The Energon Pub

[Va'al]

Thanks to a tip from fellow Seibertron.com user Sabrblade and the TFYuki Twitter account, we get some more comparison shots of the upcoming Takara Tomy Masterpiece Transformers Star Saber. This time it's Saber in his torso configuration for his "Battle Up!" combination with the V-Star to form Star Saber - check 'em out mirrored below!

[OptimalOptimus2]

I'm starting to dislike this figure.

[DMSL]

The more i see the more i like and want to have it.

[Desslok2201]

Not only am I loving this more and more with every new picture, I am starting to wonder why there are no preorders open for this yet. With every other MP, preorders have been open for months before we start to see prototype pics lime this. Is this bothering anyone else?

[RhA]

I just want the Geewun guy.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

I'm starting to dislike this figure.

That is the body of the G1 original, you know that, right?

[LOST Cybertronian]

These size comparisons are getting rediculous.

[Seibertron]

EDIT: Two more size comparison pics. This time it's Saber in his torso configuration for his "Battle Up!" combination with the V-Star to form Star Saber:
https://twitter.com/TFYUKI/status/505552098524553216
https://twitter.com/TFYUKI/status/505570002057953280

Just an FYI, we aren't going to news these because these images are getting ridiculous. These images are great for forum topic discussion, but these images shouldn't get the news feed treatment. Color images of Star Saber or new features on Star Saber are what should get news'ed next.

Thanks for sharing, Sabrblade!

[Seibertron]

I just want the Geewun guy.

[OptimalOptimus2]

I'm starting to dislike this figure.

That is the body of the G1 original, you know that, right?

I wasn't talking about the original. I know which is which. I'm not a stupid Transformers fan.

[Agamemnon]

I'm starting to dislike this figure.

That is the body of the G1 original, you know that, right?

I wasn't talking about the original. I know which is which. I'm not a stupid Transformers fan.

What about it is not to your liking? Based on when this comment appeared, I wondered if there was confusion about the V-Star being G1 or MP. Was there something in the newest prototype pics? (Just looking for clarification on the original comment, and hoping to smooth some things over. )

[Va'al]

EDIT: Two more size comparison pics. This time it's Saber in his torso configuration for his "Battle Up!" combination with the V-Star to form Star Saber:
https://twitter.com/TFYUKI/status/505552098524553216
https://twitter.com/TFYUKI/status/505570002057953280

Just an FYI, we aren't going to news these because these images are getting ridiculous. These images are great for forum topic discussion, but these images shouldn't get the news feed treatment. Color images of Star Saber or new features on Star Saber are what should get news'ed next.

Thanks for sharing, Sabrblade!

I had already posted before the decision was made, I apologise for that.


Ryan's point still stands: we will not post any further size comparisons on the front page, unless they reveal something entirely new, or it's a full-colour shot.

[fenrir72]

I'm starting to dislike this figure.

That is the body of the G1 original, you know that, right?

I wasn't talking about the original. I know which is which. I'm not a stupid Transformers fan.

What about it is not to your liking? Based on when this comment appeared, I wondered if there was confusion about the V-Star being G1 or MP. Was there something in the newest prototype pics? (Just looking for clarification on the original comment, and hoping to smooth some things over. )

Want to know too? Why do you dislike the new version?

[ZeroWolf]

I would also like to know why you dislike it now, is it something to do with the fact its smaller then it's predecessor.

The look that it could combine with victory Leo though is decreasing with each new comparsion pic. Looks like it will just be too small to combine.

[OptimalOptimus2]

The reason why I don't really like it is because, yes, it's smaller than its predecessor. Star Saber's Standard Mode is the same size as MP Prowl which I find it out of scale. The only good thing about this toy is that it has a lot more articulation than the G1 version. It really bothers me that this toy is small. I'm sorry if I have upset any of you for stating my reason. Might be best to keep the original Star Saber.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

The reason why I don't really like it is because, yes, it's smaller than its predecessor. Star Saber's Standard Mode is the same size as MP Prowl which I find it out of scale. The only good thing about this toy is that is has a lot more articulation than the G1 version. It really bothers me that this toy is small. I'm sorry if I have upset any of you for stating my reason. Might be best to keep the original Star Saber.

As Sabrblade has said, that puts him more-or-less cartoon-accurate scale to the upcoming Wheeljack in small form.

[ZeroWolf]

The reason why I don't really like it is because, yes, it's smaller than its predecessor. Star Saber's Standard Mode is the same size as MP Prowl which I find it out of scale. The only good thing about this toy is that it has a lot more articulation than the G1 version. It really bothers me that this toy is small. I'm sorry if I have upset any of you for stating my reason. Might be best to keep the original Star Saber.

Don't worry about it. Your entitled to your opinion We only wanted to know because you didn't explain at the time, or at least that's why I wanted to know.

[Sabrblade]

The reason why I don't really like it is because, yes, it's smaller than its predecessor. Star Saber's Standard Mode is the same size as MP Prowl which I find it out of scale. The only good thing about this toy is that it has a lot more articulation than the G1 version. It really bothers me that this toy is small. I'm sorry if I have upset any of you for stating my reason. Might be best to keep the original Star Saber.

It is not out of scale. The larger Star Saber form is bigger than the original toy:



It's only the toy's Saber form and the Brain of Courage that are smaller, and that's for the sake of show-accuracy.

In the cartoon, Saber was the same height as Perceptor, who was the same height as Wheeljack:

[Seibertron]

The reason why I don't really like it is because, yes, it's smaller than its predecessor. Star Saber's Standard Mode is the same size as MP Prowl which I find it out of scale. The only good thing about this toy is that it has a lot more articulation than the G1 version. It really bothers me that this toy is small. I'm sorry if I have upset any of you for stating my reason. Might be best to keep the original Star Saber.

It is not out of scale. The larger Star Saber form is bigger than the original toy:



It's only the toy's Saber form and the Brain of Courage that are smaller, and that's for the sake of show-accuracy.

In the cartoon, Saber was the same height as Perceptor, who was the same height as Wheeljack:

I'm with OptimalOptimus2 on this. Saber and Yukio are too small. Star Saber combined looks awesome, and it's great that Saber is the same size as the Autobot Cars in the Masterpiece line, but some times the cartoon "scale" needs to get tossed out the window. Bumblebee should've been bigger too.

[Sabrblade]

Yukio

The brain has no personal name. It's just "Brain of Courage" (Yūki no Brain).

[Seibertron]

Yukio

The brain has no personal name. It's just "Brain of Courage" (Yūki no Brain).

I'll continue to call the Brainmaster "Brain of Courage" master figures as "Yūki", "Riki", "Chie" and "Waza" despite what TFwiki says (which may be correct). Those words associated with those figures came from somewhere. Those figures have been known as those names for quite some time and it wouldn't be the first time that fan made words made the official leap such as "Generation 1", "Seekers" and other words or names.

For years, Transformers fans have referred (and continue to refer) to the Brainmaster components of Star Saber, Blacker, Braver and Laster as "Yūki", "Riki", "Chie" and "Waza", as if they were proper names. These are, in fact, simply the Japanese words meaning "courage", "strength", "intelligence" and "skill"; the Brains do not have proper names, and are simply known as "Brain of Courage", etc.

[fenrir72]

I would also like to know why you dislike it now, is it something to do with the fact its smaller then it's predecessor.

The look that it could combine with victory Leo though is decreasing with each new comparsion pic. Looks like it will just be too small to combine.

Not the original Victory Leo but the possible MP Victory Leo? Keeping fingers crossed!

[Sabrblade]

Yukio

The brain has no personal name. It's just "Brain of Courage" (Yūki no Brain).

I'll continue to call the Brainmaster "Brain of Courage" master figures as "Yūki", "Riki", "Chie" and "Waza" despite what TFwiki says (which may be correct). Those words associated with those figures came from somewhere. Those figures have been known as those names for quite some time and it wouldn't be the first time that fan made words made the official leap such as "Generation 1", "Seekers" and other words or names.

For years, Transformers fans have referred (and continue to refer) to the Brainmaster components of Star Saber, Blacker, Braver and Laster as "Yūki", "Riki", "Chie" and "Waza", as if they were proper names. These are, in fact, simply the Japanese words meaning "courage", "strength", "intelligence" and "skill"; the Brains do not have proper names, and are simply known as "Brain of Courage", etc.

It also wouldn't be the first time misconceptions became widespread enough to mislead most of the fandom for many years until reality came knocking at the door. Remember the era when people thought the characters of the Beast Wars II and Beast Wars Neo cartoons all hailed from the same home time as the American Beast Wars characters? Or when the Micromasters D-Go and San D-Go were believed to be named "Diego" and "San Diego", respectively (though, the reference is there as a pun)? Or the ever lovingly "Hyper Goldfish Golfball!" phrase from the Fire Convoy toy (which was really "Cybertron Senshi, TRANSFORM!").

"Yūki" is literally the Japanese word for "Courage", "Bravery", "Fearlessness", etc. Same with the other three meaning those other words (though, it's "Chikara" rather than "Riki"). "Waza" was even used again in recent years in Transformers: Go! to refer to GoKenzan as the "Waza no Sanjou Gattai", meaning he's the "Triple Combination of Skill". Fans attributing these descriptors to the Brainmasters as personal names for them was likely another product of the early online fandom of the 90s' lack of full understanding of the Japanese Transformers series. And that is reasonably understandable since both the fandom and its awareness of the Japanese TF series' existence was still very new at the time, and the shows themselves wouldn't be fully experienced until the fansubs of them from TV-Nihon and the official subbed DVD sets of them from the UK and Australia came about in the 2000s.

As for the brains themselves, the Victory cartoon itself would address the terms "Yūki", "Chikara", "Chie" and "Waza" in regards to the brains in its third episode:

Joyce: "Hey, are the Cybertrons powerful?"
Jean: "Of course! All the Cybertrons are powerful, but the Brainmasters are really powerful!"
Joyce: "Brainmasters?"
Jean: "Yeah! There's only four beings in the whole universe who have the Brain Power (Burein Kinō)!"
Students: "Wow!"
Teacher: "Jean-kun! Be quiet and pay attention!"
Jean: "Yes sir!"
Joyce: "What's Brain Power?"
Jean: "I'm glad you asked! Brain Power is... Courage (Yūki)! Strength (Chikara)! Intelligence (Chie)! Skill (Waza)! It's an awesome mecha that gives one's abilities a power-up! When someone has the Brain Power, they become one of the most powerful warriors in the universe! Well, that's what I heard from Holi, anyway."

Jean's hyperbolic excitement aside, it's evident that he's speaking of the Brains as a power (manifested into physical robotic forms) belonging to each of the larger Autobots, rather than as individual persons in their own right.

Not to mention that "Yūki" (勇気), "Chikara" (カ), "Chie" (知恵), and "Waza" (技) are all written in Kanji instead of Kana like the "no Burein" (のブレイン) part is, what with their being native Japanese words rather than a foreign word like "Brain":

• "Yūki no Burein" = 勇気のブレイン = "Brain of Courage"
• "Chikara no Burein" = 力のブレイン = "Brain of Strength" (well, "Chikara" more closely means "Power", but its context in the show pegs "Strength" as the more accurate translation)
• "Chie no Burein" = 知恵のブレイン = "Brain of Intelligence"
• "Waza no Burein" = 技のブレイン = "Brain of Skill"

FWIW, the Kanji for "Brain" in Japanese is 脳 ("Nō"), not to be confused with the Hiragana character of の ("No") that is a possessive like the English word "of".

[Seibertron]

"Yūki" is literally the Japanese word for "Courage", "Bravery", "Fearlessness", etc. Same with the other three meaning those other words (though, it's "Chikara" rather than "Riki"). "Waza" was even used again in recent years in Transformers: Go! to refer to GoKenzan as the "Waza no Sanjou Gattai", meaning he's the "Triple Combination of Skill". Fans attributing these descriptors to the Brainmasters as personal names for them was likely another product of the early online fandom of the 90s' lack of full understanding of the Japanese Transformers series. And that is reasonably understandable since both the fandom and its awareness of the Japanese TF series' existence was still very new at the time, and the shows themselves wouldn't be fully experienced until the fansubs of them from TV-Nihon and the official subbed DVD sets of them from the UK and Australia came about in the 2000s.

As for the brains themselves, the Victory cartoon itself would address the terms "Yūki", "Chikara", "Chie" and "Waza" in regards to the brains in its third episode:

Joyce: "Hey, are the Cybertrons powerful?"
Jean: "Of course! All the Cybertrons are powerful, but the Brainmasters are really powerful!"
Joyce: "Brainmasters?"
Jean: "Yeah! There's only four beings in the whole universe who have the Brain Power (Burein Kinō)!"
Students: "Wow!"
Teacher: "Jean-kun! Be quiet and pay attention!"
Jean: "Yes sir!"
Joyce: "What's Brain Power?"
Jean: "I'm glad you asked! Brain Power is... Courage (Yūki)! Strength (Chikara)! Intelligence (Chie)! Skill (Waza)! It's an awesome mecha that gives one's abilities a power-up! When some has the Brain Power, they become one of the most powerful warriors in the universe! Well, that's what I heard from Holi, anyway."

Jean's hyperbolic excitement aside, it's evident that he's speaking of the Brains as a power (manifested into physical robotic forms) belonging to each of the larger Autobots, rather than as individual persons in their own right.

They're still "Yūki", "Riki", "Chie" and "Waza" to me.

[Sabrblade]

I edited my post to include one more point.