The Energon Pub

News Credits: 60 · Fri Nov 21, 2014 7:03 pm

Good f#ckn' LORD!

Do you now need an ID to buy one? Sounds like MP-05 again only worst!

News Credits: 25 · Fri Nov 21, 2014 7:05 pm

This country, Can I buy it from HLJ?

News Credits: 372 · Fri Nov 21, 2014 7:06 pm

Meh. As of writing this, you can still preorder him from Japan for nearly half the price.

News Credits: 20 · Fri Nov 21, 2014 7:12 pm

Too bad, there aren't enough MP Decepticons.

News Credits: 1 · Fri Nov 21, 2014 7:14 pm

Good God can US laws get any dumber. I swear that the Us hates anything that either looks real (any gun mode Megatron) or has tobacco product placement (MP23 Exaust) cause apparently that is a no no in the USA >:oP

(shakes head)

News Credits: 1235 · Fri Nov 21, 2014 7:23 pm

Gotta love lawyers

Fri Nov 21, 2014 7:25 pm

I'm so freaking glad I buy my MP cars through HLJ.

Still....this sucks for anyone buying these from a U.S seller, because you just know that if they're getting ahold of one store, the others are soon to follow.

News Credits: 226 · Fri Nov 21, 2014 7:32 pm

fenrir72 wrote:Good f#ckn' LORD!

Do you now need an ID to buy one? Sounds like MP-05 again only worst!

Worse? Are you required by law to get a license and a lockable cabinet to keep Exhaust like I'm suppose to with Megatron? :wink:

Fri Nov 21, 2014 7:36 pm

hmm wonder if that will affect canada too.

i didnt have issues with mp-05, other then he sucks!

News Credits: 1 · Fri Nov 21, 2014 7:53 pm

All I can think of is when TV Funhouse gave us the greatest Pokemon parody EVER!

(Linked rather than embedded, cuz it's arguably NSFW)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDHVsyA9zBw

And as always happens with this sort of thing, an attempt to protect children from something that only adults really give a crap about misfires (thought in this case it's rather indirect), making a toy potentially harder to obtain, thereby elevating it to holy grail status in the minds of hundreds of adult collectors. I've never watched so much as a minute of Breaking Bad, but as of now, I'm actively seeking out that one Walter White figure so that when I finally get my MP Smokey, he'll have a bag of toy meth ready to go in his driver's seat.

Oh, and TRU's ReAction Figure section damn well better bring out the gimp!

Fri Nov 21, 2014 8:05 pm

I'm kinda surprised this got on anybodies radar. It's such as obscure product for these guys to be paying attention to. With the fact that you can buy beer and cigarettes at any corner store everywhere in the states. Here in Canada they have to keep cigarettes behind a curtain or in a cabinet so that minors can't see them.

I don't know. I do know that i had some dough set aside at bbts for this guy.

Fri Nov 21, 2014 8:09 pm

The US legal system is such BS...

Chimungmung to the rescue !

http://chimungmung.com/product_info.php ... ts_id=2044

It's sad how broke people will come out of the woodworks to make a quick buck on a lawsuit. It's proof that their not making that much money if they found the time to attack BBTS over a Japanese import. Hopefully recreational Canibus gets legalized nationwide within 5 years and bankrupts the tobacco industry.

News Credits: 409 · Fri Nov 21, 2014 8:10 pm

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Wow, their lawyers are smart cookies.

So let me get this straight: TakaraTomy is allowed to sell Exhaust as is in Japan, but importing him into the US is a no-no?

Lol. This figure, again, is going to become the elusive figure that fans are going to want now.

megatronus wrote:Do we know if anything's happening on Takara's end? They've been careful to obtain official vehicle licenses, and I'm surprised they didn't clear MP23 with PM before proceeding (I know it's a different situation, but still). Maybe they thought they were in a safe(-ish) grey area?

Takara stepped in some **** with this one. I think Takara felt they could get away with the paint scheme without looping in Marlboro since the paint job is not an exact match. (The red paint color is off and "V" angle is rounded, not pointed). I wouldn't be surprised if Marlboro is looking its rights outside the U.S.

Fri Nov 21, 2014 8:12 pm

Maybe a decal would make the product perceived less as an official product than a painted on logo?

Fri Nov 21, 2014 8:16 pm

But...MPs aren't for children! What kid pays $100+ for an 80's transformer???

News Credits: 2 · Fri Nov 21, 2014 8:42 pm

Cyberpath wrote:Meh. As of writing this, you can still preorder him from Japan for nearly half the price.

Not anymore. HLJ has an Order Stop on Exhaust.

Fri Nov 21, 2014 8:52 pm

some online retailers will still sell them or someone will get around this
i had no problem getting mp-5 but i think i ordered from japan and had no customs issues and no orange tip
its probably just a scare tactic

Fri Nov 21, 2014 8:57 pm

Stormrider wrote:Takara stepped in some **** with this one. I think Takara felt they could get away with the paint scheme without looping in Marlboro since the paint job is not an exact match. (The red paint color is off and "V" angle is rounded, not pointed). I wouldn't be surprised if Marlboro is looking its rights outside the U.S.

I've got a feeling (and hope) that TakTom made sure they'd be safe putting this guy out before announcing him. This is meant for a Japanese audience, so they really couldn't care less about what the U.S laws think of it.

I'm sure they got all of their ducks in a row licensing wise.

Fri Nov 21, 2014 8:58 pm

tfsource, ages 3 and up, and kapow toys still have them on pre-order!

Fri Nov 21, 2014 9:36 pm

megatronus wrote:Uh Oh... Exhaust is having some legal issues.

BBTS wrote:Hi - We wanted to update you about a new development in regards to your preorder of the Transformers Masterpiece MP-23 Exhaust figure with coin from Takara. We were just contacted by a law firm on behalf of Marlboro & Phillip Morris USA. They informed us that the MP-23 Exhaust figure infringes on their trademark and trade dress for products marketed and sold in the USA.

The mark in question is generally shaped like this:

| |
|/\|

This mark is found on the hood/roof of the MP-23 car in red, and also in smaller green shapes on the left and right fenders. They are concerned because these marks cannot be used on products that could be intended for children as dictated by the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobacco_Ma ... _Agreement).

We must comply with the requests they have made in order to avoid legal action with Phillip Morris. We have removed the MP-23 listing from our website. Your preorders have been transferred to a generic unpublished listing in case the product is changed or modified before release and would no longer be infringing. If the product is not changed, we will cancel all preorders and we will not be able to sell this product.

We apologize for the trouble on this item.

Thanks!
Joel Boblit
President
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com

B-bu-but smoking is cool! *hacking cough* What cruel corporate executive would deny us the glorious presence of Exhaust in our collections and homes?

Fri Nov 21, 2014 9:37 pm

I'm having a cigarette and a beer as we speak in protest of this travesty.

News Credits: 226 · Fri Nov 21, 2014 9:40 pm

Robogeek1973 wrote:
Stormrider wrote:Takara stepped in some **** with this one. I think Takara felt they could get away with the paint scheme without looping in Marlboro since the paint job is not an exact match. (The red paint color is off and "V" angle is rounded, not pointed). I wouldn't be surprised if Marlboro is looking its rights outside the U.S.

I've got a feeling (and hope) that TakTom made sure they'd be safe putting this guy out before announcing him. This is meant for a Japanese audience, so they really couldn't care less about what the U.S laws think of it.

I'm sure they got all of their ducks in a row licensing wise.

That right there ... Takara Tomy manufactures for the Japanese market NOT the western market. As such they don't have to abide by rules which affect the western market.

If someone in the western market buys their products and subsequently violates local rules, that's the buyers problem, NOT Takara Tomy.

For example, I'm expected to have a gun license AND lockable gun cabinet to import and own MP Megatron. If I don't and get busted, the onus is on me, NOT Takara Tomy.

Fri Nov 21, 2014 9:42 pm

Burn wrote:
For example, I'm expected to have a gun license AND lockable gun cabinet to import and own MP Megatron. If I don't and get busted, the onus is on me, NOT Takara Tomy.

Seriously?

Wow, I thought you were kidding before. :lol:

News Credits: 226 · Fri Nov 21, 2014 9:59 pm

Robogeek1973 wrote:
Burn wrote:
For example, I'm expected to have a gun license AND lockable gun cabinet to import and own MP Megatron. If I don't and get busted, the onus is on me, NOT Takara Tomy.

Seriously?

Wow, I thought you were kidding before.

Nope. The laws varied state by state.

Western Australia customs actually seized an entire shipment of Megatron when he was first released.