Quote Originally Posted by kup View Post
I have a feeling that they are moving towards westernizing all the names in all contemporary franchises. Animated was also called Optimus Prime and he isn't exactly movie.
They are still keeping Convoy around for G1-based franchises like Alternity, though.

As for Animated, apparently at one time TakaraTomy were going to rework the series to be part of the movies. Before the series debut, previews in in Figure Ō magazine, and one in TV Magazine, Animated was to be heavily altered in order to make it take place within the continuity of the 2007 live-action mode. According to TakaraTomy marketing director Masahiko Yamazaki, it takes place chronologically before the movie. Of course, the dub features none of this, so who knows that the hell they were talking about.

http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transf...age-scans.html

http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-...etails-169265/

In regards to Starxus, I think that the Japanese just tried a little harder in naming him. Hasbro equivalent would have been 'Decepticon Straxus' or even 'Darkmound Straxus'.
I would think there would have been something that falls under the International Class 28, "Toys and Sporting Goods" in one of the markets that Hasbro operates in that was named too similarly for Hasbro to trademark the toy as variations of Straxus.

In that case, they cannot just slap "Decepticon" or something onto the name and call it a day.