The Energon Pub

News Credits: 241 · Tue Oct 18, 2011 1:51 pm

I may just dub this a BL vs. MRA debate

We all have been there: you see a toy you want, and that toy has different version between the US and Japan. More often than not, the Japanese version looks better but is hard to get, and the US one looks decent at best but is more readily available.

My question to you guys is if you were in such a situation with any figure, what did you go for? Play the waiting game, or jump to the "inferior" version because you know you'll never come across the "superior" one. To help things along, here are some examples from my experience:

Scourge: Generations vs. United
This one was kind of easy, really. As I'm European (as most of you know), we never got Generations, so the availability argument is moot. And I knew which one I wanted: United, for the full stripes and red windows and eyes (Tip: blue light piping and red paint don't mix). Didn't have to wait long for spotting one online, so as soon as I got the chance I snapped him up. No regrets

Movie Classic Camaro Bumblebee: US vs. Japan
This is a perfect example. I've seen the US version plenty of times online, but I waited this one out for the Japanese version as I liked the translucent windows more. And I kept waiting.
It wasn't until I struck a halfsies deal with a fellow board member that the opportunity arose: a friend of mine had a Japanese Movie Bumblebee to spare thanks to a canceled trade and wanted one of the figures in that deal. So he got in, I paid for him and me, he got his figure, I got my Bumblebee, the rest is history. All happy :grin:

Rodimus: Classics vs. Henkei vs. RtS
Curse you, FansProject with your Protector! Curse you for making the prices sky-rocket! :BOOM:

*ahem* Sorry about that, had to get that off my chest. >:oP

This is one where I had to give in to the more readily available RtS version instead of Henkei. You know, Battle in Space? I haven't given up on Henkei though, especially not with the reissue. I just hope the prices have dropped a bit, at least to a somewhat normal level. And no, I ain't selling my RtS Rodimus should I succeed: he has a specially planned spot on the Universe 1.0 shelf

And now, the Coup de Grace:

Sidearm Sideswipe: US vs. Japan
I admit, he is the true reason behind this thread :oops:

I used to be all set with this one. Waiting for the Japanese version to eventually show up, until suddenly there's a deluge of cheap imported HftD overstock, and Sideswipe is in it. The red kind of throws me off, especially on the windows (I'm a lover of blue, myself), but the chances of spotting the Japanese version are slim to none, so I'd be content with the US version. Not to mention I'm on a bit of a budget at the moment... GAH! :BANG_HEAD:

Any of you had similar experiences?

News Credits: 36 · Tue Oct 18, 2011 2:17 pm

Actually, cost is a ago factor for me. Whilst the Hasbro products have remained fairly steady over the years a number of factors have mean that a Japanese deluxe will come in at around £27 theses days, compared to a US one at £15. The rep here is about £13.

That said, if Takara put out a deco we won't see, such as United G2 Thunder Megs, I'm on it. I don't mind paying the premium for something we wont get.

That said, I'm yet to own the 2007 Classics Megs, but refuse to by the Hasbro "Nerf" edition one! I will pay the extra on that occasion!

News Credits: 4 · Tue Oct 18, 2011 2:25 pm

I thought it was going to be a dating thread!

anyway, yeah, NERFatron vs Henkei (or United) Megs isn't a difficult choice. Thats the one instance where I can think of having done it myself though, I tend towards the cheapest /easiest to get version of an figure I'm after.

MP Rodimus Convoy is tempting me though. If he wasn't so damn expensive, or if I cared in any teeny tiny bit about the trailer, I'd probably have him already.

News Credits: 36 · Tue Oct 18, 2011 2:39 pm

craggy wrote:MP Rodimus Convoy is tempting me though. If he wasn't so damn expensive, or if I cared in any teeny tiny bit about the trailer, I'd probably have him already.

That was a No-Brainer, the Hasbro one was quite literally half the price! I do wish I know about Hasbro MP Grimmy sooner tho'. In retrospect, the accessories don't justify the extra expense.

News Credits: 1452 · Tue Oct 18, 2011 2:58 pm

It's tough. I always end up seeing both versions simply because of my location. The best case of this is Buster Prime though. Was waiting on it because of the price, but it's just way too popular. I'm sure I'll see one eventually but I didn't wait very long to pick up the domestic version.

News Credits: 2 · Tue Oct 18, 2011 3:21 pm

Pretender Skywarp wrote:Actually, cost is a ago factor for me.

Me, too.

I usually directly go with Hasbro's. If they missed or lacked paints (Gen. Scourge, RTS Jazz, etc), I will take out my brush and open my paint jars to fix them. Currently the only Henkei version I have is Bumblebee. The reason I got it was I got a great deal that was even cheaper than the Classics one at the time when I bought it.

Oh! I have another two. United Frenzy and Rumble. Reason you all know. There are no Hasbro version yet. But I was disappointed by the quality and I still have to take out my brush and open my paint jars to fix and add something here and there.

News Credits: 12 · Tue Oct 18, 2011 3:30 pm

For me, it's all about cost. I've NEVER seen a Takara version that looked so much better than the Hasbro version that it justified the high cost of importing. I don't even like to pay full US retail price; I buy most of my TFs when they're on sale or I have a coupon. So there's no way I'm paying $40+ for a Deluxe toy just because the paint job is a little better.

Tue Oct 18, 2011 4:26 pm

for me its more about availability and price. (price)stepper is a good example id pay a premium for him since theres likely no hasbro version coming.

(available)classics magnus was never released by takara but was here one of the few times we had something in the U.S. they might be interested over seas.

overall though id prefer to pay what amounts to a quarter of the price for the same figure.

News Credits: 217 · Tue Oct 18, 2011 4:44 pm

I've been in the opposite position to many of the people here...for 4 years I was paying retail prices for Henkei but paying heavy import prices for Classics. Under the circumstances I was glad that most of the figures I was getting were at best superior (Galvatron, Hound, Dinobot) and at worst different (Mirage, Astrotrain). I don't know if I would have paid top dollar for the reverse though.

Now that I live in a Hasbro zone I am tempted by the likes of United Scourge but ultimately I can't justify it.

News Credits: 60 · Tue Oct 18, 2011 6:03 pm

Both are readily available for me. I get United.

News Credits: 2 · Tue Oct 18, 2011 7:09 pm

I generally use BBTS, so I'm used to waiting anyway (I let my POL build up before shipping it, usually getting a HUGE box-o'-toys to open when I do ship

) and cost isn't an issue since (thankfully) my cost of living is quite low and I have a decent paying job so generally I just compare the available versions, and go with the one that looks best (99% of the time Takara wins hands-down, especially once in hand as I often find that online pics don't do them justice, the online photos are actually generally TOO brightly lit which totally throws off the actual look/color of the toys).

That being said, if Hasbro releases a figure first, and there is no upcoming Takara release (at least that I'm aware of at the time), then I go with Hasbro (Warpath for example, totally got the Hasbro version, although I have now pre-ordered the United version, but will cancel if it isn't "different" enough).

With some series, such as most of the movie toys (aside from certain exclusives etc.), the deco is generally identical, so I just go with Hasbro in those cases.

When I was working on completing my Beast Wars collection, this was actually something I had to consider a lot, because in some cases, the Hasbro version of the toy was more show-accurate, while in other cases the Takara one was more so, so I had to do a lot of shopping/image comparisons and watch a lot of video reviews to determine which ones were the best to get (and even then, some of them still needed some TLC from my paint brush to make them even more accurate).

News Credits: 1 · Tue Oct 18, 2011 9:42 pm

Cost is the factor for me too. The Japanese one's I like tend to be double or triple the cost of Hasbro's and that's before shipping is added (which is an arm and leg considering it has to come oversea).

If I could walk into a store and buy them I'd be more willing to consider a splurge or two every now and then, but I don't have that liberty sadly

Wed Oct 19, 2011 1:54 am

i'm from america & I find that most of the time the japanese takara TF versions are easier to get. thanks to BBTS.com & their pre-orders & site.

BBTS.com is even awesome for Hasbro american TF release versions. as they often get the TF toys before retail stores do. have pre-orders & the more you buy,the more you save on shipping fees.

The problem for me is not availabilty when choosing the takara version or the hasbro version. The problem for me is the price & my limited TF toy budget per year. Basically if the hasbro version is 3 times less,then I'll get the hasbro version.

Very rarely do I make exceptions & get the takara version. examples: Hasbro Armada tidalwave looked awful,so I got the takara version. hasbro's classics 1.0 version nerf gun megatron looked awful,so I got the takara version. I only make rare exceptions due to my limited toy budget per year.

Wed Oct 19, 2011 2:59 am

I always choose looks over price or availability.
However Takara doesn't always means better to me, I like RTS Perceptor and Wreckgar better than their united counterparts for example.
Sometimes both versions are too similar (like Classics Prowl or Silverstreak) so I just pick whichever one I find 1st and sometimes end up getting both versions when I do trades or buy a lot on ebay.
Sometimes both versions look equally good to me (classics and Henkei Hot Rod, or Classics and Henkei Jetfire to name some) so I get both versions.

News Credits: 10 · Wed Oct 19, 2011 3:21 am

I get the best figure, damn the price. I'm an adult collector and if I'm going in then I'm going all in. It is nice when Hasbro (I'm in the US) has the better version or when Takara and Hasbro are equal. I like saving money. But if it is a matter of a superior figure having to be imported then so be it.

Wed Oct 19, 2011 4:09 am

I've waited since Classics grimlock came out to buy him.

He was rare over in the UK, and at one point i had a order on Play.com waiting to be dispatched for 3 months before they decided they didnt have him, and if they had i would have paid £20.00.

That was about 3-4 years ago, this month i found a seller on ebay, selling a MISB Henkei grimlock for £15 including shipping, YOINK! thats mine!

Some time patience helps, now i'm waiting for a reissue piranacon that i can get for less than £50 shipped to the UK - any helpers?

News Credits: 9 · Wed Oct 19, 2011 5:51 am

If it's merely a question of paint scheme on an identical mold I'll by the cheapest and paint it.

Wed Oct 19, 2011 11:18 am

I buy all Hasbro stuff.

The only reason I consider importing a figure is if we might not get it. I got MP Megatron, Skywarp, Starscream, and Grimlock before I knew we were getting them here. I passed on Takara Rodimus because I knew we were getting him here.

News Credits: 3 · Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:12 pm

I think the real question is do the better looks justify the higher cost? With online stores such as BBTS and the like, none of these are too hard to come by if you get your pre-orders in...it's just a matter of is it worth paying 2, 3, or even 4 times the price of the domestic release? For me it depends on the figure, and in some cases the domestic release is as good or even better, like Wheeljack for example.

Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:54 pm

Not including exclusives, I usually end up buying the Hasbro releases unless the differences are extremely major (Henkei Megatron and Astrotrain), the American versions were more expensive at the time (Henkei seekers were cheaper than the BotCon ones, so all my seekers at Henkei except Acid Storm), I got a better deal on the import (Henkei Prime), or I had no idea if it would come stateside (MP Grimlock/Henkei Ratchet).

News Credits: 4 · Wed Oct 19, 2011 2:57 pm

Pretender Skywarp wrote:
craggy wrote:MP Rodimus Convoy is tempting me though. If he wasn't so damn expensive, or if I cared in any teeny tiny bit about the trailer, I'd probably have him already.

That was a No-Brainer, the Hasbro one was quite literally half the price!

Cheaper it is, and more available too, no doubt. However, Hot Rod's appearance in Transformers:The Movie is one of my favourite character designs ever, not just in TFs. It's the car that I'd get drunk and crash if I was a popstar. The Hasbro one is red, but the Takara one looks like Hot Rod.

For the price of Henkei/Classics Rodimus at the time when Protector went on pre-order, I snapped up a Challenge At Cybertron set with the knock-off looking paint-job on him, and really don't mind it, despite not matching the armour's red, because, at the end of the day, it's still going to be a pink character coloured red. The vehicle mode (even on the G1 toy, but definitely on the Classics mold) isn't the same as the animation design either, so whilst it's a cool representation of the character in general, the Masterpiece appears to be as near perfect as it's possible for me to imagine them making. I really don't want it to be so close, and yet so far off because it's the wrong colour.

Would you pay a £500 on a life-size Darth Vader statue that was dark purple, just because the black one was £1000? That's the dilemma I'm in.

Sat Oct 29, 2011 3:56 am

craggy wrote:I thought it was going to be a dating thread!

in toys or dating, better looks always win for me.

News Credits: 1 · Sat Oct 29, 2011 8:51 am

I am in between like others here. I am happy to get the Hasbro version, and make small paint mods to bring them up to snuff. Others I do not mod at all if they are a solid representation of the character.
The times that I do buy Takara versions, are for exclusives that are not released here in the U.S., or unique versions of a Character.
This includes for example, Darkside Optimus and Megs. I have the regular Hasbro color versions of them, but this set was too unique to pass up for me, even though they are essentially the same molds. However I felt no need to have the Takara United versions of these molds since they are only paint app differences.

Then there are those other rare occasions when the U.S. version is easily the better choice. For example: U.S. exclusive Gold Battle Ops Bumblebee is better IMHO to the Takara masterpiece version, and for a fraction of the price. We can't forget the TF3 HA Leadfoot either. He is already a strange creation as is, but without the exclusive Target logos and sponsor paint apps he looks down right ridiculous., and then they want $70 + dollars for him. :shock:

Love my Transformers plastic Crack!! :KREMZEEK:

Sat Oct 29, 2011 9:15 am

Lapse Of Reason wrote:I get the best figure, damn the price. I'm an adult collector and if I'm going in then I'm going all in. It is nice when Hasbro (I'm in the US) has the better version or when Takara and Hasbro are equal. I like saving money. But if it is a matter of a superior figure having to be imported then so be it.

Ditto.

I can't expound upon this much further, except that I'm such a Classics prostitute that, for the most part, I end up getting both versions. The superior version goes on my permanent display, the inferior gets much coffee table fiddle-time.

'Cause everything nowadays is made in China...

News Credits: 2 · Sat Oct 29, 2011 10:06 am

Lapse Of Reason wrote:I get the best figure, damn the price. I'm an adult collector and if I'm going in then I'm going all in. It is nice when Hasbro (I'm in the US) has the better version or when Takara and Hasbro are equal. I like saving money. But if it is a matter of a superior figure having to be imported then so be it.