Thanks to TFW2005 user starfish, we now have an in-hand gallery of the recently released reissue of Generation One Sixshot. The reissue is an Asian Territory Exclusive, features a metallic paint job, and also comes with a commemorative coin like previous Hong Kong Transformers releases.
An additional gallery has also been posted by a user on ACToys.
Stepper
They claimed to be the TakaraTOMY Asia Exclusives but on the other hand,i think they are mass release products.
PikaManiac
This is my 2 cents.
I live in South East Asia, and from where I come from we get both Hasbro and TakaraTOMY products; most TakaraTOMY products are only sold by specialty shops.
I have seen for myself that most TakaraTOMY products and so-called TakaraTOMY Asia Exclusives like Jetpower Optimus Prime in my country shipped in Hasbro carton boxes.
Like most toys, there is an Asia/International version and Japanese version (Think S.H.Figuarts, and Portraits of Pirates, .etc). Therefore, I think the TakaraTOMY products we get are distributed by Hasbro Asia for Asia and sometimes Australia excluding Japan, while the so-called TakaraTOMY Asia Exclusives are in fact by Hasbro Asia with permission from TakaraTOMY. It mean, it makes no sense for TakaraTOMY to release Asia Exclusives excluding Japan when Japan is their market; Hasbro is another story since their market is global.
Does that make more sense?
Transfotaku
I'm honestly not surprised. Blitz was talking to people in Hasbro UK. This is the fault of Hasbro Asia. People in accounting barely know what's going on in PR or legal -on their own campus-, of course they're not going to be very astute on what's going on around the other side of the world.
Plus, as been mentioned, they probably hit up people in Tak/Tomy instead of Hasbro Asia, so they went to the completely wrong people.
Robotkingdom gets a lot of their stuff from China, don't they? I'd wager, but not say for certain, that the coins are probably, or potentially, of Chinese make. I have absolutely no information on the coins though, but considering China's…lax IP laws, I would not be surprised at all if it came from there.
Especially if there's no copyright/trademark/etc notes upon the coins, and they come only from certain sites, etc.
BraveMax
Yeah, any response here should clarify that it came with a Hasbro Asia product…
RedAlert Rescue
Were Takara Sniggering behind their hands when they put on a fake honest tone and said – no it's not one of ours to Hasbro UK (restrained laughter in background).
Just when you think Hasbro UK can't get any more clueless – they somehow manage.
It might be fun to write to them and ask them what GDO stands for – since they seem to have never even heard of Hasbro Asia and the GDO.
I wish the Supermarkets would end run these clowns and just buy all their toys from Hong Kong like any sensible buyer should.
And I might be wrong but can't you actually buy Six Shot in Japan – even if it is mainly in collectable stores – and there's some really muddle with Hasbro and Takara's products when it comes to asia anyway – such as Australian Target stores selling Takara's MP Ultra Magnus in store.
VictoryLeo19
I can tell you as accountant, any use of your intellectual property is illegal without a contract that you consented to on the basis of consideration.
That means unless you entered into an agreement that benefited you in some way, with the producer of this product, then they cannot use any intangible property you own. It doesn't matter if it's a neat little saying that says: "Yeah Dude!" or "Cowabunga!" or, if it's an image as in this case.
They cannot use this, because it is in fact considered an asset, and one that can be purchased in the buy and sale of entire companies. Not only can they not use this, they are in fact hiding the control of this asset from revenue recognition and reporting agencies. International Financal Reporting Standards require that owenrship of these properties be released. It's not just Blitz that is involved in cases like this, entire companies and organizations now need to be consulted, particularly public auditing firms that are involved with this company.
Composite Ghost
This just gets weirder! Now I want to know where the hell these coins came from if they're not official merchandise. I know Robotkingdom distributed them, and I think BBTS may have had some as well. Although it's possible Robotkingdom was their supplier… Were any other retailers giving out coins with MP's? Did Robotkingdom have them made to give away with MP's as an incentive to buy from them?
And it would be pretty funny if Hasbro released the Hercules bots. But hey, derivative is derivative, right?
Kaijumaster
I would LOVE to see what people would say if in some alternate universe Hasbro just started putting out Hercules Bots under the official label at $20 with ZERO compensation to TFC.
ShoutBlast
just as a matter of fact, make fanarts is already a crime because the character belongs to hasbro so hasbro using a illegal fanart of their character is okay.
Napalm
You will. And it will be magnificent. Go and have a pint and an epiphany.
This is beyond ludicrous.
Stepper
These coins are just bonus if you purchase the Sixshot.
Cracka J
so wait, are these coins not official products or are they just blowing steam?
tbh I never checked my mp-11 coin for any type of official logos or anything…I wonder if they are even produced by hasbro/takara or if they are handled by a separate party?
Blitz.
looking at robot kindoms pics the card box does have a hasbro stamp but they can just say its a fake etc so like a scan from a magazine or something official is needed
wildfly
I don't have the Sixshot reissue……but looking at the coin for MP sunstorm, i can't see any copyright info, and i don't think i saw any on the coins for MP 10 or MP11. (?)
Blitz.
so yeah bit of a request for anyone who has the coin if they could find like a copy right stamp or some peace of official press that states the coin is official that would be awesome.
I have been trying to dig thought old mag scans but my google-fu is weak
Edit: looked at more pictures and the coin box actually has a Hasbro logo stamped on the back….
Chris McFeely
I… I can't find a facepalm image macro immense enough.
(If I had to give them the benefit of the doubt, I'd assume it's because they haven't inquired at the proper branch of Hasbro. They asked US, they said "That's from Japan, isn't it?" so they asked Tomy and they said "Not us, brah", because it's actually from Hasbro Asia.)
wildfly
Words. Fail. Me.
This deserves a repost in UK toy discussion.
Blitz.
an update
I got this email
As far as Hasbro UK thinks the coins are not offical merch
Dear Mr Cox
Your email has been forwarded to me for review. Having looked at your email below and the pictures you attached, I want to advise that Hasbro does not recognise this product. The Six Shot Transformer character is a Takara Tomy character and having checked with Tomy they also do not recognise this as one of their genuine products. Therefore, it is likely to be a counterfeit product and the question of copyright theft is one for the counterfeiter.
Have you found this product physically in the UK or have you come across this only on the internet?
Kind regards
Kate
so yeah just thinking of a good way to word a reply to something so stupid
Transfotaku
I very much agree. That law's just the law. The law isn't moral, or ethical, or just, or concerned about right and wrong, it's just law. Hasbro, Takara, Tomy, whomever may have had a -legal right- to do what they did, but did they have a -moral ability- to do so?
There's a lot of things immoral and unethical in IP laws. I totally agree with most of the thread in that regard. I'm just trying to point out legal and moral differences.
Allow me to give you some more advice, if you don't mind:
You may not have very much legal footing to work with. In fact, I say you pretty much have none, and would strongly recommend you do everything BUT traipse into legal fights over it. Not like you wanted to, I know, but just be cautious you don't get played into the legal arena too. And if you ever need to hire a lawyer for a civil case (civil courts are quite different than criminal courts, by the by) to press a lawsuit, for any reason, this or another, hire only on contigency. That means your lawyer only gets paid if they win the case, and, at least in the USA, can take up to 1/3 of the winnings but no more – you agree on their percentage when you contract with them though. Anyway, please don't go down a legal route.
I recommend again, strongly, using this as a 'foot in the door' sort of thing to get Hasbro to hire you for paid work. Sure, ask for a Sixshot also, but look at this as a wonderful way to work in an official capacity with Transformers. Even if you don't get such work now, you might get some later, and they may look favorably at your works. Bright side of things, you know?
But, to the point of my advice, if you absolutely must feel you need to 'fight Hasbro' like most of the thread wanted you to do, do not do it in the legal arena. They have very good lawyers. If you absolutely must 'fight Hasbro' make it a PR fight. No company at all likes when their reputation takes a hit, especially not when that hit is in being called thieves. And be cool about it too, people won't care if you are, in internetspeak, a 'whinger' (whiner), but they will go up in arms on your behalf if you play it right.
But seriously, a 'fight Hasbro' scenario, in any arena, is not something I recommend. But if you MUST, please don't forget the advice.
It is very much in the realm of possibility that the Takara people just didn't know, and proceeded on ignorance. Of course, that would take some mind reading abilities to really know a person's motivations on using Blitz's work. But, as a hypothetical question:
Assuming if Blitz knew that Person X in Division Y did it, when, why, all the various factors, even though the COMPANY has a legal right to use the work, the INDIVIDUAL could still be taken to court. Yes, if Blitz did find out the information he needed, he could take the person responsible to civil court.
As for how much money he'd get, if any, and what legal arguments could be made on Blitz's behalf, that would be up for an International IP Lawyer type. Blitz lives in the UK it seems, so if the case was heard in the UK, different laws would be used to fight or defend in the case, than if the case was done in Hong Kong or the USA. Yes, Berne Copyright Convention could be invoked no matter the nation, but each individual nation will have their own laws that may influence the outcome or shape the fight.
It's pretty hypothetical, but the possibility very much exists he could take on the individual.