have hasbro/takara become lazy...

[liegeprime]

ON the repaint and reuse issue of molds... I can think about now is that of Cybertron Defense Scattorshot mold - it has been sooooo used not only officially twice recouloured in the Universe line, but also used in the convention exclusive and one more in particular I can't recall.... and I still dont have any of these toys ... at all ... not sure why, but it does not call to me.

[d*r*j*]

I really love repaints.
I love the ones Hasbro do;
SkyWarp, AcidStorm, 25th Starscream
The ones I do;
Thundercracker
Hasbro's slight retools;
Ramjet
And my re-retools;
Dirge

I own 7 copies of the g1 Optimus Prime mold
and 6 copies of the g1 slag mold.

I draw the line at exclusives (I'd rather just paint my own) and autobot cars.
The closest thing to a g1 car (excluding combiners) in my collection is either Optimus Prime or kup... haha neither are really that close. I have universe Ironhide, Sunstreaker and Smokescreen... but passed on the repaints.

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

I love that Simpsons episode.

I'm not a completist, but can happily live with repaints as long as there's some kind of (semi-plausible) reason & it's not ridiculously overused (i.e. Cyb Scattorshot). Given the engineering costs involved compared to a simple toy car or action figure I can see how Hasbro would need to recoup costs, and repaints are a pretty good way to do so. Yes it's lazy, but it's good business, and let's face it, it's tradition. G1 just wouldn't be the same without the seekers, or both Rumble AND Frenzy.

In defence of recolours, a lot of the time I prefer the recolours to the originals - i.e. Energon vs. Armada Tidal Wave, BM/Universe Strika, Energon Mirage/Dreadwing. I didn't pick one up due to lack of $ but Universe Blades looks pretty sweet too and the rotor gimmick was a nice nod to his character. On the other hand yellow Rescue Ratchet is horrible, even with my penchant for gaudiness (G2 Combaticons rock my world but even I have limits).
What does tick me off is toys like Animated Sunstorm, Shockwave and co. shelfwarming in the USA while we don't get them released over here. I remember the last movie flood season and it had me baying at the moon for some variety...

[GoktimusPrime]

Repaints like Rumble & Frenzy and the Seekers isn't as shameless as all the "Powerlinx upgrades" or all the different versions of Lockdown or yellow Ratchet - ya know, the kind of repaints that just make you scratch your head and go, "WTH?!"

In defence of recolours, a lot of the time I prefer the recolours to the originals - i.e. Energon vs. Armada Tidal Wave, BM/Universe Strika, Energon Mirage/Dreadwing

But you'll notice that all the repaints that you prefer came after the originals were released? i.e.: Hasbro releases a mould first in - let's admit it - acceptable colours. Then they release them in better colours later in an attempt to make collectors think, "Damn it! Now I want that one!" It reeks of a plan to milk more money from collectors after they've already given money to Hasbro from buying the originals. Again - same as the Malibu Stacy w/ hat analogy... they were targetting collectors who already had Malibu Stacy but who would then want the new version with a cool hat! The fact is, the original version should've come with a hat in the first place!

What does tick me off is toys like Animated Sunstorm, Shockwave and co. shelfwarming in the USA while we don't get them released over here. I remember the last movie flood season and it had me baying at the moon for some variety...

I agree. Hasbro AU has been getting pret-ty slack with local distribution here. Finding Universe Inferno is like finding rain - some places are flooded but while a lot of other areas (like my areas) have been in drought - it's like the the distribution we had with the Ultra Transmetal 2s. And a lot of other toys are just not seeing the light of day here. Then there's the response Hasbro AU gave me regarding MP Grimlock... (-_-)

Back on the issue of lazy repaints - what also irks me are unfocussed repaints. By this I mean repaints where they're trying to do something that makes sense, but screw it up in the end. Universe Mudflap is a classic example of this - the toy is obviously meant to be a tribute to Erector... but they screwed it up not changing his allegiance to Autobot or changing his name from Mudflap -- that's not just lazy, but also downright "we need Ritalin stat!" inattentive. Or Universe Powerglide with Hot House's colours. Buh!?!

Then there are just some, IMHO, odd choices for tributive repaints like Universe Treadbolt. Treadbolt?! For any of you who've purchased this toy or intend to purchase this toy -- be honest... before you heard of Universe Treadbolt, how much did you know or care about G1 Treadbolt? Name one thing Treadbolt did in G1 continuity (without looking it up).

Here's the answer: Treadbolt did nothing. He had no appearance in the G1 cartoon, comics, animé or manga! He was just a toy who was released in 1990 as a member of the Micromaster Air Patrol Team

Tread Bolt is such an odd choice for a repaint intended for mass market release due to the character's relative obscurity and seems to me to be a better suited choice for an exclusive repaint. Seems strange that Classics Thundercracker, Dirge and Thrust had to become BotCon exclusives (and sold like hot cakes), and yet I'm seeing Universe Tread Bolt shelfwarming at TRU. Odd!

[Defcon]

I agree with everything you said Gok. Very articulate I think you said it perfectly.

I love repaints especially of my favorite moulds. Ideally maximum of 2. I think 3 or more is just crazy ! and to list a few repaints from the universe line and some from the movie line

I hate - Heavy Load, Blaster, Dropshot, Overload, and Vector Prime, Inferno(movie), Off road Ironhide(movie)
I think these are alright - Tread Bolt, Springer, Roadbuster, Evac(movie), Rescue Ratchet(movie)
I like - Blades, Ratbat, Overkill, Dragstrip
Looking foward to - Darkwind, Countdown

I hated premium repaints for the movie line, I didn't get any as I already had the original released toys. I wasn't fussed, I was over the movie line and didn't care. Imagine how one would feel if they loved the movie toys to an obsessional degree! I would be upset ! and feel ripped off.

[GoktimusPrime]

I hated premium repaints for the movie line, I didn't get any as I already had the original released toys.

The Premium series is pretty much the same as "Powerlinx upgrade" repaints where they release the better repaint shortly after to milk more money out of collectors. When the movie toys first came out, I remember saying that HasTak should've given Bumblebee interchangeable heads - one being the regular head and the other being the battle-mask head. An easy thing considering how easily Deluxe Bumblebee's head can pop off. At the time I also - in a sarcastically cynical way - said any bet that HasTak will give us the same toy later with the battle mask. And whaddaya know - I was right! And they gave it to us twice - one with regular Bumblebee colours and the other in black. I got the one in regular colours... but yeah, I felt duped. They could've just given it to us with the original toy.

I suppose HasTak's counter argument would be the budget, i.e.: that they can't afford to include an interchangeable head or it would exceed budget. They could've sacrificed other things like the transformable weapon. Would anyone care if Bumblebee's gun didn't transform into a blade (which he never uses in the movie anyway)? Or alternatively, they could release a Transformers accessory pack that could include things like Bumblebee's battle head, Optimus Prime's sabre, Autobot Jazz's shield, Autobot Ratchet's gun etc. -- they did the same with Star Wars and it sold. Or perhaps release a line of 10cm (same scale as GI Joe, Star Wars, Indy Jones and current Marvel figures) action figures for human characters, and include a TF accessory with each figure. e.g. Sam Witwicky could come with Bumblebee's battle head, Mikaela Banes could come with Ratchet's gun, William Lennox could come with Jazz's shield etc.

I don't know what Hasbro's aversion to releasing human action figures in TFs is. Maybe they got burned with Kicker - but the problem with Kicker was that it was a crap action figure (I've seen it, if I didn't know any better I'd say it was a knock off of Takara's Kicker) and because it came with that oversized High Wire Transformer it also bumped the price up. They could easily sell human TF figures at a comparable price point to 10cm GI Joes, Star Wars, Indy Jones and Marvel action figures.

Imagine how one would feel if they loved the movie toys to an obsessional degree! I would be upset ! and feel ripped off.

Welcome to the world of the completists! I'm not a true completist, but I feel ripped from time to time as with the movie Bumblebee example. (-_-)

[dirge]

But you'll notice that all the repaints that you prefer came after the originals were released? i.e.: Hasbro releases a mould first in - let's admit it - acceptable colours. Then they release them in better colours later in an attempt to make collectors think, "Damn it! Now I want that one!" It reeks of a plan to milk more money from collectors after they've already given money to Hasbro from buying the originals.

Exactly the reason I'm not gunna pick up Samurai Prowl. Yes, it's cool. Yes, it doesn't come with the Traffic Light Of Doom. But it's another $30 for essentially the same thing, and I'm very happy with the original. I'm not complaining about it - if others choose to grab it that's fine - but I'm voting with my wallet.

Then there are just some, IMHO, odd choices for tributive repaints like Universe Treadbolt. Treadbolt?! For any of you who've purchased this toy or intend to purchase this toy -- be honest... before you heard of Universe Treadbolt, how much did you know or care about G1 Treadbolt? Name one thing Treadbolt did in G1 continuity (without looking it up).

Actually I've always liked Treadbolt. But as obscure as he is, what really turned me off is how lazy the repaint is. Just as Mudflap has that awful white/yellow mix instead of Erector's grey/yellow, Treadbolt has all that brown - the original had none, and I don't see any compelling reason for a blue and yellow toy to have brown (black would have just looked a lot better).

Tabias, I feel your pain. Repaints are always going to be a part of the Transformers line, but since Armada's flood of randomised repaints (BTW, when Hasbro announced that line, they proudly proclaimed there would be _no_ repaints), there has been a trend of uninspired repaints (such as the Energon Energon repaints Gok mentioned) and some really lazy implementations such as Treadbolt & Mudflap.

When it comes down to it, vote with your wallet. That's the most powerful statement you can make, since Hasbro are interested in your $$ more than your experience after purchase (TT to a lesser extent, they do put a little more value into customer experience).

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Repaints like Rumble & Frenzy and the Seekers isn't as shameless as all the "Powerlinx upgrades" or all the different versions of Lockdown or yellow Ratchet - ya know, the kind of repaints that just make you scratch your head and go, "WTH?!"

I'll totally pay that, but the point I was trying to make is that repainting stuff is pretty much a given in TFs, and one that has potential to work well. I'm not a completist and usually wait for sales, so often by the time I get a figure it's got a repaint or 2 anyway, and I just choose the one I like best. I agree, it is lazy, but I'm lazy too so I just don't buy the ones I don't like - my only problem with the lazy repaint flooding in Oz is that it's taking up space that could otherwise be filled with other new non-lazy (well, excepting Atomic Lugnut) stuff. Alternately, we're pretty close to Asia and have a pretty good trade with Japan, how about some joint Hasbro/Takara goodness like Taiwan or Singapore?

But you'll notice that all the repaints that you prefer came after the originals were released? i.e.: Hasbro releases a mould first in - let's admit it - acceptable colours. Then they release them in better colours later in an attempt to make collectors think, "Damn it! Now I want that one!" It reeks of a plan to milk more money from collectors after they've already given money to Hasbro from buying the originals. Again - same as the Malibu Stacy w/ hat analogy... they were targetting collectors who already had Malibu Stacy but who would then want the new version with a cool hat! The fact is, the original version should've come with a hat in the first place!

Heh, all TF 'fans' have a love-hate relationship with Hasbro (except maybe Japan). The trouble with that analogy is that the only 'collector' hot to trot for New Hat Malibu Stacy was Smithers. The rest were all small children. While Universe Dragstrip etc are nods to the (usually older) fans, most of these repaints are aimed at kids. When you get right down to it, we are all pretty much adults who collect/play with children's toys. I can live with that - it's better than 'alcoholic' - but it's not like an evil plan or a personal affront to us as collectors, it's just that TFs are a business franchise aimed primarily at children.

Then there's the response Hasbro AU gave me regarding MP Grimlock... (-_-)

Back on the issue of lazy repaints - what also irks me are unfocussed repaints. By this I mean repaints where they're trying to do something that makes sense, but screw it up in the end. Universe Mudflap is a classic example of this - the toy is obviously meant to be a tribute to Erector... but they screwed it up not changing his allegiance to Autobot or changing his name from Mudflap -- that's not just lazy, but also downright "we need Ritalin stat!" inattentive. Or Universe Powerglide with Hot House's colours. Buh!?!

Totally. I would have really liked to have seen Movie Mudflap as Grapple and a Hoist-esque repainted Longarm as 2-pack a la Blackout/Scorponok myself. And don't get me started on the latest Combaticons set - how hard is it to repaint one of the Aerialbot limbs and include a Blast-Off who can actually fly? It's not like the Treadshot mold couldn't sorta have been passed off as a 'space fighter' or something. A slight remold/recolor of movie scout Hardtop (I don't know the base figure) or Energon Strongarm would work as a Swindle too. It's not like that's a lot effort, and having so many different limb sets would mean more potential for even more lame Energon combiner repaints in the future. Jeez Hasbro, remember how ages ago those wacky Japanese came up with a little something called "Scramble City"?.

Tread Bolt is such an odd choice for a repaint intended for mass market release due to the character's relative obscurity and seems to me to be a better suited choice for an exclusive repaint. Seems strange that Classics Thundercracker, Dirge and Thrust had to become BotCon exclusives (and sold like hot cakes), and yet I'm seeing Universe Tread Bolt shelfwarming at TRU. Odd!

Stoopid no mass-Aus-release-Seekers. With Tread Bolt I just assumed they picked a name at random and hoped the kids who missed out on Skyfire would be happy with an 'evil' repaint. That or it's a repeat of the BW TM Inferno/Scavenger trademark protection thing.

[MV75]

Exactly the reason I'm not gunna pick up Samurai Prowl. Yes, it's cool. Yes, it doesn't come with the Traffic Light Of Doom. But it's another $30 for essentially the same thing, and I'm very happy with the original. I'm not complaining about it - if others choose to grab it that's fine - but I'm voting with my wallet.



Actually I've always liked Treadbolt. But as obscure as he is, what really turned me off is how lazy the repaint is. Just as Mudflap has that awful white/yellow mix instead of Erector's grey/yellow, Treadbolt has all that brown - the original had none, and I don't see any compelling reason for a blue and yellow toy to have brown (black would have just looked a lot better).

Tabias, I feel your pain. Repaints are always going to be a part of the Transformers line, but since Armada's flood of randomised repaints (BTW, when Hasbro announced that line, they proudly proclaimed there would be _no_ repaints), there has been a trend of uninspired repaints (such as the Energon Energon repaints Gok mentioned) and some really lazy implementations such as Treadbolt & Mudflap.

When it comes down to it, vote with your wallet. That's the most powerful statement you can make, since Hasbro are interested in your $$ more than your experience after purchase (TT to a lesser extent, they do put a little more value into customer experience).

Bit hard though to say vote with your wallet when they don't release any new toys and these ones are the only things TF on the shelves..... Some people need a TF fix, or kids just want a TF no matter what.

[dirge]

Bit hard though to say vote with your wallet when they don't release any new toys and these ones are the only things TF on the shelves..... Some people need a TF fix, or kids just want a TF no matter what.

Yeah I'm not really referring to kids, obviously, since this discussion is from an adults POV... but you're right about in that respect.

In terms of us adult collectors... I stand by my comment. It's not always easy to resist the urge to buy whatever is on the shelves, but I still recommend doing so. I remember coming out of the BM era when we had few TFs on the shelves... and some really poor ones at that... regretting a _lot_ of my purchases.

Now I just stockpile... many of my Henkei/Universe toys (Hound, Sideswipe, Ratchet, Bluestreak, along with some BTs and various other stuff) are still sealed, and I'm slowly opening them. I get my "fix" without buying unsatisfying crap