As someone who likes this design and has decided to buy the figure even though I'm generally 0% interested in non-transforming transformers (let alone model kits), I am fully appreciative of your post and your respectful views. Thank you for the higher and sensible set of principles.

They changed the design from that horrid initial take of an uncanny-valley "realistic" face into a cartoonier version that faithful to the past 30-odd years of Sonic's facial design. That's how they listened to the fans and were celebrated for it.

 

Hm....guess it wasn't the perfect comparison....

What he said  

 

Just do it like some of the racier Japanese figurines and models, and have two sets of parts. Use the "PG" parts for the box photos and promotional art, but still include the original options

 

They'll probably shelve the design during the toy fair weekend as Hasbro as a whole will want the weekend to be a posative not controversial.

Then she'll turn up again at some point later when the heat has died down.

 

I agree with whoever made the comparison to the Sonic movie. Fans don't like seeing their franchises represented by embarrassing crap, so they complain. As to what counts as "embarrassing crap", your mileage may vary. But if you think it was fine for people to get Sonic changed and not fine for them to ask for Windblade to be changed, that's your personal aesthetic tastes coming in, nothing more.

 

The difference between Windblade and Sonic is that one is a female robot with female features and the other looks like a midget furry lost in the uncanny valley. One is significantly worse than the other.

 

I don't know about 'banded together', but I've certainly seen people on these forums express a hope that their collective refusal to buy the comics, and criticism of them, will force the writers to accept that what they're doing is 'bad', or better yet persuade Hasbro to take the license off IDW.

The main difference between these two issues seems to be that in one case, the fans/customers opt for direct feedback, while in the other they believe their feedback will be felt as a powerful market force acting on the company.

I have to say, I was brought up to believe that if you are dissatisfied with something and expect it to change, you politely make a complaint, rather than imagining that the hand of the free market will exact its revenge on your behalf.

 

Well, I have problems with governments censoring game character designs for similar reasons people had with this Windblade, so naturally I will considered it's wrong to mess with artistic freedom.

But I can accept both version (the original and the "changed" version) to coexist.

 

That's purely your tastes speaking. Most people can't see or care about the differences between the two Sonics, and most people would recognise this Windblade figure as being a bit porny.

 

??? Has anyone suggested the government should intervene?

This is a bit like all the discussion around videogame "'"'censorship'"'". In most cases, what is being discussed is localisation, where companies willingly alter their designs in order to sell more copies in different markets with different cultural standards.

There are wide-ranging and variant societal influences on artists that cause them to edit and rework both during and after initial prototypes. Michelangelo would have made tonnes of edits based on the feedback of his patrons. The idea that there is some core of artistic purity to be protected from outside interference is deeply misguided.

The word 'censorship' properly refers to state intervention in what political views and types of images can be reproduced. It doesn't really have anything to do with the relationship between customers and toy designers.

Not sure that's true of Miyazaki, Tezuka, Otomo etc. Certainly going to be the case when a promo shot mixes together a raised arse with a plaintive, doe-eyed, over-the-shoulder expression. That's not because of prejudices against anime - that's because the figure is doing what in the animal kingdom is known as 'presenting'.

 

I feel like a major difference here may be both the target audience and intent. While there is only one Sonic movie, there are a number of Windblade figures done in different styles, just like there are many Arcees to choose from, as well as Black Arachnia. Both of those characters have conservative options as well as the Arcee statues and MP Black Arachnia, for those who desire a more traditional feminine image. Windblade only has conservative options at this point.

I was raised quite similarly, I remember the first time I was exposed to it was with my aunt. She had received subpar service and wanted to speak to a manager. I believe that voicing your concern is something that everyone should be able to do when they are dissatisfied with a product they want.

As I pointed out above, though, there are many different Windblade's available, right now even. These widely available toys are more suited to continuous play that a plastic model and I believe my daughter or niece would prefer them to a plastic model any day of the week.

Personally, I love the aesthetic. I think the hyper feminine appearance is such an amazing contrast to the hyper masculine look of the other figures.

 

There's also the fact that the Sonic design was for an entire movie, this kit is simply just one small product you can easily ignore.
If people don't like it then it's fine, but outright trying to cancel it is just sad.

 

That was just an example of artistic freedom being interferred by outer force. And it's happening in China as we speak (Not from there, just happened to know) for similar reasons there're people wanting this figure to be changed.

I understand your point, it makes sense, that's what happened to Sonic. But...it's just my opinion, but I don't think that's a "must". The Sonic movie decided to change its appearance because the majority ask for it, they choose to follow, that's fine.

But as for this Windblade figure? Seems like there hasn't been a "majority" yet.

If in the end, most people ask them to change and Flame Toys don't, that will be their choice.
If most ask them not to and they do, that will also be their choice.

That's what this debate was all about, wasn't it? Pulling up opinions, even Flame Toys probably won't see them.

OK, I will give you on the "presenting" thing. Even though I doubt if the promo pics had her posed in a neutral standing pose or even a fighting stance, the same debate won't be starting. Well, it's just me though.

 

What?

 

Been out of the loop, but I saw they removed the tweet? Did this thing get shelved?

 

We don't know. Something about a "rework" possibly.

 

TBH, the 2nd Getter is the far cooler one. (Shin Getter Armageddon)

 

So... you don't like the product and don't want it released in its current form.

Sounds like you are basically wanting the current form banned, just not in as many words.

 

Apparently it's been a tire-fire, trying to catch up on what happened to this thread, but I don't normally follow the fandom.
I know it's something that happened off-site, but I do genuinely hope no one got hurt over this toy.

People can like this toy, people can not like this toy, but it's existence alone is not hurting anyone, and it never should be the cause of hurting people.