A ninth “Prime of Japan” exclusive EZ figure has been revealed. Meet Sapporo Prime! What is this you might ask? To go with the new “Cybertron Satellite” campaign running in Japan, there are a number of special Primes who have been created to act as mascots for certain towns and neighborhoods. Saporro Prime here uses Universe Animated Legends Prime as a base and is rocking an Ultra Magnus-ish color scheme.
For more info on these special EZ Primes you can view our previous coverage where Akiba Prime, Kawasaki Prime, Nagoya Prime,Tachikawa Prime, Umeda Prime, Ginza Prime, Saitama Prime and Mito Prime were revealed. Click on the title bar to check out the pics.
lars573
Sapporo is the largest city on Hokkaido, it's also the seat of Hokkaido prefecture. Which I'm pretty sure most of these are related too.
TCJJ
It's called "marketing". TakaraTomy are trying to make a push with Transformers in Japan. They know that Transformers doesn't stand a chance against big names such as Gundam, but they're doing what they can with it. That's why the Arms Micron figures are targeting a different age group than TakaraTomy's recent figures (e.g. Henkei and United). They're trying to make them more appealing to children and changing up their marketing strategy to help the Transformers brand to better in Japan.
Each place in Japan is being assigned a Prime character (new and made-up, of course, although somewhat official, since it's TakaraTomy doing it). It also appears they will be producing Legends/EZ figures based on these designs (i.e. repaints of Legends/EZ figures).
JT-bob
Sapporo Prime – transform from sober to drunk!
Protoman
If and when this EZ Legends boxset happens, I am going to buy it WITH THE FIST OF GOD!
Sharpfinger
Wait… another redeco of an Animated Mold?
How can I get this Sapporo Prime thing?
Will be in online pre-order soon?
kiyoshioni
I've got a pic of Sapporo Prime right here:
Blitzwing1 Deviant Art
abates
If there are toys and they're each exclusive to the location they're tied to, it will be entertaining watching people try to track down a complete set.
dragon
i dont know much about there citys but i do know they have winter & spring festivals
ZacWilliam
Not really. Mold selection is: "What we have Legends/EZ Collection toys of." That's pretty clear.
-ZacWilliam, which is why so many folks keep expecting actual toy repaints out of this eventually.
ORIO
The mold selection is all over the place.
Fun though!
General Tekno
Wait – Animated Prime?
Ultraconfused now what they're going for here.
ORIO
Beer Prime?
Local microbrew serves "Hopstimus Prime" on occasion.
SouthtownKid
Which comes from a brewery located in… Sapporo.
firehawc_69
I just know of the beer Sapporo.
SouthtownKid
It's just a major city in the north. Gets cold up there, lot's of snow in Winter.
ORIO
Tried using some google magic on Saporro to find out what the theme for this guy is. I found the "famous white chocolate biscuits called shiroi koibito" and the "Sapporo Snow Festival". Not sure if white chocolate and snow have anything to do based on this guys white Ultra magnusy color scheme *shrugs*
Anyone know?
Starscream NZ
I don't really get what this is all about. It's not like these are real characters in the fiction – is it just a way to get people to buy the figures?
Shatterpoint
Okay I'll bite, when's their EZ Collection wave coming out Takara?
Gaokaiser
https://twitter.com/#!/gikogakodo/status/191034734099447808