Via Game Watch Impress website we have a very interesting interview with Takara Tomy Designer Takahiko Shirai Interview On Star Wars Powered By Transformers Millennium Falcon.
Thanks to 2005 Boards member Gaokaiser for sharing the original Japanese link in our forums and our very own Super Mod Shin Densetsu for providing us with a translation of the interview. This is a very interesting reading indeed, which reveals how Takara is highly interested in this new line. The original Star Wars Transformers Crossover from 12 years ago was a Hasbro initiative, and now Takara is taking the lead, trying to bring us more detailed and complex figures with great paint apps for both modes. The main emphasis is on vehicle modes that don’t give away the fact that they transform.
You can read the full translation and mirrored images, which include a short transformation sequence of the Millennium Falcon, after the jump and then sound off at the 2005 Boards!
- Production of this line is overseen by Takahiko Shirai.
- The original line from 12 years ago was an all Hasbro initiative. This line is an all Takara effort
- Special care was taken not to expose robot parts in vehicle modes without compromising proportions
- Transformation is said to be slightly more difficult(compared to what, is not mentioned, mainline TF’s?) however the author iterates that Takara is well versed in designing transforming toys. The Falcon is said to be more complex than Vader’s TIE.
- Only 1 figure can fit into the main cockpit in vehicle mode(mentioned something about Chewie having a place to sit behind, maybe in the back of the actual Falcon but not the cockpit?)
- Takara’s goal was to make the vehicle modes look so good that fans would react like “there’s no way that thing transforms!”
- Vader was chosen 1st due to popularity and his TIE Advanced was an easy design for Takara to convert into a transforming robot
- The Millenium Falcon is seen as another step up since it’s a little bit more complex to transform than Vader’s TIE Advanced
- The Falcon costs more not just due to size but being more complex and due to having more paint apps(specifically the panel lining and weathering)
- Apparently the Hanbot and Chewbot look bigger than the Falcon in vehicle mode would lead you to believe(this includes plastic volume I think, as it was mentioned)
- Some of the transformation mechanisms incorporated will seem new(and/or not used in prior toys)
- Part of the transformation for Hanbot was inspired by Megatron(one of the arms I think)
- 3rd toy in this line is already in the works but Shirai doesn’t want to say what it is
- OP seemed to think it might be the X-wing, Shirai doesn’t deny it and acknowledges that of course it would be best to release the Xwing early in the line(without outright confirming that it’s next). The gist of what he said implies that it’ll be out early in the line even if it’s not next.
- Shirai implies that even if you don’t see the X-Wing yet, you might eventually
- Shirai is a big fan of Boba Fett, it’s implied that he wants to design a new Slave I transformer
- Release of the Falcon is based on Episode IV but is timed for release near the premiere of the Solo movie
- Shirai sees Takara’s initiative in making new Star Wars Transformers as turning a new leaf compared to the old series by Hasbro.
- Though Vader’s TIE Advanced is the 1st release in this line, Shirai hopes it comes off as a mature product(as in not a toy made by newcomers) as Takara has come a long way in designing transforming toys.
Hanzkaz
Mine has finally arrived as well, and despite some concerns due to reviews, I like the 'Falcon-bots a lot. (The ship mode's cool, but I've got a few Millennium Falcon models and toys lying around which do the job better. I'm more interested in the robot modes with this set)
I don't think of these robots as being Han and Chewie but they somehow definitely evoke the spirit of the roguish pair (I've got 'Han' dual-wielding. Seems to suit him). I'm getting an old Western/space frontier/outlaw type of vibe from them.
I have to say, between the price, postage and a £25 customs charge, this has been a very expensive set. But I still want a Boba Fett/Slave and Luke Skywalker/X-Wing. (I'll have no problem if they give 'Luke-bot' a more Cybertronian head like they did with 'Han-bot'.
Oh, and the earlier version now looks like it was designed by a 6-year old.
Nems
I got mine today, and it looks like a piece of junk. Which is 100% accurate, so I'm liking it quite a bit.
Josh
Yeah someone went a bit overboard with the weathering on this one o___x
megatroptimus
The more I look at the pictures, the more I find the panel lining atrocious.
Raiju
I thought the black paint around the Falcon's engines would be a bit too much but it's actually not too bad in-hand as opposed to photos.
Yeah, I'm expecting an X-Wing or Slave 1 as the next offerings if they continue the line. Or they could throw us a curve ball and make an AT-AT or AT-ST instead.
Shin Densetsu
If it's the same ink as with Gundam weathering markers, you *might* be able to get rid of excess using an eraser like a plastic eraser or an eraser from a BIC mechanical pencil.
Paco Grande
Mine is on the way from Amazon Japan but I’m really regretting the purchase right now. Way too expensive and the paint is looking WAY worse than the prototypes. Very sloppy and way too much black.
Type-R
ウ工ヌマ on Twitter
View attachment 28015871 View attachment 28015872
Yたん(サブ垢) on Twitter
View attachment 28015873 View attachment 28015874
たっさん on Twitter
View attachment 28015875 View attachment 28015876
Type-R
石川ヨシノブ on Twitter
View attachment 28015860
ジャミラス@1日目西ほ37a on Twitter
View attachment 28015867 View attachment 28015868 View attachment 28015869 View attachment 28015870
Mumble-bee
one question: Does Han shoot first?
Shin Densetsu
I want this but that price….wow
Hanzkaz
Hello, 'absolutely no-one', here )) – Personally, I think they they went with a best of both worlds approach. I really didn't want a Han Solo head like the previous version, but I would have missed a Chewie head.
I do wish they'd actually modified the earlier Vader/TIE Fighter's robot head to look more 'Transformery' , though, like they did with the Han robot.
I have to admit that the new Star Wars-formers line isn't quite what I expected, design-wise, but I'm starting to like what I've seen so far, despite certain flaws (I'm not fond of TIE Vader's shoulders, and he could have done with a better light saber).
If Takara carries on with this line, I think it's a must-have for Star Wars/Transformers fans. At the very least, I want a Luke Skywalker/X-Wing (minus orange flight suit) and a Boba Fett/Slave 1.
JT-bob
I'm honestly shocked that Lucasfilm approved those bot modes, they look SO bad.
UltraMagnus76
Someone went crazy trying to make the Falcon look weathered. The super black panel lines and the heavy streaks down the exhaust ports look much worse in these photos than the ones when this was first revealed.
Rated X
Get rid of the stupid Han and Chewie heads and replace them with Skids and Mudflap. By Transformers standards, the millennium falcon makes the perfect junk ice cream truck.
DerVernichter
These would work so much better if the vehicles would transform into actual Transformers characters rather than questionable looking roboic versions of their riders. Skywalker coming with an X-Wing that turns into Jetfire or Hot Rod would be awesome, not to mention a Millennium Falcon that splits into Springer (his movie personality was heavily inspired by Han Solo anyways) and, say, Broadside.
[Wing_Saber-X]
This.
Raiju
I have the Falcon on the way to me from Amazon.co.jp – more than likely I'll be displaying this thing in alt mode most of the time opposite Vader's Advanced X1 TIE.
And speak of the devil, they just arrived (along with Black Series 6" 4-LOM and Gamorrean Guard).
View attachment 28015026
Yeah, that is seriously creepy. I mean, I get what they were trying to go for with capturing Ford's face (right down the robo hair, sad brow eyes, and curled lips) but that's not what I want in a Transformer (an anthropomorphized robotic Han Solo). I'll take the generic mouth-plated bot head sculpt, thanks (with the targeting scope; that's a neat touch). Chewie's robo head sculpt is Beast Wars-y in its own way.
CobraKai
The packaging makes it look so enticing. I dunno if I’d open it. The Japanese really know how to make a toy look irresistible.
Toolala
Thats why these are kind of appealing to me, they're not trying to be humanized robot versions of the characters which I've always found super lame.
now if only they actually used Transformers characters but with Star Wars alt modes, I'd actually probably buy some of these.