I hear ya buddy. Straight up refusal.

 

It's both. They don't have the guts to say they don't care what collectors want. But also, KO companies only have to pay for actual production expenses. They don't have to fund millions in handouts to wannabe media moguls. Alot of cool stuff a smaller company could do and profit from just can't get over that bar in a suffocating corporate environment.

 

I believe that release is going to be through Hasbro Asia only

 

Supposedly with improvements made.
MP9 Masterpiece Rodimus Prime Official Reissue??

 

Damn! I'll need to get this.

 

For good reason: the molds are deadass lost, and quite frankly, I wouldn't disagree if they felt the profit margin wasn't big enough to warrant reverse-engineering new molds from old toys. It's one thing to make a new mold and distribute it worldwide to whoever wants to buy it, but it's another altogether to, again, make 3 new molds of figures whose engineering far precedes that of today's figures, then release it (at least, on a first-party basis, where it matters in this case) to one market, all while pigeonholing it into one specific demographic.

And think of it this way, if nothing else: if you were 10, 13 years old in modern times, would you rather have a 35 year old toy that turns into a car and a robot and that's it, or a figure like Generations Springer, where it's a robot and a car and a helicopter, doing all 3 while looking like sex with <insert young starlet it's publicly acceptable to fawn over in this scenario because you're an adolescent>?

 

I agree from a business standpoint, but it still irks me we never got those three reissued or the Dinobots. Just loving the retro style and would gladly buy other reissues in same style even if done before or recently is all I am saying. Business wise, Hot Rod needs to sell out fast for any hope of any other reissues.

 

New toys are great, but as prices should tell you, the classics still have their place and likely always will. There's plenty of money to be made, otherwise we wouldn't have had tons of reissues before.

 

Would rather a new mold, but lets see what they do.

Ok, so Hasbro and/or Takara moved factories (not the move to Vietnam, a different move) from what I understand, and lost the G1 Dinobot molds in the process. Coincidentally, right after that, KO companies started putting out KO G1 Dinobots. Considering KO companies most times will use molds that Hasbro/Takara threw out/lost, and I've heard that some work out of the same factories as Hasbro/Takara, just not during normal work hours obviously, then I'd say the KO companies got the original molds and use them themselves. That's why the KO companies can do G1 Dinobots and Hasbro/Takara can't. This is my understanding.

 

The quality on that KO G1 Dinoset has reported to be trash. I was close to get them, and did my research.

They seem to be plain and utter caca.

I'd much rather get the PoP ones or waint until I can score the real thing for a good price, but that seems impossible.

 

Did you end up getting this set? If so, how is the quality?

 

I've got the KO Swoop, piece of garbage. Had two, both broke pretty quickly. Don't bother.

 

I've heard the same story too, but I'm not sure how truthful it is. The Dinobot molds have probably been one of, if not THE most KOed of all of the G1 Transformers. There were at least three or four KOs of Dinobots back when they were originally released in 1985, and they have been released, in various forms and flavors ever since. I'm sure there are multiple copies of the mold floating around China. I guess one of them could be the original ones as well.

 

I have the KO Grimlock, not the others and I can say that quality wise It's pretty good, would rather have officially re-issued ones through.

 

Not yet, I'm on disability leave, and can't afford them at this time. Once I'm healed and already back to work, then I can spurge on them.

 

Well as far as I know there are no other contradicting reports of reasons, so...yeah.

Ooh, sorry to hear that bro. What happened?

 

Heart attack, with a quadruple bypass.

Not to downplay or minimize mine and other people's traumatic events, but luckly;

 

I've been over this before, but once again from memory (these are packed away for now):

Red Swoop - originally terrible quality, later runs were better but still had some quality issues
Blue Swoop - great quality. Once you cut the wing missiles to fit on the wings he's been perfect, no issues at all.
Original Slag - some coloration issues, but other than that a solid figure. Almost too tight in spots.
Red Slag - great quality like Blue Swoop. No issues at all.
Grimlock - Paint on his robot head can be sloppy, but other than that great quality.
Sludge - sloppy paint on both robot head and chest, varies figure to figure. Rear legs don't extend out to the sides properly in Bronto mode, which looks crappy. Can't be fixed without breaking them.
Snarl - Clear parts are way too dark. Something is wrong with his alignment and his front legs cant sit squat with his back legs and tail all flush on a surface at the same time in dino mode like intended, one piece is always raised up. This is why you see his front legs extended out in shots, that is the only way to get him flush.

So Grimlock, Blue Swoop, and Red Slag are great in my experience. Regular Slag is fine assuming you get the correct colors. The rest are worthy of purchase only at a great price and if you can work with the issues outlined above.

Overall the KO Reissues were more good than bad. But it is frustrating not to have official releases, especially for those figures with issues.

 

About my last post, more than ever, especially now, and this applies to everyone; a little levity goes a long way.

 

I agree with this. But I would add Sludge to "Grimlock, Blue Swoop, and Red Slag" being of great quality. Moreso than all the Takara reissues I have, and I buy TWO of each.

Snarl I had the most issues with, especially the chest/cockpit con caved in and I had to miraculously fix it.