Wonderfest 2010 Images

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Just for those playing at home, that street scene was also used for the ROTF toys at the toy fare last year.

I notice hey are calling Optimus Prime "Optimus Prime" as opposed to the usual "Convoy"

面白い。。。

[Kyle]

Hasbro ones are more screen accurate, but ignoring that the TakaraTomy ones look so much better as stand alone toys... So shiny...

Just for those playing at home, that street scene was also used for the ROTF toys at the toy fare last year.

Noticed that too. Wouldn't mind having something like that at home...

I notice hey are calling Optimus Prime "Optimus Prime" as opposed to the usual "Convoy"

面白い。。。

The packagings seem to have a little more English on them than usual. They even state Deluxe Class, Voyager Class etc and have safety warning label in English... O_o

[GoktimusPrime]

That's because all the movie Transformers are referred by their Anglophone names in Japan.
e.g.:
Optimus Prime = オプティマスプライム(not Convoy)
Bumblebee = バンブルビー(not Bumble)
Jazz = ジャズ(not Meister)
Scorponok = スコルポノック(not Mega Zarak or Scorpos)
Devastator = デバステイター (not Devastar)
Ravage = ラヴィッジ (not Jaguar)
Autobots = オートーボット (not Cybertrons)
Decepticons = ディセプティコン (not Destrons)
...et al.
Reference: http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/TF/movie.html

I suspect that this was done to make the live action films easier to dub, because everytime someone says "Optimus Prime" their lips would be moving for four syllables instead of two for "Convoy" -- and I find that live action is harder to dub than animation. Movie Prime would also be harder to dub because he actually has lips! I remember Neil Kaplan saying that it was relatively a lot easier to dub Fire Convoy as Optimus Prime in RiD because he has no lips.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Yes, maybe I should have mentioned that I was referring to the Animated toys with my Prime vs Convoy comment.

[GoktimusPrime]

Oh right. Yes, I was surprised too. Methinks TakaraTOMY wants Animated to ride on the coattails of the movie franchise's success. You'll notice that they've used the movie font for the Transformers Animated titles on the packaging.