What does everyone see in Japanese TFs?

Discussion in 'Transformers Toy Discussion' started by Ruination04, Feb 1, 2008.

  1. Ruination04

    Ruination04 8 Years Old Since 1984!

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    I see alot of people who all of the Japanese only TFs. I am not ragging on anyone's likes, but I have never seen the big deal with these bots. They don't the same TF feel to them as say Megatron or Jazz or someone. I know that must sound crazy, seeing how they're all Japanese to begin with...What is it about these TFs?
     
  2. Hiro Prime

    Hiro Prime Cybertronian Guru Veteran

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    If you're talking G1, that's an easy one for me to answer. It's like adding a whole series of exclusive figures that should have made over here but didn't. Both the repaints and the original figures we never got were just more cool TF's to add to my collection. In fact, it's one of the main reasons why I loved the E-Hobby exclusives. (which were like a G1.5) New character repaints.
     
  3. Sycia

    Sycia Draconian Faction

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    Over where I am, it's easier to get Japanese TFs than Hasbro ones, so it's not much of a preference issue there. Though a few friends do insist that TakaraTomy's quality control is better than Hasbro's.

    No idea there since I've not handled enough Hasbro toys to know.
     
  4. Silent_Magnus

    Silent_Magnus Taint of Primus

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    Well if it's a characteer from a japan-pnly show then the reason would be the same as most of the US transfromers. To have a toy of a cool character.

    If you're talking about the same figure, just released by different companies, then it's probably about Quality control and/or different paint apps.

    Takara is known for normally making the better quality figure.
     
  5. Futureruleroftheuniverse

    Futureruleroftheuniverse Well-Known Member

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    Generally if the toy molds are the same from both sides (Hasbro and Takara) it doesn't bother me at all which company I purchase from (although I've been advised that Takara has higher quality). But if there was difference in quality, paint application, mold, materials, etc. for example with Galaxy Force, where Takara's paint jobs are more favourable to me, I chose them over Cybertron...except for Supreme Starscream, which I gladly chose over the miniature variants from both.

    Takara's exclusive appeal such as TRU ltd editions and eHobbys are another reason I make purchases from Japan.

    That being said, there are occasions too when Hasbro's variation of the same toy is more appealing that Takara's to me: Supreme Starscream for example, and Ultimate Bumblebee (some loathe him, I like him).
     
  6. Master Megatron

    Master Megatron Action Bastard

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    For me, It's the boxes. Some of them are absolutely beautiful.
     
  7. SydneyY

    SydneyY @syd_tfw Veteran TFW2005 Supporter

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    The original post states "Japanese only" so I don't think this thread is about the same old Has. vs Tak. thing. Sorry if I'm mistaken.

    (I personally think TakaraTomy QC is just as bad/good, the only difference is Takara(Tomy) deals with customer complaints better. Still, Takara is known to send another defected product to replace a defected product ;) )

    Lots of people dig toys without much attachment to the "character", and this is not just Transformers, I guess, or not just "Japan only" robots. There are some TF collectors who are only into toys.

    I think I am more into toys than characters myself. I have 3 Lio Convoy figures, but I don't know much about the character as I have only seen him in BW Neo (have only seen a couple of fandubs of BW II), and the character didn't leave much impression. I didn't care for GF/Cybertron shows, but some toys are my favourite regardless of what I thought of the character in the cartoon.

    Though of course if I like the character I like the toys so much more :) 
     
  8. Roanstalker

    Roanstalker Great Baan Gaan fan

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    For me, I just grew up with these type of figures.
     
  9. Rodr-Evil

    Rodr-Evil Anubicron TFW2005 Supporter

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    The quality in first place. Apart of that, the japaneses are the inventors of this type of toys since decades.
     
  10. Counterpunch?

    Counterpunch? Interior Renovator

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    You aren't mistaken at all.

    I remember when I got back into Transformers about 6 years ago. I would sit and look through tfu.info for hours remembering toys I had as a kid and making lists of things to reacquire.

    Then I started looking past that, finding out that there were Transformers that were actually new to me and that I had never heard of. Sure, they were strange, but strange in a way that was more intriguing than anything else.

    Japanese exclusive transformers have that 'world apart' feeling to them. US G1 (seasons 1 & 2, the ones we all know) are very familiar to us all. The Japanese stuff represents the fact that Transformers are alien without making them buys or such. That's my ramble on the matter and I'm sticking to it.
     
  11. Abrogate

    Abrogate Nondescript Former Poster

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    Star Saber and Overlord may not have the "same TF feel" as Megatron and Jazz... but then again, neither do Galvatron or Fort Max. Because Megatron and Jazz were made from Microchange/Diaclone, and had entirely different designers. On the other hand, Star Saber and Overlord fit in very well with the likes of Scorponok or Piranacon, and I'd say they're much better toys than the Pretenders or Actionmasters we were saddled with in America
     
  12. Roanstalker

    Roanstalker Great Baan Gaan fan

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    Pretenders were also released in Japan.
     
  13. BlitzFire

    BlitzFire Herald of Unicron

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    im just a general collector....i like transformers.....the boxes here just seem so...i dont know...generic? I have one japanese toy, japanese reissue G1 starscream and im keeping him in the box cuz the box just looks cool. I have a transfomers like toy coming from thailand (brothers gf is there) and I dont even know if its a real transformer or not, but the odds are, its going to stay in the box because its cool looking.
     
  14. TJOmega

    TJOmega The Plastic Addict Content Contributor

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    In general, Japanese releases have higher quality control, usually has more paint aps as it's less expensive to produce in Japan without things like overseas shipping to worry about, and one big advantage, in most series they come out faster. I had Galaxy Force Inch-Up and Dino Shout months before they were released here as Cybertron Dirt Boss and Undermine. Another advantage are plastic colors, as Hasbro has been known to tint neutral gray colors on their figures to make them more colorful for kids. Like Cybertron Backstop is tinted purple, while GF Saidos is an accurate light grey. Energon Ironhide has yellow plastic, while the japanese release Roadbuster has a much better looking grey.
     
  15. Abrogate

    Abrogate Nondescript Former Poster

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    I didnt say they werent. They even have exclusive ones, like Metalhawk. I'm just sayin, I'd rather have Star Saber in my collection than Iguanus.
     
  16. Foster

    Foster Haslab Victory Saber Backer #3 Veteran

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    Not all of them. And I'd much rather have the Masterforce exclusive Metalhawk than, say, Finback. The US was *choked* with Pretenders while Japan had them as a more reasonable sub-line.

    Late G1 in the US had weak leader toys. Really, nothing after Powermaster Prime could be leader material. Decepticons NEEDED a comparable leader to him. That's what Overlord was and the US didn't bring him over. Scorponok and Fort Max must have failed sales-wise for Hasbro to retreat from larger price points and the entire line suffered from the loss of the marquee toys.

    In 1989, the closest we got to good leader characters were Pretenders Grimlock and Starscream. And compare that dino-runt and brick jet to Star Saber and Dezsaurus? No contest why the Japanese collector appeal today is what it is.

    Japan also continued the late 80s with several more combiner teams, one of the most successful gimmicks in early G1. The US should have brought over Raiden, Road Caesar and Liokaiser instead of the weak-ass Micromasters. Maybe they wouldn't have lost market share to Micro Machines if they had stayed with proven transformer concepts instead of going into copycat mode.
     
  17. Ramrider

    Ramrider TF Art Lad

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    Hey, hey, easy, tiger. I'll agree about the combiners, but don't you go dissin' the Micros. :p 
     
  18. Foster

    Foster Haslab Victory Saber Backer #3 Veteran

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    I've got mad love for the micros, but they shouldn't have become half of the entire line in 1989/1990. It was just too radical a departure from the concepts that were smash hits just two years prior. They should have been a subline at first, like Targetmasters or Dinobots, and phased in more later if successful.
     
  19. Dirge121

    Dirge121 I'll be your end of days

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    Price is the main object for me.
    During Galaxy Force I managed to snag:
    Demolisher - £14.99 (inc postage)
    Live Convoy - £12.50 (inc Postage)
    First Gunner - £17.80 (inc Postage)
    Voyager Starscream - roughly £5*
    Voyager Vector Prime - roughly £5*

    *Bought in a lot of 6 for £30, roughly £5 per figure.

    But yeah, thats the only reason I'd import, if it was cheaper than getting the general release version.

    EDIT: Oh yeah, I also got the GF version of Evac because the box was so pretty, all the leaders in GF Had kickass boxes.
     
  20. Baltan

    Baltan Space Ninja

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    Heh. Actual point of the topic seems to be missed on a regular basis. Are people going by the title alone or something?