The Energon Pub

Hey Guys,

I just got a g1 Blaster in de mail and I'm trying to figure out if it is a vintage or a reissue. So far I can't find a manual on it. Can anybody tell me where to look for? Thanks!

I will upload a photo shortly



The right one is a Takara book reissue Blaster. The left one is unknown.

Well, how thick are the stickers on the one on the left? What does the back look like? Does the tape door work?

From what I've read, both the Universe and the Platinum Edition have metallic flake in the legs, very minute difference there. Also, the Platinum Edition has the product code stamped on the back, along with other info. The molded copyright info has not changed tho.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:From what I've read, both the Universe and the Platinum Edition have metallic flake in the legs, very minute difference there. Also, the Platinum Edition has the product code stamped on the back, along with other info. The molded copyright info has not changed tho.

I may be wrong on this, but I think in addition to the metallic flake effect in the leg plastic for the Universe and Platinum Edition reissues, the actual color of the plastic used for the legs is different too, being a more beige/tan tinted shade of gray than originally used in G1.

The original Blaster (of which I own a headless example) had metallic gray plastic as well (similar to the Dinobots and to Optimus' trailer); it seems that the Takara Collection book-box release is alone in lacking the metallic gray.

The original was plagued by a widespread misassembly of the linkages that control the buttons and tape door, while the reissues have been spared that. Hence why I asked. And I think the reissues have all used the solid-back version of the mold.

Wolfman Jake wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:From what I've read, both the Universe and the Platinum Edition have metallic flake in the legs, very minute difference there. Also, the Platinum Edition has the product code stamped on the back, along with other info. The molded copyright info has not changed tho.

I may be wrong on this, but I think in addition to the metallic flake effect in the leg plastic for the Universe and Platinum Edition reissues, the actual color of the plastic used for the legs is different too, being a more beige/tan tinted shade of gray than originally used in G1.

Yes, thats true. And yeah the Platinum and Universe releases are the same.

There is no stamp on the back of these. So they can't be Platinum editons.



The plastic of the legs don't have any sparkles in them. That should be another clue that it isn't the platinum edition. That plastic is slightly different in quality I saw on Youtube.

I can't find any differences in these 2 Blasters. So I suspect they are both Takara book reissues. But the seller said he had it a long time, like around the 1990's. Which I find hard to believe.

But hey if someone has another tip about the diffirence between a vintage and a book reissue. I would love to hear it.

why cant they just be the Hasbro G1 releases?

Here's another test to try out: how do the buttons work, like Eject for opening the door, or the Play and Stop buttons? Many original G1 Blasters had them not working, possibly due to the inner mechanism being assembled incorrectly.

I had already brought that up...

ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:I had already brought that up...

Woops. Missed that. O well, worth repeating

Both Blasters buttons work perfectly.

Alright, what about the stickers?

The stickers are identical.

OrangeDevastator wrote:The stickers are identical.

Including in thickness?

Yes.

Given the condition of it and the pictures here, I think those are both the same version. At any rate, it is almost definitely a reissue.

I agree. I saw an old G1 vintage Blaster on the Dutch Market place website today and it had a little ribbel on the back of Blaster around the middle of his back were the trademark is. Maybe that might be the only definite clue if it is a takara book reissue or vintage.