I don't know how many in the 3P threads read the official speculation thread, but one of the more reliable and consistent "insiders" that posts just gave some interesting news. Slave IV is sharing some news from a source that is networked with TT and it doesn't look good for fans of TT carbots. It looks like hopes of a Jazz, Sunstreaker, or Cliffjumper from TT can be forgotten unless something "very major" changes at TT. This basically suggests that those three characters will never be produced by TT in MP form.

Now, the important question is, will FT step in and fill the void for three highly desired and highly requested MP characters? It seems certain now that TT will not touch that territory, which leaves it wide open for a talented 3P to come in and stake their claim. These three are arguably G1's MP most wanted and we have yet to receive a decent version of any of them. Can FT step up to the challenge and make this dream a reality in 2017 with renders and prototypes? Can they deliver full releases for these amazing figures in 2018? Word has been that FT doesn't have current plans for any of these characters. Maybe they weren't a priority before, but is it now time for plans to change?

 

I could see FT maybe changing their stance on CJ if Seaspray does well.

 

I hope they do Sunstreaker, Badcube's doesn't cut it for me. I would also dig a Cliffjumper since we don't have a good one of that, and while Jazz is being done by at least three companies, and we have IDW J4ZZ which works well enough for now, I would be interested to see what FT would do there as well. In my mind, all the factors matter, from articulation, to detail, to design, to balance, and even quality in materials and paint apps.

 

A wise man once said,

"Don't believe anything you hear, and only half of what you see."

It doesn't matter to me how "reliable" (someone is bound to be right via guesswork sooner or later) or friendly/ cool someone is.

Doesn't even matter *if* they're telling the truth (or what they themselves may honestly believe is the truth) - if there is no confirmation from TT, then it's still all speculation and rumors.


So honestly? I don't know what to think. TT, although most probably not threatened financially (3P probably helps them to be honest), they seem to be very aware of the 3P market (and the collectors who want this stuff) and from their line-up seem to be producing most of the G1 cast.

Who knows. Maybe TT is pulling out of the G1/Sunbow stuff and wants to move full on to other Transformer mediums.

We'll see!

 

I hope that's not the case but, even if it is, they don't seem to have any interest in doing minibots beyond Bumblebee.

 

Their Beast Wars stuff looks absolutely horrendous. But they been knocking a few out and have another one coming.

And yep, I believe that may be the case with the minibots. I do hope TT surprises everyone though and whips up an Arcee (or Darwin please, FT, BC, anybody!)

 

We'll have to agree to disagree on that. Primal and Cheetor both look pretty screen accurate to me in both modes. But there's no reason they can't do BW and G1. Especially since there's still so many characters out there they haven't done.

 

Can't say I really care if FT makes any of those three. Fantoys makes almost all their bots "Heroic" proportioned and I'm of the mind not all bots should be heroic proportioned (I'm looking at you FT Seaspray and Perceptor. You guys should be dumpy and clunky looking). Maketoys has done Jazz and if Hova ever comes out is a pretty damn good competitor to MT. Sunstreaker, I've already got BC Sunsurge. Cliffjumper though would be nice.

I am extremely looking forward to FT Skyfire and OS. I like the way FT is making them look.

 

I am sure FT will get to every character that appeared in the G1 cartoon seasons 1-4.

 

It's a big call to say "we have yet to receive a decent version of any of them" when referring to Jazz, Cliffy or Sunstreaker.
MT Jazz (while not my cup of tea) looks pretty great to a lot of people. And MMC is bound to show their's any day now.
XTB have a great looking Cliffjumper that will please a lot of fans (excluding of course those with a persistent anti-Keith bias) and of course BadCubes Sunstreaker is great for a lot of people, while Omni can apparently be fixed up enough to be a passable toy oriented version (if you are willing to put in the work, so I'm told)
We already have options for all three of these. FansToys absolutely appeals to a lot of fans (and I'm one of them) but for me, XTB and BC have nailed two out of three.
Would I be interested in a FT Jazz? Absolutely. Is it a guaranteed win? No way. At this point, Hound is the only carbot that FT has produced and it's far from universally acclaimed (I myself own it and love it)
FT's reputation has been made on big hefty bots and the jury is still out on whether they can even pull off a convincing Jazz.

And finally, what's the reasoning behind the latest run of "Takara won't do those characters" rumours? I haven't checked the thread but I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess it's, once again, the "image rights from Porsche" and the "no customised vehicles" from Lamborghini? These rumours have been hanging around for years and unless there's been some new information, we really can't rely on them.
Everyone has been second guessing Takara's strategy for years and so far NO-ONE has consistently been able to predict what they'll do.

 

Sunsurge really doesn't do Sunstreaker in the way a top tier manufacturer would with better articulation, range of motion, proper hands, more weight to allow for better balance and posability, better materials and some paint apps, and also BC was asking $100 or more for it when it is barely up to the product level of a Takara MP carbot offering. It's actually kind of sad that there hasn't been any viable competition for that character in the MP class, because it's a mainline G1 Season 1 character. If Takara aren't doing it, even more reason for the top tier 3P companies that have recently gotten into the MP line, to tackle it.

 

I don't care who makes them but I'd like to see more companies make all three characters. So far, my preference aesthetically has been with XTB/KFC and they are coming out with Cliffjumper soon. So far, it looks really good.

I recently opened my BC Sunstreaker but haven't transformed it yet...it looks really good in car mode though, like a lot better than I expected. Hopefully bot mode impresses me as much but the more pics of it I saw online, the more I disliked it which is part of why it took almost a year for me to even ship mine. I feel like there could still be a much better version of Sunstreaker from someone.

I still have no proper G1 Jazz in my entire life of collecting and that has always been my most wanted Carbot. Nothing I've seen is good enough yet and I'm dying for someone to step up!

The problem for me with carbots is nothing I've seen from any company yet is worth the full retail price to me and 3P is even worse than official. At least with official, there are deals on preorder or improved KOs that are cheaper and more worth it to me. XTB CJ will have to be ridiculously good for me to fork out $70 for the little guy. I already don't feel great about forking out about a bill for BC SS so someone will have to make something beyond perfect for me to do the same again. Jazz, I'll painfully but gladly through a bill to anyone who does him justice. FT has yet to put out or announce anything I'd pay anything for but if they can do Jazz to my liking, please do and take my money!

As for the rest of G1, I'll be keeping my eye out for what Takara does and I'm near the end of getting all the characters I want anyways so I can wait it out. There is no doubt in my mind they will keep pumping out g1 MPs for a long time.

 

For me, the ship has sailed for FT when it comes to Sunstreaker and Jazz. I own Sunsurge and Downbeat looks good to me. I can't see FT doing something so awesome that I double dip on these guys.

 

Basically someone who apparently has a good track record (knew Megs 2.0 and Shockwave were coming well before they were announced) has said that the same source that gave him that info said CJ, SS and Jazz weren't currently planned because of the licensing issues. I'm certainly not taking that as gospel by any means, but there's no reason to doubt it at this point either. Yeah, the licensing rumors have been around forever, but we still don't have a TT version of any of these characters that featured prominently in the cartoon. There's got to be a reason, and the licensing issue makes the most sense. I can't think of a better reason they're putting out things like Tracks (plus repaints) and Inferno (plus repaints) before Jazz.

Edit: Actually, for CJ it could just be that BB was the only minibot TT was planning on doing anyway.

 

I would rather see FT--or other manufacturer--focus on toys which no one else has made. So, no, I don't want more versions of existing MP-scale toys.

 

Fanstoys will probably get to the entire G1 cast at some point.

 

Sunsurge is really impressive, but I would consider a TT version if they did at least as well with the robot mode, made an acceptable vehicle mode and tied it all together with a smooth intuitive transform. Surgey has an amazing vehicle mode (how they made it 1-1 with Sideswipe like that is kind of miraculous) and the bot is really nice, but... personal preference comes into play on that Badcube transformation scheme. It's a fun puzzle the first time but I don't see myself swapping him back and forth regularly like the other carbots!

As for Jazz, I'm tempted to wait until at least mid year to see if there's going to be a TT version before committing to any of the Jazzes in the works :S

 

Fanstoys needs to get Beserk out and then they can do whatever they want

 

@dalianjj

 

Always amazed by some criticism of Sunsurge, he balances perfectly fine, has one of the best paint finishes out of any 3rd party product with the options of swapping out wheels, turbo intakes etc. And poses are near endless.
I'd agree that he could be a more solid plastic, he feels bit thin in places but it's all finished and polished nicely with a consistent bright yellow all over.