Hasbro didn't only make an almost perfect planet mode though, they also made an accurate looking robot mode and tried to recreate at least a part of the transformation sequence seen in the movie. There is kibble that it's a necessary evil given the goal that they were trying to accomplish.

 

Exactly this. Takara have design goals with each figure. Boxes that need to be ticked. In this case planet mode accuracy and the arm transformation being like the movie were priorities. Also the synchronization of the planet mode jaws. That mechanism takes up space and makes it impossible to collapse the backpack any further.

The original design sketches show the planet shell kibble inside the calves (note the pink lines inside the calf in the sketch below). I’m sure that’s what they wanted to do. But most likely they found out that the planet shell has to be a lot thicker for strength and then it didn’t fit in the legs anymore. The original 3D printed prototype without much detail on it has MUCH thinner planet shell parts. Note the prototype image below that does not have planet kibble in the sides of the legs. Only the back.

Anyway it always bugs me when people say that the more money a figure costs, the more accurate both modes should be. That can happen in some cases but it’s not always possible if there are other design goals besides accuracy in both modes.

 

Personally, I consider the period between G1 and G2 "a significant break." No toys at all between the end of '90 and near the end of '92. Just a couple of years, but significant. Indeed, it's a break the US had that many other parts of the world didn't have.

No meaningful break between G2 and BW. It went away entirely (in the US) between G1 and G2.

 

Is he able to stand without his stand?

 

Sure he can, but isn't it great that he comes with the perfect stand made just for him?

~L~

 

Yes. I just like to have options lol. Thank you!

 

To be fair, since nobody has HasLab Unicron yet, I suppose it's possible something could go wrong, but we have been told Unicron is designed to stand on his own.

~L~

 

You can't transform him without his stand.

 

From my recollection the brand took a HUGE nosedive between about 89-90 and 96. G2 was an almost non-event, and there was a long wait until Beast Wars.

 

What? I asked about standing him without his stand.

 

1st, not even what he asked.

2nd, yes you can, you’ll just have a very hard time doing so.

 

-John Hasbro.

 

No, I'm not. There are several reasons someone might not know much about all that stuff.

 

This is the sad truth of it.

 

I'm sure you CAN, but it's probably a good deal easier with the stand as an anchor.

As in - you CAN, but you might not WANT to, but you CAN.

 

That's silly. It ended in 1988 and came back in 2018.

(dark blue chosen for only half-kidding)

 

If we're going to talk about "low times" when toys existed, but the line wasn't exactly thriving, we've opened the doors to any number of post-BW lines....

 

Pre-ordered mine on The Chosen Prime... been paying for him little by little... down to owing less than $100 on him!

 

I'm at 49 left myself

 

congrats to the guys who almost have this bad boy paid off...