The Energon Pub

[El Duque]

Site sponsor Kapow Toys dropped by with some exciting news. They've listed two new pre-orders for Takara Transformers Prime Arms Micron figures scheduled to arrive in August, AM-18 Arachnid and AM-17 Swoop! We got our first look at Deluxe Airachnid late last month, but this is the first we've heard of Voyager Swoop. Are the Dinobots headed for Transformers Prime?

Still no word on what character will fill the AM-15 and AM-16 slots.

Update: We have a correction to yesterday's news regarding Takara's Transformers Prime Arms Micron AM-17, due to a mistranslation. AM-17 (スワーブ) is actually Swerve rather than the previously reported Swoop. Sorry to dash your Dinobot dreams!

I've double checked the info on some Japanese sites, and it has cleared: AM-17 is indeed Swerve, not Swoop. Easy mistake to make though, look at this, and watch the accents:

スワープ = Suwaapu or "Swarp" -> Swoop
スワーブ = Suwaabu or "Swarb" -> Swerve

Next question: who could he be a repaint of, if he is a repaint?

[BeastProwl]

I hope pics come soon for Swoop. I want to know whats up! If they are doing the dinos, and swoop is the first one, that means they have to do more!

[Sabrblade]

I'm betting Swoop will be another case like Skywarp: A redeco of an existing mold. And given his airborne name, I'm thinking a redeco of either Voyager Starscream or Dreadwing.

[F Prime]

I'm betting Swoop will be another case like Skywarp: A redeco of an existing mold. And given his airborne name, I'm thinking a redeco of either Voyager Starscream or Dreadwing.

I hope this isn't the case. Do we know whether or not he abandoned his dino mode from FoC? My hope is not, but I haven't heard anything.

[Sabrblade]

I'm betting Swoop will be another case like Skywarp: A redeco of an existing mold. And given his airborne name, I'm thinking a redeco of either Voyager Starscream or Dreadwing.

I hope this isn't the case. Do we know whether or not he abandoned his dino mode from FoC? My hope is not, but I haven't heard anything.

Well, I'm only thinking this since there's been no Dinobot molds announced by Hasbro yet, and Takara's only using existing molds for the figures (model kits don't count) in the Prime AM line. So what's left for Takara to use? Existing molds. And, unless Hasbro pulls a Pteranodon mold out of thin air pretty soon, Starscream and Dreadwing may be the best ones available to use.

[F Prime]

I'm betting Swoop will be another case like Skywarp: A redeco of an existing mold. And given his airborne name, I'm thinking a redeco of either Voyager Starscream or Dreadwing.

I hope this isn't the case. Do we know whether or not he abandoned his dino mode from FoC? My hope is not, but I haven't heard anything.

Well, I'm only thinking this since there's been no Dinobot molds announced by Hasbro yet, and Takara's only using existing molds for the figures (model kits don't count) in the Prime AM line. So what's left for Takara to use? Existing molds. And, unless Hasbro pulls a Pteranodon mold out of thin air pretty soon, Starscream and Dreadwing may be the best ones available to use.

My hope would be that they wouldn't treat this character that way, but you never know. They have made worse decisions in the past.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

It's also entirely possible that Swoop is the Japanese name of Dreadwing. TakaraTomy isn't above changing names to suit their needs, US Animated Bulkhead into Ironhide, and Ironhide into Armorhide being good examples.

[Sabrblade]

It's also entirely possible that Swoop is the Japanese name of Dreadwing. TakaraTomy isn't above changing names to suit their needs, US Animated Bulkhead into Ironhide, and Ironhide into Armorhide being good examples.

The full name of the toy listing is AM-17 Autobot Swoop (not on Kapow Toys, but on other place like the Planet Iacon Facebook).

[Jelze Bunnycat]

It's also entirely possible that Swoop is the Japanese name of Dreadwing. TakaraTomy isn't above changing names to suit their needs, US Animated Bulkhead into Ironhide, and Ironhide into Armorhide being good examples.

The full name of the toy listing is AM-17 Autobot Swoop (not on Kapow Toys, but on other place like the Planet Iacon Facebook).

Huh. Color me surprised

[gavinfuzzy]

I'm betting Swoop will be another case like Skywarp: A redeco of an existing mold. And given his airborne name, I'm thinking a redeco of either Voyager Starscream or Dreadwing.

I hope this isn't the case. Do we know whether or not he abandoned his dino mode from FoC? My hope is not, but I haven't heard anything.

Well, I'm only thinking this since there's been no Dinobot molds announced by Hasbro yet, and Takara's only using existing molds for the figures (model kits don't count) in the Prime AM line. So what's left for Takara to use? Existing molds. And, unless Hasbro pulls a Pteranodon mold out of thin air pretty soon, Starscream and Dreadwing may be the best ones available to use.

TFP Voyager Breakdown was revealed by Takara 1st, and not Hasbro.

[Sabrblade]

TFP Voyager Breakdown was revealed by Takara 1st, and not Hasbro.

That was a dual Hasbro/Takara panel. Both companies were present for that convention.

[Hypershock]

swoop's probably just gonna be a repaint of dreadwing or starscream :/

[gavinfuzzy]

TFP Voyager Breakdown was revealed by Takara 1st, and not Hasbro.

That was a dual Hasbro/Takara panel. Both companies were present for that convention.

Yes, both companies were present, but it was revealed in the Takara panel, as part of the AM line, but not showed in subsequent hasbro presentations. Well, takara does create most of the molds anyways. But I still doubt it's the Dinobot swoop. More like Skyquake-repaint-swoop.

[Sabrblade]

TFP Voyager Breakdown was revealed by Takara 1st, and not Hasbro.

That was a dual Hasbro/Takara panel. Both companies were present for that convention.

Yes, both companies were present, but it was revealed in the Takara panel, as part of the AM line, but not showed in subsequent hasbro presentations. Well, takara does create most of the molds anyways.

It was still the Hasbro version of the prototype, as, like you said, Takara makes the molds.

But I still doubt it's the Dinobot swoop. More like Skyquake-repaint-swoop.

It'll probably be like a "what if" body, since it'll be an Aligned Swoop toy. Or, then again, since Japan isn't getting the video games, it'll be a Japanese Prime coninuity version of Aligned Swoop, who is a jet instead of a dino.

[Dead Metal]

TFP Voyager Breakdown was revealed by Takara 1st, and not Hasbro.

That was a dual Hasbro/Takara panel. Both companies were present for that convention.

Yes, both companies were present, but it was revealed in the Takara panel, as part of the AM line, but not showed in subsequent hasbro presentations. Well, takara does create most of the molds anyways.

It was still the Hasbro version of the prototype, as, like you said, Takara makes the molds.

But I still doubt it's the Dinobot swoop. More like Skyquake-repaint-swoop.

It'll probably be like a "what if" body, since it'll be an Aligned Swoop toy. Or, then again, since Japan isn't getting the video games, it'll be a Japanese Prime coninuity version of Aligned Swoop, who is a jet instead of a dino.

Takara has revealed plenty of figures before Hasbro, like for instance Airachnid and PRID Voyager Bulkhead.

[Sabrblade]

Takara has revealed plenty of figures before Hasbro, like for instance Airachnid and PRID Voyager Bulkhead.

When did they reveal Bulkhead first?

And the only pics we've seen of Airachnid have been of the Hasbro version in scans of a Chinese magazine.

[Dead Metal]

Takara has revealed plenty of figures before Hasbro, like for instance Airachnid and PRID Voyager Bulkhead.

When did they reveal Bulkhead first?

And the only pics we've seen of Airachnid have been of the Hasbro version in scans of a Chinese magazine.

http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/ ... nid/23767/
It's just concept art from the show, but we heard of the existence of these by Takara first. And Swoop is a likely repeat.

There are even older cases than these, like Universe Ratchet, and Dinobot.

[Sabrblade]

Takara has revealed plenty of figures before Hasbro, like for instance Airachnid and PRID Voyager Bulkhead.

When did they reveal Bulkhead first?

And the only pics we've seen of Airachnid have been of the Hasbro version in scans of a Chinese magazine.

http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/ ... nid/23767/
It's just concept art from the show, but we heard of the existence of these by Takara first. And Swoop is a likely repeat.

There are even older cases than these, like Universe Ratchet, and Dinobot.

Okay, I'll concede on new molds being announced by Takara. You got me on that. Though, it's lately been the Hasbro versions that have been revealed (as in "seen") first.

So, it could be a new mold, yes. Though, if it is, we'll probably see Hasbro's version before we see Takara's.

[kirbenvost]

Swoop, eh... interesting news, hopefully it'll be a new mold!

[Dead Metal]

Takara has revealed plenty of figures before Hasbro, like for instance Airachnid and PRID Voyager Bulkhead.

When did they reveal Bulkhead first?

And the only pics we've seen of Airachnid have been of the Hasbro version in scans of a Chinese magazine.

http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/ ... nid/23767/
It's just concept art from the show, but we heard of the existence of these by Takara first. And Swoop is a likely repeat.

There are even older cases than these, like Universe Ratchet, and Dinobot.

Okay, I'll concede on new molds being announced by Takara. You got me on that. Though, it's lately been the Hasbro versions that have been revealed (as in "seen") first.

So, it could be a new mold, yes. Though, if it is, we'll probably see Hasbro's version before we see Takara's.

Irrelevant, fact is Takara often announces stuff before Hasbro does, even brandnew molds. That was the whole point behind this, that the possibility of this being a new mold is there.

[craggy]

if it isn't a new mold, and I hope it is, but if it isn't, I'd like them to make whatever they repaint look as much like the G1 comic version of Divebomb as possible. Especially since he seems to already be Swoop in the FOC game.

[ausbot]

What a cock-up apparently its Swerve, not Swoop!

[phase]

I think it may be a new mold, as at a recent seminar Hasbro hinted at TF: P Dinobots.

[Volrathicus Baenimus]

Okay, so now its Swerve, not Swoop. Still a voyager. Don't really see any of the known voyagers being repainted as Swerve. In G1 he was a pickup, Universe a racecar & a Chevy aveo, Energon a sports car, Alternators and movies he was various Corvettes, upcoming asia-only generations hes a Kup pickup repaint.

The closest to any of those modes we always know a mold for in voyager is I guess Breakdown maybe? And thats not that close.

[Jelze Bunnycat]

What a cock-up apparently its Swerve, not Swoop!

You sure? I'd like to see the name of the guy in Japanese script, as both names are spelled almost the same in Japanese; the only difference would be a dakuten (for "b" or "v" sounds) or handakuten (for "p" sounds).

EDIT: apparently it is Swerve. The Katakana (NOT Kanji) spell out スワーブ, su-wa-a-bu, or Swerve. so get updating!