TakaraTomy’s Missing Link Bumblebee and Cliffjumper look better than ever at about 5,400 yen each, and the crew is all in. The Shizuoka Hobby Show brings a transforming Flame Toys-style Hot Rodimus, a Masterpiece Super Ginrai prototype and a God Ginrai Project tease. Resin prototypes reveal unproduced G2 decos for the Machine Wars molds, named Lightspeed and Greasepit. Plus Mayhem Attack Squad sets, a Marvel G1 compendium and Magmatron in hand.
News
Transformers Tuesday Coming May 14
The crew guesses at what the next Transformers Tuesday stream will show, from leftover Space Bridge reveals to exclusives like the Walmart Leader Thundertron. Wheeljack64 in the RFC Discord relays that it will cover Studio Series plus a Pulse exclusive, so the crew hopes for a first look at Springer.
Takara Tomy Missing Link C-03 Bumblebee and C-04 Cliffjumper Official Stock Images
The new photos look far better than last week’s, and several hosts want both. They are sold separately at about 5,400 yen each, which one host finds a little high for the pair. He wishes Bumblebee had an animated head, and the crew expects many more variants of the mold. One host points out that Hasbro Pulse lists Missing Link Convoy as a Masterpiece. One host paid about $44 each shipped from Amazon Japan, and the crew expects a domestic price of $35 to $45. [Source: TFW2005]
Shizuoka Hobby Show 2024 Takara Tomy Reveals
TakaraTomy’s new T-Spark line includes a transforming Hot Rodimus based on Flame Toys’ IDW model kit design, with concept art for Predaking and a reworked Leo Prime. The show also had a premium redeco of MPM-03 Bumblebee and a physical Masterpiece Super Ginrai prototype, which one host still does not want. A God Ginrai Project display all but confirms a God Bomber. A Brave Exkaiser homage catches Don’s interest, and the talk turns to Web Diver, where one host still wants Galleon. [Source: TFW2005]
New EarthSpark Warrior Class Figures
New EarthSpark figures, with probable season 2 spoilers, include Hashtag in a new alt mode and a Twitch redeco as a new character. Other sets pair Twitch and Bumblebee with Malto kids in exosuit armor. Brian finds the kid-focused toys weak and thinks Hasbro has too many lines and should consolidate. One host still plans to buy Hashtag. [Source: Autobase Aichi]
Transformers Compendium Volume 1
Skybound’s first Marvel G1 compendium collects issues 1 through 44 in a 1,064-page paperback, and one host has preordered it. The crew wonders whether the second volume will add the Headmasters miniseries or G2, and whether the Spider-Man and Circuit Breaker appearances will be reprinted intact. [Source: Simon & Schuster]
Symbiote Studios Hot Rod, Ultra Magnus, Rumble and Frenzy Plushes
Symbiote Studios sidesteps the debate over which color is Rumble by selling Rumble and Frenzy as a two-pack with no indication of which is which. Ultra Magnus looks sad. [Source: TFW2005]
Transformers One Power Flip Optimus Prime
One host thinks it looks really fun. Brian agrees it looks solid and would buy it for his kids, though it does not fit his collection. [Source: TFW2005]
Transformers One Cog Changers and Robot Battlers
The crew likes the Beyblade-style packaging on the Cog Changers but says the toys look rough next to earlier one-step lines. The Robot Battlers look even weaker. [Source: TFW2005]
In-hand photos show the $50 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover is much bigger than expected, nearly two Gears tall and about Voyager height, with storage for its spare parts. Brian ordered one, and another host got all four on a sale. [Source: TFW2005]
Mayhem Attack Squad Chop Shop and Barrage In-Hand Images
The Chop Shop and Barrage set looks great. Don is buying the Breakdown and Windsweeper set for Windsweeper and a Nonnef upgrade kit, and he praises Hasbro for painting the Targetmasters to suggest their original weapons. The crew notices tentacles on the box art, and Blade in the Discord says they reference IDW. [Source: TFW2005]
Cybertron Hot Shot Behind the Scenes
Mark Maher’s behind-the-scenes post explains Legacy Cybertron Hot Shot was a TakaraTomy initiative, with Hasbro contributing detail changes. One host says it stands nearly the same size as the original Cybertron Hot Shot. [Source: Instagram]
40th Anniversary Transformers Funko Pops
Funko’s 40th anniversary Pops are Optimus Prime, Megatron, Astrotrain and Blaster in toy decos. One host says Astrotrain’s glasses make him look as nice as a Pop can. [Source: TFW2005]
G2 Deco Prototypes for the Machine Wars Molds
Resin color casts from a former Hasbro employee’s collection show unproduced G2 decos for the molds that became the Machine Wars flip changers. The tow truck is Greasepit and the race car is Lightspeed, while the two jets are unnamed. The crew loves seeing lost history like this, and one host hopes Beast Machines’ unreleased second-year concepts in TakaraTomy’s archives surface someday. [Source: Jesse Wittenrich]
Next Week’s Show Moves to Thursday
Next week’s livestream and podcast will be a day late because Brian and Diecast are going to the Transformers Fathom Events screening.
What We Got This Week
Matt
Matt bought an eBay lot of three carded Robots in Disguise 2001 figures, mainly for Sideburn. The lot also had Prowl and Super Sideburn. He also got a complete Universe Sideburn in smoky gray, which came with an Armada DVD.
Chris
Chris had nothing this week.
Rob
Rob had nothing on topic this week.
John DeLuna
John’s Big Bad Toy Store pile of loot arrived with Lunar Cruiser Optimus Prime, which he will open before next week.
Diecast
Diecast got Legacy Magmatron, mostly because he likes dinosaurs, and the DNA Design upgrade kit for Studio Series Scourge.
Don
Don opened Lunar Cruiser Optimus Prime and calls it a solid, great-looking one-off with fun space details. He also got Magmatron and says it uses every drop of the Commander Class budget. He wishes the dinosaur mouths could hold the blast effects.
Brian
Brian got Predacons Rising on Blu-ray and DVD for about $10, plus a boxed G1 Shockwave. He is not trying to collect every 1984 and 1985 figure boxed, but it is starting to work out that way.