Encore Fortress Maximus, Masterpiece Cassettes, more

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Clay
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Encore Fortress Maximus, Masterpiece Cassettes, more

Post by Clay »

Woke up this morning with an email newsletter from BBTS - the cassettes I kind of expected at some point, though was still hoping that they would come with Soundwave instead of being separate releases. Heavy strike against them all if you ask me since it makes the group total over $200.

Fort Max reissue is rather out-of-nowhere, though.
TRANSFORMERS ENCORE FORTRESS MAXIMUS
This week is fantastic for Transformers fans. For those of us that missed out on Fort Max the first time around, we are pleased to announce a new Encore Fortress Maximus! We have this fantastic figure listed in two ways - the regular air-shipped release in March is priced at $399.99, but if you want to wait about 3 more weeks and save $50 – we have a more economically shipped option arriving in April for $349.99. Please note that the $349.99 version will arrive to us about a month after release overseas, so patience will be required.


TRANSFORMERS MASTERPIECE RUMBLE & RAVAGE SET
Not much of a wait for the first announcement of cassettes to go with masterpiece Soundwave - he hasn't even been released yet, and a two-pack of Rumble and Ravage have been announced. No verification on whether Rumble is red or blue, but we are happy to have the pair listed, priced at $59.99.


TRANSFORMERS PRIME - NEW FIGURES
Two new import Prime figures were also included in the new information. We have Darkness Megatron, who is listed at $59.99, and Jet Vehicon General (no information or pictures yet, but we're eagerly awaiting them) at $29.99. With the speed at which the Jet Vehicons sold, you will want to get your orders in soon on this new version.

TRANSFORMERS FALL OF CYBERTRON - NEW IMPORT FIGURES
Takara is also releasing their own versions of the five newly announced Fall of Cybertron figures. If previous releases are any indication, these may each come with their own Arms Micron, and we have Kickback, Fireflight, Starscream, Sideswipe and Ultra Magnus listed at $37.99.
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Blackjack
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Post by Blackjack »

Huh, guess Fort Max passed the drop test or whatever it was that made him unavailable for repainting previously?
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Warcry
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Post by Warcry »

This is a Takara release, not Hasbro, so the drop test and other safety laws are irrelevant.

Fortress Maximus has been rumoured for a while, so I'm not really surprised. Happy, though. I don't really want one, but I know a lot of people do and this will do a lot to make the big guy affordable to the masses.

The rumours also said they're rereleasing Scorponok next year to go along with Fort Max. That I'd be excited about, if it does happen. And since the Maximus reissue is happening...well, I'm hopeful anyway.
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Clay
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Post by Clay »

Blackjack wrote:Huh, guess Fort Max passed the drop test or whatever it was that made him unavailable for repainting previously?
No such thing... in Japan. That's why it was available for Car Robots in 2000 but couldn't be released in the Robots in Disguise line.

For as pricey as it is, it's still cheaper than the original by a digit.
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Blackjack
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Post by Blackjack »

Oh, yeah, Brave Maximus got released in Japan, didn't he?

Fort Max is too big and expensive to ever interest me, but if they make an affordable, spanking new Encore Scorponok I'll be very very excited.
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Blackjack wrote:Huh, guess Fort Max passed the drop test or whatever it was that made him unavailable for repainting previously?
That was for an American release though wasn't it? With Japan having done him as recently as 10 years ago its likely the main thing having stopped this thus far is he has the potential to be a big expensive shelf warmer. Presumably it's either going to be a small run or a magnificent folly.

EDIT: People typing faster than me GRRRRRRRR.
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Blackjack
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Post by Blackjack »

Clay wrote:For as pricey as it is, it's still cheaper than the original by a digit.
Looked up G1 Fortress Maximus on eBay, and, well, it's bloody, bloody expensive.

And I thought this Encore was already expensive.

Though really, with Takara they way they are I'm frankly surprised they didn't do this a long time ago.
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inflatable dalek
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Post by inflatable dalek »

He's got a ready made Ehobby repaint as well, assuming they can still do Brave's Pretender shell. Hell, they could even make an RID version.
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Post by Cliffjumper »

All those people who spent that much or more on a Spike, hehehe... Not quite as funny as Stepper but still one of Takara's better bits of trolling. It does fit in with the recent trend of occasionally reissuing something big and mental rather than the same handful of surviving cars everyone has now. He's also probably simple enough that Tomy-Takara Toy Concern's wayward QC won't do much damage.

If it was Western retail I'd pick one up out of curiousity - I would expect there's a Hell of a lot of impact just from the size of him (I'd wager he's lighter than most expect, though) but that the novelty wears off quite sharply. He'd be a nice complement to a ****ton of Micromasters, Minicons and other Midgetbots, though.

Would like to see Star Saber reissued at some point, assuming they haven't swapped the mould for child porn or something. It looks like a lovely big brick even if it's all plastic.
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Post by Sunrunner »

Star Saber is pure awesomeness. A big G1 brick, and unashamedly so. I'm not so sure they'll bother reissuing him though, he wasn't a popular character even in Japan (any G1 bot post TF:TM also falls into this category over there) and I'm sure Takara learnt their lesson after Stepper sat shelfwarming for so long. TBH it's only insane completists like me who have bothered to track him down, I doubt there would be much widespread interest, but maybe I'm wrong? Personally I would sooner see a Generations release of the character, with modern engineering and poseability. But as there isn't an obvious repaint option for the mould, I can't see that happening either.

Fort Max is as heavy as he looks, and absolutely huge! Scorponok comes up to his waist, and he dwarfs Metroplex (which, off topic, always bugs me cos in the Marvel UK run, it was 'Plex who was the giant whereas Max only stood a bit taller than PM Prime). I'll be honest, I'm still filled with awe everytime I get Fort Max out of his box, I think mostly cos I wanted him since I was 7, and it's a childhood fantasy come true that I own him. Luckily I didn't pay anywhere near the price he commands nowadays (although tbh he wasn't cheap by any stretch of the imagination), I bet there are quite a few fans who have paid megabucks for a FM and are absolutely choked now this has been announced.

I suppose there's a good chance they'll put out a Grand Maximus now as well, as they've decide to reuse Maximus' mould. (That will put a dent in my wallet). If they are gonna follow this up with Scorponok, is it too much to hope for a Black Zarak reissue? One that doesnt disintegrate just by looking at it??
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inflatable dalek
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Post by inflatable dalek »

It would be the obvious exclusive for Ehobby wouldn't it? Assuming they can avoid the Gold Plastic thing now.
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Post by Cliffjumper »

My main hope for Scorponok would be that they recast the head so he's not a peanut wearing a welding helmet... Though seeing as they actually used that disaster for the animation model in Japan, probably not.

EDIT: Yeh, Star Saber is probably too unpopular - look at how well God Ginrai did...
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inflatable dalek
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Cliffjumper wrote:My main hope for Scorponok would be that they recast the head so he's not a peanut wearing a welding helmet... Though seeing as they actually used that disaster for the animation model in Japan, probably not.
It'd basically need an entirely new, more in scale, Zarek toy wouldn't it? Have any of the Encore changes been that excessive? Though I suppose they might get away with a more convincing hat.
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Knightdramon
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Post by Knightdramon »

Excited about the cassete masterpiece pack, though it leaves an odd one out. Takaratomy engineers mentioned at a hobbyshow that even Ratbat is coming. Next pack is probably Frenzy\Buzzsaw...leaving Ratbat on his own? Hmmm.

Don't care about Fortress Max. Honestly don't :)

Also of peculiar interest are the Prime releases. DARKEST Megatron? WTF, did they run out of names? First it's Megatron, then Darkness Megatron, and lastly Darkest? He's probably going to have a remoulded lower right arm, dark gray\black deco and a minicon that transforms into a hammer and a huge one [or vice versa] that becomes a sword. General Air Vehicon is probably a darker repaint with different weapon...
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Post by Sunrunner »

inflatable dalek wrote:It'd basically need an entirely new, more in scale, Zarek toy wouldn't it? Have any of the Encore changes been that excessive? Though I suppose they might get away with a more convincing hat.
I've always thought they should simply change the Scorponok face design on Zarak. He's been designed so he can be swapped around onto different headmaster bodies, so has regular size features. (This doesn't make sense with the Western version of Headmasters, but in the Takara Headmasters series the heads did interchange between "Transtectors" (although this may have only happened once, I can't recall))
If they gave him features that were in scale to the size of Scorp's body, the helmet would look fine. The eyes should be where the forehead currently is and the nose and mouth should be positioned higher up and be bigger. It would be an easy mod for Takara as well, they'd only have to change Zarak's backplate, rather than redesign a totally new head.

I've never seen one but didn't Takara give Encore Omega Supreme a face? If they've done that, I can't see why they couldn't modify Zarak.

Reading this back, I'm not sure if I've explained this idea clearly! Maybe I should draw a picture? :)
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Surely an alternate or retooled helmet would do for Scorponok? It IS probably a lot for the Encore line what with them not bothering to fix the warping on Bruticus/The Amazing Onebox Brothers but it's not a particularly expensive or difficult feat.
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Post by Skyquake87 »

Good news for those after a Fort Max, I'm happy with my Brave Max (nicer colours, I think). Max getting a reissue is a surprise (well alright, perhaps it isn't) as is the possibility of a Scorpy reissue and refreshing for the Encore line to putting out stuff we haven't had reissued before.
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Post by Rack 'n Ruin »

Sunrunner wrote:If they gave him features that were in scale to the size of Scorp's body, the helmet would look fine. The eyes should be where the forehead currently is and the nose and mouth should be positioned higher up and be bigger. :)
I totally agree. Why Scorponok's features are squished down in the bottom half of Zarak I'll never know.

I'm actually about to attempt to make a new, more comic-y face for my old Scorpy. I've acquired a KO Toraizer, and while the robot mode is not at all Zarak-like, I think the features of the head mode are not too bad to use as a starting point. I plan to paint the head dark grey to match the helmet, with a silver face & red visor. :) /thread_derail

I'm pleased Fort Max is being reissued for those that really want one. He's just too big, brick-like and expensive for me though. Plus the character has always struck me as dull. An Encore Trypticon would be a must buy though...
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Post by Blackjack »

Cliffjumper wrote:My main hope for Scorponok would be that they recast the head so he's not a peanut wearing a welding helmet...
That's the dream, but since these are the guys that, like you said, gave us cardboard punch-out heads for Ratchet and Ironhide...
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Clay
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Post by Clay »

Cliffjumper wrote:If it was Western retail I'd pick one up out of curiousity - I would expect there's a Hell of a lot of impact just from the size of him (I'd wager he's lighter than most expect, though) but that the novelty wears off quite sharply. He'd be a nice complement to a ****ton of Micromasters, Minicons and other Midgetbots, though.
Mostly have wanted one for the base mode, yeah. And even if the initial release bombs like Ginrai, five years down the line the reissue will recoup and probably gain value... like Ginrai
Blackjack wrote:Looked up G1 Fortress Maximus on eBay, and, well, it's bloody, bloody expensive.

And I thought this Encore was already expensive.
Yeah, disturbingly enough $350 is just a fraction of what the originals with all their bits apparently get traded for.
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