The question is, what do you mean by CHUG?

Do you mean "Non-Masterpiece, but quasi-G1 style" that does the G1 anime design "right" with modern engineering at a non-Masterpiece price point? Then Hegemon is your bet. But while CHUG has dabbled with these (RTS Jazz, RTS Cyclonus, Generations Arcee, CW Ultra Magnus)the Classics Seekers mold), it represents a minority of what's made. We're not likely to see a Megatron remotely comparable to Hegemon with this kind of design - Classics Megatron various redecos are as close as you'll get.

Do you mean "Inspired by the G1 character but not a slavish recreation of the character's most iconic form?", then your options are CW Megatron or better yet the forthcoming TR Megatron which is finally a gray colored Voyager Megatron. The majority of Modern Transformers is this, such as all the combiners of CW, TR Galvatron, Generations Springer, pretty much every Optimus Prime that isn't MP-10.

There is an interesting (to me anyway) contrast between G.I. Joe and Transformers in this case. Years ago G.I. Joe dabbled with "updated" decos of their classic characters of all forms, kind of like how Transformers does it now. Cobra Commander had a hood or a helmet, but also had a wholly modern design. That gave way in recent years to designs that slavishly reproduce the original cartoon design in toy form or, for those never in the cartoon, update pretty much everything figure ever made with modern engineering and modern deco standards. As it stands now, this is effectively the whole of the GI Joe line (albeit, far less popular than Transformers)

By contrast, Transformers only ever occasionally does the "dream figure you never had" in the mainlines (Arcee being a major example), with that role mostly being filled by Masterpiece. And simply due to the robotic nature of Transformers, widely open to interpretation, I think we're unlikely to ever see the main line become that as it has G.I. Joe. Like what does a mainline "Pure G1" Chromedome look like? How would it be substantially different than Titan Masters (or better yet, Legends)? It wouldn't be. Barring a major revolution in Transformers engineering, I wouldn't expect to see a "Combiner Wars II" or anything like that, that does another Superion, another Bruticus, and so forth, pure-G1 designs. Combiner Wars is it.

I think that pretty much means that the most fitting definition of "CHUG" is the second one... inspired by the character, but certainly not "Prime must be a flat nose truck". And that would mean by implication for Megatron, you have two choices: Combiner Wars Leader and Titans Return Voyager.

That said, I would love for Transformers 40th Anniversary they do an Ultimate G1 "Ultra"-scale (above Voyager, smaller than leader) purist Prime, with white legs (not gray), with a Trailer. Masterpiece for the Masses.

 

FOC Soundwave says hi.

 

I'm pretty sure that's Federal law... federal regulation at 15CFR 272

And also referenced in

https://www.toyassociation.org/App_Themes/tia/pdfs/safety/ToyGunMarking-Reqs.pdf

And in the Code of Federal Regulations.

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2016-title15-vol1/xml/CFR-2016-title15-vol1-part272.xml

So yeah, it's Federal law.

Took me a bit of digging to find that Code of Federal Regulations page though, which is really odd. Finding UK law is a piece of piss compared to that, you just have to go to .gov.uk and search from there.

 

I don't know if there's an official "internet law" to this effect, but it seems to me people fall under the sway of "the principle of laziness dictates the burden of proof rests on the other person."

 

Nah, I don't think say. The best change we had was in 2009(?) where the line-up was updated versions of the originals. Example, Jazz, Tracks, Wheeljack, Wreckgar etc.

I was looking forward to a voyager Optimus Prime that followed the above.

After that, the whole CHUG line seems like a mish mash of aesthetics.

 

I heard most of that before. But never knew whether it was an actual Federal law or industry standards. That however is an industry standard. The Federal law says that the safety orange barrel plug or colouring is one option. As is making it in bright primary colours, or translucent parts. But it's multiple choice. The toy industry uses option options 2 and 3 as a matter of course. Possibly as it means they can sell them in the most markets globally.

 

I wish Hasbro and IDW would just recon Meg's alt to tank already, the pistol never made sense and we miss out on good molds stateside.

 

As opposed to micro scope, boom box, mini casettes, and their player?

 

Don't forget the camera that takes THREE Transformers to form!

 

I don't think we will ever get another realistic gun Megatron ever again that isn't from the Masterpiece line. And even then, getting a "perfect" figure is impossible. Maybe really good, but every figure has at least one flaw.

 

Well they alright for now, but Megatron the other hand a very different story all together now.

 

I don't think the argument was ever that it was a specific federal law that was preventing it, but a collection of policies in accordance with the orange plug law and Hasbro taking the safest roads they can to avoid law suits. More than a few idiots have painted over those plugs and gotten themselves killed, held up stores, etc. Hasbro doesn't want to be part of that bad press and inevitable law suits. Hasbro either sells to all 50 states or they don't, simple as that. This isn't even a Hasbro issue, this is a vendor one; Target, Walmart, etc. their distribution network can't go around differentiating between which product goes to which state for a low profit item in certain cases. Because all it takes is one misstep with a Walmart selling a toy gun that's illegal in that state and Walmart will drop Transformers as a line like a bad habit after paying the penalties. Losing Walmart as a vendor would be a pretty severe blow to Hasbros bottom line, so why risk it over 30+ year old nostalgia?

More specifically, most schools now have a zero tolerance policy, to the point where, stupid or not, a kid was suspended for having a LEGO gun. Again, Hasbro doesn't need the rep by making toys for children that children taking them to school gets in trouble for having.

Part of Hasbro's job is making toys that they can sell to all of their markets within their set budget so they can make a profit.

On a personal note, even as a kid I didn't like the major size changers because playing with them was always awkward. This went double for Megatron who just became a weapon for someone else (and it felt like twisting the knife when Targetmasters came out; it was also part of the reason why I liked Galvatron, because he didn't require another bot to operate), so I'm all for new forms. They may not be iconic, but they aren't nearly as stupid. (Again, IMHO)

 

Man turned Super Soaker water gun into real shotgun: cops

What the fuck is wrong with you...

 

Yeah, I'm not saying hi back.

 

Classics Megatron is meh. Gun mode looks to much like a toy. Yes that's the point but you can do an unrealistic gun that doesn't look like a toy.
Robot mode is heavily flawed in design from articulation to artistic look.

CW is great but I personally like my Megatrons at a voyager class size.

TR looks great to me. Going to wait for an review before I buy it.

 

I'm not even sure I like him being a triple changer either, but oh well.

 

Gun Megs forever! Actually, I really like CW Megs. It's a very nice mix of G1 robot design and a very good alt mode. I would like for HasTak to do another gun CHUG Megs though but I'm not holding my breath. I think original Classics Megs was a good design, albeit very kiddy-ish in comparison to how the line developed over time. It was a good counterpart to Classics OP and a very good start to the entire CHUG idea.

I have mixed feelings about TR Megs. I sorta like the design. I'm a traditionalist though and believe G1 Megs should never be a triple-change. But it's a nice looking figure overall.

 

No.

Because "perfect" is too subjective. There can be no agreement on that.
So "we" can never get one. "You" can though!