The Energon Pub

shajaki wrote:the recent march '15 issue of dangeki hobby features some shots of our pal exhaust. im taking it as a good sign that he's still being released

The issue was never about its being released (in Japan), but about its being sold by importers to American consumers. It's gonna come out in its domestic Japanese retail release regardless of anything Phillip Morris does to stop it from commercially reaching American shores.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Sporting his new looks, even. Nobody said anything about him being canceled though: he just can't be sold to anyone within the US, which strangely renders the change moot...

strangely enough.. TFsource has their preorders back up.

Sabrblade wrote:The issue was never about its being released (in Japan), but about its being sold by importers to American consumers. It's gonna come out in its domestic Japanese retail release regardless of anything Phillip Morris does to stop it from commercially reaching American shores.

i know i know. but after they made the changes and it still didnt make PM happy, there was some speculation that he might be cancelled. all i was saying was maybe this will eleviate some of thoese worries.

shajaki wrote:strangely enough.. TFsource has their preorders back up.

Which leads me to believe that the lawyers say it's enough of a change in the deco to make it to U.S stores, and that it's just that PM isn't happy about it still.

I still don't get what the fuss is all about, for the online retailers in the USA, the ruling PM keeps on yacking about is that no tobacco related products must not be marketed to kids. That's the crux of the problem.

Follow what a certain Japan based online specialty shop does. Especially for their adult only figures that show case accurate female anatomical parts.................accept payments for Exhaust using only a credit card verification system. Don't use PayPal etc. Simplicity itself.

If that legal ruling ascribes to above 21 years old, then only process the orders for 21 year old customers. (I haven't read the ruling in its entirety so to be safe, sell ONLY to 21 year old customers using a credit card)

Tomy/Takara already changed the original Malboor patterns. That I think is more than enough.

P.S. I'm overseas based so no worries but this is kind of OT already.

This isn't an issue that is only a problem for US collectors. Kapow Toys in the UK were contacted and told they couldn't sell it.

Ravage XK wrote:This isn't an issue that is only a problem for US collectors. Kapow Toys in the UK were contacted and told they couldn't sell it.

WTFark? It's that bad? Jeez! It's as if its analogous to selling illegal drugs or something.

Still, Tomy redesigned it already and just ensure you (as a vendor) sell it to adults. Does that not fulfill the legal mumbo jumbo already?

Amazon Japan has pushed their shipping date for Exhaust from Feb 28th to March 28th. There was nothing specific in their e-mail about the general release, but it would seem that its being pushed back by a month.

What does this mean? I can only speculate, but when places like Toys R Us in Australia get Takara MP's on their shelves, isn't it technically Hasbro Asia doing the distribution? Or am I just really jumbled here?

shajaki wrote:

What does this mean? I can only speculate, but when places like Toys R Us in Australia get Takara MP's on their shelves, isn't it technically Hasbro Asia doing the distribution? Or am I just really jumbled here?

I'm praying HLJ or chiming come through...

I pre-ordered mine through a chinese retailer on ebay. Hopefully, MP-23 isn't simply canceled altogheter...My shelves need Decepticons that aren't Black versions of Autobots.

shajaki wrote:

What does this mean? I can only speculate, but when places like Toys R Us in Australia get Takara MP's on their shelves, isn't it technically Hasbro Asia doing the distribution? Or am I just really jumbled here?

Must be a Japan exclusive then. No ordering anywhere but Japan.

Let this news end any speculation as to the fate of MP-23 Exhaust! Thanks to an auction on Yahoo Japan, we have our first look at Exhaust all boxed up and ready to find its way in collectors' hands. Due to widely reported legal issues surrounding this Wheeljack retool, some had speculated if he would be released at all. Though he may be difficult to acquire in certain parts of the world, now might be the time to have a slight sigh of relief! Check out the images below, and stay tuned to Seibertron.com for all your Transformers News!

I love that photo on the back of the box of him interacting with Soundwave. Huzzah more Decepticons!

I don't know why I find his function of "Industrial Espionage" amusing, but I do.

Soundwave: Exhaust, you know what you must do.

Exhaust: I-I don't know if I can betray my sponsor.

Soundwave: They betrayed you long before this day; they wrote you off; you meant nothing to them. Take this and seek your revenge against all who forgot about you; all who those who wronged you; all at Philip Morris...

SW's SilverHammer wrote:Soundwave: Exhaust, you know what you must do.

Exhaust: I-I don't know if I can betray my sponsor.

Soundwave: They betrayed you long before this day; they wrote you off; you meant nothing to them. Take this and seek your revenge against all who forgot about you; all who those who wronged you; all at Philip Morris...

Brilliant!

OK. I just read TFormers take on this. And... I don't know where they're getting their info from.

MP-23 Exhaust Box Images of Cancelled Takara Tomy Transformers Masterpiece Figure
By BaCon on Sunday, March 08, 2015

Looks like the wheel are still turning on the Takara Tomy Transformers Masterpiece MP-23 Exhaust figure thanks to some new In-Box Images that just appeared on Yahoo! auctions Japan via seller totosouen2. Could this mean the figure is still coming soon or will there be some of these cancelled figures floating around? Only time time will tell. Get a look at the box front and back in the meantime.

I'd like to point out, that no one anywwhere had confirmed that the figure had been entirely cancelled. Lots of speculation, news about no importing, and that recent bit about Hasbro Asia, but it being completely cancelled? Totally unconfirmed.

shajaki wrote:OK. I just read TFormers take on this. And... I don't know where they're getting their info from.

MP-23 Exhaust Box Images of Cancelled Takara Tomy Transformers Masterpiece Figure
By BaCon on Sunday, March 08, 2015

Looks like the wheel are still turning on the Takara Tomy Transformers Masterpiece MP-23 Exhaust figure thanks to some new In-Box Images that just appeared on Yahoo! auctions Japan via seller totosouen2. Could this mean the figure is still coming soon or will there be some of these cancelled figures floating around? Only time time will tell. Get a look at the box front and back in the meantime.

I'd like to point out, that no one anywwhere had confirmed that the figure had been entirely cancelled. Lots of speculation, news about no importing, and that recent bit about Hasbro Asia, but it being completely cancelled? Totally unconfirmed.

I'd wager they're jumping the gun. Only foreign market e-tailers have canceled their orders of the figure. Domestic Japanese sellers will likely still get it.

Sabrblade wrote:

shajaki wrote:OK. I just read TFormers take on this. And... I don't know where they're getting their info from.

MP-23 Exhaust Box Images of Cancelled Takara Tomy Transformers Masterpiece Figure
By BaCon on Sunday, March 08, 2015

Looks like the wheel are still turning on the Takara Tomy Transformers Masterpiece MP-23 Exhaust figure thanks to some new In-Box Images that just appeared on Yahoo! auctions Japan via seller totosouen2. Could this mean the figure is still coming soon or will there be some of these cancelled figures floating around? Only time time will tell. Get a look at the box front and back in the meantime.

I'd like to point out, that no one anywwhere had confirmed that the figure had been entirely cancelled. Lots of speculation, news about no importing, and that recent bit about Hasbro Asia, but it being completely cancelled? Totally unconfirmed.

I'd wager they're jumping the gun. Only foreign market e-tailers have canceled their orders of the figure. Domestic Japanese sellers will likely still get it.

I would say so - HLJ still hasn't cancelled my preorder, so I'm hopeful.

I'm not going to sell anyone out, but at least one domestic seller has also not cancelled preorders. I'm sure this release is happening.

Hell yes; he gets closer and closer to release.
The packaging looks pretty sweet too.

Just read an article about him. The poster(in another site) kind of presented that the item was cancelled.

Distribution wise, in the American market, there will be "issues" to put it lightly but the figure was not cancelled. Tomy went even further to re design the "M" pyramid pattern.

Sometimes, I wish the so called "reporters" would proof check their posts.

fenrir72 wrote:Just read an article about him. The poster(in another site) kind of presented that the item was cancelled.

Distribution wise, in the American market, there will be "issues" to put it lightly but the figure was not cancelled. Tomy went even further to re design the "M" pyramid pattern.

Sometimes, I wish the so called "reporters" would proof check their posts.

I just read the same article. They are really pushing that cancellation angle. I dropped the news about Hasbro Asia in this thread late last week I think.

shajaki wrote:

What does this mean? I can only speculate, but when places like Toys R Us in Australia get Takara MP's on their shelves, isn't it technically Hasbro Asia doing the distribution? Or am I just really jumbled here?

All I'll say is, I'm still unsure what role Hasbro Asia has. But them cancelling distribution of Exhaust doesn't mean he's cancelled entirely.

shajaki wrote:

fenrir72 wrote:Just read an article about him. The poster(in another site) kind of presented that the item was cancelled.

Distribution wise, in the American market, there will be "issues" to put it lightly but the figure was not cancelled. Tomy went even further to re design the "M" pyramid pattern.

Sometimes, I wish the so called "reporters" would proof check their posts.

I just read the same article. They are really pushing that cancellation angle. I dropped the news about Hasbro Asia in this thread late last week I think.

shajaki wrote:

What does this mean? I can only speculate, but when places like Toys R Us in Australia get Takara MP's on their shelves, isn't it technically Hasbro Asia doing the distribution? Or am I just really jumbled here?

All I'll say is, I'm still unsure what role Hasbro Asia has. But them cancelling distribution of Exhaust doesn't mean he's cancelled entirely.

Australia has its own local Hasbro department, much like the UK and Europe. They are the ones who periodically import high-end TakaraTomy figures like Masterpieces. Hasbro Asia does the same for its own territories in China, Hong Kong and Singapore, but having close ties to the main office in the US means no local branch can release MP Exhaust under the pressure of you-know-who.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

shajaki wrote:

fenrir72 wrote:Just read an article about him. The poster(in another site) kind of presented that the item was cancelled.

Distribution wise, in the American market, there will be "issues" to put it lightly but the figure was not cancelled. Tomy went even further to re design the "M" pyramid pattern.

Sometimes, I wish the so called "reporters" would proof check their posts.

I just read the same article. They are really pushing that cancellation angle. I dropped the news about Hasbro Asia in this thread late last week I think.

shajaki wrote:

What does this mean? I can only speculate, but when places like Toys R Us in Australia get Takara MP's on their shelves, isn't it technically Hasbro Asia doing the distribution? Or am I just really jumbled here?

All I'll say is, I'm still unsure what role Hasbro Asia has. But them cancelling distribution of Exhaust doesn't mean he's cancelled entirely.

Australia has its own local Hasbro department, much like the UK and Europe. They are the ones who periodically import high-end TakaraTomy figures like Masterpieces. Hasbro Asia does the same for its own territories in China, Hong Kong and Singapore, but having close ties to the main office in the US means no local branch can release MP Exhaust under the pressure of you-know-who.

That being the case, collectors will be importing them by bypassing Hasbro then. Somoene must really be hedging on getting this fig to make a killing in the secondary market.