2014 Japan-exclusive toys: Masterpiece, Generations, etc

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Blackjack
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2014 Japan-exclusive toys: Masterpiece, Generations, etc

Post by Blackjack »

So, in Japan, instead of 'Beast Hunters', they are getting 'Transformers Go', starring a bunch of all-new, Japanese exclusive samurai combiner team and apparently repaints of the Predacon dragons that the Beast Hunter line got.

Their Generations toyline equivalent are also getting 'Senator Ratbat', a retool of Generations Scourge as a homage of the oft-seen bipedal Ratbat design in the comics.

Also, Masterpiece Tigertrack, a repaint of Masterpiece Sideswipe in homage of former Takara Toyshop exclusive Tigertrack (which in turn is a homage to the Diaclone toy Sideswipe is repainted from).

Pictures link to Seibertron:

Kenzan, the police car:

Jinbu, the jet:

Gan'o, the fire truck. The three robots can combine into a gestalt with any of them as the top, although no picture is shown. Each of them will apparently be around the size of Voyager class Beast Hunters Optimus Prime.

Gaidora, a retool of Lazerback from Beast Hunters with a new robot mode head and Ripclaw's paintjob. Also a few Arms Microns, but nobody cares about them.

Takara's version of Fall of Cybertron Grimlock, as well as the aforementioned Senator Ratbat.

Masterpiece Tigertrack, as well as Takara's Fall of Cybertron Metroplex... which comes with two guns and features much more gray and eliminates much of the red in the robot mode for some reason. EDIT: It's apparently a prototype, and the finished product will feature all the red like the Hasbro one.
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Springer85
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Post by Springer85 »

Jinbu the jet reminds me a little of that Gobots character Fitor. Could be a nice repaint :)
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Knightdramon
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Post by Knightdramon »

Tigertrack is really, really plain. Meh. Money saved I guess.

The GO combiner bots are neat and meaty, bigger than current voyagers. Their combined form should be a sight to behold. Police car seems to suffer the least from being a combiner, the other two have weird legs.

The repaint of Lazerback adds to my suspicions that no other Predacons bar Predaking will make it into the show. Why else would they completely repaint and remould all the Predacons?
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The Big Ragebowski
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Post by The Big Ragebowski »

I'm actually loving Tigertrack! Makes me feel better about selling my ehobby version for this :)
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Post by Blackjack »

I agree with Knightdramon -- Tigertrack certainly looks very plain, especially compared to Sideswipe and Red Alert... or even fellow yellow Lamborghini Sunstreaker.

Yeah, every other toy Predacon -- Lazerback, Ripclaw, Grimwing, Skystalker and the Terrorcons -- are being repainted and released in Japan with different names. Shame, since I was expecting some if not all of them to appear in the show.
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Post by inflatable dalek »

That Ratbat is way more awesome than it has any right to be.
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Post by Blackjack »

Stock photography of the Samurai robots, basically larger versions of the photos from the scans above:
Here

We're also getting three new Arms Microns, those build-it-yourself kits that came with the Japanese version of the Transformers Prime toyline. Namely from top to bottom:
-Kenzan's partner 'Ken', a clear repaint of L.P. who came with Leo Prime
-Jinbu's partner 'Jin', a clear repaint of S.2. who came with Smokescreen
-Gan'o's partner 'Gan', a clear repaint of Sao who came with Swerve

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Also, with another toyline comes yet another exclusive repaint of another Micron, this time the Optimus-Prime-turns-into-Optimus-Prime's-gun we had some time back.
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Knightdramon
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Post by Knightdramon »

That Ratbat also looks suspiciously more matte than the GLOSSY wonder we've had on pictures since now.

It's not the first time this has happened though. Terrorcon Cliffjumper, regular Cliffjumper are victims of this as well.
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Post by Springer85 »

A better pic of Tigertrack in an ebay auction: http://www.ebay.com/itm/230986543731
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Post by Blackjack »

Bunch of news from an interview courtesy of Seibertron and Autobase Aichi:
The catchy Samurai motif of the Transformers Go! combiners used to appeal to Takara's own consumers.

The headsculpts of the three new Go! toys were each based on a specific Japanese Samurai stereotype. Kenzan (the police car) is modeled after a typical Samurai warrior with a top-knot, Jinbu (the yellow jet) is based on an armored Samurai with a Kabuto helmet, and Gan'ō (the fire truck) is designed after a Sohei, or "warrior monk".

The new headsculpt of Gaidōra (Lazerback remold) is based on an Oni, a breed of monster from Japanese folklore.

Generations Grimlock and Ratbat will be released in June

Encore Fortress Maximus has surpassed sales expections so hopefully there will be more Encores to come.

The delay of MP Prowl and Streak is due to Takara receiving more orders than they expected.

MP Smokescreen will be revealed soon with design differences.

Takara-Tomy is working on getting more car manufacturers to license their designs for future Masterpieces.

There will be a significant announcement at the Tokyo Toy Show June 15-16.

For sale at the Tokyo Toy show will be the first 3 Transformers Go! combiner bots, as well as Masterpiece Tigertrack with non-chrome version of Amazon Japans MP Lambor pile drivers.

TG-23 Metroplex will have different paint applications from U.S. version and feature 2 guns compared to the 1 that Hasbro's version has.

Mcdonalds is set to run another Transformers Happy Meal promotion on June 21st
Personally, while I'm not sure that the Encore and Masterpieces are selling so hotly, I'm all up for more of both series, so I'm wishing the best for both of them. I know I've got my Prowl pre-ordered.
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Post by Knightdramon »

MP figures are sold out, but because they receive a more limited production run, not because they're wildly popular in Japan.

Hopefully extra units available on both Prowl and Streak means that most fans can avoid the clusterf*ck that was Sideswipe, Soundwave and the tapes. I personally got VERY lucky on Sideswipe, didn't have an issue getting Soundwave, but was royally f*cked over the cassettes.

Looking forward to Smokescreen. Though I'm beginning to question my preorders. Prowl is Prowl, that's enough for me, Smokescreen is going to be an awesome rally variant...so where does that leave Streak? Not in such a good position, in my books.

Can't wait for the significant announcement. It could probably be Encore series-relevant [Scorponok? Overlord? The dinobots?] but in the case it's MP20 or something, consider me happy.

Just so we're on the same page, hints and whatnot have the following VERY probable for the MP series: MP Bruticus [yeah], Galvatron, Magnus, Megatron and Mirage. Not counting Smokescreen because he's more or less announced.
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Post by Blackjack »

Thanks to Seibertron, we've got images of the Ninja Combiner Team from Transformers Go, consisting of Gekisomaru (lion), Hishomaru (bird) and Sensuimaru (shark). Like the samurai squad, they can combine into three different robot configurations. Included in the picture is artwork using Lionmaru as the head.

Images

Robotkingdom also has an Asia-exclusive Premim Series movie-verse Brawl, an expensive touched-up version of the leader class Brawlvastator toy from the 2007 movie.

Images link to Seibertron:
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Post by Blackjack »

Not toys this time, but rather the anime of Transformers Go!, Japan exclusive for now... credits to Seibertron for translating, so I'm going to mirror everything from there.
Takara Tomy have updated their Transformers Go! website with nice clear images of the upcoming Autobot combiner teams. The Samurai team of Kenzan, Jinbu, and Ganou are shown in all three of their combined modes. The Ninja team of Gekisomaru, Hishomaru, and Sensuimaru are only shown in one of combined form, with the other two to be revealed later.

The banner image shows the two human children characters holding Generations Data Discs, which will be known as "Legendisks" in the animation. From what we know of the Transformers Go! plot the Predacons can be sealed away in these "Legendisks", so they will likely be seen in the animation as a capture device. The two combiner teams were left on Earth to track down the remaining Predacons with the help of their human companions.

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Post by Blackjack »

Takara designer Hisashi Yuki's Twitter account reveals some pictures of Generations Senator Ratbat, including a closer look at Ratbat's IDW-based headsculpt, and his own fanmade 'bat' mode for the toy best left forgotten.

EDIT: Linking pictures from Twitter didn't work, so I'm going to once more mirror the pictures off Seibertron.

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Post by Blackjack »

Again from Hisashi Yuki are pictures of the blinged-out Generations TG-19 Grimlock, including one extremely adorable picture:
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Post by inflatable dalek »

The bat mode is, if nothing else, a valiant if doomed attempt...
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Post by Blackjack »

Buncha new news from one of Takara Tomy's blogs:

Our first look at Masterpiece Smokescreen, who will apparently feature, among others, a retooled front bumper, retooled shoulders (Prowl and Bluestreak have the wheels on the back of the shoulders) and different shoulder missile things to be more cartoon accurate.

Two-pack of IDW Optimus and Megatron.

And apparently a reissue of Masterpiece Soundwave sometime this Fall.
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Post by Knightdramon »

If they're still available, you can preorder Smokescreen and/or Soundwave at AnimeExport for a ridiculous low price. You have to pay up front though except for the shipping charge.

Loving Smokescreen. Between Prowl being a favourite of mine and Smokescreen looking THIS retro and nifty, I have a bad feeling Silverstreak will be very overlooked.

EDIT: Nifty looking VS pack with Pax and Megatron, although it suffers from a mismatch; one's in his pre-Prime body while the other is in his state of the art deadly KILLER body.
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Post by Slayer-Fan123 »

Blackjack wrote:Not toys this time, but rather the anime of Transformers Go!, Japan exclusive for now... credits to Seibertron for translating, so I'm going to mirror everything from there.



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THREE different combined modes? That's some cool stuff right there!
Towards the post with the pictures of Grimlock, where did that Shockwave come from?
Last comment goes towards the Leader Class Brawl from the movie. I never got around to purchasing the first one when it came out, but I was pretty interested since, while the Deluxe was AMAZING, it was just fragile. How does it rate?
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Blackjack wrote:Pretty colours as Smokescreens always have, but I don't like the retools personally.
Sunbow launchers? Thank God, that's saved me a fortune buying the thing.
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