TakaraTOMY Reveals Henkei Thundercracker, Skywarp and Crystal Convoy

If only we could whine enough for Attacktix.
*waits for someone to release Attacktix Starscream in Thundercracker's color as a convention exclusive, charging $100 for it out of pure good will just so I can have the chance to "complete the set", since this line is, well, dead.

For the record, I definitely prefer the Takara Skywarp of the two; the lighter purple is actually a lot closer to the G1 shade, and more importantly it's not pink. The new G1ish stripes are a bonus; I do actually quite like the Classics deco aside from the 'purple' used.
TC I like both versions, although again I think the Takara one's got the edge for the nice shade of blue, not identical to the original toy, but closer. Plus I like the shiny.

Not that I'm getting any of them, mind you...
Definitely recommend grabbing a Starscream and a paintbush there... and at least it'll be easier than trying to repaint a proper Transformer...

Yes, the Botcon TC is darker here is a picture of my shelf to compair with the other jets.

BotCon Thundercracker FTW

One flaw there is that attacktix sucked.

For the love of God, will someone please translate the Japanese so I can preorder mine? Or at least tell me where I can download a program for Windows to decode it?

Oh, and I love the way Skywarp's colors look. Much better than Hasbro's deco. Also, I agree about the whole TC debate. It's nice that the people who missed out on having TC from Botcon are getting a chance to get it now. I missed out once, I will not again. Like I said in an earlier post, I chose not to get the toys. My choice alone. I cannot complain about FP or Hasbro's tactics. We all make choices that we have to live with.

Ok guys, since I can't take the time to look through over 40 pages, can someone please tell me if there is any place we can pre-order these guys? I thought I read that these were going to be released in Japan at some point today?

None of the Japanese Retailers will take orders from or ship to American addresses (or international)

You will need to find an importer and pre-order with them. These are usually people who do strictly Japanese imports or the big collector toy stores who have an importer import for them and they re-sell.

Currently I have only seen one importer claim to take pre-orders. The stores haven't secured a path yet as far as I know. I am sure we will hear when a store has it secured.

If we didn't call them seekers, what would we call them. I actually like the term. On the same note, we need a generic one-word term for all the mid-sized autobot sports cars (sideswipe/sunstreaker/prowl/jazz). Streakers? Suggestions anybody? And who would you include and not include in this category? =)

That's hilarious. His bio would read just like TFTM Divebombs. So what's more toxic, acid rain or transformer turd? Funny thing is he would be the most realistic jet repaint of all!!!

I hope BBTS or Tfsource are able to get some of these in before they all sell out, since these are supposed to come out either sometime today, or very soon. I already have the Skywarp from the Target two pack, but I like this version better. Now all I need is my Starscream from Ages Three And Up should they ever decide to actually one day ship him out to me. (They are taking forever to send out my Henkei Transformers!)

I believe it will be tomorrow. I want to preorder them as well.

Hey, Dev...who did you preorder from? I want them too.

Since they don't wear pants I don't see why they can't be streakers

Thread TL;DR.

Already have my Botcon classics Thundercracker, though if it weren't for the superfluous chrome I think I'd prefer this one. The Botcon seekers had those paint apps designed to look like the G1 toys' stickers, which totally didn't match with the three mass release seekers.

Clear plastic Henkei Convoy is horribly tempting, and I'm not even sure why.

Cos he rocks?

From blackgears.com. The guy who runs it is hydra on allspark.

Do you just have to sign up first, or is there a certain place to preorder it?

Then I can die happy now that I didn't make them in vain...

Btw I just want to add how great TFW2005 is. Since it was down (for me anyway) I posted these yesterday on Seibertron and later commented how yet these will eventually be avaliable cheaper then the Botcon seekers, and I got nothing but being ridiculed. Reminded me why I left that place 2 years ago...

too bad that official photo of the BotCon version was taken before they made the tailfins black.

Umm, you mean all those heinkei we see sold by Hong Kong sellers are STOLEN? Cause that's a whooping large amount...

Or can the Hong Kong sellers buy any toy made by the factories in advance, before being shipped to Japan, EXCEPT store exclusives?

Just want to be sure I understood you right, because this is exactly the cause of the debate I have on Seibertron now. (Granted, some people there reacting with 5-post longs HAHAHAs there doesn't help either. Does that page even have Mods?)

Oh, so that is it! Thanks for clarifying.

Are the tailfins made from black plastic on Botcon TC, or just painted black, btw?

We don't KNOW that they'll be cheaper. That's pure speculation.

Me? I'm guessing that you'll end up paying about the same price with shipping (about $50-$60) as Thundercracker cost at cost. Not only that, but there is simply no way a store exclusive will have enough of a supply to provide everyone all over the world that wants a Thundercracker with one; the math simply doesn't add up.

Unless you get it almost immediately from an importer, odds are you'll be paying inflated ebay prices. And then the price of Thundercracker will go up, up, up, until it pretty much goes back to the amount it was.

It'll take time: speculation will drive the price down for a good few months: but the reality of the situation will eventually drive it back up, I'm guessing.

Really? Why?

Well, they could, and probably will, get some legitimately. Hong Kong always does. Just don't expect them to come cheap: they're aware how hot the demand is, and will charge a fairly expensive amount in expectation of that, I'm sure. And if you don't want to pay the inflated price? Well, I'm sure there's plenty of people all over the world who will.

Sorry to rain on your parade, man, but sometimes, it pays to be realistic, you know?

Painted. They're made of the same blue plastic as most of the rest of the figure.

Because it's a hassle? Because store exclusives usually sell out in Japan anyway? Because they're not in the business of shipping internationally? They're a Japanese toy store, not an importer.

Most stores do not internationally ship unless they have an international chain which they can sideways the order to. Lots of US stores won't ship to international addresses because it is to hard to handle the money and international shipping. Heck, many stores won't even ship to Canada, and many Canadian stores won't ship to the US.

Doing Internet business outside your own country is not that easy.

Agreed, entirely.

Oh, I know. I was just being rhetorical.

As I said, they're a Japanese toy store, not an importer. It takes time and effort to do that, and as long as the market exists in your home country, why go through the hassle to sell internationally?

Nice comparisons! Though Skywarp didn't really end up looking like that, since his purple is more of a magenta than that dark purple, and he lost the black fingers, red feet details, silver pistons, purple waist detail, silver thrusters, extra stripes in jet mode, and purple on the sides of his arms.

Ha ha ha! I took that picture for the Wikia. I'm glad you liked it.

Randy

I just got done reading this entire thread,all 53 pages.I suck.None of this is going to matter when you're dead,I bet most of us when we're 50 or 60 won't even own any transformers anymore.

Its a great photo, but I have to say he isnt' nearly that dark in person though.

I'm not dead. And I'll bet you I will.

OK, ok, grammar police, I know, but if we're talking about what the Japanese stores are (or aren't) doing for those of us in the West, I think you mean that they're not an exporter.

The stores that are based here in the West (trying to find a nice, easy way of including both the US and Canada all at once...) that get the Japanese stuff for us, those are importers.

So, if it won't matter when we're dead, we shouldn't be talking about it, then?

I expect that the folks who put time and energy into giving us this board in the first place would have something to say about that....

Just go to his site and message him through the sites email telling him what you want.

I just want to say that I think a lot of people confuse entertainment for wasting time. Growing up, I played a lot of video games and a lot of people told me I'm waisting my time and to get a life or whatever. I think this thread and the site is a perk in being a fan of TFs as a whole. It's a part of what makes collecting something entertaining- being able to discuss something with people you would have otherwise never met.

My point is that being happy and being entertained, even when considered a waist by others, is an important part of life to me.

BLARGH WHY DOES MY GRAMMAR SUCK SO VERY VERY BAD

Seriously though, thanks for the correction.

This is how everyone should respond. If only more people on this board had this much class.

yup...i emailed him and he takes paypal...nice guy ....emailed me right back...thanks again for the info!!!

tc and skywarp will be welcomed to the aerial decepticon collection!!

Why on earth would anyone ever do that?

Hey guys, I am about to order a bunch of these from Toys Hobby Market. We will find out in about 2 hours how many we can order. Does anyone want want in on this order? I won't do the 100% markup thing like Hydra. If it ends up being that we can get as much as possible, how does $30 flat $30 fee for the Skywarp and thundercracker set sound? Again, I'll see in about 2 hours....

These are the first Henkei I will pass on. I have all 6 seekers with my botcon set so these dont do anything for me. I was hopeing for a Sunstorm and Ghost Starscream. Ohhhh Well.

keep us posted on it and i am in

30$ each or 30$ for both? Including shipping? I am just curious for clarification especially since they appear to be 28$ US retail.

It is very nice of you for offering!

Very true. However, they are a lot of good people who post here, very few of them are spammers, flammers, or the like. Now, I think Takara did a nice gob on the Seekers. I'll probably just buy TC, 'cause I'm happy with Hasbro's Skywarp. So, all I need now to complete my Seeker collection is Thrust. Make it happen Takara!



P.S. Dirge is awesome. I hope takara releases him and Thrust so everyone can get a chance at getting him.

Keep us posted. I might want to get in on this too.

I would be interested if you are able to do it.

but you need 2 of each
one for alt and one for bot mode

Is there anyone who can vouch for this seller? I have never heard of him before, and I am reluctant to send $140 to someone I don't know. Is he reliable? Also I am unsure about the price. I mean sure they can end up being quite expensive, but on the other hand I would really hate to think I just paid a high price for a pre-order just to have tfsource end up selling it cheaper than what Hydra is. The truth is, do we really have any idea of how much these things will cost? I would presume that if there is not a limit on what these stores can produce, it would help to keep the prices down, would it not?

If you live in japan and order online in about 1 hour:
3000 yen = 28$US

They are limited. I thought I read 6000 total for each *somewhere* but they are limited. The production is not going to go up to reduce the price any further.

So the real question is:
*Who is able to actually order them
*Will they restrict the # people can order at once
*What will it cost to Export them from Japan
*What will the 'markup' be as it takes time and effort to do all this

So what is it worth to you? And do you feel that you can get it before it sells out on these sites. If someone is offering a price you can live with, just take it and don't look back.