Collector's Cards

One of the most appealing feature of collecting Japanese Transformers is the inclusion of collector's cards with most releases, from just after the start of the Takara vintage Generation 1 era all the way through reissues, Car Robots, Binaltech, Animated and present day Masterpieces with many other lines in-between. These cards would almost always feature attractive character artwork, character or toy specifications and backstory. Their highly collectible nature lends itself nicely to modern adult Transformers collecting and the need to preserve the condition, originality, prestige and completeness of our toys.

Animated Oil Slick Pictorial

When Transformers Animated was first in the shops, and I saw the solicits for Oil Slick's wave, I had no interest in the figure as I hadn't seen it in the show and the toy looked rubbish.Fast forward 6 years and I ended up with the Takara Tomy version of Oil Slick in a lot of toys I got recently, so it has the shiny paint everywhere. I also saw his few seconds of episode time in the show this year. The result? Proper appreciation for one of the most fun Transformers I've ever owned, one of the few Takara Tomy Animated toys that shines next to its Hasbro counterpart, and a toy I simply cannot put down. Also, a toy with a massive slice of imagination and originality, here's the Takara Tomy Animated oil Slick pictorial.

Mexican G1 "Sparkly Metroplex" Quickie

I remember a time when we thought Mexican Transformers by Plasticos Iga only covered the first 2 series of Autobots and Decepticons, and not even all of those. Sure there were series 3 minibots but they weren't new moulds, they were just series 1 moulds repainted into s3 colours. Then came Metroplex, one of the most 1986 Transformers of them all, first known by the existence of an Iga Metroplex instruction sheet shown to all by Napjr. At least that's how I remember it. Morgan Evans later had a loose complete one that he showed off on Skywarp.co.uk and in 2011 I landed a boxed one myself from Mexico. By that time there was also a sealed one on eBay, but let's have a look at what matters, the toy itself.

New Arrival Late June 2014 - Jet Pack Bumblebee

The Transformers Animated train rolls on, and late June sees me waiting for numerous packages from Asia and the US. The first (and only one thus far) to arrive in late June is something I never realised would be so interesting, the smaller scale Takara Tomy Transformers Animated Jet Pack Bumblebee figure - and just the figure, the accessories and jet pack were not included in the auction. Even more surprising was that I knew the seller from years ago when we hung out at BotCon two years in a row, he'd since moved to Japan, small world right?

Macross One Year Project - May June 2014

The update is that there are no updates. The above picture is about the only movement that has occurred, and even then it consisted of me digging out my little Skull keychain and Matchbox super deformed vintage VF-1S missing all parts to photograph alongside the glorious VF-1S Super Valkyrie reissue. It's not for a lack of trying though, I must have bid on four separate VF-1J Max Jenius reissues and lost each one for an increasing amount. I've seen them go from $70 to $120 on Japanese auction in the space of 3 or 4 months. Macross, along with Diaclone and Masterpiece/3P has become a shade expensive for me currently, so I've been buying cheap TF Animated toys - but I will return to the project. I can't stop looking at my Valks, and I still have 6 months!

All the best
Maz

Diaclone "Red & Police Sunstreaker" Model Kits

During the height of Diaclone in Japan, Takara and Nitto collaborated on a series of model kits that covered a fair bit of the Diaclone range, mostly the figures that didn't make it to Transformers and the consciousness of many collectors, things like Dia Battles, Big Powered, Warudaros etc. However, number 16 and 17 in the set covered the very first Diaclone Car Robot mould from the Real & Robo series, the Countach LP500S Super Tuning (red Sunstreaker) and its retool, the Countach LP500S Patrol Type (Police Sunstreaker). What makes these kits essential for any self-respecting Transformers, Diaclone or artwork collector is that they feature the only character artwork ever produced for the red and especially police versions of what would become the famous Autobot "Sunstreaker". 

Japanese TF Oddities - Post #100!

Even though I've never actively collected Japanese Transformers toys or paraphernalia (not counting Diaclone), it doesn't mean I haven't come across a few interesting and sometimes rare bits of Takara Transformers peripheral goodness. Not quite what I had in mind for post #100 but here's a quick look back, and I do mean quick.