Previously Unseen G1 Cartoon Model Sheets Found

Discussion in 'Transformers News and Rumors' started by Ryan F, May 28, 2018.

  1. Ryan F

    Ryan F Transform and Roll Out!

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    07D176A2-DFCB-41B0-93EA-05161A0347CE.jpeg Apologies if this has been posted elsewhere, but I couldn’t see it.

    The Instagram page of fan “Cerealgeek77” (link here) contains a few previously unseen Sunbow character model sheets (having purchased a stack of them recently), and he promises that more reveals are on the way.

    There’s an alternate model for Mirage, a blue Bluestreak (see above) and a red/blue Ravage.
     

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  2. Ryan F

    Ryan F Transform and Roll Out!

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    While I’m here, here’s my Bluestreak theory for anyone who’s interested:

    Bluestreak was originally supposed to be blue, hence the name. The box art showed a blue toy, the catalogues (presumably using a sample figure) showed a blue toy, and now we know that Sunbow made a blue animation model of him.

    I can’t think of any reason why anyone would want to purposely change his colour at such a late date. Too many blue characters already? Well that doesn’t wash because we had numerous white characters in that first year (Prowl / Ratchet / Wheeljack) and a bunch of red ones (Prime / Sideswipe / Ironhide / Cliffjumper). I can’t see any reason not to have given Mirage a ‘blue buddy’.

    So yeah, it looks to me like a mistake. Hasbro ordered a bunch of blue Bluestreaks from Takara and ended up with a whole shipment of grey ones.

    There are two reasons why this could have happened.

    1) A simple mix-up. Wasn’t there also a (possibly apocryphal) tale about Takara making a figure too big because they’d misread the sizes on the specs that Hasbro had sent them?

    2) This was overstock. There are examples of red Sunstreakers and white Astrotrains being sold in Transformers packaging, as old Diaclone stock was used up first before manufacturing new figures. Maybe Takara were just about to release an all-grey version of the Datsun themselves, made thousands of copies, and then basically told Hasbro that it would be more cost-effective to use the figures already made, rather than put the blue one into production.

    Of course, I could be totally wrong, but that’s my theory anyway.
     
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  3. Nevermore

    Nevermore It's self-perpetuating a parahumanoidarianised!

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    Keep in mind that Transformers Bluestreak has a "new" color scheme that was created specifically for Hasbro... sort of.

    The first Diaclone version of the Fairlady Z was blue, with a silver hood. That version was also released by GiG in Italy under their sorta, kinda pre-Transformers "Trasformer" (sic!) line, though with the missiles changed to ridiculous safety "bopper" missiles.

    The second Diaclone version of the Fairlady Z was silver, but with a black hood and roof.

    Hasbro's 1984 catalog, as well as Bluestreak's box art and instructions all depict the first Diaclone version.

    The actual Transformers toy, however, comes with an all-silver alternate mode. No differently-colored hood or roof. That version was specifically created that way.

    The only other place the Transformers versions' colors showed up was again GiG's Italian "Trasformer" line. The current theory is that Takara's production for GiG simply overlapped with that for Hasbro so they supplied GiG with Hasbro-colored Fairlady Zs.
    Fairlady_Bluestreak_comparison.jpg
     
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  4. Sam

    Sam Arrival

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    So at one point the colourists were working from the blue toy. When the colourists were told that was incorrect, they learned they were getting the 'silver' version, and were shown photos of the Diaclone car with the black and silver paint job. When actually the 'silver' version was an entirely new version.

    Definitely confusing as hell.


    Interesting interpretation of the green stickers on his pelvis, but the green on the biceps looks a little odd.
     
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  5. Ikkstakk

    Ikkstakk Well-Known Member

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    This could be a HUGE find, depending on what's there. Eager to see more!
     
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  6. Seth Sunthay

    Seth Sunthay ElusoryMonk

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    Mirage was changed for the better.
     
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  7. Digger

    Digger Banned

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    Cool stuff. That ravage is really interesting and that blue streak would’ve been cool but I think I realised why they didn’t do it. He looks like smokescreen.
     
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  8. Avon

    Avon Well-Known Member

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    Love this stuff, hope more comes out from the source.
     
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  9. Novaburnhilde

    Novaburnhilde Destron Enforcer

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    This is very cool to see.
     
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  10. Raiju

    Raiju Navel Shocker Veteran

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    Very interesting. Bluestreak aside, I liked what we ended up with for the final designs of Mirage and Ravage, at least.
     
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  11. Issy543

    Issy543 Well-Known Member

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    It's nice to see how the animations and colouring for the 1984 animated show were created.
     
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  12. Spyne98

    Spyne98 Host of the Rock Nerd Radio Show

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    Wow! Interesting stuff!
     
  13. Ikkstakk

    Ikkstakk Well-Known Member

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    That Mirage... he looks like he has a hunting spear strapped to his back. That would line up with his bio.

    There's a piece I'm just praying is in here somewhere.

    How often will he be posting these, and did he say how many he has?

    Depending on how deep this goes, this is like the Transformers equivalent of opening King Tut's tomb.
     
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  14. fschuler

    fschuler Post Count Inflated With Hot Air TFW2005 Supporter

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    If only those bopper missiles were about an inch lower...Fairlady indeed...Lol.
     
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  15. seanlockyer

    seanlockyer Professional Cat Herder & Ancient Alien Theorist.

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    They nailed Mirage.
     
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  16. Hans

    Hans Secret Agent

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    I wonder who the artist was on that Mirage piece. Shohei Kohara? Or Floro Dery? It doesn't look like their styles...
    It's also weird that we ended up with a Bluestreak that isn't actually blue, but oh well... the grey and black with red accents looked good, too.

    BTW, in addition to what Nevermore said, and to bring the entire Bluestreak story full circle, Takara did eventually release an "Animé Bluestreak" re-issue that looked like the cartoon, and was in fact the second Diaclone version. Albeit with very inferior, dull grey plastic bits (especially the doors). And some different stickers of course.
     
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  17. UndertakerPrime

    UndertakerPrime Unlikeable dry-skinned biped

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    I LOVE seeing stuff like this. The first known Sunbow color model in Blue Bluestreak colors = MIND BLOWN

    The Instagram post said the guy bought a whole pile of Sunbow design materials like this, so there’s more. I just wonder where it’s been hiding all these years. I dabble in production materials like this and I’ve never heard of this stuff.
     
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  18. Sovietbot

    Sovietbot Autobot from USSR

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    Justified for the MP. I would not be surprised if Mirage, with such a head, would have been credited with the red version. Well, with Ravage everything is clear, almost in color it's Howback.
     
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  19. Novus

    Novus Homestuck Convert

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    Still prefer the Bluestreak we got.
     
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  20. allew

    allew Well-Known Member

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    I've met the guy who bought those model sheets, James Eatock at Powercon, a He-Man convention last year. Good dude! Glad to see these pieces of TF history!
     
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