The Energon Pub

It looks like the end could be near for Takara's Transformers United Line. According to a post at Autobase Aichi the new issue of Japanese Toy Magazine Kero Kero Ace is reporting that Transformers United will be coming to end with March's wave 4. There's been no news of any United figures scheduled for release in April, and the Dark of Moon line is scheduled for release in May. Are Scourge and company the end of the road for United?

I sure hope not! I was starting to get used to the shinyness!

I was hoping for at least one more wave, with Warpath, Black Shadow and possibly Dauros (Skullgirn).

Man, that would be a bummer. I atleast want a repaint of Scourge to pose as a Sweep. Maybe there will be changes with the Generations and Reveal the Sheild lines, maybe they will release some repaints.

I mean, in a lot of the instructions we've seen the figure with different head molds. Like on Thunderwing's there was a picture of him with a new head resembling Black Shadow.

So maybe the end of United means the end of the Generations and Reveal th Shield is near us. But there will most likely be a "Generations 2.0" including some of those repaints they gave us.

It seems to me that this has happened each time the movie toys came out. Each time we were saddened to hear of the end of the line (Classics, then Universe). Then after each movie, we were elated to hear about the continuation of the line under a different name. Plus, didn't Hasbro state a while back that there were no plans to stop the Generations line? (I remember getting chided by one of the veterans around here who is "in the know" about my comment calling Generations a "place-holder line". The vet was adamant that Hasbro had no plans to stop the line.)

I think the Classics line in general has been pretty successful. Hasbro and Takara may have originally created the series as a placeholder but it did better than expected. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if the series returns after the movie under a different name.

Oh, thought they were talking about Hasbro's Generations/RTS line. Don't gimme a heart attack again! And also, to those who live in Japan/order the United counterparts online, I'm terribly sorry. My sincerest apologies. See, I can be classy at times.

i hope this doesnt mean generations is on the way out too, its by far the best tf line of all time and still has so much potential. Im getting tired of it being around then going away for a year then returning under a new name, just keep the line going call it universe again so that way you can have new molds and repaints of old molds too. Hasbro saves money with repaints & keeps the fans happy with new molds plus its a line that can be a main one or a secondary one its an all around toy line.

I think Generations will take a hiatus until after the movie products die down. Maybe start up again in time for Christmas or for the fall product line.

Seibertron wrote:I think Generations will take a hiatus until after the movie products die down. Maybe start up again in time for Christmas or for the fall product line.

That's kool with me since my wallet definitely needs a break. Right now there maybe only 2 toys from the movie line I'm getting. I can't wait for them to start back, though. I wonder what they are going to do next....

This doesn't phase me.

United has some cool stuff, but right now, I'm in a position that I have to be wise with my spending. RTS and Generations in my opinion is still pretty good stuff. The difference between Takara and Hasbro boils down to how you like your paint apps.

I think as far as Classics go, I only own 5 that are Henkei figures. That was mostly because I was dumb back in 2007 and ignored Classics. (Been kicking myself ever since) I still need Cliffjumper, Grimlock, Jetfire, Astrotrain, and Optimus from that line.

I have absolutely no worry that the line will come back under a different name after the movie. It always has and always will.

While the line shuts down, it will give me some work room while I plow through the DOTM line and work on completing my AEC collection. Works to my advantage if you ask me.

Megatron Wolf wrote:i hope this doesnt mean generations is on the way out too, its by far the best tf line of all time and still has so much potential. Im getting tired of it being around then going away for a year then returning under a new name, just keep the line going call it universe again so that way you can have new molds and repaints of old molds too. Hasbro saves money with repaints & keeps the fans happy with new molds plus its a line that can be a main one or a secondary one its an all around toy line.

I agree, it's an excellent general purpose line. Like our fearless leader said though, it will probably take a hiatus while the Movie line steals the spotlight but I don't think it will go away for a year or so like it's done before. Smart money would be on Hasbro keeping it on as a secondary line the way a lot of stores have been hanging on to TFA while RTS/Generations/RotF is running through. As for the United line, I wouldn't expect it to disappear entirely either. It's probably going to run the same way, taking a back seat to DotM for awhile. Some of us may have to do a little extra driving around to round out our Generations collection as the stock dwindles, but that's just the hazard of this hobby. Happens with every line that's put out.

It's good and bad at the same time.

Good because now Hasbro has the door wide open to get the paint schemes right the first time.

Bad because Hasbro has a tendency to experiment with their own twisted vision of what colors kids like best rather than sticking to the G1 cartoon.

Does anyone miss the days in the 80's when the only difference between Hasbro and Takara issues was the box ??? I know I do...

Also, once DOTM is over they will have no other choice but to return to the Classics/Generatioms/RTS theme which is what collectors want. I dont think theyre going to invest in a seperate Transformers Prime line and have a repeat failure similar to Animated AKA shelfwarmers.

Makes sense, Takara only seems to do one main line at a time. I just hope that Rumble/Frenzy will make their release before then end.

this doesn't affect me in the last. Unless absolutely necessary, no way in hell am I paying so much money for some new paint and chrome. I've got to be careful with my money and the Hasbro stuff's been fine and dandy for me!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

robofreak wrote:I think as far as Classics go, I only own 5 that are Henkei figures. That was mostly because I was dumb back in 2007 and ignored Classics. (Been kicking myself ever since) I still need Cliffjumper, Grimlock, Jetfire, Astrotrain, and Optimus from that line.

You too? I actually ignored Classics as well, because I didn't know what the Classics line was about. Don't judge me, I was only like 9 or 10! The only Classics I actually got were accidents, but I'm glad I didn't return them. They were Voyager Megatron and Deluxe Bumblebee. I regret passing up Classics Prime the only time I saw him, and it gets even sadder; I had just enough to get him too.

Now you Henkei snobs will be forced to buy those "inferior" Hasbro toys.

United ending? Silver lining = money for 3rd party stuff.

The generations line may go too. RTS and Gen. are too similar in products. One or the other has to go. Even if both go, Robo's right, they will be back. Hasbro will ALWAYS and forever reuse old molds. All that R & D going to waste? I don't think so.

For those who want repaints: you'll get them. Not one single "classics" figure has only been issued once.

So United fans: I am sorry for your loss. But there is always a place for premium figures in the collector market, and for that small niche, their will always be a product, even it is not as common or accessible as the movie crap.

I still want my black Optimus Prime repaints.

Everyone says the concept of black repaints has been beaten to death, but I love black repaints. Granted I don't have a lot of them, but it's my intention to start buying them up when I get a chance.

I'd also like to get WFC Soundwave repainted as Soundblaster. That would make my day

another reason why the movie is bad.

MINDVVIPE wrote:another reason why the movie is bad.

So the movie is bad because a toyline that was meant to be temporary is going to be shut down so a toyline for a summer blockbuster movie can come in and rake in millions of dollars so Hasbro can make more Neo G1 goodness is a bad thing? Clarify please.

If you ask me, I think the movie toys are awesome. I own almost all of the stuff from the first 2 movies and don't regret any of my purchases.

GetRightRobot wrote:For those who want repaints: you'll get them. Not one single "classics" figure has only been issued once.

Were Hound and Ravage repainted? Octane? Astrotrain?

I don't know why I do that...

Agamemnon wrote:

GetRightRobot wrote:For those who want repaints: you'll get them. Not one single "classics" figure has only been issued once.

Were Hound and Ravage repainted? Octane? Astrotrain?

I don't know why I do that...

Hound and Ravege: Repainted for Botcon 2010

Astrotrain: If you count Classics and Henkei as repaints then yes. Seeing how they both have very different color schemse

Octane/Tankor: To my knowledge he has not been repainted. He most likely will though. Just a matter of time.

robofreak wrote:

MINDVVIPE wrote:another reason why the movie is bad.

So the movie is bad because a toyline that was meant to be temporary is going to be shut down so a toyline for a summer blockbuster movie can come in and rake in millions of dollars so Hasbro can make more Neo G1 goodness is a bad thing? Clarify please.

If you ask me, I think the movie toys are awesome. I own almost all of the stuff from the first 2 movies and don't regret any of my purchases.

Hah, man you guys are so serious. I just said it to piss off you movie fans really, coz I knew it'd hit a sweet spot. But really, I don't care. Its not like I can afford United figures much anyway. Although if I had any toyline to give priority to, it would be the classics. The only good side is the money will I GUESS go towards keeping hasbro and TF figures afloat for longer. Stating that the toyline is temporary does't really matter, most toylines have a start and finish, and so far, the main ones still going for a long time are the classics and the movie, the movie just coz of the fact that theres an actual movie, the others coz its appealing to kids and TF collectors. And who is to say their TF movie figure sales are going to feed the neo G1 figures? might go to the HUNDEREDS of other areas hasbro might need the cash.