The Energon Pub

im just wondering what is the difference, other tahn the fact the g1 is the original, between g1 and reissue figures. from what i've seen they look very similar.

chrisc4 wrote:im just wondering what is the difference, other tahn the fact the g1 is the original, between g1 and reissue figures. from what i've seen they look very similar.

They look similar but they're not. More often than not, the molds have minor changes to them, especially if the mold was modified for an earlier release, or improvements for the reissue alone. Also, US reissues have to obey current Toy Safety Laws which involves long missiles and despringing launchers. Here are some of the more notable ones:

Optimus Prime
He has had reissues in all categories mentioned. The US reissues have long missiles and shortened smokestacks, while some Japanese reissues have added goodies like an Energon Axe.

Jazz
He's a rare case of mold restoration, as it was degrading since 1993. His face slowly turned into a smirk, but was fixed for the reissue of the Japanese-only repaint Stepper, which was brought over as Ricochet. Since we're talking about Stepper, he was a Targetmaster, which means he had a partner that turns into a gun. That partner was retooled to remedy a breakage issue common with him.

Astrotrain
He's a bit odd as he was never reissued in his US colors. The Hasbro reissue actually used the Japanese toy colors of realistic black and white, leading some to believe he's actually the Japanese reissue repackaged.

Soundwave
Now he is a doozy. He has had so many variations in his original releases, all involving the tape deck door (the hinge to be exact) and the shape of the buttons. He was once retooled in Japan to make space for a second tape to be stored. The first Hasbro reissue used that door, probably because the original had degraded beyond use. The original door was restored for the reissues after that.

Starscream
The Transformers Collection one is special as it doesn't use the original toy colors, but actually uses the cartoon colors. He also came with a small version of gun mode Megatron with an extra fist so Starscream can hold him. Furthermore, he comes with another fist for Optimus Prime to use.

Combaticons & Bruticus
The originals have been retooled for G2 and again for Robots in Disguise for Ruination, so all guns could combine. Those retools were kept for Bruticus' reissue.

I'm not even gonna talk about (miniscule) differences in color, as that would take forever

And wasn't the TRU reissue Insecticons dones without the die-cast content? I haven't managed to nab them yet, but I seem to remember hearing that.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

chrisc4 wrote:im just wondering what is the difference, other tahn the fact the g1 is the original, between g1 and reissue figures. from what i've seen they look very similar.

They look similar but they're not. More often than not, the molds have minor changes to them, especially if the mold was modified for an earlier release, or improvements for the reissue alone. Also, US reissues have to obey current Toy Safety Laws which involves long missiles and despringing launchers. Here are some of the more notable ones:

Optimus Prime
He has had reissues in all categories mentioned. The US reissues have long missiles and shortened smokestacks, while some Japanese reissues have added goodies like an Energon Axe.

Jazz
He's a rare case of mold restoration, as it was degrading since 1993. His face slowly turned into a smirk, but was fixed for the reissue of the Japanese-only repaint Stepper, which was brought over as Ricochet. Since we're talking about Stepper, he was a Targetmaster, which means he had a partner that turns into a gun. That partner was retooled to remedy a breakage issue common with him.

Astrotrain
He's a bit odd as he was never reissued in his US colors. The Hasbro reissue actually used the Japanese toy colors of realistic black and white, leading some to believe he's actually the Japanese reissue repackaged.

Soundwave
Now he is a doozy. He has had so many variations in his original releases, all involving the tape deck door (the hinge to be exact) and the shape of the buttons. He was once retooled in Japan to make space for a second tape to be stored. The first Hasbro reissue used that door, probably because the original had degraded beyond use. The original door was restored for the reissues after that.

Starscream
The Transformers Collection one is special as it doesn't use the original toy colors, but actually uses the cartoon colors. He also came with a small version of gun mode Megatron with an extra fist so Starscream can hold him. Furthermore, he comes with another fist for Optimus Prime to use.

Combaticons & Bruticus
The originals have been retooled for G2 and again for Robots in Disguise for Ruination, so all guns could combine. Those retools were kept for Bruticus' reissue.

I'm not even gonna talk about (miniscule) differences in color, as that would take forever

do you recommend getting any reissues?

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

chrisc4 wrote:im just wondering what is the difference, other tahn the fact the g1 is the original, between g1 and reissue figures. from what i've seen they look very similar.

They look similar but they're not. More often than not, the molds have minor changes to them, especially if the mold was modified for an earlier release, or improvements for the reissue alone. Also, US reissues have to obey current Toy Safety Laws which involves long missiles and despringing launchers. Here are some of the more notable ones:

Optimus Prime
He has had reissues in all categories mentioned. The US reissues have long missiles and shortened smokestacks, while some Japanese reissues have added goodies like an Energon Axe.

Jazz
He's a rare case of mold restoration, as it was degrading since 1993. His face slowly turned into a smirk, but was fixed for the reissue of the Japanese-only repaint Stepper, which was brought over as Ricochet. Since we're talking about Stepper, he was a Targetmaster, which means he had a partner that turns into a gun. That partner was retooled to remedy a breakage issue common with him.

Astrotrain
He's a bit odd as he was never reissued in his US colors. The Hasbro reissue actually used the Japanese toy colors of realistic black and white, leading some to believe he's actually the Japanese reissue repackaged.

Soundwave
Now he is a doozy. He has had so many variations in his original releases, all involving the tape deck door (the hinge to be exact) and the shape of the buttons. He was once retooled in Japan to make space for a second tape to be stored. The first Hasbro reissue used that door, probably because the original had degraded beyond use. The original door was restored for the reissues after that.

Starscream
The Transformers Collection one is special as it doesn't use the original toy colors, but actually uses the cartoon colors. He also came with a small version of gun mode Megatron with an extra fist so Starscream can hold him. Furthermore, he comes with another fist for Optimus Prime to use.

Combaticons & Bruticus
The originals have been retooled for G2 and again for Robots in Disguise for Ruination, so all guns could combine. Those retools were kept for Bruticus' reissue.

I'm not even gonna talk about (miniscule) differences in color, as that would take forever

do you recommend getting any reissues?

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Starscream
The Transformers Collection one is special as it doesn't use the original toy colors, but actually uses the cartoon colors. He also came with a small version of gun mode Megatron with an extra fist so Starscream can hold him. Furthermore, he comes with another fist for Optimus Prime to use.

slight correction since i have this reissue. both of screamer's fists are remolded to hold the mini megatron gun there was no extra. the prime fist was included and the gun could be mounted on starscream's underside in jetmode. highly recomended reissue btw

grimdragon2001 wrote:do you recommend getting any reissues?

Yeah sure, there are many that are pretty good. Encore 01 Convoy, Book Style Convoy, Any Soundwave, Omega Supreme, etc.. are very nice.

As GoldRabbit points out the differences are minor but depend on the specific re-issue you get.

If you want to get re-issues I'd say go for the Japanese re-issues, they stick closer to the originals.

While Hasbro is forced to make more changes to adapt to toy laws.

"Fred's Complete Transformers Variants Page" (http://reocities.com/futuristgroup/vquanda.html) has good comparisons on variations, including reissues.

As for recommendations, a reissue is a must buy when it actually improves on the original mold, or corrects design flaws. At least for me. Here are mine:

- Transformers Collection Hot Rodimus with Firebolt (has both original guns and Targetmaster function)
- Transformers Collection Chaar with Recoil & Wheelie (same)
- Transformers Collection Stepper with Nebulon (improved functionality)
- Predaking (has die cast, something that was phased out of the original release)
- Star Convoy (silver instead of white of the original)
- Galvatron (retooled head and battery compartment, plus cartoon like colors)
- Battle Convoy (aka G2 Laser Optimus Prime. Chromed mid-section and Trailer)
- Encore Meister (aka Jazz. Has an alignment problem corrected)

In addition:

1. Star Convoy: Chromed star on the chest and Hotrodimus' decos are painted.

2. TFC Insectrons have energon cubes

3. Bruticus re-issue, shorter Onslaught gun which combines with the other 'cons weapons

4. Meister Encore have has a painted blue visor (all Autobots have blue optics) and his decos(especially the Martini tri colors are now painted not decals (original's tri colors on the rear wheels tend to crimp) plus stamp graphed autobot sigils)

5. Trailbraker encore has blue optics(not sure about Hoist)and the red decal on the shoulder has been fixed.

6. Most Encore autobots(and some TFC) have blue optics (check the minibot sets)

7. Cassette trons (Rumble/Frenzy) decos are now stamp graphed.No thigh decos.

8. Piranacon, well different shade of purple for Overbite and Snaptrap's head isn't painted black plus chromed flame sword and not pink.

9.Metroplex Slammer has a connector on his turret

10. Landcross,Sixturbo,Sixliner,Sixtrain and Six builder have stamped decos

11.Galvatron is now anime accurate and speaks Japanese phrases plus his batteries have been changed.

12.Encore Seekers have stamped graph sigils and decos with the exception of Skywarps' wing decos(still uses decals)

Almost forgot. the reissue of God Ginrai/Powermaster Prime w/ Apex Armor features a large die-cast section in the front of the cab where the original(at least the american version I'm sure of) was all plastic, also Hi-Q/Ginrai has chrome where it was originally grey & the super mode/Super Ginrai has chrome on the thigh areas where it was white/grey on the original.

Forgotten wrote:Almost forgot. the reissue of God Ginrai/Powermaster Prime w/ Apex Armor features a large die-cast section in the front of the cab where the original(at least the american version I'm sure of) was all plastic, also Hi-Q/Ginrai has chrome where it was originally grey & the super mode/Super Ginrai has chrome on the thigh areas where it was white/grey on the original.

Which was true to the original God Ginrai. The original US Powermaster Prime was the one with all plastic parts and solid arms.

And somewhat weird, the USA Powermaster Optimus (the one with the plastic cab)had longer smokestacks than Godginrai

Encore Bruticus has the mechanism in Onslaught functional where as the US G1 toy did not.

Encore Predaking (?) but the first re-issue of Predaking had die-cast parts. The original Japanese Predaking back in 1986 was all plastic, only the Hasbro first release had die-cast.

Encore Ironhide and Ratchet sold poorly hehehehe seriously, both 'bots came with "cardboard heads"

Encore Omega Supreme has a face(sort off) while Encore Sky Lynx has added face decos.

I think the reissue Hot Rod was slightly, almost unnoticeably larger than the original.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Also, US reissues have to obey current Toy Safety Laws which involves long missiles and despringing launchers.

Long missiles are a change, but nerfing the launchers isn't. Very few if any original G1 TF's had working launchers in the US.

Optimum Supreme wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Also, US reissues have to obey current Toy Safety Laws which involves long missiles and despringing launchers.

Long missiles are a change, but nerfing the launchers isn't. Very few if any original G1 TF's had working launchers in the US.

Actually, all they did back in '84 was weaken the springs to merely hold the missiles in place. Nowadays removing the springs completely is the common practice if the missiles can't be lengthened.

The biggest difference is in quality. The reissues produced (especially by Takara) are aimed more at the collectors market and therefore don't have the same rigorous quality assurance as the 80s figures.

It's a shame that the only reissues I've got left are Ehobby Magnus (which has shite elbow joints on armour, BTW), TFC00 Prime (poor sholder joints), TFC Megs (crap legs) and TFC Starscream (floppy arms and poor paint applications on the wings, which I covered up with the stickers), otherwise I'd do a whole video reel of dodgy reissues.

Hall of shame -

TFC00 Prime - Smokestacks snapped immediately. Shoulders badly made - they don't click, they just feel like they're going to snap. I don't have any of these problems on any of my 3 originals.

TFC Megatron - One leg shorter than the other, loose arms and the waist has problems moving. Again, neither problem on my originals (I've had two, and since traded one)

TFC Astrotrain - The leg that is normally shorter than the other is increasingly more so.

TFC Starscream - Wonky paint applications, loose arms.

TFC Soundwave - A minor, annoying problem was that the stickers lost some of their details when I removed them from the sheet.

TFC Prowl - Again, the stickers peeled within hours of application. The glue simply wasn't there.

Ehobby Magnus - No ratchet joint in the horizontal part of the elbow, making it very loose. Again, nieither of my originals do this.

Hasbro Hoist - Legs liked to jump backward.

I've had other reissues, without fault, but the vast majority have had issues of some kind. It's put me off totally, which is a git, because I like getting the Ehobby recolours.


I could of course, just be the most unlucky collector to purchase reissues ever.

I actually haven't had any problems with my Encore reissues, but some of the ToysRUs reissues had really crappy stickers that keep peeling off on their own to this day. Other than that and the neutered missiles, I'm pretty happy with them. Except for Jazz. That face never should've seen the light of day, and I can't justify buying the Encore one to replace it.

kirbenvost wrote:I actually haven't had any problems with my Encore reissues, but some of the ToysRUs reissues had really crappy stickers that keep peeling off on their own to this day. Other than that and the neutered missiles, I'm pretty happy with them. Except for Jazz. That face never should've seen the light of day, and I can't justify buying the Encore one to replace it.

You should, as it has Stepper's fixed face. Delivered by Movie Prime personally.

Forgotten wrote:And wasn't the TRU reissue Insecticons dones without the die-cast content? I haven't managed to nab them yet, but I seem to remember hearing that.

I just nabbed a set for $20 ($5 off TRU rewards) + clearance.

They are die cast.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

kirbenvost wrote:I actually haven't had any problems with my Encore reissues, but some of the ToysRUs reissues had really crappy stickers that keep peeling off on their own to this day. Other than that and the neutered missiles, I'm pretty happy with them. Except for Jazz. That face never should've seen the light of day, and I can't justify buying the Encore one to replace it.

You should, as it has Stepper's fixed face. Delivered by Movie Prime personally.

Does TFC-Jazz have the duff face or the fixed one?

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

kirbenvost wrote:I actually haven't had any problems with my Encore reissues, but some of the ToysRUs reissues had really crappy stickers that keep peeling off on their own to this day. Other than that and the neutered missiles, I'm pretty happy with them. Except for Jazz. That face never should've seen the light of day, and I can't justify buying the Encore one to replace it.

You should, as it has Stepper's fixed face. Delivered by Movie Prime personally.

I know, but who's going to buy my crappy TRU Jazz? I prefer not to have doubles of figures.

TFC has the bugs bunny grin.