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Cybertron Toys (c-toys.taobao.com) posted a small gallery of the Japanese version of Generations Sandstorm, on www.78dm.net. The figure has quite a drastic change in color deco, compared to the US version, including silver highlights that have been added to give more detail.

You can see the full gallery here: http://bbs.78dm.net/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=292705 or by clicking on the pictures below.







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Takara's looks a lot better.

Though, I don't intend on buying either versions. Already got Springer - seems like enough for me.

Sold...'nuff said!

Too much orange for my taste. I think the hasbro version balanced it out better.

skidflap wrote:Too much orange for my taste. I think the hasbro version balanced it out better.

If anything I'd say they've gotten it more closer to the original G1 toy than Hasbro did. I definitely prefer it over Hasbro's.

Got my notice from HLJ today that Smokescreen is available ... so he, Silverstreak and a whole bunch of others including Sandstorm are now heading my way. Can't wait for this guy, his G1 figure is one of my favourites as it was one of the first figures I restored when I got back into collecting.

He looks so wierd in buggy mode... Maybe if the fenders around the front wheels were removed.

Since Takara seems to cater more to the older collector than Hasbro does, I usually expect a few new details. I honestly cant see a differences that warrants to increased costs to me. I like the mold, it is a little bit better than Springer (sadly) but from these pictures I could not justify me getting this version of the stateside version.

I like the Takara version better but not enough to justify the increase in price.

i have the hasbro sandstorm and i like him a lot. I can't see anything in the takara version that makes me regret getting it.. actually the robot mode's black pelvic section looks better it think.

oh and he's worth getting even if you have springer. He fits together better and is retooled heavily enough to be different.

If he ends up on clearance like Takara FOC Blaster for $35, I might pick him up. Otherwise Ill be content with the Hasbro version. Hopefully Fansproject will do a more G1 accurate version of Sandstorm to go with their other triple changers.

there are bits and pieces I like about each. way too much orange on the Takara bot mode, but not enough orange on the Hasbro copter. in cases like these price wins out, so I'm glad I am getting the Hasbro one.

the takara version does have one very clear advantage over the hasbro version: The gun looks more natural on its vehicle modes. still not enough for me to buy a second Sandstorm

I'm a huge fan of blaze orange and I still think the Takara version looks terrible. The unbroken plastic colors all over this just makes it look more like a knockoff to me.

Honestly I just prefer what looks good not what looks more G1, the line has never exactly catered to purists anyway. Also the fact that he was originally barely yellow at all and had more black parts in G1 isn't really helping this thing play that role either.

The Hasbro version is better.

Also, if you don't buy at least one of these, SHAME! SHAME!

I was tempted to pass on this as well because I had Springer and he's awesome sauce. But the Sandstorm toy is awesome sauce topped with awesome sauce. I really like it even better than Springer for some reason.

The hasbro version is more pleasing to me colorscheme-wise, but the Takara version's gun integrates better with its color scheme. I think the Hasbro gun can be fixed by adding some orange to its paint scheme and maybe completely eliminating the black. I'm tempted to experiment. Anyone really hate sandstorms gun and wanna send me one to mess with?

Go for it! I love when people make minor modifications, because that's the kind of custom work I do.

Optimizzy wrote:Since Takara seems to cater more to the older collector than Hasbro does, I usually expect a few new details. I honestly cant see a differences that warrants to increased costs to me. I like the mold, it is a little bit better than Springer (sadly) but from these pictures I could not justify me getting this version of the stateside version.

You can't really judge a figure from this lo res pics. I've been through this where I previously let go off a pvc anime figure of Aegis (by Alter a few years ago) because she looked ugly via PC LED monitor but I found out later to my regret that it was not so in real time.

As for what warrants for an extra cost? In economics, you add a service/accessory/part......if your bottom line is not affected then they can afford to take a hit by absorbing the cost. If you want Tomy to produce more, then give them a hefty profit margin (through the extra cost). Simple as that. More often than not, they also use a different blend of plastics too.So factor that in.

fenrir72 wrote:You can't really judge a figure from this lo res pics.

Low Res and High Res don't mean a thing when it's the same paint job. It's still too much orange, and it still doesn't look good.

Hasbro actually balanced out the colors, whereas Takara, well......it looks like someone spilled a tiny can of orange paint and left it.

@Manterax

It's a given that you prefer the domestic USA version. As your previous posts have stated. That's respected. But the sweeping generalization that its the same paint job.......you still haven't seen it in person no? So you really can't tell. That statement then is an inference. I still haven't handled one yet so I too can only guess if its paint or plastic that makes the difference.

Most of the time, Tomy uses a different colored pvc. Same can be said for TG-24. In another thread, a poster stated that the USA version of the TG-24 was the same as the Tomy version. 50% correct. Same mold but had used different pvcs and paint apps.

So the bright orange might be a different blend of pvcs.

Some prefer Tomy while other prefer the Hasbro version. Again that is a given. It's a free world to choose based on your preference.

What I find surprising are statements about "I can't find a way to justify the price difference".

Really? Not justified? Take a product. Let's say the Wii. Previous versions of the unit had all the bells and whistles. It cost around let's say $ 299. Today, it sells like $ 99.00 because Nintendo got read of the BC and internet features.
So in order to reach $ 99.00 and still earn a profit, they had to get rid of other features.

In the Tomy version. Sure pvc are pvcs. But the former uses a different blend of pvcs. Stack that up with extra metallic paints and use a different set of Japanese text instruction materials and packaging. Does that not add extra cost?
Not to mention they are made specifically for the Japanese domestic market. A market that sells mecha toys like metal build Gundams for nearly $400.00 a piece (How those companies make a profit boggles the mind). Compared to Tomy's TFs, TFs are like chump change for the Japanese collectors.

So the impetus to buy the item is made by collectors willing to import them. So no worries then for collectors who prefer the USA release (which most often gets released first)or those who can't afford it.

I'm talking about the paint job, not the plastic used.

i like that takara has added silver detailing, but i prefer the hasbro version. i think the black hipsection and more yellow deco looks better. the takara is too much orange to me, as someone else has already said.

Manterax Prime wrote:I'm talking about the paint job, not the plastic used.

Same issue. You don't know if the orange on Tomy sandstorm is "paint job" or plastics. So I've covered both bases.

We don't know because the inference is based on lo res pics.

wilcosu35 wrote:i like that takara has added silver detailing, but i prefer the hasbro version. i think the black hipsection and more yellow deco looks better. the takara is too much orange to me, as someone else has already said.

So it all boils down to personal preference then. Preference to the paint apps and possibly the price factor too( so all this "I can't justify the price" boils down to economics). Others will prefer the G1 toy homage while others do not.

Tomy does it their way while Hasbro the other.

So I don't think either is superior to the other. It's just our preference.

Get what you like.

I keep hearing the debate that it is more than just paint it's plastics and so forth.

When dealing with these Takara vs Hasbro paint jobs and plastics not every Takara repaint is going to get both new paint and plastics.

With the Generations it is not the case. Springer has different paint apps between the Takara and Hasbro versions. However there are no notable changes in plastic at all. In fact most of it is just paint apps and nothing else.

wasn't the green plastic on Takara's Springer much darker than the Sour Cream Pringles green of Hasbro's?