Takara-Tomy’s Hisashi Yuki has shared some new images of the upcoming Transformers Adventure releases on his Twitter account. On show here are the Japanese versions of the Mini-Con battle packs, which here change the Mini-cons from Decepticons to Autobots complete with new decos, along with the new Deployers, Overload and Crazybolt. Check out the new images after the break.
The Kup
https://twitter.com/TFYUKI
CapnScumbone
Anyone else remember when overreliance on gimmicks and a decline in quality killed the brand before?
2003 Megatron
I think I will pass.
Underlord
https://mobile.twitter.com/TFYUKI/status/723116299065266181
Showing off the new minicons 5mm pegs.
https://mobile.twitter.com/TFYUKI/status/723121799920152581/photo/1
griffn29
Woow these look great.
ZapRowsdower
Fair warning: OVERLOAD is an awful figure (if Hasbro's version has anything to say). It's incredibly flimsy, in-hand, and feels really fragile. The cannon on his arm, for example, doesn't flip over well (for transformation), stressing the already thin plastic. Arms tend to pop off at the shoulders, as the connection wasn't particularly well sculpted at the ball joint. The figure could also use some actual pins, as popping the legs off at the hips isn't all that hard to do (ask my kid ). Overall, not a very good figure (which I find typical for the deployer line). I'm actually shocked the majority of you still consider these: I find the deployer line to be such a bad dip in quality, it's made me swear off of them entirely. Fracture was another fragile mess (thin plastic everywhere, barely any articulation), but the actual mini-cons aren't all that much better.
They're light, they're made of thin plastic, AND they don't articulate at all. I get that they're "mini-cons", but it really seems like HasTak decided to work in the gimmick of auto-transformation in favor of moving arms and legs. The HM's from the 80s had better articulation, and that's embarrassing. Some mini-cons come with GUNS… but they lack the articulation to raise an arm to actually point said gun! What the heck is that? I love mini-cons, in general, but these are really a low point.
Takara can repaint Deployers, but they're still awful toys, just one or two steps above their more sturdy 1- or 3-step contemporaries. BUYER BEWARE (or prepare to blow your money on a toy you will likely sell soon).
I want to believe this, but I never see kids at the TF aisle. Plus, TF sales are down. I'm not saying kids DON'T play with these… but likely they are gifts from Grandma or Dad, as I don't see them picking them up themselves. I wish I did, but even on busy weekends, I couldn't ask a kid where to find the TFs, as they'd have absolutely no idea.
Underlord
https://mobile.twitter.com/TFYUKI/status/722739750201757697/photo/1
https://mobile.twitter.com/TFYUKI/status/722745385689571329/photo/1
PredaConvoy
I'm tempted by these.. Though I'd love it if someone made scaled up armor for the warrior class. But at least this Bee and Swipe will scale with warrior Grimlock! Bonus!
Haywired
Yes, Takara failed on NuRID so hard compared to Hasbro…
That's why TakTomy Strongarm is show-accurate straight out of the packaging with all stripes and details painted, but Hasbro needs a very detailed third party stickers set to kit her out. That's also why Hasbro Steeljaw is simply blue, but Takara Steeljaw comes in exactly the same gray blue color he's on TV screen… And with painted details on wheels.
Scarcity of paint apps on Hasbro versions is seriously hurting this line. These are not Generations mold, they don't come with tons of sculpted detailing. They need full paintjob to look ok. Especially since they're based on a colorful animation models where detailing is also done almost entirely by coloring.
I suppose for Hasbro intended market it works, as these are kids toys. But then Takara is also marketing TAV line to kids.
Afterburner
They're all loaded with tons more paint and tons more accuracy, at least within what the designs allow. If you like solid lumps of plastic with no detailing and realism, that's your prerogative, but your statement makes no sense. TakaraTomy hasn't done anything different with this line than with most others. They've taken the Hasbro base and improved as much as possible in line with the main fiction. I may not like this line, but the work is no less impressive, and how it rubs you the wrong way seems like maybe that would just be your own inner justifications for buying cheaper figures. "I can't quite put my finger on what bothers me about this much more detailed and accurate figure except it just doesn't feel that detailed and accurate to me." OK…
The weakness you feel is probably the overall designs for the series which have been some of the weakest and most generic we have seen. No amount of paint can make a figure bend it's elbows better or look less derpy. Some of these designs look like something out of the Flintstones. Not exactly an apex of animation design.
Tfadict
The minicons are just cosplaying as their partners. Adorable!
Autovolt 127
Nothing I really need here. Though Fixit is pretty solid.
Windblade looks passable.
Considering how they nailed Windy in Legends, I'm sure the Warrior version will look phenomenal.
TFXProtector
I REALLY like Hasbro's take on Crazybolt. Like…a lot. Wow.
I like Takara's Overload, but I think Hasbro's Mini-Con colors match the main figure better than Takara's two tone thing they've got going on.
Their Fixit has better details, paint wise, but I like the richer colors of the Hasbro orange. If we could get Hasbro's orange with Takara's detail apps, you'd have a PERFECT Fixit.
Clampdown look good. Either the Hasbro or Takara version hits right about neck and neck on the good points for me, so I think either version would work for that mold.
It's odd seeing Takara make figures that feel less impressive to me than Hasbro's take on them. Usually Hasbro fails on almost every level when it comes to deco, but for the RID line, Takara just seems to have said "Eh, let's try this…" and it just doesn't work for me.
Some of them try to be accurate, some seem inaccurate, I don't know, just doesn't rub me the right way. this line.
That Guy
I know the Deployers aren't all that posable, but crazybold seems like it's got decent leg articulation. Any report on what the points exactly are?
General Magnus
I really dig Crazybolt. I wonder if it´s possible to mod and remove the white clamps.
Fasttrack
For Crazybolt, quite a bit
griffn29
Crazybolt and Overload both have interesting color combinations. I wonder if this deco will be more accurate to the show than the Hasbro deco.
WhiteMocha
Yup, this gives me high hopes for the Warrior version.
Mechafire
Legit impressed that Takara actually managed to salvage that Windblade mold somewhat. Excited to see what their Warrior Windy will look like.