BT failed in Japan? Takara originally only ever intended for it to be a 1-year 12-figure line. Considering that it went beyond that and spawned BTA (and yes, even KISS Play) seems that it would be more of a success. Meh... it's something I'll bring up with some Japanese fans next time I talk to them and see what they reckon. ;)

BT failed in Japan? Takara originally only ever intended for it to be a 1-year 12-figure line. Considering that it went beyond that and spawned BTA (and yes, even KISS Play) seems that it would be more of a success. Meh... it's something I'll bring up with some Japanese fans next time I talk to them and see what they reckon. ;)

It could be argued that KISS Players was what killed BT in Japan.

 

As for Alts, they just sort of showed up one day in the toy aisle. They should have been marketed toward collectors, but it seemed they were more or less marketed to everyone. Alt ads appeared in both the comics and the mini catalogues that came with the A/E/C toys. So I guess in a half-assed way Hasbro was marketing the line to everyone.

 

Personally, I always saw the Alts as Hasbro's complement to the Masterpiece line. Which made the release of the Dodge Ram Optimus kind of weird, seeing as MP OP (both 20th Anniversary and DVD) was pretty much in scale with the rest of the Alts. I guess Alt Optimus could have been pre-war Orion Pax :D

It could be argued that KISS Players was what killed BT in Japan.

Really?! I've never heard a Japanese fan criticise this line. All the negative comments I've heard about KISS Players has been entirely from non-Japanese fans. :/ When Takara released BT-01 Smokescreen, they initially stated from the outset that Binaltech was meant to be a 1-year 12-figure line (ending at BT-12). The fact that it went beyond BT-12 and spun off BTA and KISS Players indicates to me that the line was quite successful.

What I dont get about Alternators dissapearing is why we didn't get Alternator Movie bots.

:tfsad

Looking at most of the movie Autobots, I'd say we did in a way.

 

If they'd made the Autobot cars (as well as Barricade) 1:24 scale I'd say that would have been pretty darn close - the only "Alternator" aspects they really lack are the "detailed interiors" - however, I'd argue that having car interiors ended up at least slightly comprimising the robot mode about 95% of the time - and the opening hoods/trunks (which were basically useless features that really didn't add that much to Alternators).

 

While an ardent BT/Alt fan, I think their ultimate failing was they were scale car models first and robots second. I think with the movie toys we got something that blended both a little better - as not having to be a car model first gave the designers more freedom in creating better robot modes.

 

No. Randomly scaled vehicles with painted-on windows, plastic tires, simplistic transformations, and without interiors or suspension =/= Alternators. The only main line figures that even come close were the Autobot Bros from Car Robots.

You realize only ONE alternator had working suspension.

And gasp! So too does ONE movie toy!

 

And I prefer the movie toys to the Alts, if ONLY because the transformations are more simplistic and there's no hollow robot modes because of having to ensure there's a backseat and things like that.

 

Rubber tires are over rated. The painted windows were on one figure.

 

I mean, unless you ENJOY Grimlock's arms and his infamous "not-a-waist joint waist joint".

You realize only ONE alternator had working suspension.

And gasp! So too does ONE movie toy!

 

And I prefer the movie toys to the Alts, if ONLY because the transformations are more simplistic and there's no hollow robot modes because of having to ensure there's a backseat and things like that.

 

Rubber tires are over rated. The painted windows were on one figure.

 

I mean, unless you ENJOY Grimlock's arms and his infamous "not-a-waist joint waist joint".

I agree with all this. I find the Alternators to be generally overrated and the Movie Transformers to be infinitely more satisfying toys by comparison.

As much as I love my alternators, they have embarrassed me a few times...

like when my friends say -

Hey that rocks! Transform him for me!

 

and i say:

:redface :blueface

That's why I keep type of each Binaltech mode in each mode so that people can see them in both modes, more or less. E.g.: I have Smokescreen in vehicle mode, Streak in robot mode, Meister in robot mode and Zoom-Zoom and Laserwave in car modes etc. :)

 

As much as I love my alternators, they have embarrassed me a few times...

like when my friends say -

Hey that rocks! Transform him for me!

 

and i say:

:redface :blueface

God, I know! I was showing a car buff Grimlock, and in going to robot mode I popped off BOTH doors AND his head. And this was NOT my first time transforming Grimlock in the slightest!

Why would you create a package that consumers would have to tear through if you were marketing it to collectors?

 

Believe it or not, some collectors do open their toys (because toys are actually meant to be played with!) and don't care about boxes. Amazing, isn't it?