The Energon Pub

[El Duque]

Japanese toy blogger Alfes 2010 has posted in-hand images of Takara Tomy's newly released Transformers Go! figures. The mainline figure images include comparison shots with their Hasbro counterparts. He's also posted images of the EG Collection figures in both robot and vehicles modes. Check out the images mirrored below.

G11 Hunter Optimus Prime




G12 Dragotron (Predaking)




G13 Hunter Shockwave








G14 Hunter Bumblebee




G15 Hunter Bulkhead




G16 Hunter Wheeljack




G17 Hunter Starscream




G18 Hunter Soundwave






EG Collection EG01 Optimus Prime, EG02 Bumblebee, EG03 Prowl, EG04 Smokescreen, EG05 Hound, EG06 Tank Megatron, EG07 Starscream, EG08 Airachnid

[Jelze Bunnycat]

As far as I can tell, Go! Optimus Prime and Beast Hunters Optimus Prime have the same amount of paint, how shocking. The plastic colors are different, but that's it (ok, the paint on the rear windows is different too).

Let the rage begin

[Sabrblade]

Minor differences all around.

I'll stick with Hasbro's toys.

[Sodan-1]

Takara all the way. Relatively minor differences on some. Character altering differences on others. Predaking probably has the most insignificant differences. Surprised the wing frames aren't painted black. I'm after the Ultimate figure anyway, so no loss.

I'm after so few of the Beast Hunters molds that I can probably afford to splash out on the Go! line.

[Solrac333]

Takara wins.

[gothsaurus]

So yeah. Wow. The Takara look SoooOOOooo much better. Mind you, I DO like a nice Roadbuster homage. But you know, I'd prefer it with a Roadbuster HEAD.

They really should do some new characters if they change the head sculpt and color. (Though I guess I COULD call him Roadbuster in the privacy of my own home.)

I guess it's little kids dictating the market, though... and those kids, they want 35 Batman figures with different accessories. Me, I prefer the good ole days when a color swap gave you a seeker army of different characters.

[Mindmaster]

I still find it rather odd that Smokescreen and Airachnid, both Prime characters, are included with figures based off of characters from Generation One.

I guess I'm going to have to take a blue sharpie to that Optimus, should I get him. That green for his windows and Star Saber just doesn't look right.

[Nemesis Destron]

Nice to see some love for Takara! I'm really glad that the figures I really want look so much better over their Hasbro release...thanks again Takara you done good!

[breakthru]

WOW! Takara all the way by a COUNTRY MILE!! So glad I held off and waited on these

[Evil Eye]

The Takara versions just look so much better, especially Prime, he looks really good with the green replaced with blue.

Shockwave looks much better too, the Beast Armour actually looks great on the Japanese version.

[Manterax Prime]

I've said it several times and I'll say it again. Prime is the only one worth getting. Everyone else looks surprisingly dull.

[gothsaurus]

yeah, at LEAST it doesn't look like your little sister got a hold of it with the salmon nail polish. LOL.

[Blurrz]

Blue > Green

[MightyMagnus78]

It's amazing what Takara can do when they're not wasting their money making stupid Micron's.

So glad I pre-ordered G11 Hunter Optimus Prime instead of picking up the Hasbro version.

[Sabrblade]

It's amazing what Takara can do when they're not wasting their money making stupid Micron's.

And yet, those were a highly successful gimmick for them, helping to even grant them figures that Hasbro never released.

[gothsaurus]

Yeah, I have to say... I'd take those awesome Microns over the garbage Mech Tech weapons we saw here stateside (or the obnoxious rubber add-ons we're seeing this wave in Beast Hunters. Smokescreen looks silly... and Shockwave looks like bad Scooby Doo villain).

On the flip side, the Microns added a lot of value to me -- new characters, the fun of building a small model kit, a transforming Targetmaster weapon/partner.... If you have to add a gimmick, make it a Micron/Targetmaster/Headmaster, IMHO.

I think a real measure of their value is looking at the secondary market. There is a huge market for selling Microns on their own... collectors with huge collections... but a slim-to-none secondary market for Mech Tech weapons.

[PrymeStriker]

Predaking and Bumblebee's changes seem to be the most minor of all.

Optimus, Bulkhead, and Wheeljack don't look bad, but that doesn't necessarily mean they look good.

Shockwave looks like crap with that color scheme, especially that ugly blue.

Same goes for Starscream and Soundwave. At first, the thorn for these two were their Hasbro color scheme. Now I learn that even Takara could not save these molds. Disgusting.

I'm waiting to see if Takara fixes any of Smokescreen's problems ( ). If not, unless they pull a Breakdown and release a Voyager Hardshell (or Deluxe. I'm desperate at this point), it looks like I'm skipping Takara's whole Transformers No! line.

[SkyWarpsGhost]

Takara Soundwaves' Alt mode plane/drone cockpit looks like Cobra Commanders' head!

[Sabrblade]

Shockwave looks like crap with that color scheme, especially that ugly blue.

He's not blue, he's metallic purple. Just a slightly darker shade than the Hasbro version, but shinier.

Same goes for Starscream and Soundwave. At first, the thorn for these two were their Hasbro color scheme. Now I learn that even Takara could not save these molds. Disgusting.

So, you like neither haphazrdly-colored decos nor uniformly-colored decos? What else is there? "No decos"?

Well, do you think not even this custom saved Screamer's mold?

I'm waiting to see if Takara fixes any of Smokescreen's problems ( ). If not, unless they pull a Breakdown and release a Voyager Hardshell (or Deluxe. I'm desperate at this point), it looks like I'm skipping Takara's whole Transformers No! line.

Not even the Samurai Team or the Ninja Team? Or any of the new-character Pred redecos like Gaidora?

[PrymeStriker]

He's not blue, he's metallic purple. Just a slightly darker shade than the Hasbro version, but shinier.

I'm talking about the periwinkle-ish blue on his arms and shoulders, not the whole deco.

So, you like neither haphazrdly-colored decos nor uniformly-colored decos? What else is there? "No decos"?

What else is there? "No mold." I thought that was bluntly clear in my post.

Well, do you think not even this custom saved Screamer's mold?

Another great custom from Cheetimus. But the mold still looks like horse manure.

Not even the Samurai Team or the Ninja Team? Or any of the new-character Pred redecos like Gaidora?

Nope.

[gothsaurus]

Okay. If Hasbro released that red Terrasaur version of Starscream, I'd pony up and buy it.

[Mindmaster]

Okay. If Hasbro released that red Terrasaur version of Starscream, I'd pony up and buy it.

Agreed. Would make an excellent Dawn of Future's Past Terrorsaur.

[gothsaurus]

That's where this year's TFCC Depth Charge is headed. Anything they "add" to the DoFP set will be bought on sight. Really nice collection, that one. (props to the club) AND yes... currently missing a decent Terrorsaur and Scorponok, among others.

[Sabrblade]

That's where this year's TFCC Depth Charge is headed. Anything they "add" to the DoFP set will be bought on sight. Really nice collection, that one. (props to the club) AND yes... currently missing a decent Terrorsaur and Scorponok, among others.

It's a shame they won't use the Unicron Trilogy molds anymore, since both of Scorponok's pre-Earth designs used molds from those lines (Energon Scorponok body in "Dawn of Future's Past", Cybertron Shortround body in "Theft of the Golden Disk").

Terrorsaur also used Enegon Skyblast's body in "Theft", but also used a unique, non-toy design in "Dawn" that this Starscream could pass for.

[gothsaurus]

Yeah, those Energon molds like Skyblast and Shortround just felt a little forced to me. They just don't feel like those characters. I'd welcome some alternate versions if the club had some good options... but only if they were really spot-on.