Via @3startoysya on Facebook we now have the scans for Figure King #290, containing the following figures:
-SS-89 Sludge
-SS-85 Exo-Suit Spike Witwicky
-SS-88 Junkheap
-TL-04 Kickback
-TL-05 Arcee
-SS-87 Ironhide
-SS-86 Arcee
-Robosen Robotics Flagship Optimus Prime
Check it out after the break and let us know your thoughts on the boards!
Onilink
I want to have that eagle-like sight capable to clearly view that mouth line without going full Ken Jeong meme
mx-01 archon
Fair enough. I really don't like the cracked, porcelain doll-looking movie design face either. It's very creepy.
SPLIT LIP
And IMO that would’ve looked better. I have half a mind to fill them in/sand them down when I get her. It’s distracting on an otherwise youthful, rounded face.
mx-01 archon
Well that, and because of the limitations of sculpted plastic versus the CG, and the small scale, they need to exaggerate some of the features for them to come through. No, her mouth lines should not be etched that deep. But going full movie-accurate, they wouldn't even be visible once the plastic molding and the paint did their business.
bipedalfish
? what about them. they follow the cgi model, it's just, by not Being the cgi model or made of metal, the accent on them is stronger. there's nothing bad about the "puppet" look, if anything it enhances her robotic nature, and thus makes her features more believable
MegaGnaw
Actually, I did see it on YouTube a while back. Didn't realize that's what I was looking at in the scan.
Electro Rush
Seriously. Any issue one could have with that figure disappears once you see it in motion.
SPLIT LIP
What about the origins in America? Optimus Prime was Optimus Prime in America before the character made it to Japan as Convoy. (Itself just reusing the name from Diaclone)
The toys may be Japanese moulds, but the red and blue living robot from another world was Optimus Prime first and formost.
Q Prime
It's not supposed to. The big thing about it is that it auto-transforms and moves, not that it looks perfect.
Mecannibal V
No kidding. With those looks that thing better transform on its own or something.
Foster
Yes, the MP line has used original Japanese character names. Rodimus Convoy already exists in fact, he's MP-9!
jackisking
I think because it didn't start off as a Takara project they kept the American name. Pretty sure MP Rodimus will be a Convoy and Brawn will be Gong when they come around
MegaGnaw
Somehow, to me, that Optimus does not look better than earthrise. Dude has a red panel on the back of his head! Also looks like a partially solved Rubik's cube.
Rodimus Maximus
How exactly are they supposed to better acknowledge Tfs Japanese origins though?(Doesn't everybody know their Japanese roots?) From what I understood, the Diaclone robots were non-sentient mechanoids with pilots, and there wasn't much of a story to it. And after Tfs blew up in the West, didn't Takara-tomy just adopt and modify the Marvel comics/Hasbro mythos (names and personalities, factions etc.)?
Needless to say, to any more knowledgeable TF historians, do feel free to correct this assessment where necessary!
caitlindevi
Its arcee\'s creepy ass eyes that freak me out…like her face is a mask
JPTFFN
Maybe you're right.
However, I believe that the current approach of ignoring the origins in Japan is a joke.
Foster
Yes from what I've seen, the Japanese names like Convoy have been retired in favor of Western versions, unless there were no Western versions, as in the case of MPG Trainbots or Haslab Victory Saber for example. I suppose they think it will be better for sales.
JPTFFN
I am a fan of Japanese TF, but I am not happy with the use of foreign names for TF toys that look similar to G1 after Bay Transformers.
So this Convoy auto-deforming toy uses the voice actors from the G1 anime, but the name is Optimus?
G1TF should revert to the Japanese name…
ziltama
I had the exact words in my head before reading your post.
T-Hybrid
Remember when we used to get mad about stuff like T30 Blitzwing's shitty shoulder design? You can tell Hasbro has come a long way in terms of design improvements by how all the focus has shifted to two lines on the mouth of a headsculpt that's likely going to be the size of my finger nail.
It's the uncanny valley effect.