The Energon Pub

[jogunwarrior]

This Goove looks awesome. I may end up passing on the Legends class figure in hopes this one will make its way to the states.

[shajaki]

Because he had a blue head in the cartoon. Why do people asking that? Hotspots head is sculpted like the cartoon hence why it's blue. His head looks nothing like the toy head

Toy head was black, cartoon head was blue. Two versions = a possibility for both to be represented. S'all I was sayin.

[jay5]

Nice to see the extra photos! The cartoon accuracy of the TT colors is impressive:

[hinomars19]

Check out Groove's guns!
Nice design! Had to pre-order this, just couldn't miss out on him. Shame he isn't available separately though. IF Hasbro does him later, well...I'd kick myself more if I waited and was let down.

[william-james88]

I feel my thoughts echo most. In short, Groove was always the big reason to get UW Defensor but now he seems to be the only reason, which isn't as great a deal.

Groove- Big Win
Blades - Very G1, I like
Streetwise - Kinda bland compared to the Hasbro version
First Aid - same deal as Streetwise

I actually dont have much of an attachment to the G1 cartoon, I just want nice toys. And that groove is a nice toy, especially the bike mode. I usually preffer Takara because I get more paint apps and detail out of them but in this case, for most of them, the reliance on G1 means a lot of details disapear and things look more bland. Which is usually the reason I wont buy a Habsro Product.

Is it bad to say I do not like this? The chest area has the extra paint yes, but it doesn't look good. Streetwise and First Aid don't look near as good as the Hasbro versions, Groove kinda looks funky here, funkier than his legends version, but Blades is alright, but not outstanding compared to Hasbro in my opinion, and Hot Spot really doesn't look different. I like the legends class Groove and deluxe Rook, so I think the Hasbro version is better for quality. This looks, in some cases little different and in others different but not exactly better.

You clearly arent alone Maximus, even the god of transformers notices the awkwardness:

So much adherence to show-accuracy on molds sculpted to be anything but show-accurate (barring Groove, that is).

And I think thats a pretty big deal. Its why I went with Hasbro's Menasor. I went with Takara's superion because it the difference was really noticeable in combined mode, even the kibble was a different colored plastic. And that Silverbolt is G1 right off the screen. But the stuntucons and protectobots are a bit different. There is a nice IDW feel to that First Aid, for instance, but its completely lost in the Takara version. And the mold doesnt even work for a G1 first aid. He was an ambulance, not an SUV. So the minimal paint jobs dont work with the newer version of the character the mold is representing.

I will only get 1 version of the team (Hasbro or Takara) for each combiner, and while Groove really is the best part of this set, he isn't worth the sacrifice of my preferred versions of the deco for the others, especially when you factor in the 100$ difference (between getting the hasbro at regular 20% discounts at TRU rather than buying Takara's through BBTS and being stuck with customs, shipping and exchange).

This actually makes me quite happy as I feel less like I am missing out.

And with my mind made up, I can now buy Defensor the minute he shows up at TRU

[D-Maximal_Primal]

I agree with you WJ88. It looks good, and Groove does look really nice, But I feel the Legends Groove is pretty good too, and the greater diversity of colors on the limbs does make the Hasbro one look better too to me. If they had done Defensors chest with red instead of that blue, it may look a bit better. they also removed the color details from his thighs, which does show up very nice on the hasbro one. Overall, I'll be proud to have my Hasbro Defensor when he comes to me.

[padfoo]

wow. I don't really care about Groove, but that mold is awesome, and so much potential.

My sentiments exactly!

[DedicatedGhostArt]

wow. I don't really care about Groove, but that mold is awesome, and so much potential.

My sentiments exactly!

I can totally see Groove being repainted into that member of the Technobots...

[Syn_13]

Have to admit that the Takara Defensor looks great. I'm really annoyed that he costs £25 more than Menasor and Superion. It's being fobbed off as some sort of mall exclusive but we all know it's because of the Groove mould. For that extra cash I can buy the whole Hasbro set, including Rook, and buy a Deluxe Groove if Hasbro release one. However, that's the thing - if Hasbro release one. I have a feeling they will though.

[DedicatedGhostArt]

Have to admit that the Takara Defensor looks great. I'm really annoyed that he costs £25 more than Menasor and Superion. It's being fobbed off as some sort of mall exclusive but we all know it's because of the Groove mould. For that extra cash I can buy the whole Hasbro set, including Rook, and buy a Deluxe Groove if Hasbro release one. However, that's the thing - if Hasbro release one. I have a feeling they will though.

Well, let's just hope so.

[fenrir72]

Have to admit that the Takara Defensor looks great. I'm really annoyed that he costs £25 more than Menasor and Superion. It's being fobbed off as some sort of mall exclusive but we all know it's because of the Groove mould. For that extra cash I can buy the whole Hasbro set, including Rook, and buy a Deluxe Groove if Hasbro release one. However, that's the thing - if Hasbro release one. I have a feeling they will though.

Well, let's just hope so.

If there will be a release, expect some months or perhaps years before it gets a domestic date. Just like console exclusivity games, it gives the one who paid for exclusivity enough time to recoup their investment.

[fenrir72]

Adding to the recent full colour images of Takara Tomy Unite Warriors UW-03 Defensor, from the Tokyo Toy Show 2015, we have an update from TakaraTomyMall showing the official stock photography for both the Protectobot gestalt and the deluxe Groove figure - plus the other four Protectobots: Hot Spot, Streetwise, Blades and First Aid in their Takara deco! Check out the images mirrored below.

Just got to looking at him in full detail. So the TT version is apping more to G1 toy accuracy with the exception of omitting those red stripe patterns on his knees. Also added white paint apps on the box/carriage that houses the fire retardant canon. His chest is now given an extra stock lightblue application to sort off simulate the chest armor of the vintage.

I wonder if he's as stable as his G1 counterpart?

[shajaki]

Just got to looking at him in full detail. So the TT version is apping more to G1 toy accuracy with the exception of omitting those red stripe patterns on his knees. Also added white paint apps on the box/carriage that houses the fire ****** canon. His chest is now given an extra stock lightblue application to sort off simulate the chest armor of the vintage.

I wonder if he's as stable as his G1 counterpart?

See what I did there Fen? I cropped your quote so's not to pointlessly drag a tonne of pictures with me. PLEASE try following this example

[fenrir72]

Just got to looking at him in full detail. So the TT version is apping more to G1 toy accuracy with the exception of omitting those red stripe patterns on his knees. Also added white paint apps on the box/carriage that houses the fire ****** canon. His chest is now given an extra stock lightblue application to sort off simulate the chest armor of the vintage.

I wonder if he's as stable as his G1 counterpart?

See what I did there Fen? I cropped your quote so's not to pointlessly drag a tonne of pictures with me. PLEASE try following this example

Slight off topic, how do I get a preview on which pic to crop off so I can emphasize a point? Kind of confusing.

[Agamemnon]

Just got to looking at him in full detail. So the TT version is apping more to G1 toy accuracy with the exception of omitting those red stripe patterns on his knees. Also added white paint apps on the box/carriage that houses the fire ****** canon. His chest is now given an extra stock lightblue application to sort off simulate the chest armor of the vintage.

I wonder if he's as stable as his G1 counterpart?

See what I did there Fen? I cropped your quote so's not to pointlessly drag a tonne of pictures with me. PLEASE try following this example

Slight off topic, how do I get a preview on which pic to crop off so I can emphasize a point? Kind of confusing.

Try previewing, and counting down which pic. It can be a bit of trial and error...

-Your friendly neighborhood IT guy

[shajaki]

Slight off topic, how do I get a preview on which pic to crop off so I can emphasize a point? Kind of confusing.

Lots of ways. Copy image URL, or right click - view image - copy address, or count which image it is. Did you want the third image down? Quote it, and delete everything but the third image down.

[fenrir72]

Just got to looking at him in full detail. So the TT version is apping more to G1 toy accuracy with the exception of omitting those red stripe patterns on his knees. Also added white paint apps on the box/carriage that houses the fire ****** canon. His chest is now given an extra stock lightblue application to sort off simulate the chest armor of the vintage.

I wonder if he's as stable as his G1 counterpart?

See what I did there Fen? I cropped your quote so's not to pointlessly drag a tonne of pictures with me. PLEASE try following this example

Slight off topic, how do I get a preview on which pic to crop off so I can emphasize a point? Kind of confusing.

Try previewing, and counting down which pic. It can be a bit of trial and error...

-Your friendly neighborhood IT guy

Please correct me

1.Press quote
2.Press preview
3.Count pics
4.Press post?

[Agamemnon]

Just got to looking at him in full detail. So the TT version is apping more to G1 toy accuracy with the exception of omitting those red stripe patterns on his knees. Also added white paint apps on the box/carriage that houses the fire ****** canon. His chest is now given an extra stock lightblue application to sort off simulate the chest armor of the vintage.

I wonder if he's as stable as his G1 counterpart?

See what I did there Fen? I cropped your quote so's not to pointlessly drag a tonne of pictures with me. PLEASE try following this example

Slight off topic, how do I get a preview on which pic to crop off so I can emphasize a point? Kind of confusing.

Try previewing, and counting down which pic. It can be a bit of trial and error...

-Your friendly neighborhood IT guy

Please correct me

1.Press quote
2.Press preview
3.Count pics
4.Press post?

Well, when you count which pic you want to include, just delete the other tagged pics and only leave the one tagged pic left. (Tagged being those surrounding the [ img ] and [ /img ])

[edit] and in the above picture post, besides the img tags there's also the url tags. Delete those from the other pics too. #HopefullyHelpfullyFriendly

[Sabrblade]

Please correct me

1.Press quote
2.Press preview
3.Count pics
4.Press post?

Press, hold, slide, repeat.

[fenrir72]

@ aga and shajster

Done. Thanks!

[Hellscream9999]

Well Defensor looks... rather unpainted. It always irks me when large chunks of sculpted detail get washed out in one color. I just feel that Hasbro's Defensor really pops with the painted stripes. And most of the figures look quite a bit more bland than Hasbro's Protectobots; guess its screen accurate, or something, so if that's what you want...

[fenrir72]

Well Defensor looks... rather unpainted. It always irks me when large chunks of sculpted detail get washed out in one color. I just feel that Hasbro's Defensor really pops with the painted stripes. And most of the figures look quite a bit more bland than Hasbro's Protectobots; guess its screen accurate, or something, so if that's what you want...

The TT version is kind of a mix between the G1 toy and the animated show. So, depends on ones preference. Too bad it might take a few more months if Hasbro will release that Groove figure (if at all)

[Hellscream9999]

@fenrir72

yeah, but with as bland as the animated model, and the immense detail of the mold, I guess I'm just wondering why TT didn't ADD some additional paint apps, is there something wrong with the cartoon color layout spruced up with some more color to make it really look amazing?

I keep thinking, with the additional blue on his chest (which I like) and the Hasbro diagonal stripes together, TT's Defensor could have really made a more solid argument for the higher asking price.

[King Kuuga]

Please correct me

1.Press quote
2.Press preview
3.Count pics
4.Press post?

1. count first
2. press quote
3. edit content
4. hit post
Saves a few page loads that way. ^^

[william-james88]

I keep thinking, with the additional blue on his chest (which I like) and the Hasbro diagonal stripes together, TT's Defensor could have really made a more solid argument for the higher asking price.

Yeah, that's what irks me. The higher asking price here is just due to exclusivity and not due to more paint or higher quality(compared to UW Superion and Menasor).