The Energon Pub

[Cobotron]

I like y'all's shoehorning! Makes sense story wise and in keeping with the current manga.

As for the proportions, and I have no idea how the designers actually work, but all those aspects are easily editable digitally. For example those side vents do look skinnier on the TM head, but that could be a product of scaling a square to fit a rectangle.

Anyway, I just like to think about how these designers are applying digital tools to their method, while not that long ago, in the grand scheme of things,things were still hand sculpted.

[DedicatedGhostArt]

I like y'all's shoehorning! Makes sense story wise and in keeping with the current manga.

As for the proportions, and I have no idea how the designers actually work, but all those aspects are easily editable digitally. For example those side vents do look skinnier on the TM head, but that could be a product of scaling a square to fit a rectangle.

Anyway, I just like to think about how these designers are applying digital tools to their method, while not that long ago, in the grand scheme of things,things were still hand sculpted.

Sometimes the digital ends up looking not as good in the end as the hand sculpted, but it is really awesome when it comes to saving labor. Sometimes though some people are just really good at digital sculpting, so they do it well.

[Hellscream9999]

Just got my Black Convoy this evening, and, man, is this a gorgeous figure

This truly feels like the epitome of TT taking a rather dull and lackluster hasbro figure and elevating it into a true work of art, there may actually be $90 worth of paint on this figure, it's everywhere.

But best of all, I finally have myself an amazing Nemesis Prime

[Hellscream9999]

I like y'all's shoehorning! Makes sense story wise and in keeping with the current manga.

As for the proportions, and I have no idea how the designers actually work, but all those aspects are easily editable digitally. For example those side vents do look skinnier on the TM head, but that could be a product of scaling a square to fit a rectangle.

Anyway, I just like to think about how these designers are applying digital tools to their method, while not that long ago, in the grand scheme of things,things were still hand sculpted.

Sometimes the digital ends up looking not as good in the end as the hand sculpted, but it is really awesome when it comes to saving labor. Sometimes though some people are just really good at digital sculpting, so they do it well.

Look, its probably just modeled after it, they're different sizes after all. This design just feels like the new style direction they're going with Starscream.

[Hero Alpha]

You know, I wonder if Blitzwing will have a companion too...

I'd just be happy for a Legends Blitzwing announcement, period. It wouldn't surprise me, though, if Takara did something similar with an extra something for Blitzwing to parallel Octane. What would be as clever as a Ghost Starscream Headmaster, though? Another thought: Blitzwing could come with a Titan Master vehicle instead, akin to Broadside, who will come with Repugnus' body.

Maybe Blitzwing will come with his strategic war consultant, the football coach guy. Thats what we call, the long bomb

[Jelze Bunnycat]

You know, I wonder if Blitzwing will have a companion too...

I'd just be happy for a Legends Blitzwing announcement, period. It wouldn't surprise me, though, if Takara did something similar with an extra something for Blitzwing to parallel Octane. What would be as clever as a Ghost Starscream Headmaster, though? Another thought: Blitzwing could come with a Titan Master vehicle instead, akin to Broadside, who will come with Repugnus' body.

Maybe Blitzwing will come with his strategic war consultant, the football coach guy. Thats what we call, the long bomb

More like a Hail Mary Loved the concept of the episode "Triple Takeover", but liked Astrotrain's part more (biased since I love trains).

[Sabrblade]

Interestingly, Starscream's ghost did previously appear in the Legends universe back when Takara did those three LG-EX Beast Wars figure redecos. He retook possession of Waspinator, but was defeated by Rhinox's ghost from after Rhinox died in Beast Machines.

[primalxconvoy]

Cybertronian Rhapsody

Is this a knockoff,
Or from the factory?
Bought it on ebay, I think the seller was scalping me.
Open your eyes, Robots in disguise, you see
I'm just a poor boy, can't afford takar-ara
Sixshot was a gun, now a boat.
Use to shoot, now he float.
I'd ask where's Windblade, but it doesn't really matter
to meeeeee

Yeah... I have too much time on my hands.
(Also yes I know sixshot is a sub but it just didn't flow.)

Mama...
Just bought a toy...
It's smaller than they said
But he's got a transforming head,
Mama, found out he's super rare
But now I've gone and thrown the box away

Mama, oooohh
I'm going to Toys R Us
If I'm not back again this time tomorrow
Carry on, carry on,
As if nothing really matters

Too many
Robots on the shelf
Thought they were real good finds,
But my wallet's aching all the time,
Goodbye, to my paycheck, it's got to go
Gotta leave food behind to buy more toys

Mama, oooh
Which one should I buy?
Who am I kidding, I'll end up with them all.

For anyone into giant Japanese robots and Queen, may I present...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16UypAOUMXk

(Brian May's son liked it and Brian, being the super cool nerd that he is, made a video about the show for his son).

[chuckdawg1999]

Cybertronian Rhapsody

Is this a knockoff,
Or from the factory?
Bought it on ebay, I think the seller was scalping me.
Open your eyes, Robots in disguise, you see
I'm just a poor boy, can't afford takar-ara
Sixshot was a gun, now a boat.
Use to shoot, now he float.
I'd ask where's Windblade, but it doesn't really matter
to meeeeee

Yeah... I have too much time on my hands.
(Also yes I know sixshot is a sub but it just didn't flow.)

Mama...
Just bought a toy...
It's smaller than they said
But he's got a transforming head,
Mama, found out he's super rare
But now I've gone and thrown the box away

Mama, oooohh
I'm going to Toys R Us
If I'm not back again this time tomorrow
Carry on, carry on,
As if nothing really matters

Too many
Robots on the shelf
Thought they were real good finds,
But my wallet's aching all the time,
Goodbye, to my paycheck, it's got to go
Gotta leave food behind to buy more toys

Mama, oooh
Which one should I buy?
Who am I kidding, I'll end up with them all.

For anyone into giant Japanese robots and Queen, may I present...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16UypAOUMXk

(Brian May's son liked it and Brian, being the super cool nerd that he is, made a video about the show for his son).

That Starfleet EP was killer. Eddie Van Halen plays guitar with him. There is a Dai X toy out there.

It's funny with how popular Queen is in Japan, they've never been homaged in the Transformers line.

[primalxconvoy]

Cybertronian Rhapsody

Is this a knockoff,
Or from the factory?
Bought it on ebay, I think the seller was scalping me.
Open your eyes, Robots in disguise, you see
I'm just a poor boy, can't afford takar-ara
Sixshot was a gun, now a boat.
Use to shoot, now he float.
I'd ask where's Windblade, but it doesn't really matter
to meeeeee

Yeah... I have too much time on my hands.
(Also yes I know sixshot is a sub but it just didn't flow.)

Mama...
Just bought a toy...
It's smaller than they said
But he's got a transforming head,
Mama, found out he's super rare
But now I've gone and thrown the box away

Mama, oooohh
I'm going to Toys R Us
If I'm not back again this time tomorrow
Carry on, carry on,
As if nothing really matters

Too many
Robots on the shelf
Thought they were real good finds,
But my wallet's aching all the time,
Goodbye, to my paycheck, it's got to go
Gotta leave food behind to buy more toys

Mama, oooh
Which one should I buy?
Who am I kidding, I'll end up with them all.

For anyone into giant Japanese robots and Queen, may I present...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16UypAOUMXk

(Brian May's son liked it and Brian, being the super cool nerd that he is, made a video about the show for his son).

That Starfleet EP was killer. Eddie Van Halen plays guitar with him. There is a Dai X toy out there.

It's funny with how popular Queen is in Japan, they've never been homaged in the Transformers line.

Funnily enough, I've just sent the save link and a Japanese wiki link about "X-Bomber" (The original Japanese name for the show) to a Queen-loving Japanese otaku friend. Her husband makes Japanese video games, as well


The "Dai-X" figure was by Bandai, I believe. It's not very famous/popular in Japan, unfortunately.

Also, more Otaku here should be worshipping the Majesty that is SIR Brian, He's Got A Bloody PHD, Innit?, May.

[Bronzewolf]

Cybertronian Rhapsody

Is this a knockoff,
Or from the factory?
Bought it on ebay, I think the seller was scalping me.
Open your eyes, Robots in disguise, you see
I'm just a poor boy, can't afford takar-ara
Sixshot was a gun, now a boat.
Use to shoot, now he float.
I'd ask where's Windblade, but it doesn't really matter
to meeeeee

Yeah... I have too much time on my hands.
(Also yes I know sixshot is a sub but it just didn't flow.)

Mama...
Just bought a toy...
It's smaller than they said
But he's got a transforming head,
Mama, found out he's super rare
But now I've gone and thrown the box away

Mama, oooohh
I'm going to Toys R Us
If I'm not back again this time tomorrow
Carry on, carry on,
As if nothing really matters

Too many
Robots on the shelf
Thought they were real good finds,
But my wallet's aching all the time,
Goodbye, to my paycheck, it's got to go
Gotta leave food behind to buy more toys

Mama, oooh
Which one should I buy?
Who am I kidding, I'll end up with them all.

For anyone into giant Japanese robots and Queen, may I present...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16UypAOUMXk

(Brian May's son liked it and Brian, being the super cool nerd that he is, made a video about the show for his son).

Woah, wasn't expecting marionettes. I can appreciate the practical effects (and very definitely the music) but man are marionettes not my thing. Couldn't get into Thunderbirds for the same reason.

Also, I'm impressed Takara is sticking with the whole "Ghost Starscream" deal. I expected it to be a sort of one time thing with Grand Galvatron. It'll be interesting to see where they take it from here, considering they're making him such a reoccuring character.

Disclaimer: I follow absolutely none of the fiction that goes along with these toys, so if Starscream is already a prominent character and that's the reason they're referencing him so much, I have no idea. I only follow the toys.

[Kurona]

Honestly, Takara seem to love the idea of Ghost Starscream. Whenever a G1 Starscream mold comes out - whether it be Generations or Masterpiece or what have you - they always feel the need to make a super duper special version in translucent plastic.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

Disclaimer: I follow absolutely none of the fiction that goes along with these toys, so if Starscream is already a prominent character and that's the reason they're referencing him so much, I have no idea. I only follow the toys.

In a nutshell, the Legends manga has connected to the last chapter of Unite Warriors, Baldigus. Several team members went their own way, with Trick Diamond and Curse Armada Thrust ending up in the Legends Universe for Godbomber. Starscream is still (half) a ghost at that point (fleeing from the rabid fan girl Luna Clover in sheer terror), so we will see him as such later. Of course, there's nothing stopping a different Starscream ghost from appearing since the universe is just one big hodgepodge of a joke and references stuff left and right.

[ZeldaTheSwordsman]

The '84 roster's only technically complete at that. We're still waiting on a cartoon-scale matched set (the Seekers are a size class too small, Huffer's too small, CJ's too big..), Optimus' trailer, a better Ratchet and Ironhide, and a non-lazy Sunstreaker.

Unless there's a different version I'm not aware of, Huffer's got bigger issues than scale. They may have redecoed nuLegends OP into Huffer with a new head mold and recoloring the body orange, but c'mon that's still not a "real" 84 Huffer, what with chest windows and no covering over his head. It's like considering TM Brawn a proper version of him. Fortunately he's also got old/nuLegends figs.

Yeah, forgot to mention that issue. Got distracted by the fact that the person I was quoting apparently counts that Huffer as good enough.

There's also... the original Classics Huffer.

No there isn't. There was never a Classics Huffer. There was a [i]Timelines[/i] Huffer, but that was just a con-exclusive redeco of Cybertron Armorhide. PCC Huffer is apparently a separate character and the resemblance is limited, and PCC leans more toward being an ROTF/HFTD subline anyway.

Getting back to Legends, I wonder if there will be an Encore Overlord to complement the Masterforce rehashes and especially Legends God Ginrai. Since, well, no amount of extra paint detail or bonus accessories can fix the fact that the TR Overlord mold, being only a single Leader-class figure, literally comes up short next to the God Ginrai combo.

[Kurona]

Yeah, the one image we really have comparing the two really shows. Still, considering the extensive retooling done to make PMOP into Ginrai; I don't think it'd be too out of the question to see Takara do some retooling to make Overlord the same height as God Ginrai -- and maybe at the same time work in a Megajet combined vehicle mode.



Either way, it's impressive how he's taller than Ginrai alone.

[primalxconvoy]

The '84 roster's only technically complete at that. We're still waiting on a cartoon-scale matched set (the Seekers are a size class too small, Huffer's too small, CJ's too big..), Optimus' trailer, a better Ratchet and Ironhide, and a non-lazy Sunstreaker.

Unless there's a different version I'm not aware of, Huffer's got bigger issues than scale. They may have redecoed nuLegends OP into Huffer with a new head mold and recoloring the body orange, but c'mon that's still not a "real" 84 Huffer, what with chest windows and no covering over his head. It's like considering TM Brawn a proper version of him. Fortunately he's also got old/nuLegends figs.

Yeah, forgot to mention that issue. Got distracted by the fact that the person I was quoting apparently counts that Huffer as good enough.

There's also... the original Classics Huffer.

No there isn't. There was never a Classics Huffer. There was a [i]Timelines[/i] Huffer, but that was just a con-exclusive redeco of Cybertron Armorhide. PCC Huffer is apparently a separate character and the resemblance is limited, and PCC leans more toward being an ROTF/HFTD subline anyway.

Getting back to Legends, I wonder if there will be an Encore Overlord to complement the Masterforce rehashes and especially Legends God Ginrai. Since, well, no amount of extra paint detail or bonus accessories can fix the fact that the TR Overlord mold, being only a single Leader-class figure, literally comes up short next to the God Ginrai combo.

That's not strictly speaking true. The "Botcon" Huffer (sic) can be considered "CHUG" as it's a modern take on a G1 character. It wasn't part of the actual "Classics" line, though. Similarly, the Generations repaint of Optimus Prime as Buffer could also be considered "CHUG", as his tiny size " homages " the original minicar (cab?) G1 toy, from a certain point of view. However, they're haven't been any new, dedicated molds for either him or Pipes made by Hasbro since G1.

[fenrir72]

Since Takara is batsh1t crazy with direct animation homages and that Overlord is already given,I call that Takara will make his "head" permanently fixed(same with how parts of Fortress Maximus was glued shut) and give him 2 new molds of Godmasters.

Why? Unless there is a way to pluck out the Giga/Mega version of him/her sometime out of the Masterforce series time line (they already dead by the end), the best would be this will be the Overlord of the Victory series.



Two Godmasters on his chest.

And unless this is another animation "error", putting two heads into the chest compartment in reverse doesn't make sense and the front crest of the head doesn't have enough clearance unlike putting them the right way with them facing out.

Just like a call I made with Spike being the "ReBirth" Cerebros version.

[primalxconvoy]

I call that Takara will make his "head" permanently fixed(same with how parts of Fortress Maximus was glued shut) .

1/ Could you elaborate? Which pieces were glued?

2/ As Ginrai was not released as a Powermaster, and as the new Targetmasters were not de-headmastered, I don't think Overlord will get any preferential treatment. Perhaps, it might get two EXTRA new Powermaster figures, though?

[Sabrblade]

I call that Takara will make his "head" permanently fixed(same with how parts of Fortress Maximus was glued shut) .

1/ Could you elaborate? Which pieces were glued?

His legs were glued closed. The Takara legs can't open up like the Hasbro ones can.

[primalxconvoy]

Really? The new, recently made version? The legs cannot open for base mode?

[Sabrblade]

Really? The new, recently made version? The legs cannot open for base mode?

The Titans Return mold Legends version, yes. Now, I don't know if the same will be true for the upcoming reissue of the Legends version, but there's a good chance that it may be so.

Though, whether Hasbro or Takara, the legs opening isn't officially a part of the base mode transformation anyway. It's just a relic leftover from the original Metroplex version of the mold, which did use the opening function of the legs for Metroplex's city mode.

[Kurona]

I doubt Takara would glue Overlord's Titan Master on as that actively takes out a play feature. Fortress Maximus' legs are a different situation since they, well... weren't a play feature.

[grimdragon2001]

I doubt Takara would glue Overlord's Titan Master on as that actively takes out a play feature. Fortress Maximus' legs are a different situation since they, well... weren't a play feature.

given that TR Sky Shadow's and Overlord's Titan Masters are molded to be Giga and Mega, and TR Overlord has spots for the two Titanmasters in his chest, I think we might see Legends Overlord have a Headmaster that looks like a Mini Overlord and then see the Giga and Mega Titenmasters included with their unique engine blocks on their backs instead of the faces. best of both worlds.

[fenrir72]

I doubt Takara would glue Overlord's Titan Master on as that actively takes out a play feature. Fortress Maximus' legs are a different situation since they, well... weren't a play feature.

given that TR Sky Shadow's and Overlord's Titan Masters are molded to be Giga and Mega, and TR Overlord has spots for the two Titanmasters in his chest, I think we might see Legends Overlord have a Headmaster that looks like a Mini Overlord and then see the Giga and Mega Titenmasters included with their unique engine blocks on their backs instead of the faces. best of both worlds.

A new main body mold for the headmaster like that of Legends Sixshot or two new engine block molds instead of heads or both (head and engine block) or what I speculated on of a permanent main head + 2 new engine blocks . Either way, it will benefit us Takara collectors greatly!

[ZeldaTheSwordsman]

Yeah, the one image we really have comparing the two really shows. Still, considering the extensive retooling done to make PMOP into Ginrai; I don't think it'd be too out of the question to see Takara do some retooling to make Overlord the same height as God Ginrai -- and maybe at the same time work in a Megajet combined vehicle mode.

Retooling TR Overlord to be taller or as tall as God Ginrai would result in an Overlord with ridiculously stretched legs. The amount of retooling beyond that to maintain proportions, you might as well do a new mold.

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't he already have the combined vehicle mode? I know that Sky Shadow has that flap to let the jet carry the tank like the Megajet carried the Gigatank in-show so it would be weird if that was removed for Overlord. And the other combo, the "Space Jet", is just the Gigatank halves stuck on like they were being attached for robot mode, so wouldn't you be able to do that anyway?