Lots of Autobot Cars MIB - USA Series 1 + 2 and Takara Japanese Fight! Super Robot Lifeform

Another series of shots that are inspired by the great HeraldofUnicron...

As far as possible, I have tried to photograph a character in its USA Hasbro box, its Japanese Takara box and also a loose toy in robot mode (since the in package toys are usually in vehicle mode). For some characters, where I have them, I would also try and include a loose toy in its alternate mode in the shot.

There is something about this shot, I just cannot put my finger on what it is...

In terms of inserts, I have tried to use either eHobby version or Encore version inserts because these are much more stable than the original bubble inserts. They have an overall different look, but are very stable. For characters with no eHobby / Encore reissue, I bought repro bubbles from BubbleFormer.com.

***

Takara 02 - Hound MIB
Hasbro Hound MIB (insert is a repro)

Takara 03 - Wheeljack MIB (unused)
Hasbro Wheeljack MIB (original inserts)

Takara 04 - Swipe MIB (unused)
Hasbro Sideswipe MIB (insert from eHobby reissue)

Takara 05 - Alert (unused)
Hasbro Red Alert MIB (original inserts)

Takara 06 - Jazz MIB (unused)
Hasbro Jazz MIB (insert from Encore reissue)

Takara 07 - Ligier MIB (unused)
Hasbro Mirage MIB (repro inserts)

Takara 08 - Streak (blue) MIB (unused)
Takara 08 - Streak MIB (unused)
Hasbro Bluestreak MIB (unused)

Takara 09 - Prowl MIB
Hasbro Prowl MIB (repro inserts)

Takara 10 - Inferno MIB
Hasbro Inferno MIB (eHobby inserts)

Takara 25 - Trailbreaker MIB (unused)
Hasbro Trailbreaker MIB (inserts from Encore)

Takara 26 - Grimlock MIB (unused, Made in Japan version)
Hasbro Grimlock MIB (unused)

Takara 27 - Sludge MIB
Hasbro Sludge MIB (unused)

Takara 28 - Slag MIB
Hasbro Slag MIB (unused)

Takara 29 - Snarl MIB
Hasbro Snarl MIB (unused)

Takara 30 - Swarp MIB
Hasbro Swoop MIB

Takara 44 - Tracks MIB (unused)
Hasbro Tracks MIB (inserts are from eHobby reissue)

Takara 45 - Smokscreen MIB
Hasbro Smokscreen MIB (repro inserts)

Takara 46 - Hoist (unused, Wrecker variant)
Hasbro Hoist MIB (Encore inserts)

Takara 47 - Grapple MIB
Hasbro Grapple MIB (eHobby inserts)

Takara mailaway Ratchet MIB (unused)
Hasbro Ratchet MIB (Encore inserts)

Takara VSZ Giftset
Hasbro Sunstreaker MIB (original inserts)
Hasbro Skids MIB (Encore inserts)

Diaclone CarRobots No.18 Lancia Stratos Turbo 'Marlboro Edition', aka Marlboor Wheeljack - with Diaclone CarRobots No.8 Fairlady Z 'blue edition' aka blue Bluestreak

Pre-Transformers Diaclone CarRobots No.8 - Fairlady Z Turbo, blue edition - aka (the legendary) blue Bluestreak, MIB and unused.

Pre-Transformers Diaclone CarRobots No.18 - Lancia Stratos Turbo, Marlboro racing edition - aka (the notorious) Marlboor Wheeljack, MIB and unused.

Too beautiful for words.

I won't say more.

Diaclone CarRobots No.18 Lancia Stratos Turbo 'Marlboro Edition', aka Marlboor Wheeljack - with MP-23: Exhaust

This is just a pictorial of the beloved Marlboor Wheeljack together with Masterpiece MP-23: Exhaust.

Diaclone CarRobots No.18 Lancia Stratos Turbo 'Marlboro Edition', aka Marlboor Wheeljack - detailed photos

So this time round, I thought I would do more detailed photos of my 'new' Marlboor Wheeljack (since I hardly touched the last one before letting it go).

This will be Part 1 of 3, in which I focus on the Diaclone pre-Transformers Marlboor Wheeljack and its Japanese Takara release 03-Wheeljack.

Marlboor Wheeljack out of box and with all its complete and unused paperworks.

Diaclone CarRobot No.18 Lancia Stratos Turbo "Marlboor" (Malboro) version aka 'Marlboor Wheeljack' or now called Exhaust

I previously had a very mint, unused, Diaclone CarRobot No.18 Lancia Stratos Turbo (Malboro edition) toy. For lack of a better term, this is commonly known as the "Marlboor Wheeljack" in the fandom.

In what I would later regret as an unwise move in hindsight, I traded my previous Marlboor Wheeljack away - there's even a story here.

Today, the second Marlboor Wheeljack I bought, from a US based seller, arrived. Thank you GD and thank you Maz for making the connection.

I have fixed my past transgression.

Above is a shot showing Takara Japanese boxed 03-Wheeljack (2 boxes, one is empty), Hasbro USA boxed Wheeljack, Diaclone Marlboor Wheeljack, Masterpiece Wheeljack MIB, Masterpiece Exhaust MIB (aka Masterpiece Marlboor Wheeljack), loose pre-rub Wheeljack in robot mode and a loose rub-sign Wheeljack in car mode.

Question: Why do I have so many? 

Answer: influenced by Heraldofunicron!

Above is a cheeky show of the Marlboor Wheeljack in the 03 box (the Diaclone box and Japanese box styros are interchangeable).

Maximum Dinobots, the complete G1 USA and Japanese Dinobots

Some time ago, I bought all 5 Japanese boxed Dinobots from Devstar37 and considered my Dinobots 'complete' when complimented by the 2 loose sets (one for robot mode and one for dinosaur mode).

However, recently a very reputable seller and good buddy of mine was selling his MIB unused Dinobots in USA box and I thought this would be a good chance to actually get all the US boxed Dinobots in one go. Thanks buddy, you know who you are!

Above: left set - Takara Japanese boxed Dinobots; right set - Hasbro USA boxed Dinobots

First, I got Swoop from him. Then very recently I got MIB Slag, Sludge and Snarl from him, including the 'innards' of a with bubble unused Grimlock (ie: no Grimlock box). It happens that I actually have a full set of US boxes for the Dinobots, just no bubble, so I did have a nice Grimlock box lying around to place the unused 'innards' into.

Above: boxed Dinobots together with loose robots (one in Dino mode and one in robot mode).

These are some of the most mouthwatering display pieces in the last 30 years, they have to be.

A third part - boxed Transformers 'A to B'

More random photos. This time a third part - boxed Transformers 'A to B'.

just more random Transformer photos (a second part)

in keeping with the post from yesterday... just more (and more) random shots...
These shots includes items from my Australia, Singapore and also Hong Kong apartments.

Just some random group shots...

I have been sorting photos.
I am really tired sorting photos.
I am too tired to go and watermark stuff.
I am too tired to write more stuff when posting.
So, for this, and maybe the next couple of posts, you're just going to see lots and lots of Transformers, randomly, without watermarks, in no particular order and with no particular intent.
Enjoy.

Takara Transformers SCFs - ACT 9 Chase figures - Armada Pre-Earth body Convoy and Pre-Earth body Megatron

Previous post - Takara Transformers SCFs - ACT 8 Chase figures - Paradron Medic and Coronation Starscream

ACT 9 was where the SCFs took a slightly different direction, it was no longer G1 focused.

ACT 9 features characters from the then current Transformers Armada line of toys and the assortment was made up of 6 Transformers Armada inspired robots - Convoy, Megatron, Starscream, Ratchet, Ironhide and Hot Rod, all in Armada designs and body.

The same is applied to the Chase figures for this ACT, they are Armada designs and characters rather than G1. At this point, Takara lost a lot of die-hard G1 fans and there was generally a lot of hate because fans at the time wanted the SCF series to continue with more G1... there were so many characters who have yet to receive the SCF treatment, notably characters like Shockwave, Ravage, Rumble, Mirage, Sideswipe, Bluestreak, Prowl, etc.

I'm not a fan of ACT 9, but I have the Chase figures nonetheless. Gotta get 'em all huh?

The ACT 9 Chase figures are:

1. Pre-Earth body Convoy (aka Cybertronian mode Optimus Prime); and
2. Pre-Earth body Megatron (aka Cybertronian mode Megatron).

Aaaand, here they are. Convoy actually looks pretty good and like a beefier version of his G1 self. Megatron on the other hand, is quite different from all previous incarnations except maybe for the green which is reminiscent of G2 Megatron.

Takara Transformers SCFs - ACT 8 Chase figures - Paradron Medic and Coronation Starscream

Previous post - Takara Transformers SCFs - ACT 7 Chase figures - (i) Victory Saber upgrade (ii) 'burning' Star Saber (iii) Deszaras with eagle brest

On to ACT 8 Chase figures now!

Getting in the grove, so I'm knocking these out day after day. Funny thing is, all these photos were actually done some 2-3 years ago, all on the same day and ready to go. Just that I have not loaded them up and wrote about them.

If ACT 7 had apparently non-Victory characters like Wheeljack and Perceptor that raised eyebrows, ACT 8 is truely even more questionable. In fact, I am not sure what the focus of ACT 8 was supposed to be - it features Star Convoy pretty heavily in terms of the art on the boxes and the carton, but it does not appear to be a Battlestars or Return of Convoy ACT for sure.

ACT 8 consists of Alpha Trion (2010), Cyclonus (2010), Fortress (aka Cerebros, from Headmasters), Meister (from Fight! Super Robot Lifeform), Dai Atlas (from Zone) and Star Convoy (from Battlestars Return of Convoy). Ah, okay, maybe the aim was to have 1 character from each series? 

Anyway, that's not why we are here... now onto the Chase figures for ACT 8, which were:

1. Paradron Medic; and
2. Coronation Starscream.

The 'build-a-figure' pack in for ACT 8 is Mega Zarak (aka Scorponok) from the Headmasters series. Despite how this may be listed, Mega Zarak was present in every carton as a 'build-a-figure' and not a Chase figure per se.

Takara Transformers SCFs - ACT 7 Chase figures - (i) Victory Saber upgrade (ii) 'burning' Star Saber (iii) Deszaras with eagle brest

Previous post - Takara Transformers SCFs - ACT 6 Chase figures - Dirge and metallic Galvatron

So now, in quick sucession, I am trying to do a few SCF posts. Move while the momentum is with me, strike while the iron is hot, make hay while the sun shines... and all that.

So here we are, ACT 7, perhaps one of the most interesting set in terms of the characters and also the Chase figures.

ACT 7 consists of Wheeljack, Perceptor, Road Caesar, Liokaiser, Deszaras and Star Saber and was marketed as the 'Victory series' ACT. Wait a minute, Victory series? So what is Wheeljack and Perceptor whom are Fight! Super Robot Lifeform bots doing in the Victory ACT? Good question and now that I think of it and trudged through my memory, I remember they both (together with Minelba) appeared in a couple of episodes - where they as scientists / doctors tried to heal God Ginrai and later re-built him into Victory Leo!

Now onto the Chase figures for ACT 7, which were:

1. Deszaras with eagle brest;
2. Star Saber with golden paint (aka burning Star Saber); and
3. Victory Saber upgrade parts in gold (to form burning Victory Saber).

I was initially very confused about which were the chase figures for this ACT, but now I think I have worked it out...

Takara Transformers SCFs - ACT 6 Chase figures - Dirge and metallic Galvatron

Previous post - Takara Transformers SCFs - ACT 5 Chase figures - Alloy coated Convoy with Matrix and Ghost of Starscream

It's been some time since my previous SCF post - the last SCF post. Shockingly, it's been more than a year, almost 17 months ago in fact!

It's only recently that I started thinking about SCFs again after talking to a fellow collector and I though, hey, I still have not finished that SCF Chase figures series of articles that I set out to do so long ago. What's wrong with me? Why did I take so long? I don't know the answer to be honest. I guess, things go in the way... but now, I'm determined to try to push a few through, starting with this one.

Ironically, it was actually this very pair of SCFs that got me back into the SCF game once more after writing off Chase figures as 'too difficult' to collect, back in the early 2000s.

I checked the date of the photo that I snapped on that day and its 8 May 2012 - a full 3 years ago, to this date!!! This is the photo I snapped after I happened upon this ACT 6 pair during one of my toy shopping trips in the Yau Ma Tei area, back in 2012 (I recognise the background as my old place in Causeway Bay). The full story is here.

Writing this just brings back so many fond memories...