ALL THINGS TRANSFORMERS!!!!

[karamazov80]

I'm fine with 3p. But to me they are just placeholders until the real thing comes out.

There hasn't been one single instance in which I would've preferred any 3p figure over an official one.

I was trying to think about any examples where I preferred a 3rd party version over an officially released figure, and I can't think of anything in the post-MP10 world. I do think Apollyon is a big improvement designwise over MP-5, though it has quality issues. One figure where we may get a 3P winner in my eyes is whenever we see the full reveal of FansToys' Grimlock. So I also treat them as placeholders in general. Though I'm not sure Takara could do better than FansToys with some of their figures, like Hound and even the maligned Perceptor (which I personally think is great). But I would love to see them try.

I think it's certainly a testament to Takara's designs that we haven't seen any 3rd party yet that I know of attempting an MP style Prime since MP-10 came out. As that's the flagship Transformer.

 

[dedguy]

I actually kinda prefer current FansToys to current Takara MPs as FansToys seems to continue in the MP-10 style instead of the more recent cartoon style.

 

[karamazov80]

I definitely get your point about the CHUG-style figures, though. Some of the 3rd party ones are very cool, I just don't have a strong interest as I want cartoon-accurate (or somewhat box-accurate) designs. And the Hasbro stuff we get is almost never going to cut the mustard from a quality standpoint. Though when I did get those, the Takara repaints were often pretty nice. I remember the Henkei (Classics) Starscream in particular being sweet.

 

[franpincho]

Sorry,but Takara is NOT the gold standard for transformers....There are some really good 3rd party masterpieces that look and fit right in as if they were made by Takara.How does the label make Takara superior to ALL things transformers?

It does to me. And that's really all I care about.

The day I see a 3p figure that looks better than the TT counterpart I'll be the first to say it. But that hasn't happened yet.

Grimlock really should not be even mentioned as well as Megatron. Those happened in a very different time.

But I agree that we can all be adults about it. It's a great time to be a TF collector period.


BUT I just admit the gif/meme was funny. Without really insulting anyone here.

 

[karamazov80]

Well that's why I made the comment about post-MP10 comparisons. Obviously it is more apples and oranges doing stuff before, though Grimlock is at least a bit close in time and scale with the more "contemporary" MP figures.

 

[dedguy]

I definitely get your point about the CHUG-style figures, though. Some of the 3rd party ones are very cool, I just don't have a strong interest as I want cartoon-accurate (or somewhat box-accurate) designs. And the Hasbro stuff we get is almost never going to cut the mustard from a quality standpoint. Though when I did get those, the Takara repaints were often pretty nice. I remember the Henkei (Classics) Starscream in particular being sweet.

I honestly feel like they keep taking a step back with each new line they do for the mass market stuff. Classics was pretty decent so was Generations for the most part. Combiner Wars was kinda blehg for me and I'm not super into whatever the new line is called. I will say I was kinda pleasantly surprised by most of the movie dinobot figures. I hate those movies but the knight motif and metallic plastics on those really did it for me.

Age of Extinction Dinobots by dangercorpse, on Flickr

IMG_4158 by dangercorpse, on Flickr

 

[YankeesFanboy]

I don't care who makes them, I want a great-looking, high-quality MP10-scaled Megatron, Astrotrain and Blitzwing. The sooner the better.

 

[YankeesFanboy]

MP inferno looks like it could be up next from Takara. I have MMC's version on order, which should be due very soon, but I'll wait until Takara have shown more than a sillouette before I decide its fate.

View attachment 259536

Dammit, I ordered Ocular Max's Backdraft earlier this month, paid for it and everything. At least I didn't order MT's Wrestle. I would've much preferred Jazz or Mirage.

Very surprising.

I feel like the reveal of this figure will answer a lot of questions regarding the future of the line. The fact that they're displaying him with "anime color edition" Red Alert definitely has me nervous. I feel like things can only go one of three ways:

1. "Anime Color Edition" becomes the new standard retail release, and they discontinue the previous aesthetic of MP-10 thru MP-28 featuring high-constrast colors and chrome (really hope this isn't the case).

2. Standard retail releases abandon the "anime color" finish that MP-29 Shockwave got stuck with and return to previous aesthetics, with a dedicated "Anime Color Edition" arriving at a later time exclusive to TTMall.

3. A standard retail release with high-constrasting colors and chrome is revealed simultaneously with the TTMall-exclusive "Anime Color Edition" so consumers can make an educating buying decision (I really hope this is the direction the move forward with).

I hope Takara goes with Door No. 3.

 

[lotus000]

Sorry,but Takara is NOT the gold standard for transformers....There are some really good 3rd party masterpieces that look and fit right in as if they were made by Takara.How does the label make Takara superior to ALL things transformers?

Because Takara & Hasbro are the only companies making Transformers.

Most people get tied of waiting for Takara so they buy 3P instead. Don't get me wrong I love my Soar but he is not Swoop. When Takara rolls around to giving us Dinobots I will sell my 3P.

 

[thecorsair]

dedguy,
I think there were a few nice figures in the Thrilling 30, the Beast Wars figures were all great and I think Whirl and Roadbuster came out around that time as well which were decent.

Since then the cost cutting measures have become more apparent and the mass market lines have really gone downhill, some of the Combiner Wars Deluxes are pitiful compared to the earlier incarnations of Classics and this years Titans Return doesn't look like much of an improvement either.

Collectors of that style don't have to bring their collection to a halt as there's other options, which is undoubtedly a good thing.

For me the same has applied with Masterpiece figures, I lost intrest in Takara's G1 figures so I explored the other options, it's as trivial to me as changing brands of any other product.

I don't get the whole "if you aren't with us, you're against us" attitude. It's more prevalent at TFW but this thread is becoming more and more anti-3rd party and that's a shame.

Surely the fact that collectors have so many different options now should be celebrated instead of every discussion degenerating into the same tired pissing contests?

 

[dedguy]

Because Takara & Hasbro are the only companies making Transformers.

Most people get tied of waiting for Takara so they buy 3P instead. Don't get me wrong I love my Soar but he is not Swoop. When Takara rolls around to giving us Dinobots I will sell my 3P.

That's not why I buy third party stuff personally. I just buy what I like. It's not because I'm waiting around for Takara and got sick of waiting. But it also seems like the majority of the conversation here is specifically MP Transformers which I guess I can kinda see that. Though I still do prefer my Quakewave to the official one. Different things appeal to different people for different reasons.

 

[dedguy]

dedguy,
I think there were a few nice figures in the Thrilling 30, the Beast Wars figures were all great and I think Whirl and Roadbuster came out around that time as well which were decent.

Since then the cost cutting measures have become more apparent and the mass market lines have really gone downhill, some of the Combiner Wars Deluxes are pitiful compared to the earlier incarnations of Classics and this years Titans Return doesn't look like much of an improvement either.

Collectors of that style don't have to bring their collection to a halt as there's other options, which is undoubtedly a good thing.

For me the same has applied with Masterpiece figures, I lost intrest in Takara's G1 figures so I explored the other options, it's as trivial to me as changing brands of any other product.

I don't get the whole "if you aren't with us, you're against us" attitude. It's more prevalent at TFW but this thread is feeling more and more anti-3rd party and that's a shame.

Surely the fact that collectors have so many different options now should be celebrated instead of every discussion degenerating into the same tired pissing contests?

Well said. The thing that got me back into Transformers was third party stuff. That lead me to buying official product as well. It's just Transformers as a brand isn't really aimed at a high end market aside from the MP line which is not exactly huge and diverse. So if I as an adult collector want something nicer than what's on the shelves at my local store I really don't have any options aside from third party.

 

[teemu]

Because Takara & Hasbro are the only companies making Transformers.

Most people get tied of waiting for Takara so they buy 3P instead. Don't get me wrong I love my Soar but he is not Swoop. When Takara rolls around to giving us Dinobots I will sell my 3P.

Sorry,but I am not waiting till I'm 60 for Takara Dinobots

Fans Toys made an awesome Swoop,not sure how Takara will top it in the year 2040

 

[YankeesFanboy]

Takara could always make truly 'toon-accurate Dinobots.

 

[lotus000]

That's not why I buy third party stuff personally. I just buy what I like. It's not because I'm waiting around for Takara and got sick of waiting. But it also seems like the majority of the conversation here is specifically MP Transformers which I guess I can kinda see that. Though I still do prefer my Quakewave to the official one. Different things appeal to different people for different reasons.

Very true our conversations revolve around MP. I use to hunt retail figures, but am trying to stop. I find myself buying into too many lines. I'm trying to focus on official MP at this point.

I only have a couple 3P left in my collection. As for Quakewave he was my first 3P I ever bought. Shockblast looks great..... Now I only own MP Shockwave. Please understand I don't like the way his leg panels tab together, but once they do he is Shockwave from the Cartoon.

 

[lotus000]

Sorry,but I am not waiting till I'm 60 for Takara Dinobots

Fans Toys made an awesome Swoop,not sure how Takara will top it in the year 2040

Takara is swinging fast and hard these days. We are getting about 6 MPs per year now. That's not too bad. I bought into the Gigapower craze. Guttur is awesome, but who knows if they can survive as a company.

I do know Takara has survived for more than 30 years, and really has evolved as a company.

 

[dedguy]

Random photos! Most of these I may have posted in this thread before but if I have it was quite awhile ago.

Dr. Decpticon by dangercorpse, on Flickr
Dark Energon Prime Starscream (BBTS Exclusive) by dangercorpse, on Flickr
Devastator devastating Scoop by dangercorpse, on Flickr
IMG_4175 by dangercorpse, on Flickr
ToyWorld Hegemon with stylish bokeh V2 by dangercorpse, on Flickr
Unique Toys Troll by dangercorpse, on Flickr
FansProject Sigma L (Mindwipe) by dangercorpse, on Flickr

 

[thecorsair]

Well said. The thing that got me back into Transformers was third party stuff. That lead me to buying official product as well. It's just Transformers as a brand isn't really aimed at a high end market aside from the MP line which is not exactly huge and diverse. So if I as an adult collector want something nicer than what's on the shelves at my local store I really don't have any options aside from third party.

It seems to go in cycles for me,

By the time I stopped collecting Classics to go MP only in 2012 I was 3rd party only.

I then had a run of Takara figures until Quakewave came out and that eventually lead me full circle to being 3rd party only again.

It's too early to tell whether my pre-ordering Optimus Primal is the start of another cycle, that depends on whether Takara have plans for Beast Wars beyond the initial figure.

 

[dedguy]

I'd honestly just like more mass market Beast Wars stuff as long as it's as good as Rattrap, Waspinator, and Rhinox.

 

[lotus000]

I'd honestly just like more mass market Beast Wars stuff as long as it's as good as Rattrap, Waspinator, and Rhinox.

I agree we got a lot of very well made figures through the Generations line. I've been watching Beast Wars episodes and continue to appreciate them more.