Kotobukiya Teases Bishoujo Bumblebee as Optimus Prime Pre-Orders Open

Posted by Emerje Jul 3, 2022 at 11:35pm CDT 62,278 views

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The figure line that sees Autobots and Decepticons transform in an entirely different way is teasing a third figure to joint Optimus Prime and Megatron. Kotobukiya announced over on Twitter that Bumblebee will soon be added to the lineup in what appears to be a horned hoody and shorts? It's hard to make out much from the simple silhouette, but Koto knows their fanbase (as evident by comments on Twitter and MFC) so she'll likely have an appealing design.

Transformers News: Kotobukiya Teases Bishoujo Bumblebee as Optimus Prime Pre-Orders Open

Meanwhile pre-orders have finally opened for Bishoujo Optimus Prime. The new images of the figure show that she'll actually be coming with an alternate head featuring a stylized mask. She's priced at $150 and expected to ship sometime between April and February 2023.

Kotobukiya Teases Bishoujo Bumblebee as Optimus Prime Pre-Orders Open

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Re: Kotobukiya Teases Bishoujo Bumblebee as Optimus Prime Pre-Orders Open (view post)

Comment by ZeroWolf Jul 4, 2022

Correct me if I'm wrong but the prime face plate looks like it might be movie design inspired.

As for Bee, going for a hoodie design is quite clever as the original does lend itself to it easy. What would have been fun is if the girl herself resembled adult Sari from Animated

Re: Kotobukiya Teases Bishoujo Bumblebee as Optimus Prime Pre-Orders Open (view post)

Comment by Emerje Jul 4, 2022

ZeroWolf wrote:Correct me if I'm wrong but the prime face plate looks like it might be movie design inspired.

As for Bee, going for a hoodie design is quite clever as the original does lend itself to it easy. What would have been fun is if the girl herself resembled adult Sari from Animated

To be honest, I don't expect this figure to look like an adult.

Emerje

Re: Kotobukiya Teases Bishoujo Bumblebee as Optimus Prime Pre-Orders Open (view post)

Comment by SpaceEagle Jul 4, 2022

Emerje wrote:
ZeroWolf wrote:Correct me if I'm wrong but the prime face plate looks like it might be movie design inspired.

As for Bee, going for a hoodie design is quite clever as the original does lend itself to it easy. What would have been fun is if the girl herself resembled adult Sari from Animated

To be honest, I don't expect this figure to look like an adult.

Emerje

Yeeeeeaaaaaaaaahhhhhh.....
[Insert TFWiki's "child soldier" theory from Animated Bumblebee's article here]

Re: Kotobukiya Teases Bishoujo Bumblebee as Optimus Prime Pre-Orders Open (view post)

Comment by -Kanrabat- Jul 4, 2022

That Bee may be a very kawai-desu loli character. I wonder if she will be the cute or prankster archetype? :-?

As for Prime, the preorders are up everywhere. Depending on the shipping price, it may be worth preordering from Japan due to the current weak yen.

Re: Kotobukiya Teases Bishoujo Bumblebee as Optimus Prime Pre-Orders Open (view post)

Comment by Bumblevivisector Jul 4, 2022

The mask and trailer/briefcase really pull this together, making her almost look like an unused SSSS Gridman design.

Re: Kotobukiya Teases Bishoujo Bumblebee as Optimus Prime Pre-Orders Open (view post)

Comment by Emerje Jul 5, 2022

Bumblevivisector wrote:The mask and trailer/briefcase really pull this together, making her almost look like an unused SSSS Gridman design.

Please don't say stuff like that, I've done really well resisting these so far! :lol:

Emerje

Re: Kotobukiya Teases Bishoujo Bumblebee as Optimus Prime Pre-Orders Open (view post)

Comment by SpikeyTigertron Jul 6, 2022

I wish the glasses/shades were either a) removeable or at least b) swappable with something a bit more traditional looking. The crest on them kind of kills it for me, tipping it into 'trying too hard territory'.

Also... is it wrong I'd almost prefer Cliffjumper over Bee? But I know if Bee doesn't sell.. we'll never get around to Cliff lol.

Re: Kotobukiya Teases Bishoujo Bumblebee as Optimus Prime Pre-Orders Open (view post)

Comment by william-james88 Jul 6, 2022

Whether fans admit it or not, the Transformers brand in Japan has a history of crossover appeal with fans who collect anime girl type statues. The whole Kiss Player franchise from 2006 plays on that and this Bishoujo Transformers line is just the latest addition to this. The brand is going all out to legitimize this chapter by having non other than Tessho Genda, the voice of Convoy (G1 Optimus Prime in Japan), introduce this collection of statues in a video. Tessho Genda voices Optimus in Japan more often than Peter Cullen does in America, and lends his voice to a lot of official Transformers promotions so even if you never watched the G1 show in Japanese, odds are you will still recognize that booming voice when you watch the clip below.

In other Bishoujo news, there was a fan vote held for the next statue after Bumblebee and the winner was Starscream. This is great news for collectors of this line since that always means there is potential for redecos into other classic characters.

Re: Kotobukiya Teases Bishoujo Bumblebee as Optimus Prime Pre-Orders Open (view post)

Comment by ZeroWolf Jul 6, 2022

william-james88 wrote:Whether fans admit it or not, the Transformers brand in Japan has a history of crossover appeal with fans who collect anime girl type statues. The whole Kiss Player franchise from 2006 plays on that and this Bishoujo Transformers line is just the latest addition to this. The brand is going all out to legitimize this chapter by having non other than Tessho Genda, the voice of Convoy (G1 Optimus Prime in Japan), introduce this collection of statues in a video. Tessho Genda voices Optimus in Japan more often than Peter Cullen does in America, and lends his voice to a lot of official Transformers promotions so even if you never watched the G1 show in Japanese, odds are you will still recognize that booming voice when you watch the clip below.

In other Bishoujo news, there was a fan vote held for the next statue after Bumblebee and the winner was Starscream. This is great news for collectors of this line since that always means there is potential for redecos into other classic characters.

The seeker repaint potential off the Starscream statue will be through the roof!

Re: Kotobukiya Teases Bishoujo Bumblebee as Optimus Prime Pre-Orders Open (view post)

Comment by -Kanrabat- Jul 6, 2022

ZeroWolf wrote:The seeker repaint potential off the Starscream statue will be through the roof!

I'm really looking forward a Starscream Bishoujo statue. However, I know how anime figures works and even if repaints do happen, it always represents the SAME character. For Thundercracker and Skywarp, those are sure to be unique sculpts representing their unique traits and personality.

Re: Kotobukiya Teases Bishoujo Bumblebee as Optimus Prime Pre-Orders Open (view post)

Comment by ZeroWolf Jul 6, 2022

-Kanrabat- wrote:
ZeroWolf wrote:The seeker repaint potential off the Starscream statue will be through the roof!

I'm really looking forward a Starscream Bishoujo statue. However, I know how anime figures works and even if repaints do happen, it always represents the SAME character. For Thundercracker and Skywarp, those are sure to be unique sculpts representing their unique traits and personality.

Ah I get you mean.

Re: Kotobukiya Teases Bishoujo Bumblebee as Optimus Prime Pre-Orders Open (view post)

Comment by -Kanrabat- Jul 6, 2022

ZeroWolf wrote:
-Kanrabat- wrote:
ZeroWolf wrote:The seeker repaint potential off the Starscream statue will be through the roof!

I'm really looking forward a Starscream Bishoujo statue. However, I know how anime figures works and even if repaints do happen, it always represents the SAME character. For Thundercracker and Skywarp, those are sure to be unique sculpts representing their unique traits and personality.

Ah I get you mean.

Same rule apply foe western statues as well.

Best example, TMNT.

Re: Kotobukiya Teases Bishoujo Bumblebee as Optimus Prime Pre-Orders Open (view post)

Comment by Emerje Jul 7, 2022

-Kanrabat- wrote:
ZeroWolf wrote:The seeker repaint potential off the Starscream statue will be through the roof!

I'm really looking forward a Starscream Bishoujo statue. However, I know how anime figures works and even if repaints do happen, it always represents the SAME character. For Thundercracker and Skywarp, those are sure to be unique sculpts representing their unique traits and personality.

I wouldn't count on it here though. I posted earlier in this thread some straight G.I.Joe repaints that represented different characters. I fully expect "Starscream Blue" and "Starscream Black".

Emerje

Re: Kotobukiya Teases Bishoujo Bumblebee as Optimus Prime Pre-Orders Open (view post)

Comment by -Kanrabat- Jul 7, 2022

Emerje wrote:
-Kanrabat- wrote:
ZeroWolf wrote:The seeker repaint potential off the Starscream statue will be through the roof!

I'm really looking forward a Starscream Bishoujo statue. However, I know how anime figures works and even if repaints do happen, it always represents the SAME character. For Thundercracker and Skywarp, those are sure to be unique sculpts representing their unique traits and personality.

I wouldn't count on it here though. I posted earlier in this thread some straight G.I.Joe repaints that represented different characters. I fully expect "Starscream Blue" and "Starscream Black".

Emerje

As far as Kotobukiya Bishoujo statues go, the only Joes repaints I'm aware of are the Baroness, Lady Jae, and Scarlet. All have color variants but they are not different characters.

Also, in Statue collecting it's important to have different poses and expressions for characters that normally looks "the same". Especially for main characters. I've yet to see lazy repaints for main characters in the expensive statues world.

Re: Kotobukiya Teases Bishoujo Bumblebee as Optimus Prime Pre-Orders Open (view post)

Comment by Emerje Jul 7, 2022

-Kanrabat- wrote:As far as Kotobukiya Bishoujo statues go, the only Joes repaints I'm aware of are the Baroness, Lady Jae, and Scarlet. All have color variants but they are not different characters.

No, Scarlett and Lady Jaye were different characters, they just didn't bother changing the names since they're pretty obscure but unique nonetheless.

Scarlett Sky Blue

Glenda

arg_glenda_big.jpg

Lady Jaye Canary Ann

Canary Ann

canaryann.jpg

I hope the other Seekers get better, but I'm not so sure. I'm sure we'll get Optimus in Magnus and Nemesis colors, Megatron will probably get a green repaint which should be fine. Maybe red and gold variants for Bee.

Emerje

Re: Kotobukiya Teases Bishoujo Bumblebee as Optimus Prime Pre-Orders Open (view post)

Comment by -Kanrabat- Jul 7, 2022

Maybe as obs characters a simple repaint is understandable. A "why not".
But Thundercracker and Skywarp are main characters so they cannot be simple Screamers repaint. But for oddballs like Red Guard and Hotlink, it's possible.

Re: Kotobukiya Teases Bishoujo Bumblebee as Optimus Prime Pre-Orders Open (view post)

Comment by First-Aid Jul 7, 2022

There can be an argument made that the third party Nicee figure is ALREADY a bishoujo figure....

Re: Kotobukiya Teases Bishoujo Bumblebee as Optimus Prime Pre-Orders Open (view post)

Comment by -Kanrabat- Jul 7, 2022

First-Aid wrote:There can be an argument made that the third party Nicee figure is ALREADY a bishoujo figure....

Not really. For that, she would needs to be a statue. Plus she needed to be humanized.

I'd love to see one. She would be kinda like this Pokémon trainer, backpack and all:

Re: Kotobukiya Teases Bishoujo Bumblebee as Optimus Prime Pre-Orders Open (view post)

Comment by First-Aid Jul 7, 2022

-Kanrabat- wrote:
First-Aid wrote:There can be an argument made that the third party Nicee figure is ALREADY a bishoujo figure....

Not really. For that, she would needs to be a statue. Plus she needed to be humanized.

I'd love to see one. She would be kinda like this Pokémon trainer, backpack and all:

Not top-heavy enough. And I'm not talking about the backpack...

Re: Kotobukiya Teases Bishoujo Bumblebee as Optimus Prime Pre-Orders Open (view post)

Comment by -Kanrabat- Jul 7, 2022