The Energon Pub

News Credits: 6188 · by **Va'al** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 2:15 am

Can you believe it's almost been 10 years since the first Michael Bay Transformers live-action movie made its way onto the big screen, bringing the Cybertronians squarely back into the public light? It looks like Takara Tomy has definitely noticed, and is celebrating the occasion by bringing back some of the molds from the live-action toy lines, from Revenge of the Fallen, to Dark of the Moon, to Age of Extinction, with eleven figures confirmed so far in the MB line, starting with Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, and running through Megatron, Shockwave, Ironhide, Ratchet, Soundwave, Starscream (all at $49.99, with some discounts already), Grimlock ($59.99), Strafe ($44.99), and another Optimus Prime at the $109.99 pricepoint for good measure! Check out the images below, courtesy of site sponsor TFSource.

News Credits: 9 · by **Rainmaker** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 2:57 am

Do any of them have different paint on them?

:MAXIMAL:

News Credits: 8 · by **Autobot Roadburn** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 3:17 am

Maximal Rainmaker wrote:Do any of them have different paint on them?

Evasion Prime and Shockwave look like they do, at least. I'm sure more of them do, but I'm less familiar with a lot of the molds. Bumblebee looks like he was almost entirely stripped of paint though, hopefully he'll get more apps before he's finalized. These mostly look nice, I'll probably grab Prime and Voyager Megs to scale with him. Maybe Shockwave, Ratchet and Ironhide, but I'm focusing on collecting IDW guys right now. A lot of this depends on when these guys come out and how interested I am in the movieverse at that time.

That tiny Bumblebee is making Strafe awfully tempting, though...

News Credits: 4 · by **Quantum Surge** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 5:23 am

Prime does look really nice, but a more premium look would be good. Bumblebee's kind of meh, Megs looks really sweet, as do Shockwave, Ironhide, Ratchet, and maybe Soundwave. Can't say anything on Screamer and the Dinobots yet. My biggest concern has to go to Leader Prime, as it feels lime the mold is slowly facing degradation.

by **Microraptor** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 6:39 am

Bee and Ratchet have new guns!

News Credits: 12 · by **Evil Eye** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 6:42 am

Shockwave and Prime have some seriously nice looking paint. Voyager Megatron looks good too. The ROTF Prime mold though...it must be knackered by now with all the reissues it's gotten.

News Credits: 2 · by **SureShot18** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 8:46 am

I think I'm going to have to get Megatron if he's on AmiAmi/HLJ. I've been wanting that mold for Evasion Prime and that deco looks good.

News Credits: 90 · by **Tyrannacon** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 8:57 am

It'll be good if that Megatron is released with the deco it shows in the picture. It will make it probably more accurate to RotF. I know the mold has had trouble with getting re-released in the past. Wish these were available State-side as well to commemorate the movie as well, but hopefully I can get a few with importing. Megatron, Soundwave, Shockwave, and Starscream are probably going to be my picks. The Starscream looks like an entirely new mold somewhat or modified from the RotF Voyager. Can't really tell for sure. I know mine likes falling apart in the wings if you're not careful and the missiles don't like mounting when in jet mode.

News Credits: 174 · by **Hellscream9999** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 9:32 am

That soundwave is gonna go quick :HEADHURTS:

These look gorgeous though, and for those wondering these all look either preliminary or not even complete, as some are likely placeholders, expect the completed deco's to look much better for some of these.

News Credits: 174 · by **Hellscream9999** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 9:41 am

Black Hat wrote:Shockwave and Prime have some seriously nice looking paint. Voyager Megatron looks good too. The ROTF Prime mold though...it must be knackered by now with all the reissues it's gotten.

I don't think the voyager mold was ever re-issued...

News Credits: 174 · by **Hellscream9999** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 9:44 am

Tyrannacon wrote:Wish these were available State-side as well to commemorate the movie as well, but hopefully I can get a few with importing.

That would require them to acknowledge something other than G1 was worth glorifying - and from what I hear the guys in charge of tfs are hard-core g1-er's, so, not likely, now if it were a movie year, maybe, but even then, I wouldn't expect it since they couldn't make a huge profit off of these molds - they use too much plastic, and have too many moving parts :-P

News Credits: 650 · by **ScottyP** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 9:47 am

And the inevitable arrives! Outside of the Dinobots I'm unlikely to grab any of these but I think for serious Movieverse fans these are slick, gorgeous looking commemoratives.

News Credits: 11 · by **Overcracker** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 11:53 am

I find it interesting that they are celebrating 10 years of Movies, and yet not a single one of these molds come from the movie line they are celebrating.

Also 2017 is a movie year. The Last Knight is coming out 2017. So I'd expect at least some acknowledgement of 10 years of Michael Bay from Hasbro.

Maybe release Prime and Megs in metallic paint a la Premium Series of 2007.

News Credits: 241 · by **Jelze Bunnycat** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 11:59 am

Hellscream9999 wrote:
Black Hat wrote:Shockwave and Prime have some seriously nice looking paint. Voyager Megatron looks good too. The ROTF Prime mold though...it must be knackered by now with all the reissues it's gotten.

I don't think the voyager mold was ever re-issued...

MB-11 uses the Buster Optimus Prime mold, based on the RotF Leader (which explains the price hike). The latest release, TF Asia Optimus Prime Ultimate Edition, was showing signs of deterioration in the feet/grille pieces.

I can't really tell where the extra weapons came from, only that they should be from existing figures. Anyone?

News Credits: 90 · by **Tyrannacon** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 12:30 pm

Am I correct in thinking the Soundwave is actually "Human Alliance" Soundwave? It definitely looks close to it. It's just minus Gould and Laserbeak.

News Credits: 11 · by **Overcracker** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 12:45 pm

I can't really tell where the extra weapons came from, only that they should be from existing figures. Anyone?

If you mean MB-11 Prime's gun and sword, it appears the gun is in fact Buster Optimus Prime's gun, while the sword comes from Takara's Asia Exclusive Striker Optimus Prime.

News Credits: 241 · by **Jelze Bunnycat** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 12:54 pm

Overcracker wrote:
I can't really tell where the extra weapons came from, only that they should be from existing figures. Anyone?

If you mean MB-11 Prime's gun and sword, it appears the gun is in fact Buster Optimus Prime's gun, while the sword comes from Takara's Asia Exclusive Striker Optimus Prime.

I was aiming at Bumblebee's and Ratchet's weapons. Incidentally, both are the only MechTech Deluxes.

Tyrannacon wrote:Am I correct in thinking the Soundwave is actually "Human Alliance" Soundwave? It definitely looks close to it. It's just minus Gould and Laserbeak.

Good eye, it is indeed the Voyager-sized Human Alliance one.

News Credits: 4835 · by **william-james88** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 1:04 pm

ScottyP wrote:And the inevitable arrives! Outside of the Dinobots I'm unlikely to grab any of these but I think for serious Movieverse fans these are slick, gorgeous looking commemoratives.

You surprise me Scotty, I thought you collected all visible mold and paint variants released by Takara and Hasbro. Are you cutting back. I was sure you would at least get that Starscream, since it seems to have new joints.

Since I dont have Soundwave yet, that is an amazing deal for HA Soundwave, with premium deco to boot! They are also all up on anime export with perfectly reasonable prices.

News Credits: 4835 · by **william-james88** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 1:06 pm

Whats the difference between the regular ROTF Prime and Buster Prime?

News Credits: 241 · by **Jelze Bunnycat** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 1:21 pm

william-james88 wrote:Whats the difference between the regular ROTF Prime and Buster Prime?

The main structural difference is that the gas canisters transform into his blaster (aka a "Buster"). The head could be either face-plated or not.

And you made me realize I need to consider drinking coffee as I've overlooked an important detail. The Leader mold was retooled further for Darkside Moon, removing the arm blades and redesigning the abdomen. It's the latter version that MB-11 uses.

News Credits: 4835 · by **william-james88** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 1:23 pm

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:
william-james88 wrote:Whats the difference between the regular ROTF Prime and Buster Prime?

The main structural difference is that the gas canisters transform into his blaster (aka a "Buster"). The head could be either face-plated or not.

And you made me realize I need to consider drinking coffee as I've overlooked an important detail. The Leader mold was retooled further for Darkside Moon, removing the arm blades and redesigning the abdomen. It's the latter version that MB-11 uses.

So is that more similar to Stiker Optimus or Asia Premier version? he does come with those swords.

News Credits: 241 · by **Jelze Bunnycat** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 1:29 pm

william-james88 wrote:So is that more similar to Stiker Optimus or Asia Premier version? he does come with those swords.

More to Asia Premium aka Jetwing Optimus Prime. Striker had the canisters retooled yet again for the Stealth Force Gimmick.

News Credits: 4835 · by **william-james88** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 1:38 pm

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:
william-james88 wrote:So is that more similar to Stiker Optimus or Asia Premier version? he does come with those swords.

More to Asia Premium aka Jetwing Optimus Prime. Striker had the canisters retooled yet again for the Stealth Force Gimmick.

So many damn releases of this mold... and all of them expensive.

News Credits: 11 · by **Overcracker** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 1:56 pm

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:
Overcracker wrote:
I can't really tell where the extra weapons came from, only that they should be from existing figures. Anyone?

If you mean MB-11 Prime's gun and sword, it appears the gun is in fact Buster Optimus Prime's gun, while the sword comes from Takara's Asia Exclusive Striker Optimus Prime.

I was aiming at Bumblebee's and Ratchet's weapons. Incidentally, both are the only MechTech Deluxes.

Ahh, not quite sure, Bumblebee's seems to bare a some resemblance to HFTD Highbrow's gatling guns.

Can't really tell what Ratchet's guns are form.