The Energon Pub

lol Overcracker... that's a lot of toys you are going to pick up for a guy who is on the fence.

Those are the ones that attract me so far. 4 or 5 out of the 15 we've seen so far. I think if the line sold like that Hasbro would be out of business.

There are a few standouts. It looks like the Dinobots alone will be a worthwhile look at this line.

For what it's worth, I think this is the first time I can truly say that the toys actually look just like the cartoon counterparts.

Overcracker wrote:With that said, so far I see myself picking up Bltizwing. Voyager Prime, maybe the Dinobots (The Triceratops looks good), and Soundwave, perhaps I'll pickup Ratchet. The rest don't interest me.

Its gonna be a line of pick and choose.

Right.

I'll buy anything that's unique and approximates the look and style over the past few years, but I don't need a stylized Prime, Bumblebee, or Starscream when I already have so many others.

underwear ninja wrote:The line is obviously aimed at a younger audience, with its exagerated features and rounder, safer looking bodies.

Not to be a bum or anything, but that sort of confuses me. Does that mean that every other Transformers toyline that came out was aimed at a much older, mature audience? I'm pretty sure most Transformer shows and most toylines were made for "the younger audience", not us adults (minus the obvious ones)

Not to get off topic but classics were really not aimed at the younger audiance. They were aimed at the collecter and people who grew up during the g1 era.

Counterpunch wrote:

Overcracker wrote:With that said, so far I see myself picking up Bltizwing. Voyager Prime, maybe the Dinobots (The Triceratops looks good), and Soundwave, perhaps I'll pickup Ratchet. The rest don't interest me.

Its gonna be a line of pick and choose.

Right.

I'll buy anything that's unique and approximates the look and style over the past few years, but I don't need a stylized Prime, Bumblebee, or Starscream when I already have so many others.

True Counterpunch, I'm not sure I need a Guitar Hero Soundwave. I don't envy the person that has to come up with a new Soundwave every time a new Transformers line comes out. His best gimmick was his G1 incarnation and unfortunately, that one is also the most outdated. Cybertron Soundwave was kind of cool, but it just didn't quite work as well with the Laserbeak gimmick in my opinion.

What the hell happened to you Counterpunch? I've been gone for a couple of months and when I come back, everyone has their sigs and mottos that say you're a douche and stuff. Apparently, I missed something.

Swerve wrote:What the hell happened to you Counterpunch? I've been gone for a couple of months and when I come back, everyone has their sigs and mottos that say you're a douche and stuff. Apparently, I missed something.

Nope.

Just an incident that took place in a galaxy far, far away when I learned that telling the truth makes you a douchebag.

I ran with it.

Counterpunch wrote:

Swerve wrote:What the hell happened to you Counterpunch? I've been gone for a couple of months and when I come back, everyone has their sigs and mottos that say you're a douche and stuff. Apparently, I missed something.

Nope.

Just an incident that took place in a galaxy far, far away when I learned that telling the truth makes you a douchebag.

I ran with it.

Oh, was it one of those situations were someone thought that their opinion was the be-all-end-all defacto truth that everybody better get wise to and whoever doesn't approve or agree is an ass?

If that's the case, I've seen you put someone in their place before, especially when they have nothing to base their opinion on and their only comeback is that you suck.

When I first saw some photos of the Animated line, I was less than impressed. Compared to the movie line, which I've really enjoyed, Animated looked TOO geared towards the very young age groups and the overal looks of Bulkead, Bumblebee, and Megatron looked merely "meh".

However, seeing some of the other characters has really got me looking forward to this line of TFs, particularly the Dinobots, Blitzwing, and a few others whose names escape me at the moment. Even "ninja motorcycle" Prowl, the very idea which didn't sit well with me, looks like a small engineering feat in itself. And Starscream definitely looks like a winner, though the head and espcially the skinny legs will take some getting used to.

Still, looks mighty intriguing!

OMG..........................................................
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animated sucks!

Briggs wrote:

underwear ninja wrote:The line is obviously aimed at a younger audience, with its exagerated features and rounder, safer looking bodies.

Not to be a bum or anything, but that sort of confuses me. Does that mean that every other Transformers toyline that came out was aimed at a much older, mature audience? I'm pretty sure most Transformer shows and most toylines were made for "the younger audience", not us adults (minus the obvious ones)

It's called elitist snobbery.

Applying any form of style or not going for movie style realism makes things "kiddy".
It's been said a million times before over colours, designs and shows.

Personally, I see figures that are aimed at kids, as they should be, but also at the many adults and collectors who like the Titans style of art, as well as those who like heavily styled figures or TF designs that aren't dull, or like MP Prime, look like the show come to life.

These aren't obviously aimed at small children any more than the Animated Batman/Superman etc designs, which often appear in statues, collectors plates and other adult aimed stuff.

In fact, I'd argue that heading in a direction like this instead of letting the fact they're robots tie the animation style and figure style down is a sign of increased maturity, not decreased.

i can imagine 20 years from now TF will be fondly remembered for G1, BW and animated, the toys have character. Im not sure I feel the same about AEC and the movie toys.

I have more interest in the animated line than anything since gen 1, only the continuation of the classics as universe could compete. Luckily we get both!!

still keepin my no buy rule on animated saves me lots of $$$

Lycantendencies wrote:

Briggs wrote:

underwear ninja wrote:The line is obviously aimed at a younger audience, with its exagerated features and rounder, safer looking bodies.

Not to be a bum or anything, but that sort of confuses me. Does that mean that every other Transformers toyline that came out was aimed at a much older, mature audience? I'm pretty sure most Transformer shows and most toylines were made for "the younger audience", not us adults (minus the obvious ones)

It's called elitist snobbery.

Applying any form of style or not going for movie style realism makes things "kiddy".
It's been said a million times before over colours, designs and shows.

I both agree and disagree with you here.

Snobbery? No, I don't think so. Remember here...I love Armada. So, don't think I'm looking at this with an elitist point of view.

The movie is the issue here.

Legions of new fans have just been signed up for a life time of Hasbro purchases. They need a relatable product. Whether or not the Animated line speaks to collectors is neither here, nor there. The Animated lin will speak to younger fans; it's a relatable product.

So in that sense, it is a more kid oriented line.

Then again, I've bought 4 Leader Class Armada Optimus Primes.

I'm a moron.

I liked the toys from the first time I red Seibertron's botcon report. The actual show I was a little iffy about at first.

and obviously there will be figures in the line that I don't like.

Lycantendencies wrote:It's called elitist snobbery.

I totally agree with you there. I don't think the visual style of Animated is any indication of its target audience. Take Pixar's movies for example. Would you say they're intended solely for children and unsuitable for an older audience?

Personally, I'm quite excited about this new series. I thought the warped, cartoon proportions would be a TF designer's nightmare compared to the more convenient brick bots of the past, but the boys at Hasbro have pulled it off with flair. If as much care is put into writing the characters as designing them, this could be the best thing to happen to the series since TF:TM.

Counterpunch wrote:Snobbery? No, I don't think so. Remember here...I love Armada. So, don't think I'm looking at this with an elitist point of view.

The snobbery comment wasn't aimed at you, as you weren't the one who said that the exaggerated features and rounder, "safer" looking bodies made it obviously aimed at younger audiences.

Like I said, the style itself is used in products aimed at all ages, and even in adult only products, it's a style like any other.
When a person starts describing a body drawn in this style as safer, especially in realtion to it making it "obviously aimed at younger audiences" there's a definite condescending tone involved, and that's snobbery.

Counterpunch wrote:The Animated lin will speak to younger fans; it's a relatable product.

The thing being that, aside from BT/MP/maybe Classics, this has always been the case.
Whether any main line has appealled to older collectors is neither here nor there, it's target audience has always been children.
Even with the movie, we saw the distinct difference between the main line, as usual aimed at children first, and Ultimate Bumblebee being a collector aimed item.

With all lines being aimed at children (as it should be), and all shows being, at the time, a style popular with kids, why is Animated singled out as obviously so, if not snobbery?

Look how many G1ers called A/E/C kiddieformers or animeformers. These words were only ever used to express how inferior they were to these people, that their taste was more sophisticated.
Same thing here with many.

Counterpunch wrote:Then again, I've bought 4 Leader Class Armada Optimus Primes.

I'm a moron.

I would agree, but I own 2 myself.

Counterpunch wrote:Then again, I've bought 4 Leader Class Armada Optimus Primes.

can i have one?

Anything that takes Transformers in a new direction and extends the life of the brand is okay in my book. Even if they suck, at least someone tried to do something more inventive than rehash G1 stuff.

I look forward to the animated toys.

[/quote]
The thing being that, aside from BT/MP/maybe Classics, this has always been the case.
Whether any main line has appealled to older collectors is neither here nor there, it's target audience has always been children.
Even with the movie, we saw the distinct difference between the main line, as usual aimed at children first, and Ultimate Bumblebee being a collector aimed item.

With all lines being aimed at children (as it should be), and all shows being, at the time, a style popular with kids, why is Animated singled out as obviously so, if not snobbery?

Look how many G1ers called A/E/C kiddieformers or animeformers. These words were only ever used to express how inferior they were to these people, that their taste was more sophisticated.
Same thing here with many.

[/quote]

remember G1 was for kids too. admittedly the ex microman/diaclone toys were in many ways superior and entirely different to later g1 toys, they almost seem more adult orientated, compare say prowl to headmaster squeezeplay, they have little in common.

G1 has so many styles thats its almost impossible to group them and then compare them collectively to say the new animation toys, i'll stick my neck out here and say that i feel the animation toys are just as incredible as the diaclone toys, maybe not as definitive but this line will firmly put FUN back into TF, something i feel the movie line took away (i bought delux barricade/BB08 but im starting to actually dislike them!!! i love the jazz repaint though, easily my fave movie toy).

I love the later g1 stuff, all blocky and bright but some of them can look like pre school toys, a casual observer will understand your love of megatron but maybe not gnaw, im not sure the same casual observer will guffaw too quickly at animation prowl, I think many people here are giving little credit to some very well designed toys period.

Briggs wrote:Not to be a bum or anything, but that sort of confuses me. Does that mean that every other Transformers toyline that came out was aimed at a much older, mature audience? I'm pretty sure most Transformer shows and most toylines were made for "the younger audience", not us adults (minus the obvious ones)

What I'm saying is that the rounder bodies and smoother edges and such (or the lack of) will appear to be less of a hazard for the li'l kids, like when Playskool had those Go Bots a few years ago- so the parents will be more likely to buy them since they'll appear safer.

Just speaking from a sort of marketing standpoint- not really my exact opinion.

Personally, I'm digging the designs for the animated series.

From what little we've seen so far, I think they look like something of a marvel of engineering to translate the stylized modes into plastic.

As a fan of the DC animated stuff, I'm looking forward to the show. The shows from RID through cybertron turned me off from TF for quite a while. (of course now going back and hunting down the few figs from those lines I DO like is a beeyotch)

frighteningly, I rather like the toys, particularily starscream inspite of the fact that I do not see a plane flying too well with wings that are point first.

Sunstar wrote:frighteningly, I rather like the toys, particularily starscream inspite of the fact that I do not see a plane flying too well with wings that are point first.

A friend and I were recently trying to remember the name of a forward swept wing jet from GI Joe (after doing some research I found out that was the proper name of that type plane). We discovered that the name of the GI Joe plane was the Conquest X-30, based on the real life plane the Grumman X-29.



Apparently it wasn't the first forward swept wing jet. During WWII, German aeronautics engineers tried to design a plane that would manuver better in combat. They came up with the Junkers JU287. It was never put into production and during one of the prototype phases, the factory was captured by the Soviets who further worked on the design after the war.



There is also the SU-47, previously named the SU-37.



There are a few other FSW planes out there. The HFB-320 Hansa Jet is a commercial FSW plane. Also, it may interest you to know that there was supposed to be an F-16 FSW project but it never got past the drawing board. It was kind of interesting coming across some of the info on these type planes. I had always thought it was just a fictional GI Joe plane, little did I know that they are real and have quite a long history.