In-Hand Image: Takara Tomy Transformers Generations TG-20 Deluxe Ratbat

Seibertron wrote:If they can knock out a Noise Maze/Sideways repaint/remold out of this mold, I would be really happy. It'd complete the original use of the Sideways mold by using the new Scourge mold.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Seibertron wrote:If they can knock out a Noise Maze/Sideways repaint/remold out of this mold, I would be really happy. It'd complete the original use of the Sideways mold by using the new Scourge mold.

*puts on top hat and monocle* Don't forget the Mass-Production Type.

Nemesis Destron wrote:Can this figure pass as any other character? I'm thinking of picking this up but for me this ain't no Ratbat...'nuff said.

Nemesis Destron wrote:Can this figure pass as any other character? I'm thinking of picking this up but for me this ain't no Ratbat...'nuff said.

Mindmaster wrote:With all this talk of the Generations line having figures based off designs of characters in IDW comics, I would be unpleasantly surprised if Hasbro decides not to release their own version.

Sabrblade wrote:

Nemesis Destron wrote:Can this figure pass as any other character? I'm thinking of picking this up but for me this ain't no Ratbat...'nuff said.

RAcast wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

Nemesis Destron wrote:Can this figure pass as any other character? I'm thinking of picking this up but for me this ain't no Ratbat...'nuff said.

Nothing like a retort from the man Ratbat himself!

Mindmaster wrote:

RAcast wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

Nemesis Destron wrote:Can this figure pass as any other character? I'm thinking of picking this up but for me this ain't no Ratbat...'nuff said.

Nothing like a retort from the man Ratbat himself!

Holy crap, I just now noticed!

Props to Sabrblade for shenanigans!

craggy wrote:

Nemesis Destron wrote:Can this figure pass as any other character? I'm thinking of picking this up but for me this ain't no Ratbat...'nuff said.

Mindwipe? Hellbat maybe?

Nemesis Destron wrote:

Mindmaster wrote:

RAcast wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

Nemesis Destron wrote:Can this figure pass as any other character? I'm thinking of picking this up but for me this ain't no Ratbat...'nuff said.

Nothing like a retort from the man Ratbat himself!

Holy crap, I just now noticed!

Props to Sabrblade for shenanigans!

Uhhh okay what did I miss?

RAcast wrote:

Nemesis Destron wrote:

Mindmaster wrote:

RAcast wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

Nemesis Destron wrote:Can this figure pass as any other character? I'm thinking of picking this up but for me this ain't no Ratbat...'nuff said.

Nothing like a retort from the man Ratbat himself!

Holy crap, I just now noticed!

Props to Sabrblade for shenanigans!

Uhhh okay what did I miss?

That picture, that one right there? That's Ratbat. You got told by the man himself. IDW G1 Senator Ratbat, for whom this redeco/remold is designed. His spark was subsequently ripped out and shoved into a cassette.

Nemesis Destron wrote:The image itself is obvious. The point I was making is to the masses this is Ratbat/Senator RB okay fine. But to me (considering I don't follow the books) this could be someone entirely different so to me this ain't Ratbat. The same went for PRID Rumble, to most that was Rumble but not to me.

Stormrider wrote:I am psyched about this figure and it's a good mold choice for the character. Wish Takara had some more worthy repaints to tempt us.

RAcast wrote:

Nemesis Destron wrote:The image itself is obvious. The point I was making is to the masses this is Ratbat/Senator RB okay fine. But to me (considering I don't follow the books) this could be someone entirely different so to me this ain't Ratbat. The same went for PRID Rumble, to most that was Rumble but not to me.

Gotcha, gotcha. It'd certainly make a good...say vehicle-mode Mindwipe, for example.

And of course he's not Rumble, he's blue.

RAcast wrote:

Nemesis Destron wrote:The image itself is obvious. The point I was making is to the masses this is Ratbat/Senator RB okay fine. But to me (considering I don't follow the books) this could be someone entirely different so to me this ain't Ratbat. The same went for PRID Rumble, to most that was Rumble but not to me.

Gotcha, gotcha. It'd certainly make a good...say vehicle-mode Mindwipe, for example.

And of course he's not Rumble, he's blue.

Bowspearer wrote:Ok seriously, what are Takara Tomy and Hasbro smoking on this one?

I get the homage and it's a great homage, but here's where I'm left wondering what the marketting depts of each were smoking.

Last I checked there was no Japanese release of the IDW comics, meaning that this is a figure that in terms of Japanese media and therefore the Japanese line, makes absolutely no sense.

Meanwhile, Hasbro is going all out with IDW releases and Senator Ratbat isn't getting a Hasbro release with the other IDW deluxes? What the hell????

Seibertron wrote:

Bowspearer wrote:Ok seriously, what are Takara Tomy and Hasbro smoking on this one?

I get the homage and it's a great homage, but here's where I'm left wondering what the marketting depts of each were smoking.

Last I checked there was no Japanese release of the IDW comics, meaning that this is a figure that in terms of Japanese media and therefore the Japanese line, makes absolutely no sense.

Meanwhile, Hasbro is going all out with IDW releases and Senator Ratbat isn't getting a Hasbro release with the other IDW deluxes? What the hell????

Seems like this is a running trend. We got the Japanese exclusive character "Sky Shadow" (aka Black Shadow) whereas Japan did not, at least not yet.

craggy wrote:maybe they thought that fans who were aware enough of the international lines but not rich enough to get the original exclusives might appreciate being able to get some version of these region specific characters.

I'm pretty sure I could get some IDW comics if I was in Japan, one way or another.

Bowspearer wrote:What I simply cannot get my head around is Hasbro doing all these IDW comic related figures this year and not releasing it, considering it's far more profit than their other stuff.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Bowspearer wrote:What I simply cannot get my head around is Hasbro doing all these IDW comic related figures this year and not releasing it, considering it's far more profit than their other stuff.

Got any proof to back up that claim?

Bowspearer wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Bowspearer wrote:What I simply cannot get my head around is Hasbro doing all these IDW comic related figures this year and not releasing it, considering it's far more profit than their other stuff.

Got any proof to back up that claim?

You mean besides the fact that it has yet to be announced as part of the Generations line, even though the entire line is IDW themed this year as evidenced by at the fery least, the Deluxes and Basics.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Bowspearer wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Bowspearer wrote:What I simply cannot get my head around is Hasbro doing all these IDW comic related figures this year and not releasing it, considering it's far more profit than their other stuff.

Got any proof to back up that claim?

You mean besides the fact that it has yet to be announced as part of the Generations line, even though the entire line is IDW themed this year as evidenced by at the fery least, the Deluxes and Basics.

I was talking about the "profit".

Bowspearer wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Bowspearer wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Bowspearer wrote:What I simply cannot get my head around is Hasbro doing all these IDW comic related figures this year and not releasing it, considering it's far more profit than their other stuff.

Got any proof to back up that claim?

You mean besides the fact that it has yet to be announced as part of the Generations line, even though the entire line is IDW themed this year as evidenced by at the fery least, the Deluxes and Basics.

I was talking about the "profit".

I thought that would have been obvious. A head sculpt is going to cost much less than an entire new mould so the production costs for Hasbro on this are going to be far less than what they would be on an original mould.

xyl360 wrote:I think this is simply a matter of Takara relying on international collectors/sales somewhat, in addition to whatever the hardcore TF collector community is like in Japan, much like with the MP line and several other releases they've been doing lately. This piece (and the entire TG line in general in my opinion, along with the MPs) are geared just as much towards international collectors/sales as they are towards local sales. They have far less competition outside of their own area (with the exception of Hasbro of course), so doing exclusives like this allows them to recoup some of their lackluster profits when going head to head with the likes of Bandai in Japan methinks, though I could be completely off (this is just theory, which is all we're talking here anyway after all).

It's the same reason I think Takara goes the extra mile with the paint apps and such. I think they're counting on collectors like me who aren't willing to settle for the cheaper, less accurate/less awesome Hasbro versions. The constant sellouts of so many of their figures in the online shops seems to back this theory up too.

Seibertron wrote:

xyl360 wrote:I think this is simply a matter of Takara relying on international collectors/sales somewhat, in addition to whatever the hardcore TF collector community is like in Japan, much like with the MP line and several other releases they've been doing lately. This piece (and the entire TG line in general in my opinion, along with the MPs) are geared just as much towards international collectors/sales as they are towards local sales. They have far less competition outside of their own area (with the exception of Hasbro of course), so doing exclusives like this allows them to recoup some of their lackluster profits when going head to head with the likes of Bandai in Japan methinks, though I could be completely off (this is just theory, which is all we're talking here anyway after all).

It's the same reason I think Takara goes the extra mile with the paint apps and such. I think they're counting on collectors like me who aren't willing to settle for the cheaper, less accurate/less awesome Hasbro versions. The constant sellouts of so many of their figures in the online shops seems to back this theory up too.

I think this is a good theory. International sales have to be a big factor ... especially with different paint jobs or colors on the same toy in different markets (i.e. Masterpiece Starscream).

Stormrider wrote:

Seibertron wrote:

xyl360 wrote:I think this is simply a matter of Takara relying on international collectors/sales somewhat, in addition to whatever the hardcore TF collector community is like in Japan, much like with the MP line and several other releases they've been doing lately. This piece (and the entire TG line in general in my opinion, along with the MPs) are geared just as much towards international collectors/sales as they are towards local sales. They have far less competition outside of their own area (with the exception of Hasbro of course), so doing exclusives like this allows them to recoup some of their lackluster profits when going head to head with the likes of Bandai in Japan methinks, though I could be completely off (this is just theory, which is all we're talking here anyway after all).

It's the same reason I think Takara goes the extra mile with the paint apps and such. I think they're counting on collectors like me who aren't willing to settle for the cheaper, less accurate/less awesome Hasbro versions. The constant sellouts of so many of their figures in the online shops seems to back this theory up too.

I think this is a good theory. International sales have to be a big factor ... especially with different paint jobs or colors on the same toy in different markets (i.e. Masterpiece Starscream).

It's a good point. Wasn't there an article a week ago explaining Takara's international market makes up 60 - 70% of their sales (across their toyline)? Inversely, would senator Ratbat be a shelf warmer if Hasbro produced it? I don't see it being a big character draw for children.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:I have United Scourge, and won't hesitate on getting this Ratbat.