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Pre-Transformers Ransack.
The Beetras toyline released only three of the toys that would become the Deluxe Insections, Beet-Gadol (Barrage), Beet-Gugal (Chop Shop) and Beet-Zeguna (Venom). Beet-Vadam (Ransack) was never released (and Beet-Papil was never made.) So, I just got to the end of The Transformers Classics UK Volume 5, which includes an old European catalogue, and this image:
Holy moley grail. I dread to think what happened to that toy after the photoshoot.
Rank 8 - Deluxe Member
They're box-art battle-diorama accurate!
I think it's a shame that Beet-Papil was never made. Would've been kewl to have a female Insecticon.
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When will they consider doing mp for these?
Rank 8 - Deluxe Member
I don't quite get it. I remember the deluxe insecticons being released, so I'm not sure what I'm looking at in the photo
On the lookout for MISB Headmaster Highbrow, Takara or Hasbro. I'm sure I could make you a sweet deal!
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This^ Whats the shock here?Originally Posted by reillyd
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The grasshopper (which became Ransack in Transformers) was never produced with the other three in their pre-Transformers line (called Beetras).
The point of that image is that the grasshopper toy (green one) must have been a pre-production prototype figure, as Hasbro used pre-Transformers versions in a few catalogues if it was before the toys had started production. (a side-note - art of this toy showed it in brown... so a green prototype is even more interesting, as a last-minute change that even Hasbro didn't adopt)
As such, that green grasshopper toy/prototype would be a very valuable item, if it was kept or archived by Hasbro, as it would probably be the only Beetras version that exists.
As Sky Shadow noted, the other three Deluxe Insecticons hit production in the Beetras line, but the company (Takatoku) folded before the grasshopper made it to the factory. (obviously they had finished constructing the moulds, as Hasbro wasn't creating new moulds until the following year)
And as others have noted, a fifth Beetras (a ladybug, who was given a female robot form) may have existed if Takatoku Toys didn't fold
This website is in Japanese (stick it in google translate for a rough idea of the text), but it features the Beetras toyline, including the three that were produced before Transformers (pincer beetle, fly, rhino beetle) the fourth one that Hasbro produced (grasshopper), plus the fifth one (lady beetle) and a couple of other ones (butterfly, firefly) that may have also existed if Takatoku hadn't folded.... and maybe become Transformers too.
Rank 8 - Multi-Section Mod
You know how people get excited by Blue "Bluestreaks"? This is even more exciting, because Blue Fairlady Z was actually released as a Diaclone toy. The Deluxe Insecticons didn't come in those colours above - the photographers were supplied Venom, Chop Shop and Barrage in their Beetras pre-Transformers colours. They were also supplied Beet-Vadam - what Ransack would have looked like if he had been released by Takatoku, but he never was - they went bankrupt before they could release the toy. That green locust toy in the picture was never produced in those colours.
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i love story like these ... very rare figure that not many be are aware of . I just wonder what happen to the two figure from the photo then ... and how many actually was made ....
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