The Energon Pub

News Credits: 332 · Thu May 28, 2015 5:57 pm

Can we get the guy who translates the instructions to translate Takara's statement about Groove?

News Credits: 65 · Thu May 28, 2015 6:19 pm

Another interesting note on this English packaging released by Takara: Slingshot is translated as "Quickslinger." That's Hasbro's latest name that's trademarkable (Slingshot is not), but it's also not Takara's name for the same character, "Sling." That's some interesting new synergy between Takara and Hasbro, though I guess recent reveals like Sharpnel vs. Shrapnel in the Transformers Adventure line is a very similar case. Or maybe the person laying out the English instructions just pulled the first English name he could find for the figure without giving it much thought. Still, it's interesting.

News Credits: 4877 · Thu May 28, 2015 6:22 pm

Wolfman Jake wrote:Another interesting note on this English packaging released by Takara: Slingshot is translated as "Quickslinger." That's Hasbro's latest name that's trademarkable (Slingshot is not), but it's also not Takara's name for the same character, "Sling." That's some interesting new synergy between Takara and Hasbro, though I guess recent reveals like Sharpnel vs. Shrapnel in the Transformers Adventure line is a very similar case. Or maybe the person laying out the English instructions just pulled the first English name he could find for the figure without giving it much thought. Still, it's interesting.

Yeah, I am thinking its the translator's intention to use the hasbro name since that would be what english buyers would be familiar with and looking for. But more because they are seeking uniformity and not because they are necessarily lazy. It is quite interesting,

News Credits: 65 · Thu May 28, 2015 6:29 pm

Well, I wasn't trying to imply laziness on the translator's work so much as posit that it could be a very non-exciting coincidence.

News Credits: 4877 · Thu May 28, 2015 6:31 pm

Wolfman Jake wrote:Well, I wasn't trying to imply laziness on the translator's work so much as posit that it could be a very non-exciting coincidence.

Oh I see, sorry I didnt mean to put words in your mouth.

News Credits: 65 · Thu May 28, 2015 6:35 pm

william-james88 wrote:
Wolfman Jake wrote:Well, I wasn't trying to imply laziness on the translator's work so much as posit that it could be a very non-exciting coincidence.

Oh I see, sorry I didnt mean to put words in your mouth.

No offense taken.

News Credits: 226 · Thu May 28, 2015 7:09 pm

via Ozformers, GoktimusPrime wrote:They didn't tell me one way or the other, but I try to use the same trademarks as Hasbro just to play it on the safe side.

Original link

News Credits: 65 · Thu May 28, 2015 7:13 pm

Burn wrote:
via Ozformers, GoktimusPrime wrote:They didn't tell me one way or the other, but I try to use the same trademarks as Hasbro just to play it on the safe side.

Original link

Mystery solved! Good work, Mike Tyson Mystery Team!

News Credits: 372 · Wed Jun 03, 2015 6:26 am

From Yuki:

Wed Jun 03, 2015 6:32 am

Cyberpath wrote:From Yuki:

(new pics)

Can't wait to see that Groove in color!

I like that, unless it is just a trick of the light, Slingshot's eyes are actually a slightly different shade of orange.

Overall, a slightly odd selection of pics, though... If not for the inclusion of Drag Strip, I'd think they were just pics of, "Here are the guys Hasbro left out!" But Drag Strip kind of throws that theme out of the window...

News Credits: 4877 · Wed Jun 03, 2015 8:29 am

Cyberpath has sent our way some pictures from TF Yuki's twitter featuring Unite Warriors Dragstrip, Slingshot, Wildrider and Groove (who is still unfinished). Enjoy !

Cyberpath wrote:From Yuki:

News Credits: 1 · Wed Jun 03, 2015 8:55 am

Groove looks Groovy. The rest is okay.

News Credits: 4877 · Wed Jun 03, 2015 8:56 am

RhA wrote:Groove looks Groovy. The rest is okay.

Even Dragstrip? Groove has more paint apps than him.

News Credits: 1 · Wed Jun 03, 2015 9:05 am

william-james88 wrote:
RhA wrote:Groove looks Groovy. The rest is okay.

Even Dragstrip? Groove has more paint apps than him.

Dragstrip! You lose!

News Credits: 293 · Wed Jun 03, 2015 9:27 am

Wow.. Dragstrip sure is.. yellow. Which is hard to complain about since its accurate. But damn..

Groove however makes me happy in ways I'd rather not describe.

News Credits: 4877 · Wed Jun 03, 2015 9:31 am

shajaki wrote:Wow.. Dragstrip sure is.. yellow. Which is hard to complain about since its accurate. But damn..

Groove however makes me happy in ways I'd rather not describe.

And for those same reasons, his heavier price tag makes me sad

Also, while the headsculpt is awesome, I am surprised Takara didnt go screen accurate with his eyes:

Wed Jun 03, 2015 9:36 am

I love drag strip. Weather your a G1 cartoon or vintage toy guy, he never had all that purple on him. Good ridance to it. I love all these more cartoon accurate takara versions. I plan to display these takara versions as teams with Renderforms awesome guns. The hasbro versions will be combined with perfect effect add ons. I already have a shoe box for all the goofy toe knuckle fists and corny tailpipe clubs I wont be using. And I already know at some point groove will be made available individually for Hasbro sets, be it an exclusive or a KO, ill buy it.

News Credits: 122 · Wed Jun 03, 2015 9:51 am

I wasn't sure about Dragstrip before, but I do think he looks good. A couple smaller details or washes wouldn't have hurt, but as it is, I'm happy.

News Credits: 12 · Wed Jun 03, 2015 10:12 am

Yeesh, that Drag Strip is eye-searing. I'm keeping my Hasbro Drag Strip thank you very much.

Groove looks good but I prefer Rook in his place with Groove as a chestplate. I'd totally be down for the mold as Afterburner though.

Wildrider and Slingshot I don't care about. I don't mind the use of retools at all but I don't really want to have 2 of the same mold in a combiner. I hope the inevitable Alpha Bravo into Vortex retool has some serious bodywork done to make him less obviously a grey Alpha Bravo.

News Credits: 3 · Wed Jun 03, 2015 10:16 am

I totally understand G1 'purism'. But to me, it never has, and still doesn't make sense to have a motorcycle that seems to be as massive as a car or a truck. I know most people just say 'mass-forming', but that's the lazy way out - akin to Xena saying 'a wizard did it'.

'But what about the...'
'Wizard!'
'But in this scene it very clearly...'
'WIZARD!!!'

Even in the Prime series, they had to make Arcee mass form a LOT to make her even close to the size of the other Autobots. If her robot mode remained true to the mass and size she had as a motorcycle, she'd have only been maybe seven or eight feet tall and a few hundred pounds, not the near-twenty feet and 2-3 tons they had her clomping around in on the show.

Groove would suffer similarly. Even the biggest, beefiest motorcycles on the roads today don't come anywhere near to being as massive as an Ambulance or a sports car. Sure, you can MAKE one that big, but a person riding around in such a king-sized motorcycle would look ridiculous, just as a grown man would look ridiculous trying to ride on a children's tricycle.

So I have no problem replacing Rook as Defensor's left leg with a vehicle that's more 'in scale'. I just can't suspend my disbelief enough to accept a 2-wheeler vehicle designed to carry only 1-2 persons having enough mass and weight to compare with the others.

News Credits: 2 · Wed Jun 03, 2015 10:22 am

These look good but I greatly prefer my Hasbro Wildrider and Slingshot. The extra red on Wildrider helps set him apart from Deadend. I love how the Hasbro Stunticons look together combined and seperate. Like someone mentioned though those Renderfrom guns look pretty tight. The blue eye visor looks better on Slingshot, even if its not G1 cartoon accurate, and the gold on his knees. Slingshot is the only aerialbot I own or plan to buy as he is my fav and I have to think that mould was made for him first.

News Credits: 2 · Wed Jun 03, 2015 10:26 am

Shockwave7 wrote:I totally understand G1 'purism'. But to me, it never has, and still doesn't make sense to have a motorcycle that seems to be as massive as a car or a truck. I know most people just say 'mass-forming', but that's the lazy way out - akin to Xena saying 'a wizard did it'.

'But what about the...'
'Wizard!'
'But in this scene it very clearly...'
'WIZARD!!!'

Even in the Prime series, they had to make Arcee mass form a LOT to make her even close to the size of the other Autobots. If her robot mode remained true to the mass and size she had as a motorcycle, she'd have only been maybe seven or eight feet tall and a few hundred pounds, not the near-twenty feet and 2-3 tons they had her clomping around in on the show.

Groove would suffer similarly. Even the biggest, beefiest motorcycles on the roads today don't come anywhere near to being as massive as an Ambulance or a sports car. Sure, you can MAKE one that big, but a person riding around in such a king-sized motorcycle would look ridiculous, just as a grown man would look ridiculous trying to ride on a children's tricycle.

So I have no problem replacing Rook as Defensor's left leg with a vehicle that's more 'in scale'. I just can't suspend my disbelief enough to accept a 2-wheeler vehicle designed to carry only 1-2 persons having enough mass and weight to compare with the others.

I have to agree I like Groove as legends size better. I am pretty much a G1 purist having been 6 and obsessed with Transformers in 84' and I like my minibots legends size and Groove will fit right in. Deluxe Groove does look great and I can justify him being that big of a bike in alt mode as like the junkions where another bot can ride him.

News Credits: 372 · Wed Jun 03, 2015 10:29 am

It's fantasy.

It's fun.

But if anyone still wants deluxe Groove for the "G1" accuracy but has issues with the scale of the vehicular-mode, they could use him as a Transformer's motorbike like the Junkions in TFTM. Could make for some cool poses of the other bots riding the motorcycle.

Wed Jun 03, 2015 10:29 am

Is it me, or does Groove looks like he's stomping in on Hasbro's HQ to get that guy who thought replacing him with Rook was a great idea? :lol:

News Credits: 4877 · Wed Jun 03, 2015 10:31 am

Shockwave7 wrote:
So I have no problem replacing Rook as Defensor's left leg with a vehicle that's more 'in scale'. I just can't suspend my disbelief enough to accept a 2-wheeler vehicle designed to carry only 1-2 persons having enough mass and weight to compare with the others.

I like your positivity with hasbro's approach. But Groove wouldn't be the only thing not in scale. A Helicopter is bigger than an ambulance which is bigger than a sports car, no?