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An article was recently posted on limitlessiq, in chinese, Spotlighting Takara Designer Yuya Onishi. He is one of the younger Takara designers, born in 84, which makes him working in Takara's Transformers brand quite poetic.
The article is more about his past, where we learn that he comes from Osaka and went to school to study mechanical designs for cars. However, he ended up designing toys since he felt there was more personal creativity with toy designs.
The article reiterates Takara's involvement in the Transformers toy development. It claims that the designer is shown the final form of both the robot and the vehicle and they must then come up with the conversion steps, parts design, material, and modeling. It is also within this stage that Takara comes up with the cost of a product which is related to all the previously mentioned factors.
The article ends on a touching note that what draws Yuya Onishi to this brand is how it affects people. He knows his designs will become someone's memory of a toy they picked up with whatever means they had, and thus he wants all these memories to be happy ones.
The other experience you may not have taken part in is the VIP event that took place on the Saturday evening of Hascon, the one that included the Hall of Fame inductions for Susan Blu and Lorenzo di Bonaventura, the Transformers: The Last Knight panel with Mark Wahlberg, Isabela Moner, di Bonaventura, Frank Welker and Peter Cullen, the Power of the Primes reveals of the Terrorcons and more with Takara Tomy and Hasbro designers - such as Shogo Hasui, Takashi Kunihiro, Hideaki Yoke, plus John Warden, and others - and the Toy and Character Hall of Fame reveals!
The Stan Bush concert at the end of the night is not included in this recording, but you can join Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner and the host for the evening, plus site owner Seibertron in the full VIP evening events in the video below!
We know that many Seibertronians had considered attending Hascon, but were not able to actually make it in person, so Seibertron.com has strived to bring you an idea of what the event looked like in first person, with a walkthrough of the floors and the brand experiences laid out by Hasbro - featuring Magic the Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, My Little Pony, Star Wars, Disney Princess, Marvel, Nerf, and more (but missing GI Joe, Dropmix and Hascade, due to time constraints!) - in a 20 minute clip! Follow our own Seibertron as he takes a look at all the areas, and enjoy the official images provided by Hasbro themselves collected in our gallery below, featuring the likes of James Gunn, Mark Wahlberg, Frank Welker, Peter Cullen, Maddie Ziegler, Isabella Moner, Brandin Cook, and more!
One other piece of movie-related news from Hascon deals with the second induction for the Transformers Hall of Fame, introduced by Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner - and featuring the producer of the Michael Bay directed movies from Paramount: Lorenzo di Bonaventura!
Starting with Transformers (2007), to Revenge of the Fallen, Dark of the Moon and then the new trilogy with Age of Extinction, The Last Knight and the next movie (plus of course the Transformers Universe: Bumblebee solo spin-off), di Bonaventura has been behind the scenes, helping shape what we have today in the live action universe. Check out the ceremony below, and head back here for the Susan Blu one that preceded it!
In more Transformers: The Last Knight and Hascon news combined, we also have recordings of the major panels featuring the cast of the latest movie in Paramount's live-action universe for the Cybertronians - including producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura, and actors Mark Wahlberg, Isabela Moner, Peter Cullen, and Frank Welker, plus Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner.
The first Transformers The Last Knight panel, during the day on Saturday September 9th, 2017, starred Mark Wahlberg, Isabela Moner, Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura, and Executive Producer/Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner. The 2nd panel, held later that night during the Transformers VIP event, switched Brian Goldner with legendary Transformers voice actors Peter Cullen (Optimus Prime) and Frank Welker (Megatron). We've collated both together in the clip below, as they discuss the cast, working with director Michael Bay, the choices and realities of working on a project this big, in this scale, and of this relevance to popular culture (despite final results, of course), and the importance and difficulty of creating sequels in a franchise. When Welker and Cullen take their place, on the other hand, we get some more insight into the dynamic between them as actors and their characters since the early stages of their career and a lot of voices seasoning the interview too. Check it out!
Revving up some speculation engines, we have an image from actor and stunt personnel Rory Markham on Instagram, hinting at a military presence in the upcoming Transformers Universe: Bumblebee live-action movie - with Sector 7 judging by the uniform he's wearing. Check it out below, and give us a comment in the Energon Pub!
Celebrating the digital release of Transformers: The Last Knight, we have another behind the scenes clip from the fifth live-action movie directed by Michael Bay, featuring actor Stanley Tucci in his role as Merlin! Check it out below, courtesy of Comic Book Movie, and let us know what you think in the Energon Pub!
In other news from Hascon, and as has been the case for years, we also took some time to look at non-Transformers news from around the event - with some attention given to the My Little Pony franchise, one of Hasbro's biggest sellers after Magic the Gathering and Nerf, and with its Movie line coming up soon and the Equestria Girls line still going strong.
In addition, we were able to attend the big panel for the Marvel side of things (for which Hasbro produces action figures): Stan Lee - co-creator of the Marvel universe himself, and the rumoured Watcher for the cinematic Marvel universe - live on stage! Both videos can be viewed below, of course, and do let us know what you think in the Energon Pub!
We've shown you some images from the plaques and trophies part of the induction ceremony to the Transformers Hall of Fame for Susan Blu - the historic voice of Arcee - right here, but we now also have a full recording of the moment which took place during the VIP attendee meal event!
Introduced by fellow voice actors Peter Cullen and Frank Welker, we're reminded that Susan Blu has contributed to a wide range of cinematic and entertainment outlets (including voice director for Beast Wars, Animated and Transformers: Prime), as well as being a perfomer herself for the first generations of My Little Pony, Jem and GI Joe. Take a look at the clip below for yourselves, and let us know what you think in the Energon Pub!
For more on Frank Welker and Peter Cullen, take a look at our previous clip from their panel here!
This next story featuring a recording from Hascon should be seen as a follow-up to our first report on the Transformers Brand Panel, as it was taken during the second instance of the talk given on the Sunday - see our Friday report here! Featuring both Hasbro and Takara Tomy designers for several toy lines, such as Sean Isabella Carmina, Lenny Panzica and John Warden and legend Hideaki Yoke-san, the clip specifically focuses on the Q&A section of the talk, which we've transcribed below the video, too.
In addition, we're including all previously posted videos from the weekend that deal with the toys talked about in the clip, all in one convenient viewing spot!
The panel are talking about how the issues that Hideaki had 30 years ago are pretty much still the same
Would you make a combiner out of combiners? Lots of excitement, but no - nothing in the plans.
Power of Primes compatible with Titan Masters? Yes, Prime Masters and Titan Masters are interchangeable. Optimus Prime can wear TR Optimus' head in his chest.
Any plan on Titan Masters/Prime Masters multipack? It's really cool - maybe around holidays (but no solid plan).
When designing, do you start in vehicle or robot? Depends on the designer, some start from the vehicle 'as armour', but vehicle to robot makes life a little easier. Combiners start from the way out, combined mode first. Always carry a sketch book. Yoke-san also starts with vehicle first.
Titans Return line had less paint than Takara, are there going to be similar changes in Power of the Primes? It's all down to value for consumers and price points: more details, more cost. Case by case basis, really.
Came up with a Transformers zodiac - but what are your signs? Warden - Leo, Panzica- Cancer, ISabella-Carmine- Aries, Yoke- Leo.
What type of background would get you a job like this? School, industrial design degrees. Blend of engineering and art, also fashion design with toy specialisation portfolios (Panzica's experience).
Level of discussion between Powermaster Prime and Super Ginrai, there was some, yes.
Importance of spark / allspark - distinctive difference between other mech: Transformers have a 'soul'.
Transformers can scan anything and transform into it. Ejector, Erector, ice-cream Transformers in Japan.
Sharkticons - are there any other designs planned to come out? Sharkticon that turns into jet, maybe?
Packaging: product converts vs transformers transform - not able to comment at this time, but it's way they do, they convert. (question by Seibertron, answer by Warden)
HASCON 2017: Transformers VIP Event TOY and Hall of Fame Reveals
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