Part of my problem with this is... I just don't "get" Minimates, or the Mighty Muggs for that matter. (And I DO like stuff like Robot Heroes.) But I don't get the appeal of these things at all. I don't understand what they're supposed to be. They're just these...things... that are painted up to look like other things. My first thought would be that I'm getting old and not "with it", but these items appear to be aimed at my age group.
What the hell is wrong with Minimate articulation? It's a bit more elaborate than original Battle beasts, but it's still simple! And this really does open up some customization into the line. You could rather create Battle Chimera... Just a thought...
I've never thought of that. You're right, we can swap around parts (if there are no clearance issues) to create our own beasts.
I think the only way this would win me over would be: A) affordability!!! B) if it's REALLY supported with a LOT of Beasts and designs (like the originals) rather than the same half-dozen molds repainted and parts-swapped into infinity... zmog
To jump to their defense again, think of minimates similar to the DC Universe figures. They all share the same base body but they aren't afraid to give new armor, accesories, etc. Many characters have bizarre pieces to ensure accuracy, such as the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, DC's Salaak, Movie Iron Man, and so on. Many collectors see minimates as a sort of line between realistic figures and block figures. Much better proportions and stuff than Kubricks, but still blockish head, hands, feet, to look better at a smaller scale than deformed fingers and whatnot. Another big draw is all the lisences, and how well they fit stylistically. Put a DC figure next to a Marvel Legend. You can tell they're from different lines. But, minimates? You've got Marvel, DC, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica (classic and new), Back to the Future, Rocky, Street Fighter, Platoon, Silence of the Lambs, Desperatly Seeking Susan, Ghostbusters, 24, Charm City Cakes, Speed Racer, Terminator 2, The Spirit, the Clint Eastwood "dollar" movies, and soon the recently announced Universal Monsters and Halo. All in the same style. So yes, Spider-Man, Peter Venkman, Jack Bauer, and Marty McFly can team up to kick the Joker's ass. Its a lot of fun. Plus, they're relatively cheap for 2 packs.
As for the new BB line, I'll wait and see myself. The range of designs we get and the final pricepoint for them at retail (I think they've got to be a little higher priced than the standard MiniMate stuff, due to the excessive sculpting and detail involved) will be the final call for me. Cool that they're coming back, though.
Regarding that Minimates seem to me like a Lego Knockoff and these are merely Battle Beasts themed Minimates, I would like to cite Brian Hugh Warner aka. Marilyn Manson: You're just a copy of an imitation.
I'm a huge Battle Beast fan. This however is garbage. These are "Battle Beast minimates" not Battle Beasts. Battle Beasts had rubsigns, Battle Beasts had that whole wood/fire/water thing going on...this does not. I was really hoping to be interested in this when they showed it last year at SDCC, but now that we can see the actual product up close I can guarantee I will be passing on this. I would rather use that money to complete my vintage collection.
I'm really surprised how many people are making a fuss about the rub signs. But how many of us even still had all the rubsigns attached to our Beasts? They always fell off. Just how many hours of "play" did you guys really get rubbing those stupid signs (which in any kind of daylight, you could clearly see anyway)? Was it more or less excitement than you got rubbing the change signs on Transformers from 1985 onward, to see if they were Autobots or Decepticons. I'm going to go on record right now as someone who never cared for those damn rub signs... not when I was 9, and not now. I'm not sure yet if I like this Minimates Battle Beast series, but it won't be made or broken on whether they have a rub sign or not. zmog
I had a less than HILARIOUS gag involving king Cnut and the tides of fanboy rage, but i have a headache and can't be doing with it. In lieu of my rapier wit, suffice to say that even if battle beasts were released *exactly* as they originally were the Battle Beast fans (who really seem to be coming out of the woodwork - who knew this all-consuming passion for little rubbery animals burned inside so many TF collectors? if only they had rubsigns )would bitterly complain that their mint vintage collections had been devalued by the reissue. It's a no-win situation so the best thing to do is get on with enjoying bits and bobs you like and let others rage at new things being different/similar/identical to old things.
You've missed the point then. Transformers have lost their rubsigns, but you still know their affiliation as an Autobot or Decepticon as they have faction symbols. These Battle Beast Minimates so far appear to no longer be aligned with wood, water, or fire given the lack of rubsign or faction symbol. And to some people I would assume this is a big deal as that was one of the main aspects of the original toy. It might not have been important to you as a child, but given the response here it was important to a majority of the fans. Additionally all of my Battle Beasts DO have rubsigns, and when buying vintage BB's I never buy one without it.
I love Battle Beast And Laser Beasts I have alot of them. However these hold no appeal to me whatsoever.
Same here... got a complete collection, with all rub signs & weapons intact... and man, it took a long time to find! I'm with you, though. Taking away the key play feature/characteristic somewhat defeats the purpose of revisiting the line. But I'm admittedly already prejudiced, as I think Minimates are garbage; there's hardly a single Iron Man toy I don't own, but I'm not even remotely tempted by the IM Minimates. I keep seeing a line in the toy aisle that reminds me of Battle Beasts... It's like, Gormin or Garvin or something or another. I've picked them up a few times, but not motivated to buy.
I fancied me some of those bakugan ball things, but i'd feel silly collecting (yet another) game i'd never get to play against anybody but my long-suffering girlfriend.
Everytime I hear Pixel Dan's voice I cringe. These are pretty lame. I actually like Battle Beasts but the fact that these have no rub signs pretty much kills if for me. It would have been cool if they at least molded a square indent into the figures chest so at the very least you could buy some rubsigns from Reprolabels. They look well sculpted and painted, but without the core concept of the line, I see little point in collecting them.
FYI, stickerfixer.com has replacement Battle Beasts rub-symbols for sale, including Autobot & Decepticon ones.
I agree whole-heartedly with those who have mentioned that, without the rub signs, it just doesn't feel like Battle Beasts. Hopefully some of the figures will have enough of a flat surface on their chests to use these.
The stickers... were the point??? Gee... and here I thought it was awesome, snarling little cyborg animal sculpts with a huge variety of unique molds and species. Hmmm... I'm not sure if I'm the one who's missing the point. The stickers were already something that was forgettable about Transformers... though I will say that at least they were integrated into the designs and concept of Battle Beasts better. But I just don't understand the "play value" of those stickers. Again, when you've got an awesome little zoomorphic action figure with a melee weapon, I just can't possibly consider a flimsy sticker to be the "main aspect". Also, for the sake of argument, Battle Beasts were NEVER really "aligned" with Wood, Water or Fire... it was only an individual's source of secret power. Otherwise, I'd imagine that the Wood Tribe would regularly give the Fire Tribe a pretty wide berth, huh? Pretty hard to have "battles" when your whole team is already prescribed the loser by some little sticker on your chest, rather than the big axe in your hand. In fact, Battle Beasts was really lacking in terms of an official fiction. They had names (IF you happened to have the exclusive poster... which was the only place any of them were named. I know I didn't know their names back then!), but no other associations, storylines or origins. Beastformers had their thing in Japan, I guess... and even had predetermined "teams"... but no kids outside of Japan knew about that back then. I do sort of remember that old indie press black & white Battle Beasts comic book. Anybody else have one of those? That's the adult collector in you speaking. Did all your Beasts keep their rub signs through your childhood? My main concern was that my Beasts had both of their arms still attached! A weapon would be even more awesome. Rub stickers? Not really an issue. Yeah, the weapons were neat, and are really the toughest part to find now as a collector. Maybe half the Battle Beast weapons were actually cool... the rest were kind of... um, whatever. But I sure wish I still had the original weapons for the half that were cool! For now they're mostly stuck wielding Lego swords and other placeholders. Gormiti. No idea where that name comes from... sounds more like a corrupt Italian politician or something. They are a bit Beast-like, but they don't really grab me either. They kind of seem like the last gasp of the Pokemon phenomenon to me... zmog
You know, I just had a thought. Making these dressed up minimates, they actually kind of missed out on a neat way to homage the rub-signs. They could have put the elemental emblems onto the actual minimate chest and then put a hole/frame in the chest of the BB armor that goes over it. It puts a little bit of novelty in making it a Minimate figure, and homages the emblems...Well it was a thought.
That's... actually a really great idea. Damn, man... And since Minimates are modular, you could always change the symbols for your beasts by swapping the chests. Alas... zmog