Takara Tomy Mall website has updated the listing of their exclusive Encore Big Convoy Reissue Matrix Buster Edition with our first look at the packaging.
This special reissue of Big Convoy mold comes in the original toy colors (different from the anime-accurate deco of the regular Encore reissue) The most important part of this new reissue is the enormous Matrix Buster cannon seen during the final battle in the Beast Wars Neo cartoon.
The packaging is completely new, with a closed box featuring a cool Big Convoy art holding his massive Matrix cannon, and with a small image of his toy mammoth mode on the lower right corner.
Additionally, they have uploaded an interview (pdf file in Japanese) with the Takara Tomy design team about this new reissue with some new information about this figure:
Update: More details from the interview thanks to 2005 Boards member Powered Convoy.
- Additional images of the gray prototype of the Matrix Buster.
- The new accessory will work with any other release of the mold.
- It will also include a remolded Matrix that can collapse its lateral holders, so it can be placed inside the Matrix Buster as seen in the Beast Wars Neo cartoon.
- It seems the cannon and Navi figurine were originally planned to go with the first Encore reissue, but they were not ready on time.
- The team really tried to recreate all the parts and gimmicks seen in the original cartoon.
- Encore Anime colors was released to align with the Beast Wars Masterpieces.
- Anime colors didn’t get the Matrix Buster because that would’ve been too expensive and they weren’t certain the market could support the price and having a release in anime colors was prioritized.
- To help recoup the costs of updating the mold to current times, Blue Big Convoy was released.
- The Matrix Buster was originally planned back in 1999 as a weapon against the planet-sized Unicron and was connected to Big Convoy’s “prosthetic” left arm, but since the Unicron toy was dropped, the story was changed and a Matrix Buster edition of Big Convoy was never made.
- Since Blue Big Convoy and Anime Colors Big Convoy were popular, they were able to afford making the Matrix Buster, and they also wanted to reissue the original toy colors.
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Predakwon
I was going to wait, hoping for a sale, but a lot of places already sold out of this guy. Luckily TFSource had some and they don't charge me tax.
The mammoth feet that pop out…yeah, not really meant for repeated use use since the plastic is wearing out as you can see the white on the connection.
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I bought the previous Encore and just putting Matrix buster on him and that's a wrap.
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myrrh
…i used to be pretty active on the lotus forums and one of my favorite pastimes when i drank on the weekends was to post rambling stream-of-consciousness soliloquies for communal amusement: as far as inebriated jumbles go, yours is fairly tame…
SPLIT LIP
Holy shit dude were you drunk when you wrote this? Your grammar is also pretty damn bad.
Jeez I need to proof-read my shit more.
ckhtiger
Any other comparison shots or reviews between the original and this reissue? I'm trying to decide which one I want to keep, and I haven't received the reissue yet.
Black Convoy
Got mine today. Totally happy as a fan of this character and the BW Neo Series.
Of note, the deco is NOT THE SAME as the original mold. Paint on this reissue is brilliant and shiny and more vibrant compared to the original toy. It's not so noticeable in pictures, but I do like the Matrix Buster edition colors over the old one.
While the plastic feels softer, the Matrix Buster version has tight articulations, no problem to pose him with the cannon.
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ckhtiger
I've got a complete, vintage Big Convoy that I'm looking to sell for $60 shipped in the U.S. if you or anyone else is intersted. Just shoot me a PM!
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Predakwon
Hmm, I want this, but willing to risk waiting for a sale.
My Anime Big Convoy came broken outta the box and that left a bad taste.
primalxconvoy
I've seen the anime version selling for Basically the RRP in places like Mandarake in Japan. I don't think they sold that well.
SPLIT LIP
While this is true, companies almost never rely on second-hand availability, especially for items this old. To them availability at retail is the only availability that counts, because they can actually control that. Not saying it’s right or smart, but it’s how their internal logic works.
Really, given how pathetic sales for Encore BC we’re, and how cheap it is second hand (especially compared to the original) the Matrix Buster should’ve been included with the anime colour version at mass retail, and maybe have a toy-accurate reissue a TT mall exclusive just to give options. They way they’ve done it is technically more financially viable, but they seem to overestimate how many people are willing to play there games.
I find that difficult to believe given the timing and how many Encore BC’s are sitting at reduced price on sites like Mandarake.
PoweredConvoy
The sales of the anime version allowed them to justify this version. The Matrix Buster wouldn't exist if the anime one didn't sell well enough.
Tanafor
They can really be incompetent. The story behind the first MP Megatron is a good testimony to that.
Black Convoy
My Big Convoy has shipped! I had to use economic SAL due to the price. I can't wait to get him!
Black Convoy
Only for cartoon-accuracy purposes. You can see those parts in the Beast Wars Neo cartoon last episode together with the Mastrix Buster
primalxconvoy
I don't like the anime version either. It was supposedly released as a semi-official "MP" figure (much like generations Ratrap, Rhinox and Cheetor), to compliment MP Lio Convoy.
You can still get good condition, used/boxed original Big Convoy figures in Japan (and possibly Korea), so you might be able to find them at a reasonable price. They don't sell for a high price in Japan, last time I looked.
SPLIT LIP
I’m probably unique in that I hate the anime deco of Big Convoy yet don’t own the original toy, so I would be interested in getting this if the retooled Matrix wasn’t so horribly cheap looking from behind. The cannon is nice but if the macguffin it’s based around is shitty it kinda kills the novelty.
I might as well just get the original.
Problem is this was never going to be released by itself, it was always going to come with Big Convoy. So the only options were release it with a repack of the (hideous) anime version, or do this. If they did it with the anime version people who just bought the standalone version would be pissed since this is just that but better, and if they made the anime colours exclusive to this set people would be even more pissed. There’s already an anime deco Big Convoy on the market, but not many people have the option to readily procure the original toy. I mean, you say people have the original, but I don’t, and toy-accurate reissues happen all the time for that reason.
Considering how niche an item this already is, releasing it with the original toy deco makes the most sense. Of course it’d make the most sense to just release the cannon by itself, but that’s not really something TT does.
RacerCheetor
Bruh… I hope I haven't thrown away my money just for a cannon. -_-
TargetmasterJoe
I wonder if folks would get a third-party kit that features a Matrix Buster just so they won’t have to shell out ~$100+ for one that comes with a toy colored Big Convoy.
Maybe if it was 3D-printed? Or was structured like a model kit?
primalxconvoy
Takara really know how to nickel and dime their most ardent fans, don\'t they? These accessories should have been included in the anime version. I don\'t, for one second, believe TT are that incompetent enough to have not planned this.
RetrogradeMercury
This is a mold I always wanted, along with Lio Convoy and Telemocha Primal. But with MP Primal and Lio existing now I almost feel like I might as well just spring for those versions and wait for a MP Big Convoy as well.
jamarmiller
YEah this was me
plus
2 ) Not only do I have the original one (opened but in Mint condition ) but I also have the Korean One too ( this one is MIMB ) . Then I went ahead and bought 2 of the reissues so I could give both of my kids a new Mint in box anime one to match the cartoon we were watching together.
then they release this ! Arghhhhhhh just rubbed me the wrong way. Not going to buy it just for this but would have happily bought it with the 2 anime inspired one