e-Hobby Transformers United Autobots & Decepticons 3-Pack Comic Preview & Souveniers

I got that email from E-Hobby today.

The Autobot set pre-order is sold out but the Decepticon set is still available. I'm perfectly happy with Henkei Cyclonus and Generations Scourge and hate Classics Galvatron plus it's expensive so I'll be passing.

Roll on the next exclusive from E-Hobby, ToyHobbyMarket or whoever.

I love that after 24 or 25 years that Takara Tomy is FINALLY using the English names of these extremely popular characters for their products. I thought for years that their choice of names should've been tossed aside for the better American names ... especially Destrons, Cybertrons, Convoy, Bumble, and Seibertron. The usage of the American names is so much better. I'll always love names like Black Convoy and Lio Convoy and such, but dammit Optimus Prime should be Optimus Prime.

bvzxa wrote:

Diem wrote:

Seibertron wrote:I love that after 24 or 25 years that Takara Tomy is FINALLY using the English names of these extremely popular characters for their products. I thought for years that their choice of names should've been tossed aside for the better American names ... especially Destrons, Cybertrons, Convoy, Bumble, and Seibertron. The usage of the American names is so much better. I'll always love names like Black Convoy and Lio Convoy and such, but dammit Optimus Prime should be Optimus Prime.

I have to disagree. I just find it sad. Those names may have sounded less appealing to Western ears but they made a lot more sense in Japanese. For a non-Indo-European language with no Latin roots Optimus Prime sounds like so much gobbledygook while Convoy sounds powerful and forceful. Destron sounds way better than Decepticon, especially outside of English speaking countries. It's pretty sad that Japanese creators have to bend to the Hollywood movie rather than still being able to put their own stance on things.

Really, each country should have the right to their own cultural take on things without having to bow to Americanization.

Sorry to rant but you hit one of my sore points there.

Well it comes down to translation.

The biggest confusion is how Japan has all the Convoys....but one true Convoy. Then after that they get a different designation like Black, Fire, Lio etc, to differentiate them from the original Convoy. Here in the US every show since g1/beast wars has Optimus Prime as the name of the leader. I prefer the japanese designations any day

I think if you look at it from a global marketing perspective, it makes more sense this way. Until the live action Transformers films, Transformers was never a big seller over in Japan (at least from what I've been told by multiple people and as evident from the limited amount of product released pre-movie). Since the movies were released, the popularity seems to have increased greatly. I think with a global brand like this that it makes more sense to have a cohesive branding for marketing purposes around the world. Just an opinion I've had for the better part of a decade. Seems like someone at Takara Tomy seems to agree.

It would be interesting to hear someone's perspective about this that has lived in Japan all of their life.

Damnit, you're right...
:throws Shakespeare collection into the fireplace with a can full of gas - lights a match:

PS You're right, the popularity has of gone up because the movies have introduced kids to Transformers in the USA, Japan and the world so luckily for us the popularity is up and we get more toys and I'm sure more movies in the future too.

Rated X wrote:Shouldnt all of these sets be "Japanese versions" ??? I mean it's not like you can walk into TRU or Target and buy an american version of these sets.

Transformers being sold in countries that aren't Japan or America?!? Alert the town elders!

In fact this refers to other Asian markets. Though Japan is the primary market Takara does sell some adjusted products in other Asian countries.

Jazz-1982 wrote:

Seibertron wrote:

bvzxa wrote:

Diem wrote:

Seibertron wrote:I love that after 24 or 25 years that Takara Tomy is FINALLY using the English names of these extremely popular characters for their products. I thought for years that their choice of names should've been tossed aside for the better American names ... especially Destrons, Cybertrons, Convoy, Bumble, and Seibertron. The usage of the American names is so much better. I'll always love names like Black Convoy and Lio Convoy and such, but dammit Optimus Prime should be Optimus Prime.

I have to disagree. I just find it sad. Those names may have sounded less appealing to Western ears but they made a lot more sense in Japanese. For a non-Indo-European language with no Latin roots Optimus Prime sounds like so much gobbledygook while Convoy sounds powerful and forceful. Destron sounds way better than Decepticon, especially outside of English speaking countries. It's pretty sad that Japanese creators have to bend to the Hollywood movie rather than still being able to put their own stance on things.

Really, each country should have the right to their own cultural take on things without having to bow to Americanization.

Sorry to rant but you hit one of my sore points there.

Well it comes down to translation.

The biggest confusion is how Japan has all the Convoys....but one true Convoy. Then after that they get a different designation like Black, Fire, Lio etc, to differentiate them from the original Convoy. Here in the US every show since g1/beast wars has Optimus Prime as the name of the leader. I prefer the japanese designations any day

I think if you look at it from a global marketing perspective, it makes more sense this way. Until the live action Transformers films, Transformers was never a big seller over in Japan (at least from what I've been told by multiple people and as evident from the limited amount of product released pre-movie). Since the movies were released, the popularity seems to have increased greatly. I think with a global brand like this that it makes more sense to have a cohesive branding for marketing purposes around the world. Just an opinion I've had for the better part of a decade. Seems like someone at Takara Tomy seems to agree.

It would be interesting to hear someone's perspective about this that has lived in Japan all of their life.

I agree with Seibertron in that don't really like any of the Japanese names. Jazz is a million times cooler than Meister, Optimus Prime is way better than Convoy etc.
Diem, I totally see your point but personally I think American names superior, Japanese names inferior.

I gotta admit in english terms the name convoy sounds horrible. In english, the word "convoy" sinply means "transport". So if you had a friend named Mike who was a Prime, his name would be "Mike Convoy" in Japanese. Translated in english he would be "Mike Transport". Even you gotta admit that sounds silly. I dont accociate the word "transport" with anything powerful or forceful. But the word "Prime" is short for "Primary" which means "first" or "number one" in english. And who better than the leader to be number one ???