The Energon Pub

[Mach]

Takara Tomy has updated their website with the next wave Transformers United featuring Grapple, Jazz, Tracks and Lugnut.
The toys are expected to be released at the end of January 2011.










You can also view Takara Tomy Transformers United webpage by clicking here: http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/products/TF ... ineup.html

[Galvatrondestroyer]

Tracks looks better with the g1ish hood decal and autobot sign on the chest...jazz,however, looks the same with the autobot logo added. Hopefully Takara painted the back end of his vehicle mode.

[Blurrz]

Tracks looks better with the g1ish hood decal and autobot sign on the chest...jazz,however, looks the same with the autobot logo added. Hopefully Takara painted the back end of his vehicle mode.

Look closer. The wheel rims are all painted. Probably will have metallic paint additions on the parts that look metal-ish. And the white plastic will be of a more superior white....

I'll be getting all of these, sans Luggy. Grapple's head is accurate for the first half of the G1 cartoon.. and the Hasbro version for the other half. Jazz is smexy, and so is Tracks. Luggy's accurate with Hasbro.

[MINDVVIPE]

Well Jazz actually has his back windows painted, and I think I see brake lights too.

[Galvatrondestroyer]

Tracks looks better with the g1ish hood decal and autobot sign on the chest...jazz,however, looks the same with the autobot logo added. Hopefully Takara painted the back end of his vehicle mode.

Look closer. The wheel rims are all painted. Probably will have metallic paint additions on the parts that look metal-ish. And the white plastic will be of a more superior white....

I'll be getting all of these, sans Luggy. Grapple's head is accurate for the first half of the G1 cartoon.. and the Hasbro version for the other half. Jazz is smexy, and so is Tracks. Luggy's accurate with Hasbro.

Huh, didn't notice that. must be too blinded by my recent buys of Thunderwing and Skullgrin lol. And I'll agree, Jazz is very sexy lol. I love my RTS Jazz

[Stockade]

Not only do i see brake lights painted on for back end of alt mode, but painted windows, painted wheels and a metallic brighter white paint job that down right looks sexy for Jazz! thats why im ordering Jazz and Grapple from Takara, and dont give a hoot about Lugnut and how dare Hasbro cross an animated line figure into a United/ Genline or RTS line, too me thats not right on Has/Tak part. Pulling other figure lines and calling them something else...GEESH!!!! Hello Hasbro, be MORE creative!!!!

[Sid Burn]

Tracks is a no brainer from takara with that hood logo

everything looks generally better here, grapple is a matter of opinion though,
we will probably see a divide on him.

Takara lugnut looks better as well, more decepticon like with the added purple

[jlogano20]

i may get tracks but what is grapples gimmick supposed to be

[kirbenvost]

This settles it. I'm definitely getting United Jazz. Way better with all the paint apps it should have. Surprisingly, I don't really care too much about Tracks. The Hasbro one looks fine to me, hood emblem and all.

[prmlove1]

I cxan't say they all look better but they do look good. Like I said before, however, I would rather spend my money on 3 Hasbro deluxes than one Takara deluxe with better paint apps. But thats just my personal opinion. Then again if the price is the same for you either way, then definitely go for which looks better to you (in most cases the Takara ones).

[Traxus Prime]

Jazz looks awesome. I was really hoping Takara would have given him a smile/smirk instead of his frowny face though.

[MINDVVIPE]

TBH, Tracks looks amazing with that shiney blue paintjob. I don't care for the character at all, but if I did, that united version is just stunning. It needs a little revolving mirror base for it, hah.

[Joetx]

I know it's subjective, and I bet it's been discussed to death, but why are Takara's versions so much better looking than Hasbro's?

[Mkall]

I know it's subjective, and I bet it's been discussed to death, but why are Takara's versions so much better looking than Hasbro's?

TT's versions are usually more detailed because they target collectors (Both Japanese and Others) and thus usually add more accurate/detailed paint apps.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

I know it's subjective, and I bet it's been discussed to death, but why are Takara's versions so much better looking than Hasbro's?

TT's versions are usually more detailed because they target collectors (Both Japanese and Others) and thus usually add more accurate/detailed paint apps.

The Deluxes are roughly $30 converted (holy smokes), and the Voyagers $45 (yikes!). They can be that expensive because, as I've heard, the Japanese have more disposable income than we do, and thus the toys can still be appealing.

[Joetx]

I know it's subjective, and I bet it's been discussed to death, but why are Takara's versions so much better looking than Hasbro's?

TT's versions are usually more detailed because they target collectors (Both Japanese and Others) and thus usually add more accurate/detailed paint apps.

Who does Hasbro target then? Obviously, kids are 1 of the targets. But I'd bet that adult collectors make up a significant portion of the consumer of TFs, especially ones that are G1 homages like Classics/Generations/United.

And I'd bet that an even larger portion of Seibertron.com readers are adults. Many of us either can't fork over the money to buy Takara's versions or don't want to when Hasbro's are good enough and don't cost an arm & a leg.

Call me cynical, but I think Takara is well aware of the superiority of their product & know that they can make some money off of hard core (mostly) American consumers.

The problem for Hasbro, though, is that people like me who'd buy a remold of a previously released toy if it looked like Takara's version might not do so if it is different like Hasbro's version. For example, I have TFU Inferno. I don't think I'll be getting Grapple. But, if Hasbro's version looked like Takara's, I would definitely buy Grapple. Therefore, Hasbro lost out on a chance to sell a particular product.

Now I'm sure some will prefer Hasbro's Grapple over Takara's, but the consumers don't have much of a choice unless they spend a lot of money.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

I know it's subjective, and I bet it's been discussed to death, but why are Takara's versions so much better looking than Hasbro's?

TT's versions are usually more detailed because they target collectors (Both Japanese and Others) and thus usually add more accurate/detailed paint apps.

Who does Hasbro target then? Obviously, kids are 1 of the targets. But I'd bet that adult collectors make up a significant portion of the consumer of TFs, especially ones that are G1 homages like Classics/Generations/United.

And I'd bet that an even larger portion of Seibertron.com readers are adults. Many of us either can't fork over the money to buy Takara's versions or don't want to when Hasbro's are good enough and don't cost an arm & a leg.

Call me cynical, but I think Takara is well aware of the superiority of their product & know that they can make some money off of hard core (mostly) American consumers.

The problem for Hasbro, though, is that people like me who'd buy a remold of a previously released toy if it looked like Takara's version might not do so if it is different like Hasbro's version. For example, I have TFU Inferno. I don't think I'll be getting Grapple. But, if Hasbro's version looked like Takara's, I would definitely buy Grapple. Therefore, Hasbro lost out on a chance to sell a particular product.

Now I'm sure some will prefer Hasbro's Grapple over Takara's, but the consumers don't have much of a choice unless they spend a lot of money.

Hasbro is a Toys & Entertainment company, so its prime targets are kids and their parents, period. We Collectors only make up 10 to 20 percent of the total market, enough to warrant Hasbro listening to us, but not enough to release exclusive merchandise. We simply pose too much of a market risk for Hasbro, that's why such things are outsourced to the likes of FunPub, end of discussion.
TakaraTomy focuses on the Collectibles more because there's a bigger market for them in Japan. Plus, it was also kind of pushed there by Bandai

[Macross]

I don't really see what the big deal is about Takara's versions being more detailed/accurate than Hasbro's, just buy whichever version you like best.
I guess some people expect to get Takara's quality at Hasbro's prices.
I also find most Hasbro's versions to be very close to their Henkei/United counterparts or at least pretty decent with only a few exceptions (Voyaguer Megatron, Astrotrain, Cyclonus, Classics 1.0 Starscream, you get the idea)