The Energon Pub

[Rodimus Prime]

I'm curious, do people not have this guy yet or is there just nothing to say on him?

I think a lot of people are waiting out a sale come Black Friday time. You know, what I told myself I was going to do before my lack of willpower order him from Amazon.

I actually like him, flaws and all. I don't even regret paying full price like I did with Fort Max.

I've got to be honest about this, I hope he sells out before he goes to discount stores. Waiting for the inevitable Amazon sale is ok by me, but hoping for clearance on these figures is the way towards ensuring we don't get any more.

This.

What I've always been saying. Support the brand to ensure more of our plastic crack in the pipeline.

That only applies when the products of said brand are worth being supported. This is not the case with Predaking. I wouldn't spend more than $100 on this figure. It's simply not worth it. But that's just my opinion.

[fenrir72]

I'm curious, do people not have this guy yet or is there just nothing to say on him?

I think a lot of people are waiting out a sale come Black Friday time. You know, what I told myself I was going to do before my lack of willpower order him from Amazon.

I actually like him, flaws and all. I don't even regret paying full price like I did with Fort Max.

I've got to be honest about this, I hope he sells out before he goes to discount stores. Waiting for the inevitable Amazon sale is ok by me, but hoping for clearance on these figures is the way towards ensuring we don't get any more.

This.

What I've always been saying. Support the brand to ensure more of our plastic crack in the pipeline.

That only applies when the products of said brand are worth being supported. This is not the case with Predaking. I wouldn't spend more than $100 on this figure. It's simply not worth it. But that's just my opinion.

You did get a Predaking right? Don't take offense Roddy but I too used to pass judgment on a product by means of images and anecdotes. I stopped doing it eventually. Some figs are photogenic while others aren't yet when the latter is "inhand", you'll change your mind.(I'm already prepared for all the hollow parts and the non Takara exclusive recolors )

Heck I thought PotP Starscream sucked, well, I got him personally and he still sucked (the decals are an eye sore), only a bit less

But then again, if we don't support the big guys like him, it might go the way of crowd funding (iirc, Jabba the Hutt's Sail Barge was sort off crowd funded by Hb and it fell through ) which is a very sad development.

In JP, for the indi companies, I did notice a trend that certain highly expensive franchise products aren't released unless the company making them has a confirmed pre order of like 5000 units up before it is even green lit. So this might be the eventual trend in the future.

[Rodimus Prime]

No offense taken, and no, I didn't get a Predaking. To me he could have been done better. If I was getting the figure I wanted, I would have paid the price Hasbro asked for. If I do get one, I will also need to get 3rd party add-ons, so I'm subtracting the price for those from the full price of Predaking. I did the same with Devastator.

[fenrir72]

No offense taken, and no, I didn't get a Predaking. To me he could have been done better. If I was getting the figure I wanted, I would have paid the price Hasbro asked for. If I do get one, I will also need to get 3rd party add-ons, so I'm subtracting the price for those from the full price of Predaking. I did the same with Devastator.

3rd party add ons? Only ones I'd be targeting are a space filler for Jetfire's forearms, Cerebros' forearms [ hello 3rd party manufacturers! Why aren't there any yet for those I mentioned!]and Volcanicus' sword...........and maybe Predaking'sword too. Those wing enhancements are a bit over the top already.Can the existing frame actually handle the extra weight of the add on?

As for Devs, well the Takara version is good enough as it is. Mixmaster's new cab ain't that bad.

So long as it ain't crazy upgrades that almost equals the cost of the base figure (did you see that one for Defensor? It's nutz!, $85 dollars for upgrade parts ).

PotP has been costing me additional for the reprolabels addons owing to the extreme sucktitude of the unification business model by Hb and Takara . They are just too plain nakid as is not to mention to poopy labels Hb has been using( Starscream is one of the worst decals used)

[Rodimus Prime]

I agree on the decals, especially with Starscream. I still have the figure, because it was a gift. I think he would be more passable if Skywarp and Thundercracker were released as deluxe limbs to go with Dreadwind and Darkwing.

As for add-ons, Predaking's sword isn't absolutely necessary for me, because unlike 99% of the fandom, I don't go for cartoon or toy accuracy, I look for comic accuracy, and Predaking didn't have a sword in the US comics. (Not sure about the UK version.) What I do want is a more accurate actual figure, and the skinny waist throws everything off. Hasbro should have found a way to fix that.

And while I agree that UW Devy is near perfection, I couldn't afford that version because I did have a problem with Mixmaster's new cab and had to get the PE add-on so I had to settle for the Hasbro version. Still cost me $170 for both of them.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

While I wholly respect your opinion Rodimus, I must say that to me, Predaking was worth it. He's the first Titan I have bought at full price, and he's a whole heck of a lot of fun. The beast modes do kinda suck, but the robot modes are actually a lot better in hand, and the Predaking form is amazeballs. He towers over the rest and he really is solidly built. He's pretty fantastic to me

[Rodimus Prime]

While I wholly respect your opinion Rodimus, I must say that to me, Predaking was worth it. He's the first Titan I have bought at full price, and he's a whole heck of a lot of fun. The beast modes do kinda suck, but the robot modes are actually a lot better in hand, and the Predaking form is amazeballs. He towers over the rest and he really is solidly built. He's pretty fantastic to me

To each his own, of course, and I never said he is a bad figure per se, just not worth $160 as he is. $100? I'm there. $120? Maybe. No more.

As for towering over the others, that's my other nitpick, kinda going back to the waist. If he's the same height as Devy, he should be thicker. But seeing as how he is only 5 members as opposed to 6, he should be shorter. If they did that, they could have kept his waist from stretching out, and he would only be a head shorter than Devy, which I believe is accurate. Maybe that character scale chart floating around can clear it up.

[Wolfman Jake]

Predaking has always had a bit of a skinny waist, though:

Plus, the skinny waist look has been fairly consistent for Combiner Wars and Power of the Primes combiners overall.

[fenrir72]

I agree on the decals, especially with Starscream. I still have the figure, because it was a gift. I think he would be more passable if Skywarp and Thundercracker were released as deluxe limbs to go with Dreadwind and Darkwing.

As for add-ons, Predaking's sword isn't absolutely necessary for me, because unlike 99% of the fandom, I don't go for cartoon or toy accuracy, I look for comic accuracy, and Predaking didn't have a sword in the US comics. (Not sure about the UK version.) What I do want is a more accurate actual figure, and the skinny waist throws everything off. Hasbro should have found a way to fix that.

And while I agree that UW Devy is near perfection, I couldn't afford that version because I did have a problem with Mixmaster's new cab and had to get the PE add-on so I had to settle for the Hasbro version. Still cost me $170 for both of them.

Reason why I might go for a 3rd party Pking sword because his toy got one( which PotP Grimlock lost together with his double barreled gun ).

I won't "bad influence" you anymore in this regard,but you might just be depriving yourself of some (orange animal cracker goodness) mine will be due this coming late September and keeping my fingers crossed he won't be a disappointment.

UW Devs is being released again though iirc, there are other online stores that have old stocks at a lesser price. A great fig given Takara's enhancements.

[Rodimus Prime]

it's not bad influence, it's not like I was on the fence about it, my mind has been made up for a long time. If it gets a discount for Christmas, I might treat myself.

Meanwhile all this time I'm contemplating buying UW Lynxmaster for $200.

[william-james88]

:lol: it's not bad influence, it's not like I was on the fence about it, my mind has been made up for a long time. If it gets a discount for Christmas, I might treat myself.

Meanwhile all this time I'm contemplating buying UW Lynxmaster for $200.

You can get lynxmaster for less than 100$ here:

https://order.mandarake.co.jp/order/det ... 07&ref=dos

[TF-fan kev777]

:lol: it's not bad influence, it's not like I was on the fence about it, my mind has been made up for a long time. If it gets a discount for Christmas, I might treat myself.

Meanwhile all this time I'm contemplating buying UW Lynxmaster for $200.

You can get lynxmaster for less than 100$ here:

https://order.mandarake.co.jp/order/det ... 07&ref=dos

Wow, thank you! I just ordered one.

[o.supreme]

^You literally must have got he last one, now when I go there it says "sold out". I already have one, but I was just curious about the price, that was a good deal.

[TF-fan kev777]

^You literally must have got he last one, now when I go there it says "sold out". I already have one, but I was just curious about the price, that was a good deal.

An incredible deal, which is why I jumped. Now I can consider selling off my Hasbro versions of Trailbreaker, Hound, Wheeljack and Skylynx.

[william-james88]

^You literally must have got he last one, now when I go there it says "sold out". I already have one, but I was just curious about the price, that was a good deal.

There is only ever 1 or 2 at a particular price. You can still scroll down a bit and get one for slightly more (still slightly less than $100 USD).

[Rodimus Prime]

I'm assuming since you suggested the site you vouch for its reliability?

[william-james88]

I'm assuming since you suggested the site you vouch for its reliability?

Yes, many other seibertronians can vouch as well

[Cobotron]

I'm assuming since you suggested the site you vouch for its reliability?

Yes, many other seibertronians can vouch as well

I have had good experiences with them.
I'm also pretty sure our very own Seibertron himself swears by Mandarake.

[Emerje]

I'm assuming since you suggested the site you vouch for its reliability?

Yes, many other seibertronians can vouch as well

Yeah, I've ordered so much stuff from them I had to force myself to stop browsing the site for deals. 23 orders in seven months was getting a little out of hand. And Will and I both have had great customer service experiences with them.

Emerje

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Enter... the King



Attack on Titan: Predaking Edition

[Rodimus Prime]

Nice shots! They do remind me of another nitpick I have with the figure: no spikes on the knuckles. Not even dull ones.

I do have a question/request: if you have CW Megatron or maybe MP-05 handy, could you take a few shots of Megatron with Predaking?

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Nice shots! They do remind me of another nitpick I have with the figure: no spikes on the knuckles. Not even dull ones.

I do have a question/request: if you have CW Megatron or maybe MP-05 handy, could you take a few shots of Megatron with Predaking?

[Rodimus Prime]

Nice! Thank you! That's just about perfect scale! Hmm... perhaps I judged a bit rashly...
That waist and those flat fists, tho...

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Nice! Thank you! That's just about perfect scale! Hmm... perhaps I judged a bit rashly...
That waist and those flat fists, tho...

The waist really isn't that bad in person. And while I am with you on the spiked fists, it's still just a minor thing on what is a pretty awesome toy.

[fenrir72]

Nice! Thank you! That's just about perfect scale! Hmm... perhaps I judged a bit rashly...
That waist and those flat fists, tho...

The waist really isn't that bad in person. And while I am with you on the spiked fists, it's still just a minor thing on what is a pretty awesome toy.

That too was a let down I'll grant you that. The spiked knuckles. Again, some lame-O kid might poke their eyes and Hb will get sued for every drop of its corporate profit!