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2021 was a big year for Hasbro's mecha toylines. The ever growing Transformers toylines gave us a lot of product (Kingdom, Studio Series, Cyberverse, MP, MPM, Shaterred Glass, Netflix, Buzzworthy Bumblebee, Rescue Bots, Generations Selects, Crossover) and Hasbro finally released the first Power Rangers zords developed under John Warden, the man who got the Transformers brand where it is now. For those curious as to how Hasbro's other transforming/combining robot themed toyline went, we have an update.
For a quick recap of the Power Ranges toyline, when it first got to North American shores, the toys were based on the same toys previously sold in Japan and as time went on, there were more and more differences between the Japanese version of toys (done by Bandai) and the American version (done by Bandai of America). It wasn't like with Transformers where the Takara version would have a slightly different deco, it was far more extensive. For the past 10 years at least, the toys in Japan for the same mecha were bigger and had electronics. To sell at a lower price point, Bandai of America would literally make a new mold, usually smaller and with less parts. There was even one time in Power Rangers Samurai, where the Japanese version of the 5 animal combiner had 3 modes (limb mode, animal mode, and geometric shape mode) and the American version scrapped the shape mode for 4/5 animals, which made it look ridiculous (Japanese on the left, American on the right).
Now when Hasbro bought the brand, they would do the same, remake new molds for their Power Ranger toyline and hired John Warden as the head of the design team to make these new molds. The first toyline fully developed under John Warden was Dino Fury and fans finally got to experience the zords in the later half of 2021.
And it turns out that for the first time in the history of the brand, the American versions are on par with the Japanese version, or even preferred by fans. While still a toyline for kids, Hasbro went for a more collector oriented mindset in what they favoured. It did not have electronics, and the zords are slightly smaller, but they have more articulation than their Japanese counterparts and the main zord has better proportions, a more detailed sculpt and greater show accuracy. Yes, the American version of the toy is more show accurate. It is also more dynamic and works well as a mecha action figure rather than being a brick (which all Power Ranger/Super Sentai mecha were in the past). So congrats to John Warden and his team on that, it is no small feat (Hasbro on the left, Bandai on the right).
Of course, it does help that Hasbro's mecha came out well after the original series aired in Japan, so they could replicate any show detail the original Japanese toys didn't have. Also, Hasbro's combining system for the zords is not as kid friendly as the Japanese version since it requires more force to connect and disconnect. The original Japanese toys had ports similar to lego bricks with similar ease of building but that also means connections on the Hasbro versions are tighter and less likely to undo while posing the figure (something the Japanese toys never had to worry about). So far, 5 zords have been released with more on the way in 2022, and all can combine together in various ways. Below is an example of combining 4 of them together along with using an extra head that comes with the villain action figure.
What does have to do with both is Hasbro upcoming collector oriented Megazord line. This is the stuff of dreams. It's basically Hasbro creating a Masterpiece Megazord line (something similar to Soul of Chogokin) in the west. The price is along those MP level prices of course, being $165 USD for the original Dino Megazord.
This has a lot of fans excited, not just for this release but for what they will do next. Although the fan enthusiasm for the black repaint was not great, since that purchase was behind an NFT wall.
It was Black Friday today at Toysrus and while it looked great on paper, none of you missed anything. Yes, the Cyberverse one steps and warriors had good sales, but it was the same 5 figures/characters and while the promoted sales on deluxes from the Studio Series line, there were almost none in stock, and none of the more pricey products (like Kingdom Rodimus or any of the Crossovers) were on sale.
BUT they did spice it up with some pretty cool decor. All across the stores were large standees promoting their action figure area. While the designs for He-Man and Batman were pulled from more recent sources, the one for Transformers was a surprise. It was Bumblebee as portrayed in the G1 Marvel Comics. You can see it below.
Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner, 58, passed away earlier today, just two days after taking a medical leave of absence. Goldner joined Hasbro in 2000, became the CEO of Hasbro in 2008 and its chairman in 2015. He was instrumental in transforming Hasbro from just a toy company to an entertainment company. While his cause of death has not been officially announced, he had been battling with cancer during the past decade. He was preceded in death by his son Brandon. He is survived by his wife Barbara and his daughter Brooke. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and his co-workers.
Brian Goldner at Charity event for Transformers Movie alongside Tyrese Gibson and Rachael Taylor
On a personal note, I first met Brian Goldner at Toy Fair 2007 when he was the COO of Hasbro. It was the first time that Transformers Movie products were being revealed. It was also a big week because there was also an industry screener in New York City hosted by Dreamworks and Michael Bay that featured about 20 minutes of the Transformers movie. A couple of months later, Brian personally called to invite me to the premiere of the Transformers Movie in 2007 at a Hasbro Children's Hospital charity event in Providence, Rhode Island. I was very honored and humbled that he had reached out to me so that I could experience the special event and cover it for Seibertron.com.
When I saw him at BotCon 2007, he came up to me while I was photographing the new Transformers movie toys and products at the Hasbro booth. During our conversation, his daughter Brooke came up to him. He introduced me to her as "Ryan, the owner of the Transformers fansite Seibertron.com". His daughter smiled, and said "Seibertron.com? That's the website you are on every night before you go to bed!" We both had a laugh at his daughter innocently outing that he was checking out Transformers coverage on Seibertron.com (presumably to keep his finger on the fan pulse pertaining to the movie) and that moment has remained one of my favorite Seibertron.com memories over the years. It was an honor to know that he was checking out Seibertron.com.
Brian Goldner alongside a Transformers Movie Bumblebee toy at Toy Fair 2007
Brian Goldner was one of the first people from Hasbro to personally reach out to me. He was sincere and helped me feel special about Seibertron.com. It was an honor to have met him. Thanks for all you did for all of us, Brian.
On behalf of the entire Seibertron.com family, we extend our condolences to those closest to Brian Goldner.
Greetings Seibertronians! Today I bring good news for all Transformer fans in the United Kingdom! As, we've learned from toy reviewer, Thew's twitter account, and fellow Seibertron user, Blackeyedprime, that Hasbro had finally set up the UK arm of their Hasbro Pulse website!
This means another place for UK Transformer fans to get their figures and future Exclusives from (indeed, you can preorder the recently revealed Transformers Selects G2 Ramjet figure). Currently the Transformers selection is limited to the releases seen this year so far (Studio Series 86 wave 1 deluxes, Voyagers and leader Grimlock, Studio Series Bumblebee Voyager Class Starscream, Deluxe B127 and Dino, all Kingdom Waves 1 + 2, as well as all crossover figures made so far.)
It should also be pointed out that the Buzzworthy Bumblebee releases are also featured under the Exclusives tab, along with MPM-12 Bumblebee Movie Optimus Prime.
Hopefully going forward, we'll see a greater synchronisation between what is released in the American store and the UK one, meaning we shouldn't miss out on any future exclusives but time will tell on that.
Hasbro are advertising a special offer for buyers wishing to join their premium subscription, as seen in the image below:
It's not all good news however, as expected, its UK only meaning European Transformer fans, among many others will not be able to buy from the site unless having a UK postal address.
So what does our UK fans think about this news then? Excited about getting exclusives straight from the source?
Shout out in the Energon Pub and stay tuned to Seibertron for all the latest news and reviews!
Thanks go to Hasbro (and fellow Seibertronian Aronjlove) for letting us know that the final trailer for the quickly approaching War for Cybertron: Siege series is available to view!
Netflix and Hasbro, Inc., in partnership with Rooster Teeth, today released the final main trailer for Chapter One of the highly anticipated TRANSFORMERS: WAR FOR CYBERTRON TRILOGY, premiering on Netflix July 30, 2020. The Series raises the stakes of the Autobot and Decepticon war with Chapter One having six, twenty-two minute episodes, complete with a new animation look and style that presents the TRANSFORMERS bots like you’ve never seen them before. The TRANSFORMERS: WAR FOR CYBERTRON TRILOGY plunges us deep into events that live at the heart of this legendary franchise, with SIEGE shining a spotlight on a critical timeframe in TRANSFORMERS history on Cybertron.
TRANSFORMERS: WAR FOR CYBERTRON TRILOGY: SIEGE begins in the final hours of the devastating civil war between the Autobots and Decepticons. The war that has torn apart their home planet of Cybertron is at a tipping point. Two leaders, Optimus Prime and Megatron, both want to save their world and unify their people, but only on their own terms. In an attempt to end the conflict, Megatron is forced to consider using the Allspark, the source of all life and power on Cybertron, to “reformat” the Autobots, thus “unifying” Cybertron. Outnumbered, outgunned, and under SIEGE, the battle-weary Autobots orchestrate a desperate series of counterstrikes on a mission that, if everything somehow goes right, will end with an unthinkable choice: kill their planet in order to save it.
Rooster Teeth (RWBY, gen:LOCK) is producing the original series for Netflix, and Polygon Pictures (Godzilla, Knights of Sidonia) is serving as the animation studio. TRANSFORMERS veteran F.J. DeSanto (Transformers: Titans Return, Transformers: Power of the Primes) is serving as showrunner on the series with several contributing writers, including George Krstic (Megas XLR), Gavin Hignight (Transformers: Cyberverse), and Brandon Easton (Agent Carter, Transformers: Rescue Bots).
The Series voice talent cast includes Jake Foushee (Optimus Prime), Jason Marnocha (Megatron), Linsay Rousseau (Elita-1), Joe Zieja (Bumblebee), Frank Todaro (Starscream), Rafael Goldstein (Ratchet), Keith Silverstein (Jetfire), Todd Haberkorn (Shockwave, Red Alert), Edward Bosco (Ultra Magnus, Soundwave), Bill Rogers (Wheeljack), Sophia Isabella (Arcee), Brook Chalmers (Impactor), Shawn Hawkins (Mirage), Kaiser Johnson (Ironhide), Miles Luna (Teletraan I, Cliffjumper) and Mark Whitten (Sideswipe, Skywarp).
Not only that, but the communication from Hasbro included this final line
More details regarding Chapter Two, TRANSFORMERS: WAR FOR CYBERTRON TRILOGY: EARTHRISE and Chapter Three coming soon.
This confirms that we're not only getting an Earthrise cartoon, but we may learn the title of the final chapter in the War for Cybertron Trilogy sooner than we think!
July 30th can't come soon enough! What do you think, fellow Seibertronians? Let us know in the comments below!
As we get ready to close out the year, the Transformers Hall of Fame is ready to induct a few new members from 2019!
The 2019 Hall of Fame vote is now online, and you can find that vote HERE. The vote contains 2 different voting areas, one for a new fictional character to join the Hall of Fame Lineup, the other to induct a Hasbro Transformers figure from this year into the Hall of Fame. Don't worry, this vote is open to anyone and is not exclusive to social media sites, allowing anyone with an internet connection to vote.
This year, the vote is a little strange, with only 1984 cartoon cast members being on the vote. Amusingly, this vote does include little known character Hauler, who showed up only briefly in the cartoon but has become a fan favorite with a cult following.
Head on over to the vote, and let us know below who you voted to go into the Hall of Fame!
2019 CATEGORIES:
Favorite fictional character from the 1984 season of The Transformers animated television series.
2019 Transformers War for Cybertron Siege toy of the year.
See the official Facebook announcement with link to vote here!
Voting begins Tuesday, December 3 at 10am EST (TODAY!) and closes on Friday, December 7 at 11:59pm EST.
Winners of both categories will be announced on the Transformers Facebook page later this month.
PAST HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES:
Fictional Character Inductees:
Megatron (Class of 2010)
Dinobot* (Class of 2010)
Bumblebee (Class of 2010)
Optimus Prime (Class of 2010)
Starscream (Class of 2010)
Ironhide (Class of 2011)
Ratchet (Class of 2011)
Waspinator* (Class of 2011)
Soundwave (Class of 2011)
Shockwave (Class of 2012)
Jazz (Class of 2012)
Grimlock (Class of 2012)
Wheeljack* (Class of 2012)
Ultra Magnus* (Class of 2013)
Megatron – Beast Wars* (Class of 2013)
Rodimus* (Class of 2014)
Arcee* (Class of 2014)
Predaking* (Class of 2015)
Prowl* (Class of 2015)
Optimus Primal* (Class of 2016)
Cosmos* (Class of 2016)
Galvatron* (Class of 2017)
Barricade – Movie* (Class of 2017)
Blackarachnia* (Class of 2018)
Favorite Toy:
Trypticon* (Class of 2017)
Battletrap* (Class of 2018)
*Denotes fan-voted inductees
Voting options include:
Fictional Character:
BLUESTREAK
BRAWN
CLIFFJUMPER
GEARS
HOUND
HUFFER
MIRAGE
SIDESWIPE
SUNSTREAKER
TRAILBREAKER
WINDCHARGER
JETFIRE
SLUG
SLUDGE
SNARL
SWOOP
HAULER
LASERBEAK
RAVAGE
REFLECTOR
RUMBLE
SKYWARP
THUNDERCRACKER
BOMBSHELL
BONECRUSHER
DEVASTATOR
HOOK
KICKBACK
LONG HAUL
MIXMASTER
SCAVENGER
SCRAPPER
SHRAPNEL
Favorite Toy
VOYAGER WFC-S39 THUNDERCRACKER
DELUXE WFC-S22 AUTOBOT SIX-GUN
DELUXE WFC-S37 BRUNT
LEADER WFC-S40 GALAXY UPGRADE OPTIMUS PRIME
COMMANDER WFC-S28 JETFIRE
VOYAGER WFC-S24 STARSCREAM
DELUXE WFC-S8 COG
VOYAGER WFC-S25 SOUNDWAVE
DELUXE WFC-S23 PROWL
DELUXE WFC-S20 CHROMIA
DELUXE WFC-S21 IRONHIDE
DELUXE WFC-S42 AUTOBOT IMPACTOR
TITAN WFC-S29 OMEGA SUPREME
DELUXE WFC-S43 AUTOBOT MIRAGE
DELUXE WFC-S36 REFRACKTOR
LEADER WFC-S14 SHOCKWAVE
DELUXE WFC-S10 SIDESWIPE
VOYAGER WFC-S11 OMTIMUS PRIME
DELUXE WFC-S41 BARRICADE
DELUXE WFC-S35 RED ALERT
DELUXE WFC-S9 AUTOBOT HOUND
VOYAGER WFC-S12 MEGATRON
LEADER WFC-S13 ULTRA MAGNUS
VOYAGER WFC-S38 AUTOBOT SPRINGER
DELUXE WFC-S7 SKYTREAD
REFRAKTOR RECONNAISSANCE TEAM 3-PACK (SPECTRO, VIEWFINDER, & SPYGLASS)
Greetings fellow Seibertronians! So, Bumblebee did kind of well at the box office, did you hear? So well in fact that although not even the power of the Matrix itself could put its sibling company Paramount in the black, it nonetheless was able to provide Viacom with a considerable earnings boost! According to the Hollywood Reporter Viacom CEO Bob Bakish points to the studio’s new management’s schedule of movies such as Bumblebee which, he notes, was a step in a new direction "It's a better movie, the characters are better, the story is better, it's done in a more fiscally responsible way, and we're making nice money on it,".
The information was presented last Tuesday at the J.P. Morgan Technology, Media, and Communications Conference in Boston. He also discussed Bumblebee along with other projects and mergers to be the beginning steps in revitalizing Paramount Pictures. Viacom posted adjusted earnings of $383 million, or 95 cents per share, compared with $371 million, or 92 cents per share, as was posted in the year prior. Wall Street had estimated Viacom would only average 81 cents per share.
He was also presented with the current issue of trade talks between the U.S. and China and if he foresaw that impacting Viacom and other Hollywood studios. “Clearly there’s a lot of noise about China, creating some uncertainty…I don’t anticipate any long-term problem here, but we will have to see how the negotiations play out,” he said.
Viacom posted adjusted operating income of $29 million, compared to last years figure of just $9 million. There is currently estimated to be a loss of $20 million amid a 3.5 percent revenue decline, but spillover from Bumblebee supplementing the offset of theatrical decreases versus home video revenue declines.
In conclusion he stated “This quarter we executed strongly on our strategic priorities and made significant progress in advancing our evolution. We grew viewership share at our flagship networks, accelerated our Advanced Marketing Solutions and continued our momentum at Paramount Pictures. As the media landscape continues to segment across price points, we’re confident in our strategy, strong results and the opportunities ahead as we continue to position Viacom for the future”
Hasbro has a question for you. To celebrate the Transformers franchise's 35th anniversary Hasbro is launching a year-long campaign asking fans how they are "More than Meets the Eye". To kick off the celebration they have a special video from Angela Bassett (Shatter in Bumblebee) where she explains how she's "More" and is asking fans to do the same across social media using #MorethanMeetstheEye.
HASBRO REVEALS ‘MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE’ CAMPAIGN IN CELEBRATION OF TRANSFORMERS 35TH ANNIVERSARY
Angela Bassett Kicks-Off Campaign - Activating Fans, Celebrities and Creatives
to Showcase How They’re MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE
PAWTUCKET, RI – April 29, 2019 – In honor of the 35th anniversary of the TRANSFORMERS franchise, Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAS) today revealed a new brand campaign that celebrates how we’re all MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE. The MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE campaign will activate fans, celebrities and the creative minds behind the TRANSFORMERS franchise to embrace and showcase how they are MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE through videos. For 35 years MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE has been associated with the TRANSFORMERS brand and is reinforced across all elements of the franchise.
To kick off the campaign, a video featuring Angela Bassett, who starred in 2018’s critically acclaimed BUMBLEBEE film, debuted revealing how she is MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE. In the video, Bassett mentions that besides being a Golden Globe Award recipient, she is also a graduate of Yale College and Yale University. In BUMBLEBEE, Bassett voiced the Decepticon character SHATTER.
The MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE video campaign will be promoted throughout 2019 – with new videos dropping every month. Fans can expect to see familiar faces – both new and old – who have greatly impacted the franchise over the last 35 years. From individuals involved in the creation of the 1986 Transformers animated movie, to Transformers game designers and comic book creators, a wide variety of people have been tapped to contribute to this campaign.
Each video that is part of this campaign will feature the same call to action – “how are you MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE.” Using #MorethanMeetstheEye, we’re asking fans to post videos to social networks that showcase how they are MORE. Whether it’s a hidden talent, a charitable passion, or a hobby, we’re looking to hear how they are MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE.
About Hasbro Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS) is a global play and entertainment company committed to Creating the World's Best Play Experiences. From toys and games to television, movies, digital gaming and consumer products, Hasbro offers a variety of ways for audiences to experience its iconic brands, including NERF, MY LITTLE PONY, TRANSFORMERS, PLAY-DOH, MONOPOLY, BABY ALIVE and MAGIC: THE GATHERING, as well as premier partner brands. Through its entertainment labels, Allspark Pictures and Allspark Animation, the Company is building its brands globally through great storytelling and content on all screens. Hasbro is committed to making the world a better place for children and their families through corporate social responsibility and philanthropy. Hasbro ranked No. 5 on the 2018 100 Best Corporate Citizens list by CR Magazine, and has been named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies® by Ethisphere Institute for the past seven years. Learn more at http://www.hasbro.com, and follow us on Twitter (@Hasbro) and Instagram (@Hasbro).
There are a lot of corporate deals happening and many involve our beloved Transformers. We were sent a press release from Hasbro regarding an international distribution deal with Cartoon Network for Transformers: Cyberverse. Transformers: Cyberverse will be coming to Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America in late 2018. You can read the press release below.
In other deal news we have a pretty big one with confirmation that Paramount has partnered with Netflix to for a multi picture film deal. There are not a lot of details, but the article from the Observer states the following:
While no specific properties were mentioned on the call, the deal would seem to provide Netflix with access to valuable IP such as Transformers, Star Trek, Cloverfield and more.
This is because Paramount does own the license for Transformers films and if anyone is curious about what that entails legally, we unearthed Viacom's legal agreement/ownerhip details. You can click here to see it.
Hasbro Studios Announces International Distribution Deal with Cartoon Network for Transformers: Cyberverse
Transformers: Cyberverse to Roll Out to Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America Late 2018
Burbank, CA, November 20, 2018 - Hasbro Studios, the Los Angeles-based entertainment distribution division of Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS), announced today an international deal with Cartoon Network to distribute Season One of the hit animated series “Transformers: Cyberverse” to Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. The deal includes both linear and digital distribution to bring the show, which is already a hit on Cartoon Network in the U.S., to the rest of the world.
“We’re very excited to continue to grow our relationship with Cartoon Network,” said Finn Arnesen,
SVP Global Distribution & Development at Hasbro Studios. “They’re the perfect partner to bring ‘Transformers: Cyberverse’ to an international audience and allow fans around the world to enjoy a new Transformers saga that’s truly More Than Meets the Eye.”
In “Transformers: Cyberverse” Bumblebee is on a critical mission where lives are at stake. Only, he can’t remember what it is. It’s a good thing his best friend Windblade has found him to help repair his damaged memory chips. With each recovered memory, Bumblebee rediscovers his past adventures on Cybertron before coming to Earth. He relives fun moments when he played Cybertronian sports with his friends, and even tragic ones that would change his life. His past will shape him into becoming the hero we know today. As each memory is repaired, another clue comes to light that will lead them both to complete their shared mission to save their friends and Earth… however, the Decepticons are hot on their heels and time is running out.
About Hasbro
(NASDAQ: HAS) is a global play and entertainment company committed to Creating the World's Best Play Experiences. From toys and games to television, movies, digital gaming and consumer products, Hasbro offers a variety of ways for audiences to experience its iconic brands, including NERF, MY LITTLE PONY, TRANSFORMERS, PLAY-DOH, MONOPOLY, BABY ALIVE and MAGIC: THE GATHERING, as well as premier partner brands. Through its entertainment labels, Allspark Pictures and Allspark Animation, the Company is building its brands globally through great storytelling and content on all screens. Hasbro is committed to making the world a better place for children and their families through corporate social responsibility and philanthropy. Hasbro ranked No. 5 on the 2018 100 Best Corporate Citizens list by CR Magazine, and has been named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies® by Ethisphere Institute for the past seven years. Learn more at http://www.hasbro.com, and follow us on Twitter (@Hasbro) and Instagram (@Hasbro).
About Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is Turner’s global entertainment brand and the # 1 animation network in the U.S., offering the best in original content for kids and families with such hits as, Adventure Time, The Powerpuff Girls, Steven Universe, We Bare Bears and The Amazing World of Gumball. Seen in 192 countries and over 400 million homes, Cartoon Network is known for being a leader in innovation with its approach to engaging and inspiring kids at the intersection of creativity and technology.
Recently, the new Hasbro X Alpha Transformers MA-1, a bomber jacket designed to flip between a yellow Bumblebee theme or a G1 box art theme, went up pre-order. Well, thanks to seibertron xRotorstormx, we now have in hand images for this beast! Here, we get a closer look at the detail found on the jacket itself. The bomber jacket even has a tag pretending it's from the 1959 (despite it saying 2018 on the copyright)! The pictures mostly show the Bumblebee, default side, but you can clearly see on the inside the classical G1 box art printed onto the jacket!
If you want to buy the Hasbro X Alpha Transformers MA-1 bomber jacket, you can order it here for $250 on the Alpha Industries website.
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