IMO there is no need to buy Voltron... I mean Energon Prime unless you buy Wing Sabre, they should have been sold together.  It makes it 100% cooler

How can you tell/know which of the two had a hand in designing any particular figure?

How can you tell/know which of the two had a hand in designing any particular figure?

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If it's an exclusive to the US, Hasbro made it. If it's exclusive to Japan, Takara made it. If it's released in both, then it is most likely a joint project.

Thailand or China makes 'em! Or maybe it's just China, these days. I can't find any "Made in" Markings on Alt. Hound, Cyb. Red alert or Cyb. Hotshot.

 

 

Aoi

i always buy takara products...

This is all based on what I've read on the history of Transformers in general along with some of the Hasbro panel info from con reports.

 

The G1 vintages and reissues were based off the original toyline -- itself an amalgamation of pre-existing toylines, Microchange and Diaclone, originally designed by Takara, then rebranded and marketed in partnership with Hasbro into Transformers of the '80s.

 

The Transformers Movies chars (Hot Rod, Kup, Arcee, Galvatron, & friends) were designed by Floro Dery, for Hasbro, I believe, for the purposes of the movie.  I think Takara did the engineering for them.

 

The BT/Alts are roughly designed in collaboration between Hasbro and Takara, with engineering done by Takara.  I believe Takara may have conceived of the line.  It's probably all mentioned in the Binaltech guidebook (for anyone who can actually read the japanese, that is).

 

The manufacturing is done through third parties.  Most of it, if not all, done in China, hence the propensity for bootlegs and KOs to come filtering outta there usually through black market channel areas like HK or Taiwan..

 

This seems to be the general pattern with design done by Hasbro and maybe Takara, engineering by Takara, and manufacturing in the far east.  I suspect Hasbro exerts a good amount of influence at the design stage because the US market base is just likely larger.

The BT/Alts are roughly designed in collaboration between Hasbro and Takara, with engineering done by Takara.  I believe Takara may have conceived of the line.  It's probably all mentioned in the Binaltech guidebook (for anyone who can actually read the japanese, that is).

Supposedly, the BT/Alt line was Hasbro's idea (based primarily on zillions of fan requests for updated verisons of G1 characters as real vehicles that transform into super-posable robots) and was championed by Aaron Archer.  I'm guessing that Hasbro/Archer were "inspired" by the fan reaction to CR/RiD, as these were the first TFs that were obviously based on real cars yet included BW-era posablility.

Ever since RID, Takara seems to have better quality plastic.

Ever since RID, Takara seems to have better quality plastic.

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I have the feeling this has to do with US safety laws.  Takara seems to use a harder, more brittle plastic - while Hasbro uses a softer type.

 

There are pros and cons to each:  the harder plastic takes detail better and tends not to "droop" over time, which is why an adult collector would prefer it; however, harder plastics by nature are more brittle, so it will be easier to break (and will probably generate a sharper broken edge).

i think whether takara or hasbro, theri plastic quality really worse than b4