The Energon Pub

Voyager Brawn (Bulkhead Redeco) and Starscream (Blitzwing Redeco) Announced!

https://twitter.com/TF_pr/status/436713057574612992

Actually the Starscream's a redeco of Generation doubledealer, judging on the head and face.

Here is the original source of the announcement - http://www.e-hobby.co.jp/html/page13.html

Brawn is a redeco of the unreleased Generations GDO Voyager class Brawn that was going to be a remold of the Prime First Edition Bulkhead mold.

Starscream is a redeco of Generations Thrilling 30 Voyager Doubledealer (itself a remold of Blitzwing).

Seeing as how Megatron was the first instance of Japan ever recieving the Generations GDO Megatron tooling of ROTF Voyager Bludgeon, this could be an indication of Japan not getting the Generations GDO Brawn tooling of the Bulkhead mold or the Generations Doubledealer tooling of the Blitzwing mold outside of these releases.

e-Hobby has announced the next two figures in Takara Tomy's exclusive Transformers Cloud line. e-Hobby will be releasing a Starscream redeco of the Transformers Generations Voyager Doubedealer mold, and the TakaraTomy Mall will finally be releasing the Voyager GDO Brawn, which is a redeco/remold of Transformer Prime First Edition Voyager Bulkhead. Pre-orders will open on their respective sites on the 24th, no pricing at this time. Check out the announcement image mirrored below:

I feel like Takara and Hasbro must have some really awesome versions of these characters coming out later down the road so they're knocking out a few quickies along the lines of Arms Micron Smokescreen. Create the illusion that they're doing us a favor, then later this year it'll be revealed that "ultimate" or better versions of these same characters/toys will be made available. A repaint line for the 30th anniversary just doesn't seem right. What are they up to?

It does seem strange to make a whole new thing out of these repaints of characters.

Seibertron wrote:I feel like Takara and Hasbro must have some really awesome versions of these characters coming out later down the road so they're knocking out a few quickies along the lines of Arms Micron Smokescreen. Create the illusion that they're doing us a favor, then later this year it'll be revealed that "ultimate" or better versions of these same characters/toys will be made available. A repaint line for the 30th anniversary just doesn't seem right. What are they up to?

I'd imagine that this Cloud line is merely something small done on the side of the bigger lines like AOE and Generations.

Not to mention that this year technically isn't the 30th anniversary for Transformers in Japan, since they didn't get the G1 toys until 1985, so 2015 would make more sense to be Japan's big celebratory year.

Sure as hell didn't see Starscream outta that Doubledealer figure.

Wow! Starscream is utilizing the Blitzwing/Double Dealer mold. Quite different for him.

LOST Cybertronian wrote:Sure as hell didn't see Starscream outta that Doubledealer figure.

Yeah, it's like, "Anyone but Flywheels". (Fingers crossed for Airwave next)

It also leaves you wondering just how superior Double Dealer's firepower can be to warrant both sides wanting to pay for his services if two other guys have the same body template now. Yes, I know it's about staying true to his character, but his cannon projectile ain't no ICBM.

Though GDO Brawn just looks so funny that I'm glad he's getting made. Fills me with hope that other cancelled toys of recent years might be saved from oblivion.

Sabrblade wrote:

Seibertron wrote:I feel like Takara and Hasbro must have some really awesome versions of these characters coming out later down the road so they're knocking out a few quickies along the lines of Arms Micron Smokescreen. Create the illusion that they're doing us a favor, then later this year it'll be revealed that "ultimate" or better versions of these same characters/toys will be made available. A repaint line for the 30th anniversary just doesn't seem right. What are they up to?

I'd imagine that this Cloud line is merely something small done on the side of the bigger lines like AOE and Generations.

Not to mention that this year technically isn't the 30th anniversary for Transformers in Japan, since they didn't get the G1 toys until 1985, so 2015 would make more sense to be Japan's big celebratory year.

Except for they've been slapping their 30th anniversary logo on products for a while so it seems like they're adopting 1984 as their year.

Why not just come right out and insult us openly or slap us in the face?
Redecos/repaints of newer designs for classic characters especially ones like Brawn and Starscream is just a cheap cop out and one that is being so overdone this year it's pathetic. Of all years, the 30th anniversary year, I would have expected better than this. I mean, I would expect this of Hasbro but for Takara/Tomy to do this... wow! What a kick to the groin.

Seibertron wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

Seibertron wrote:I feel like Takara and Hasbro must have some really awesome versions of these characters coming out later down the road so they're knocking out a few quickies along the lines of Arms Micron Smokescreen. Create the illusion that they're doing us a favor, then later this year it'll be revealed that "ultimate" or better versions of these same characters/toys will be made available. A repaint line for the 30th anniversary just doesn't seem right. What are they up to?

I'd imagine that this Cloud line is merely something small done on the side of the bigger lines like AOE and Generations.

Not to mention that this year technically isn't the 30th anniversary for Transformers in Japan, since they didn't get the G1 toys until 1985, so 2015 would make more sense to be Japan's big celebratory year.

Except for they've been slapping their 30th anniversary logo on products for a while so it seems like they're adopting 1984 as their year.

Ah, true, forgot about that.

Still, with how limited and exclusive this line is, it seems like a side project rather than anything major, at least compared to the more mainsteam flagship lines like Generations and AOE.

Bumblevivisector wrote:Yeah, it's like, "Anyone but Flywheels". (Fingers crossed for Airwave next)

Flywheels seems like such an obvious homage. Someone please take our money!!!!!!!!!!! Give us Flywheels please!

Bumblevivisector wrote:Though GDO Brawn just looks so funny that I'm glad he's getting made. Fills me with hope that other cancelled toys of recent years might be saved from oblivion.

Seems like there are enough figures from the past 6 to 8 years that have been canceled that they could make a whole line out of just those figures alone!

I sure wish Brawn was released under GDO instead of Cloud... would have saved me $60.

megatronus wrote:I sure wish Brawn was released under GDO instead of Cloud... would have saved me $60.

I had a $200 bounty out on Brawn GDO. Glad I can kill that one. With that and what I believe to be Movie Trilogy Ratchet on the way things are looking good for my wallet! Thanks Takara!

Now if they make that Hot Rod out of Springer, this will be one crazy line.

T-Macksimus wrote:Why not just come right out and insult us openly or slap us in the face?
Redecos/repaints of newer designs for classic characters especially ones like Brawn and Starscream is just a cheap cop out and one that is being so overdone this year it's pathetic. Of all years, the 30th anniversary year, I would have expected better than this. I mean, I would expect this of Hasbro but for Takara/Tomy to do this... wow! What a kick to the groin.

Dude, you don't just milk the cow once and throw it out... you use the investment in the cow. TakTom has only been repainting/molding figures since... 1984 Red Alert?

Now, this is a Starscream I will be avoiding. And Brawn had no real magic for me either, although the art looks good. Glad to see that anyone who wanted a crack at him has a chance though. I'd be VERY happy though if someone would re-run Hot Spot though, I never once saw ANY of the three main release molds that have been out in Indiana. No Grappel, no Inferno, and no Hot SPot, my preferred of the 3.

Primeultimus wrote:

megatronus wrote:I sure wish Brawn was released under GDO instead of Cloud... would have saved me $60.

I had a $200 bounty out on Brawn GDO. Glad I can kill that one. With that and what I believe to be Movie Trilogy Ratchet on the way things are looking good for my wallet! Thanks Takara!

What if Cloud Brawn turns out to be deco'd differently from GDO Brawn?

Sabrblade wrote:

Primeultimus wrote:

megatronus wrote:I sure wish Brawn was released under GDO instead of Cloud... would have saved me $60.

I had a $200 bounty out on Brawn GDO. Glad I can kill that one. With that and what I believe to be Movie Trilogy Ratchet on the way things are looking good for my wallet! Thanks Takara!

What if Cloud Brawn turns out to be deco'd differently from GDO Brawn?

I still have a $200 bounty out on a MISB GDO Brawn if someone can produce me one. But as long as the Mold with the Head they showed us make it out and perhaps a simliar deco I will be satisfied.

Wow! I am super excited that...I have no reason at all to buy these.

T-Macksimus wrote:Why not just come right out and insult us openly or slap us in the face?
Redecos/repaints of newer designs for classic characters especially ones like Brawn and Starscream is just a cheap cop out and one that is being so overdone this year it's pathetic. Of all years, the 30th anniversary year, I would have expected better than this. I mean, I would expect this of Hasbro but for Takara/Tomy to do this... wow! What a kick to the groin.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but Takara is NOT perfection incarnate.

I laughed for nearly 3 minutes strait when I saw this

What a joke. Especially the starscream.

Wow, so much unnecessary hate... And why the conspiracy theories? And just for the record, these figures, in-fiction, do not represent G1 characters at all, despite looking like them.

I suppose this is Japan's way of releasing the Generations figures they skipped or had been canceled, while offering something different for the completists to consider. I'm interested to see how it will pan out, especially we're now halfway into the line (they said only 8 figures will be released for Cloud).

One thing's for sure, I'm pleasantly surprised with Doubledealer turned into Starscream and GDO Brawn getting a release.