The Energon Pub

TFW2005 memebr G1 Cinder saw appears to have got a Thunderwing with a mixed up set of instruction as shown over at transformer toys

Please see the two links below:

http://www.transformertoys.co.uk/conten ... eased.html

http://www.transformertoys.co.uk/img/ne ... shadow.jpg

We all saw that one coming, didn't we? I wonder how Hasbro will portray him...

One has to wonder if Hasbro's revealing retools in their instructions on purpose...

Optimus1138 wrote:One has to wonder if Hasbro's revealing retools in their instructions on purpose...

Nah, they're just lazy. Case in point: Universe Sunstreaker and Sideswipe.

Now all we need is Blue Bacchus and I'll be really happy

Well Hasbro has two new habits when it comes to repaints, one is, and this one is awesome, the fact that the repaints will often have a few remoulded parts, while the other is, and yes this one is awesome too, the fact that Hasbro reveals these repaints remoulds in the instructions of the original release.
We first noticed this with the release of ROTF Lockdown and his repaint/remould Axor.
And now we know that the upcoming Generations Thunderwing will also have a remould/repaint in the form of Black Shadow.
Black Shadow was a Japanese remould/repaint of G1 Pretender Thunderwing and appeared in the Victory anime.

This information comes to us through the tfw2005 user G1_Cindersaur.
We have mirrored an image to see all images just click here.



If you wish to see images of the original Black Shadow just click here!

F**K YES!
Awesome choice, I can't wait to have him!

Don't know much about the character but I'm sure I'll buy him.

Wow -- I can't believe they're doing this. It's incredibly awesome, but I'm baffled nonetheless. Off the top of my head, this is only the second time that we've ever had an homage to a Japanese exclusive character show up in the main US/Hasbro line. The first being Longrack who popped up as an homage in the Cybertron line. I'd consider Black Shadow pretty obscure though to most U.S. casual fans. Not only is this a great choice for an homage, it's the 100% perfectly logical choice.

Are these the only two? Can anyone think of any other Japanese exclusive character that got its first appearance in the US/Hasbro line as an homage?

It'll be interesting to see what his name is.

I wanted to say something witty about this, but all I can come up with is "Effin Hellz Yeah" proceeded by a *happy dance*

If they don't do Black Shadow, I wonder if they would use "Sky Shadow" instead since that's a name they've used a few times over the years.

Seibertron wrote:If they don't do Black Shadow, I wonder if they would use "Sky Shadow" instead since that's a name they've used a few times over the years.

While I see that as a not-surprisingly likely name for him, I really hope they go for Black Shadow.

I saw these pics a while ago. I was under the assumption that it'd be repainted into Energon Galvatron/Megatron. I've never heard of Black Shadow, but I'm all for this repaint!

WolfDawg wrote:I saw these pics a while ago. I was under the assumption that it'd be repainted into Energon Galvatron/Megatron. I've never heard of Black Shadow, but I'm all for this repaint!

I think that would be a great repaint opportunity as well for later down the road, maybe in Classics 4.0.

Seibertron wrote:Are these the only two? Can anyone think of any other Japanese exclusive character that got its first appearance in the US/Hasbro line as an homage?

Welllll...

This might be a stretch, but Armada Optimus Prime, Minicon Sparkplug, Overload, and Jetfire are practically Generations toys of Star Convoy, Micromaster Hotrod, Grandus, and Sky Garry.

And of course, the US received a black redeco of Energon Scorponok that was an unambiguous homage to a Japan-only retool of G1 Scorponok.

Seeing the pics of Black Shadow kinda make me wish the small drone was longer. I wonder if Black Shadow was an homage to that black Diaclone combiner X-7.

Caelus wrote:

Seibertron wrote:Are these the only two? Can anyone think of any other Japanese exclusive character that got its first appearance in the US/Hasbro line as an homage?

Welllll...

This might be a stretch, but Armada Optimus Prime, Minicon Sparkplug, Overload, and Jetfire are practically Generations toys of Star Convoy, Micromaster Hotrod, Grandus, and Sky Garry.

And of course, the US received a black redeco of Energon Scorponok that was an unambiguous homage to a Japan-only retool of G1 Scorponok.

What about commemorative series Ricochet?

chuckdawg1999 wrote:

Caelus wrote:

Seibertron wrote:Are these the only two? Can anyone think of any other Japanese exclusive character that got its first appearance in the US/Hasbro line as an homage?

Welllll...

This might be a stretch, but Armada Optimus Prime, Minicon Sparkplug, Overload, and Jetfire are practically Generations toys of Star Convoy, Micromaster Hotrod, Grandus, and Sky Garry.

And of course, the US received a black redeco of Energon Scorponok that was an unambiguous homage to a Japan-only retool of G1 Scorponok.

What about commemorative series Ricochet?

Does Ricochet really qualify as an homage to Stepper, though? Or is he an almost straight up re-release. If he's an homage I'd think we'd have to call all of the first run of G1 homages to Japanese exclusive Diaclone, Microman, etc. toys.

cool a new head and a new chest piece. must find a job or else my wallet will go on life support!!! go 2011!!!

the ricochet/stepper discussion blows my suggestion of PVC Arcee out of the water, although the first official Hasbro toy of the G1 character was taken from a Japanese line.
I think there could be a few others from that line too, but I can't remember if they brought all the characters across or just the ones from the American series. Also, I might be missing the specific point of the question.

Re: the matter at hand, that being the repainting of Thunderwing...remember, even though you can see the remoulded head, that's not a definite indication that it will be a Black Shadow repaint. There's always the possibility that this new head will adorn some green, gold, blue, purple and neon orange monstrosity. Which I actually typed out thinking about the "Rave Skeletor" repaint from the 2000's MOTU line, but looking back, those colours could make Banzaitron too, or even some kind of Energon Megatron/Galvatron inspired repaint.

I know and you know that it should be Black Shadow, but until we see pics or at least official documentation (or computer sales entries or what have you) there's still the possibility that it could be a completely made up colour-scheme.

Back in the Original Universe line, Hasbro got Machine Wars Starscream / European Skyquake and repainted him into somewhat of a homage to Dai Atlas, calling him King Atlas.

Seibertron wrote:If they don't do Black Shadow, I wonder if they would use "Sky Shadow" instead since that's a name they've used a few times over the years.

I was thinking the same thing. I would have thought we'd have heard about a trademark application for something like "Black Shadow". Sky Shadow seems pretty logical and acceptable to me.

I honestly pegged Blue Bacchus as the repaint for Thunderwing but I guess calling out Black Shadow as a Phase Sixer kinda locked him into the spot.

Can't wait to see what Botcon does with him! (I'm hoping for a Needlenose remould. Jet & Guns work perfectly.)

Blue Bacchus was helicopter, not a jet. Black Shadow was a remold of G1 Thunderwing, while Blue Bacchus was a remold of G1 Crossblades.

For those not in the know, Blue Bacchus and Black Shadow were so-called Crossformers, the Japanese versions of Mega Pretenders who had a transforming outer shell, except they were portrayed more like robotic exo-suits. In the Victory anime they were both mobsters, working for anyone for the right price.

And talking about imported characters:

- Sunstorm
- Stepper (under Ricochet)
- Deszaras (under Deathsaurus, and Dessaras for the canceled Robot Hero)
- Leozack
- Victory Saber (canceled Robot Hero)

And as homages:
- Black Zarak (C-Dark Scorponok)
- Star Saber (E-Wing Saber)

There are several more that are fiction-only, look at Animated alone!

Looking really nice. I can't wait to see how the colours on this guy look.

Caelus wrote:

chuckdawg1999 wrote:

Caelus wrote:

Seibertron wrote:Are these the only two? Can anyone think of any other Japanese exclusive character that got its first appearance in the US/Hasbro line as an homage?

Welllll...

This might be a stretch, but Armada Optimus Prime, Minicon Sparkplug, Overload, and Jetfire are practically Generations toys of Star Convoy, Micromaster Hotrod, Grandus, and Sky Garry.

And of course, the US received a black redeco of Energon Scorponok that was an unambiguous homage to a Japan-only retool of G1 Scorponok.

What about commemorative series Ricochet?

Does Ricochet really qualify as an homage to Stepper, though? Or is he an almost straight up re-release. If he's an homage I'd think we'd have to call all of the first run of G1 homages to Japanese exclusive Diaclone, Microman, etc. toys.

Unless you count the Alternators Ricochet.