I know all about the GPS, but I don't see that happening on things like the metal chest and feet on this 35th version. Hell, I don't see the chest being a rub point on this one even.

 

I'm pretty sure they fixed it like 20 years ago.

 

Besides GPS the other toy material that scares me to no end is vac metal parts...

 

トランスフォーマー３５周年記念プロジェクト始動！！ | レガシーてれびくんさん

This website says the crowdfunding is indeed for the golden G1 Convoy.

 

Why would anyone crowdfund that? Maybe I am missing something...

 

Yes. You are. It’s made of gold.

 

Waaat. Actual gold? Crazy! No one rich enough would be tempted...

 

Probably just gold plating, much like Bandai did with their recent re—release of SOC Gold Lightan.

 

And why would TT need crowd funding when they can afford it...

 

People cancel commitments to pre-orders at the blink of an eye. Maybe TT feels the only way to make sure all costs are covered is a more secure crowdfunding option.

 

GPS has nothing to do with this.

When a Transformer figure is produced, certain elements of the design require certain plastic types. This is because some plastic has more flex than others, is sturdier, holds more detail, or is available in more colours. A common plastic type many fans are likely aware of is "unpaintable plastic," named because factory paint applications don't stick to it.* This plastic is commonly used in certain ball joint sockets and other places that require the part to flex or be under pressure, as normal parts would flex or crack under too much stress. As an example, BW Waspinator's shoulders are "unpaintable." This is also why certain clear recolours will have oddly placed opaque parts, because those parts aren't designed to accept anything but UP. Same thing goes for gold plated recolours. You can't paint it, so it has to be cast in a gold plastic colour. This is on top of the fact that these parts usually rub and collide a lot during posing/transformation, and painting/chroming them would thicken them up to the point of non-functionality or damage.

But that's actually not what's happening with this G1 Prime. The chest and toes are metal, made of moulds designed to take metal, and while you can vac-metal die-cast, it's difficult and ugly. Vacuum metalization requires multiple layers of application and can soften detail pretty quickly and on metal would be very brittle due to the inability to fuse with it. (on older figures like G1 or BW TMs, if you scrape away or wear down the "chrome" you'll see either black or almost resin-y semi-transparent plastics underneath. These are because these materials more easily bond to vac-metal than normal coloured plastics)

So they went with gold paint, because it's cheaper, more durable, and doesn't go on as thick. To them, at least, its worth the sacrifice to consistency.

This is usually the case with crowdfunding from corporations. It's not that they can't afford it, they just want guaranteed capital up-front.

 

That would be three words GPS isn't an acronym  

 

Lol. Grammar police you.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

It’s made of real gold.

 

Teehee, all in good tomfoolery, of course!

 

Touche my friend.  

 

The poster/advert reads exactly as seen in bulletin points below, in top to bottom order, in English word-by-word translation:

- Transformers 35th Anniversary

- Convoy Command Box
(not ‘Commander’, interestingly, which is Prime’s title in Japanese - this could be meaning another offering/item, rather than just a figure)

- Through Crowdfunding

- Production Decision
(Not sure what is meant by that; could it mean that the actual offering has yet to be disclosed?)

- Let’s enjoy the follow-up
(Again a reference to the unexpected?)


...I also find it interesting that no where is any mention of actually offering a gold-chromed G1 Prime; the words written in the poster make a point of being vague by just calling it a ‘production decision’ and ‘let’s enjoy follow-up’.

...I’ll be a lil surprised if the figure we see in the image is the actual release, as they seem to want to imply suspense, and teasing us about what type of offering is to come.

 

I forgot to add the English translation for the top of the poster/advert, the 3 vertical rows of Japanese text in red, above the Prime Figure:

“The resuscitation over time beyond 30 years”

 

...I just opened the link and the the other 3~4 images Japanese with text above...

It says:

“Do you know, about the Gold Convoy (Prime) which could only be gotten by winning it? This Gold Prime, now, is available to you”

...I wish I checked the link before my first post! I must now rectify what I mentioned about this being undisclosed yet: The website already clearly states that this is the gold prime lucky draw item being rereleased for the 30th.

 

That part of the text is the part regarding the original availability of the original first edition Gold lucky draw G1 Prime:

“...A gold Convoy that only concerned parties could ever get”

By actually reading deeper into this translation, I’m starting to wonder if this 1984~85 G1 Gold Chrome Prime was a ‘lucky draw’ item, or was it actually the special ‘gift’ offered to a select few executives, or employees perhaps, of Takara in 1984~85, after the initial success of the Transformers toys...

I’ve seen a picture somewhere of this very special ‘internal company gift’ never offered to collectors, possibly in a Mandarake auction catalog here in Japan I saw in recent years.