today is Friday, today is a fun day, here is today's loot....

Takara Transformers, Fight! Super Robot Lifeform 48 - Astrotrain (white) MIB (#17 of 36)

This is #17 of 36.

Takara boxed #48 Astrotrain, white variant. This was exclusive to Japan and before it was reissued in the early 2000s, was rare as rubies and commanded excruciatingly high prices on the secondary market.

Now, more than a decade after the initial reissue, it has began to steadily rise in price again, and is getting harder and harder to find in mint condition.

My piece is very minty and comes with an unused paperworks packet.

Takara Transformers, Fight! Super Robot Lifeform 16-Megatron (#16 of 36)

This is #16 of 36.... Takara 16-Megatron. Lots of sixes.

So, below we have... (loose piece) Megatron from my Goodbye Megatron giftset, #16-Megatron and USA boxed Megatron.

Takara Transformers, Fight! Super Robot Lifeform 49-Laserwave, aka Shockwave, MIB (#15 of 36)

I have posted this together with my USA boxed Shockwave, one of the most beautiful USA boxed Transformers out there.

today's loot - USA Getaway MISB and D-85: Skull(cruncher)

Went to the shops today with my buddy. He bought a D-311: Black Zarak, which was complete with all paperworks and immaculate - none of the gold parts were broken, none. It's the first time I have ever seen a Black Zarak with all gold GPS-prone bits intact and immaculate.

I, on the other hand, had a less exciting night and bought these: D-85: Skull MIB complete with all paperworks, USA box Getaway MISB, Spoilsport (loose) and Blowpipe (loose). I didn't really need the TMs, but hey, its good to have spares around!

Just for fun - C-108 and C-109 with D-108 and D-109

Just for fun, because I think there is some symmetry here.

C-108: Artfire and C-109: Stepper are the Japanese exclusive Targetmasters - usually seen to be its own  'sub-group'.

D-108: Slugfest and D-109: Overkill are the Destron cassettes in 1987 - also usually seen to be its own small grouping of cassettes for that year.

Now, all 4 are together for a photoshoot.

Takara Transformers, Fight! Super Robot Life, 30 - Swoop MIB (#14 of 36)

This is the last of the 5 Dinobots in Japanese box. It is piece #14 of 36 in my mega-lot purchase.

Takara box 30-Swoop is perhaps one of the rarer and more sought after Japanese boxed Dinobots. There is just something about the box that makes it very attractive.

Takara Transformers, Fight! Super Robot Life, 29 - Snarl MIB (#13 of 36)

This is #13 of 36 of the large lot of Japanese boxed TFs that I got from a stella American collector.

This is 29 - Snarl in box, one of the 5 Dinobots and something I really wanted as a little boy, but never got. It's difficult to put a finger on exactly which is my 'favourite' Dinobot, but I think Snarl would rank quite highly out of the 5.

Takara, Transformers 2010, D-57: Thrust MIB (#12 of 36)

Re-arranged shelves - focusing on early G1

I have been off and on for awhile. The key reason is that like a few close friends of mine, I have also been re-focusing on my collecting goals and aims, although I have been less vocal about it here on the blog.

Before I continue, I would like to say I am so glad my buddy from Mostly Transformers Redux is back at blogging and to say a big 'welcome back!'.

To cut a long story short, I have decided to re-align my collecting goals to what they originally were - early G1 and the pieces that really had an impact on my childhood rather than "completion for completion's sake".

Whilst for a time, I had a very near complete G1 Japanese collection (missing 1 white Headmaster and that 1 Micromaster patrol which was a repaint), with 90% of these in box and unused, I decided that it was time to let go of the bulk of my later year Transformers.

The result was lots of private sales over the past months, and also selling on TFW2005 on the thread here - Japanese G1, American G1 and pre-TFs for sale