The Energon Pub

News Credits: 3 · Fri Jan 23, 2015 11:44 am

This is a pass for me (and I normally like Takara releases)

Silverbolt: Just no to all that yellow. I do like the painted windows and silver shoulders though.
Skydive/Air Raid/Firefly: Not enough difference to the Hasbro versions, sure the little extra paint apps are nice, but I don't know.
Slingshot: That head, whil very G1, just seems a little out of place to me, I don't quiite know why, but otherwise looks pretty sweet.
Superion: has gone all Michael Jackson on then ands/feet. I prefer the black.

Maybe I'm subconsciously trying to justify not buying this kit, but form nice im quite happy with th Hasbro edition, but the price form his is pretty damn good when you think about the normal Takara price premium.

Fri Jan 23, 2015 12:05 pm

Yet again Takara saves the day.

I hope they do the same with the Stunticon set.

This is a buy for me.

News Credits: 26 · Fri Jan 23, 2015 12:12 pm

I like my Hasbro version, but like many have said to have a complete Takara gift set like this for the price is too hard to pass on. I'll end up foregoing future Hasbro combiner limb releases and donate my Hasbro version with Dragstrip arm to St. Jude at the hospital I work at. The kids cannot get enough Transformers...especially when they are going through something out of their control. Bringing a smile to their faces in worth more than anything.

I look forward to this set. I like the yellow and really dig the white feet and fists...this will be my first full Takara gift set. :BOWDOWN:

~reluctantyouth~

Fri Jan 23, 2015 12:15 pm

prjkt wrote:This is a pass for me (and I normally like Takara releases)

Silverbolt: Just no to all that yellow. I do like the painted windows and silver shoulders though.
Skydive/Air Raid/Firefly: Not enough difference to the Hasbro versions, sure the little extra paint apps are nice, but I don't know.
Slingshot: That head, whil very G1, just seems a little out of place to me, I don't quiite know why, but otherwise looks pretty sweet.
Superion: has gone all Michael Jackson on then ands/feet. I prefer the black.

Maybe I'm subconsciously trying to justify not buying this kit, but form nice im quite happy with th Hasbro edition, but the price form his is pretty damn good when you think about the normal Takara price premium.

Yeah, the price is pretty sweet. If you're buying the hasbro versions, 1 voyager + 4 deluxes will now run you $92' add slingshot down the road and you're at $109. I understand you taking the hasbro version on aesthetics, but the price is really, really good for the set

News Credits: 3642 · Fri Jan 23, 2015 3:00 pm

New images have surfaced of Takara Tomy's Aerialbots from the upcoming Unite line. As speculated earlier this week, Slingshot will have a new head mold similar to his G1 cartoon head. These pictures are courtesy e-hobby.co.jp which you can view here. We've mirrored the images below. Join our discussion about the Japanese release of the Combiner Wars figures by clicking here.

News Credits: 20 · Fri Jan 23, 2015 3:25 pm

All in. Looks amazing to me. The yellow is a little jarring but it's cartoon accurate.

News Credits: 1350 · Fri Jan 23, 2015 3:35 pm

Takara I love you and hate you at the same time. It will be hard to justify this with the missus

Fri Jan 23, 2015 3:35 pm

Definitely prefer this set and can't wait for it to be released! The U.S preorder price really gives me hope that the overseas stores will have this listed at a ridiculously low price, but if not that's fine too, as it's already cheaper than I thought it would be.

Fri Jan 23, 2015 3:35 pm

That's a great value for Takara products, but I don't see myself double dipping on these. I'll wait for the Hasbro Slingshot. I am quite fond of the white feet and hands though.

News Credits: 4877 · Fri Jan 23, 2015 3:37 pm

ZeroWolf wrote:Takara I love you and hate you at the same time. It will be hard to justify this with the missus

Do you already own the Hasbro one? The missus allows me to buy select transformers, and a more expensive version of one I already have would not work. Good thing I dont own the hasbro one yet. Not sure what I should do now.

News Credits: 1350 · Fri Jan 23, 2015 3:49 pm

I don't own the hasbro one yet its just the price and then shipping+import cost. I can get the hasbro one locally from tru but the takara ones are very pretty

Fri Jan 23, 2015 4:03 pm

william-james88 wrote:
ZeroWolf wrote:Takara I love you and hate you at the same time. It will be hard to justify this with the missus

Do you already own the Hasbro one? The missus allows me to buy select transformers, and a more expensive version of one I already have would not work. Good thing I dont own the hasbro one yet. Not sure what I should do now.

Sometimes, what the missus doesn't know can't hurt me

News Credits: 4877 · Fri Jan 23, 2015 4:06 pm

ZeroWolf wrote:I don't own the hasbro one yet its just the price and then shipping+import cost. I can get the hasbro one locally from tru but the takara ones are very pretty

But if you are in the UK, arent you better off with japanese online retailers? You will still be stuck with import fees and shipping but the base price might be cheaper.

Fri Jan 23, 2015 4:18 pm

ZeroWolf wrote:I don't own the hasbro one yet its just the price and then shipping+import cost. I can get the hasbro one locally from tru but the takara ones are very pretty

The Takara one is very pretty indeed, and a lot more accurate, especially with Slingshot in there. However, I don't think it's justified, price wise. The Hasbro ones are still good, and there's not enough of a change to merit spending a lot more £££.

News Credits: 1350 · Fri Jan 23, 2015 5:53 pm

william-james88 wrote:
ZeroWolf wrote:I don't own the hasbro one yet its just the price and then shipping+import cost. I can get the hasbro one locally from tru but the takara ones are very pretty

But if you are in the UK, arent you better off with japanese online retailers? You will still be stuck with import fees and shipping but the base price might be cheaper.

Never went with a Japanese retailer before so I'm not sure which one is considered the best

News Credits: 65 · Fri Jan 23, 2015 7:04 pm

Preordered! You can't beat that price. I'm curious if Takara has a good read on exactly how much of their product is sold on foreign markets?

Fri Jan 23, 2015 7:23 pm

Wolfman Jake wrote:Preordered! You can't beat that price. I'm curious if Takara has a good read on exactly how much of their product is sold on foreign markets?

I think the recent redeco of MP Exhaust should answer that for you

Fri Jan 23, 2015 7:35 pm

reluctantyouth wrote: I'll end up foregoing future Hasbro combiner limb releases and donate my Hasbro version with Dragstrip arm to St. Jude at the hospital I work at. The kids cannot get enough Transformers...especially when they are going through something out of their control. Bringing a smile to their faces in worth more than anything.

Puts things in perspective a bit.

Fri Jan 23, 2015 7:39 pm

Optimum Supreme wrote:
reluctantyouth wrote: I'll end up foregoing future Hasbro combiner limb releases and donate my Hasbro version with Dragstrip arm to St. Jude at the hospital I work at. The kids cannot get enough Transformers...especially when they are going through something out of their control. Bringing a smile to their faces in worth more than anything.

Puts things in perspective a bit.

Hey, where can I send some to donate? (Not kidding)

Fri Jan 23, 2015 7:41 pm

Still waiting to see what HLJ will have for a price on this set before I preorder. They're so unpredictable on their preorders, they finally put MP G2 Bumblebee up this morning, after most stores have had him up for weeks now, and they even put up preorders for the new Transformers Adventure line this morning.

For some reason though, they haven't put these guys up yet, while most other stores have them up. :lol:

News Credits: 4877 · Fri Jan 23, 2015 8:35 pm

Desslok2201 wrote:
Optimum Supreme wrote:
reluctantyouth wrote: I'll end up foregoing future Hasbro combiner limb releases and donate my Hasbro version with Dragstrip arm to St. Jude at the hospital I work at. The kids cannot get enough Transformers...especially when they are going through something out of their control. Bringing a smile to their faces in worth more than anything.

Puts things in perspective a bit.

Hey, where can I send some to donate? (Not kidding)

Dont you have donation centres in your area? You could write your town name and "donation centre" on google and see what comes up. You can also go to a local church and ask if they accept donated toys.

Fri Jan 23, 2015 8:35 pm

I'm having such a hard time pulling the the trigger on this. I LOVE this, but it's hard to justify Superion without Menasor, and what I've seen of him doesn't sit well with me. As great as Motormaster's robot mode looks, the lack of a trailer and the cab feet kind of sour me on him, even if Takara does come up with a Wildrider, as I expect they will, I'm not sure they can fix Menasor's kind of weird head.

News Credits: 4877 · Fri Jan 23, 2015 9:18 pm

Since I dont have the hasbro version yet, I am really debating getting this one. The price is fine and for once is not the issue, it's actually the deco. I dont really care about the character since I wasnt born when the show was on, but I do care for his toy since its one of the few G1s I have. And for once it seems Hasbro is the company more faithful to the G1 toy deco while Takara is more faithful to the G1 cartoon characer deco (so you see Shockblast 2, its like Jetfire's chrome, you cant make reason of these trends). While Takara's Superion looks nice and clean with all his white, the individual Silverbolt's yellow is really offputting to me. I LOVE the gold on the G1 toy and in it's context, it actually comes off as non flashy and darker, more similar to Hasbro's tan that they use instead of bright yellow. And while it is amazing that Takara has white on Silverbolt's chest and a full red upper chest on Superion (which the G1 toy could not do since both Superion and Silverbolt had that same chest piece), the full red chest makes Hasbro's version also more G1 toy accurate. Oh, decisions, decisions.

News Credits: 60 · Fri Jan 23, 2015 9:22 pm

Seibertron wrote:New images have surfaced of Takara Tomy's Aerialbots from the upcoming Unite line. As speculated earlier this week, Slingshot will have a new head mold similar to his G1 cartoon head. These pictures are courtesy e-hobby.co.jp which you can view here. We've mirrored the images below. Join our discussion about the Japanese release of the Combiner Wars figures by clicking here.

Need a new diaper. :BOWDOWN:

Fri Jan 23, 2015 9:52 pm

william-james88 wrote:Since I dont have the hasbro version yet, I am really debating getting this one. The price is fine and for once is not the issue, it's actually the deco. I dont really care about the character since I wasnt born when the show was on, but I do care for his toy since its one of the few G1s I have. And for once it seems Hasbro is the company more faithful to the G1 toy deco while Takara is more faithful to the G1 cartoon characer deco (so you see Shockblast 2, its like Jetfire's chrome, you cant make reason of these trends). While Takara's Superion looks nice and clean with all his white, the individual Silverbolt's yellow is really offputting to me. I LOVE the gold on the G1 toy and in it's context, it actually comes off as non flashy and darker, more similar to Hasbro's tan that they use instead of bright yellow. And while it is amazing that Takara has white on Silverbolt's chest and a full red upper chest on Superion (which the G1 toy could not do since both Superion and Silverbolt had that same chest piece), the full red chest makes Hasbro's version also more G1 toy accurate. Oh, decisions, decisions.

I totally understand your dilemma. I think what sways me towards Takara on this is the little details. The painted kneecaps, wingtips on the shoulders, etc. Superion's combined form is a hands down winner to Takara for me, but if you take Silverbolt alone, it's just the little bits that push him over, as I agree that Hasbro's is closer on that one.