New Galleries: Go! Hunter Smokescreen, EZ Smokescreen, and Arms Micron Smokescreen

Mandatory warning, that nobody seems to know about, despite several reports:

S.2's assembly instructions contain a nasty error!

The error's in the rods connecting the backpack to the main body. Put short, according to the instructions, the order is:

1. backpack - 2. middle of rod (stopper) - 3. wings - 4. main body

That is incorrect, the actual order is:

1. backpack - 2. wings - 3. middle of rod (stopper) - 4. main body

The wings actually cover up the stoppers, plus with the wings moving back one position everything locks properly in place (rods going all the way into the main body being the main giveaway).

In case you're wondering his GO! repaint Jin's instructions contain the same error.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Mandatory warning, that nobody seems to know about, despite several reports:

S.2's assembly instructions contain a nasty error!

The error's in the rods connecting the backpack to the main body. Put short, according to the instructions, the order is:

1. backpack - 2. middle of rod (stopper) - 3. wings - 4. main body

That is incorrect, the actual order is:

1. backpack - 2. wings - 3. middle of rod (stopper) - 4. main body

The wings actually cover up the stoppers, plus with the wings moving back one position everything locks properly in place (rods going all the way into the main body being the main giveaway).

In case you're wondering his GO! repaint Jin's instructions contain the same error.

I figured this out with Jin, but thought that I had just misread the instructions with my inability to read Japanese and all.

I got lucky and had no problems disassembling Jin (surprisingly since he's made of the supposedly more fragile translucent plastic), but didn't have the same luck with S.2 who endured some extreme stress marks to the point of the clips almost breaking. I boiled the stressed parts in water and ran them under cool water after I was satisfied that everything was back to how it should be. I reassembled S.2 after this and had no problems whatsoever. Word to the wise ... just be EXTREMELY careful with taking these guys apart if you attempt to reassemble them.

I guess I got lucky. I read on a Japanese toy blog that described the issue, after I had assembled S.2. Stupid me... I carefully widened the clip using the width of a scissor, in order to extract the rod from the backpack, slid off the wings and reassembled him. Without ill effect.

Does the warm water trick work with clear plastics as well? If so, I wish I had known about that sooner. I actually broke my Shadow C.L. and Shadow Balo, the plastic is really brittle around the clips it seems

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:I guess I got lucky. I read on a Japanese toy blog that described the issue, after I had assembled S.2. Stupid me... I carefully widened the clip using the width of a scissor, in order to extract the rod from the backpack, slid off the wings and reassembled him. Without ill effect.

Does the warm water trick work with clear plastics as well? If so, I wish I had known about that sooner. I actually broke my Shadow C.L. and Shadow Balo, the plastic is really brittle around the clips it seems

Balo is the one that comes with Skywarp, right? He was the first one I had break when I was doing the galleries last year for the first wave or so. That really turned me off to the whole "build a Micron" bit (and seeing the damaged stickers on many of them simply from transforming them has really turned me off of the whole Arms Micron line). I'm not a fan of spending $30 to $60 on a toy to only have it break the first time I put a clip together or try to disassemble one for the first time.

Boiling water gets rid of most stress marks. It is my preferred way of fixing Transformers and straightening out soft rubber parts like swords, antennas, smoke stacks, cannons, etc. Boiling water won't melt plastic (though it did melt the paint on a vintage MOTU Mer-Man head that I had boiled too long) whereas using a lighter or heat gun can melt the plastic. The only draw back that I've experienced with boiling water is that it has discolored some plastic which is frustrating to deal with, whereas a lighter or heat gun won't discolor it. It's all kind of a gamble and just takes a lot of practice, patience and the willingness to replace a figure if you damage it.

Either way, watching stress marks disappear and feeling the plastic clips on Microns restrengthen after doing this makes it all worthwhile and extremely satisfying.

Does anyone else see the resemblance between Smokesecreen's Micron and Devcon?

welcometothedarksyde wrote:Does anyone else see the resemblance between Smokesecreen's Micron and Devcon?

Yep. The same guy who guest starred in G1 Smokescreen's G1 cartoon spotlight episode "The Gambler".

Sabrblade wrote:

welcometothedarksyde wrote:Does anyone else see the resemblance between Smokesecreen's Micron and Devcon?

Yep. The same guy who guest starred in G1 Smokescreen's G1 cartoon spotlight episode "The Gambler".

Leo Prime's Micron is an homage to Beast Wars II's Moon also.

Seibertron wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

welcometothedarksyde wrote:Does anyone else see the resemblance between Smokesecreen's Micron and Devcon?

Yep. The same guy who guest starred in G1 Smokescreen's G1 cartoon spotlight episode "The Gambler".

Leo Prime's Micron is an homage to Beast Wars II's Moon also.

And Pral homages Prowl, Jayz homages Jazz, Sais homages (Movie) Sideswipe, and... I think that's all the homaging Arms Microns.

No, I didn't forget O.P. I know many think he looks like Shockwave, but the face doesn't match (in that he actually has one, whereas Shockwave doesn't).

It's that time again, a new Seibertron.com gallery!

This time, our subject is Sharkticon Megatron, an extensive remold of the Prime: Robots In Disguise Megatron mold, from the current Beast Hunters line. This version of Megatron has been released in two versions, with a couple of name changes on the packaging on the second version. We previously reported that running change for Megatron here, and because of that, we'll start off this newsbit with those pictures:





And now, onto the 'con himself, Sharkticon Megatron!




A groupshot of the current and past uses of the Megatron mold, both US and Japanese:


This time in robot mode:


The ever raging battle between Megatron and his nemesis, Optimus Prime!




And you can find the full gallery (197 photos!) by clicking this link: http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/ ... tron/3054/

Keep your optics tuned to Seibertron.com for the latest in news and updates, plus the best galleries around!

All Hail Megatron!!

Autobot032 wrote:It's that time again, a new Seibertron.com gallery!

This time, our subject is Sharkticon Megatron, an extensive remold of the Prime: Robots In Disguise Megatron mold, from the current Beast Hunters line. This version of Megatron has been released in two versions, with a couple of name changes on the packaging on the second version. We previously reported that running change for Megatron here, and because of that, we'll start off this newsbit with those pictures:

It's amazing how an epic redeco can dramatically change a figure.

Sabrblade wrote:

Seibertron wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

welcometothedarksyde wrote:Does anyone else see the resemblance between Smokesecreen's Micron and Devcon?

Yep. The same guy who guest starred in G1 Smokescreen's G1 cartoon spotlight episode "The Gambler".

Leo Prime's Micron is an homage to Beast Wars II's Moon also.

And Pral homages Prowl, Jayz homages Jazz, Sais homages (Movie) Sideswipe, and... I think that's all the homaging Arms Microns.

No, I didn't forget O.P. I know many think he looks like Shockwave, but the face doesn't match (in that he actually has one, whereas Shockwave doesn't).

I keep wanting to think Sou is homageing someone as well, but I can't place who!

I just can't stop thinking about how much sicker this figure would have looked in black instead of brown. (Sharkticon Megatron, that is)

This needs to be reused somewhere. Like, for the Sharkticons or Seacons or something besides this retool I have no interest in.

Alright,, I have not watched TF Prime or TF Prime Beast Hunters but man these figures looks just awesome, It makes me want to watch TF Prime, lol, but currently I'm working my way out of The Headmasters.

Again, TF Prime/beast hunters are looking sweet.

I love this.
It's like a Deep One version of Megatron's original Voyager mold.

Noideaforaname wrote:
This needs to be reused somewhere. Like, for the Sharkticons or Seacons or something besides this retool I have no interest in.

It think it's being reused for the Predacons Rising line. Isn't it on Unicron Megatron?

^ Is it? Still, I want to see it used on something besides Megatron repaints.

Henry921 wrote:

Noideaforaname wrote:
This needs to be reused somewhere. Like, for the Sharkticons or Seacons or something besides this retool I have no interest in.

It think it's being reused for the Predacons Rising line. Isn't it on Unicron Megatron?

Unicron Megatron is not Predacon Rising, and he has the regular symbol:

Seibertron has been really busy lately, keeping the camera in seemingly constant use, and has provided us with even more new galleries for us to enjoy. This time, we have TakaraTomy's Transformers Go! Bakudora (a redeco and head remold of Beast Hunters Ripclaw, transitioning from female to male), Gaidora (a redeco and head remold of Beast Hunters Lazerback/Vertebreak) and Dragotron (a slight redeco of Beast Hunters Predaking).

Up first:

Transformers Go! Dragotron





Followed by:

Transformers Go! Bakudora





And last, but not least:

Transformers Go! Gaidora





And we end this news note with a teamshot of the Go! figures, followed by a shot of them with their US counterparts:





Keep your optics tuned to Seibertron.com for the latest news and updates, plus the best galleries around!

The Evil Oni Emperor has come himself. As well as two of his Predacon Four Oni.

That Predacon army shot looks sick. I can't wait to have them all displayed like that.

I do prefer the Go! colors on these molds, but I still prefer Ripclaw being female, so she wins. I'd rather she be ugly and a female character, than handsome and yet another male drone.

I'm still holding my breath to see Takara's Ultimate Dragotron.

Cyclonus43 wrote:I'm still holding my breath to see Takara's Ultimate Dragotron.

Looks like it's be very fiery and demonic.

Bakudora is the best hands down. In the show and in plastic, doesn't matter, he still looks good

Another week, another Seibertron.com gallery. This time, TakaraTomy's Transformers GO! Hunter Ratchet, a redeco of a retool! (The original mold being Transformers Prime: Robots In Disguise Ratchet, of course.) And not only is he sporting a new deco, he's also switched sides!

Transformers Go! Hunter Ratchet


First up, the bot himself:



Rockin' his new vehicle mode with the US Beast Hunters and Movie universe versions:







A few bot mode shots with the other Ratchets:





And last, but not least, the Dark Energon powered Decepticon with his Predacon Oni allies:



(Please note that you can see the Movie universe Ratchet galleries for both Voyager and Deluxe Classes as well as the rest of our extensive galleries.)

Keep your optics tuned to Seibertron.com for the latest news, updates and the best galleries around!

Predacons =/= Decepticons. Only the Go! Predacons are Oni, not the Decepticons

As for Ratchet switching sides, I took a look at the bio, and noticed "Dark Energon" being mentioned. Maybe Ratchet had a little mishap with the stuff?

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Predacons =/= Decepticons. Only the Go! Predacons are Oni, not the Decepticons

As for Ratchet switching sides, I took a look at the bio, and noticed "Dark Energon" being mentioned. Maybe Ratchet had a little mishap with the stuff?

Ah, but I didn't say he was Oni. I said Oni teammates. The Stunticons and Constructicons had Decepticon teammates. Even though their labels are different, they're still the same side.

I went ahead and clarified. Hopefully *THIS* will make people happy...

Ratchet's bio basically says that he snuck into a Decepticon research lab to get data for upgrading the Autobots' Preda Armor, but was captured by the Decepticons. They then infused him with Dark Energon, which turned him into a Decepticon and altered his form. The Autobots managed to rescue him, but he's struggling to regain his heart of justice.

Just now noticed that Ratchet is colored like his film incarnation.

I can't like this mold, nor most of the other ones from the Beast Hunters line anyway, no matter how awesome a deco Takara gives them.

I like it. Needs the orange in the forearms, shins and knee spikes like it's predecessor has but i like it nonetheless.

Looks like Beast Wars Dinobot...

he is rachet colored like Dinobot,with a mold that resembles Transmetal 2 Dinobot while being a


But i dont think the shade of color is that close to movie Ratchet.

With the Dinobot(II)-esque details and the 'Con insignia, I kinda want to repurpose him as a evil clone of Ratchet that inexplicably has the original's memories.

Noideaforaname wrote:With the Dinobot(II)-esque details and the 'Con insignia, I kinda want to repurpose him as a evil clone of Ratchet that inexplicably has the original's memories.

if you can't explain a reason that a character from a race of beings whose minds can be stored on floppy discs, whose population contain numerous mind readers and psychics and whose technology has weaponry and tools capable of transplanting minds and removing memories might have the same memories as another guy from the same race...you're not really trying are you?

We're proud to present new Seibertron.com galleries of Takara Tomy's Arms Micron Starscream and Thundercracker. Starscream is a slight redeco of Hasbro's Transformers Prime Robots In Disguise Voyager Class Starscream and he comes with his Micron Gul. Thundercracker, following Transformers tradition, is a redeco and retool of First Edition Starscream and includes his Micron Silver Metal Balo. Check out these new galleries by clicking on any of the pictures below.

Arms Micron Thundercracker










Arms Micron Silver Metal Balo




Arms Micron Starscream








Arms Micron Gul

I don't think any of those repaints manage to look like someone other than Starscream. He's just too distinctive.

Noideaforaname wrote:I don't think any of those repaints manage to look like someone other than Starscream. He's just too distinctive.

For curiosity's sake, what makes a standard Seeker trio "distictive" for you? I mean, they're always just blue-and-red Starscream and black-and-purple Starscream. If anything, I feel like this is the best Seeker design since G1, all proper and scheme-y and eyebrow-y.

RAcast wrote:

Noideaforaname wrote:I don't think any of those repaints manage to look like someone other than Starscream. He's just too distinctive.

For curiosity's sake, what makes a standard Seeker trio "distictive" for you? I mean, they're always just blue-and-red Starscream and black-and-purple Starscream. If anything, I feel like this is the best Seeker design since G1, all proper and scheme-y and eyebrow-y.

I've seen Noideaforaname's comments stated elsewhere by other members. I'm assuming it's because Skywarp and Thundercracker have no fictional portrayal in the Transformers Prime cartoons or comics so they seem very much like repaints of Starscream. Had Skywarp and Thundercracker been portrayed in the cartoon from the beginning, people would be more accepting of them. I'm really surprised they were neglected in Prime and in the live action movies. It seems like including those two characters would make a lot of fans happy and provide a way for them to save some costs with CGI. I'm glad they didn't cheap out by replacing Dreadwing and/or Skyquake with Skywarp and Thundercracker, but I've always thought those two would've been great secondary characters to have in the live action films such as Jolt, Sideswipe (who didn't really shine until DOTM), etc.

Seibertron wrote:

RAcast wrote:

Noideaforaname wrote:I don't think any of those repaints manage to look like someone other than Starscream. He's just too distinctive.

For curiosity's sake, what makes a standard Seeker trio "distictive" for you? I mean, they're always just blue-and-red Starscream and black-and-purple Starscream. If anything, I feel like this is the best Seeker design since G1, all proper and scheme-y and eyebrow-y.

I've seen Noideaforaname's comments stated elsewhere by other members. I'm assuming it's because Skywarp and Thundercracker have no fictional portrayal in the Transformers Prime cartoons or comics so they seem very much like repaints of Starscream. Had Skywarp and Thundercracker been portrayed in the cartoon from the beginning, people would be more accepting of them. I'm really surprised they were neglected in Prime and in the live action movies. It seems like including those two characters would make a lot of fans happy and provide a way for them to save some costs with CGI. I'm glad they didn't cheap out by replacing Dreadwing and/or Skyquake with Skywarp and Thundercracker, but I've always thought those two would've been great secondary characters to have in the live action films such as Jolt, Sideswipe (who didn't really shine until DOTM), etc.

That's pretty much what I was expecting, and I agree to a point, but the design behind Prime Starscream just feels right to me, if that makes sense. It's a shame they didn't have Skywarp and Thundercracker show up in any real way, but oh well, missed opportunities and such.

I agree: would've been a pretty neat shout-out to fans if they had included Skywarp and Thundercracker in Prime.

Call me insane, but I kinda want to see them tackle Acid Storm from this mold. I happen to like camo patterns very much.

I have all the repaints, but for the most part, I agree with Noideaforaname. The reason I do has more to do with the characteristics of the bot mode. Normal seeker toys (G1, Classics/Generations, MP etc.) use a very generic robot form. TF:Prime uses an extremely characterized form, including various elements of posture, facial design, facial expression etc. that can only really be 1 character: TF: Prime Starscream (or Starscream in general, really). The humanization of the characters in Prime makes repaints into other characters (without SERIOUS repainting and remolding at least) virtually impossible in my opinion, especially for Starscream, who even transforms in such a way that everything from his hands and elbows and the posture of his shoulders and torso all give him a sort of "body language" that is unmistakably him, and ONLY him.

I just can't really see that mold as anyone else unless TC and SW had been recolored clones or something (as in the episode where he created clones of himself using protoforms). But as just generic seeker Decepticons who happen to share the same form as him (a-la G1), it just doesn't work. At least not for me.

Or, y'know, it would be nice to have a face that isn't just another Starscream smirk...

Personally, I'd just like to see domestic releases of all three characters rather than having to spring for expensive imports. I'd even be happy with straight-up repaints at that point. (Prime makeovers of the coneheads might've been cool too from both the show and toys. Instead we get drones that are winged cars, and a silver general winged car drone...)

The original Starscream design is a rather generic jet-robot, so you could apply "treacherous schemer", "idiot prankster", "doubtful of the Decepticon cause", or any other personality and none would look out of place.
Prime Starscream, however, was definitely designed to be a scheming, aloof, not-really-a-direct-fighter; in other words, Starscream specifically. I have a hard time seeing Skywarp or Thundercracker, instead I'm just seeing "the schemer" in different colors.

'Course, if the Seeker Trio were introduced all at once this way in the cartoon I suppose I'd have a different opinion, but that didn't happen and Starscream went on to become on of the best Starscreams ever (the "definitive" one, I'd say, at least in Season 1) so simply recoloring his toy (or creating a new head that doesn't really look all that different save for the lack of crest and added lipstick) doesn't work for me.

Agamemnon wrote:Or, y'know, it would be nice to have a face that isn't just another Starscream smirk...

Personally, I'd just like to see domestic releases of all three characters rather than having to spring for expensive imports. I'd even be happy with straight-up repaints at that point. (Prime makeovers of the coneheads might've been cool too from both the show and toys. Instead we get drones that are winged cars, and a silver general winged car drone...)

The Dark Energon Starscream is an easy replacement option for imported Skywarp. He looks great, and the clear parts arguably make him even more Skywarp-y (a la Machine Wars).

I agree with xyl360 that it's hard to see these repaints as anything other than his clones, and they lacked the divergent personality traits and color schemes of Animated Starscream's clones. So even if it's easy to fanwank them in as such, I still find it pretty hard to see these repaints as other Seekers rather than other Starscreams.

Or maybe it's still just too hard to accept those stiletto-heels as standard issue for a body template.

Except for Slipstream, of course. She's the only redeco I've got so far, and while the others would be nice, I'm in no rush.

In the second pic, who is the one on the far right?

And, in the same pic, I guess the one on the top left is the Japanese version of Starscream?

Joetx wrote:In the second pic, who is the one on the far right?

And, in the same pic, I guess the one on the top left is the Japanese version of Starscream?

The one on the far right is Entertainment Pack Starscream. He was seemingly released only in Europe.

The mould doesn't work for Thundercracker or Skywarp, but only for Starscream. I would say it's because the robot mode emobodies too much of the snivelling, sneaky, backstabbing, and non-upright standards of conduct that Starscream possesses and lives by. Thundercracker has too much of a backbone, and Skywarp is too brave, or atleast confident to look so egor-like.