Corrections and comments from Eric - promo event. (Spoilers)

[FFN]

What's funny is both companies have said it's been this way since G1 in the 80s. Collaboration is what makes good Transformers toys.

[kup]

I don't understand. In the wiki Eric is credited with designing Classics Bumblebee and Mirage.

This older interview states otherwise:

http://pingmag.jp/2007/06/29/transformers/

Extract:

PingMag got hold of Australian Alex Kubalsky of Takaratomy in Tokyo, who not only happens to be the sole foreign toy designer in Japan - he also designed all the transformations for Transformer’s Bumblebee, Mirage and more cute fan gear!

[Kyle]

I don't understand. In the wiki Eric is credited with designing Classics Bumblebee and Mirage.

This older interview states otherwise:

http://pingmag.jp/2007/06/29/transformers/

Extract:

My guess is:

Hasbro (eg. Eric) would draw up the initial concepts and designs, then pass these to Takara. Takara (eg. Alex) would then re-draw these designs in his own ways, and engineer a prototype.

[GoktimusPrime]

What's funny is both companies have said it's been this way since G1 in the 80s. Collaboration is what makes good Transformers toys.

Overall it is indeed a collaborative effort - sometimes it's more Hasbro-focused and other times more Takara-focused (or even exclusively developed by one company) - depends on which line we're talking about. But on the whole, Transformers is a cooperative Hasbro/Takara franchise. Assuming otherwise has anything to do with being a "Japanophile" but really more to do with being ignorant... after all, there are plenty of ignoramuses who also falsely assume that Transformers is entirely made by Hasbro.

The way Eric described Hasbro's cooperation with Takara sounds a lot like how Hasbro and Takara worked together during G1 & G2 as described by Ōno Kōjin.

[Golden Phoenix]

My guess is:

Hasbro (eg. Eric) would draw up the initial concepts and designs, then pass these to Takara. Takara (eg. Alex) would then re-draw these designs in his own ways, and engineer a prototype.

That is basically the way Eric put it when we asked him.
He said he did concept sketches for both modes and some basic transformation steps and then Takara figured out the engineering and made some design changes

[GoktimusPrime]

And it's the way it's almost always worked since 1986. HasTak FTW.

[FFN]

I don't understand. In the wiki Eric is credited with designing Classics Bumblebee and Mirage.

This older interview states otherwise:

http://pingmag.jp/2007/06/29/transformers/

Extract:

Didn't you read my explanation on the first page? On the wiki we credit toys to all of their designers if known. Toy designs are a collaborative process between the companies and design teams, so nobody gets all of the credit. I mean, I linked Alex Kabalsky's wiki article which lists all of his currently known designs, some of which are also credited to Hasbro's designers.

Unfortunately, it's much harder to get information on Takara's design team and who designed what toys.

[TheDirtyDigger]

I'll ask Alex about all this conjecture when I catch up with him.
He's due back (or is already) from a stint in Japan about now. His phone keeps going to voice message though.

[FFN]

No wait, it's wrong. Siph confused Alex with one of Takara's other then-new designers.

The list of toys credited to Alex on the TF Wiki was from the man himself.

[FFN]

Overall it is indeed a collaborative effort - sometimes it's more Hasbro-focused and other times more Takara-focused (or even exclusively developed by one company) - depends on which line we're talking about. But on the whole, Transformers is a cooperative Hasbro/Takara franchise. Assuming otherwise has anything to do with being a "Japanophile" but really more to do with being ignorant... after all, there are plenty of ignoramuses who also falsely assume that Transformers is entirely made by Hasbro.

"Hasbro designs all Transformers toys alone" is the usual attitude of the general Western audience and Western mainstream media, who are not aware of the existence of Takara (since Hasbro usually don't mention their Japanese business partner in press releases).

"Takara designs all Transformers toys alone" is the usual attitude of rabid anime fans who are used to Japanese companies designing all the toys, and American companies merely importing them. The thought of a close cooperation between a Japanese and an American company on the design level is such an alien concept that they refuse to accept it, as seen on ToyBoxDX.

Unlike the unaware Westerners (who usually don't know that Takara even exists), the "anime fans" folk are aware of Hasbro, but refuse to acknowledge the company's participation in the development process.