The Energon Pub

[Scaleface]

Someone mentioned the other day, and I looked because I didn't believe it. All the "Real Gear" toy line lack any mention of Paramount or the 2007 live action film on the box. Add to this that the images on the video camera, video game and the like are of Cybertron characters, and I'm starting to think they are not part of the movie line at all. At least they are seperated enough for Hasbro not to have to share any royalities with Paramount, and they can later reused the molds in non-movie (Universe?) lines at a later date. I mean what if the camera was released as Universe Reflector or the bird-mp3player was released as Universe Buzzsaw at a later date?

[Bumblethumper]

I think they will do that.

The figures don't fit with the same design aesthetic as the movie. There were 2 transforming mobile phones in the movie, and they were radically different from the real gear phone.

I have Spyshot 6 and the one that turns into a game controller. The biggest similarity to the movie toys is that the transformation for the game controller has an automorph.

[Stormrider]

The interesting thing about the Real Gears is that they were all designed by one person. I believe he is an Australian designer, and also, the only nonJapanese designer that Takara has on board.

There was an interview about him a year ago, though I can't remember his name now. I remember in the interview that these designs were not originally designed for the movie. They were just added into the line (probably for marketing purposes).

[Liege Evilmus]

I'm gonna have to say no but they are cool.

I'd love to see more of them, and I don't mean frikkin repaints.

I was actualy looking at my LaserBeak(I'm calling him that) and started thinking that a cool new alt for SoundWave would be Panasonic ToughBook(basicly an armored laptop) and the minions could be add on items like an Ipod, Digital Camera, and so on...

That would be cool, and he'd make a nice centerpiece for this side line!

[Omega Charge]

The idea behind them is the movie plot, although the figures are designed differently. And are they actually popular? I thought they were a bust.

[i_amtrunks]

The interesting thing about the Real Gears is that they were all designed by one person. I believe he is an Australian designer, and also, the only nonJapanese designer that Takara has on board.

There was an interview about him a year ago, though I can't remember his name now. I remember in the interview that these designs were not originally designed for the movie. They were just added into the line (probably for marketing purposes).

I remember the same thing, but for the life of me cannot remember his name either.

The Real Gears were never made for the movie line, but they did make the perfect Scout size line to compliment the Scout-less Movie figures. The fact they have Transformer heads rather than deformed melted plastic heads is proof!

[Stormrider]

The idea behind them is the movie plot, although the figures are designed differently. And are they actually popular? I thought they were a bust.

I think the original colored ones have been popular. I don't know about the repaints though.

[Auto Bot]

They were just made to ride on the popularity of the movie.

To me, they're not related at all.

Didn't get any single one of them.

[underwear ninja]

Well they were released in the movie line, not remolded/repainted previously, and have a some what logical excuse to be in that line- I'd have to say they are part of the movie line Granted, not design wise, but they technically are bots from Earth for the most part.

[DeepWater]

They were designed for different purposes but ended up fitting in perfectly with the movie's storyline.

I have about a half-dozen of them and they're all really nice little robots who are all pretty much in scale with whatever they're supposed to be.

[Auto Bot]

Are they balanced out? I mean numerically, good vs evil thingy.

[Silent_Magnus]

We were getting good/bad versions of each mold,
but some of the newer repaints are the same faction as the first version of the mold.

As for the question of weather or not they are technically part of the movie line can be answered by visiting the hasbro toy shop.

http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com/ProductsBy ... ST=SO&PG=2

[Overcracker]

I think they are part of the movie.

While the don't exactly match the aesthetic of the movie designs. I think they were totally planned to be part of the movie line, while not being part of the main Movie Cast.

They are in Movie packaging, came out during the Movie where marketed as movie merchandise. And yet have a somewhat weak connection to the Movie but a connection nonetheless: "The Allspark creating TF's from everyday devices".

If they had been planned for another line, they had plenty of time to release them with Classics or Cybertron before, or wait to release them with Animated. However they really have no connection whatsoever to any of the lines. Cybertorn did not have hand held devices that transformed into robots. they have no G1 connection to speak of, so make no sense in classics. And AFAIK nothing has been said about transformable devices in Animated.

So the only logical explanation is they where made specifically for the Movie line. And are part of the Movie line since they where marketed as such.

They have the added benefit that since they don't use any Movie designs, they are 100% Hasbro property, and all profits belong to Hasbro. No need to share with Paramount or Dreamwork, however they are part of the movie line.

[DeepWater]

The article on the little guys over on Teletraan actually explains their placement within the movie line - http://transformers.wikia.com/wiki/Real_Gear_Robots

They were designed earlier, put on hold, and then the movie came along which ended up being a perfect fit for them.

[Bumblethumper]

The interesting thing about the Real Gears is that they were all designed by one person. I believe he is an Australian designer, and also, the only nonJapanese designer that Takara has on board.

There was an interview about him a year ago, though I can't remember his name now. I remember in the interview that these designs were not originally designed for the movie. They were just added into the line (probably for marketing purposes).

I read an interview with the same guy, I don't know if it was the same interview, but I don't recall any mention of him designing the Real Gears singlehandedly. He designed the bird/Mp3 player, and it might have mentioned another one.

[Scaleface]

If anyone canj find this interview I'd lov to read it.

[Bumblethumper]

Yo

-> http://www.pingmag.jp/2007/06/29/transformers/

What impresses me the most is that he's designed some of the absolute greatest figures of recent times. Classics Mirage, Bumblebee, and Concept Camaro Bumblebee.