Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

Burn wrote:

fenrir72 wrote:Good f#ckn' LORD!

Do you now need an ID to buy one? Sounds like MP-05 again only worst!

Worse? Are you required by law to get a license and a lockable cabinet to keep Exhaust like I'm suppose to with Megatron?

Worst because it's just an add/sponsorship placement. At least with Megs, some id10t can use it as a pretend weapon and get themselves killed. This one is for the iconic orange pattern of a cigarette brand. Jeez1 Good thing I'm assigned in SEA, no prob here just yet.

MGrotusque wrote:Maybe a decal would make the product perceived less as an official product than a painted on logo?

Take a look at this to add insult to injury......officially franchise decal, take a gander at Malboro

upon hearing this news, i went to chimung and bought a preorder. whats funny is, HE emailed me afterwords. though i think his english isnt great.

chimungmung wrote:The comments for your order are

hi,

may i have question , did u see any forum or fb pre order mp23 in my shop ? i received few pre order this hour ~ so amazing..

please reply
tony

fenrir72 wrote:

MGrotusque wrote:Maybe a decal would make the product perceived less as an official product than a painted on logo?

Take a look at this to add insult to injury......officially franchise decal, take a gander at Malboro

BBTS also pulled these from its website and someone on FB got the same kind of letter regarding this sticker set.

Dude, this threat of a lawsuit only makes me want this toy more!

Skyfire77 wrote:

Cyberpath wrote:Meh. As of writing this, you can still preorder him from Japan for nearly half the price.

Not anymore. HLJ has an Order Stop on Exhaust.

Just a couple hours ago, the price was 5600 yen. Now it's 6500... looks like HLJ capitalized on the situation.

Is everything about $$$... first time I hear a tobacco company to care about health...

and what about the Legion version? more money to law sue a MP

BERSEKAEL wrote:Is everything about $$$... first time I hear a tobacco company to care about health...

and what about the Legion version? more money to law sue a MP

Its design wasn't close enough to Marlboro's design to catch anyone's attention.

This is interesting. One could think this goes back to the old debate of Toy vs. Collectible.

This problem is just for the sellers.

As a buyer, you have options to buy from Overseas sellers.

LOST Cybertronian wrote:

fenrir72 wrote:

MGrotusque wrote:Maybe a decal would make the product perceived less as an official product than a painted on logo?

Take a look at this to add insult to injury......officially franchise decal, take a gander at Malboro

BBTS also pulled these from its website and someone on FB got the same kind of letter regarding this sticker set.

WTF?

How about... ...change the colors?

megatronus wrote:Just a couple hours ago, the price was 5600 yen. Now it's 6500... looks like HLJ capitalized on the situation.

Nah, it shows only the retail price when an item is sold-out. If it'll open for orders again (usually around the release day when HLJ gets its stock) it will go back to the preorder price.

Wolfguard wrote:How about... ...change the colors?

Toy isn't going to change the colors in the account of the American market.

Wow.

Burn wrote:

Robogeek1973 wrote:

Burn wrote:
For example, I'm expected to have a gun license AND lockable gun cabinet to import and own MP Megatron. If I don't and get busted, the onus is on me, NOT Takara Tomy.

Seriously?


Wow, I thought you were kidding before.

Nope. The laws varied state by state.

Western Australia customs actually seized an entire shipment of Megatron when he was first released.

Now that you mention it I DO remember the clusterf*ck that was MP Megatron. I'd ordered mine from Captured Prey because he wasn't putting the orange plug on Megs.


Good times.....good times.

Yes this sucks for anyone wanting this toy, but it is using a design intentionally made to invoke the pattern used by Marlboro. If Philip Morris does indeed own a copyright on that pattern, they are well within their right to protect it.

It'd be like if this figure had been made without Target's permission:



Pretty sure Target would have been pissed, and tried to prevent the sale of it.

And since this is a tobacco brand being slapped on a toy, I can see why Philip Morris would be extra worried about public perception and wish to take action. (Yes, we all know this is an adult collectible. But to the general public, it is just a toy, and toy = "For kids!") I think this more than anything is why we are seeing this happen. After all, I never heard of Philip Morris going after The X-Files or any other show that has used Morley cigarettes.



But, even though it will be a pain in the arse, since there are likely no legal problems for this toy in Japan, and since I doubt various customs officials will be less worried about this then they were MP-5, I am sure anyone who really wants one will be able to eventually snag one through a less prominent importer or a private seller.

BigBadToyStore.com wrote:
This mark is found on the hood/roof of the MP-23 car in red, and also in smaller green shapes on the left and right fenders. They are concerned because these marks cannot be used on products that could be intended for children as dictated by the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobacco_Ma ... _Agreement).

MSA strikes again. Philip Morris and RJR are fractions of what they used to be due to that settlement, and will do whatever is necessary to cover themselves from potentially violating the terms of it. Crazy the impact that's still felt from that, even crazier that it reached the world of import Masterpiece Transformers!

Gonna go pour out another one for my homie Joe Camel. RIP.

They aren't doing this to "be evil" or to get money out of Takara, they are doing this to prevent fingers being pointed at them. They hold the trademark rights to those patterns, which are associated with their brand (the very reason they're on the toy in the first place), so if someone buys the toy via US means and sees the pattern, they can actually sue Phillip Morris for plastering it on "children's toys".
All they're trying to do is protect themselves from some idiot suing them for something they have no control over.

LOST Cybertronian wrote:BBTS also pulled these from its website and someone on FB got the same kind of letter regarding this sticker set.

Well, I'm glad I canceled my order when Reprolabels released their set.

Dead Metal wrote:They aren't doing this to "be evil" or to get money out of Takara, they are doing this to prevent fingers being pointed at them. They hold the trademark rights to those patterns, which are associated with their brand (the very reason they're on the toy in the first place), so if someone buys the toy via US means and sees the pattern, they can actually sue Phillip Morris for plastering it on "children's toys".
All they're trying to do is protect themselves from some idiot suing them for something they have no control over.

That's my read on the situation too.

I'm guessing that Robot Kingdom would be more than willing to sell me Exhaust.

fenrir72 wrote:

Wolfguard wrote:How about... ...change the colors?

Toy isn't going to change the colors in the account of the American market.

How can you type this when repaints, recolors and remolds have happened consistently since Bumblebee was red and Cliffjumper was yellow?

If you want more recent examples, then look no further than any Generations figure released in America under Hasbro vs the Japanese ones released under Takara-Tomy. Hell, this very site has the pics of just about every single one ever made, plus comparison shots.

Wolfguard wrote:

fenrir72 wrote:

Wolfguard wrote:How about... ...change the colors?

Toy isn't going to change the colors in the account of the American market.

How can you type this when repaints, recolors and remolds have happened consistently since Bumblebee was red and Cliffjumper was yellow?

Changing the colors would defeat the purpose of the homage. Fans want the whole package, colors and all.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Changing the colors would defeat the purpose of the homage. Fans want the whole package, colors and all.

Because fans have only ever bought 100% replicas in the past. Bluestreak anyone?

And then of course, there's this offender:



These First World problems are easily solvable.