The Energon Pub

[D-Maximal_Primal]

When is the UW Computron coming out? (I know it's supposed to be this month, but it's already the 20th)

The thing is, the Hasbro Technobots set would probably be better off with the standard combiner hands/feet since those figures need some guns.

He should be coming out the 31st, very end of the month

[blacklai]

Review: UW-08 with Combiner War Computron comparison.










Check below link and you can see some comparison of these two boxset.
http://blacklai1979.blogspot.tw/2016/08/review-transformers-unite-warriors-uw.html

[Sjeng]

So why did they switch the hands and feet again? Kind of a false comparison this way...

[Sabrblade]

So why did they switch the hands and feet again? Kind of a false comparison this way...

My guess is just to see what it would look like.

The four pics above aren't the extent of the comparison, they're just sample images. The full comparison is beyond the link in his post.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

So why did they switch the hands and feet again? Kind of a false comparison this way...

For fun. Bloggers tend to do "Extra Stuff" that don't necessarily make sense, just 'cause. Besides, the most important comparisons are for the figures themselves, anyway.

[william-james88]

Fellow Seibertronian Blacklai has taken some very nice shots of the new Takara Unite Warriors Computron figure, including the bonus Takara exclusive art in the instructions as well as comparison shots between the Hasbro counterparts to each component. There are also comparison shots for the new tooling, exclusive to Takara, on Nosecone Strafe which show them next to the original molds. There are also up close images of the new head sculpts, three of which are exclusive to Takara. We can see that some of the visors and eyes have a black outline, probably due to shadow, which was not clear on previous images. You can click here for even more images.

[Decepticon Stryker]

Can we have comparison shots of all three Scattorshots?

[WeatherManNX01]

In the last seven years of collecting, this is the first time picking up the Takara version of a figure. Based on the pictures, I'm not expecting any regrets.

[Evil Eye]

Hasbro Scattershot has the nicer vehicle deco. Takara wins in every other respect.

Hasbro Afterburner's deco looks good- the green windscreen is a nice touch- but Takara wins with the new guns- also Takara's deco is more harmonious with the overall colour scheme.

Both Strafes look good. Hasbro Strafe has a nice 80s retro space fighter look to him ala Gradius. Takara Strafe has a more futuristic, elegant look to him. In robot mode, Takara looks a tad better maybe? However, what really pushes the Takara set that little bit further is the clean white as opposed to the dirty grey colour of the Hasbro offering.

Hasbro Lightspeed is possibly the worst CW redeco thus far. And in a line that has Smokescreen, CW Wheeljack and UW Dragstrip that's saying something. It doesn't look like the character and it doesn't look good. Takara Lightspeed, whilst based on a less solid mold, is pretty much a victor by default. Hasbro Lightspeed doesn't even look good as a generic- he looks like an animation error.

Hasbro Nosecone actually isn't that bad. I'd buy him as an Autobot generic. Takara Nosecone however is a clear winner as Nosecone, given the vastly superior drill, nicer colours and being based on Rook.

Hasbro Scrounge wins on account of Takara Scrounge not existing.

In terms of combined mode, Takara wins hands down. Hasbro Computron has Silverbolt's gun molded in red whilst Takara gets an original combining weapon. The colours are nicer on the Takara version and there's more original tooling (the head and chest in particular). Whilst Hasbro does have new hands and feet...they suck. The hands are lumps with zero articulation (even the hand-foot-guns had finger flaps) and the feet are completely hollow, which doesn't bode well for their stability. Granted you could fill the feet's gaping voids with fishing weights or make some metal fillers on Shapeways, but really they shouldn't have been hollow in the first place. Whilst Takara does have reused HFGs, they make better hands than the dedicated hands- as feet they aren't great but they're not much worse than the hollow messes the Hasbro one comes with. In any case, if you're getting a CW combiner you should buy the PE hands and feet (do NOT buy Nonnef's feet- they WILL break the ports) so it's something of a moot point.

So yeah. Hasbro Computron is a good source of generic Autobots (and of course Scrounge!) but for the definitive official Technobots? Buy the Takara version. Now as it happens I'm probably gonna track down a Quantron, as I'm sold on Maketoys after Guardia, but if I do go official it'll be Takara with PE hands and feet.

[DeadCaL]

Why did Takara go to all that effort only to give him the standard goofy hands and feet? The Hasbro one has a much more imposing stance at least.

[william-james88]

Why did Takara go to all that effort only to give him the standard goofy hands and feet? The Hasbro one has a much more imposing stance at least.

The Hasbro ones might look better, but they are far less functional.

Whilst Hasbro does have new hands and feet...they suck. The hands are lumps with zero articulation (even the hand-foot-guns had finger flaps) and the feet are completely hollow, which doesn't bode well for their stability. Granted you could fill the feet's gaping voids with fishing weights or make some metal fillers on Shapeways, but really they shouldn't have been hollow in the first place. Whilst Takara does have reused HFGs, they make better hands than the dedicated hands- as feet they aren't great but they're not much worse than the hollow messes the Hasbro one comes with.

[RiddlerJ]

On a side note, this reminds me. Has anyone heard if Takara Blast Off is getting a solo release like Groove did?

[Sabrblade]

Why did Takara go to all that effort only to give him the standard goofy hands and feet?

Because the Takara one is a standard, ordinary release while Hasbro's is an uber special bells-and-whistles special treatment release.

For Hasbro, their releasing Computron is a huge deal. For Takara, their releasing Computron is just standard procedure.

[Decepticon Stryker]

On a side note, this reminds me. Has anyone heard if Takara Blast Off is getting a solo release like Groove did?

Unfortunately I think it's an exclusive to the Bruticus set. Unless a third party decides to send some help our way. Or if Takara decides to be generous, which they have been with Groove so there is a small chance.

[william-james88]

Why did Takara go to all that effort only to give him the standard goofy hands and feet?

Because the Takara one is a standard, ordinary release while Hasbro's is an uber special bells-and-whistles special treatment release.

For Hasbro, their releasing Computron is a huge deal. For Takara, their releasing Computron is just standard procedure.

Interesting way to look at it, and it makes sense since his Hasbro release is unlike any other standard Scramble City release.

On a side note, this reminds me. Has anyone heard if Takara Blast Off is getting a solo release like Groove did?

There is currently no indication that he will get a Hasbro release.

[Sabrblade]

Father's Day! Featuring Energon Cake and Energon Champagne.

The girl seen here is Sue, daughter of Marissa Faireborn, who apparently got busy with Dirk Manus after all.

[Kurona]

Oh huh, I didn't notice Takara Scattershot had his robot mode chest remolded too. That's pretty cool.

But yeah, I still love the Takara version way more. For a lot of other combiners it's often a bit of uncertainty which company's is better in my eyes, but Computicon is just better in every way aside from not having Scrounge.

[william-james88]

Oh huh, I didn't notice Takara Scattershot had his robot mode chest remolded too. That's pretty cool.

His knees too

[Kurona]

Oh huh, I didn't notice Takara Scattershot had his robot mode chest remolded too. That's pretty cool.

His knees too

Not bad at all. It's the subtle little changes that really help and make this set good. AS WELL AS A NEW COMBINER HEAD

[o.supreme]

I know this probably sounds like an overly simplistic question...But I wonder if anyone from Hasbro or Takara has ever been asked why their design teams do not work together? Especially since their product is manufactured in the same place. I know there are probably a lot of obstacles that maybe would make it not-so-appealing. But in this day and age, all those obstacles can be overcome. Sure, perhaps even 20 years ago when online shopping was just in its infancy, and fandom on both sides were jus barely starting to connect, most would have no idea, or care about differences in toys from other regions. But now things are different, and the differences in Hasbro's Computron and Takara's is a prime (no pun intended) example. Thanks to 3rd party vendors, fans have more access than ever before to Takara's product (often favoring it for one reason or another). But Takara does not profit from purchases made by non-Japanese consumers, and one could argue that Hasbro's profit it effected by so many consumers choosing "foreign" product over their own. Yet...if both teams had worked together on this project (for good or ill) , there would be only one, and at least, the argument of "which is better" would not have to be debated.

[Hellscream9999]

I know this probably sounds like an overly simplistic question...But I wonder if anyone from Hasbro or Takara has ever been asked why their design teams do not work together? Especially since their product is manufactured in the same place. I know there are probably a lot of obstacles that maybe would make it not-so-appealing. But in this day and age, all those obstacles can be overcome. Sure, perhaps even 20 years ago when online shopping was just in its infancy, and fandom on both sides were jus barely starting to connect, most would have no idea, or care about differences in toys from other regions. But now things are different, and the differences in Hasbro's Computron and Takara's is a prime (no pun intended) example. Thanks to 3rd party vendors, fans have more access than ever before to Takara's product (often favoring it for one reason or another). But Takara does not profit from purchases made by non-Japanese consumers, and one could argue that Hasbro's profit it effected by so many consumers choosing "foreign" product over their own. Yet...if both teams had worked together on this project (for good or ill) , there would be only one, and at least, the argument of "which is better" would not have to be debated.

They do, except that all of hasbro's designs have to stay within a budgetary restriction, which doesn't seem very high at this point, whereas TT will produce a figure and then market it at the price needed to manufacture it, if they're not satisfied with the hasbro design. This is why the price's for their products tend to be all over the place as compared to hasbro's standard prices.

[RAR]

I suppose the Hasbro Lightsteed (Lightspeed) is a good stand in for the Motorvator Lightspeed.

It may take me a while But I will try to get both sets I'll also try to get Quantron and the forthcoming Machine Boy version too. If I happen to trip over the other ones I'll consider that/those too.

Quantron I'd like for the individual robot modes though as I like them a lot.
I like CW/UW enough to have an interest in them but not enough to change my planned order of buying which is for the next couple of months going to be very Third Party, add ons & KO focused - Then I'll try to get some UK stuff if and when it shows up say November time.

People tend to dump older lines so I'm already seeing people off-loading CW so I have no huge need to chase it yet it is ultimately a Novelty line that may or may not have medium term interest depending on what they do with Prime Wars part 3.

I might like them more long term though as I slowly chip away at them with add ons and such. at the moment most of them don't really stand up to replacing the classics versions - besides they are likely to spend long periods all combined anyway.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Really really really cannot wait for this set to come out. I am hyped for it!

[Fox Thiagarajan]

UW Computron looks amazing. I'm liking the looks of Strafe the most. That sleek alt mode.

[fenrir72]

Father's Day! Featuring Energon Cake and Energon Champagne.

The girl seen here is Sue, daughter of Marissa Faireborn, who apparently got busy with Dirk Manus after all.

Energon cake? So the must be energon yeast too?