TFW2005 translator SydneyY has come through once again, providing us with a translation of the recent Hironori Kobayashi interview supplied in the latest issue of Figure King. The interview mostly deals with Kobayashi’s development of Transformers: Legends Arcee (The Takara release of Generations Deluxe Arcee)
For a brief summary of points discussed…
• Kobayashi’s background
• How the idea for Arcee came to be
• The development for Arcee
• The process of working with Hasbro (she was originally intended to be remolded into a Blurr figure, but the idea was dropped)
• Making sure Arcee looked like her cartoon incarnation
• The differences between the Takara and Hasbro versions
• Arcee’s vehicle mode and the transformation process
• Kobayashi’s scratch-built Arcee and how it helped him get a job at Takara, plus how it influenced Legends/Generations Arcee
• The possibility of a Headmaster Arcee being released in the future
• The figures Kobayashi would like to see in the future
Check out the full details after the break! Disclaimer: The original of this interview was published in Figure King magazine issue #202. The reason I provide this translation is solely to help non-Japanese fans who are unable to read this insightful interview. Hope you’ll enjoy and pardon the grammar errors and/or typo.
Hironori Kobayashi on LG-10 Arcee
who is he? – Joined Takara in 1999. The first Transformer figure he developed was Speedbreaker from Car Robot (Sideburn from Robots in Disguise). Since then, he has worked on the products such as Binaltech and earlier Masterpiece figures as well as modifying overseas products for domestic market. He has returned to Masterpiece series with Ultra Magnus, which is to be released in December. Currently he is working on Masterpiece series and the new items “for the future”.
– How did Arcee become a part of the “Legends” (Generations) lineup?
K: I recall she was picked as a matter of course. The characters that hadn’t been featured before were chosen (for the series). The fembots were not thought to be a strong sell before, but it seems that Hasbro is willing to try new ideas since their staff went through a change of generation. As soon as I heard Arcee would be in the lineup, I insisted on taking on the job.
– Can you often nominate yourself for the figure you want to work on?
K: Usually our product development schedules are taken into consideration when new jobs are allocated, however in this case my request was granted because there was plenty of time until the development was to start.
– Which details of Legends Arcee do you recommend us to take notice?
K: I was very particular about re-creating her figure as seen in the cartoon. Hasbro prefers a change from the original in this kind of situation, and convincing them not to was the first difficulty I faced. Actually, her initial design was done with a view to remoulding it into Blurr, but that would have made the re-creation of the cartoon impossible. Hasbro accepts our suggestion as long as we have convincing reasons, so at the very early stage I asked Mr.Yuki Oshima to draw a sketch and showed it to them – “Doesn’t she look cooler like this? Let’s make this one”. Also, I wanted her to be like a dramatised version of the character drawing from the cartoon, not a mere copy of it, and Mr.Oshima’s drawing represented those exquisite lines. I think the lines of the hips are noteworthy. Her vehicle mode was decided as I had discussed it over with Mr.Oshima.
– The re-creation of the cartoon is indeed the ideal Arcee.
K: Yes. The fans would have been disappointed if the design was different even though it looked nice. I wanted to pursue what the staff of “2010” (G1 season 3) were aiming for.
– How are the paint applications different from the overseas version?
K: For the domestic version, the focus is on the cartoon. An extra nylon resin mould was produced to achieve the pale pink on the arms. To me, the Transformers “skin” tone is an important detail. The colour around her Cybertron (Autobot) faction symbol has been changed to silver as well, and it is based on the stickers from the era the cartoon was aired. The overseas version has black nylon resin parts and looks firm overall, and Hasbro’s decision is fine as well in order to make the product stand out.
– You have been known as an Arcee fan.
K: Not Arcee in particular, but I am rather a fan of “the Movie” and “2010”. Though from a toy fan’s point of view, only Arcee was missing when the toys were lined up. Neutral colours were used for the cast of the movie/show, and they were all different. So when colours such as green, purple and red are lined up, the hues appear ill-balanced without pink. Their colourfulness becomes complimentary only when Arcee is added to the mix.
– In the show, her vehicle mode and robot mode are quite unlike each other.
K: Even among the fans, I think people who were familiar with the morphing transformations of the 70’s (cartoons) just accepted that Arcee wouldn’t actually transform. But I’m part of the generation that grew up with the toys which could transform and combine like we saw on TV, and I was convinced she too could transform.
– Arcee has been special for you since you joined the company.
K: As I was unhappy there was no three dimensional Arcee, I made the first scratch-built model for the job interview at Takara. The applicants for the design section are expected to bring some project they worked on at school and such, and I showed my Arcee on top of that to make a straightforward appeal that I was capable of developing Transformers. That was how I joined Takara. The interviewer was Yoke (Hideaki Yoke, former general manager of TF design team), and his reaction was something like, “Oh, you made this yourself? Good for you.” (*laugh) I modified the Arcee model to submit to Botcon Japan ’98 and won the first prize. Though no one at work believes me that I entered the Arcee and won. (*laugh) This Legends version has kept the basic structure of the Arcee model with improvements I thought needed.
– Indeed it seems you joined Takara to create Arcee.
K: That is not the whole reason (*laugh), but it took me 15 years. It is true that I feel as if I have reached the end of one chapter.
– I hope we’ll see the Headmasters version from the Rebirth…
K: I would love to challenge that one as Version 2. (*laugh) I think there might be an opportunity in the future now that her main form is realised.
– What is your goal for the next 15 years?
K: As a “2010” fan, I hope Sharktrons (Sharkticons) and other mechanical beasts will be featured. Also, I’d like to have Cha (Kup) that transforms to the futuristic car as seen in “2010”. While working on Arcee I re-discovered the designs of those days have really nice lines. With appreciations for those designs, I want to give it a go at creating Cha as a cool futuristic pick-up truck and other casts in “2010” style.
CodeXCDM
I'll put a spoiler warning, case folks find the joke too politically incorrect for some reason…:
Autovolt 127
I don't get the Blurr joke?
But yes I would love to see a Kup retool of Orion Pax.
Roadbuster25
As excited as I am to finally have a G1 Arcee, it's a shame that they couldn't make the backpack more compact. I am not thrilled about her face. It would have been nice to have the IDW comic face, like many of the other figures in this line, but at least a G1 Arcee.
CodeXCDM
Remolded Blurr??? There's a joke there.
Course, they could have repainted her into Drag Strip… again.
Personally, I'm fine with the Generations Kup… at least with the iGear head attached. (See avatar.) But folks already made a repaint that Has/Tak has yet to try… Repaint Orion Pax into Kup. After all, the original Pax *was* a Kup repaint. Get a more IDW head (like the iGear one) and you're golden.
Movie Convoy
The robot mode would need to be super poseable and extremely cartoon accurate in order to sell really well. But, that's a job for the Masterpiece line, not the Generations line.
Liampope
Now now – let's not be silly! That's going too far.
deliciouspeter
Great read. Thanks for the translation. It's always interesting to read about the process.
autotronprime
Awesome, thanks again SydneyY!!!!
tikgnat
Exactly! In a uncut version of this interview Kobayashi admitted he was responsible for ebola! HE TELL ME!
Dean ML
Botfan, come back to me, baby! BOTFAAAAAAAANNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rattrap Primal
so, he wants to see mechanical beasts too, like the Predacons, Terrorcons, Monsterbots, the Triple Changing Headmasters, the Decepticon Headmsters, (I think the Decepticon Headmasters all had Beast Modes, except Apeface and Snapdragon) Pounce and Wingspan, Dinobots, Sky Lynx, Trypticon…….come on Hasbro, make it happen
Liampope
Damn right – Kobayashi must be blamed for everything. He must never be forgiven for MP-3 and MP-5 – GARBAGE!!! Damn you Kobayashiiiiiiiiii! Damn you and all your kind.
zappatton2
You know, I wouldn't complain AT ALL if Kobayashi devoted the next couple of years of the MP line to "2010" characters, be it Blurr, Arcee, Kup, Springer, Hot Rod, Galvatron or Cyclonus. They seem to inspire him, I say let him follow that passion, and bring back Hasui for the cars and Megatron. Oh, and of course, Bruticus!
Afterburner
Blurr should get his own mold someday, he's got a great design. At least Kobayashi can recognize this so there's hope.
GAUGE
Awesome read. Thanks so much for the translation, Syd.
Type-R
While I am happy we got a G1-esque Arcee, I'm curious as to how the initial design and the Blurr remold would have turned out.
Blurr's design would probably have been closer to his G1 design than the IDW based Drift remold we got previously. Poor Blurr, constantly relegated to being the remold.
Here's hoping he gets a shot at an original mold in Generations/Legends in the near future.
tikgnat
WAT? Because he decided to make Arcee Geewun we're not getting a new Blurr figure? BLARGGHGFG!
Fail Kobayashi, FAIL.
Type-R
Thanks for the translation Syd!
How appropriate that the series is called "Generations".
Novaburnhilde
Thanks for the translation!
A very interesting read.
Superquad7
Thanks so much for your work here, Syd! This is a great read!