The Energon Pub

[AllNewSuperRobot]

Some molds, got a lot more love than others, even those that went largely unnoticed by the shows. Cybershark was from 1997 and in spite of media absence would return for a Transmetal 2 iteration (although he is technically a TM 1 design). Personally, I love all the above, but are there any of your own favourites you wish went further than one & done, toy-wise?

[ZeroWolf]

I don't know why but I love TM2 Iguranus, his bot mode is gladiator like and the tail/pony tail adds to his character. In my head cannon, I had him as a military tactician.

[AllNewSuperRobot]

I really liked both Iguanus toys. His original Tech Spec gave the implication he was the Predacon equivalent of Rattrap. As for TM2, whereas to me his design seemed more a homage to Predator (my head canon, followed suit) he is another example of the squandered show potential of the TM2 line. The wasted opportunity of The Agenda finale and basing the entire third season on the TM2 toys. But I digress...

I would have liked to see another iteration of Ant-Bot, perhaps. Also the weirdest omission of all, I would have liked to see another Bird-Bot besides Airazor and PrOwl. You could technically add [Magnaboss] Silverbolt to that list also, but he never went beyond the base wave. Also he was designed to be part of a combiner team, as opposed to a figure in his own right.

[Evil Eye]

Not actually Beast WARS, but I still kinda want some version of the BM Blackarachnia mold. She looks like a really cool toy, between her creative transformation and looking good in both modes (also the forehead gimmick is pretty neat).

[AllNewSuperRobot]

Not actually Beast WARS, but I still kinda want some version of the BM Blackarachnia mold. She looks like a really cool toy, between her creative transformation and looking good in both modes (also the forehead gimmick is pretty neat).

Agreed. Tarantulas and Blackarachnia fall into the same bracket as the Bird Bots to me IE I would have liked to see some more variations. Slight retooling of the BM Spider Mold could also have opened up some options.

Yet, when talking about Beast Machines Maximals, I can't help but think of this one:


Battle Unicorn. The hidden gem of the entire line.

[Vic Zanzibar]

I started collecting TFs in early 2007 so I wasn't around for the initial run of BW, but I became interested in them after buying the Megs/Primal 10th anniversary two pack. It was very easy even then to get the ones I wanted on eBay for excellent prices. It really is remarkable how well a lot of them have held up as far as design quality and articulation over the years. Anyway, here is my Beast Era shelf. Apologies for the low quality images. My TFs shelf is actually in a closet so the lighting isn't the best; especially at night when these were taken.

[ZeroWolf]

That is a very nice collection! Is that the BW 2 version of magnaboss I spy there in the last picture with the red face.

[Vic Zanzibar]

That is a very nice collection! Is that the BW 2 version of magnaboss I spy there in the last picture with the red face.

Yup. Might be remembering incorrectly, but I think it was actually cheaper at the time (Late '07) than the American yellow face version.

[AllNewSuperRobot]

A real nice collection there. My eye instantly picked out Terragator and Air Hammer. Two of my favourites from the Fuzors line.

[Vic Zanzibar]

A real nice collection there. My eye instantly picked out Terragator and Air Hammer. Two of my favourites from the Fuzors line.

Unfortunately, I do not own the absolute best mold of the Fuzors line... Injector.

[AllNewSuperRobot]

A real nice collection there. My eye instantly picked out Terragator and Air Hammer. Two of my favourites from the Fuzors line.

Unfortunately, I do not own the absolute best mold of the Fuzors line... Injector.

Injector was a very cool design. I was a bit unfortunate with Fuzor availability back in the day. Other than Tigerhawk who is technically part of that line, I was limited to the basic Fuzors and nothing beyond. So I have Air Hammer, Terragator and Quickstrike. I was interested in Sky Shadow too, but alas I never found him.

[ZeroWolf]

Sky Shadow is an amazing toy, really fun to handle. My Air Hammer had a bit of wear when I got them, as I had to use blu tack to keep it together in bot mode.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

Man, Hasbro really should try to bring back Beast Wars into Generations more as there are enough designs to fill a whole trilogy of lines, be it as direct remakes (a bit unlikely, however) or re-imagining. Hell at this point I would not even care if a Generations Beast Wars line just went with GEEWUN mechanimals for alt modes. Its just that, not only is there a whole roster of well-liked characters to bring back but plenty of inventive critters and transformations in there.

I know this is a bit old, but ye gods yes! I'm tired of the little trickle we've had from Beast Wars. It resurrected the franchise. It deserves a full Generations-reboot line. And not just the show characters, but as many from the toyline as possible!

[ZeroWolf]

Man, Hasbro really should try to bring back Beast Wars into Generations more as there are enough designs to fill a whole trilogy of lines, be it as direct remakes (a bit unlikely, however) or re-imagining. Hell at this point I would not even care if a Generations Beast Wars line just went with GEEWUN mechanimals for alt modes. Its just that, not only is there a whole roster of well-liked characters to bring back but plenty of inventive critters and transformations in there.

I know this is a bit old, but ye gods yes! I'm tired of the little trickle we've had from Beast Wars. It resurrected the franchise. It deserves a full Generations-reboot line. And not just the show characters, but as many from the toyline as possible!

Agreed, I'd love to see more, especially more transmetals

[AllNewSuperRobot]

Again and again, G1 is the problem. Those in charge continue to facilitate the fixation on the first three to five years of a 35 year old Franchise. Beast Wars last anniversary was hardly as large in scale and appreciation, as the lines that continue to beat the dead horse of G1 IE SIEGE. Car Robots' 20th anniversary is next year. I doubt it will be more than a footnote also.

[ZeroWolf]

I sincerely doubt hasbro will do anything for that, Takara? Might, but it's a long shot. G1 will be the name of the game for the next two years with maybe some one offs (like galaxy upgrade or Leader Class um referencing car robots god Magnus alt mode)

[ZeldaTheSwordsman]

Well, the thing about Late G2 and Beast Wars onward is that the toys from that point weren't primitively-designed bricks. I think that for the most part (the Autobot Brothers from RiD would need new molds because the originals are Swiss cheese) they could get away with doing reissue lines. In a lot of cases, Generations toys would run the risk of being severe downgrades. Or pale imitations at best.

It's G1 that's in the most dire need of being updated - or re-updated in the case of figures that missed the mark - and brought in line with the standards and approximate scale set by RiD 2001. What I have a problem with is excessive GEEWUNnery creeping into or taking over other series *cough*Bumblebee movie*cough*

[AllNewSuperRobot]

It's G1 that's in the most dire need of being updated - or re-updated in the case of figures that missed the mark - and brought in line with the standards and approximate scale set by RiD 2001. What I have a problem with is excessive GEEWUNnery creeping into or taking over other series *cough*Bumblebee movie*cough*

But it has been, for at least a decade now. I imagine there are more modern iterations of G1 figures, than the total number of figures in the original line. Have they all been updated? No. Will they? Absolutely not. G1 only exists in a cherry-picked capacity.
The ultimate hypocrisy of the 'GEEWUNnery'. That the people behind that push, don't care about preserving the entire original line, at all. Only the "favourites". Which leads to the broader question of are you even a fan of the franchise itself, or a handful of characters within it?

I adored and continue to highly regard Beast Wars. The show and The Toyline. The bios and tech specs opened a window to the darker reality of the wider war, that the show could only afford to hint at. True I am apathetic to BW 2/Neo and most of their toyline but, if they had been released at the same time as the Mainframe show and original lines, I would most likely have been totally onboard. I was fully invested in the whole thing.
I doubt that is the case for those behind G1 Generations, SIEGE etc

[Burn]

Perhaps they don't touch Beast Wars because they know they can't improve on it...

[AllNewSuperRobot]

Perhaps they don't touch Beast Wars because they know they can't improve on it...

I think you're right. G1 were bricks. There was always the potential for a better Ultra Magnus, a better Cosmos. The joints, chrome and paint apps could be updated for Beast Wars, but the figures don't need such a dramatic reinvention.

[Evil Eye]

As much as I love BW, a lot of the toys haven't aged that well and could do with more modern articulation and engineering. Absent thigh and bicep swivels, torso articulation, better kibble management, that sort of thing. It's been done well before (Gen Rhinox is AFAIK a straight upgrade on the OG toy) so it's not like the idea of BW updates is ridiculous. And then there's poor Retrax/Powerhug...

[Burn]

When people think "Transformers", do they think of Cheetor? Rattrap? Inferno? Waspinator?

They think Optimus Prime, Megatron, and that yellow twat.

Transformer toys are created to make money. They're always going to make the better known characters, G1 had a much larger cast, G1 has much more mythology (to the point BW characters are shoe-horned into it), it's where they're always going to divert their resources.

[AllNewSuperRobot]

@Black Hat As I said, new joints are all most of them need. Of course, those with a now crippling gimmick could do with a little more attention.

@Burn It depends what 'Transformers' means to the individual. To me, Transformers means Autobots vs. Decepticons. Beast Wars means Predacons vs. Maximals. To think of G1, I think of The Movie. On the subject of Beast Wars, I get the theme song in my head.
I don't just think of one character, because I like the whole thing. I don't limit my experience or subjectively dismiss the scope of what was offered. The BW toyline for example. The wider cast easily outnumber the show characters. So I made most of my stories with that larger roster at the forefront. So when my TM Megatron lost his leg and/or my TM Primal broke the pegs in his forearm, it had very little impact.

[Burn]

But that's you, and the rest of us "fans" would think in a similar way.

But at the end of the day, they're still toys, aimed at kids (us creepy older people are just a bonus) and that particular audience will just think of the core three.

That being said ... I still reckon they could pull off a year of BW figures, hell, if it helps, package them with G1 characters

[AllNewSuperRobot]

As I've said in the past though, I think it shows how little Takara and Hasbro value Transformers' longevity when all they continue to push on the kids is the long dead 80's early days. Like only 5 of 35 years has any real value. It's quite sad in that respect. The kids, bought into Beast Wars, Unicron Trilogy, Animated. They bought into Rattrap, Hot Shot, Bulkhead and now they are simply not given any choice in the matter.

That said, you might be onto something with twin packs. Call it a Legacy line, or something similar. Like Bumblebee & Cheetor, Galvatron & BW Rampage etc I'd be interested in that kind of embracing the series history.