The Energon Pub

by **Pierrimus** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 2:52 am

Today with computerized scanning/ cad and die cutting machines, can it really be that difficult to create new casts? Even if that isn't enough, why wouldn't Hasbro/Tomy just buy some originals in decent condition to create the molds off of? There's a huge market for this stuff, KO or not. I have several KOs that range from nearly duplicates to junk (these are usually the type that has the cheap white milk carton type plastic). But I have never bought ones that were being put off as being anything other than a KO and were much cheaper than the originals. The Superion/Arealbots KO set seems to appear every year at my local Walmart in the Easter baskets you can get for $10.

News Credits: 42 · by **Psychout** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:32 am

So if the KO merchants can do it, why the hell cant Hasbro/Takara/Tomy just reverse engineer some new molds from the old toys?

They deserve to have their profits cut by KO's for such stupidity.

News Credits: 32 · by **UltraPrimal** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:43 am

How come Hasbro doesn't have the G1 Dinobot molds, but everyone else(from WSTF Dinorobots to KO's) does? Why can't Hasbro just sue these guys and get the molds back? Or heck, just reverse mold on of the better quality KO's? I think it's all bullshit. They're probably letting the guys doing WSTF Dinorobots finish their run, then Hasbro's gonna roll out a full size G1 set. Probably by, or for, the 25th Anniversary.

by **DREWCIFER** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 1:00 pm

Chaoslock says

I like KOs that are scaled up or down (1/2 Fortress Maximus, 2x Topspin,...), or in funky colors (like the disco Nautilator) they are actually funny, but exact KOs, made so, that they can be misused in wrong hands to fool customers, are simply wrong, and if I were in Hasbro/Takaras place, I would hunt the chinese idiots down.

I agree. Funky coloured KO's are great fun. I have only bought KO's marketed as KO's. Anything else is underhanded. however, I know this goes on.

UltraPrimal says

Why can't Hasbro just sue these guys and get the molds back?

It's friggin' China. Their court would never hold up any of our laws. These big companies Hasbro/Tak, or anybody else for that matter, know this. It was a risk they were willing to take.

I agree that if they reverse engineered or whatever, Hasbro would make a profit. However, it would be small. The money is in new figs that can be mass produced by the millions, not the thousands.

:DEVIL:

News Credits: 7 · by **waaaaghlord** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 1:23 pm

Seibertron wrote:It is my understanding from what I've been told by some sources that while these are what we would consider to be knock offs, the stickers, the paperwork, the boxes and the figures are coming from a huge factory in China that was recently purchased. The reason Hasbro and Takara couldn't make reissues of this stuff was because it was long lost at a factory that had been closed down or sold off long ago. With the recent purchase of this factory, all of this stuff was recently rediscovered, hence why there's a surge of the exact products that Hasbro and Takara claim were lost.

This is the same factory that is putting out all of the G1 reproduction stickers that are being passed off as the legit thing. Some of the stickers are great, some of them are not.

Buyer beward indeed.

I have several sources via eBay that have told me basically the same story about where the reproduction stickers and "knock off" Transformers are coming from. I've heard it enough times from various people and seen the absence of these same products as reissues (minus Laserbeak and Buzzsaw) that it doesn't take a rocket scientist to put two and two together.

If this is indeed the case and these are being created from the original moulds then technically doesn't that make them unlicensed reissues as opposed to KOs par se. I know it's a very fine line.

I'd be interested in a Swoop in Diaclone colours (did this ever see it's way onto the market or was that just rumoured?) and I'd probably base the decision of whether or not to buy any more based off how I found that one quality wise. As far as Swoop goes getting a blue KO version would certainly be a whole lot cheaper than finding an original Diaclone in good condition. Of course if the HasTak position on the Dinos was ever to change (reverse engineering or mould recovery, I know neither is exactly likely) then you could practically guarantee that there would be an e-hobby Diaclone Swoop released.

News Credits: 8 · by **Powermaster Jazz** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 1:55 pm

I don't buy the knock-off crap out of respect for the Transformers brand. Besides the old toys are obsolete in my view. Hasbro's making new versions of these characters anyways.

News Credits: 1 · by **jgilkinson** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 6:43 pm

ok we have swoop, sluge, and slag... why cant we get offical releases of this

by **JBrock** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 11:06 pm

I'm not sure if I believe the story about the factory being bought in China that housed the molds. The Swoop was never reissued during the Classics run and there are quite a few mold differences. The Optimus Ko was made with the French mold, and the sticker sheets are not exact replicas of the originals. It may be true but it may also be a nice little story to add credibility to the product.