Can anyone tell me if a Ratchet figure will be released in the Universe line? I know the Henkei line will be getting it, and I assumed that the Universe line would too, but I've recently heard that's not the case. Shed some light on this for me please?
Hasbro has yet to officially announce one. Though chances are he will see release somehow eventually through hasbro. It's like them not doing a red hot shot, bumble bee, etc repaints, it's just what they do traditionally, just a matter of what wave he gets into. It'd be like breaking the very fabric of reality for them to make ironhide and not recolor him into ratchet. As stated on numerous occasions as well... "We love our repaints." Quoth Hasbro.
That's all true, but I hope they don't repaint Ironhide in the way they repainted Bumblebee as Cliffjumper. I need my Ratchet to have a resculpted head. Time will tell, and if they don't do it right I'll just get the Henkei version.
You know, the same can be said about the in show Seekers (NOTE/FYI, let's not get into the whole 2007 screaming match again, there is a Thundercracker out now and I for one am sick of all this complaining over 2 coneheads who had maybe a few minutes of screen time) or the Dinobots.
The Henkei version that has a sculpted mock-up picture out looks like it will be good and it would make zero sense for Hasbro not to bring that here when it officially comes out. We haven't had a quality transforming G1 Ratchet figure in......well, ever. The Heroes of Cybertron PVC is the best damn Ratchet figure ever made for G1 authenticity!
Considering they'd probably have to give Ratchet ambulance lights, I could see them doing a whole new head as well. That said, their heads are so similar that it might get skipped, except maybe just adding Ratchet's crest. Also, I think this mold would make a nice Skids repaint. Doesn't even need a new head either as his is sorta similar to Ironhide's.
henkei ratchet is one of the few henkei's i plan to get, for sure, so you could just do the same, i suppose.
If Hasbro's version doesn't have a resculpted head, then what makes you think the Henkei version will? The Henkei line is redecoes of the Universe/Classics line; there hasn't been a resculpt yet. That said, we have seen a preview pic of the Henkei Ratchet mould, which IIRC did feature a new head. Given what I just said about Henkei not having reworked moulds, it follows that Universe Ratchet will be released at some point in the near future, and it will have a new head.
At Botcon somene asked about Universe Ratchet, and I believe the reply was "no plans yet, but we'll eventually get around to it". Strangely enough, the resin proto from Takara had already seen the light of day by this point... If Takara does Ratchet first, I'm gonna be REAL tempted to get it instead of the Hasbro one. Unless... *GASP* Ratchet is going to be in a Botcon set! LOL!! Chris