The Energon Pub

[Blurrz]

Courtesy of the facebook page of Autobase Aichi, we have images of a recent display at a Bic Camera store in Nagoya, Japan. A testshot of the upcoming Encore 23 Fortress Maximus was on display, along with his controversial God Sword; likely solidifying it's inclusion in the reissue. In Masterpiece news, there were colored test shots of Encore Frenzy/Rumble and Ravage. The elusive Lucky Draw FE Prime Arcee made an appearance too! In other Prime news, AM-27 to 29 were on display. Lastly, the Takara version of the FoC Generation cassettes were on display as well.

[CBratetron]

Ravage looks awesome.
Rumble/Frenzy not so much. Their transformation looks identical to their G1 counterparts.

[Mykltron]

Ravage looks awesome.
Rumble/Frenzy not so much. Their transformation looks identical to their G1 counterparts.

And no bicep swivel


Great posing there. They put a lot of thought into this part of the display.

[CBratetron]

The ball-jointed shoulders should give some swivel. Not much, but some.

[Mykltron]

The ball-jointed shoulders should give some swivel. Not much, but some.

Exactly.

[Tranzilla]

Is it me, or does MP Ravages head look like it's upside down on that prototype? Otherwise, I'm seriously liking that Leo Convoy.

[VioMeTriX]

well i do believe soundwave will be a fully functional MP3 player, ive seen other speculate it is for added detail... but realistically those part didnt exist so why would they add card reader slots and stuff... i guess those speculating it is for detail didnt grow up in the 80s and wouldnt know that didnt exist. so again i think we may be getting some sort of music functionality... though i think it is a waste... who the hell would walk around with that?

[VioMeTriX]

Ravage looks awesome.
Rumble/Frenzy not so much. Their transformation looks identical to their G1 counterparts.

you act like it is a bad thing? seriously then you do better. i dont care how a figure transforms, i only care that in both modes they look like they should... so if the transformation works, why over-complicate it?

[joevill]

I want those test shots!

[frogbat]

maximus is a big bag of want : (((( even in those colour he looks good.. kinda reminds me of my action master megatron lol

soundwave... not sure about.. i'm very happy with the g1 incarnation, who i consider the best representation of his cartoon counterpart from that era. Then again I thought highly of g1 grimlock and got the mp anyways. Would've preferred if they included all the mp cassettes with soundwave. Also, classics ravage is pretty good.

i'm wondering if maximus will cannibalise other sales with collectors making an effort to afford him at the expense of buying other toys...

[AdamPrime]

Is it me, or does MP Ravages head look like it's upside down on that prototype?

Egads. You're right so you are.

[STngAR]

That Fort Max test shot is so fugly and I want it.

[Nemesis Destron]

well i do believe soundwave will be a fully functional MP3 player, ive seen other speculate it is for added detail... but realistically those part didnt exist so why would they add card reader slots and stuff... i guess those speculating it is for detail didnt grow up in the 80s and wouldnt know that didnt exist. so again i think we may be getting some sort of music functionality... though i think it is a waste... who the hell would walk around with that?

Someone attending Botcon? So looking at that FM I think it would be cool to see him in full devastator paint apps...I'm just sayin'.

[Bumblevivisector]

Dammit, now even if I save up for MP Soundwave and all the cassettes, those test shots have just created another holy grail that may be forever out of my reach:

Masterpiece Howlback and Whitenoise! RRRRRRGGGHHH!!!!!

Or, if they milk these molds for every conceivable repaint, we could get that and more over the next 3-6 years? Here's hopin' they don't just stop at replicating official repaints of the original molds, but go on to do Black-Cat, those generics from MTMTE crowd shots, and new characters made up to reclaim the Four Star repaints! (I've been calling the grey/blue Laserbeak "Steelgrave" after the Starrior)

And does anyone else see the Chevy logo on Frumble's chest? Probably just a coincidence of matching the old uneven line detail with a new show-accurate neckline, or something.

[Sabrblade]

Lots of awesome in this gallery.

[Stormrider]

what be these neh-sayers when it comes to Rumble? He looks great! It is amazing the amount of articulation and detail they put into that little guy. His transformation may have some similarities to his G1-self but they are not identical. I wonder if his hips swivel.

Looks like Red Alert is already sleeping on the job.




I am not so sure about MP Soundwave having working electronics. The supposed electronics are in his feet in bot mode and the ankle joint (which is a swivel joint) does not look like it is big enough to contain an electrical cord to go to the controlers.



Interesting that we haven't seen that much regarding the accessories that comes with Soundwave. For instance, what is the silver thing that attaches to his hand? What episode is that from? Haven't seen too much regarding the number of cassettes he holds. Also, looks like there an alternate door that can be attached to Soundwave that has grid lines on it.

[CBratetron]

Why is it that when I say "It isn't as awesome as Ravage and Laserbeak" I automatically become a hater?
Where does all this insecurity come from guys?

[sky_fire12]

[quote="Stormrider"]what be these neh-sayers when it comes to Rumble? He looks great! It is amazing the amount of articulation and detail they put into that little guy. His transformation may have some similarities to his G1-self but they are not identical. I wonder if his hips swivel.

Looks like Red Alert is already sleeping on the job.




I am not so sure about MP Soundwave having working electronics. The supposed electronics are in his feet in bot mode and the ankle joint (which is a swivel joint) does not look like it is big enough to contain an electrical cord to go to the controlers.



Interesting that we haven't seen that much regarding the accessories that comes with Soundwave. For instance, what is the silver thing that attaches to his hand? What episode is that from? Haven't seen too much regarding the number of cassettes he holds. Also, looks like there an alternate door that can be attached to Soundwave that has grid lines on it.

[/quot

Id say all the accessories have already been announced or showcased in official pictures. The silver object is the one that they showed attaches onto his hand. The grid door is meant to be attached when your using the energon cubes to simulate them coming out of his chest just like in the cartoon.

[Deathsanras]

I don't really understand why Soundwave's packaging is so large. Yes, he's bigger than Alert/Lambor, but he and Laserbeak both transform into the most efficient form that exists: a rectangle. Not to mention that Laserbeak fits inside him. Presumably they're shipping him in robot mode for some reason.

[Deruji]

Is it me, or does MP Ravages head look like it's upside down on that prototype? Otherwise, I'm seriously liking that Leo Convoy.

Yeah the head is upside down ><

well i do believe soundwave will be a fully functional MP3 player, ive seen other speculate it is for added detail... but realistically those part didnt exist so why would they add card reader slots and stuff... i guess those speculating it is for detail didnt grow up in the 80s and wouldnt know that didnt exist. so again i think we may be getting some sort of music functionality... though i think it is a waste... who the hell would walk around with that?

I don't think so, the details look moulded and they're on Soundwave's feet, which look to thin to accept and any cards. If it there is some functionality, then that would indeed be a great surprise.

[RhA]

Why is it that when I say "It isn't as awesome as Ravage and Laserbeak" I automatically become a hater?
Where does all this insecurity come from guys?

Very small you-get-the-points.

[Mykltron]

I don't really understand why Soundwave's packaging is so large. Presumably they're shipping him in robot mode for some reason.

All the large MP's have been packaged in robot mode. Red Alert is the first to come in alt mode.

[Mykltron]

Whoops, double post.

[ausbot]

I'd like that proto fort max as Decepticon Fortress Maximus.

[Bumblevivisector]

I'd like that proto fort max as Decepticon Fortress Maximus.

Hadn't thought of that, though that'd make more sense than Christmas Maximus or Chuffer, given it doesn't exactly match either of their color schemes.

Is there a naming precedent for a Decepticon Fort Max? Maybe...Titan Maximum Maximus?!?