Thanks to board member SydneyY, our resident Japanese translator, we bring you an interview from Figure King Magazine, Issue #205 featuring Hisashi Yuki. Yuki-San is one of the head designers currently working on the Combiners Wars/Unite Warriors line for TakaraTomy.
Yuki-San goes into detail regarding his work on Unite Warriors, specifically the development of Superion as well as providing us with a few insights into the decision-making process behind Masterpiece Star Saber and his work on the upcoming “Adventure” line.
– How did “Combiners” become the theme?
– How did you proceed with the development of Superion?
– How did you decide on the direction of Japanese “Unite Warriors” development?
– Also MP Star Saber is going to be released in March at last.
– I can’t help wondering about Victory Leo….
– Tell us about your current work.
– This year is the 30th anniversary of Transformers arriving in Japan. What do you suggest the fans to pay attention to?
Click through to read the interview in its entirety.
Afterburner
Just because you don't like any thoughtless product marked in a "TransFormers" box doesn't make you a geewunner. I love Beast Wars, Beast Machines, Robots in Disguise, Cybertron, Animated, Beast Hunters, Go, etc.
I definitely prefer my Superion to have the 5 Aerialbots though, I don't think that is an unreasonable expectation, and thankfully TakaraTomy agrees.
PlanckEpoch
It's an issue of timing for me. As far as I'm concerned I feel it's something that should have been ready to go by March or April. April release for the two at TRU would be great timing as by the end of March ideally people would already have "complete" Superions and Menasors waiting these two members.
But the problem is that we don't really know what the deal is right now. OZ Toy Fair suggests that they might not even be in the pipe for this year, and it isn't uncommon that just because there's a listing doesn't mean it's actually going to come out. I certainly remember a few Walmart listings for some Movieverse stuff that never actually came out for instance.
Just tired of uncertainty and bullshit.
If I'm wrong I don't want to be right. Plus, considering that Takara caters to "geewunners" like me, I don't see the problem. I'll just continue to "geewun" it up, thank you very much.
FruitBuyer
geewunners never cease to amaze me.
kaijuguy19
Like how G1 Ultra Magnus without his armour is just a white Optimus Prime,or how pretty much all of the G1 seekers that aren't the Coneheads are just Starscream in different colours? Because by that logic they're just as stupid as Alpha Bravo. Also there are people out there who do like Alpha Bravo and Off-Road so saying they're stupid is subjective.
I'm not saying that Alpha Bravo and Off-Road being made first by Hasbro was preferable to having all original members included because I understand why most hardcore G1 lovers would feel put off by this and it would make better sense if Hasbro at least annouced Slingshot and Wildrider being released later down the line the first time they revealed CW there wouldn't be much rage but like I said it's not like we're not getting Wilrider and Slingshot at all from Hasbro. If Hasbro didn't care for the G1 collectors that much then why did we have Slingshot and Wildrider show up at the Toys-R Us listings to begin with? Isn't that a sign that Hasbro is aware of that people prefer to have all of the original members together to at least find a way to give them to us?
Afterburner
I don't mind new characters, but this isn't new. This is Vortex in Slingshot's colorscheme. It is either a blatant attempt at getting you to buy 6 Aerialbots, or blatantly stupid.
I am not harsh, I simply call a spade a spade.
PlanckEpoch
I don't collect for new characters. Once in awhile I like a new character but FOR ME at least, they aren't important. I collect to relive my childhood, and if a character did not exist in my childhood then I don't care as much. That's why I agree with Yuki's stance. I'm one of those people who dont agree with new characters in my combiner teams no matter how cool they may be in the comics. Its irrelevant. If it isn't Slingshot and isn't a white jet then I just don't give a damn.
Your argument about every character was new at some point might be fine, but you have to remember that Transformers now has 30 years of lore behind these original characters. I wouldn't say your point is irrelevant, but it doesn't hold water in this context. It doesn't matter that every character was new at some point. These old characters have built a legacy, the foundations of our fandom today. I wouldn't go as far as to say Alpha Bravo and Off Road trample upon that legacy, but I do feel there is a certain level of disrespect here.
I'll be honest. If Hasbro said last year that Wildrider and Slingshot were going to be TRU exclusives right off the bat, I wouldn't be so vocal about this. In fact I'd just shut up and get the Hasbro stuff, eat my cheerios and drink my kool aid, waiting for Slingshot to come out. But as it stands, I'm going with Takara because, as I said, I don't know if or when Hasbro is going to bring out Slingshot. Right now Takara is saying all the right things I want to hear…no new members, toys aimed for COLLECTORS who want to relive nostalgia. No bullshit, pure collector catering. That speaks to me in so many ways BECAUSE Hasbro has been so quiet on Slingshot and Wildrider.
kaijuguy19
That's pretty harsh. Were we expecting someone like Alpha Bravo to show up? Not really but it's not like we're not getting Slingshot eventually from Hasbro,same goes to Off Raod with Wildrider. Besides he's getting some fiction in IDW which I'll bet will make him a cool character in his own right so I won't say he's garbage filler since let's face it every character in the franchise was new at some point even fan favourite ones.
bellpeppers
Here's what I did:
In the beginning I nabbed Alpha Bravo, Skydive. and Firefly.
Yesterday I nabbed Silverbolt.
Today I nabbed a second Skydive because it's bad enough I have a helicopter but aint no way Ima gonna use a racecar in my team of jets.
Later I plan on nabbing Air Raid and Slingshot.
I will then get rid of Alpha Bravo probably cannibalize my second Skydive for his head.
Instead of using 3P hands and feet I'm thinking of making my own from SHAPEWAYS, so people can have a choice between black and white.
Bountyan
this is the main reason I don't feel like buying these new members. I'm already going to have the mold at least twice as characters I actually care about.
Afterburner
You'll have plenty of opportunity to own him as Blades or Vortex, as intended by the mold. Alpha Bravo is garbage meant to suck another $17 out of you, and will always be garbage. He isn't original in any way as he has Vortex's head and Slingshot's colors. He's just filler garbage in the name of freshness. It takes no thought or care to turn out product like that.
NotRamjet97
I'm kinda torn on the Unite vs CW thing, myself.
On the one hand, the white hands and feet look utterly awful. The black is much better.
On the other hand… I don't like a helicopter in a jet team… I want all five jets.
On the other other hand, Alpha Bravo's a great figure.
Autovolt 127
It's a shame that keeps happening.
Blitz.
hmmm so the door has been left open but they want to see a strong reaction before throwing money at lets be honest a giant accessory set. That's fair… but I'd really love to know its happening
PlanckEpoch
Apparent that's what Takara thinks, as they aren't releasing Alpha Bravo with Superion. I most definitely agree with Yuki here.
IgnikaMarcus
Silly Hisashai Yuki, new guy =/= wrong guy.
SydneyY
^ I agree. I'm always a bit disappointed every time these interview translation threads take "Has vs Tak" tone.
Thank you to everyone who commented in this thread. Makes it all worthwhile for me
PlanckEpoch
I'm not really treating it as a competition. For me its a matter of fact…Takara caters to the collector while Hasbro does so rarely. When it comes to combiner teams I have absolutely no love or interest for new team members regardless of the reasoning. Takara is very willing to give me the combiners of my childhood so naturally I will favor them over Hasbro. They're giving me a Slingshot with the rest of the Aerialbots as it should be, and with Takara I don't have to drive around looking for a Slingshot or wait until late summer or fall to get an all jet Superion.
That's really all there is to it. I get the G1 teams from Takara without the bullshit and wait and that makes me happy. Waiting for a Hasbro TRU exclusive that I don't even know when it will come out does not make me happy.
Vanessa
After reading all this I cannot wait to see what they do with CW Devy!
LiamK
"Indifference" is harsh. Hasbro wants Transformers to continue to be a present and thriving toy line. They have to balance old and new. Transformers are, from what I understand, less of a mainstream toy line in Japan so it makes sense for them to pitch older. But as someone said earlier, it's not a competition. Both companies support and enhance each other, and for that we should be pretty happy.
Autovolt 127
I think Legends Afterburner is more likely to happen.
I like his huh reaction.