I think character is much more important than toy. It is the character that gets me to buy the toy. If I'm not interested in a character, I'm not going to shell out hard earned cash for a Transformer I don't really care if I own.

Character. I only buy toys that actually appear in a series.

I personally am into the figures of characters that are in the show, even briefly. So for me they go hand in hand. The show helps develop the personalities of the characters, and gives me something to work with when I'm bored and decide to play with pose them.

 

But sometimes I will get a figure if it's cool enough even though it wasn't in the show (i.e. Movie Stockade and Landmine, Energon Sharkticon and Slugslinger, Animated Oil Slick (even though he might show up in season 3), and others).

 

I'm still trying to find a replacement Op Op to finish off my BW Optimus Primals since I have the 10th Anniversary and TM versions. Along with a few other BW figs that were in the show.

Character like woah. That's why I now have twice as many Robot Heroes as I do transforming toys-- I simply needed a Shockwave and a Mirage, goshdarnit, and having littletinyG1!Grimlock in the same house as TFA!Snarl is going to be awesome. XD *goes back to staging miniature dramas with her toys*

I can go either way.

 

I only bought Animated Lugnut because I like his character in animated (although I ended up like the toy.)

 

I only bought Movie Incinerator because I thought the toy looked cool (there was no character.)

Tied at 17-all. Interesting - I thought fandom in general would lean one way or the other.

Character first If I like It I will buy the Toy. :tfgrin