The Energon Pub

Site sponsor Robotkingdom dropped by to let us know they have opened pre-orders for Takara Tomy's Transformers Generations TG-32 Minicon Set and TG-33 Armada Starscream. Placeholder images for now, which appear to just be the previously released official images of their Hasbro counterparts, but these will likely feature the lines signature metallic paint. Both are scheduled to release in March on next year.

Takara Transformers TG-32 Minicon Set.
Preorder.
USD27.9
Available in March 2014
http://www.robotkingdom.com/services/es ... tID=41_341




Takara Transformers TG-33 Armada Starscream.
Preorder.
USD27.9
Available in March 2014
http://www.robotkingdom.com/services/es ... tID=41_341

I hate that we still don't know who these Mini-Cons are.

C'mon, Taktom. One more Arms Micron, we just need one.

Also, I think those are the first good (big) pics I've seen of the new Minicon combiner. And me likey.

Flashwave wrote:Also, I think those are the first good (big) pics I've seen of the new Minicon combiner. And me likey.

What about the pics Ryan got from SDCC?

http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... 20copy.png
http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... 20copy.png
http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... 20copy.png
http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... 20copy.png
http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... 20copy.png
http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... 20copy.png
http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... niCons.png

http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... C03675.jpg
http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... 03675a.jpg
http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... C03676.jpg
http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... 03676a.jpg
http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... C03677.jpg
http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... 03677a.jpg
http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... C03678.jpg
http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... 03678a.jpg
http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... C03679.jpg
http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... 03679a.jpg
http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... C03680.jpg
http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... 03680a.jpg
http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... C03681.jpg
http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... 03681a.jpg
http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... C03682.jpg
http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... 03682a.jpg
http://www.seibertron.com/images/events ... C03683.jpg

I am quite disappointed that the takara version of starscream does not have a more accurate deco. Like the mold is severly lacking black paint apps. Maybe this is just a placeholder image.

Are these deluxe scale, or Megatron/SS/Cyberverse scale? The scales have been screwing me up lately... Is there rhyme or reason to any of it?!?

Unless Takara drastically changes the color scheme of those mini-cons then I will still want nothing to do with them.

Starscream however is relevant to my interests.

I know they are just placeholders but if they are anything like Waspinator and Rhinox then we should see a more accurate Takara paint scheme by next week.

reluttr wrote:I am quite disappointed that the takara version of starscream does not have a more accurate deco. Like the mold is severly lacking black paint apps. Maybe this is just a placeholder image.

That's not the Takara toy in that picture. That's a pic of the Hasbro toy that Takara is using as a placeholder. Takara does that all the time.

Metrosuplex wrote:Are these deluxe scale, or Megatron/SS/Cyberverse scale? The scales have been screwing me up lately... Is there rhyme or reason to any of it?!?

Starcream = Deluxe
Mini-Cons = Mini-Cons (but sold in a 3-pack at the Deluxe pricepoint)

I totally forgot about those mini-con combiners. I can't wait to get those! They will be great desk toys.

Is this a new mold or an old Armada mold ?

Rated X wrote:Is this a new mold or an old Armada mold ?

Why would they use the old outdated Armada mold when there's the new Generations Deluxe mold coming?

Sabrblade wrote:

Rated X wrote:Is this a new mold or an old Armada mold ?

Why would they use the old outdated Armada mold when there's the new Generations Deluxe mold coming?

Perhaps he didn't know that there was a new Deluxe Armada Starscream coming out.

GuyIncognito wrote:I totally forgot about those mini-con combiners. I can't wait to get those! They will be great desk toys.

Same here. Don't know how I forgot about them, as they're probably the upcoming TFs I'm looking forward to the most.

This Minicon combiner is really wanting me to start a Minicon faction...

I've been able to avoid those tiny things for years up until now.

El Duque wrote:Site sponsor Robotkingdom dropped by to let us know they have opened pre-orders for Takara Tomy's Transformers Generations TG-32 Minicon Set and TG-33 Armada Starscream. Placeholder images for now, which appear to just be the previously released official images of their Hasbro counterparts, but these will likely feature the lines signature metallic paint. Both are scheduled to release in March on next year.

Takara Transformers TG-32 Minicon Set.
Preorder.
USD27.9
Available in March 2014
http://www.robotkingdom.com/services/es ... tID=41_341




Takara Transformers TG-33 Armada Starscream.
Preorder.
USD27.9
Available in March 2014
http://www.robotkingdom.com/services/es ... tID=41_341

That is correct, I did not know.


I think it's a little early to be updating figures from 2002-2006. Im not saying that they cant do something better (hence Universe Hotshot) But most of the Armada molds had good articulation. Im actually disappointed at Funpubs decision not to use Unicron Trilogy molds. Using those old molds was like getting new molds for me.

Rated X wrote:But most of the Armada molds had good articulation.

Except that a lot of those had no knees. Or waist rotation. Or elbows. Or head rotation. Or rotation in certain key joints. Unicron was the only exceptional mold of that line, with every other figure pretty much lacking the level of articulation that the Beast Era and RiD were known for, due to the Mini-Con activation gimmick inhibiting certain motions. Many felt as brick-like as the typical G1 figures of the 1980s. Thank goodness for the Energon line bringing back top notch levels of articulation.

Sabrblade wrote:

Rated X wrote:But most of the Armada molds had good articulation.

Except that a lot of those had no knees. Or waist rotation. Or elbows. Or head rotation. Or rotation in certain key joints. Unicron was the only exceptional mold of that line, with every other figure pretty much lacking the level of articulation that the Beast Era and RiD were known for, due to the Mini-Con activation gimmick inhibiting certain motions. Many felt as brick-like as the typical G1 figures of the 1980s. Thank goodness for the Energon line bringing back top notch levels of articulation.

Someone's forgetting good ol' Bendy

Sabrblade wrote:

Rated X wrote:But most of the Armada molds had good articulation.

Except that a lot of those had no knees. Or waist rotation. Or elbows. Or head rotation. Or rotation in certain key joints. Unicron was the only exceptional mold of that line, with every other figure pretty much lacking the level of articulation that the Beast Era and RiD were known for, due to the Mini-Con activation gimmick inhibiting certain motions. Many felt as brick-like as the typical G1 figures of the 1980s. Thank goodness for the Energon line bringing back top notch levels of articulation.

I think of Armada is being a sort of pivotal phase in TF development; it sort of straddled the line between the old brickformers and the more articulated figures that followed. I, for one, welcome our new Armada overlor.... I mean, I, for one, welcome the idea of remaking Armada figures with updated molds.

Some Armada figures I'd love to see updated:

Airazor
Blurr
Megatron/Galvatron
(I'd say HotShot, but it's already been done!)
Jetfire
Predacon
Snarl
Swoop
Triceradon
TIDAL WAVE (HELLS YEAH!!!)
and, of course, Deluxe Starscream repainted as Thundercracker and Skywarp

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

Rated X wrote:But most of the Armada molds had good articulation.

Except that a lot of those had no knees. Or waist rotation. Or elbows. Or head rotation. Or rotation in certain key joints. Unicron was the only exceptional mold of that line, with every other figure pretty much lacking the level of articulation that the Beast Era and RiD were known for, due to the Mini-Con activation gimmick inhibiting certain motions. Many felt as brick-like as the typical G1 figures of the 1980s. Thank goodness for the Energon line bringing back top notch levels of articulation.

Someone's forgetting good ol' Bendy

Yeah, him too.

I'm not sure why, but I'm kind of underwhelmed with Starscream. I'll still be getting it though.

The Mini-Con set is really mystifying. All these years of Bumblebees and Optimi and they drop this trio of Mini-Cons that don't resemble anyone and they won't even tell us their names. Maybe this latest line of Generations figures has led Hasbro to discover the joy of rare and obscure characters.

Considering these are the IDW characters, what would constitute a "more accurate deco" on these guys? What if it turns out they have the exact same paint apps?

Manterax Prime wrote:Considering these are the IDW characters, what would constitute a "more accurate deco" on these guys? What if it turns out they have the exact same paint apps?

Well, even though the toy represents IDW Starscream, his body design still originates from a non-IDW source, which could be the inspiration for a "more accurate deco" being "more accurate" to the original source material instead of the recent source material.

IDW seems to be doing quite a bit of repurposing, hasn't it? Starscream's from Armada, a bunch of others from WfC, Lockdown's from Movieverse, Waspinator's from Beast Wars, and the Vehicons and Insecticons from Prime cameo, sure there are a lot of others.


Personally, I go by the original source to determine what's accurate. To me this Starscream is "supposed" to be Armada Starscream, so he "should" match that one.

Noideaforaname wrote:IDW seems to be doing quite a bit of repurposing, hasn't it? Starscream's from Armada, a bunch of others from WfC, Lockdown's from Movieverse, Waspinator's from Beast Wars, and the Vehicons and Insecticons from Prime cameo, sure there are a lot of others.

Indeed.

For reference, this thread goes into more on this - http://www.seibertron.com/energonpub/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=96200