The Energon Pub

Guys,

I'm starting to consider buying some of the reissue G1's. Are they diecast like the original G1's? Also, what is the difference between the TRU, Takara Encore, and "Transformers Collection" editions?

Thanks!

Galvatron Supreme wrote:Guys,

I'm starting to consider buying some of the reissue G1's. Are they diecast like the original G1's? Also, what is the difference between the TRU, Takara Encore, and "Transformers Collection" editions?

Thanks!

The reissues are as close to the originals as they can get, die cast and all. If you're going for total accuracy, go for the Japanese lines like Encore and Transformers Collection. The TRU ones however, having US Toy Law restrictions, are prone to changes like elongated missiles, adapted launchers and trimmed smoke stacks. *shrugs*

About TFC, sometimes they're more than just reissues, in these cases:

- Convoy (Optimus Prime): extra Energon Axe
- Megatron: extra Energon Mace
- Hot Rodimus (Hot Rod): Targetmaster version, but can hold the original guns as well, unlike the original itself
- Char (Kup): See Hot Rodimus
- Stepper: he can now hold his Targetmaster partner
- Starscream: cartoon accurate deco, a tiny gun mode Megatron, adapted fists *and* extra Prime fist for holding Megs.

The figures themselves are basically recreations of the originals so yes die-cast, and plastic as where the originals, with some minor modifications such as longer missiles for the Hasbro versions.

TRU were the Commemorative Series a few years ago. These where the ones with the longer missiles and certain modifications to make them safer for today's children. Available at any TRU store back when they where released. Now only Ebay and some online stores, can be very expensive.


Takara Encore, is the more recent line of re-issues from Takara, Japan only. So not available commercially anywhere else. Except online stores that import/export them. Prices are decent for these since they are the current line. Wait to long and they are bound to go up.


I'm assuming you are referring to the Takara Book style re-issues.

Again same as Encore only a few years ago. Prices are up in the sky selling for hundreds of dollars a piece on Ebay. Mostly for the packaging, and the fact that some of the figures in that line have not been reproduced in Encore or Hasbro's TRU Commemorative Series.

Thanks guys! Sorry if I seem like a noob, but, I am in this case. I haven't bought a TF since 1988 when I was still a kid except for the two listed below.

That's the most important thing for me...having nearly identical G1 figs without the G1 price, since the holes in my collection are mostly the expensive ones!

I did get a reasonably priced G1 Soundwave and Megatron in good shape, but would MUCH rather have "new" ones.

Then I suggest the Encore line which is the current one.

Although looking around, BBTS seems to have a few things from Book Style, and Commemorative that are not too badly priced. Though most are not sealed. Meaning they are pre-owned.

I would advise you go with whatever line you can find the best deals in, with the characters that you most desire. Encore is probably the safest bet becuase of the availibity and price right now.

I also advise that you buy at least one Universe/Classic figure. You might be satisfied enouh to just start collecting the new retail stuff, which is actually is pretty awesome in its own right.

If you aren't a purist with the missiles firing, then Hasbro Commemoritive Series are a good, high-build quality option.

I have found with my personal experience of reissues that Hasbro may not produce 100% authentic reproduction, but they build to a high standard due to toy safety laws. Takara on the other hand tend to be of poor quality by comparison.

Hasbro:

Pros
- Well manufactured
- Cheaper than Takara

Cons
- Extended\non-firing missiles
- Crap boxes

Takara:
Pros
- Better boxes
- Some have cool extras
- Proper missiles

Cons
- Expensive
- Poorly made
- Painted parts rarely match in colour to plastic (I do not notice this on my authentic G1 toys)

If you aren't a purist, I would suggest Hasbro 99% of the time. Although TF:Collection Prime, Starscream and Megatron are worth it for the extras.

Can you give examples of painted parts not matching? I have a hard time believing that this is major issue as you described.

Takara are lower quality? Can this be elaborated on. Im also curious about this because I have a lot of encore figures still in the box and I dont want to take them out if the quality is whack. I have a lot of the hasbro reissues, and Ill opt to display them when I get the space if the others will fall apart.

The quality control issue with the TakaraTomy reissues is a general myth that has been misapplied. Takara has certainly had some quality control issues with some past releases - I'm looking at you MP-03 Starscream. But to say that all reissues also suffer quality control issues is baseless.

I have all the figures from both the Collection series & Encore series. The only one that had a flaw was Encore Jazz, which had a dab of white touch paint on the backside panel. But I doubt other Encore Jazzes would suffer the same problem. I have not heard of any other reissue control issues.

There have been quality control checks, where Takara will stop the assembly line open the boxes and check them to ensure that they are correct or to add an extra to them. This is why some have double tape. But you shouldn't confuse this with the idea that they contain defects; because in fact these quality checks ensure that they are correct.

The Collection series (the book style) is one of the most well put together series. Not only do they contain all the correct pieces but they also have properly painted and well jointed figures - in addition to all the extras that people have mentioned.

The Encore series is another well done series, that has also given fans a few extras - added faces (to faceless figures), small mold changes (such as Metroplex), and extra paint details such as Skylynx, not to mention original boxes.

Examples in my personal collection, which come immediately to mind -

E-Hobby Diaclone colours Ultra Magnus - elbows have zero tightness. I can flick them from left to right with my pinkie finger. This does not happen on the Hasbro Commemoritive Series nor does it happen on my G1 vintage,

TF:Collection Optimus Prime - Smokestakes broke 2nd time I transformed him. This has not happened on either of the G1 Hasbro vintage.
TF:Collection Optimus Prime - cherry red pait application on the metal part of cab with a deep red plastic.

TF:Collection Prowl - Peeling stickers, loose legs. The stickers are not showing the same levels of wear on my Hasbro Commemoritive Series reissues nor on my vintage.

TF:Collection Astrotrain - Same problem as Prowl. The leg is wonky (a mold fault from the 80s) but it is noticably worse of the reissue.

TF:Collection Megatron - This sounds odd, but when I transform him, the waist does not feel as strong as my vintage Hasbro. Frankly, I'm scared to touch it sometimes.

and if I'm being fussy, TF:Collection Starscream's painted decals on the wings are completely wonky. I covered them up with the stickers.

I don't buy reissues anymore, especially Takara, all of them that I have owned, with the exception of Collection Soundwave have had some form of defect, be it painted, sticker or construction.

Dang. I was just getting ready to buy an Encore Starscream since I am definately a purest...now I am having second thoughs if he stands out as being the highest flawed/cheapest product of the line. Is that an accurate statement based on your overall experience with him?

Can you give examples of the problems with Starscream and indicate if they are major? Should I just not buy him?


Thank you guys for all your answers!

I enjoy my TF Collection Starscream. It's a pretty good figure, and the little Megatron alt mode gun is just wicked!

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:
The reissues are as close to the originals as they can get, die cast and all.

About TFC, sometimes they're more than just reissues, in these cases:


- Stepper: he can now hold his Targetmaster partner

WTF!? ...he couldn't before?!

Bumblethumper wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:
The reissues are as close to the originals as they can get, die cast and all.

About TFC, sometimes they're more than just reissues, in these cases:


- Stepper: he can now hold his Targetmaster partner

WTF!? ...he couldn't before?!

Nope. It fit only his shoulder rigging.

Personally, I would try to track down the TFC's and the Encores. They're going to be the most accurate. And with the Encores you will sometimes get nice extras. Jazz's painted blue visor immediately comes to mind.

If you're buying a g1 figure online, how can you make sure it's a legit reissue and not a ko ?

Galvatron Supreme wrote:Dang. I was just getting ready to buy an Encore Starscream since I am definately a purest...now I am having second thoughs if he stands out as being the highest flawed/cheapest product of the line. Is that an accurate statement based on your overall experience with him?

Can you give examples of the problems with Starscream and indicate if they are major? Should I just not buy him?


Thank you guys for all your answers!

The problems Amelie have discussed are inherent to all of the reissue lines. I've had Hasbro reissues with wonky joints, poor sticker placement/peeling and bad plastic paint apps that don't match metal painted parts (in fact, this problem is way more apparent on the Hasbro reissues over the collection/Encore Transformers in my collection).

I would say the encore releases are the way to go for the figures available as they, IMO, have the best overall quality control, have improved upon a lot of flaws in previous reissues (jazz being a great example) and are currently the cheapest on average for versions shared between the lines because they are new. It also doesn't hurt that the boxes re as close to G1 as we're going to get.

I highly suggest being patient, though. For instance, I waited to pick up a an Encore jazz until I found one for $25 shipped from a reputable seller. It came in mint condition still sealed and I saved $5-10 off the average on Ebay.

Counterpunch wrote:

Bumblethumper wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:
The reissues are as close to the originals as they can get, die cast and all.

About TFC, sometimes they're more than just reissues, in these cases:


- Stepper: he can now hold his Targetmaster partner

WTF!? ...he couldn't before?!

Nope. It fit only his shoulder rigging.

weird...Never had a G1 Stepper. Or any Stepper for that matter.

Stepper/Ricochet is a must own.

Galvatron Supreme wrote:Dang. I was just getting ready to buy an Encore Starscream since I am definately a purest...now I am having second thoughs if he stands out as being the highest flawed/cheapest product of the line. Is that an accurate statement based on your overall experience with him?

Can you give examples of the problems with Starscream and indicate if they are major? Should I just not buy him?


Thank you guys for all your answers!

I've got TFC and Encore Starscream and I have never noticed problems with either of them. Sometimes people just get bad ones, which is what I think Stormrider was saying. Don't let a few bad experiences other people have had ruin it for you, honestly. Like, it stinks if the one you get is a dud, or if most of the ones you've got are duds, like Amilie was saying, but it could just be one of those things.

Dagon wrote:

Galvatron Supreme wrote:Dang. I was just getting ready to buy an Encore Starscream since I am definately a purest...now I am having second thoughs if he stands out as being the highest flawed/cheapest product of the line. Is that an accurate statement based on your overall experience with him?

Can you give examples of the problems with Starscream and indicate if they are major? Should I just not buy him?


Thank you guys for all your answers!

I've got TFC and Encore Starscream and I have never noticed problems with either of them. Sometimes people just get bad ones, which is what I think Stormrider was saying. Don't let a few bad experiences other people have had ruin it for you, honestly. Like, it stinks if the one you get is a dud, or if most of the ones you've got are duds, like Amilie was saying, but it could just be one of those things.

Yea, I ordered the Encore Starscream. I can't get past my purism, lol. I may get the Collection one eventually to though. I wish I'd known they were basically the originals but brand new sooner than now.

My Encore Soundwave has a few minor issues. The battery pack's plastic is warped and doesn't click in properly, and Laserbeak's weapons have chrome oxidation. I'm satisfied with my purchase, but I can't help but feel the QC could have been better.

Meister cries inside wrote:The problems Amelie have discussed are inherent to all of the reissue lines. I've had Hasbro reissues with wonky joints, poor sticker placement/peeling and bad plastic paint apps that don't match metal painted parts (in fact, this problem is way more apparent on the Hasbro reissues over the collection/Encore Transformers in my collection)

It's probably just my sucky luck with Takara, then combined with good fortune with Hasbro. Reguardless, it was still enough to put me off buying reissues ever again.

Perhaps the quality control isn't what it should be because some companies assume collectors don't like opening their toys?

Oddly, I'd prefer a reissue line on backing card with a bubble - with oversied G1 box art on the cover and back. A bit like how the Minibots and combiners were sold in the original G1 line. Boxes take up an awful lot of space and unlike backing carded toys, I can't hang them from hooks.

Amelie wrote:

Meister cries inside wrote:The problems Amelie have discussed are inherent to all of the reissue lines. I've had Hasbro reissues with wonky joints, poor sticker placement/peeling and bad plastic paint apps that don't match metal painted parts (in fact, this problem is way more apparent on the Hasbro reissues over the collection/Encore Transformers in my collection)

It's probably just my sucky luck with Takara, then combined with good fortune with Hasbro. Reguardless, it was still enough to put me off buying reissues ever again.

Perhaps the quality control isn't what it should be because some companies assume collectors don't like opening their toys?

Oddly, I'd prefer a reissue line on backing card with a bubble - with oversied G1 box art on the cover and back. A bit like how the Minibots and combiners were sold in the original G1 line. Boxes take up an awful lot of space and unlike backing carded toys, I can't hang them from hooks.

I didn't mean to imply that you were wrong so sorry if my post came off that way.

I've had crappy defects from all of the lines and I honestly think its a product of 30 year old molds made with 30 year old technology coupled with Takara/Hasbro doing little to fix some of the issues.

And yes, some of it is definitely a good ole lack of QC.

But from personal experience I've had the best luck with the encore line.