by Autobot032 » Tue Oct 26, 2010 1:39 pm
- Weapon: Switch Blade Tail
Okay, let me try and explain my thinking here.
In the beginning, the boxes were considered color coded by some (including me).
Red: Generations (Deluxe only line, with G1 updates and new designs such as WFC. Aimed at collectors and old skool fans.)
Yellow: Hunt For The Decepticons (Legends, Scout, Deluxe, Voyager, Leader, has a mix of both movieverse and C.H.U.G. Aimed at a middle point. Good for both collector/fan types and accessible for kids. Generations is fine for kids as well, but most of the figures in that line are aimed solely at us, where as HFTD is clearly aimed at everyone.)
Red/Blue: Power Core Combiners (Clearly aimed at kids, though some older fans do embrace them and the idea.)
This all started with ROTF toys.
ROTF became N.E.S.T., which included Lockdown.
N.E.S.T. became HFTD, which included Battle Hooks Prime, Starscream, Deluxe Class Ironhide, Battle Blade Bumblebee, and Battle Ops Bumblebee, Sidearm Sideswipe, the Voyager Class Ratchet repaint, the Deluxe Class Ratchet repaint and Elita-1 among others, all clearly movieverse figures.
HFTD had figures that were C.H.U.G. in nature, start to trickle in, such as Sea Spray, however, a lot of folks complained that he had too much of the movie aesthetic for them to fully classify him as a Classics figure. (NOTE: I didn't say all people did, but a few. I didn't say their answer was the right one, just that they mentioned it.) So I'm not entirely sure you couldn't classify him as both movieverse and Classic. Anyway...
HFTD is now shifting over into Reveal The Shield, and more C.H.U.G. molds and inspired molds are taking the lead in the line, but it's start was in the movieverse. Even though Lugnut has a C.H.U.G. feel, and is being sold under the United label in Japan, he's very much like his Animated to movie brother, Lockdown. More complex, more realistic, and both coming out of a line spawned out of the movieverse toyline.
That's why I said he was movieverse and not a part of Classics. If you follow the color code, and look at it from a logical standpoint, he's really a movieverse figure.
Now, I realize that they'll be phasing the movieverse designs out, more and more as RTS progresses, but they won't cut them out completely, not with DOTM coming this summer and they'll need to fire up the movieverse all over again. This will allow them to keep the movieverse alive and fresh and in people's minds and will allow the transition to be much easier than it had been before.
You know, fall in love with a line only to have it abruptly end to make room for the movie, then restarting it with a new name once the movie's died down?
I don't think it'll be as hard on us as it was in the past because of this shifting lines idea of their's. Keeps it all on the table and gives access to the multiverse of figures and designs.
Does Lugnut look like a Classics style figure? For the most part, yes. But he's really a mishmash caught between both universes and aside from his size, that makes him perfect for RTS. It's that middle of the road thing.
You may not agree with me, that's fine, but this is why I say he's movieverse. Until Hasbro comes forward and says he's not, I'll continue to look at him as just that.
Oh, and we can't rely on Takara's offerings, because they're releasing different size classes under the United label, where Hasbro is clearly not. At least not all of it in one line.
NOTE: Realize that I am not a perfect Christian, nor do I profess to be. I apologize if anyone's ever offended by me, I'm not perfect. Don't hold my posts and opinions against other Christians.
Once again, Peaugh conducts another awesome review. Good job, I say! 
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