Transformers questions by newbies, and not-so-newbies

[Jaxius._]

How do you pronounce the 'G' of Ginrai? Is it 'G' as in Guinness, or 'G' as in gin?

Pretty sure it is the same as gin.

[GoktimusPrime]

How do you pronounce the 'G' of Ginrai? Is it 'G' as in Guinness, or 'G' as in gin?

Pretty sure it is the same as gin.

Jaxius._ is correct. For this reason I initially spelt his name more phonetically as "Jinrai," but the official spelling is "Ginrai." Mind you, sometimes the official spelling on some Japanese toys can be quite different how they're supposed to be pronounced (because to most Japanese people Roman letters are purely decorative).

e.g. (official spelling) → (actual pronunciation)

• Ginrai → Jinrai ("jinn-rye"); ジンライ=jinrai

• Minelba → Minerva; although it can also be Minelba because Japanese doesn't differentiate between l/r or b/v. Also in Classical Latin although it's spelt "minerva" it's pronounced "minerwa" ("mee-nehrr-wah"), because the Romans always pronounced 'v' as 'w'; the pronunciation changed to /v/ in Vulgar Latin; ミベルバ=mineruba

• Carb → Cab キャブ

• Jallguar → Jalgar; the "u" is silent. This follows the same rule as the Japanese pronunciation of G1 Ravage's name, Jaguar - which is pronounced as "Jagar" (ジャガー;jagaa); ジャルガー=jarugaa

Other names which are sometimes mispronounced by Anglophone fans:

• Leozack = Léo ("leh-oh"), not "lee-oh"; レオザック=reozakku

• Lio Kaiser = "lye-oh" Kaiser, not "lee-oh" Kaiser; ライオカイザー=raiokaizaa

• Lio Convoy = "lye-oh" Convoy, not "lee-oh" Convoy; ライオコンボイ=raiokonboi

[Mythirax]

So I'm trying to work something out, as google searches have left me with no answers.

I been looking at Titan Wars Fortmax's Waist, is it put on the wrong way?

Seeming as it's the same waist piece as Metroplex, it's just backwards? It just looks strange with the screws facing the front.

So you guys can see what I mean.

[Sinnertwin]

So I'm trying to work something out, as google searches have left me with no answers.

I been looking at Titan Wars Fortmax's Waist, is it put on the wrong way?

Seeming as it's the same waist piece as Metroplex, it's just backwards? It just looks strange with the screws facing the front.

So you guys can see what I mean.

nah, it's supposed to be that way as part of his retool

[Jaxius._]

They used as many parts from MEtroplex as possible so it would be cheaper, ramps, shoulder cannon, left shoulder, legs, crotch, and more are all reuses.

[Mythirax]

Guess I might take mine apart

[GoktimusPrime]

Yes, Fortress Maximus' waist is reversed from Metroplex's. I suspect that this may have been deliberately done as:
a/ The alt modes may no longer require the waits to rotate 180 degrees
b/ To make the waist look more distinct from Metroplex. It gives the appearance of being retooled without actually being retooled.

Here's a comparison; (L-R): TR Fort Max's crotch, LG Fort Max's crotch, Gen Metroplex's butt

I couldn't find any images of Fort Max's butt (bummer), but I'm assuming that it'd be the same as Metroplex's crotch. Anyone able to post a further comparison?

P.S.: Can anyone tell me what the Autobot text on Fort Max's crotch says? It's too low res for me to make it out.

[Golden Phoenix]

I think they have also reversed the base of the whole torso.
Even though the waist swivels, I see this bit on the back of Metroplex, but on the front of Fort Max.


Not sure why they moved it to the front though, unless it couldn't have been made flush with the back (I'm assuming he ends up on his back in City mode).

The question is why they didn't remould it out? It was part of the transformation for Metroplex. I don't have Fort Max yet, but does it still let you fold out the arm? Do you have to pull the arm out from the side for transformation at all?

[Mythirax]

I saw in a video someone fold the arm out. But it seemed pretty useless

[GoktimusPrime]

I initially thought that the lack of remoulding there was due to budget reasons... but given the significantly higher price tag on this toy over Metroplex, I find it harder to swallow that excuse. (-_-)