TakaraTomy Premium Finish series

[griffin]

Yep, and they are both au$120 on EB.... both being Voyagers.

It reminds me of that Japanese Cloud series of 8 toys, which were also recolours with new heads, but twice the price of the original toys of that size class.
The paint details on the SS-02 Voyager Optimus is quite impressive, but it's like they are trying to make cheap plastic retail toys look like expensive Masterpiece collectables.

[DELTAprime]

So... More of the Premium Series figures are coming apparently. This time an Ultra Magnus that looks suspiciously like a previously released Hasbro version and a Movie Megatron.

https://www.seibertron.com/transform...n-japan/46090/

[Tha_Phantom]

I really hope that the rumoured Premium Springer doesn't double down on the battle damage too. I just want a clean version of Siege.

[griffin]

A leader class toy... nah I'm out.
These being twice the price everywhere (not just here), with just paint improvements and nothing added or changed..

[griffin]

A couple of images released by TakaraTomy of SS-03 VOY Megatron, showing a toy with just about every part painted to look like battle wear... which could be where the inflated cost is going.

[nalops]

Up on Eb Games and Zing. SS Megatron is 119, Ultra Magnus is 169!!??

[JJJ]

Yup.

I think I've worked it out - since Takara stopped issuing their own lines of CHUG toys with better paint (and accessories), their place of prestige (superior product to Hasbro) has fallen away.

This will be their attempt to claim it back, using a clearly over-priced line to do it. Because of course more expensive must mean better, regardless of the actual quality.

It may even work if there are enough suckers, and hey, there could be; look at fashion.

For me though, Takara is (beyond their design work) simply irrelevant, and nothing like this will change that.

[griffin]

TakaraTomy have also put out images of Ultra Magnus, with one image comparing it to the regular Hasbro release... and aside from the white plastic being grey, there doesn't appear to be too much different between them, making it less inspiring to me.

[JJJ]

If anyone is particularly interested in this over-painted and extra-grey Magnus, The Falcon's Hangar has it listed at only SGD 85. That's one hell of an Australia tax we're being stuck with...

[griffin]

Yep, and they are both au$120 on EB.... both being Voyagers.

I just noticed on the NZ EBGames site, they still have the second wave on offer, but the Australian site doesn't (even though we still have the first wave on offer).
And... their Voyager sized Transformers exclusives are cheaper than in Australia, when they should be more expensive (due to exchange rate) like all of the other items on there. Their Voyager Premium Finish toys are nz$109 compared to au$119 here... and I see that one of their Gen Selects Voyagers is also $5 cheaper than here.