There was the original version of the mold in Microchange, with the "cassette man" molded on the tape deck, the first Transformers version of the mold which was used up to 1987, which is when Takara introduced the Soundblaster mold with the extended tape deck to fit 2 tapes,this also happened because the newer cassettes could not fit the original Soundwave. if you compared an original (vintage)1984-5 cassette like Buzzsaw to one of the later ones like Slugfest they vary somewhat significantly in size. and that mold has been released in the US as a TRU Exclusive as just normal Soundwave. Takara before that also modified the mold to look like the more traditional Soundwave look with the flat chest, but it had the support struts and enlarged buttons of the Soundblaster mold, and it was also sized to fit all cassettes. it was also used for an SDCC Boxset of him and a few tapes. this Reissue is obviously just a use of that remold. hope this helped
wait holy crap really? I know the original show was there to sell toys but thats borderline devious! I always wonder why soundwaves pack in was buzzsaw, that just makes too much sense!! Did they pull a similar thing with blaster?
Not surprised but perhaps a bit disappointed that Hasbro is unwilling to take a risk on some as yet to be reissued figures ( provided they have useable molds).
I like that those of us who were not fortunate enough to own these figures in the 80\'s, are now being given the opportunity to purchase these again (as adults) cant wait for this and especially prime. gonna need more shelves!
nah, blaster didn't have a pack-in cassette, just the two-packs, so he only got an even number of cassettes in fiction.
2003 reissue for the Japan Collector's Box line came with the larger hinge buttons with Lazerbeak 2005 Soundblaster reissue was the same mold, with double cassette doors and Buzzsaw and Ravage Japan Encore release was the same as 2003, but in G1 style box. American reissue was a SDCC exclusive, used Soundwave colors but Soundblaster double chest door. Encore Soundblaster was a slight repaint with anime accurate eyes, but no re-tooling. So this will be the first American reissue to use the proper chest door, but ALL of these reissues use the larger hinge. This looks the most similar to Encore, but it will have Buzzaw instead of Lazerbeak and obviously the text is in English. There have been complaints of mold degradation with each subsequent reissue, and the last Encore version has bad reviews on amazon japan. This will be ideal for those of us who want to recreate our glorious Christmas morning of 1984 and keep this in the box, cause it's the closest we've ever come, but it won't have that awesome styrofoam insert. For pure toy quality, the first 2003 reissue is probably the best; for nostalgic MIB display, this one is the one to get.
Yep. I've been keeping all of these MISP. After buying a Hot Rod in which I opened to turn the tray around, I bought a second $13 one to leave sealed with the backwards tray.
The US SDCC version (that came with Buzzsaw, Laserbeak, Ravage, and Ratbat) has the original single chest door (with larger hinge). That's the version I have. I think that's one reason it goes for big bucks on the secondary market--this reissue may lower the going price on that one since it seems to be the same thing, with a better box, but less tapes.
Two words: Dino Cassettes. You never know what’s coming. I remember when people told me Omega Supreme & Sky Lynx would never be rereleased.
Only Hot Rod received rollbacks and clearance pricing...possibly due to being overproduced and slightly overpriced to begin with compared to the others. The rest have been selling like hotcakes.
That's a real XD_le_meme.jpg right there. They'll never reissue those characters and you know why. Suck it up.
I was unaware. I thought they only reissued the double door version in the US, cause they're lazy and that's what was sitting around.
I am so freaking stoked!!! This is the first time Soundwave gets reissued in his original 84 packaging, just like the other WM reissues. I am so getting this!
