I took it is them preferring a SS86 one (as in, a completely new, more show-accurate mold) over this Dramatic Capture Series one.
Yeah, the Seige Astrotrain mold is fun and a better likeness than Titans Return was, but it's still flawed and needs a redo more than, say, Springer did. Seige Astrotrain's colour values were a bit off (this version is better but still not perfect), the shuttle mode has those weird gaps and both alt modes could use more paint detailing, the figure is a bit too small/short due to the accessories, and even as someone that appreciates the Seige aesthetic, he seemed a bit too overly greebly on the details. His proportions could be a little bit more dynamic as well.
Ah. I thought it was like an SS86 Blaster thing.
But yeah, if they're going to sell him at Leader class, I wouldn't mind a Springer like update of Astrotrain that gated off the gunbox and replaced they with new tooling to improve on the altmodes and give the robot mode a bit more mass. Rather than faffing about with "this thing he had in this episode", just put that into different engineering and tooling. There's stuff they can tweak like they did with Springer's torso and shoulders that might be bigger improvements for Astrotrain. The height may be a scale chart thing, but he could use some beefing up in robot mode regardless.
I'd like the same for Blitzwing (altmode fixes mainly), but I think that's a more demanding change.
But yeah, if they're going to sell him at Leader class, I wouldn't mind a Springer like update of Astrotrain that gated off the gunbox and replaced they with new tooling to improve on the altmodes and give the robot mode a bit more mass. Rather than faffing about with "this thing he had in this episode", just put that into different engineering and tooling. There's stuff they can tweak like they did with Springer's torso and shoulders that might be bigger improvements for Astrotrain. The height may be a scale chart thing, but he could use some beefing up in robot mode regardless.
I'd like the same for Blitzwing (altmode fixes mainly), but I think that's a more demanding change.
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That's why I've stayed with the TT Titans Return version as for me the Siege has never been a worthy replacement. I hope the inevitable SS86 versions of Blitzwing and Astrotrain are good (as the SS86 Springer is what I was waiting for).
Yeah. Also, we're getting a (presumably) slightly taller SS86 Megatron next year, and at least IMO, the triple changers should not be shorter than Op and Megs (which Astrotrain/Blitz etc already are!).
As we were discussing pretenders a few pages ago, here's a look at what could be an MP Pretender one day, if Takara ever made one...
I think Takara should make Bludgeon for the T-Spark line...
I think Takara should make Bludgeon for the T-Spark line...
That looks incredibly expensive AND fragile, though. Especially those extending joint parts.
Based on the one 'modern' one we saw created in semi-recent times (Oilmaster Double Pretender shell) I'm guessing if there is a DinoKing set whoever makes it will probably just go for the two-part shell copying the original. Possibly some limb movement but I doubt it. If nothing else I expect some 3-D printed versions of that eventually.
Now if they go bigger budget, I could easily see something like Super7's Bludgeon with a pop-open torso with a core tank or the like.
One thing with Transformers, though, if you wait long enough it eventually seems to happen, whatever 'it' is, and fans will argue about if it;s any good.
Based on the one 'modern' one we saw created in semi-recent times (Oilmaster Double Pretender shell) I'm guessing if there is a DinoKing set whoever makes it will probably just go for the two-part shell copying the original. Possibly some limb movement but I doubt it. If nothing else I expect some 3-D printed versions of that eventually.
Now if they go bigger budget, I could easily see something like Super7's Bludgeon with a pop-open torso with a core tank or the like.
One thing with Transformers, though, if you wait long enough it eventually seems to happen, whatever 'it' is, and fans will argue about if it;s any good.
I don't have much of a horse in this race; Pretenders as a concept back in the day weren't really that interesting to me, and never seemed like they made it to stores in my area, anyway.
I will say this, though: watching Masterforce and Victory kinda got me used to the Pretenders' looking like their shells (or normal dudes for the Autobots in Masterforce), and while I don't really want figures that replicate the whole Pretender gimmick, I would be mildly interested in a set of figures that represented their disguised forms, as companions to regular Transformers but sold separately. Which seems like something Super7 ought to tackle, really.
(Honestly, a whole series of Transformers companion characters would not be unwelcome to me, kinda wouldn't mind a little Slizardo and Skuxxoid figure, among others...)
I will say this, though: watching Masterforce and Victory kinda got me used to the Pretenders' looking like their shells (or normal dudes for the Autobots in Masterforce), and while I don't really want figures that replicate the whole Pretender gimmick, I would be mildly interested in a set of figures that represented their disguised forms, as companions to regular Transformers but sold separately. Which seems like something Super7 ought to tackle, really.
(Honestly, a whole series of Transformers companion characters would not be unwelcome to me, kinda wouldn't mind a little Slizardo and Skuxxoid figure, among others...)
I had Groundbreaker and Octopunch, and they were both lackluster to me. I DID like the TFSS Double Pretenders, and having Double Pretender Megatron pull double duty as a shell for Cerebros with my Encore Maximus was a bonus. The thing is, in both their cases they gave a well-articulated inner bot that actually had a recognizable alt-mode and an interesting shell, something my G1 Pretenders didn't do (plus Groundbreaker's helmet destroyed his face paint). That's why I've been openly hoping for a DinoKing set someday as it would give me the best of both worlds like the more recent ones did.
I had... something. I wish I still had it because I can't remember which one. Somehow nothing rings a bell.
Yes, they were going for the "plamoderu" look and feel, but imagine a (most probably overpriced) Takara pretender with some of that engineering, I'm sure they could pull something like that off and what better character to do so for a Japanese company than either Bludgeon (a samurai skeleton) or Metalhawk (the famous Japanese good guy)?
did u really just say fuckin plamoderu
christ.
christ.
What's plamoderu? I just thought in context it was 'high priced model kit' and now trying to look it up, that doesn't help much.
He probably means plamo ( short for plastic model, like Gundam), but he has a habit of weird nicknames.
More like for some fuckin reason deciding to say 'moderu' as if it's Japanese word and not literally just the word' model' transliterated into Japanese (or the romanization of the word 'model' transliterated into Japanese if you want to be pedantic).
plamodel - Wiktionary, the free dictionary
(The romaji can differ, such as "puramoderu", etc). See also "gunpla".
Where I am, I've only ever heard gunpla. Although I think I've also seen plamo used here and there. Mostly in stuff that i guess isn't Gundam.
In any case I'm not sure why the L in pla but not in moderu, but I have no frame of reference for this particular transliteration.
In any case I'm not sure why the L in pla but not in moderu, but I have no frame of reference for this particular transliteration.
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The Takara Triple Takeover Set is surprisingly cheap and I do love that episode. I'm in.
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I'm guessing Starscream's blue also comes from washed out VHS tapes.