The Energon Pub

I don't know if this has been posted yet but I was looking through ebay auctions when I came across a knock off Reissue Mirage... Here is the link to the page...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Transformer-Gen1-Re ... dZViewItem

I guess we now know what happened to the Mirage mold. If that is legit I just might have to get me one. Sorry to all the knockoff haters but this piece just looks too good.

These have been all over eBay. I asked about them a week or two ago, basically they are just nice knockoffs but not worth the price.

wow, AU$62 for a KO Mirage.

He aint worth that, considering he looks about as good quality as Movie Swindle.

Looks like a business with killer margins to me

He he. Maybe Takara can have a quiet word with 'em and get a copy of their mould..?

So, how do you guys identify this one as a KO?
I know the autobot logo is wrong and there's no rub sign and the head sculpt is a bit weird, but this isn't as obvious as the Prime KO's out there.

neliz wrote:So, how do you guys identify this one as a KO?
I know the autobot logo is wrong and there's no rub sign and the head sculpt is a bit weird, but this isn't as obvious as the Prime KO's out there.

The most obvious way is in person. The number on the hood is painted on for the KO. The original is a sticker. The same for the red and white stripes towards the back of the car. There are other differences like that but I can't remember the rest.

'kay thanks ...

actually, the easiest way to tell is the artwork on the box does not go to the edge of the box.

JBrock wrote:actually, the easiest way to tell is the artwork on the box does not go to the edge of the box.

but thats only useful if its still in the box...

I mean nobody would EVER take a figure out of the box and try to sell it as a g1 original

Ramrider wrote:He he. Maybe Takara can have a quiet word with 'em and get a copy of their mould..?

or say give us our mold s back, stop production, and recall all the figures you can or we will sue you up the wazoo for all you are worth?

wavelength wrote:or say give us our mold s back, stop production, and recall all the figures you can or we will sue you up the wazoo for all you are worth?

In America.. yeah.. that would work.. you have lawyers and accountants..

In Japan however, you have Ninja's and Yakuza..

neliz wrote:

wavelength wrote:or say give us our mold s back, stop production, and recall all the figures you can or we will sue you up the wazoo for all you are worth?

In America.. yeah.. that would work.. you have lawyers and accountants..

In Japan however, you have Ninja's and Yakuza..

i am going to assume that yakuza are as badass as ninjas.

Gutter Bunny wrote:

JBrock wrote:actually, the easiest way to tell is the artwork on the box does not go to the edge of the box.

but thats only useful if its still in the box...

I mean nobody would EVER take a figure out of the box and try to sell it as a g1 original

I assumed that the figure variations had been mentioned already but for you I'll clarify.

Tires on vintage say Goodyear, KO says Dunlop
ELF 26 is a sticker on vintage but painted on KO


Now, if someone sells you a vintage Mirage and it has those variations then you should take further action.

Anything else?

The mold to mirage was broken and hence the KO mold is made by reverse molding such as with reissue Swoop....

it really does make you wonder that why, if a chinese KO company can do it, Hasbro themselves dont do this more, they could make a killing surely?

I mean how difficult is it to re-engineer a mold from a toy?

Robo-Chugster wrote:I mean how difficult is it to re-engineer a mold from a toy?

it should be zero effort actually

Because, aside from collectors, I doubt the market for it would be too big. Remmeber how the TRU Reissues warmed shelves?

Bonger has a point,
Easy isn't the same as cheap.
If they're not gonna make a shedload of cash from it Hasbro aren't going to bother. It's annoying, but they are in this as a business, not as a charity.

Gaaar,
Doug

wavelength wrote:

Ramrider wrote:He he. Maybe Takara can have a quiet word with 'em and get a copy of their mould..?

or say give us our mold s back, stop production, and recall all the figures you can or we will sue you up the wazoo for all you are worth?

Actually....no.
A poster on TFans (with connections, and yes, he knows what he's talking about. The guy's legit.) said the reason the KO makers were able to get access to and use the molds is because they bought them legitimately.

How you ask?

Hasbro closed down that specific factory, and rather than lug around all of those molds (which can weigh tons and tons and tons...) they sold the remaining intact molds, along with the ones damaged beyond belief.

Once this company bought the factory, they automatically had the right to use the molds. It was part of the property when they bought it, and now they own the molds.

No, they shouldn't be able to use the brand names like they are...but the toys themselves? Oh yeah, they're allowed to.
Since these companies now own the molds and the toys...Hasbro and Takara no longer have any right to them. These KO makers could literally pump out as many as they wanted and there's really nothing they could do about it.

Why do you think we haven't seen these reissues before this? Because Takara/Hasbro had no legal access to them.

Oh and you'll see more KOs, because before these molds breakdown, they'll be making new molds out of the old ones.

Oh and Devastator is next in line to be KO'd. A full set, stickers, box and all.

There was a period in the early 90's where Hasbro was making G1 reissues in China under the classic line. They are the ones that come in gold boxes and were for sale in Europe. They also were making 84-87 toys in China for the Asian market. If this is the factory that was sold, they probably have access to almost every mold one could hope for.