New Galleries: Arms Micron Starscream and Thundercracker

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.

I largely agree with what has been said:

(1) Only Starscream is represented in the show
(2) Starscream's character model is an embodiment of his personality

Thus, the mold will forever scream (pun intended) Starscream, regardless of what character he is nominally repainted to be.

Seibertron.com is pleased to present to the public a trio of new toy galleries! Today, we show off the Japanese versions of Transformers Prime: First Edition Megatron, Arcee, and the Hasbro release of Cliffjumper. Unlike the Japanese version of the Prime line, the First Edition toys do not feature Microns. There are also very minor deco differences between these releases and those released elsewhere.

First Edition Megatron








Transformers Prime: First Edition Cliffjumper










First Edition Arcee

FE Arcee might not be very screen accurate, but she's definitely got better looking back kibble than the PRID version, particularly when you rotate the wheel 90 degrees and fit part of it into the slot in her back.

Is it me, or do the toys never quite capture Megatron's head right? Like, the shape is all off, or maybe it's painted the wrong colors. Silver definitely does NOT capture that distinct rottenness of Meg's face.

Noideaforaname wrote:Is it me, or do the toys never quite capture Megatron's head right? Like, the shape is all off, or maybe it's painted the wrong colors. Silver definitely does NOT capture that distinct rottenness of Meg's face.

Lack of a darker colour on the face is doing that, me thinks.

Looking at some screencaps, I think it's the face being much lighter, the eyes being "dead", the teeth being the same color as the rest of his face, how the mouth is actually open like he's saying something and not just clenching his teeth, the back of his mouth also being silver, and the weird impression of a nose-ring at a distance that's throwing me off. The Cyberverse doesn't look anywhere near as weird as the larger toys, and it doesn't have any of those things above.

Despite the flaws, I still think the FE Deluxe is light years ahead of PRID Voyager Megatron.

Honestly, they should have just upsized this mold, with his proper arm cannon, and I would have been ecstatic.

Even having the Final Battle Megatron with the Zeta Prime arm - allegedly the best deco of the Voyager Megatron mold - is somewhat of a let down.

Sigh.

megatronus wrote:Even having the Final Battle Megatron with the Zeta Prime arm

We still don't know who's arm that was.

Sabrblade wrote:

megatronus wrote:Even having the Final Battle Megatron with the Zeta Prime arm

We still don't know who's arm that was.

That's not going to stop me from assuming

I think this is the best representation of Megatron Prime

Where is that megatron packaging from? Japan? cuz i thought the FE deluxe megatron only came in that entertainment pack

Hypershock wrote:Where is that megatron packaging from? Japan? cuz i thought the FE deluxe megatron only came in that entertainment pack

TakaraTomy released FE Megatron stand-alone. Japan never got the Entertainment Pack, but they still got the Deluxe Optimus as an exclusive later in Arms Micron.

megatronus wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

megatronus wrote:Even having the Final Battle Megatron with the Zeta Prime arm

We still don't know who's arm that was.

That's not going to stop me from assuming

Oh come on guys, everyone knows it was G1 Optimus Prime's arm. That damn thing always broke off . At least mine did when I was a kid and I had to keep gluing it back.

Anyway, I'm glad to see the rest of the FEs finally get the gallery treatment. You know I'm a sucker for variants Ryan and I'd much rather use your site (and far superior images) as a reference than that other TFU site when looking up comparisons and variants .

For all the Cliffjumper fans out there with a dark streak, we have three new exclusive Seibertron.com galleries! First up, two shared molds, based on the First Edition Cliffjumper with a zombie twist to them: Comic-Con Exclusive Rust In Peace Cliffjumper and the regular Hasbro version Terrorcon Cliffjumper, both with added Dark Energon deco and terrifying features. To add to those, a small contribution from Takara, in their equivalent of Legion class - EZ-SP2 Terrorcon Cliffjumper, in full translucent purple. Check out the full galleries by clicking on any of the images below!

Transformers Prime: First Edition Terrorcon Cliffjumper














Comic-Con Exclusives Rust In Peace Cliffjumper














EZ Collection Terrorcon Cliffjumper (EZ-SP2)

Hot on the heels of our update that adds Prime Cliffjumper's zombie-ish toys to our super-mega-ultra gallery, we've also added another gallery to the mix. Tonight's last-minute addition is the Beast Hunters "Predacons Rising" Cryofire Predaking. A redeco of the previous Beast Hunters Predaking toy, Cryofire Predaking homages fan-favorite criminal mastermind, Cryotek. Take a look below!

Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Cryofire Predaking

Ya know what? I'm kinda liking this. I never got a Cryotek so I may just have to get this guy.

The blue is surprisingly appealing! Makes the rest of the paint apps on the regular version look as bare as they actually are.

As for the Cliffjumpers: dayum. I now feel like I need to own the RIP version. It just looks.. right? It must be because of the poses in the gallery. Nice work Ryan, again!

Va'al wrote:The blue is surprisingly appealing! Makes the rest of the paint apps on the regular version look as bare as they actually are.

As for the Cliffjumpers: dayum. I now feel like I need to own the RIP version. It just looks.. right? It must be because of the poses in the gallery. Nice work Ryan, again!

Thanks Va'al. I had a lot of fun with the various Terrorcon Cliffjumpers. Some of my favorite "Zombie" poses are where he's intentionally mistransformed. The idea is that his body is falling apart or that he can't fully transform into robot mode or something like that.

Mkall wrote:Ya know what? I'm kinda liking this. I never got a Cryotek so I may just have to get this guy.

Pulling out Cryotek for a cameo appearance in Cryofire Predaking's gallery gave me a new appreciation for the Beast Wars Transmetal 2 Dragon Megatron mold. It had been a while since I last handled that mold. It's pretty impressive for a 14 year old Transformers mold.

I also gained some new appreciation for the Cryotek after watching this video:



I only did the part that swaps around the lever on his back since just that little change made such an improvement on the toy.

Adding Cryifire Predaking is a must! I already have RiD Cryotek and Cybertron Cryo Scourge, it's like they were meant to be the one and the same (aside from the symbols that is). It is a bit weird he shares the ice element with Skystalker, but eh, what can ya do?

Seibertron wrote:

Va'al wrote:The blue is surprisingly appealing! Makes the rest of the paint apps on the regular version look as bare as they actually are.

As for the Cliffjumpers: dayum. I now feel like I need to own the RIP version. It just looks.. right? It must be because of the poses in the gallery. Nice work Ryan, again!

Thanks Va'al. I had a lot of fun with the various Terrorcon Cliffjumpers. Some of my favorite "Zombie" poses are where he's intentionally mistransformed. The idea is that his body is falling apart or that he can't fully transform into robot mode or something like that.

Yeah, I loved those poses!

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Adding Cryifire Predaking is a must! I already have RiD Cryotek and Cybertron Cryo Scourge, it's like they were meant to be the one and the same (aside from the symbols that is). It is a bit weird he shares the ice element with Skystalker, but eh, what can ya do?

Man I totally forgot about Cryo Scourge! I should have included him in this gallery as well.

Seibertron wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Adding Cryifire Predaking is a must! I already have RiD Cryotek and Cybertron Cryo Scourge, it's like they were meant to be the one and the same (aside from the symbols that is). It is a bit weird he shares the ice element with Skystalker, but eh, what can ya do?

Man I totally forgot about Cryo Scourge! I should have included him in this gallery as well.

Methinks this calls for an addendum!

Sabrblade wrote:

Seibertron wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Adding Cryifire Predaking is a must! I already have RiD Cryotek and Cybertron Cryo Scourge, it's like they were meant to be the one and the same (aside from the symbols that is). It is a bit weird he shares the ice element with Skystalker, but eh, what can ya do?

Man I totally forgot about Cryo Scourge! I should have included him in this gallery as well.

Methinks this calls for an addendum!

YOU'RE MAD, SABRBLADE!

Seibertron has so many more photo galleries to attend to! Think of all the BotCon 2013 figures!

Not to mention Darksteel and SkyLynx, whom I suspect will be next, given their early bird cameos.

Henry921 wrote:Seibertron has so many more photo galleries to attend to! Think of all the BotCon 2013 figures!

Man I can't wait to get to those ... but they're taking a back seat until after my big Masterpiece gallery push once Prowl arrives.

Henry921 wrote:Not to mention Darksteel and SkyLynx, whom I suspect will be next, given their early bird cameos.

It's like you're reading my mind! I just completed the galleries for Darksteel and Skylynx about 30 minutes ago. I started their galleries way back at the beginning of August but haven't been able to finish them until now. I was going to wait until I got Judora to finish their galleries but decided to finish them up tonight after finishing Cryofire Predaking's gallery yesterday and needing to use them in his gallery.

Currently, I'm photographing the rest of the Dark Energon figures that need to be completed so that I can put up those 6 galleries at last.

Seibertron wrote:

Henry921 wrote:Seibertron has so many more photo galleries to attend to! Think of all the BotCon 2013 figures!

Man I can't wait to get to those ... but they're taking a back seat until after my big Masterpiece gallery push once Prowl arrives.

Just Prowl? Or Smokescreen and Bluestreak too?

Seibertron wrote:

Henry921 wrote:Not to mention Darksteel and SkyLynx, whom I suspect will be next, given their early bird cameos.

It's like you're reading my mind! I just completed the galleries for Darksteel and Skylynx about 30 minutes ago. I started their galleries way back at the beginning of August but haven't been able to finish them until now. I was going to wait until I got Judora to finish their galleries but decided to finish them up tonight after finishing Cryofire Predaking's gallery yesterday and needing to use them in his gallery.

Currently, I'm photographing the rest of the Dark Energon figures that need to be completed so that I can put up those 6 galleries at last.

Man, the size of that Predacon army will be a thing of beauty...

Henry921 wrote:Just Prowl? Or Smokescreen and Bluestreak too?

Prowl comes out this month followed by Bluestreak next month and Smokescreen in December. For the sake of size comparison, I think it will be best to do the bulk of the Masterpiece galleries with Prowl since I haven't done any Masterpiece galleries since MP-11 Starscream. Bluestreak and Smokescreen will get the usual repaint/remold treatment and just have comparisons with Prowl and some Autobot group shots ... maybe a few shots battling Decepticons depending on time.

Henry921 wrote:Man, the size of that Predacon army will be a thing of beauty...

I'll try to do a group shot with ALL of the Hasbro and Takara Tomy Predacons toward the end of the releases. It's too tough to do them all for each gallery. Budora and Cryofire Predaking didn't make the cut for the group shot photos that you'll see in Skylynx and Darksteel's galleries (similar shots to what were in the other Japanese Predacons galleries).

We're very proud to announce that another gallery has been uploaded to Seibertron.com: Transformers Go! Budora. The figure is a Takara red and gold repaint of the Grimwing mold, also used for Darksteel, with the addition of a new head. It joins the rest of our Transformers Go! galleries, which can be viewed here!


Transformers Go! Budora

The Four Oni are almost complete. Three down, one effeminate psycho to go.

The Oni look so regal compared to their Hasbro counterparts.

I like Budora's beast mode head more than GrimWing/DarkSteel's.

Sabrblade wrote:The Four Oni are almost complete. Three down, one effeminate psycho to go.

They're making a figure of my ex girlfriend?

gothsaurus wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:The Four Oni are almost complete. Three down, one effeminate psycho to go.

They're making a figure of my ex girlfriend?

Strange taste in men.

The three versions of this mould look soooo cool next to each other. Gotta catch 'em all.

Sabrblade wrote:The Four Oni are almost complete. Three down, one effeminate psycho to go.

Who are you calling an effeminate psycho?! O wait, it's Judora... never mind...

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:The Four Oni are almost complete. Three down, one effeminate psycho to go.

Who are you calling an effeminate psycho?! O wait, it's Judora... never mind...

I've got Judora on the way. I should have him early next week. I'll do my best to get his gallery up ASAP for all of you.

Noideaforaname wrote:I like Budora's beast mode head more than GrimWing/DarkSteel's.

I'm the other way. I like the Hasbro griffon head better. The Takara version is basically a flamingo with tusks. Really hate the down-turned bottom jaw.

The bot head is really nice and I like the mold overall. I've heard people complain that it felt cheap and hollow, but I don't think it feels bad at all. My only major complaint is the lack of wing articulation, real shame they wasted the joint on the spikes.

A friend that owed me money picked up and is holding onto Grimwing for me and I plan on getting Darksteel, too. I love beast Transformers so both Go! and Beast Hunters are really fun for me.

Oh, just noticed the gallery doesn't have any shots of him with his shoulder weapons out. Probably a lot of people don't even know about them, they aren't on the box, just in the instructions (which I don't normally use, but I was trying to figure out if there was a release for the hips or if it was all friction).

Emerje

Just when you thought we'd had plenty of galleries from the Transformers Prime and Go! lines, here are two more - and it's for big 'uns! Seibertron.com is proud to present its newest gallery additions: Beast Hunters Weaponizer Class Talking Bumblebee and Tracker Optimus Prime. Both are retools and redecos of their previous Weaponizer incarnations, Bumblebee now sporting a mouth and Optimus showing off a new green paint deco. Click on any of the images below to view the full galleries!


Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Talking Bumblebee














Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Beast Tracker Optimus Prime