The Energon Pub

Hi, I am rather new to the transformer toys scene.

I have seen several ppl say that Takara wouldn't be doing certain reissues because the "molds were broken".

Is this the truth? Or just a rumor...

If it is true, then is there a list of transformers that they will not be reissuing?

Thanks in advance,
-Ed

Yes, some moulds are broken, some are lost. However, as to there being an accurate list I don't think so, only Takara and Hasbro now for sure what they don't have, and what still works as a mould, and of those which ones can be released.

The Dinobots apparently are all either badly damaged or lost, and as such it will be very difficult to get re-issued.

Now Fortress Maximus for example, could be re-issued, in fact was done for the Car Robots Line in 2000 (Robots In disguise in the US) in Japan, but due to its failure of several toy safety tests, it cannot be released in the US.


Megatron is one of the most controversial ones, because of his gun mode. Even though its been released in Japan a few times, it cannot and probably will not be released in the US ever.

There are also licensing issues, like Bandai's Valkyrie mold for Jetfire, or the simple Fact that Hasbro/Takara doesn't own the rights to some of the names anymore.

Thank you for your reply

Dinobots, Sky Lynx, Shockwave, a bunch of others.

Which begs the questions....

why don't they build new molds for them?

why don't they pay the licensing rights of the ones they don't own? I'm sure those other companies would like the free cash.

There is a market for all of this stuff. Look at reissue prices on ebay. They're strong for most of them.

If megatron gets reissued here it will likely be in another color. White, maybe?

pittsburg_22_m wrote:why don't they build new molds for them?

It's very expensive to create new molds for any TF series. Hasbro and Takara have been trying to incorporate new updated versions or "homages" of G1 figures in some of the past TF toylines like Energon, and Classics for example.

pittsburg_22_m wrote:why don't they pay the licensing rights of the ones they don't own? I'm sure those other companies would like the free cash.

It depends on the figure. G1 Jetfire for example is owned by Japanese rival toymaker Bandai and would probably never release the mold for Tomy/Takara to use. Some like Shockwave were from other companies that were bought out by rival toy companies, and the molds lost or are damaged.

pittsburg_22_m wrote:There is a market for all of this stuff. Look at reissue prices on ebay. They're strong for most of them.

While the prices are strong for vintage Transformers on eBay, the collector market is still too small in the US for Hasbro to really take much notice. It is a child's toyline and unfortunately they are going to pander to what kids want over that of the collectors.

pittsburg_22_m wrote:If megatron gets reissued here it will likely be in another color. White, maybe?

Mostlikely not. One NJ senator is trying to pass legislation in NJ to have all toy guns banned from stores. We were lucky to get Classics Megs as the gun laws today are so restrictive that the guns must be a non realistic looking gun with an orange tip and painted in colors

SnapTrap wrote:

pittsburg_22_m wrote:why don't they build new molds for them?

It's very expensive to create new molds for any TF series. Hasbro and Takara have been trying to incorporate new updated versions or "homages" of G1 figures in some of the past TF toylines like Energon, and Classics for example.

Not really true, I asked Hasbro on the Hasbro factory tour if this was the case and they said producing a mold from an existing figure is real easy, they even confirmed they did that with Soundwave.

GetterDragun wrote:

SnapTrap wrote:

pittsburg_22_m wrote:why don't they build new molds for them?

It's very expensive to create new molds for any TF series. Hasbro and Takara have been trying to incorporate new updated versions or "homages" of G1 figures in some of the past TF toylines like Energon, and Classics for example.

Not really true, I asked Hasbro on the Hasbro factory tour if this was the case and they said producing a mold from an existing figure is real easy, they even confirmed they did that with Soundwave.

BINGO! I remember the same issue with the original He-Man figures they re-released a few years ago. Essentially what they did as the molds were literally "...used as steel anchors at the bottom of the Pacific..." was have some of their people go on eBay and buy the NICEST, most PERFECT examples of each figure they could find. Then they made molds of these.

Thanks for reminding me of that...

I want more re-issues, damnit!