The Energon Pub

[El Duque]

Hobby Search have posted new in-package images of Encore 21 Soundblaster and Encore 22 Twincast. Each figure has underwent a few minor tweaks. Twincast now has a yellow face with blue eyes and a smooth tape deck, while Soundblaster now features a silver face with red eyes. Both have tampographed faction symbols.
Each reissue also comes with two new cassette repaints with reassigned weapons. Nightstalker and Stripes for Twincast. Enemy and Wing Thing for Soundblaster. Images mirrored below.

[Mkall]

I just want the cassettes! Why are they making this so difficult!

[Seibertron]

These sets are awesome. Can't wait to get my hands on these. Also happy that they gave their faces new paint jobs as well. Kudos Takara Tomy!

Action Master Soundwave and Wing Thing ... my camera's looking at you!

[Midnight_Fox]

I just want the cassettes!

You and me both. I can't tell you how many times I've thought about dropping my pre-order and just going shopping with the money set aside for this but for those cassettes!

[Tigertrack]

'I'm lovin' it!'

[Nemesis Destron]

I just want the cassettes!

You and me both. I can't tell you how many times I've thought about dropping my pre-order and just going shopping with the money set aside for this but for those cassettes!

It would be awesome if they put out a cassette 4 pack as they have done in the past. Which is about time that they did another set featuring these 4...c'mon Takomy you can do it!

[Seibertron]

I just want the cassettes!

You and me both. I can't tell you how many times I've thought about dropping my pre-order and just going shopping with the money set aside for this but for those cassettes!

It would be awesome if they put out a cassette 4 pack as they have done in the past. Which is about time that they did another set featuring these 4...c'mon Takomy you can do it!

They won't do that. These sets are designed this way so that people who already own Twincast and Soundblaster will buy them for these cassettes. That's the big draw and how they can continue to profit from molds that have been released multiple times over the past decade.

[Nemesis Destron]

I just want the cassettes!

You and me both. I can't tell you how many times I've thought about dropping my pre-order and just going shopping with the money set aside for this but for those cassettes!

It would be awesome if they put out a cassette 4 pack as they have done in the past. Which is about time that they did another set featuring these 4...c'mon Takomy you can do it!

They won't do that. These sets are designed this way so that people who already own Twincast and Soundblaster will buy them for these cassettes. That's the big draw and how they can continue to profit from molds that have been released multiple times over the past decade.

And the reality is these will sell just for those alone.

[Stormrider]

Hope their bio cards describe their backgrounds more.

[Bouncy X]

excuse my lack of uber hardcore transformers knowledge but...who the hell are these guys? i mean its clearly repainted Blaster and Soundwave toys but they have different names. so are these what those characters are known by in japan and if so, did they appear with these names and color schemes on the japanese cartoons and/or comics or something?

[Rated X]

Kind of wish the cassettes were metallic orange as the appeared in the promo shots. I guess the bright orange is toy accurate for the ratbat repaint. But stripes should have gotten a different color.

[Bumblevivisector]

excuse my lack of uber hardcore transformers knowledge but...who the hell are these guys? i mean its clearly repainted Blaster and Soundwave toys but they have different names. so are these what those characters are known by in japan and if so, did they appear with these names and color schemes on the japanese cartoons and/or comics or something?

I haven't seen all of Headmasters yet, but in the second episode, Blaster (J-name Broadcast) and Soundwave more or less kill each other, only to be rebuilt in more powerful bodies, renamed Twincast and Soundblaster respectively, in episode 4. While previous releases have stayed pretty true to their original toys, these have apparently been repainted to be more accurate to their anime likenesses, to make cassette fans who already got them (myself included) feel less like we're double dipping. If you're a cassette completist, you really do need the earlier Twincast to get Flipsides too, despite her close resemblance to Rosanna...yeah, I was doomed to shell out for these guys no matter what.

The cassettes are each a much longer story: the 'Bots are characters so obscure that they've only gotten text mentions without a single drawing, and the 'Cons have both technically had toys before, just not the proper ones they deserved. Just punch in Stripes, Nightstalker, Wingthing, and Enemy on the TF Wiki.

[fenrir72]

Soundblaster has red optics this time while Twincast has a gold visage + blue optics. Aside from the new cassettes. Not a lazy repaint at all

I hope QC is equally good.

[Bouncy X]

excuse my lack of uber hardcore transformers knowledge but...who the hell are these guys? i mean its clearly repainted Blaster and Soundwave toys but they have different names. so are these what those characters are known by in japan and if so, did they appear with these names and color schemes on the japanese cartoons and/or comics or something?

I haven't seen all of Headmasters yet, but in the second episode, Blaster (J-name Broadcast) and Soundwave more or less kill each other, only to be rebuilt in more powerful bodies, renamed Twincast and Soundblaster respectively, in episode 4. While previous releases have stayed pretty true to their original toys, these have apparently been repainted to be more accurate to their anime likenesses, to make cassette fans who already got them (myself included) feel less like we're double dipping. If you're a cassette completist, you really do need the earlier Twincast to get Flipsides too, despite her close resemblance to Rosanna...yeah, I was doomed to shell out for these guys no matter what.

The cassettes are each a much longer story: the 'Bots are characters so obscure that they've only gotten text mentions without a single drawing, and the 'Cons have both technically had toys before, just not the proper ones they deserved. Just punch in Stripes, Nightstalker, Wingthing, and Enemy on the TF Wiki.

well thank you for the detailed answer. can't believe it took japan to get a proper Blaster vs. Soundwave fight....figures.

[RhA]

excuse my lack of uber hardcore transformers knowledge but...who the hell are these guys? i mean its clearly repainted Blaster and Soundwave toys but they have different names. so are these what those characters are known by in japan and if so, did they appear with these names and color schemes on the japanese cartoons and/or comics or something?

I haven't seen all of Headmasters yet, but in the second episode, Blaster (J-name Broadcast) and Soundwave more or less kill each other, only to be rebuilt in more powerful bodies, renamed Twincast and Soundblaster respectively, in episode 4. While previous releases have stayed pretty true to their original toys, these have apparently been repainted to be more accurate to their anime likenesses, to make cassette fans who already got them (myself included) feel less like we're double dipping. If you're a cassette completist, you really do need the earlier Twincast to get Flipsides too, despite her close resemblance to Rosanna...yeah, I was doomed to shell out for these guys no matter what.

The cassettes are each a much longer story: the 'Bots are characters so obscure that they've only gotten text mentions without a single drawing, and the 'Cons have both technically had toys before, just not the proper ones they deserved. Just punch in Stripes, Nightstalker, Wingthing, and Enemy on the TF Wiki.

well thank you for the detailed answer. can't believe it took japan to get a proper Blaster vs. Soundwave fight....figures.

The Headmasters has great moments, followed by great boredom... Worth a shot, I'd say.

Plus, Blaster looks awesome in blue.

[Stockade]

These are Freakin awesome! ill be picking these up ASAP!

[El Duque]

As he usually does, Japanese toy blogger Alfes 2010 has rushed out and purchased the latest offerings from Takara and posted galleries of his new acquisitions. Below you find mirrored images of Encore 21 Soundblaster with Wing Thing & Enemy and Encore 22 Twincast with Stripes and Nightstalker. The images highlight some of the slight differences between these and the previous versions of the characters. More images can be found at the following: Soundblaster Twincast

[Stormrider]

Please explain the tiny robot stickers on the cassettes. Why do the Takara cassettes have those? what's the significance?

[dedcat]

I'm digging the cassettes, though not enough to buy these encore figures just to get them. This would have been an easy sell if not for the fact that reissue/e-hobby versions already came out a few years ago, but a fun lot of repaints all the way around.

[MINDVVIPE]

What is it about those backs of boxes box-art that just drives me insane. Its so freaking awesome. Its like something you'd find on the cover of a really trippy old-school heavy metal band.

[Rated X]

Is there a reason why Soundblaster's volume dial is missing ???

And whats up with those stupid looking pink robot stickers on the cassettes ??? They look aweful and cover the proper image of the "tape reels" that should be on the center of each cassette ??? There better be tape reels underneath them because I am seriously considering taking that pink s**t off...

[Heckfire]

Nice...I kinda want the cassettes more than the decks, actually, but I'm a sucker for new canon G1 characters.

...I've actually been using Cybertron Sideways as my repurposed "Neo-G1" Wingthing. Makes sense, Ratbat is a redeco of him, and he's the same colors as the Action Master beastie after all.

[Kung Fu Man]

Kind of want Soundblaster just for his tapes...but with everyone saying we'll see a Masterpiece Soundwave (that may end up with new takes on the tapes as is) and we know Fans Toys is apparently still working on their Soundwave with custom tapes of its own...hrm.

On the flipside, I'm okay with Twincast since I'm not after his other tapes in any form.

[Seibertron]

Is there a reason why Soundblaster's volume dial is missing ???

And whats up with those stupid looking pink robot stickers on the cassettes ??? They look aweful and cover the proper image of the "tape reels" that should be on the center of each cassette ??? There better be tape reels underneath them because I am seriously considering taking that pink s**t off...

Those "stupid looking pink robot stickers" are the stickers that came on Buzzsaw and Steeljaw when they came with the original versions of Soundblaster and Twincast way back in 1987. The reissues have followed suit I believe on all of the cassettes that have come with them if I recall correctly. The "robots" are Fortress Maximus and Scorponok if you look closely. When you insert the cassettes into the chests of Soundblaster or Twincast, it reveals the weakspots (acting in a similar fashion to the tech spec decoders. It's actually pretty cool, and awesome, that they have continued on with this tradition.

[El Duque]

Can't wait to get my hands on those cassettes!