Botcon 2014 discussion - Pirates vs Knights

Ancillary, non-main-line stuff. Star Wars TF, Speed Stars, Titanium Series, Robot Heroes, that sort of thing. They're kinda neat, but we all know they're not really that important. Admit it, you know it's true.
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Onslaught Six
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Re: Botcon 2014 discussion - Pirates vs Knights

Post by Onslaught Six »

I can't wait for everyone to think this is how Ginrai walks around all the time.
BWprowl wrote:The internet having this many different words to describe nerdy folks is akin to the whole eskimos/ice situation, I would presume.
People spend so much time worrying about whether a figure is "mint" or not that they never stop to consider other flavours.
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Re: Botcon 2014 discussion - Pirates vs Knights

Post by BWprowl »

Sparky Prime wrote:Botcon's 5th figure in the set has been revealed: Ginrai. Using the Classics version of Optimus Prime, his paint job is based on "Fire Guts" Ginrai from Super God Masterforce with the Knight symbols from this years Botcon on him.
Really? I mean, like...I guess?

So, take a character, for whom one of the defining things that a lot of people colloquially know about him is that he's a guy who looks like Optimus Prime but isn't, and make a new toy of him by repainting an Optimus Prime toy so it doesn't look like Optimus Prime? And has none of the features associated with Ginrai (no Powermaster, Super armor, God armor)? Just...dip Classics Prime in orange and red (the windows are even the same color!) and call it a day? They could have *at least* gone overboard with clear plastic, or nice chrome, or something. I mean, the upper legs and entire torso and arms are almost solid orange, there's nothing really breaking it up or making it look interesting or something, just a big blob of orange. Shouldn't a special, premium exclusive look...special and premium?

Also:
BotCon? wrote:and by way of an alternate wrist transformation is shown here holding his windvane as a shield
Folding the wrist down ninety degrees is hardly an 'alternate transformation' and just ensures it's going to look stupid as hell looking at it from any direction but straight-on.
Onslaught Six wrote:I can't wait for everyone to think this is how Ginrai walks around all the time.
Surely they'd check TFwiki upon seeing some TF name they've never heard of before, right? ...right?

Really just makes me keep counting the years until Takara gets around to a Masterpiece Ginrai.
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Re: Botcon 2014 discussion - Pirates vs Knights

Post by Dominic »

Fun Publications arbitrarily using an old mould and/or character name? No real shock there.

The Ginrai does not look as bad as I thought it would. But, it is not something I am likely to be looking to get. Ginrai as a character is only so interesting to me. (I have only seen a few episodes of the Japanese cartoon, untranslated no less. Aside from a a name-swap during the Dreamwave years, Ginrai has not shown up in the US at all.) And, I am not overly fond of the mould. (I have Optimus and SDCC '08 Nemesis Prime.)

So far, Ferak is the most interesting thing in this set. And, I have skipped more appealling figures in recent years.
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Re: Botcon 2014 discussion - Pirates vs Knights

Post by Onslaught Six »

BWprowl wrote:
BotCon? wrote:and by way of an alternate wrist transformation is shown here holding his windvane as a shield
Folding the wrist down ninety degrees is hardly an 'alternate transformation' and just ensures it's going to look stupid as hell looking at it from any direction but straight-on.
I would say I agree, but then again, little things like that can be easily ignored in the face of coolness. For example, my Henkei Megs has had his right hand upside down for years.
BWprowl wrote:The internet having this many different words to describe nerdy folks is akin to the whole eskimos/ice situation, I would presume.
People spend so much time worrying about whether a figure is "mint" or not that they never stop to consider other flavours.
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Re: Botcon 2014 discussion - Pirates vs Knights

Post by Tigermegatron »

Update,This seems to be all the confirmed Botcon 2014 add on/souvenirs figures. http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-new ... ed-180409/

My Two cents: Is it just me or are these Botcon gift sets & add ons,Just getting worse with each passing year. About the only figure,I think is decent is Scorponok & somehat paying Botcon prices. The rest are just terrible,While some might seem somewhat "whatever",Their certainly not worth paying Funpubs insane mark up prices. Most I wouldn't even pay retail store prices for.

I don't think it's the bad molds that Funpub gets. Most of the time,I think it's the bad colors & name Funpub slaps on the mold that makes things worse.

My guess is next year, Funpub does a Black Zarak using that Energon mold. For either a 2015 club exclusives or 2015 Botcon toy.
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Re: Botcon 2014 discussion - Pirates vs Knights

Post by Sparky Prime »

I figured they couldn't pass up the Thundertron mold for this years theme. Although I am surprised to see them use it for the Knight "Alpha Trizer" rather than as one of the pirates. But then, I can't help to think the name choice indicates there might be more to the character...

I like the idea of Pounce and Wingspan as the car and jet Vehicons from Prime.
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Re: Botcon 2014 discussion - Pirates vs Knights

Post by Onslaught Six »

Who even are some of these guys supposed to be? If they're gonna do new characters, they should at least be interesting.
BWprowl wrote:The internet having this many different words to describe nerdy folks is akin to the whole eskimos/ice situation, I would presume.
People spend so much time worrying about whether a figure is "mint" or not that they never stop to consider other flavours.
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Re: Botcon 2014 discussion - Pirates vs Knights

Post by BWprowl »

Onslaught Six wrote:Who even are some of these guys supposed to be? If they're gonna do new characters, they should at least be interesting.
Old BotCon characters in a new BotCon set? This year's offering turned out to be downright incestuous. What next, 2015 including Universe Cheetor repainted as CatSCAN?

I am impressed that FunPub has now managed to repaint all three of the TFPrime Arcee molds into separate characters.

I've never liked Shokaract or how he was made, as a toy, ever. Rampage's design is too distinctly Rampage, and that color scheme just doesn't sell it at all. It always always just looks like Slightly Darker Rampage, and that's stupid.

At least Ben Yee'll probably be happy there's another Apelinq toy in existence.
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Re: Botcon 2014 discussion - Pirates vs Knights

Post by Sparky Prime »

Apparently Alpha Trizer is Cheetor in the "Wings" universe, after he's all grown up and takes on the role of Alpha Trion. Can't say that's what I had expected at all...
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Re: Botcon 2014 discussion - Pirates vs Knights

Post by Dominic »

Cheetor huh? Well, it is comforting to know that last year's convention comic was an anomoly.

Folding the wrist down ninety degrees is hardly an 'alternate transformation' and just ensures it's going to look stupid as hell looking at it from any direction but straight-on.
Truth.
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