Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements

Friday, March 21st, 2025 9:32AM CDT

Categories: Cartoon News, Toy News
Posted by: Emerje Views: 95,381

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Emily and Evan have posted a new video today announcing Haslab Transformers Victory LioKaiser reaching and surpassing its fully funded goal, currently at over 20,000 sets backed. That means all announced tiers have been reached with a little time left for project backing. The campaign ends at 11:59PM ET on March 24, 2025, this coming Monday.

The video also highlights changes that have been recently made to the figures still in their early stage.

Leozak - Panels added to hide his head in jet mode and the screws in LioKaisers chest.
Gaihawk and Ellbat - Their Chest Animals have been altered so the peg no longer sticks out in bot mode. Also the intakes have been changed on their shoulders to fold back instead of forward so they don't get in the way of the combined mode.
Jaruga - The combiner parts that connect to the top of him have been modified to look like missile pods.
Drillhorn and Killbison - They now have wheels hidden in their tracks so they can roll.
Deathcobra - Thigh rotation has been added and in canon mode all of the Chest Animals can be connected to him.

With just over 3 days remaining we're hitting that now or never point. Let us know in the Seibertron Energon Pub forums if any of the changes were enough to get you on board or not.

Credit(s): Hasbro Pulse on YouTube

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Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189263)
Posted by Dino-Snarl on March 21st, 2025 @ 9:50am CDT

We still don't think they have put all the overseas pre-order numbers in as yet. Once they're in, especially Japan, this will blow all other HasLabs away for backings. Hyped that all three tiers are unlocked. There was never any doubt they wouldn't be.

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189265)
Posted by gothsaurus on March 21st, 2025 @ 11:16am CDT

The late edits and additions really help put this over the top. I appreciate the care that's gone into making this the best it can be. You can tell the designers and team really care about the product and the fans. Thanks!

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189278)
Posted by Emerje on March 21st, 2025 @ 8:56pm CDT

Dino-Snarl wrote:We still don't think they have put all the overseas pre-order numbers in as yet. Once they're in, especially Japan, this will blow all other HasLabs away for backings. Hyped that all three tiers are unlocked. There was never any doubt they wouldn't be.

The Japanese ones have been added regularly already, the big jumps we've been seeing lately have come from the overseas pre-orders. There's always a big burst at the end, but I'm not expecting anything spectacular.

Incidentally, they've added nearly 500 just today.

Emerje

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189279)
Posted by Dino-Snarl on March 21st, 2025 @ 8:57pm CDT

Emerje wrote:
Dino-Snarl wrote:We still don't think they have put all the overseas pre-order numbers in as yet. Once they're in, especially Japan, this will blow all other HasLabs away for backings. Hyped that all three tiers are unlocked. There was never any doubt they wouldn't be.

The Japanese ones have been added regularly already, the big jumps we've been seeing lately have come from the overseas pre-orders. There's always a big burst at the end, but I'm not expecting anything spectacular.

Incidentally, they've added nearly 500 just today.

Emerje

Darn.

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189287)
Posted by StrykerTyger on March 22nd, 2025 @ 10:10am CDT

I'm with TJOmega concerning the shoulder joints on the tank guys, though, and wish that they had fixed that bit of engineering. Hopefully it looks and functions better than what it appears like.

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189296)
Posted by Emerje on March 23rd, 2025 @ 2:01am CDT

StrykerTyger wrote:I'm with TJOmega concerning the shoulder joints on the tank guys, though, and wish that they had fixed that bit of engineering. Hopefully it looks and functions better than what it appears like.

They said in the video that they aren't done making modifications, nothing is out of the question, especially if the finally numbers are high enough to justify bigger changes.

Emerje

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189303)
Posted by Hero Alpha on March 23rd, 2025 @ 2:59pm CDT

Emerje wrote:
StrykerTyger wrote:I'm with TJOmega concerning the shoulder joints on the tank guys, though, and wish that they had fixed that bit of engineering. Hopefully it looks and functions better than what it appears like.

They said in the video that they aren't done making modifications, nothing is out of the question, especially if the finally numbers are high enough to justify bigger changes.

Emerje

Hopefully they are reading this thread and others for feedback. All I want is good head articulation(looking up and down) and cover up hollow spots, so far. The new changes are a big plus. I backed right after the 2nd tier opened up, although I was in after Deathcobra.

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189309)
Posted by StrykerTyger on March 23rd, 2025 @ 6:47pm CDT

I've been waiting for this for a while, so within the first 3 days, I backed this. I love the Japanese G1 designs.

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189320)
Posted by o.supreme on March 24th, 2025 @ 12:43pm CDT

Could one of the stretch goals be to get the marketing lady to pronounce the products name correctly?

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189322)
Posted by Sabrblade on March 24th, 2025 @ 2:12pm CDT

o.supreme wrote:Could one of the stretch goals be to get the marketing lady to pronounce the products name correctly?

One step at a time. Evan managed to pronounce the name correctly after previously saying it wrong back it MegaCon.

'Course, it doesn't help that half the fandom has been saying the name wrong for all these decades, too. The English dub of Victory by Omni Productions also used "Leokaiser" instead of "Liokaiser", so that probably had some influence, too. And while I haven't watched all of the TFCog fan dub of Victory, it wouldn't surprise me if the name was said wrong in that too, since that fan dub derived at least some of its scripts from the Omni dub.

It's just like how people still call Lio Convoy "Leo Convoy" as well (though, in his case, the TFCog Fan dub of BWII did pronounce his name correctly).

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189323)
Posted by o.supreme on March 24th, 2025 @ 2:53pm CDT

^ Also, the official Hasbro Voyager toy changed Lio Convoy's name to "Leo Prime", so that I get the confusion for. But on all the marketing material for this it still clearly states "Lio" Kaiser.

I haven't listened to the Omni dub in so long, aside form some humor videos on Youtube...I would hope fans aren't using that as a point of reference for accuracy.

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189324)
Posted by Jelze Bunnycat on March 24th, 2025 @ 2:58pm CDT

o.supreme wrote:I haven't listened to the Omni dub in so long, aside form some humor videos on Youtube...I would hope fans aren't using that as a point of reference for accuracy.

The Development Team isn't... the best when it comes to research, that's shown time and time again. Never going past the first Google result or taking images at face value, that sorta thing. >:oP

At least they're acknowledging some faults, including one with a certain Prime.

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189325)
Posted by Sabrblade on March 24th, 2025 @ 3:06pm CDT

o.supreme wrote:^ Also, the official Hasbro Voyager toy changed Lio Convoy's name to "Leo Prime", so that I get the confusion for.

Yeah but people were still saying "Leo Convoy" even in the years before the Universe Leo Prime toy came about.

o.supreme wrote:But on all the packaging and adverts for this it still clearly states "Lio" Kaiser.

It might also have to do with how "i" is pronounced in Japanese as the "ee" sound instead of "eye" (with "ai" being the "eye" sound instead, whilst "ei" is the "ay" sound). So some who are aware of "i" sounding like "ee" in Japanese may see "Lio" and think "Lee-oh" instead of "Lion" because of the name's Japanese origin.

Ironically, though, the packaging of the original toy used "Liocaesar" instead, despite the Japanese spelling and in-show dialogue definitely saying "kaiser" (カイザー kaizā) rather than "caesar" (シーザー Shīzā), a la Road Caesar.

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189327)
Posted by Jelze Bunnycat on March 24th, 2025 @ 4:23pm CDT

Sabrblade wrote:Ironically, though, the packaging of the original toy used "Liocaesar" instead, despite the Japanese spelling and in-show dialogue definitely saying "kaiser" (カイザー kaizā) rather than "caesar" (シーザー Shīzā), a la Road Caesar.

Sticking with the original/reconstructed Latin pronunciation. In that aspect, the original name should have Leocaesar :lol:

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189330)
Posted by o.supreme on March 24th, 2025 @ 5:05pm CDT

Pizza Pizza!

But yeah, I remember in the very early days when I was researching the Japanese TV shows (1998/1999), seeing "LioCaesar" in some places because that's how the OG toy packaging was translated, and I went with it because it matched Road Caesar. But then I got some episodes on VHS, and made the correction once it was heard.

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189340)
Posted by Dino-Snarl on March 25th, 2025 @ 3:57am CDT

So it finished with 23,541 backers. Not a bad showing. So far all the TF HasLabs got funded with plenty to spare. Congrats peeps!

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189342)
Posted by Emerje on March 25th, 2025 @ 9:24am CDT

Dino-Snarl wrote:So it finished with 23,541 backers. Not a bad showing. So far all the TF HasLabs got funded with plenty to spare. Congrats peeps!

Take another look, they added in the rest of the international orders to finish at...

34,329!!!

Damn, just casually being the best selling Haslab of all time if I'm not mistaken.

Emerje

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189345)
Posted by Whifflefire on March 25th, 2025 @ 10:18am CDT

Wow! Here I was thinking this would be the first TF Haslab not to beat its predecessor's record. Congratulations everyone! The design team must be feeling pretty confident right now. I wonder if this will lead them to make the next one truly outrageous.

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189346)
Posted by Dino-Snarl on March 25th, 2025 @ 11:08am CDT

Dino-Snarl wrote: We still don't think they have put all the overseas pre-order numbers in as yet. Once they're in, especially Japan, this will blow all other HasLabs away for backings. Hyped that all three tiers are unlocked. There was never any doubt they wouldn't be!

As we expected and posted Mar-21st (above), that it would blow all other HasLabs out of the water. The Transformers line is alive and well.

Unicron - $575 - 12,000+ backers
Victory Saber - $180 - 26,211 backers
Deathsaurus - $180 - 27,442 backers
Omega Prime - $250 - 28,230 backers
Liokaiser - $300 - 34,329 backers

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189347)
Posted by Bumblevivisector on March 25th, 2025 @ 12:36pm CDT

Whifflefire wrote:I wonder if this will lead them to make the next one truly outrageous.

Which could mean...the long-awaited Primus/Cybertron to scale with HasLab Unicron!

I'd better start saving up now.

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189351)
Posted by Hero Alpha on March 25th, 2025 @ 2:11pm CDT

Now is the hard part; paying $300 and then waiting a year :lol:

I hope they keep upgrading the figures, but I am glad I backed. Really was also hoping theyd slip in another add-on tier though. The final number did surprise me, I didn't expect much over 20k.

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189389)
Posted by Brokebot on March 27th, 2025 @ 8:38am CDT

I desperately wanted to want this, but it just isn't a $300 lump sum figure to me. $200 sure. A spread out retail release, possibly. But a $300 commitment to a figure they're still working on? Sorry, no.

Then I saw this: https://tfsource.com/japanese-transformers/liokaiser-combiner-set-of-6-transformers-legacy/

What in the Hunter Biden are they smoking?!?! $650 and none of the extras?

Don't do drugs, kids.

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189395)
Posted by Dino-Snarl on March 27th, 2025 @ 1:06pm CDT

Bumblevivisector wrote:
Whifflefire wrote:I wonder if this will lead them to make the next one truly outrageous.
Which could mean...the long-awaited Primus/Cybertron to scale with HasLab Unicron!

I'd better start saving up now.

Primus would be backed day 1 from us!

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189396)
Posted by Dino-Snarl on March 27th, 2025 @ 1:07pm CDT

Brokebot wrote:I desperately wanted to want this, but it just isn't a $300 lump sum figure to me. $200 sure. A spread out retail release, possibly. But a $300 commitment to a figure they're still working on? Sorry, no.

Then I saw this: https://tfsource.com/japanese-transformers/liokaiser-combiner-set-of-6-transformers-legacy/

What in the Hunter Biden are they smoking?!?! $650 and none of the extras?

Don't do drugs, kids.

Painful to see. >100% mark up.

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189406)
Posted by Emerje on March 28th, 2025 @ 10:00am CDT

Brokebot wrote:I desperately wanted to want this, but it just isn't a $300 lump sum figure to me. $200 sure. A spread out retail release, possibly. But a $300 commitment to a figure they're still working on? Sorry, no.

Then I saw this: https://tfsource.com/japanese-transformers/liokaiser-combiner-set-of-6-transformers-legacy/

What in the Hunter Biden are they smoking?!?! $650 and none of the extras?

Don't do drugs, kids.

They probably didn't want to list the extras since they weren't guaranteed to be included. All of the extras from these campaigns come in the same box as the figure(s), they can't be removed or excluded.

Emerje

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189454)
Posted by Hero Alpha on March 29th, 2025 @ 2:43pm CDT

I could have sworn that Liokaiser had 34k orders, seen it I thought and others here posted it. Now it only has 23k. Am I missing something?

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189456)
Posted by Sabrblade on March 29th, 2025 @ 2:49pm CDT

Hero Alpha wrote:I could have sworn that Liokaiser had 34k orders, seen it I thought and others here posted it. Now it only has 23k. Am I missing something?

The count dropped a day or two after. Seems someone on Hasbro's end made a goof.

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189458)
Posted by Dino-Snarl on March 29th, 2025 @ 4:46pm CDT

Sabrblade wrote:
Hero Alpha wrote:I could have sworn that Liokaiser had 34k orders, seen it I thought and others here posted it. Now it only has 23k. Am I missing something?
The count dropped a day or two after. Seems someone on Hasbro's end made a goof.

Maybe they double counted the international orders at the end by mistake.

In that case:
34,329 - 23,553 = 10,776 (International)
Thus, 23,553 - 10,776 = 12,777 (Domestic)

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189474)
Posted by Hero Alpha on March 30th, 2025 @ 3:12pm CDT

Dino-Snarl wrote:
Sabrblade wrote:
Hero Alpha wrote:I could have sworn that Liokaiser had 34k orders, seen it I thought and others here posted it. Now it only has 23k. Am I missing something?
The count dropped a day or two after. Seems someone on Hasbro's end made a goof.

Maybe they double counted the international orders at the end by mistake.

In that case:
34,329 - 23,553 = 10,776 (International)
Thus, 23,553 - 10,776 = 12,777 (Domestic)

Thanks guys. That sounds plausible to me. I was guessing it would be around 20k.

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2189691)
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on April 5th, 2025 @ 1:08pm CDT

Got charged for the set, and honestly, I felt more annoyed at the cost coming in than excitement that it was happening.

Hope they make some more improvements and the set looks better in hand, I need this set to excite me more.

Also, hoping the recent tariffs in the US do not suddenly cause some issues. already seeing active kickstarters getting cancelled, would hate if they need to do some adjustment to this set for production.

Re: Haslab LioKaiser Surpasses 20,000 And Gets a New Video Highlighting Improvements (2190523)
Posted by megatran on May 11th, 2025 @ 10:49pm CDT

I'm not religious but it was just announced Pope Lio* XIV is the next top dog. I'm taking that as a good omen, free from QC issues that plagued past Haslabs.

(media outlets have been incorrectly spelling it Leo)