As far as releases, I'm on board with a reissue boxed set AND a Generations version. Ideally there'd be an option for those that collect each line. I've been waiting over a decade now for a blue Bluestreak in either CHUG or the old $5 Legends/Legion molds. I'd also love to see the G1 version reissued, which is criminal that they haven't. So far I'd need to chase down a TFCC repaint of a poor fit CW remold, a TFP figure, OR the MP, which I don't collect, if I want to own a non-custom of it.

I look at that frustration and aim it towards this, and I'm hoping it's going to wind up something for everyone.

 

They do like to link MP releases together. And Raiden had a fierce rivalry with Devastator. So maybe Raiden is first. Wow! The speculation is so fun at this level.

The possible disappointment is another story  

If it is MP I really hope they release the bots separately. Buying 3 $600+ sets in the span of 2 months at AE will be pretty hard to swing haha

 

I don't know, I think calling it a "fierce rivalry" is a bit of a stretch, since I don't think the two ever actually met face to face on page or screen.

Anyway, I'd be fine with it not being a MP, because I think the price for even a limited Titan Class version would be through the roof already, let alone if they were Masterpiece grade level.

 

The rivalry was in bios and extended bios. But yeah not on screen. I’m just hoping  

 

The more I think about this the more I believe that if Raiden is an all new combiner that they'd try to match the size of Predaking and Devastator as they were listed / depicted as the Trainbots main adversaries. Sort of a stand in for a Masterpiece version that will likely never be.

If they're retools, then I fully expect them to be normal CW / UW size.

I personally would prefer him to be Titan sized if they're doing an all new Raiden.

 

It's possible they could be both new molds *and* still be CW/UW size. Especially since if they were new molds, they'd likely want to sell at the smaller scale to make the figures more affordable.

 

Yes, that would make sense too. An all new titan sized combiner would certainly be expensive.

 

Expensive *if sold as an exclusive.*

I get the feeling if Takara were going to tackle a new Titan they'd loop in Hasbro and target a retail release. It's not like we haven't already had two combiners (including one with 6 members) at that pricepoint already.

 

I think Randy's more right here than you are (but hey, who the hell knows until December) - think about the licensed MP cars. The size and likeness to real cars caters in part to people that are not hardcore TF collectors (that's not to say they're wildly unaware of TFs or anything, but that some people are primarily buying them because they are Lamborghini fans and not fans of Sideswipe specifically). Given that they're premiering at a train-centric convention, one would imagine that one aspect of the new molds (we're presuming new molds here for this mini discussion) will be their likeness to real trains. MP carbot size (which is, give or take, voyager size, which is, give or take, the size of limbs for a Titan) sure seems like the sweet spot to me for both TF collectors (like us) and TF-aware train enthusiasts (ferroequinologists, if you will).

Again, who knows, we'll see, it could be a new line of cardboard cutouts of Raiden and other combiners.

 

No, it’s not hilarious. It’s pretty dumb, and at this point should be dropped.

 

What's the average size of model trains in Japan? I think of stuff like Shinkaleon or even ToQger. Because here in the US, I think the more popular scale is "HO" which would be smaller than Voaygers.

 

Based on some quick internet-ing, an HO locomotive is about 7" long (1:87). The next scale up (S) would be 9.75" (1:64). Because train bots transform differently than cars, I'm not sure how those lengths would compare in terms of mass to a car-bot or standard voyager. I'll dig Rail Racer out of the basement later - at least that'll give us a train length/bot height frame of reference (unless someone else beats me to measuring it out).

N-scale is apparently quite popular in Japan (1:160) - that'd be a 3.75" length train (which seems like about the length of the Moonracer mold, but I'm just guessing on that). Apparently HO is used often by fans of bullet trains. The internet is an occasionally wonderful place.

 

I'd be fine with Titan size IF the set isn't as.....kiddified as Devastator and Predaking are.

Give me bots with good looks/proportions/and articulation please TakTom.

 

Obviously it's going to be a Raiden themed cafe in Akihabara. There'll be a giant Raiden head sculpture suspended from the ceiling that stares at you uncomfortably while you're there to remind you that he exists and that also trains exist.

 

Devastator and Predaking sized would be awesome!

The G1s all have a removable train front that gets stored as (good looking) robot backpacks. It would be insanely good to see this part motorized and cross-compatible/marketable with one of the train set toylines Takaratomy already makes! (Or even just one motor that can fit into any one engine at a time)

 

Uhh..

 

That would be pretty awesome imo. Just looking at Takara's Shinkanlion stuff makes me really hyped and positive they have the techincal capabilities to pull it off.

 

Based on how the Trainbots transform in G1, you could get away with Deluxes that turned into longer trains just because the transformation is mostly "put their arms at their sides and lay them on their tummy."

 

N-scale is fantastic for being able to lay out a seemingly huge railroad layout in a small space, but having handled many N-scale trains over the years, I don't think the desired complexity of a new Raiden would fit in that scale.

Z-Scale is even smaller, and has a cult following to this day (1:220). It's most famous for "traveling" layouts that fit into a folded briefcase. Get to your destination, open the briefcase, clip the track ends together and you're all set.

I think HO is about the most realistic "scale" expectation would could see, if they concern themselves with fitting with existing railroad scales at all. N and Z would *MAYBE* work as micromaster trains, but who would be happy to see Raiden at that scale?

 

Has TakaraTomy used any of these scale for previous figures (original Trainbots, JRX, or Shinkalion)?