The other day a friend and I went to Babbages and I found Transformers. I've seen plenty of Beast Wars toys, but it's the first time in a very long time I've seen them as cars again. So far I've only seen a few sets; small 2-packs (level 1), regular sized cars (level 3), and 2 big trucks (level 3) ...Optimus Prime as a fire-truck now. I don't think I've seen level 2, and with the Hasbro site down for updates I can't find any info on these toys.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
From what I've heard, they are the toys based on a new Transformers series that is starting soon. The premise is basically this: They're starting over. It's the same general premise as the original Transformers series from the 80's, but there are some big differences. Optimus, as you've noted, is a fire truck instead of a semi. Megatron is a jet/dragon, I think.
The series has no connection to any of the series that have been done before, but is instead, reinventing the characters.
That's what I've heard. But I don't really know the specifics.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
I know virtually nothing about the Transformers, but I believe it was mentioned here that the toys are from a Japanese show called "Car Robots" which is being redubbed with Transformers-esque dialogue to make a new show.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Sol's right.
Besically, the US (Hasbro) and Japan (Takara) both make Transformer toys. The US makes the cartoons. Japan buys them and dubs them. Then it makes more. This is the first instance of a reversal of that situation.
Beast Wars didn't do that well in Japan. So, in 2000, they did Car Robots, with everyone going back to vehicles. It was a new continuity (whereas all the previous Japanese series had been linked. Unicron even appeared in Beast Wars Neo). They made toys. They were new characters. Goodie leader was Fire Convoy. Baddie leader was a six-changer called Gigatron. I spent a lot on money importing them from japan.
Flash forward to 2001. Beast machines hasn't done well in the US. Hasbro needs time to work out what to do with the line. They deciede to import all the nice new Japanese toys, change the names to pay homage to the original series, dub the anime, and bingo! New series for very little money.
Of the toys themselves. Fore Convoy/Optimus is pretty excellent. God/Ultra Magnus is quite nice (cool vehicle, okay robot), but it mainly worth it because he combines with Optimus to form the mother of all Transformers, one who can sit on combiners and bully Optimal Optimus. Gigatron/Megatron looks pretty cool as well. Some like him, some don't.
They're all pretty nice.
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :
I noticed that on the box. I've only got the Level 3 Autobots and haven't taken them out of their packaging hoping they might be almost as the old Transformers are today in the future. So far I haven't seen the Level 2 Autobots though.
Posted by NightWing (Member # 4) on :
I've seen TV promo's of this new series. And the first thing that came to my mind about the anime cartoon style was: Digimon. I actually looks very cool!
The first two are just under 1 MB, the third is about 2.7 MB.
Posted by NightWing (Member # 4) on :
Oh, and it's Autobots vs Predicons in the US version......
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
"I noticed that on the box. I've only got the Level 3 Autobots and haven't taken them out of their packaging hoping they might be almost as the old Transformers are today in the future."
Toys are meant to be played with. And old Tranformers are only expensive because there's a demand for them. That demand dissapears, you end up with $20 worth of plastic in a box. Besides, Transformers aren't THAT expensive. A mint condition original Optimus might be worth $150. Is that worth 15 years? (and since Takara re-released lots of original TFs, the demand and prices have dropped considerably).
"Oh, and it's Autobots vs Predicons in the US version......"
Actually, it'll only be Predacons for about half the show, until Black Convoy and the Combaticons turn up. Then apparently Megatron will change the group name to "Decepticons". He'll also change his own name to Gigatron several episodes later...
Posted by Wes1701E (Member # 212) on :
Why do people collect transformer toys? are they worth alot?
Posted by Siegfried (Member # 29) on :
Eh... I'd collect them simply for the sentimental value. Everyday after school I would run into the den and watch Transformers at 4:00 pm. I had a lot of the toys when I was younger. The only one that I desperately wanted (and always escaped my grasp) was Optimus Prime. Alas, in my destructive junior high school years, I ended up dismantling all of them. Damn it.
That's the similar story with all of my Legos, too. I had a huge cylinder tub full of Legos, but, when I seemingly outgrew them, I gave them all away to my younger cousin. Years later, he chunked them into the garbage. I really wish I still had all of them, too.
Damn, I knew it. College is making me regress to my childhood.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
"Why do people collect transformer toys? are they worth alot?"
Old ones are worth a bit, but, like Star Wars, thats because Transformers is still "in". If the Transformers line ever stopped, the prices would drop quite quickly.
"That's the similar story with all of my Legos"
Don't make me hurt you.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
I always wanted the Constructacons. One of my firends had them all assembled into Devastator in his room. We could go in and look at them, but we could never play with them. And I didn't have the cash to buy them myself.
He wasn't a very nice guy...
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
"I always wanted the Constructacons. One of my firends had them all assembled into Devastator in his room. We could go in and look at them, but we could never play with them."
After picking them up myself last year, I can see why. You can't play with them. Devestator falls apart if you sneeze in the same country as him. The later combiners weren't anywhere near as bad as this (And JRX/The trains from Car Robots/Robots in Disguise are 100% stable combined).
I spent a not inconsiderable amount of money on Shockwave a while ago. And I was very, very annoyed when I found out his arms didn't move at the shoulders. I've been spoiled by Beast Wars articulation (I did also pick up Snapdragon though, and really liked him. Okay, his dinosaur mode looked as much like a dinosaur as Simon looks like Johnny Bravo, but he's still a cool toy.)
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Oh, I'm sure you're right, Psy. But remember, I was, like, 10 and it was the coolest thing in the world
Another friend of mine had the die cast Voltron lion set. I wanted that even more. Actually, I saw it at K&B Toys a little while ago. But it was $30 and I couldn't afford it just then. Next I see it though...it's mine!
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Ah, Voltron combiners. One of those toys where part of teh fun was the playing, but most of it was watching your friends jealous expressions when they saw it. And then not letting them touch it. And then laughing. Laughing. Bwahahaha.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
LOL!!! Your real name is Johnathon Cauffman and you live in Longview, Texas, right!?!?
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :
You're right, they may never hold any value. Then again, they might. I certainly didn't think that my old Transformers would. Now when I go into a comic shop they're selling the same ones I had for about $40-$50 each. Even the Star Trek micromachines sell for more than their value on eBay.
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :
Well I finished watching the first episode of Transformers series. It's animation is similiar to Digimon.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
It is a bit similar, but I wasn't getting the same style. The style used for the humans in digimon is very similar to the style used for the humans in Pokemon (the backgrounds are quie different though). The humans in Car Robots/RiD though look different. A lot more traditional anime.
What's the kid called in the US dub?
Posted by Krenim (Member # 22) on :
The kid's name is Koji.
And (at least in the first episode) there doesn't appear to be any attempt to tie in RiD to any other TF series. The most backstory we got was that the Autobots and Predacons are still from Cybertron.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
What's the kids name in Car Robots? The only human name I can remember is "Yuko", the sexy, rich, Kenny-type character. Except she doesn't die.
Are they saying it's still set in Japan (the first episode wouldn't make much sense if it wasn't).
Posted by Krenim (Member # 22) on :
Yes, I think they mentioned it was set in Japan.
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :
Which of course would explain why my Prowl action figure has Japanese symbols on the door.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Yeah, I was surprised they didn't take them off (I think they say "Tokyo Police Department"). They leave the Japanese writing on Fire Convoy/Optimus Prime too.
The only differences are the added Autobot symbols in car mode (which actually don't make much sense. In Car Robots, they finally figured out that the vehicle modes were suppossed ot be disguises, and disguises don't work if you have your faction symbol posted all over the place). The paint is a bit different too. But everything else is the same. Thus Optimus Prime's tyre's still say "Fire Convoy" on them, and Ultra Magnus's still say "God Magnus".
For the curious, name changed:
Mach Alert : Prowl (obvious homage) Speedbreaker : Side Burn (horrible name. And it still says "Speedbreaker" on the toy profile) Wild Ride : X-Brawn (again, horrible name).
Fire Convoy : Optimus Prime (makes sense, but he is a different character. Why not call him Something Else Prime?) God Magnus : Ultra Magnus (makes sense)
Gigatron : Megatron (although he looks NOTHING like any Megatron ever, G1 or Beast Wars) Devil Gigatron : Gigatron (repaint. Occurs a bit into the series) Gelshark : Sky Bite (I think. I'm not sure. It's a repaint of Cybershark anyway, and is poo).
There are others, but I can't remember them off the top of my head.
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :
Robots In Disguise - Car Robots Omega Prime - God Fire Convoy Optimus Prime - Super Fire Convoy Ultra Magnus - God Magnus Side Burn - Speedbreaker X-Brawn - Wildrider Prowl - Mach Alert Fortress Maximus - Brave Maximus Towline - Wrecker Hook Skid-Z - Indy Heat Hot Shot - Artfire R.E.V. - Eagle Killer Ironhide - Ox Mirage - Counter Arrow Crosswise - X-Car W.A.R.S. - W.A.R.S. RailRacer - JRX Rail Spike - J-5 Midnight Express - J-4 Rapid Burn - J-7 Landfill - Build King Heavy Load - Build Typhoon High Tower - Build Cyclone Grimlock - Build Hurricane Wedge - Build Boy
T-Ai - Ai Koji - Yuki Dr. Orishi - Dr. Onshi Kelly - Junko
