With the status of the rest of the Transformers Animated line still in limbo in the US(Hasbro is trying to bring the rest of the figures out, like Wingblade Prime), here’s more salt to rub in the wounds! Disciples Of Boltax has posted a scan from the upcoming Allspark Almanac II, showing the resin prototype for the triple changer Megatron from Transformers Animated. Publicly unknown until a few days ago, this figure has been canceled, but we at least get to see the resin prototype of “what could have been”. Here’s more from Jim Sorenson, author of the Almanac(s):
Finally, and I’m being intentionally cagey here, a page from part two. The audience at BotCon flipped out when we showed them this one, the prototype to the triple changer Marauder Megatron toy. Sadly, this idea had to be abandoned by Hasbro when the line ended at Season Three, but isn’t this just a gorgeous model? I am incredibly grateful to Hasbro for sharing this and other really cool designs.Hit the thumbnail to check out the canceled Megatron!
SMOG
I don't see how that's relevant. If you write a Marauder-type character into the new series, and use this design, then they're in the same continuity. Right now, we just have a big gray toy… it can go anywhere, really.
I sort of disagree… I find Prime is pretty much the direct result of mashing the aesthetic stylings of the Bay movies with the character design of Animated. Prime characters seem to have a lot of superficial detailing (that might be expected with a CGI project), and twisted up bits of alt-mode a la Bay… but underneath that, they're pretty much Animated.
zmog
Valkysas
That's stupid to do, because they aren't in the same continuity.
There's really not much similar with the designs, anyways.
Tigermegatron
I could see the animated maruader season 4 megatron art designs/proto type being transferred over to the "TF Prime" Megatron cartoon/toy designs.
as the designs between each series are so similar i'm calling "TF Prime" Animated G-2.
Toa Maximus
I could see it being Sixshot
Thundershot
Wow, this thread is still running?
I think that Hasbro should not let this design go to waste. If not for Animated, then for something else. Maybe change the head and make a new character or something…
megatroptimus
Would have been the first decent mainline Megatron in years if not decades…
amethysted
I'd pay around $75 for this as Galvatron.
Fort Max
It's from the back of the Wreckers trade paper back book.
Soundwave2
can I ask where your sig is from? Are those Hasbro designs from somewhere?
Fort Max
TFP Megs is not too far removed from the animated aesthetic, they could reuse this idea further down the line with a bit of styling tweaking.
guard convoy
Yeah like Raven said, the animated toys are chillin in a factory, like the first two waves did when they were delayed, the toys are fully produced waiting to be sold, but there is no outlet so far
and the whole "generations is over and is merging with the RTS line" joins "are prime toys ever gonna be made" in two beliefs that fans should be slapped across the face with a tuna until they believe the truth…..Generations and RTS are running side by side, generations isn't going anywhere
Gryph
The only chance we'll ever have to get this, is if someone decides to reusing the engineering in a completely different toy. It's a very small chance, though.
Mighty.Maximal
There does seem a visual similarity between Animated & Movie look with Prime the faces are similar to Animated some of the skinnyness and panelling is a little like the Live Action Movie style – only toned down, and the pointy triangular knees a re very like War For Cybertron.
I'm not saying Movie repaints or Animated repaint would make sense in all cases as rime toys but it's no dafter than Walmart's use of Classics and Cybertron toys as movie toys was.
I guess They might get away with putting Animated Blackout in Prime Packaging though.
What I was thinking though is that as Animated style is not so far removed from Prime in some ways there's at least a chance that even if they are not on the show a design could be adapted from Animated style slightly reworked and sold as (offscreen) Prime toys for example ; Perceptor, Hot Shot, Wheeljack, Brawn, Red Alert (as a girl) and so on could all be adapted to be Prime toys with minor design changes and it would be less of a stretch from the original appearance than it is between Animated & Classics style Perceptor
Though in general what I would prefer is as with Cheetor, Dinobot, & Hotshot future Universe style toys over the years to come might include the odd Animated toy ; this has already been done with the Universe Legends – which did feature Animated characters.
I think they could test the waters maybe with a boxed set of Legends that included Animated Legends repaints as part of the selection offered.
If they have produced stuff like Blurr, Swindle etc and made the packaging already and they are just sitting in a warehouse they need to clearance them some place.
If they have not made the packaging for them but have produced the toys in volume then they should make a giftset of them.
If they've say made a couple of thousand then they should be sold via the Hasbro online toy store.
But it looks like characters like Blurr, & Swindles repaints & Blackout must exist in some form – its just a matter of if there's a few dozen of them or a few thousand +.
Rewind
I'd fork over several bags of cash for that. Yes please!
wildfly
Are you speaking from Altruism for other fans, or the hope that they'll be available through Hasbro UK channels?
Sorry to be blunt: Animated is done in the majority of Hasbro's international markets.
It's more than likely also done in North American markets. TRU reportedly took some persuading to even order Roddy and Ironhide… and Deluxes outsell Voyagers. If solicitations for movie products haven't begun already, they soon will. If there was ever a window for those four toys it's closing, or is already closed. By the time the movie push ends, Animated will be over a good 2.5 years.
Suggesting that those four toys could be slipped into Prime when we know essentially nothing about Prime toys, and Hasbro have suggested we won't even see them on shelves for some time to come, is clutching at straws.
Again, sorry to blunt, but anyone who's depending on Hasbro to fill the gaps in their Animated collection is likely to be left with those gaps.
Aside from which, Blackout is a lackluster toy.
Dachande
The price would be astronomical if they made it. No thanks.
rattraprules98
Come on Fansproject, make this. NOW!
Ravenxl7
The problem with that, and attempting to release any of the remaining Animated figures, is that they're already fully produced. The cost of repackaging them would be high enough that releasing them for normal retail prices would be impossible.
Also, they aren't merging the movie line and generations. They are releasing what would have been Generations figures in the Reveal the Shield line, but there is no proof that Generations will be stopping when that happens. In fact, a new wave of Generations is being released the same time as the first wave of the Reveal the Sheild line (the Cyb.Cliffjumper, Skullgrin, Thunderwing wave).
Mighty.Maximal
I can only hope that Hasbro will be able to arm twist retailers into taking the equivellent of Generations Voyagers at some point that can consist of any previous years repaints and unreleased items (like Blackout, & Thundercracker) but with the Movie line & Generations seemingly merged it seems that the only way to do it now is either to wait for another re-brand or see them come ut as retailer exclusives.
As for the issue of a Hasbro release of Voyager-Wingblade Optimus It could be done as a stand alone gift set or pumped up to Leaderclass price point by adding a Deluxe or Activator to the box.
I think it would be a terrible shame if the merging of the Generations and Movie brands into Reveal the Shield didn't allow for some sort of release of those last few stray Animated toys.
I was rather looking forward to that repaint of Blurr and Swindle too for example.
But Hasbro don't seem to be Marking the RTS boxes with Classics/Generation One or Movie they just seem to be letting the purchaser decide what they are. that makes it very hard to find a home for Animated leftovers.
HOWEVER Animated toys are a lot closer in style to Transformers : Prime than they are Movie/Classics so maybe when more of them show up in toy form that might allow for stuff like Blackout to be slotted in someplace.
Personally I hope they do go back to the idea of making characters from other continuities from time to time – it might be really fun to see a Brand new mold Rhinox or Blackarachnia or Tigertron, or a proper attempt at Nightscream and Beast Machines Silverbolt.
It might also allow a few more War for Cybertron toys to be made – I'd really like a WFC Warpath, Ironhide (And Ratchet) and Starscream (Skywarp) for example.
Perhaps DX G2 Optimus is a tinyest hint of this. – I can but hope anyway.
Blue Meanie
Missing out on these toys is pissing me off half as much as missing out on this book. I pre-ordered this thing before it came out at my local Borders book store because I got burned on the first one. They filled the earlier orders and said they'd get more. Month and a half later still nothing. So I order from another book store, nothing. Order from Amazon over a month ago while it was in-stock, and suddenly they can't fill my order. The availability of these books is absolutely ridiculous and infuriating. Now its selling for $100, so I guess i will never see it.