Transformers for Transformers sake

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

My (loose) formula:

1: Do I like it/like the look of it? Yes/No. If No, then Don't Buy.

2: Can I afford it? It's mostly been No for the past few years (being an English as a Foreign Language teacher during Covid times sort of sucked), now it's mostly Yes but I still prefer to buy loose and used. But there's still a Cost factor - it's a lot easier to justify a Scout or a Deluxe class figure than it is a Titan, for example. Especially since I also collect a few other things, so that Transformer I'm only mildly interested in could be, say, a Figma I like the look of or one of the the Number 57 Manhunter model kits I just found out about recently.

3: Is it a character I don't have yet, is it a particular personal favourite character, and/or can I repurpose it as a different character in my collection? I generally try to have just one version of each character in my collection, and also to have different molds to a large extent. It's a loose rule but I find that having 'clone' characters like the Sweeps or Seekers using different molds from different series makes for a more interesting collection for me, as does having characters who were originally remolds of each other as different figures from different lines, e.g. a Thrilling 30 Trailbreaker and an Earthrise Hoist. There are exceptions for favourite or major characters, and there's nothing wrong with getting a cool-looking toy and using it as an updated version of an old Micromaster or whatever, but still...I don't have the space or the budget for collecting entire different lines of the same characters over and over again.

4: As part of the above, do I have a version of the mold already? As a general rule, if I've already got a version of a mold, unless it's an extensive remold then I'll try and get whatever character is being remolded as a something with a different engineering or transformation scheme. Part of the fun of Transformers for me is the engineering and design, and I'd rather have different puzzles to play with than the same ones repeated where possible.

It's not a strict system and definitely isn't for everyone, but I find this approach helps stop the collection from getting out of hand while providing maximum interest and variety for me. Every now and then a character gets an upgrade but for the most part if I'm buying a figure then it's one I like the design of and the collection has stayed reasonably constant over the years.

[GoktimusPrime]

If I likes it I buys it.

I did admittedly go through an "addiction" phase in 2003-04 where I was buying a lot of stuff just for the sake of buying it rather than because I genuinely wanted it. Snapped out of it by 2005. But yeah, I generally look at buying toys that I would regret if I missed them. If not, then I don't.

Just one example, I'm skipping Legacy Skyquake. Nothing necessarily wrong with that toy per se, but it's just not my jam. Ditto Titan Class Cybertron Metroplex and Commander Class Armada Optimus Prime, which looks like an amazing figure, but it's just not one that appeals to me personally. These are toys that I'll likely enjoy for a few weeks or months and then get sick of them and look at selling them. So best to just not buy them in the first place.

I aim to buy for keeps, not to maintain a revolving door.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

No particular rhyme or reason for me. Does it look cool? Is it something exciting? Is it an interesting toy (if a new character). I'm feeling pretty in for all the Legacy Junkions because I am going through a few years of a loving Mad Max phase. About the only things I blindly buy are Head/Target/Power Masters or Cosmos.

[DELTAprime]

No matter how much I might like it, I will totally skip it if it's not a Pre-G1, G1, G2 or BW character in a Generations line. So Legacy, SS86, and some of the Bumblebee stuff. Even then though, I'm selective. For instance, I don't buy new G1 characters like the Legacy Junkions and I don't buy non-TV show characters from BW.

Seeing Hasbro put more AEC and Aligned products out is a bit of a relief. I can skip so much stuff now.

That said if they ever break out the original Animated moulds and do reissues I'll be buying some of them to complete my Animated collection. I'm very close to having the full set of Animated figures on my shelf, but I'm not willing to hit up the secondary market for them.

[Seraphim Prime]

I've been trying to develop a set of guiding principles rather than rules, particularly now that I am married and my financial choices / space choices are not my own anymore.

I think the best description is to say it's like a set of AFL goal posts - there are the 6 point goals - the "definites" and 1 point behinds - the "nice to haves". Although I'm only a couple of months into this process so the category definitions are blurry atm - moreso examples of what I have decided are not part of what I am getting.

Some things I have decided are out are

• the recent WFC Studio Series line - I got the WFC and FOC when they first came out and actually trying to work out how many are still relevant to my collection
• Earthspark (in general) - I got Cyberverse Deluxes and a few of the out of the ordinary releases (like Iaconus) but really find I'm not going back to them the way I do with the Generations stuff so trying to limit. Although I am tempted to support the new characters - Twitch / Thrash etc, but holding off on that atm as I don't want to go down a rabbit hole.
• Legacy adaptations of non-G1 figures - eg Animated Prowl and Prime Arcee - interesting figures, but I feel like the "G1 filter" actually removes some of what made the original concept interesting. I did get Prime Arcee, however she somewhat sits at the periphery of what I have decided I like and so I'm not quick to follow with Animated Prowl (although G1 versions of these characters are kinda in - Legacy Bulkhead and Legacy Knock-Out are both figures I like, and I'm feeling somewhat partial to Skyquake)
• Any Generations items after Armada - I don't feel like the new versions of Cybertron toys have really added anything that was lacking in Cybertron or Energon

Some things that I have decided are in my nice to haves

• Legacy Skyquake
• Core Dinobots
• Masterpiece
• Large Repaints - Omega Sentinel, Black Zarak
• Studio Series Rise of the Beasts - I'm trying to pursue the Terrorcons and new Autobots, but beasts are on the lower end until I actually see the movie

Some things that are in my definites

• Modern G1 (including Diaclone repaints)
• Modern BW

I think it was easier when Transformers was a single line - you knew what was in and what was out, and there was only one version of the line that you either embraced or didn't. Not everyone liked the Prime aesthetic, but it was the main line and the only thing going really. It seems like that with the advent of Cyberverse there became two Transformer teams - the "kid team" - looking after Cyberverse and was that mainstream generation of TFs (now Earthspark and the RotB movie) - and the "fan team" - looking after Generations and "shelf worthy" figures, which in many ways has diluted the essence of what is supposed to be a Transformer - is it the playable action figure, or is it the display piece.

[MayzaPrime]

If I likes it I buys it.

I did admittedly go through an "addiction" phase in 2003-04 where I was buying a lot of stuff just for the sake of buying it rather than because I genuinely wanted it. Snapped out of it by 2005. But yeah, I generally look at buying toys that I would regret if I missed them. If not, then I don't.

Just one example, I'm skipping Legacy Skyquake. Nothing necessarily wrong with that toy per se, but it's just not my jam. Ditto Titan Class Cybertron Metroplex and Commander Class Armada Optimus Prime, which looks like an amazing figure, but it's just not one that appeals to me personally. These are toys that I'll likely enjoy for a few weeks or months and then get sick of them and look at selling them. So best to just not buy them in the first place.

I aim to buy for keeps, not to maintain a revolving door.

I am similar in my approach... I have missed a number of the Legacy Evolutions as well... even with the Amazon sale on now, I am not going to pick them up.