The Energon Pub

[El Duque]

SydneyY of fellow Transformers fan site TFW2005 has posted translations of two interesting interviews that appeared in Million Publishing's Generations 2011 volumes one and two.

Volume one featured an interview with the Kabaya Staff, click here to read the translation.

-Why did you choose G1 characters over the ones from the live action movie?
Hayashi: Initially, some suggested that the Movie characters should be included, but considering the lineup was to commemorate the 25th anniversary, I thought it would serve better if it looked back at the history. Also, we expected two generations of customers; if a father and his child were to buy our products, G1 characters might appeal to the fathers more.
Kunimitsu: Hayashi has a very strong attachment to G1, and this project was realised because he pushed it with enthusiasm within the company. TakaraTomy also requested us not to simply copy the original (G1 Kabaya) products, but to remake them with the current viewpoint. Hayashi revised (the originals) and included his own interpretation of proportions and gimmicks.
Hayashi: Even before we released the products, the customers responded positively to the news of the revival of "Transformer Gum", and various online shops began taking preorders. I was encouraged to know that there were very supportive fans.

Volume two featured an interview with Koujin Oono who developed the Unicron prototype for Transformers: The Movie as well as Fortress Maximus. One particularly interesting note about the ill-fated prototype Unicron is that it would have been the first Transformer figure to feature voice clips. Not only that, but the voice clips were by Orson Welles himself! Click here to read the full translation.

I understand there were some prototypes (of G1 Unicron toy), but how many were there in fact? Was there a plan of releasing multiple types?
Oono: I recall I made a deluxe size mechanism proto, actual size mechanism proto, a final proto and about 3 copies of it. Also, I was going to include a laser gun play at the early stage - the base turned into a laser gun, and Unicron in robot mode was to activate its light and sound gimmick when shot by a infra-red ray from the gun, but it was omitted from the final proto. The deluxe size proto had satellites with fine rings like the character illustration. There also might have been a styrene foam proto to show the appearance (of the toy).

[MINDVVIPE]

Infra-red activated sounds and lights... thats f'ing cool. I remember a few toys back in the 90s started having this sorta feature, but with how far we have progressed, we need some crazy gimmicks like these nowadays. Especially if they made Decepticons and autobots have this feature such that if you fired the laser at each of them from a variety of included weapons, it'd play sound effects of a bot getting fired on and screaming out in agony.

[BeastProwl]

yeah well, the closest we could get to that nowadays is water color damage.
Still, BW NEO Unicron would have been amazing...

[Bumblevivisector]

Yeah, it just became a slightly greater shame that that '86 Unicron toy didn't get released.

Besides actual Laser Tag toys, was Bravestar the only action figure line to use that type or laser gimmick? Correct me if I'm remembering wrong, but think that franchise tanked partly due to the toys being too expensive, so who knows how pricey the original Unicron would've been?

Oh yeah, Captain Power must've used something similar to shoot back at the TV, and between toys. I don't remember how much that line cost, but its collapse was partly due to parents' groups complaining that the gimmick actually forced kids to buy the toys in order to interact with the show. Was Galidor the most recent toy line to try that? I imagine that would succeed or fail partly depending on one's TV reception.

[alldarker]

(...)
Besides actual Laser Tag toys, was Bravestar the only action figure line to use that type or laser gimmick? Correct me if I'm remembering wrong, but think that franchise tanked partly due to the toys being too expensive, so who knows how pricey the original Unicron would've been?

Oh yeah, Captain Power must've used something similar to shoot back at the TV, and between toys. I don't remember how much that line cost, but its collapse was partly due to parents' groups complaining that the gimmick actually forced kids to buy the toys in order to interact with the show. Was Galidor the most recent toy line to try that? I imagine that would succeed or fail partly depending on one's TV reception.

MASK's Laser Command set also works with a laser gimmick. Excellent toy it is too. I mean, the Hornet vehicle gets to be disguised as a wooden crate!

[Bumblevivisector]

Ah, what I missed by not being into MASK...awesome as the toys seem to have been, the cartoon failed to sell me on them. Did they actually use the Hornet on the show?

And I can't believe I forgot another one: Cat's Lair!
Sorry I don't know how to embed:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=BI43Wn7P7nQ

The Hornet actually reminded me of that because the robotic WolfRat (in the Tcats ep of same name) had the ability to turn into a metal crate to avoid detection. He also turned into a rock, meaning MOTU wasn't the only line to confuse kids about just which brand the Rock Lords belonged to.

I guess it wasn't that uncommon for a toyline to have one playset with that gimmick after all. Again, compounding the tragedy of no Unicron toy back in the day...

[MINDVVIPE]

MASK, Thundecats, all killer shows, and Yea, I had the Bravestar gun/base.. but no figure... it was a pretty incomplete birthday present from my friends, haha.