The Energon Pub

News Credits: 226 · by **Burn** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 4:44 pm

by **The Legend** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 4:58 pm

News Credits: 4 · by **Ruthless Cynic** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 5:00 pm

Let me put real legal analysis on this. I could write a long article on Intellectual Property, what they can and cannot do, and why KO-Toys even exist, but it basically boils down to a conflict of laws issue, wherein certain countries have no IP rights and the only way to attack these products is via distribution channels, which Takara is in fact doing. Good luck serving and enforcing an injunction of a KO maker in China. If anyone is interested, I could draft a memorandum in my extremely limited free time, and in fact may do for publication purposes anyway.

by **Court Jester** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 5:09 pm

If old collectors like "us" aren't really Hasbro/TakTom's target, then why does it matter to them that we spend our money with companies that do target us? I don't know about you, but I like it when a business opens its doors to my suggestions and tastes. I love having some hand in the design aesthetic of what I end up buying. Being a company man may be some collectors' choice. I would just prefer that there continues to be choices. If it were up to some, we'd all be waiting on pins and needles for DOTM offerings. I call shenanegans on that perspective, and will continue to support the alternative.

News Credits: 12 · by **robofreak** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 5:22 pm

I can guarantee that the main reason all of this came about is because of the runaway success of City Commander. After that was when the 3rd party explosion happened.

Going onto topic, I'm going to tip my hat to Takara in this instance. I'm fine with FansProject because of the extremes they take to be different. Their designs do homage stuff, but it's so radically different from other 3rd party goods that it doesn't matter.

Igear is definitely not one of my favorites. Just because looking at them screams infringement. I actually do take serious issue with them KO'ing the MP Starscream and then modifying it. The general body used is enough of a case for Takara.

CrazyDevy can go die in a fire for all I care. Seriously. At $30 a part, I have no motivation to bother with their crap when I can put that money towards gaps in my collection.

Takara is really just doing what they can to protect what they and Hasbro have spent the better part of 27 years making.

Still though, they should hire the guys in FansProject and have them do the special collectors edition stuff. That would not only drive cost down, but it would make them the equivalent of G-System or other resin add-on kits for Gundam. Basically like how Bandai has set it up.

News Credits: 409 · by **Stormrider** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 5:23 pm

Assuming that this rumor is true - I don't think it's going to impact our ability to purchase 3rd party stuff.

News Credits: 1 · by **Jesterhead** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 5:56 pm

News Credits: 1 · by **Gauntlet101010** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 6:00 pm

Unlike just about everybody I don't think this is Igear's fault. Yeah, they copied the MP molds ... many molds are KOed all the time. I tend tot hink it's because the 3rd party market has shifted from add-ons to transforming robots based on HasTak's Transformers characters.

You can tout FP's "dissimilarity" to Transformers all you like (saying this in general not to any one person), but the whole reason FP is so popular is because their products function as a "Classics" representation of any given character. This is true for all the 3rd party products that actually transform. That's what makes them cool, but it's inevetable that it draws the wrath of Takara.

On the TFW boards they cited a guy who got sued by Bandi (or some high profile corperation) for selling ONE custom figure that he made himself. One. We've been sitting pretty in comparison.

I fully support the 3rd party guys and even CMS to a point, but I don't like to fool myself about what I'm buying. I just hope this doesn't actually affect the 3rd party guy's distribution. And I especially hope it doesn't affect the production of that Devestator!

News Credits: 8 · by **LiKwid** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 6:06 pm

As long as My beloved

Fansproject

remains un-harmed all will be well in the universe. I would lose my marbles if they tried anything on them

I never liked igers stuff anyway..Just leave Fp alone and no one will get hurt

by **The Legend** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 6:06 pm

News Credits: 1 · by **Gauntlet101010** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 6:07 pm

News Credits: 5 · by **alexison** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 6:49 pm

News Credits: 1 · by **Gauntlet101010** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 7:07 pm

News Credits: 1 · by **Jesterhead** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 7:13 pm

News Credits: 1 · by **Gauntlet101010** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 7:17 pm

ou know what? I answered my own question.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/s ... .google.ca
This is the google cache of the non-TF TF section of the store.

http://www.redmercury.co.jp/shop/02tran ... eyword=NON

This is what's there now. I haven't checked all the links, but it seems like everything's gone. Including FP stuff.

by **1stDestron** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 7:35 pm

I have close to 400 True Takara/Hasbro/Tomy Transformers. I just happen to be 10 years old when they were released in the U.S. and have been an avid fan since. I wonder how may Transformers they sold just because a 3rd party company sold some add on parts, Ive spent at least $500 last year alone for that reason only, on bots I would have passed up otherwise because of the lack of imagination on the designers part at Takara. If you want to beat them Takara, BUILD BETTER BOTS! We want bots that look like the artwork we remember, you know, the cartoon {30 minute commercial} to sell us you plastic!
I dont condone exact ripoffs of Takara's rights, but if 3rd parties are sued for infringement because they make add ons you will lose me and many others like me. Why dont car company's sue bodykit and accesories makers? Because it makes them money.....Wake Up!

by **ausbot** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 8:08 pm

The only reason i got the battle in space set is so i could have a rodimus for the protector armor! and if they reissued prime and bruticus i'd get them for the fansproject stuff! Without fansproject add on's its a no go! I also got ironhide encore for the igear add on!

News Credits: 1 · by **Gauntlet101010** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 8:11 pm

I wanna point out that Takara isn't suing anybody. They've asked this retailer to stop carrying the 3rd party products and they have complied.

by **1stDestron** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 8:46 pm

Would you please stop mr 3rd party, sure Takara no problem throwing all this hard earned cash we invested away, get real ..."ask" in big boy words means "stop or we will file suit"

by **Rated X** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 9:59 pm

News Credits: 3 · by **MagnusPrimal** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 10:17 pm

News Credits: 1 · by **Gauntlet101010** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 10:17 pm

But Takara does have a right to protect their intellectual property, right? I mean, you agree that that do, don't you? Everyone?

Sure it sucks for the 3rd party guys, and it sucks for us fans who can afford to splurge on the stuff, but Takara isn't wrong to want to protect their property.

As it stands even Reprolabels is gone from that store. Since I have little worry Reprolabels will come under attack over here, it's a brighter picture for us. But maybe not so bright for the 3rd party dudes who may depend on Japanese sales.

News Credits: 1 · by **Jesterhead** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 10:37 pm

by **synthetik** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 10:38 pm

In a way, it's understandable, with some third party items getting too close to infringement rights. But why do they care? I don't think third party toys take sales away from the real transformers line, hell some of them boost the sales. Third party companies cater to the collector, which I assume would be less than a quarter of the target audience of Hasbro and Takara.