New Preorders for Transformers Henkei - Ramjet, Jetfire, and More

maybe they've taken a clue from the kitbashers? maybe it will be like bumblebee repainted/remolded slightly as wheeljack or something too?

though this seems a little far fetched.

though, one more thought is it COULD be, a cybertron toy, repainted as well...

like evil jazz repainted as good jazz?

one more thought...

you know it is possible...

they ARE universe guys? sunstreaker/prowl?

I'd buy those.

I'm going with Cliffjumper w/ new head sculpt and dunduhduh...

Energon Wheeljack repainted with G1 accurate deco.

If they did Universe Sunstreaker with his original concept chrome rims, that would be awesome. And if they did both Sunstreaker and Prowl with rubber wheels, I'd love them forever....but seeing as how the first Japanese Classics didn't have rubber wheels, I don't think that would happen.

I would guess we will see Cliffjumper and Ultra-Magnus. Would love to see somethng new here, but I won't hold my breathe.

there is also always the option of police streak? lol

any how, rubber tires or not, i'd love to see what takara can do to streaker/prowl

maybe, just maybe, they're whole new molds, we haven't seen before

*here's hoping for hound* lol!

I would sell all my vital organs if that were true...

Wait, I think you mean Cybertron Downshift with a G1 accurate deco. The Energon Wheeljack/Downshift was a uber-homage with the proper G1 deco already there.

I'd personally like to see 2.0 Prowl with Japanese Police tampos just for kicks.

I'll probably end up buying every Henkei release simply because I've been so impressed with them thus far.

That said, if the other Cybertron ends up being 2-pack Prime, I will be totally going back on my previous statement.

I still want Thundercracker.

I want to know who it is! I really hope its not deluxe prime.

Clearly that second deluxe Autobot is Autobot Thundercracker.... who changed factions to avoid any legal troubles from Fun Publications.

Legal troubles?

Yes, Fun Publications would really do well in Japanese court against a Japanese company operating within Japanese copyright law.

It's a de facto agreement that looks as though it might not be immutable, if Classics Nemesis Prime is a SDCC exclusive.

Fun Publications owns the mold to Thrust's wings, however.

THIS.

Oh, I know... there likely wouldn't be any legal troubles. I was just joking. I think if Takara wanted to release their own versions of the Seekers they could do so. As others have said, there have been plenty of cases where one country's exclusive has become the other country's mass release.

Anyway, sorry, not trying to divert this to a Seeker thread.

But I AM still curious about the Mystery Deluxe Autobot on BBTS. Is Takara shoehorning older molds into Henkei like Universe 2.0? Are they doing a non-US-inspired repaint of a Classics figure? Or does BBTS just have their listing wrong? Right now I'd bet on the listing being wrong.

IMO the listing could be wrong. BBTS sometimes list preorders with the wrong price, and then send an email correcting the info.

I can't imagine how different can Henkei Ramjet be. Curious if one of the Autobots is Cliffjumper ... if it's different enough from the Hasbro version, I may get it.

-airfox

I can name a few:

Galaxy Force Excellion - one of those DVD/whatever exclusives things. Later got a mass release in Cybertron with a slightly different paint job.

Micron Legend Scourge - some magazine's/whatever's exclusive, limited to 3,000 pcs. Was later released in Armada as Nemesis Prime, again with a different paint job.

Alt Nemesis Prime - SDCC/HTS exclusive, got mass released overseas at the same time.

And recently, the Lawson's Movie Blackout reused as Premium series Blackout.

Obviously there's precedent here.

<---- Is, impressed, excited, and a little hungry.

There's precedent, and yet there isn't.

Botcon exclusives have never been mass released ... yet. Of course, up to last year, Botcon exclusives weren't considered "main line" figures.

-airfox

Yeah, that's the catch. Up to last year, Botcon exclusives were mainly things taken from other lines and used for an entirely different story or angle. Never any kind of "add-on" to an existing line, as last year's set was.

Besides, we're talking about TC, Dirge, and Thrust, fairly iconic characters in the TF mythos. Not to mention being Seekers on top of that. And it's probably pretty much a given that Takara doesn't care what goes on in the NA market, in relation to their products/lines. And vice versa with Hasbro and the overseas market.

what about, starscream repainted as air raid? could be that lol

I'd rather see him remolded as Dogfight.

While I would like the ones you listed, Skywarp and Thundercracker came out about 7(?) years ago and were limited to only 1000 pieces each in Japan. So I'm sure there is some demand for them.

Yes. Takara, when it comes to Transformers, can do whatever release they want to. Takara has say over Hasbro in this regard. Now out of respect for the Botcon figures, IF they ever did them I'm sure they'd be different (as they'd probably want to do more cartoon accurate versions anyway).

Cliffjumper yes, Aveo Swerve never. HLJ had the figure up for preorder for about $90 to $100 this past week though.

Randy

I'd picture Thundercracker in a lighter sand blue, like the movie one. I just love that colour.

case in point...I forget the name they called in japan...the nemesis breaker mold that was mass released here in the US for cybertron was a exclusive over there for galaxy force....

As long as they release Thundercracker, that'd be awesome, as I never plopped down and bought the Botcon set, due to the fact I only cared about that toy.

So, I'm looking forward to seeing Takara doing something with him hopefully, so I can finally have the three seekers.

Wow, a thread about classics that has once again turned into people whining for Thundercracker. I'm shocked, no, seriously I am!*


*not really

Um... there's more than three seekers.



Chris

Nice post. And nice sig!*


*not really

Hmm, I'll pick up Ramjet for sure. Skyfire/Jetfire is a maybe, as I absolutely love Hasbro's version. If it's different enough, I'll buy it too though.

The rest of the seekers would be REALLY nice.

So says the poster with all 3 of them......

Agreed.

I agree, it would be nice if they released "ALL" of the seekers.

I don't think all six seekers is gonna happen from Takara. Maybe eHobby. From what I understand, most Japanese collectors don't like destrons as muchas cybertrons. With 4 destrons confirmed and 7 Cybertrons confirmed in henkei, I don't think that four more seekers is gonna happen. I could be wrong, but I don't think so.

I still think if Takara relses the seekers it will be a stab in the back on FP from Hasbro.

From what I understand the classic molds are Hasbros to begin with. They loand them to FP to do Botcon stuff and they did the seekers that I know hasbro in aftershow bang their head aginst the wall but done is done. Hasbro must have given Takara rights to produce the classics and the molds.( yes they differ from them in paint and chrome but still the same mold. ) To get Takara lices to relese the other seeker Hasbro would backstab FP. How fun is it to buy exclusiv stuff and then just because the demand is high you print them aain with a small color change. The hobby NEEDs a few exclusivs.

FP did the seekers and they are exclusivs...to bad but thats how it is.

NOTe: I do not collect classic nor do I inteend to nor do I own the games of deception box I just dont think it would be right to FP because ppl missed out.This will happen again and again thats just how the collector hobby works.

Hmm... I'm not really sure that's how that works.

IMO, if there's a Henkei Thundercracker he will be very different from Botcon Thundercracker. I think Henkei 'cracker could have wing decorations similar to Classics Starscream and Classics Skywarp which weren't cartoon accurate.

-airfox

I am actually glad that there were not as many as botcon seekers appeared on the private auction (I meant those cracks) comparing to this years' botcon figures...

And I do agree it is a stab in the back to many collectors if the Takara ever released any of the botcon figures..

You are correct. That's why they should release Classics Starscream in Animated Starscream colours.

Lets get this straight, Hasbro may have created Transformers, but since it originally used Takara's Microman & Diaclone figures, Takara has as much say if not more over Transformers than Hasbro does. Takara owns Transformers. Hasbro and Takara almost always work together on developing a Transformer, even those not initially released in Japan (like Classics). There are a few exceptions (Energon Mega Dinobot & Alpha-Q are too). Takara is almost always responsible for engineering the figures (like 98% of what was released in the last 10 years).

Hasbro doesn't loan the molds to FP. FP makes their choices from what Hasbro makes available, and FP (from what I understand) has to deal directly with Takara to get their figures produced (the people from FP have expressed it can be difficult to work with Takara at times).

If Takara wants to release a HenKei Thundercracker they can. If they want to make it just like the Botcon Thundercracker, they most likely can. Would they? Probably not. I imagine it would be similar to the Robot Masters version color wise.

Randy

I'm interested in Henkei Jetfire/Skyfire, I'm wondering what they'll do with him, and what gets chromed. Could be a great figure.

How the hell is it a stab in the back for Takara to finally make the figures available for people who couldn't afford the Botcon package? You guys have had a couple of years now to gloat over your exclusive owning of the figures. Would it challenge your manhood to not be able to say "nyah nyah nyah I have a Thundercracker and youuuuuu don't!"??

If you didn't already have it, you'd be singing the same tune.

I don't have the Botcon exclusives (wish I did), and I would be absolutely thrilled to get the exclusive Henkei seekers. BUT, if I shelled out ungodly amounts of money to get them "exclusively" through the Botcon last year, I would be justifiably upset. I don't think it's about gloating, it's about paying an unreasonable shit load of money for something because you were led to believe that that was the only way to get it, and then being told that, that in fact was not the only way to get it.

Having said all that, I think that I could live with all those upset TF fans if I could get my hands on a Thundercracker for 25 bucks. I understand where they would be coming from, but I wouldn't really care

I honestly hope Takara goes and does Thundercracker. However, as other posters have said, I would imagine it would be closer to the cartoon colors if made.

That said, I wouldn't care if the other coneheads were not made. For most people, I think Thundercracker is their main concern anyhow. Myself, though I'd love to have all the Seekers, the only ones that really matter to me are the core trio.

On that note, here's hoping we get Skywarp... I missed him at retail.

I have him and I want them to make a HenKei version. So that Starscream isn't alone. Plus he'd probably be very different. Oh and we've only had our Botcon 2007 sets since July of last year, so it's only been 9 months not a couple of years.

Randy

Oh, please no. I hate that baby blue. I'd much rather have something closer to Animated Screamer or Movie 'Cracker.