Takara is reissuing G1 Starscream, and dealers already list it for preorder, on this April 2, 2001 Radio Free Cybertron. John DeLuna’s ATT Buzz also covers Target-exclusive Beast Machines basics, Takara’s Tokyo Toy Fair push for Web Diver, and his take on the 2000 Trannies. Hooper X weighs in on the Trannies in Point the Blame. RFC finished fourth for website of the year, and Brian Kilby thanks everyone who voted.
News
RFC Places Fourth for Website of the Year in the Trannies
Brian Kilby thanks listeners who voted for RFC in the Trannies, where the show placed among the more popular fan clubs and message forums. RFC came in fourth for website of the year. He also thanks those who voted for him in the fanfic and Transfan of the Year categories. Next week’s show will feature a reading of a fanfic by the group Ouija, recorded over the internet.
Target Gets Two New Beast Machines Basics First
Two new Beast Machines basics, a Thrust-style cycle drone and a second figure, are showing up only at Target for now. John DeLuna expects a window of a couple of weeks before they reach Walmart and Kmart. He hears the cycle drone is especially good and calls the Thrust design solid at any size. [Source: alt.toys.transformers]
Takara to Reissue G1 Starscream
Dealers are now taking preorders for Takara’s G1 Starscream reissue. John thought the reissues would stop at Ultra Magnus and Hot Rod. He expects dealers to charge $40 to $60, and doubts many fans will pay that once reviews arrive. He calls the six G1 Decepticon jets ugly bricks with no knees and easily lost accessories. If sales disappoint, he thinks Takara will scale back G1 reissues. [Source: alt.toys.transformers]
Transformers Sidelined at Tokyo Toy Fair as Takara Pushes Web Diver
At Tokyo Toy Fair about 10 days earlier, the only Transformers news was Takara’s Act 3 G1 PVC figures, which John says keep getting better. Takara pushed Web Diver hard instead. John predicts Web Diver will fail: ugly toys, an expensive concept and no Transformers branding. He expects Takara to bring Beast Machines to Japan, dubbed with repaints, by late this year or early next. [Source: alt.toys.transformers]
Trivia
Last week’s clip came from the Beast Wars episode “Code of Hero,” voted greatest episode ever in the Trannies. M. Cipher and Starseeker got it right. Brian plays a new clip twice, and listeners email the episode title to brian at tfradio.com.
Bad Dubbed Japanese Line of the Week
Brian plays a Scorponok clip from the Singapore English dub of Headmasters, calling it the total package of how bad the dubs are.
Point the Blame: The Trannies Follow-Up
Hooper X shares his thoughts on this year’s Trannies. He finds the host segments better than last year’s, but thinks Rob Jung used Rattrap and the Diagnostic Drone to belittle Beast Machines. Optimus Prime took most character awards, which Hooper finds bland next to Beast Wars Optimus Primal. He enjoys the Micromaster Big Daddy climbing the best and worst name categories. Hooper calls Super Fire Convoy’s Toy of the Year win nonsense and says Shokaract and the redeco Rav are better toys. The Singapore Headmasters dub line about Fortress Maximus won best cartoon quote. His favorite moment was RFC staffer Mad Max MFPE wanting to eat garbage with Rattrap.
Ask the Computer
The Computer answers listener mail. Spooky would not reveal where he got a blue Rav PVC, the Computer says, because he stole it. SoundwaveX is told every letter will eventually be answered. Hooper X asks how they cram all that Grimlock in, and the Computer answers: with a big salad fork. Questions go to thecomputer at tfradio.com.
ATT Buzz: The 2000 Trannies
John says ATT is on its deathbed, with even the Trannies failing to lift traffic. In the cartoon section, he finds the Car Robots votes for best episode overdone, though he recommends the God Magnus episodes onward. He calls “The Low Road” mediocre and can’t see how “Code of Hero” makes anyone cry. Super Fire Convoy took best toy of the year, with Jetstorm second, a toy John hates. G1 Jetfire won best toy ever, though John would pick a Transmetal like Rampage, Optimal Optimus or Primal Prime. Super Fire Convoy placing second for best toy ever baffles him. Optimus Prime’s “Freedom is the right of all sentient beings” won best tech spec motto. Overall, John thinks the 2000 Trannies were good, and he is glad Car Robots didn’t take over the ballot. [Source: alt.toys.transformers]
Radio Free Cybertron is the world's first and oldest toy and action figure podcast — broadcasting from the heart of the Transformers fan community since October 1999. What started as a scrappy fan show has grown into an institution, with nearly 1,000 episodes and over 25 years of coverage. Every week, host Brian Kilby and the RFC crew dig into the latest Transformers news, toy reveals, collecting, and everything hitting shelves from Hasbro, Takara, and beyond. No fluff, no hype — just informed, passionate collectors who have been doing this longer than anyone else on the planet. The original. The longest running. Till all are one.