hi, I've been looking at a catalogue from a G1 Powermaster Prime by Takara (1988), and noticed that in the catalogue, featured a different type of GodBomber than the one release in the re-issue of God Ginrai (giftset)?
Yep. It's a version that never got past the prototype phase. It's also shown in the TF Generations book.
Any chance somebody could post a scan of it? I dont' have a Japanese TF catalogue from '88 nor the generations book.
Did anyone ever discover the reason why they show it combined with a Powermaster Prime as opposed to Ginrai?
You are right that is a PM Prime. I wish I knew the answer. Well I like that Godbomber better then the one released.
I thought scans weren't allowed? I think the only the redeeming thing about that version is the feet for Prime. And they still need work to line up properly. But in solo bot mode he's hideous, look at his arm! Popeye all over.
Scans of whole books, or exclusive things like the fan club mag are not allowed, this is ok. I blew up that section.
I wish someone could find out if the mold still exists for this toy. I saw this version a long time ago, and felt cheated. My thinking is this. Much like the cheaper version that was produced for the US in the 80s, the cheaper Apex Bomber that ended up being produced was intended for the US market. The cooler version that was shown here was originally intended for the Japanese market, but wasn't produced due to the reduced demand. Uh, yes, I'm being synical. Who can we talk to that would know about molds such as this (including the dinosaur cassetts)?
Which was released first, PM Prime or Japan Ginrai? If the former, maybe the photos for the proto Godbomber used PM Prime, as that was handily available at the time. If the latter, maybe they just didn't wanna chip Ginrai's paint.
Let's see. Die cast front part of cab. Chromed parts. Completely different mold arms in super mode with retractable fists. Metal internal support pin in shoulder cannons to prevent peg breakage. In the 80s, the US really got shafted with cheapeness when it came to this figure.
Dude, I understand what you mean but the toy collecting market is different in Japan compared to the US...
You're right, but that has nothing to do with what happened here. Basically what you're getting is this: Hasbro killed off Optimus Prime, sales on Transformers plumet. In an attempt to regain that old flame, Hasbro tells Takara they need a new Optimus Prime full of gimmicks but close enough to the original. Takara's response is Ginrai/God Ginrai. But Takara, heavy on the story, decides to make it a new character that just resembles Optimus Prime (though a recent interview reveals that the creator of the cartoon series storyline always intended it to be Optimus Prime, but never got it in the actual story). Why did we get the "less cool" version and not what is shown here? Probably due to cost, and Takara, chipping in with Hasbro on mold production, probably felt it was best to go along with what Hasbro was doing. Hasbro, of course, totally defaced the figure by making it all plastic and lacking all the things that helped make the figure "stable", Takara just went all out because Transformers sales were still strong for them at the moment, as Masterforce was a success in Japan. In short? Cost.