I guess they should've called him Bronzehide, since he oxidized worse than the Statue of Liberty, ZING!
During the run of Transformers Animated here in the States, there was something troubling me the entire time. It was something no one else seemed to be concerned with. The question in the back of my mind the entire time was: What is TakaraTomy going to do about Transformers Animated?
I had all but given up on the Japanese ever adopting the Transformers Animated series as their own until the recent announcement that 2010 would bring the Animated line to the Land of the Rising Sun.
Today Big Bad Toy Store posted the first images of what appear to be the actual Japanese versions of the Animated toyline. These photos are in stark contrast to the Animated Bumblebee and Optimus Prime which were featured in the January 2010 Hyper Hobby magazine. My new theory is that those pictures were to be used as a teaser and were indeed just the USA versions used as eye candy for the announcement of Animated Toys from TakaraTomy.
Animated Bumblebee and Optimus Prime as featured in Dengeki Hobby Feb 2010 issue. Once thought to be indications that the Japanese Animated toys would be almost straight repacks, today these photos were revealed to not be the Japanese versions at all.
What we saw today is more like it.
As I had hoped (and predicted), the Animated Figures will be completely new redecos from the US versions. If the pixilated product shots that we saw today are any indication, the Japanese Animated line could be considered the “Premium” version of the Animated figures. Each figure appears to have a metallic sheen to its paint apps, and Bulkhead (renamed Ironhide in Japan) appears to be a completely different hue of green than its US counterpart. It’s nice to see that TakaraTomy still knows how to do it right, or at least give hardcore collectors a run for their money!
"I'm a real Goldbug!" says Animated Bumblebee, or should I say Bumble?
Now all we need to see is the typical Japanese spin on the packaging design and we may have the next great collectible toy line! So who else has all ready pre-ordered? (The whole first wave, only $269.99 at BigBadToyStore.com!)
The full list of expected toys is as follows (Courtesy of TransformersAnimated.com)
Single Packs
- TFA-01 Optimus Prime • 3600yen • March 2010
- TFA-02 Bumblebee • 2300yen • March 2010
- TFA-03 Bulkhead • 3600yen • March 2010
- FA-04 Ratchet • 2300yen • March 2010
- TFA-05 Prowl • 2300yen • March 2010
- TFA-06 Megatron • 3600yen • March 2010
- TFA-07 Starscream • 3600yen • March 2010
- TFA-08 Lockdown • 2300yen • March 2010
- TFA-09 Blackarachnia • 2300yen • March 2010
- TFA-10 Cliffjumper • 1200yen • March 2010
- TFA-11 Dirge • 1200yen • March 2010
- TFA-12 Arcee • 2300yen • April 2010
- TFA-13 Blitzwing • 3600yen • March 2010
- TFA-14 Shockwave • 3600yen • April 2010
- TFA-15 Lugnut • 3600yen • April 2010
- TFA-16 Soundwave • 2300yen • April 2010
VS Twinpack
- Optimus Prime VS Megatron • 6800yen • March 2010
- Bumblebee VS Starscream • 4500yen • March 2010
- Ratchet VS Lockdown • 4500yen • March 2010
- Bulkhead VS Soundwave • 5600yen • March 2010
- Prowl VS Blitzwing • 5600yen • April 2010
Look at me ma, I've got PURPLE faction symbols, just like Grandpa!