The Energon Pub

Rated X wrote:The colors actually look better then Bludgon, but "Banzi-Tron" is the most stupid name I have ever heard in my life. Does he grow little trees ???

I agree it is a stupid name (but where would Transformers be without its grand tradition of stupid names? I mean seriously, Optimus Prime?) but I have to say:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banzai

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonsai

I'm not sure what to think about this one. The green is a bit garish, but so is the orange on Bludgeon. And the photo touch-up makes it hard to tell the colors (is that purple or just highlighted black).
Two-toned swords are cool, but the mold is so distinctly Bludgeon's.

A new head would do wonders for this.

Noideaforaname wrote:I'm not sure what to think about this one. The green is a bit garish, but so is the orange on Bludgeon. And the photo touch-up makes it hard to tell the colors (is that purple or just highlighted black).
Two-toned swords are cool, but the mold is so distinctly Bludgeon's.

A new head would do wonders for this.

Indeed. I'm pretty surprised they haven't tried to push a repaint out of a more generic mold such as Stratosphere. I seem to remember someone, probably Jin Saotome, doing a decent Octane along those lines. By the way, I've been meaning to ask, is your username a reference to the band No Use For A Name?

Sadly meh. Colors are dull and a new head sculpt would've been great.

Diem wrote:By the way, I've been meaning to ask, is your username a reference to the band No Use For A Name?

No, I just had no idea for a username.

Noideaforaname wrote:

Diem wrote:By the way, I've been meaning to ask, is your username a reference to the band No Use For A Name?

No, I just had no idea for a username.

Fair enough.

A new headsculpt would've moved this Banzai-tron from curiosity to must buy, I have to say. Dirty pool, Hasbro. Dirty pool.

I think I actually prefer this version to the original.

Cool. Cool. Very very cool. In fact so cool I can't decide which is best. This or the original. Probably Bludge, but I'll just have to wait and see. If Bludgeon doesn't get released here in the U.K. though, which I fear he won't, and Banzai-Tron does, then it's him. I guess as long as i get the mold, I will be happy. He has to fight Generations Drift! HELL YEAH!

Considering I missed out on Bludgeon the first time I saw him, and the ONLY time!!! Six F'ing stores in my area and I only saw him once..
No hesitation on this one, at all.

I like the green but I already have a Banzai-Tron (and ROTF Bludgeon) and he looks better by far. What an out of the blue design choice. Meh.

if it weren't for the fact that i already have bludgeon i'd have considered this as the colour scheme is better

having said that i'm thrilled with bludgeon - it's probably the best toy 've purchased in the last few years - looks great with my classics collection has a nice trnaformation where although it is relatively complex, the toy's size makes it enjoyable (unlike certain over complicated toys like galvatron where they're too fiddly) + rubber tracks ftw!

Switch the colors around a bit, and perfect match!

Diem wrote:

Noideaforaname wrote:

Diem wrote:By the way, I've been meaning to ask, is your username a reference to the band No Use For A Name?

No, I just had no idea for a username.

Fair enough.

A new headsculpt would've moved this Banzai-tron from curiosity to must buy, I have to say. Dirty pool, Hasbro. Dirty pool.

*A-hem*

OH... HEADROBOTS, YOU CAN DITCH THE COBRA NOW, YOU HAVE AN OFFICAL MARKET...ANyway, I love this repaint, it's very well done from sword to tread, but it isn't Banzy to me. I till like the Botcon fig better (which I DON'T have), Mirage is just more use-flexible than was Bludgeon, and I think it fits the character more. Bludgeon is just too weighted down in tank/samurai armor to be anyone but his Pretender self.

Meh! It's ok i guess, but it would have been 10 times better with a new head mold and maybe some additinal guns or cannons, but thats me. eh, i might pick him up if he's $5.00 or so, but honestly i was expecting ALOT better re-paint for this mold. I'll just wait for Sea Spray and catch up on G1 re-issues...

I might get this. I hated Bludgeon because the skull head in robot mode just looked naff like those Star Wars Boba Fett and Darth Vader/Tie Fighter Tf's.

However the red face looks less skull like so I am tempted to get it now. Oddly, I'm currently getting a friend of mine to repaint Energon Divebomb as Banzai-tron. To me that toy looked more like Banzai-tron than any other TF since. Though the Botcon one looks nice. Also saw a nice pic once of Armada Skywarp as Banzai-tron.

I used to think it was a terrible name but IDW has halped me come up with an explanation.

Banzai-tron runs the Decepticon secret police so it's very probable that he's encountered Autobot Special Ops commander Jazz. What if Banzai-tron had a different name before he came to Earth, I like to think Divebomb. I know the Marvel UK fans are going to go nuts with this. But let's say his name had been Divebomb (an unashamed plug at my wanting to repaint Energon Divebomb all thses years).

He comes here and encounters Jazz, displaying his martial arts prowess in battle. Jazz being the culture lover that he is, ends up calling him Banzai-tron, as he thrash talks him during battle and the name sticks, much to Banzai-tron's irritation. This and their functions lead to a grudge between them ala Swoop/Divebomb. It's the best explanation I can think of. Just throwing it out there.

I guess it is true that they intended to reuse the mold for Banzai-tron. There does seem to be enough design bits on the ROTF mold that were based off Actionmaster Banzai-tron.

http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/ ... 1771/1/14/


http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/ ... 1988/1/59/

meh.

A new auction has shown up on eBay featuring the new and upcoming voyager class Banzaitron toy. As you may know, Banzaitron is a redeco of Bludgeon from Revenge of The Fallen. To view the auction, click here.





Also worthy of note that he is in a bag labeled "Botcon", although it is known the figure will be a retail release.



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If you're unfamiliar with who Banzai-Tron is, please check out his previous incarnations in the world's largest Transformers gallery right here at Seibertron.com ...

Action Master Banzai-Tron



BotCon 2009 Banzai-Tron

I like it, but I was kind of disappointed when I saw he's a Bludgeon repaint.

Wow, wild "BotCon" bagging. There are so many things that call that into question:

The Entertainment Earth listing
No movie molds in BotCon
No Hasbro redeco before BotCon uses the mold (has that *ever* happened?)

But, Banzai-tron was an '09 BotCon villian.

I'm not sure what to make of that bag yet.

possibly somebody with a Botcon bag just repainted a Bludgeon and trying to get some extra scratch maybe? That's really all I got. Still planning on getting the guy though. But only after he hits retail.

Razorclaw0000 wrote:Wow, wild "BotCon" bagging. There are so many things that call that into question:

No Hasbro redeco before BotCon uses the mold (has that *ever* happened?)

I'm not sure what to make of that bag yet.

Yes. The 2005 convention series has 2 repaints that were never redeco'd by Hasbro previously. Ironhide and Ratchet were of the previously issued Energon "Tow-line' You'd also be able to include Chromia if Takara hadn't issued the Paradron repaint by Toy dream factory (or whatever it's called)

Actually, quite a few come to mind. 2006 Darksyde Megatron of Cybertron Red Alert (remember Countdown came only last year) Rhinox repaint of Cybertron Landmine (again, the walmart exclusive Grindcore didn't happen until a year later)... and so on

HighPrime wrote:

Razorclaw0000 wrote:Wow, wild "BotCon" bagging. There are so many things that call that into question:

No Hasbro redeco before BotCon uses the mold (has that *ever* happened?)

I'm not sure what to make of that bag yet.

Yes. The 2005 convention series has 2 repaints that were never redeco'd by Hasbro previously. Ironhide and Ratchet were of the previously issued Energon "Tow-line' You'd also be able to include Chromia if Takara hadn't issued the Paradron repaint by Toy dream factory (or whatever it's called)

Actually, quite a few come to mind. 2006 Darksyde Megatron of Cybertron Red Alert (remember Countdown came only last year) Rhinox repaint of Cybertron Landmine (again, the walmart exclusive Grindcore didn't happen until a year later)... and so on

Right you are.

It's been a long day at work...

Razorclaw0000 wrote:

HighPrime wrote:

Razorclaw0000 wrote:Wow, wild "BotCon" bagging. There are so many things that call that into question:

No Hasbro redeco before BotCon uses the mold (has that *ever* happened?)

I'm not sure what to make of that bag yet.

Yes. The 2005 convention series has 2 repaints that were never redeco'd by Hasbro previously. Ironhide and Ratchet were of the previously issued Energon "Tow-line' You'd also be able to include Chromia if Takara hadn't issued the Paradron repaint by Toy dream factory (or whatever it's called)

Actually, quite a few come to mind. 2006 Darksyde Megatron of Cybertron Red Alert (remember Countdown came only last year) Rhinox repaint of Cybertron Landmine (again, the walmart exclusive Grindcore didn't happen until a year later)... and so on

Right you are.

It's been a long day at work...

We've all been there

adamassc wrote: the colorscheme really brings out the details.

Correction: the Photoshop effects really bring out the details.