2005 Boards Member Tekmen is bringing us some really cool Transformers: Robots In Disguise promotional images from the Shanghai Licensing Expo. This is our best look at RID Optimus Prime so far (even how he transforms from Vehicle Mode to Robot Mode).
We’ve mirrored the Transformers: Robots In Disguise images with this news post. There are more Transformers Licensed Merchandise at Shanghai Licensing Expo 2014, and you can check the full gallery at Tekmenoid blog.
LegendAntihero
I wouldn't be surprisd if we start seeing this promo art on a lot of merchandise soon
Ironhide1234
No thanks.
SMOG
"True transformer" is not a good term to use, I agree… since there are now many different versions of the fiction, each with their own particular aesthetic sensibility. But I think there's still a valuable point there. Strika is only especially notable for being big… Beast Machines Vehicons have such a different, vastly less anthropomorphic style to them, that they tend to be quite far from "traditional" TFs anyway. So yeah, Strika is just another weird vehicon variation, even if she still borrows a lot from fembot tropes, with her more rounded forms and slim, "shapely" legs.
For the most part, the male bots with the overt male design cues tend to be the exceptions rather than the rules, particularly in terms of G1 or Unicron Trilogy designs. Once you get to Animated and Prime, the anthropomorphism is pushed quite a bit more for both genders (this also involves a shift away from traditional 'geomentrism' and towards more "organic" forms as well). This is a stylization that is not quite to my taste, but I do recognize that it is a style unto itself. Admittedly most of my opinions on the matter do carry a strong G1 style-bias.
Still, even between series, certain motifs do persist, even if they apply more to the old styles. This is something I keep saying over and over again (and nobody has yet offered a substantive refutation of this point after YEARS now), but Fembots are rather blatantly more anthropomorphized than the "male" TFs. Their physical forms adhere more strictly to our organic ideals (and stereotypes) of feminine beauty… while "male" bots (generally, and of the majority) are simply geometric humanoids made of car parts. Yes, you do get examples where the choice of alt-mode configuration is very deliberately orchestrated to yield a more "feminine" robot, but more pointedly… WHY?
And even considering the biologically determined differences between human men and women (and the fact that human males are typically larger than females), if you make a man and woman the same size, and put them on the same high level of athletic development… they actually don't look all that different… even less so when you dress them in armor. By contrast, Transformers (who generally mimic the appearance of armoured warriors) have an extremely pronounced gendered difference in their physical appearances.
Again, more than any other reason, this is because female-designed TFs are relatively hyper-gendered… and along rather narrow stereotypes.
This is what I like about Strongarm. She is a box robot made of car parts. There is no particular effort or conceit in her design to hide away kibble, or streamline her silhouette in order to effect a more traditional "feminine" look, heedless of biological function (or lack thereof). She looks like a Transformer who happens to be female, rather than a categorical "fembot" in typical terms. Basically, the only concession to her "gendering" is her voice and her "lipstick". That's a real step up from the sadly normative "sexy" fembot type we usually see.
Moreover, everyone is lumping her in with Strika as a "butch fembot" when that kind of misses the point. Strika was a brute type character. But aside from the rugged truck alt-mode, Strongarm isn't a particularly brute design. If anything she has a pretty normal G1 type body structure. In other words, she looks like a "normal" Transformer, neither a "tank" nor a "lithe ninjette". I think that's the best part of this design.
And this is my point… it's not trading "forced standards"… it's accepting that there is a standard based around simple functional transforming robot model, and that highly gendered types should be the exceptions. I'm okay with having a Prime Arcee for every G1 Scourge… but I think that these character should be recognized as extremes. Up till now the exceptionalism of the prescribed "Fembot" type has been pretty rigid in comparison to "male" characters (ie: very few "male" TFs have heavy physical-biological gendering, while almost all fembots are anthropomorphic exceptions).
And of course, the fact that physical differences based on gendering is already kind of absurd in a species like Transformers, is a valid science-fictional caveat, setting aside the over-arching sociological question of representation of women in the media.
Nuh-uh… that's reading against the grain, in an effort to maintain the status quo. In a series about toasters, fembots are the equivalent of sexualized toasters with boobs and high heels. I don't think that finding fault with that is necessarily marginalizes women who have boobs and wear high heels.
The fact is that "Fembots" have always been the design freaks, because they don't match the established Transformer aesthetic. Their designs are almost always contrived in order to adhere to a rigid female physical stereotype, rather than being an intuitive, more "generic" robot derivation from a vehicle.
By incorporating female-identified Transformers into the more standardized aesthetic, it actually gives them a more inclusive status. They are no longer defined by their difference, according to stereotyped standards. Their being "female" is no longer contingent on these superficial aesthetic differences. There is no sociological benefit from saying "girl robots should be free to look like Barbies"… instead we should be asking "why do 90% of girl robots look like Barbies?".
(* to avoid being taken to task by excessive literalism, let me say here that I am just using "Barbie" as an iconic shorthand for the amalgam of idealized physical traits that make up stereotypical femininity)
However, this is not to say that there aren't female fans out there who like the female exceptionalism, who like their fembots cute and sexy and girly. I think we know that there's still a demographic of fans who like their overly gender-normative fembots. I suppose that's fine. There's certainly some room in Transformers for silly fantasy… but this is where I split my argument along two lines… one socio-cultural (in terms of the way the fiction functions), and the other nerdily concerned with the fiction's internal logic itself.
A) Is there any sociological benefit to reinforcing female stereotypes in Transformers? Is this something little girls need reinforced? I would say no. With things as they are today, I think moving away from those stereotypes as much as possible is a good idea (except perhaps in the most cynical, market-driven, socially irresponsible sense). There is NO benefit to reinforcing stereotyped femininity (or masculinity for that matter). Gender stereotypes are in no danger of disappearing at the moment. It is more progressive to promote inclusive alternatives, especially when the characters are not even human.. which leads us to…
B) Fictionally speaking, is there any benefit to enforcing a normative, binary, and proscriptive typology for a highly gendered/anthropomorphized Transformers? This goes for male bots with overly literal abs and pecs and facial hair too. Does it even make any sense? Does it actually damage the integrity of the fiction on a sci-fi level? I think it does.
Should we go back into the Aliens franchise, and give the Alien Queen boobs and a bow on her head? And put moustaches on all the male drones? Of course not… even with all the sexual symbolism already inherent in that franchise, we understand that silicone-based weird aliens don't need to (or shouldn't) adhere to arbitrary gender markers. And that's even in an alien race that has biological gender. In Transformers, gender doesn't even seem to serve a biological function… it is a social/psychological distinction.
Anyway… I just wanted to respond to your points. This subject has been discussed to death in threads dedicated to the topic, so maybe we shouldn't clutter up this thread any more than I have already.
In closing, I think it's great that Strongarm is allowed to look like a generic Transformer, rather than adhering to a stereotype OR being cast as a freak extreme.
In that sense, I think she's even more conceptually progressive than extreme archetypes like the "butch russian olga" represented by Strika. I sincerely hope that Hasbro runs with this as a general motif, and stereotype fembots become increasingly the exception rather than the rule.*
(*because frankly, Rule 34 should not be the rule )
zmog
Qingtianzhu
Sorry to interrupt the RID conversation, didn't know where to put these. I made it out to the show today, here are a few other pics of the stuff out at the Hasbro booth, including mis-transformed movie Grimlock. The folder they gave out wasn't bad half RID/half MLP cover. The flyers inside weren't that great.
Amberjewel
I hope they put Raf in there. They better.
EnergonWaffles
Wait…if the line of Primes has ended and the Sparks of the Primes were released…would he even be a Prime in anything but title?
Skottech
Maybe he'll become "The prime that parties!"
Autovolt 127
He hadn't felt alive for so long, That's why.
EnergonWaffles
Was hoping for a clear plastic "Ghost Optimus" toy XD
FaithPrime
He looks solid now I am hoping they are bringing him back for good and not pulling a bait to get the ones who didn't like Optimus dying in Predacons rising to watch the show. That is one reason why I hesitate to even bother
EnergonWaffles
At the end of PR, Optimus' spark was out and about. It even stopped by to visit the Bots before zooming off.
"It stands to reason" *snicker* that he shouldn't have too hard of a time putting himself in a new body.
vrba79
On does not simply permanently kill off Optimus Prime.
ThisGuy
I really like how the designs for show are. I'm fan of the animation style.
MrReviewerGuy
First off? Calm down guys, we've got video evidence that Strongarm is going to be the scalp-taking variety, not ninja-bot Arcee. Be cool.
Secondly, I'm very happy at the generally positive response RID is getting! In the past few years I've grown accustomed to every single person on the planet loosing their fucking mind whenever something new comes out for Transformers, so I'm stoked that we may be getting a positive reaction for this!
Grimwing
There is a way for primes spark to come back online even within the context of predacons riseing, it was trying to be open ended to whatever the next generation of Transformers could be. Including the Red spark that pauses over the group before dispurseing into the new Generation from the well of allsparks. Because they knew the next show would probably have Optimus Prime. As to how or why he's still a Ghost when he contacts bumblebee.
We'll just have to see.
Transformers Prime (Beast Hunters) Predacons Rising ending – YouTube
Novaburnhilde
Cool images.
Hanzkaz
My Little Pony is actually a well-written series with some good episodes and some great songs. The characters are interesting too, who are often 'more than meets the eye'. I'm not particularly familiar with the toys though, but I'm guessing they're easier and cheaper to design and make than our Cybertronian friends.
As for Hasbro focusing all efforts on Transformers, it depends on what kind of focus it is. I'm not sure how well the One-Step Changers and Power Battlers are selling, but the Toys R Us stores I've visited seem to have them mixed in amongst the (AOE) Generations toys on their shelves. Accidentally, perhaps? (Saying that, the 'simplified' Voyager Predaking is my favourite version of the Predaking toys).
It would help to have better writing and character development and perhaps less focus on the likes of Optimus Prime might not be a bad thing.
Actually, I can draw parallels between My little Pony and the new RID series. Optimus Prime is the equivalent of Princess Celestia, a wise yet often distant mentor. Bumblebee is the equivalent of Twillight Sparkle, a young yet promising protégé with a mission to accomplish with the help of his friends, all individuals with assorted personalities, abilities and weaknesses.
Perhaps a 'younger' main cast is what the new TF series needs to attract younger viewers. That, and good storytelling.
RID may have potential to be a hit, after all.
Feralstorm
They ARE selling My Little Pony. That's why they want to hang on to the brand (ZING!)
Megastar
I'm liking Optimus new design and I can't wait for his return!
David Hingtgen
Grimlock spent all of 5 secs in robot mode in the '86 movie, and pretty much the entirety of G1 season 3 in dino mode. The Dinobots have always been "dinos first, robots second". Except for maybe their first 3 or so episodes.