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Maz
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Deluxe - TFSource Article

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Between late 1984 and 1986, Hasbro released a series of Transformers characters in North America and Europe that never saw release in Japan as "Transformers", despite previously being available as part of other Japanese toy lines. These non-Japan Transformers became known in the Western world as Jetfire, Deluxe Vehicles and Deluxe Insecticons. Another thing that all of these toys had in common was that they were not manufactured by Hasbro or Takara.

Deluxe | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

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Big thanks to Brr-Icy, jonnyshaft, karaokeninja and Mijo for the contributions.

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Maz
In-depth articles and reviews www.TF-1.com

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numbat
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Post by numbat »

That was a really enjoyable and interesting read - thanks!

New sale thread added with a range of Transformers including Masterpiece, Botcon, CHUG, RID, Movies etc.

Looking for MP-11T Thundercracker and MP-9 Rodimus v2 (Takara version with as few QC issues as possible).


Check out my new sale thread now!

Also items on eBay.
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Skyquake87
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Post by Skyquake87 »

what, no shockwave?! :)
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Maz
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Pre-Deluxe - Part 1 (TFSource Article)

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Just as the Takara-designed Autobot Cars, minibots, Decepticon jets, Megatron, Soundwave and his cassettes have their roots in the early 1980s Takara Japanese toy-lines Diaclone and Micro Change Series, a number of non-Takara Transformers - like the Deluxe Insecticons, Deluxe Autobot Vehicles, Omega Supreme and Jetfire - originate from older Japanese toy lines as well.

Pre-Deluxe – Part 1 | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

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Huge thanks to Colin Pringle and Jeremy Kaufmann on this one.

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In-depth articles and reviews www.TF-1.com

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Post by Maz »

There’s more to “Pre-Transformers” than Diaclone, Microman and Takara, and there’s definitely more to them than just being predecessors to Transformers toys. The figures we looked at last week in Pre-Deluxe – Part 1 included Takatoku and Bandai Valkyries from SDF Macross, the Mugen Calibur and Ovelon Gazzette from Dorvack – proper toy lines in their own right with animated series to boot. Now, while the remaining figures on our list didn’t enjoy an animated series, they deserve mention and recognition. This week we look at Armored Insect Battalion Beetras by Takatoku – the toys that would become Deluxe Insecticons – and briefly, Toybox’s Mechabot-1 (pre-Omega Supreme) and the Astro Magnum by Toyco (Pre-Shockwave).

Pre-Deluxe – Part 2 | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

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Maz
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The Coronation - TFSource Article

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Return of the King, the return of Starscream, the return of MP-11. For everyone who originally missed out on Takara Tomy’s Transformers Masterpiece Starscream when it was re-tooled as MP-11 (“What do I need with another MP Starscream?”) and realised in time what a sore omission it turned out to be in their Masterpiece collecting, Hasbro Asia have recently reissued MP-11 with another run due early in 2014. Online images rarely do this magnificent creation justice, so having finally added him to the MP shelf, I can comfortably say what others have said for months – I will never need another G1 Starscream.

The Coronation | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

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Collector Interview 20 for TFSource - Richard "IronicHide" Brown

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At Christmas, we may have occasionally succumbed to consumerism, materialism and buying-copious-amounts-of-Transformerism. With our Source Blog Collector Interviews we often succumb to the allure of immensely large and attractive Transformers collections from well-known collectors, meticulously maintained and put together with the most painstaking dedication at great expense and sacrifice. That, however, does not represent the entire fandom just as those traits do not fully represent Christmas. With the greatest respect to our diverse and unforgettable interviewees, and Richard Brown’s modest collection, please prepare yourself for possibly the most engaging Source Interview thus far with someone who may seem aloof about collecting toys, but is very serious and gifted in accidentally bringing together UK community members for what will be known down the eons as “PubCon”, as well as being “one-third responsible” for the amazing upcoming “An American Way Of Death” TF Noir.

Collector Interview 20 – Richard Brown | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

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Maz
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Post by Skyquake87 »

That is the greatest collector interview I've ever read. What a healthy and refreshing perspective on this silly hobby :)

Certainly beats hearing the usual stories of having a bajillion toys out of some need to impress people.
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Top 5 Purchases of 2013 - TFSource Article

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As 2013 races towards its conclusion, collectors are taking stock of all the new Transformers figures they’ve added to their collection in 2013, a year that saw the Takara Tomy and Hasbro Masterpiece lines engage a higher gear and really start giving fans what they supposedly wanted. A year that saw 3rd Party companies present even greater competition for collectors’ spending and a number of new lines like Transformers GT and Transformers Go launch in Japan. A year that saw BotCon pump out more exclusives and the Generations line pay further homage to classic TF characters and IDW comic stars.

For the closing TFSource article of 2013, I will be reviewing my own 2013 toy purchases and listing, in reverse order, my top five acquisitions. These will not necessarily all be 2013 releases, just toys I bought in 2013 that have made the biggest positive impression on me. Considering my collecting history and specialisms, the results may be surprising to some – and yet entirely predictable for those that read this column weekly.

Top 5 Purchases of 2013 | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

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Happy new year, everyone!

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Maz
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Post by Skyquake87 »

For me, there's only been two this year that I've felt have cut the mustard from HasTak, Masterpiece Soundwave and Generations Springer. And of those two, its Springer that wins hands down the 'toy of the year' trophy from me.

Whilst I appreciate the revitalized Masterpiece line and the impressive figures its produced this year, they're not really much fun to play with. I love MP Soundwave and his tapes, but I do worry that with my usual heavy handedness I'll end up breaking them. Soundwave's overally tight hips and Ravage's skinny frame are constant heart stoppers on what has been one of my most expensive purchases which rather takes the sheen off what is otherwise an excellent package.

Springer, by comparrison is just what the doctor ordered after a year of unimpressive FOC Generations toys that by turns were hollow or ugly (and if your name is Soundwave or Grimlock, shelfwarming like f**k at your local branch of TRU) and depressingly poor Beast Hunters toys. When HasTak get it together they prove they still have the chops to produce some superb toys with a good mix of playability and innovation and plain good looks. Its just bloody depressing that Springer's the exception and not the rule.
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Post by inflatable dalek »

After initially not being sure about Springer (mainly the...side-ey bits on the helicopter looking like folded up arms), I've since come to love him more and more to the point I would probably kill if he told me too.
REVIISITATION: THE HOLE TRUTH
STARSCREAM GOES TO PIECES IN MY LOOK AT INFILTRATION #6!
PLUS: BUY THE BOOKS!
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Post by Knightdramon »

Considering that I only bought like...10 figures in 2013 [counting the cassette packs as 1 purchase rather than 2]...

My very best purchase? Yamato's VF19Kai in 1/60 scale. Possibly one of the best transforming figures ever.

Very next? MP Smokescreen.

Soundwave has a few issues which mostly stem from being designed to work as a container for 5 other figures. The animal cassettes are intriguing, Rumble/Frenzy is a glorified basic figure with fine paint apps.

Also, released much earlier but actually bought in 2013, HA Jazz was very neat.
Few stuff in the UK to trade/sell. Measly sales thread.
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Post by Warcry »

Skyquake87 wrote:For me, there's only been two this year that I've felt have cut the mustard from HasTak, Masterpiece Soundwave and Generations Springer. And of those two, its Springer that wins hands down the 'toy of the year' trophy from me.
I have to agree with you. These two guys are a cut above -- one is an almost perfect display piece and the other is an almost perfect toy. (Sandstorm is also awesome, but despite the remolding he's still the same basic toy as Springer and I wouldn't count him separately). None of the other new releases that I've bought or seen this year have been anywhere close to their pedigree, with most of them falling closer to the "painfully mediocre" category and only a few working their way up to "good".

So these guys will share their space on my list with First Edition Bulkhead, an older toy but one that I only just managed to track down this year. I think I actually like him a bit better than Springer, but he doesn't get as much attention because he's one of only a handful of Prime toys in my collection and only three of them are actually out on display currently.

G1 Rippersnapper is #4, not because he's actually good but because owning him finally completed my two decade long quest to collect all of the Terrorcons! Considering how small and simple he is, and how little I paid, he's definitely punching above his weight.

A bunch of Beast Wars toys are left to vie for the last spot. Torca, TMII Dinobot, TM Cheetor and Polar Claw are all great, but I think Sky Shadow just edges the rest of them out as my favourite BW acquisition of the year.
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Post by another tf fan »

I had a more limited year this year, but I bought a few transformers and I think they go like this:

Gen Springer
Gen Metroplex
MP Soundwave and his cassettes
MP Prowl/Smokescreen/Bluestreak
Gen Orion Pax
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Post by HeavyArms »

I bought very few this year because of my resurgence in Lego, so it would go something like this:

Year Of The Snake Omega Supreme
Fall Of Cybertron Blaster
Year Of The Snake Optimus Prime
Prime Beast Hunters Abominus (I'm counting all five as one)
Prime Beast Hunters Beast Fire Predaking
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Post by Clay »

Hard to say... it was a busy, busy year for new product, official and not.

Masterpiece Prowl and Bluestreak sure are pretty, aren't they? Absentee launchers aside, they nailed the look.

Generations Springer/Sandstorm deserves all the praise it gets, I think. It's amazing that it came out simultaneously with Blitzwing. The contrast is substantial.

I also liked the tiny Abominus. With all the giant third party combiners coming out, the Terrocons seem to be in their right place by being smaller and less substantial than the other ensembles. It suits them.

Generations Hoist was a big deal for me. Along with Grapple and the giant not-Devastator Hercules, he completes the central cast of my favorite G1 episode, The Master Builders. :D

Outside of the official product range, I've been infatuated with the third party stuff I've acquired. Have to pick and choose more, but the issue that works in their collective favor is the competetive nature of the niche market they're fighting a spot in. Too many to list...
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Top 5 Purchases of 2014? - TFSource Article

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And so begins 2014, a year that promises much in the way of new official and unofficial Transformers figures from Takara Tomy, Mastermind Creations, FansToys, Hasbro and many others. The Masterpiece line continues to churn out fan favourites, whether they be licensed Autobot cars or leaders like Ultra Magnus and Star Saber. Third party companies like MMC will complete their Not-Predaking while FansToys will tackle Masterpiece-sized Not-Dinobots. So what do I feel will be my 5 favourite purchases of the upcoming year based on what we know?

Top 5 Purchases of 2014? | Source Blog <- CLICK TO READ

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Post by another tf fan »

I know I'm really looking forward to Masterpiece Wheeljack, Bumblebee and Ultra Magnus.

I have focused most of my collecting habits towards masterpiece releases lately.
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Post by Blackjack »

Great article, though it kind of comes down to differing tastes. I personally have no interest in the five toys you mentioned. I personally don't buy and can't afford to import third-party toys, and in any case the only one I have ever entertained the notion of buying is that awesome Sixshot Hexatron toy... and I didn't, despite having a lot of love for Sixshot. Never owning a third-party toy before but having seen a lot belonging to other collectors, they usually underwhelm, and their massive 'four times more expensive than a Hasbro toy that size' price is a deterrent. Granted, the third-party Predakings and Sixshots do look great... but they're just things that will never set foot in my collection unless I decide to swallow my own words some time in the future.

Not exactly a big fan of Masterpiece versions of Wheeljack and Bumblebee, though Ultra Magnus is tempting depending on how great they make it. After five months of dealing with customs bullshit, Prowl ended up rather... well, he's not bad, but he's not as 'oh hell this is awesome' that Soundwave is. He's a great toy that resembles Prowl but it's just a step up from the Universe toy I already own and is somewhere in a box. Wheeljack is going to be a better, heavier version of the already-decent Wheeljack I own. Never been that big a fan of Wheeljack either, not enough to drop Masterpiece amounts of money, and I flat-out hate G1 Bumblebee's design. (to me Bumblebee is a mute sports car with black stripes and a weird-looking mouthless face, not a fat midget. ;))

Magnus interests me both design-wise, though again the price might be a deal-breaker and again it depends on whether they can make his car carrier work as an armour and as a good Ultra Magnus.

And besides with a lot of Generations toys I am gunning for next year, these high-end expensive toys that each costs four or five deluxe-class Generations toys aren't exactly making themselves endearing. Instead of getting another Wheeljack (again, I don't hate Wheeljack, I just already have a toy of him) I could get, say, Waspinator, Whirl, Rattrap and Skids, for example. I mean, Wheeljack is a great design, he's a great car, but ultimately he's not that much different... not enough to warrant dropping a lot of money to import him.
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Post by Blackjack »

I agree with the general love given towards Generations Springer. Would also throw in a vote towards Soundwave, though like Knightdramon mentioned earlier he does suffer due to being a container for other figures. Still a pretty nice toy, though I was far more impressed with Laserbeak than Soundwave.

Prowl was decent. I like him a lot, and he is as perfect as Prowl will ever be, but unlike Springer or Soundwave he doesn't blow me away.

Really like the Terrorcons as well, though Abominus himself is underwhelming. Hun-Grrr was a flop but the other four are easily the four of the best toys and remakes of G1 characters that I own. I also like Ripclaw a great deal more than she probably deserves.

Other than that, the other toys I bought this year are mostly middling-decent or flawed. Prime fails to astonish me like it did with the earlier waves... Shockwave and Magnus were pretty cool although they don't really do that much. Most of the other good toys are purchases made of older toys, and among those which I enjoyed are G1 Reissue Skids, First Edition Bulkhead, RiD Gigatron (more a nostalgia thing, owned Gigatron when I was like five) and a bunch of other Beast Wars toys (Prowl, Torca, Spittor, Ramulus and Polar claw stand out as being really good).
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