Haslab Unicron Update #3- Packaging and Unboxing, And Designing The Instructions
Thursday, August 6th, 2020 1:35pm CDT
Categories: Toy News, Digital Media News, CollectablesPosted by: Bounti76 Views: 55,101
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Transformers fans! We’re excited to bring you an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at packaging and instructions development for Unicron!
We're treated first to a closer look at the packaging and an unboxing video for the Chaos Bringer, showing us just how he'll look when he arrives at the doors of those who backed him via the crowdfunding effort late last year.









We then are taken through the process of designing the instruction booklet for Unicron, which is a whopping 32 pages long! Mark, a Senior Graphic Designer for the project, goes into the details of how instructions are made, and his process of working with the prototype at home to develop the instructions.
Q: Can you walk us through the typical Transformers instructions process?
A: Our development process actually begins a year before our toys hit in-store retail and “online” shelves. Since the early 1980s, Hasbro has partnered with Takara Tomy, located in Japan, for the development of the Transformers brand’s toys. This all starts with “TT,” as we call them, providing us with reference CADD images or videos, called photosteps, that show how to convert each Transformers figure. From there, I review each conversion assembly, step-by-step, marking-up TT’s photo steps with my own comments and recommendations for improvement that will make the most sense for our consumer.



If you needed further proof of the size of Unicron's box, the Brand Manager, Rachel, shows that a six foot tall human can easily fit inside.


And finally, the engineer's best assistant, Charlie, shows us that this box is definitely kitty-approved.



You can read the entire post with its informative Q&A, by clicking on any of the above pictures.
Thanks to Hasbro giving us another thorough update on the process of bringing the largest-ever Transformer to life. He's not due out until January 2021, but that's only 5 short months away! Share your thoughts about this latest update below!
Credit(s): Hasbro Pulse
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Posted by Deadput on August 6th, 2020 @ 1:42pm CDT
11/10 best Transformers figure ever made.
Posted by Bounti76 on August 6th, 2020 @ 1:52pm CDT
Deadput wrote:Awwwww kitty!
11/10 best Transformers figure ever made.
I had to include those, because wasn't the Internet made for looking at cat pictures and arguing with strangers?
Posted by Regimus Prime on August 6th, 2020 @ 1:54pm CDT

Posted by blackeyedprime on August 6th, 2020 @ 2:20pm CDT

Posted by Deadput on August 6th, 2020 @ 2:42pm CDT
Bounti76 wrote:Deadput wrote:Awwwww kitty!
11/10 best Transformers figure ever made.
I had to include those, because wasn't the Internet made for looking at cat pictures and arguing with strangers?
Indeed, cat pictures never fail to make me happy and then incredibly sad because cats are not immortal
Posted by Bounti76 on August 6th, 2020 @ 2:55pm CDT
Deadput wrote:Bounti76 wrote:Deadput wrote:Awwwww kitty!
11/10 best Transformers figure ever made.
I had to include those, because wasn't the Internet made for looking at cat pictures and arguing with strangers?
Indeed, cat pictures never fail to make me happy and then incredibly sad because cats are not immortal
My own cat is almost 17, and believe me you....I feel that. Long story short, I don't feel super sad, because I savor every moment I have with him. That's a lesson he's taught me since he adopted me.
Back to Unicron.... I've always wondered how instructions were made... this was a cool update.
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on August 6th, 2020 @ 3:20pm CDT
This is mega involved in every way possible. and that box is huge!
Posted by Emerje on August 6th, 2020 @ 3:56pm CDT
Emerje
Posted by Bounti76 on August 6th, 2020 @ 4:38pm CDT
Emerje wrote:Well that confirms one fear. Not only is it not getting a cool full color box, but the cardboard box is the shipping box. Not that the box is going to be a great display piece given it's size, but I'm keeping the box and would rather it didn't have labels, stamps, marker, dirt and dents all over it. Even Selects figures don't ship in their cardboard packaging.
Emerje
I don't recall it saying anywhere that the cardboard box would be the only box. It's possible that it'll be shipped inside a plain mailer. Printing a box that big in full color would probably have been prohibitively expensive.
Posted by YRQRM0 on August 6th, 2020 @ 5:44pm CDT
Emerje wrote:Well that confirms one fear. Not only is it not getting a cool full color box, but the cardboard box is the shipping box. Not that the box is going to be a great display piece given it's size, but I'm keeping the box and would rather it didn't have labels, stamps, marker, dirt and dents all over it. Even Selects figures don't ship in their cardboard packaging.
Emerje
Personally I like the cardboard boxes for this and the generations selects figures lately. I know that plastic toys aren't exactly great for the environment to begin with, but if it minimizes waste at all I think it's nice. We still have in-store packages which will look nice as long as they're sold in stores.
Posted by Sowndwave76 on August 6th, 2020 @ 7:06pm CDT
YRQRM0 wrote:Personally I like the cardboard boxes for this and the generations selects figures lately. I know that plastic toys aren't exactly great for the environment to begin with, but if it minimizes waste at all I think it's nice. We still have in-store packages which will look nice as long as they're sold in stores.
This is a really good point. One that I definitely appreciate hearing in the realm of plastic toys.
No way was I going to be able to justify buying this figure, but it looks incredibly good...
I don't know how you properly display such a giant, but maybe it's a good problem?
Posted by Emerje on August 6th, 2020 @ 11:06pm CDT
Bounti76 wrote:Emerje wrote:Well that confirms one fear. Not only is it not getting a cool full color box, but the cardboard box is the shipping box. Not that the box is going to be a great display piece given it's size, but I'm keeping the box and would rather it didn't have labels, stamps, marker, dirt and dents all over it. Even Selects figures don't ship in their cardboard packaging.
Emerje
I don't recall it saying anywhere that the cardboard box would be the only box. It's possible that it'll be shipped inside a plain mailer. Printing a box that big in full color would probably have been prohibitively expensive.
Directly under the video for the box it says "This shipper box includes “a really big piece of foam” to ensure Unicron arrives in perfect condition." so that's definitely the only box. Meanwhile Jabba's sail barge got these massive boxes.
Doesn't really have the same premium feel does it?
Emerje
Posted by Regimus Prime on August 7th, 2020 @ 10:10pm CDT
Posted by stereolab54 on August 8th, 2020 @ 8:29pm CDT
Will it be possible to purchase Unicron once production is in full swing or did I completely miss the boat by not backing or pre-ordering by 10/6/2019? I'd like to purchase but not sure if I can at this point. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Posted by Flashwave on August 8th, 2020 @ 9:13pm CDT
*this color would have been accurate to the unreleased 86 Unicron, but its not movie accurate
Posted by Sabrblade on August 8th, 2020 @ 11:01pm CDT
Now that you mention it, the color that they call "yellow" in the unboxing video does look more correctly orange in both said video and the new images.Flashwave wrote:Is it that we are seeing screenshots on a screen, or has the NEON MARGARINE YELLOW* from the initial been matted down? I know the ring is a different color now but even the spiky bits and the main figure don't look quite as bright.
Posted by Counterpunch on August 9th, 2020 @ 9:07pm CDT
stereolab54 wrote:Getting to the party late so apologies upfront for any dumb questions.
Will it be possible to purchase Unicron once production is in full swing or did I completely miss the boat by not backing or pre-ordering by 10/6/2019? I'd like to purchase but not sure if I can at this point. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
You're probably out of luck my dude. At least, that's how it's been for all these Haslab projects after the deadline.
Posted by Flashwave on August 9th, 2020 @ 9:54pm CDT
stereolab54 wrote:Getting to the party late so apologies upfront for any dumb questions.
Will it be possible to purchase Unicron once production is in full swing or did I completely miss the boat by not backing or pre-ordering by 10/6/2019? I'd like to purchase but not sure if I can at this point. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Unicron is being made strictly to order. Your only bet is gonna be secondary market at extreme markup.
Posted by -WonkoTheSane- on August 9th, 2020 @ 10:53pm CDT
Sowndwave76 wrote:YRQRM0 wrote:Personally I like the cardboard boxes for this and the generations selects figures lately. I know that plastic toys aren't exactly great for the environment to begin with, but if it minimizes waste at all I think it's nice. We still have in-store packages which will look nice as long as they're sold in stores.
This is a really good point. One that I definitely appreciate hearing in the realm of plastic toys.
No way was I going to be able to justify buying this figure, but it looks incredibly good...
I don't know how you properly display such a giant, but maybe it's a good problem?
Obviously, The answer to this is to buy an entire new shelf, Devoted solely to Unicron, Stick it in an empty corner (Also now devoted to Unicron) And eagerly await January 2021, While also sacrificing (at least) one, Full mortgage payment to The Chaos Bringer, Unicron.
Obviously.

Seriously though, I really wish Haslab had found a way to lower the price of the figure, Maybe even shrunk it a little (Maybe even enough to lower the cost to make it feasible to sell at general retail) so that everybody that wanted one could afford to own one. Not everybody wants to go through the trouble of having a kidney surgically removed to sell on the black market taking out a loan just to be able to afford the darn thing.
I personally thought about backing it for three weeks before I did. The way I looked at it, There was no other character I would've been willing to spend that much money on, And also no other figure I'd want to be that large. Also, I've really, Really always wanted a Unicron. Other than the many repaints of the Armada Unicron mold, There were really no other (transforming) options for Unicron. Honestly, I think the Armada mold holds up pretty well, All things considered, But something always seemed slightly off about it to me, Which is what stopped me from buying it each time I'd considered it over the years.
But the Haslab one.. Just ticked all the right boxes.
I honestly tried the hardest I could over those three weeks, Trying my darndest to find at least one flaw in the figure that I couldn't live with (I didn't).
Now that I've typed this all out, I really don't know where I was going with it, I guess just how I justified it.
I just wish more people who wanted it would've been able to afford it (Or alternatively, It been cheaper so even the people who could afford it, But couldn't justify the price, Would've been able to get it.)
Oh well.