Amazon.co.jp has posted the first pictures of a painted Transformers Henkei Ratchet on its pre-order page. All previous images featured a gray Ratchet prototype. Henkei Ratchet is a slight remold of the Universe/Henkei Ironhide release, with an added light bar in vehicle mode and a remolded head. Henkei Ratchet is due for release in January 2009. Click on the image to the left to view Henkei Ratchet in full color.
Darth Rodimus
I will get both because the other Ratchet will shattered glass for me until I make him movie colored.
spamo123
The differences to me are pretty negligible. But I like the slightly darker shade of red on the Henkei.
DAVIDUGLY
I have both the Universe and Henkei versions and I'm really torn.
Not sure which one I like better.
Flickr: DAVIDUGLY's Photostream
I kinda like the US ver's shoulders, headlights and head but I like the
rest of the JP ver.
Glitcher
The hell kind of logic is that? That's like being shown a picture of Classics Jetfire without his jetpack and you saying, "Oh well, it must be Henkei Skyfire being there's supposed to be chrome on the jetpack, which we can't see."
Insane Galvatron
Ironhide has chrome on his headlights and taillights, not just his weapon.
Deadend
It's definitely Henkei. On this mold the only thing that has chrome, is the weapon which isn't shown. Compare it to the Henkei IH photos and you start to realize it. Though why the red crest over silver/black is beyond me. But at least it's a happy middle ground of G1/G2 and animated stylings for an update, instead of just picking one side and displeasing the other style fans.
Though the lightbar has me curious.
Lucs
I think the proper word might be chevron actually but I'm sure you could call it a number of different things and we'd know what you were talking about
Darth Rodimus
probally because hasbro wants it to look close to Animated ratchet enough for some kids to buy it, or make it easier so they can use up the red paint for Ratchet. ether way….still not Henkei
Runamuck
Ok, my bad. I'm an old man. I forgot they were silver/gray in the cartoon. In any case, they shouldn't be red then. If they're going for a cartoon look, that is.
By the way, I forgot what the word was. I knew it wasn't horns, but that's all that came to mind. So horns in that case = crest.
Glitcher
Up until 2005, yes. The current trends are Movie/Classics/Animated, none of which have seen a release of Wheeljack. Boo!
0R10N P4X
Cybertron Downshift / Energon Downshift / Alternators Wheeljack… not that long ago.
QmTablit
All the more reason for a Classics figure to me. New toys make me want the originals, same way I listen to a new song that covers or samples an old one… it just makes me want to listen to that older song being covered/sampled.
Besides, my Classics shelf isn't right without Jazz.
Would've been nice if Hot Rod and Wheeljack were done something like Sunstreaker and Sideswipe.
Glitcher
Forget Jazz. He already had a movie and Animated appearence. What about Wheeljack? He was a significant bot in G1, yet he seems to have vanished from existence. What the hell, Hasbro!
QmTablit
I'd buy a Classics Ratchet regardless, but it's clear that that's what this likely is. It's not Henkei, nothing about it suggests it would be. But I don't need to reiterate what's already been said.
Instead, I'm going to agree that we need a Classics Jazz. It should have been in the second wave, there's almost no excuse for Hasbro on that. As much as I am all for more Decepticon Classics, I could do without ever seeing some (I'm looking at you Acid Storm) to instead find rows and rows of Jazz's on the two shelves Universe gets next to half an aisle of movie and animated bots.
DazzalingFury
Hmm not bad not bad. It is definitely a good use for a remould. The head sculpt is good along with Ratchet's color scheme and the Siren Lights added
perithimus
well yeah but we are not talking about an animated inspired toy here.
dark69
both are red in animated
perithimus
where did he have 2 red horns? In the cartoon he had one silver/black crest and in the comic it was white.
RodimusZero
UNIVERSE.
Clearly. I'm positive the Takara version will have a G1 accurate color scheme. Also, did no one notice that the Henkei prototype shown a few months back at probably the Tokyo Toy Show had a different light bar? It was more similar to Henkei Prowl's, whereas this is clearly the same light bar mold as Universe Prowl.