teased with a silhouette... with a leg that looks like it could be a motorcycle (Groove).

As I had speculated in the UW Devastator topic...

if this gets numbered as UW-03 because it is being teased before Defensor, I wonder if TakaraTomy are pushing Devastator ahead of the release of Defensor, to give them more time to be able to use the rumoured Motorcycle mould for Groove (if the rumours are true about Technobots being one of the first of the second series of Combiners... which should be out by the end of the year by Hasbro).

Based on the timing of Superion and Menasor, by the time Defensor comes out in Japan, it should be close to the end of the year, and we should have the first wave of the second series of Hasbro combiners by then... which is rumoured to include Combaticons and Technobots.

[prjkt]

Interesting... already have the Hasbro W3, so like the other sets, not going to buy the whole lot, but'll be cool to see what this deluxe Groove looks like, and if Hasbro will pull a Quickslinger/Brake-Neck and release him too...

Also, is this (one of) the first time(s) Takara has revealed a classics-verse mould before Hasbro?

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

That does look like a new mold, rather than the Rook-wearing-Groove idea some people are speculating about elsewhere.

Assuming it is a new Deluxe Groove, there's a pretty good chance I'll be open for trading it for a Rook-and-Legends-Groove if anyone's interested. I actually prefer the vaguely-more-plausible-scale of the Hasbro version.

[Akky82]

That does look like a new mold, rather than the Rook-wearing-Groove idea some people are speculating about elsewhere.

Assuming it is a new Deluxe Groove, there's a pretty good chance I'll be open for trading it for a Rook-and-Legends-Groove if anyone's interested. I actually prefer the vaguely-more-plausible-scale of the Hasbro version.

I'd likely be keen for that, depends how long the wait is on the hasbro deluxe, but i couldnt keep them sealed, have to display! I understand about the scale, if it's a retool of Afterburner then I guess it'll be some kind of batman'ish bike with a cockpit etc, rather than a giants bike ala g1 (although... Scale already out the window woth blades vs streetwise).

I was originally happy to get the extra moulds like brake-neck, alpha-bravo, rook, to make galvatronus or go with the white prime. But I've passed on Cyclonus, unless I see him discounted at retail, and I'm actually happy with Off-road, then with prowl etc being released as limbs I'll be passing on extras now. With 3 combiners out now, I'm happy to wait for the TTUW sets of Bruticus, Computron and whatever follows... just wish I'd waited for the TTUW Defensor too.

[ampoldj]

Well from Hisashi Yuki he says it seems TT is pushing Defensor to be UW03. If Menasor is due August, this one may be October-December release enough for Hasbro to release some new Combiners possibly the Technobots.

[BigTransformerTrev]

Well there goes more of my money

Odds looking up and up for the Technobots, if they come to fruition I'll prob skip the TFCC Afterburner

[TAAUBlaster]

If Takara do release a deluxe size Groove, I think I might just give up on the Hasbro sets and get 2 sets of the Unite Warriors figs (one to open, one to keep sealed.) I'm over playing Hasbro's game.

[Sinnertwin]

I'm over playing Hasbro's game.

indeed

[Zommael]

I'm over playing Hasbro's game.

I don't really think Hasbro are intentionally playing any sort of "game" with regard to the release of the G1 characters. They (rightly, IMO) decided it would be better to have a set of unique moulds make up each combiner, and so created new characters to take the spots of the two most redundant characters. Then, after Takara went a different direction and they were able to gauge fan demand, they decided to release redecos that would serve as those characters. It's not game playing or an attempt to trick anyone, it's just marketing.

[Akky82]

I don't really think Hasbro are intentionally playing any sort of "game" with regard to the release of the G1 characters. They (rightly, IMO) decided it would be better to have a set of unique moulds make up each combiner, and so created new characters to take the spots of the two most redundant characters. Then, after Takara went a different direction and they were able to gauge fan demand, they decided to release redecos that would serve as those characters. It's not game playing or an attempt to trick anyone, it's just marketing.

I was about to post saying I agree with the 'games' comment, but now I'll say I can see it both ways. Maybe thats why they're sticking to the original team for the combaticons? Either way, Defensor will be the last time I buy 5 deluxes for 1 combiner, and am leaning towards UW now. We'll see with Bruticus (and also depends how sexy the set packaging looks for the ones coming).