With POL the price is the same for me. BBTS is now out. Toy Arena still has 40 and is expected to get them Monday.
I highly, HIGHLY doubt Animated Blackout will be released in the U.S. at all, even under some form of Generations or the "Yellow box" line. The best bet to find him is most likley e-Bay or somehow getting lucky with BBTS or similar sites. Frankly, I think the toy isn't all that great and was created simply to try and bank on the popularity of the movie (since Ani. Blackout clearly is based on Movie Blackout). I honestly think Blackout should not have been developed as a toy, instead that slot being filled by a Mixmaster or Scrapper since they were more important characters than Blackout.
Yeah, I'm don't need a blackout character but I need the mold to make into Animated Whirl so a US release would have been nice.
If anyone is thinking of getting Blackout, I'd strongly recommend going with the Japanese release. Of course we're ally hoping for a US release, but let's face it - Hasbro can only sell if there is a retailer willing to carry the toys. I have no doubt that Hasbro's been trying to find a retailer to carry the last few Animated toys since their presentation at Botcon last year, but the simple, sad truth is that if none of the retailers want the toys, Hasbro cannot sell them. At least the Japanese release is a way to get the toy, even if it is more expensive than going down to the store and picking one up off the shelves.
i placed my preorder with robotkingdom back in early April and am waiting for an email from them to see if it has shipped yet. i know that it's gotta come from the other side of the Bigger Pond to My Left, so it will take time to get here. i just wanna make sure it got put in the mail. anticipatory anxiety is working overtime at my house, lol. but i know that if i don't get mine in a couple days, they Canceled Blackout and the rest of the unreleased TFA figures. *snickers sarcastically*
I was wondering this myself I know they said he would and so would Rodimus, but Arcee seems to be a mythical being almost. I dont think I will ever see it.
^well, in the "most recent purchase" thread, people are finding Arcee in larger numbers. i don't get out to enough stores anymore to find her on the peg, so i bought the Japanese version (BBTS), then an American version (eBay.) she's like finding a girlfriend; gotta push through a lot of places and crowds until she's finally spotted. you'll find her. The toy, i mean. and the others will be coming around the bend.
This is the like the chicken or the egg question. Aka Premium Megatron. If a whole bunch of people buy Takara Blackout will this make Hasbro think that it's a popular character and try harder to release it at retail? If a whole bunch of people choose to wait will Hasbro think that the figure is not popular and not release at retail. My vote is for the robot chicken.
That's not how it is at all. Hasbro wants to release the figure. They already know people really want it. No retailer wants to carry it. That's the situation.
I meant to mention the other day that Blackout is back up for pre-order at BBTS. Rather then finagiling with international shipping prices, I just went with them to add to my POL; I figure the higher price will be offset by the lower shipping. Personally I had been fine with waiting for a US release until I saw the pic comparisons, I really like Takara's Blackout quite a bit more then Hasbro's, so that's the route I'm going. At this point, I'm thinking that we may never see some of these last Animated figures getting a domestic release.
Blackout's also at tfsource. $45. I just preordered him. $52 shipped. Woo! Ironhide will be out in the fall with Rodimus at TRU.
