:thumb Looks great. How much do you pay on shipping for that?

We paid a flat rate of 5.99 shipping and 2 Ariels, Lazerwave and an Insecticon came in that package.

:thumb Looks great.  How much do you pay on shipping for that?

We paid a flat rate of 5.99 shipping and 2 Ariels, Lazerwave and an Insecticon came in that package.

$5.99 ship for all that?! :eek :eek :eek Damn, I've been getting some crap deals on then shipping then :tflaugh1

Oh and BC SL Shockwave is more show acurate than E-Tidalwave.

Oh and BC SL Shockwave is more show acurate than E-Tidalwave.

May I ask how? I haven't seen too many comparision pics but I was always under the impression that they were excatly the same

Toon Silver on head

Japan Silver on head

USA Gold on head

Hasbro. I really don't understand why so many people bash them. All the Hasbro TFs I got (and ALL my TFs are Hasbro ones) are just fine. Of course, I lost three of them (Fox Kids! redeco Rhinox from Beast Wars, Buzzsaw from Beast Machines, and Bantor, the tiger/baboon Fuzor from Beast Wars), but that wasn't Hasbro's fault. Also, does it really matter long 20th Anniversery Prime's/MP Convoy's smokestacks are? No. To some people it may, but they need to get over it (no offense to people who think that matters).

 

Oh, and to Behold, Galvatron: I checked out the link you gave:

 

Its only a small number of Takara fans that go "Anything outta Hasbro suxxors" without any rational thought like this guy.

 

Boy, Emperor Grimlock sure was a loser. I wonder if he knew that you're a mod here, and just didn't care, or was too stupid to even know what that word meant. :tflaugh

 

And I agree with what other people have said. Die cast really IS overrated.

 

I will wait, "Till all are one". That is, I will wait for the day when TF fans can put aside their differences and just be that: TF fans. No purists of any kind, No Hasbro bashers, or crap like that. Just TF fans, who respect all the lines for what they are: Transformers. :clap

:thumb I cant wait to get in WING SABER!! :thumb

Toon Silver on head

Japan Silver on head

USA Gold on head

Ah ok, never noticed that, might have been lighting issues but thats an interesting paint app, shame it wasn't used here but the gold works

 

Boy, Emperor Grimlock sure was a loser. I wonder if he knew that you're a mod here, and just didn't care, or was too stupid to even know what that word meant. 

 

And I agree with what other people have said. Die cast really IS overrated.

 

LOL well, this was wayyy back during TFans infancy and before the mod draft so back then I wasn't a mod (if I was then, I prob would have left the thread open some more just to laugh at whatever ridicious comments he came up with). :tflaugh1

 

Die cast really is and the gap is closing on the apperence difference as well. BT Hound was a tad top heavy and as a result couldn't pull of some poses that the lighter Alt Hound can and even apperence wise Hound's plastic is a kind of shiny type that emulates the look of diecast alot better than the plastics used on Smokescreen and Sideswipe (Alt Silverstreak also has this as well, although I haven't seen it in person yet to confirm)

 

Oh and CC I can't wait for WS either :) I was tempted to get one from BBTS but I think Ill either hold out for a killer deal ($43 for a mega? No thx) or just wait to see when the Hasbro version will hit these shores

Okay, it's time for the pros and cons of both Hasbro and Takara:

 

TAKARA-Pros and Cons:

 

PROS:

 

1. Reissues of Megatron and Soundwave

2. Packaging: Just about every Takara TF I have can be neatly repackaged-very helpful as I am moving and I don't want to scratch any of my pieces up. They also have very nice artwork.

3. Availability: Ironically, it's easier to get a Takara SL Laser Wave figure in the states versus a US/Hasbro made figure. Also, the Binaltech figures easily come out roughly 2 to 3 months before the Hasbro versions. If Hasbro had put out Hound and Silvestreak at the same time as Takara and MADE sure the stores had them, I would have saved some cash and bought those instead.

4. MP Prime: Ok, I know that some people could care less about smokestacks, but for me if this is going to be a true masterpeice it should be dead accurate to the original show, stacks and all. I know, I know, the gun is grey but to me, it is only an accessory and not part of the figures' design. At least it's grey instead of hot pink.

 

CONS:

1. Affordability: Because they are imports, we pay at least twice the price for these figures. Plus shipping.

2. Replacement and Fragility: If these figures are broken, or there is a defect, it can be very expensive to replace the figure. You can't simply go to your local store and buy another one or return the defective one.

The figures aren't really fragile per se, but I get more nervous when a friend is toying around with a BT Sideswipe rather than my Alt. 'Swipe.

 

HASBRO: Pros & Cons

 

PROS:

 

1. Affordability: given that it is a US company, these versions are more affordable and more or less the same toy/figure. Price comparison between BT's and Alternators: BT: $50-60, Alt. $18-22.

2. Replacement and Fragility: If a product is defective, you can simply return it to the store and get your money back or recieve a new figure. If it gets broken it is less costly to replace said item.

3. Availability: Hasbro makes (most of) these great figures available to the US market at affordable prices.

 

 

 

CONS:

 

1. Packaging: You have to tear apart the packaging to remove the figure from the box. Too many twisty ties.

2. Toy Laws: Not Hasbros fault, but it's still really annoying.

3. Anniversary Prime: Considering it's widely available in the US, and the alterations that were made to the figure, the pricetag for it is still way too high. $70.00? Try $50 maximum. Knowing that it was only $25 to $30 dollars extra for an ACCURATE figure instead of $50 more was what really helped me make the decision between the two. To me, $70.00 might as well be $100, so why not get the version I am COMPLETELY satisfied with?

4. G1 Reissues: Knowing that the main market for the reissues would be 18-30 year olds, I think they really fudged it up with them. If you're going to charge $30-35 for a reissue (Takara's are only a couple dollars more), then make it ACCURATE to the original. That means a no no on 10 inch long missiles on a 6 inch tall figure. That glitch took away from my complete enjoyment of the figures. However, they have improved on this since the beginning of the reissue line.

5. Availability: I know I mentioned this in the Pros section, but it is a double edged sword. As of late, it has been hard to find ANY new figures from any of the lines in the stores. As I stated earlier, if Hasbro had released Hound and Silverstreak back in April, they would have sold boatloads, but what do they do instead? Oversaturate the market with Smokescreen and Sideswipe. I'm guessing that we'll see Alt. Tracks and Dead End in late December if we are lucky. Guess what? By then I'll have BT Tracks, Dead End, Meister and any figure they reveal to us in the next six months. This same theory could also be applied to Energon to an extent.

 

Overall, I feel about 50/50 on this debate. Depending on the kind of figure (G1/Energon/BT/Alt/etc...) is really is the deciding point for me.

As far as listening to the fans, actions really do speak louder than words.

If I had to base my opinion of who is better on the terms of who pisses me off/annoys me the least, I suppose Takara would win my vote.

I want to another con for Hasbro:

 

- The assortments. If a retailer wanted Arcee for example, he had no choice but to buy Arcee, along with Divebomb, Ravage, Energon Saber, etc., because of how Hasbro sells its figures. That's why a lot of retailers take too long to get newer toys because if they get them, they would have to sell off the older ones that come with the new.

 

- Takara on the other hand sells their bots in cases of 12, with no assortments. If you wanted an Arcee, the retailer can just order a box full of Arcees and not have to worry about having another throng of Perceptors warming the shelves.

 

An additional con for Takara:

- They seemed to be limiting Super Link with the anime version too much. Sure in one way it's good thing such as Wing Saber coming out early, but on the other hand, if the rumors are true, Super Link won't have Towline or Sharkticon, simply because of the stupid excuse that "it's not in the show". At least Hasbro will surely get every figure released by Takara, but just in different times, whether it be earlier or later.