The Energon Pub

Hey guys. I recently learnt that people in Japan are paying a tiny fortune for toys like Combiner Wars Rook, Cyclonus and Offroad since they never got them in Japan (they will be getting the molds in this form though).

But that got me thinking, what other Hasbro exclusives have we gotten over the years. Not fun pub stuff or convention exclusives, just toys we could find in stores or US online retail that people couldnt find in their own japanese venues. Many of the ones I was thinking of were pretty lame like:

Supreme Starscream
RID Warrior Optimus
Gen Crosscut
Prime Prowl, kup and BH smokescreen
MP Offshoot

I did think of some good ones though:
Universe Nemesis Prime
Platinum Omega Supreme
BH Voyager/Leader Predaking
BM Night Viper
BM Tankor

Any other good toys that Japan never got a version of ? I am referring to exclusive characters/tooling.

The first thing to come to mind was anything by Takatoku Toys that was licensed by Hasbro.

http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Takatoku

Classics cliffjumper never made it across the pacific;

Loads of the Generations Legends class didnt make it either. Stuff like nemesis prime, gears, cliffjumper (again), the ones who did make it didn't keep their target masters either, for the most part.

triKlops wrote:The first thing to come to mind was anything by Takatoku Toys that was licensed by Hasbro.

http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Takatoku

Smart man triKlops, you just made me think of something. yes, indeed since those werent takara toys that Hasbro brought over, they wouldnt be able to get them. However, Japanese fans of these toys could have gotten most of them as the original toys like the Macross and Omega Supreme could have been purchased as this:



So while they werent takara toys, the molds/toys werent Hasbro exclusives either.

BUT, there was one toy that was never in Japan (let alone Takara) and that is Skylynx since while the toy was thought up by Toybox, the designs were only ever used by Hasbro to make the Transformers character. And thus, Takara only ever got that toy with the encore.

So thanks man, that totally helps!

I just thought of it, Japan never got Skids or Crosscut either. Nor Jihaxus.

william-james88 wrote:I just thought of it, Japan never got Skids or Crosscut either. Nor Jihaxus.

And Nightbeat. They released it as GoShooter as an exclusive from a magazine offer iirc.

Scoop with the double targetmaster partner.

Nightbeat was released as a Minerva variant wasn't he instead of GoShooter?

Optimus Eeyore wrote:Nightbeat was released as a Minerva variant wasn't he instead of GoShooter?

We were talking about Generations Nightbeat, not G1 Nightbeat

I'm drunk please forgive me.

All good man no worries, I realize none of us specified generations.

I just thought of another one: Thundertron. That mold was made for that specific unique character and only Hasbro makes use of his peg leg as a character feature and he bears that new Star Seeker faction symbol. Takara just used that mold to make a Leo Prime homage. Hasbro's is the only toy form of that specific character.


Transformers Prime: Robots In Disguise Thundertron Gallery

Did Takara get any incarnation of Beast Hunter Optimus in Optimus colours?

Did any of these make it there as Optimus Prime?







What about the beast hunters cyberverse figures?




Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Cyberverse Bludgeon Gallery




Or the upscale?

william-james88 wrote:Did Takara get any incarnation of Beast Hunter Optimus in Optimus colours?

Did any of these make it there as Optimus Prime?







What about the beast hunters cyberverse figures?




Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Cyberverse Bludgeon Gallery




Or the upscale?

Aside from the original version of that Cyberverse Megatron mold, and the Optimus version of that Cyberverse Ultra Magnus mold, and the Ironhide version of that Trailbreaker mold, Japan got none of those molds.

There's a bunch of other awesome toys Takara never had like Deluxe Jetstorm (or my preffered deco Supersonic Jet), night slash cheetor, and Tankor himself (they only got the tank drone which they released as Tankor). Also, in a nice poetic turn, it was Hasbro who had the exclusive Snake, Nightviper

william-james88 wrote:Also, in a nice poetic turn, it was Hasbro who had the exclusive Snake, Nightviper

Takara had their own snake, Cohrada, in Beast Wars Neo.

Sabrblade wrote:

william-james88 wrote:Also, in a nice poetic turn, it was Hasbro who had the exclusive Snake, Nightviper

Takara had their own snake, Cohrada, in Beast Wars Neo.

Hence my comment that it was poetic. Glad you caught on.

william-james88 wrote:RID Warrior Grimlock and Optimus

Japan got those molds. They're TAV-02 Grimlock and TAV-13 Nemesis Prime.

william-james88 wrote:Gen Skids/Crosscut (which is ironic)

They did get the mold as AOE Rollbar, though. The one that came with the Platinum Edition "Breakout Battle" set, sold by itself as a TRU exclusive.

william-james88 wrote:Prime Prowl, kup and BH smokescreen

They got Smokescreen in the Go! line as G06 Hunter Smokescreen

william-james88 wrote:Platinum Dinobots

You mean the new headsculpts, right? Cuz they got the Deluxe and Voyager molds themselves several times.

william-james88 wrote:Universe Nemesis Prime
Platinum Omega Supreme

They got Nemesis's mold as its original release of Big Convoy, and Omega's mold as its original Energon release (but not with the remolded parts).

william-james88 wrote:Any other good toys that Japan never got a version of ? I am referring to exclusive characters/tooling.

Generation 1 (Note that this list excludes any figures that were only available in Japan as mail-away figures, as I'm counting that as a means Japanese availability)
Gears (wasn't released in Japan until a 2004 reissue set)
Ironhide (wasn't released in Japan until a 2001 e-HOBBY reissue)
Topspin
Twin Twist
Roadbuster
Whirl
Jetfire
Omega Supreme (wasn't released in Japan until the Encore reissue)
The Powerdashers
Barrage
Chop Shop
Ransack
Venom
Sky Lynx (wasn't released in Japan until the Encore reissue)
Runabout
Runamuck
Backstreet
Override
Dogfight
Grand Slam & Raindance
Landfill with Flintlock and Silencer
Quickmix with Boomer and Ricochet
Scoop with Holepunch and Tracer
Groundbreaker
Sky High
Splashdown
Chainclaw
Catilla
Gunrunner
Crankcase
Ruckus
Windsweeper
Squawktalk & Beastbox
Spinister with Hairsplitter and Singe
Needlenose with Sunbeam and Zigzag
Quake with Tiptop and Heater
Iguanus
Bugly
Finback
Carnivac
Snarler
Roadgrabber
Pincher
Doubleheader
Longtooth
Crossblades (retooled in Japan as Blue Bacchus)
Vroom
Skyhammer
The Pretender Monsters' Pretender Shells (the inner robots were released as the Dinoforce, but given all new shells in Japan)
Octopunch
Stranglehold
Bludgeon
Roadblock
Thunderwing (retooled in Japan as Black Shadow)
The Missile Launcher
The Tanker Truck
The Battlefield Headquarters with Full-Barrel & Overflow
Anti-Aircraft Base with Blackout & Spaceshot
ALL of the Action Masters and their accessories (though, the Optimus figure would get released with a 2002 reissue of the 1984 Optimus toy)
Rotorstorm
Thunder Clash
Stalker
Skyquake

"Generation 1.5" (European-original molds only)
Pyro
Clench
Turbofire
Rapido
Skram
Windbreaker
Eagle Eye
Afterburner
Terradive
Windrazor
Aquafend
Deluge
Jetstorm
Speedstream
Aquablast
Drench
Hydradread
Rage
Deftwing
Ironfist
Calcar
Fearswoop

Generation 2 (Note that even though Japan got the G1 molds listed below in G1, they did not get the G2 versions of them)
Optimus Prime
Inferno
Jazz
Sideswipe
Drench
Gobots
Grimlock
Slag
Snarl
Beachcomber
Bumblebee
Hubcap
Seaspray
Rapido
Skram
Turbofire
Windbreaker
Megatron (Japan would later get this mold as Beast Wars II Megastorm)
Deluge
Jetstorm
Bonecrusher
Hook
Long Haul
Mixmaster
Scavenger
Scrapper
Jets
Ramjet
Starscream
Afterburner
Eagle Eye
Terradive
Windrazor
Air Raid
Fireflight
Silverbolt
Skydive
Slingshot
Leadfoot
Manta Ray
Blast Off
Brawl
Onslaught
Swindle
Vortex
Powerdive
Ransack
Breakdown
Every G2 Go-Bot except for Optimus Prime, Megatron, and Soundwave (all six Go-Bot molds would later be released in Japan as the Car Robots Spychangers)
Dirtbag (Japan would later get this mold as Beast Wars II Autostinger)
Roadblock (Japan would later get this mold as Beast Wars II Autocrusher)
Blaze
Sizzle
Flamefeather
Sparkstalker
Ironhide (Power Master)
Meanstreak
Bulletbike
Staxx

Beast Wars (Note that many molds not released in Japan's BW line would be released in the BWII and BWNeo lines as new characters)
The five 1996 McDonalds Happy Meal toys
K-9 (Japan got the original Wolfang version of the mold, and a new remold in BWII Max-B, but not the K-9 remold)
Arachnid
Orcanoch
Air Hammer
Noctorro
Terragator
Bantor
Buzzclaw
The three 1998 McDonalds Happy Meal toys
Optimus Minor
Scarem
Sonar
Spittor (Japan would later get this mold as Car Robots Goosher)
Stinkbomb (Japan would later get this mold as Car Robots Gas Skunk)
Nightglider (Japan would later get this mold as Car Robots Gildor)
Ramulus
Prowl
Scourge
Transmetal 2 Iguanus
Transmetal 2 Cybershark (Japan would later get this mold as Car Robots Gelshark)

Animorphs
Every mold

Mutant Beast Wars
All four molds: Icebird, Razor Claw, Poison Bite, and Soundwave

Beast Machines
Buzzsaw
Mirage
Scavenger
Optimus Primal (Deluxe)
Jetstorm (Deluxe)/Sonic Attack Jet
Tankor (Mega)
Dillo
Mol
Rav
Che
Mechatron
Longhorn
Geckobot
Quickstrike
Night Viper
Thrust (Deluxe)
Snarl
Blastcharge
Skydive
Primal Prime (they got the original Optimal Optimus mold, but not the BM Primal Prime retool)
Electronic Cheetor Supreme
Hammerstrike
Spy Streak
Battle Unicorn
Night Slash Cheetor
The nine McDonalds Happy Meal toys

Robots in Disguise (Note that this list only contains new molds never released before this line)
Prowl 2 & Side Swipe
Side Burn (Spychanger) & Daytonus
Bruticus
X-Brawn & Scourge (Spychangers) (Japan would later get the Scourge mold as Movie Optimus Prime as a Japanese Movie 1 DVD exclusive)
Optimus Prime (Spychanger)
Ultra Magnus (Spychanger)
Megatron Megabolt (Japan would later get this mold as Beast Wars Returns Megahead Megatron)
Air Attack Optimus Primal


Armada (Note that any USA Editions are still listed below, and that Japan got the original versions of any redecos/remolds listed below, but not the redecoed/remolded versions)
Road Assault Mini-Con Team
Road Wrecker Mini-Con Team
Emergency Mini-Con Team (redecoed version)
Sea Mini-Con Team (redecoed version)
Rhinox
Terrorsaur
Airazor
Cheetor
Powerlinx Cyclonus
Powerlinx Thrust
Skywarp
Predacon
Powerlinx Jetfire
The Role-Play Star Saber
The Role-Play Dark Saber

Energon (same notes as the Armada list)
Offshoot
Doom-Lock
Rapid Run
Tow-Line
Sharkticon (Japan would later get this mold as United Axalon)
Slugslinger
Energon Kicker with High Wire (Japan got a different mold Kicker figure, and not High Wire)
Treadbolt
Dreadwing
Beachcomber
Grimlock & Swoop
Alpha Quintesson
Six Shot
Ultra Magnus
Landquake
Quickstrike
Megatron (the Japanese toy was a smaller mold)
Galvatron (the Japanese toy was a smaller mold)
Omega Sentinel
Role Play Megatron Energon Sword
Role Play Optimus Prime Energon Blaster


To be continued...

So Sabrblade, is continuing this still on your To DO list?

There's too many to remember, so this is by all means not all my favs or in any order BUT:

When you all mention skids, are tou thinking the Gen mold? they just got him.

Also all the great and various Universe repaints of the Cybertron toys that were TRU and Target exclusives. But, do they not count because Japan got them all in their Galaxy Force version?

Thanks for the input. Just so you know, Acid Storm was released in Japan. It was the exact same toy and it was also a japan exclusive. Its the same as the Clash of Transformers TRU exclusives last year which were both the same toys in japan and in northamerica, distributed by their corresponding company (Takara and Hasbro).

Cobotron wrote:When you all mention skids, are tou thinking the Gen mold? they just got him.

Also all the great and various Universe repaints of the Cybertron toys that were TRU and Target exclusives. But, do they not count because Japan got them all in their Galaxy Force version?

Yeah, its an older thread and things have changed since. There seem to be 2 different discussions:

Decos/characters that are only found with hasbro
and
Molds/Molding that are only found with Hasbro

Since difference in molding is very recent in the brand's history (unless it was for safety reasons), there is not much of it compared to a diferent deco/character or simply having a mold that the other doesnt have.

I would be really curious if Sabr could just go back to the awesome list he put above and put a star next to the toys that are molds Japan never got.

william-james88 wrote:So Sabrblade, is continuing this still on your To DO list?

Frankly, I forgot all about this thread, and have no idea as to how I'd forgotten about it.

william-james88 wrote:I would be really curious if Sabr could just go back to the awesome list he put above and put a star next to the toys that are molds Japan never got.

That could be arranged. Keep pestering me and I can get it done at some point.

Sabrblade wrote:Air Attack Optimus Primal

TFwiki wrote:This toy was released in Japan on August 8, 2002 as a ToysЯUs-exclusive "USA Edition".

Its the same as MP Acid Storm, and takara distributed both.

william-james88 wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:Air Attack Optimus Primal

TFwiki wrote:This toy was released in Japan on August 8, 2002 as a ToysЯUs-exclusive "USA Edition".

Its the same as MP Acid Storm, and takara distributed both.

I think I was including USA Editions in my list, which were just Takara-distributed imports of Hasbro's toys, Hasbro packaging and all.

Though, Takara did give Acid Storm his own unique ID number of MP-11A, which differed from Hasbro's MP-1 ID number.

Sabrblade wrote:

william-james88 wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:Air Attack Optimus Primal

TFwiki wrote:This toy was released in Japan on August 8, 2002 as a ToysЯUs-exclusive "USA Edition".

Its the same as MP Acid Storm, and takara distributed both.

I think I was including USA Editions in my list, which were just Takara-distributed imports of Hasbro's toys, Hasbro packaging and all.

Though, Takara did give Acid Storm his own unique ID number of MP-11A, which differed from Hasbro's MP-1 ID number.

You wrote that you included them for your Armada and Energon list, bt not for RID. In any case, if Takara distributed him at retail then I dont count him as a Hasbro exclusive. If there was no need to import him for a japanese person to have him, I wouldnt include that. They got it locally, thats all that matters, there is no longer any exclusivity to either a company or a part of the world.

So yeah, if you do have time, please go back to your beautiful list and just put a * next to the toys which are molds Japan/Takara never got. Octopunch and Bludgeon really surprised me.