2005 Boards staff member SydneyY sent us some more information on that mysterious Matrix shaped item we thought was an alarm clock featured in the recent Dengeki Hobby scans. It’s not actually an alarm clock at all but a “Cybertron Satellite” – a monitor in the shape of Matrix. It is set up in various retailers in Japan (Hakuhinkan, Yodobashi Camera, Bic Camera to name a few) and the retailers with this are expected to sell exclusives. What those exclusives are remains to be seen – possibly more Microns or other campaign toy items?
There is also a short article in the magazine, explaining where the idea to include the stickers and Arms Microns came from – and also that they will be featured in omake (animated shorts) at the end of the Japanese Prime episodes. Read on to check it out!
The reason behind Japan only “Arms Micron” –
Takashi Nakase: The biggest reason is that we wanted to raise the target age group. In past series, the target ages were small children and their fathers, but the age group which is actually able to enjoy transforming toys is 7 ~ 9 years old. We went back to the beginning and considered appropriate products for that age group, and came up with the concept of “customising”. That is why Arms Microns need to be assembled from parts, and stickers are included to be put on the main figure – to give the feeling of “completing” the toy as one’s own.
Hironori Kobayashi: We conducted a play session with children where they played freely with Movie series Transformers, mixed with various items such as Minicons, and found that they mostly enjoyed combining Minicons to make larger weapons or to customise the Transformers. We thought it might have some potential.
Kobayashi: We considered their background story from an early stage as we thought the existance of the Microns required an explanation. There were some ideas, and we decided to go with a story that (the Microns) were originally Energon present on Earth, and they adopted the forms of Transformers. In the story, the Transformers in the show (“Prime”) are not even aware that their weapons are in fact Microns.
Mr.Nakase also developed an iPhone application (not available outside Japan) –
“there are many adult TF fans, and I created it for them so that they can enjoy transformation without having the actual toys in hand. It is a simple game but rather exciting. If you have an iPhone, please download it and try it. It is free.”
Final words –
Kobayashi: I know long time fans are surprised at the way we are marketing “Prime” domestically. There are some dramatic changes. We feel this is a challenge which we have to take on in order to continue the Transformers brand in the future. This is a challenging year for us – please kindly watch over us.
RedAlert Rescue
It's been what 11 year or so since Brave Maximus came out so it would be nice to see another issue – though as I say all the time I'd rather have Grand Maximus or an Autobot City golden coloured version.
But if you have been around in the fandom a while you should have at least had the chance to get the Car Robots version of the mould 11 years ago and the even cheaper Korean one that came a little while after that.
And there is still a chance a fake one is coming out sometime later this year. I'd like to see him show up again as these days he's just begging for fan kits like light up guns and a more articulated sidekick headmaster trolly/buggy -robot. or things like connection ramp adaptors to enable him to connect to Countdown or other Micromaster bases.
ZacWilliam
Speak for yourself. I could go down stairs and play with the one I got for Christmas 1987.
-ZacWilliam, it's got pleanty of play-wear, but is still awesome.
PrimulArchangel
And we as adults can only stare at pictures of him on ebay with 2000$ price tags on him lol… I really hope he is released..
Stepper
Kids are lucky nowadays as they maybe in for the surprise from Takara,to persuade their parents to buy Fort Max for them since it is a Transformers. Unlike us as kids, we can just stare at Fort Max on the shelf,LOL
ex dtw2003
Just a note on play sessions. Kids don't need to play with it 2 days later, but they do need to feel like they want MOAR.
RedAlert Rescue
I'd like to see Fortress Maximus come out but heck is the shipping going to be a complete and utter nightmare.
I see a group buy being the only way to go with him.
I agree with the earlier poster assembling and stickering Gi Joe Vehicles was a lot of the fun – I even used to paint mine up a bit too adding interior consoles detail and painting the buttons on the dash etc…. lots of fun. but I can also see how having something preassembled with no stickers is better sometimes for example something like the MASK Volcano van with it's Tampographic detail stands up long term better than something with stickers like Thunderhawk, Gator, Rhino, or Switchblade seem too. Starcom stickers don't age to well either.
One of the best things about ActionForce/European Gi Joe is the glue on them is far superior to the Hasbro inc versions so they actually stay stuck. but the very early Pre-cobra/early cobra vehicles had paper labels and they are not so hot.
I'd rather have the Hasbro RID Bee, Cliff & Ratchet overall and just keep my fingers crossed that the one day release their Microns as stand along toys. I don't mind looking on the Takara ones as "A project" though as I would paint them rather than sticker them – but I think custom doing bee's stripe detail is going to be hell on earth even with the sticker sheet to trace over to make a template from.
I suppose if you are really careful you could peel the backing off and keep the stickers on the sheet then cut the backing into a template and paint in the gaps where the stickers were.
I'll probably just make a template out of sticky tape though. I'm sure bee will be one of the cheapest and easiest Arms Microns toys to get simply as he's Bee and he's so dispised.
Rodimus_Prime
Nice… at least this gives a little validity that Takara will released the Fortress Maximus this year. Let it be the C-114 version.
G1_Cindersaur
arms micron=mechtech
same idea just different toy line….except now we have "minicons" instead of big ass goofy looking weapons that have crappy functions where 1/2 did not even lock into place.
ssjkazer
awsome toy please lol
ummm yeah they would'nt show fort max for no reason maybe a reissue something more like the next toy in the maximus line
Type-R
That would be Nagoya Prime (ナゴヤプライム). A made up character for the Nagoya Biccamera store where this particular Cybertron Satellite is. The design is clearly based on movie Ironhide.
http://snakas.web.infoseek.co.jp/event/cybertrons.html
PrimulArchangel
As i said , MAYBE its a hint . I never said it was a hint lol.. It just came to mind like they did with the MP line and Primes communicator screen on his arm hinting to the next MP..
The way i see it is if it was just a slide show to show characters then why not just show cartoon screen captures of them. Why would you show the toy itself. Little kids see a toy and they will want it, why show a kid a toy he will never get, why get a kids hopes up and then not give him the toy?
So this is why i said MAYBE it's a hint to a reissue.. I mean come on fans have been asking for this for years. Hasbro wont do it becuase of safety issues but Japan doesnt have the same safety standards as the US so if anyone is going to release Fort Max it would be reissued in Japan as part of the Encore line…
Hot Shot.
I have no idea. Seeing how the leaders are more or less in order top-bottom left-right, it would have to be after or around Prime.
The only odd-one-out is Fire Convoy, and it isn't him.
ssjkazer
ummm who is that bottem right hand corner in the matrix handel
Hot Shot.
How do we know that wasn't part of a slideshow of Autobot/Cybertron leaders?
I want an Encore Fort Max as well, but there's no point reading too much into things.
Gaokaiser
WTF "hint"!? WHY this is "hint"!? WHY "informartion about old character/series for young funs" is "hint"!?
SouthtownKid
I sure hope so. And if they are marketing it to the Japanese younger TFP-viewing crowd rather than older collectors, that would make it more likely to be released at a reasonable price.
General Tekno
More interestingly, he's a baseformer…. which means he'll likely sorta be in scale with the Arms Micron figures.
If this is what TakaraTomy's pulling, it's a genius way to get kids to buy Fort Max.
PrimulArchangel
This is it here…. I wonder if the image of Fort Max is a hint to him being an encore ??
Yobuster
I like some of these minicons. Their weapon modes are so much better and look like real weapons not like PowerCore Combiner crap weapons.
However the re-molded deluxe TF prime figures that come with these minicons aren't that great. having all those minicon ports on the figures just ruin all the lines.
Cloudraker
Got this email yesterday from BBTS. I can't recall if this has been mentioned before.
EXCLUSIVE MICRON PINPOINTER
We have learned that TakaraTomy will be releasing a new exclusive Micron in Japan every month for the forseeable future. The first figure is Pinpointer which changes from gun to robot (along with wings that suggest an aircraft mode of some kind) and is listed at $64.99.