The toy and packaging variation oddity, mystery and discovery thread

[Nevermore]

Oh. My. God.

As TFW2005 member payres, who had already created an overview years ago, points out, the US G2 Color Changers are even more bonkers.

Since they're redecoed from the European 1993 Aquaspeeders, this is where we have to start... but we also have to take into account the European 1993 Stormtroopers, which were never made available in the US at all.

See, the US Color Changers are redecoed from the European Aquaspeeders, they take their names from two of the other Aquaspeeders, one of the Stormtroopers and the Tonka GoBots (the trademark for which Hasbro had just recently acquired after purchasing Tonka), and their bios are also taken from those same Aquaspeeders (but assigned to yet another set of toolings) and two of the Stormtroopers.

This requires a flowchart:

 

[Nevermore]

Another interesting oddity of the Beast Wars line was early-run European packaging, specifically the English/Spanish/Italian version. Whereas standard English/Spanish/Italian packaging features the double title "Beast Wars/Biocombat" and additional names for each character for the Italian market, early run English/Spanish/Italian packaging is only branded "Beast Wars", and there are no Italian names.

I first noticed this with the bat Optimus Primal/crocodile Megatron two-pack, which only exists in this packaging version:


A few months ago, I also discovered that there are variants of Mega Polar Claw and Scorponok in this packaging style:



And today, I also discovered an early run European Waspinator:


For comaprison, here are the more common, "standard" English/Spanish/Italian packaging versions of Polar Claw, Scorponok and Waspinator in "Beast Wars/Biocombat" packaging:



Meanwhile, the other European packaging version (French/Dutch/German) supposedly didn't have this kind of variant, seeing as even the bat Optimus Primal/crocodile Megatron two-pack already featured the double "Beast Wars/Ani Mutants" branding:


"Ani Mutants" Polar Claw, Scorponok and Waspinator:

 

[Nevermore]

Also, just for fun:

 

[Nevermore]

This is insanely minor, but I discovered that the official Hasbro imports (via Hasbro Pulse, Entertainment Earth, Diamond etc.) of Takara-"exclusive" figures are separate production runs. They're not just a random batch taken from the Takara stock. They're specifically made-to-order for Hasbro!

It's easy to tell which is the "Hasbro" version, though.

Packaging-wise, they come in a separate black sleeve with a huge Takara ID number, and no name.


Toy-wise, they have a Hasbro product code printed onto the figure which the Takara version doesn't have.

 

[Powered Convoy]

This is insanely minor, but I discovered that the official Hasbro imports (via Hasbro Pulse, Entertainment Earth, Diamond etc.) of Takara-"exclusive" figures are separate production runs. They're not just a random batch taken from the Takara stock. They're specifically made-to-order for Hasbro!

It's easy to tell which is the "Hasbro" version, though.

Packaging-wise, they come in a separate black sleeve with a huge Takara ID number, and no name.
View attachment 6995

Toy-wise, they have a Hasbro product code printed onto the figure which the Takara version doesn't have.
View attachment 6996View attachment 6997

Yup, noticed this when people were comparing their MP-52+ Thundercrackers. Those who got them from TakaraTomy Mall and those elsewhere.

 

[CoffeeHorse]

I wouldn't call that a minor thing. Maybe from our side of it, but from Takara and Hasbro's side of it doing a separate production run is a big deal.

 

[Nevermore]

Early Basic Razorbeast in English/Spanish/Italian packaging without "Biocombat" branding:


Running change Basic Razorbeast in English/Spanish/Italian packaging with "Biocombat" branding:

 

[Nevermore]

Here is a massive crackpot theory:

These are the prototypes for the unreleased Generation 2 versions of what later became Takara Beast Wars Dirge/Machine Wars Thundercracker/Skywarp, Takara Beast Wars Thrust/Machine Wars Megatron/Megaplex, Machine Wars Prowl/Mirage and Machine Wars Hoist/Hubcap:


I think I finally figured out where these four were meant to go!

First come the two jets. Here's a pricing list for wholesalers from the 1995 Hasbro pre-Toy Fair catalog:


That mysterious "Solar Jets" assortment has an assortment number (80184) that fits right between that for the 1995 Power Masters assortment (80183) and that for the unreleased Protectobot and Stunticon Team Leaders assortment (80185) that would have featured the Generation 2 versions of Hot Spot and Motormaster.

The price point fits that for the Machine Wars Basics, they're certainly "jets", and there are two of them.

So, one mystery solved. Now for the race car and the tow truck.

There are these packaging mock-ups for the Generation 2 Go-Bots Firecracker, Gearhead and Blowout:


All of them feature a call-out or a campaign for a "free Solarbot Transformer" that is further elaborated on in detail on the back. On the final figures' packaging, that call-out is replaced by a new call-out for their "high-speed racing axles" gimmick.


But notice something else on the back? There are Robot Points! In fact, all US and Canadian Generation 2 releases feature Robot Points that were apparently never actually used for anything.


Even the unreleased redecos of "Hero" Optimus Prime and Megatron feature Robot Points!


So I hereby postulate that Hasbro's original intention was for the figures that eventually ended up as Machine Wars Prowl/Mirage and Hoist/Hubcap to be available as Robot Points mail-away promo figures under the name "Solarbot".

*Mic drop*

 

[ZacWilliam1]

Thats definitely a plausible theory. if there was anything to suggest a connection to the word "solar" on those prototypes I'd upgrade it from "quite possible" to "very likely."

I have to feel like they would have been called "Solar Jets" and "Solarbots" for a reason. Glow in the dark plastic, color-change plastic, or transparent plastic or chrome or something to make that naming make sense. There is the light-piping in the eyes but that doesn't feel big, new or dramatic enough to have named the toys after.

The lack of a connection between the prototypes and the gimmick name doesn't make this less likely to be true, it just would have been a clincher if it existed.


-ZacWilliam, I very much like this idea in general though, one of the more compelling "Solarbot" theories I've seen.

 

[Andrusi]

Assuming for the sake of argument that the flipchangers are indeed the Solarbots and Solar Jets, I can see two explanations for why the name's meaning isn't obvious.

First, the test shots are bare plastic with no paint or stickers, and it's highly unlikely they were meant to be sold that way. It's possible they were going to have glow-in-the-dark paint or heat-sensitive stickers or something.

Second, it could be like "Cyberjets" and the name doesn't especially mean anything.

 

[Sabrblade]

Glow-in-the-dark is a very good possibility since that gimmick was HUGE with kids in the early-to-mid-90s.

 

[Sciflyer]

Yes, it definitely was. It could also have been some light-sensitive color changing plastic effect, similar to what G.I. Joe used for Zartan, Zarana, etc. Would have made the whole "solar" thing make more sense.

 

[Nevermore]

I think I finally found confirmation for when exactly Hasbro started using the term "wave" in an official capacity. It was indeed the 2001 Robots in Disguise line.

Here is a 2001 Beast Machines Basic assortment shipping case:


According to the Hartmans' old website, 80405.0958 is the Basic wave 5 case, though the seller disagrees with the Hartmans about the exact content of the case, with older figures Quickstrike and Night Viper apparently still being included in lieu of a third copy of new figures Tank Drone and Hammerstrike.

As I had previously found out, the 2001 Robots in Disguise line's Mega assortment featured the term "wave" on its shipping cases from the get-go:


The only thing I wasn't sure about was whether Beast Machines had already used it or not. Now I know.

 

[Haywire]

The only thing I wasn't sure about was whether Beast Machines had already used it or not. Now I know.

...And knowing is half the Battle!


...sorry, I had to do it. Thank you for these insightful articles, though!

 

[Nevermore]

Also, these are discoveries I made years ago in my big 1995 retrospective, but they warrant repeating here:

The 1995 Generation 2 Go-Bots ("Gobots" in Europe) and Cyberjets ("Mini-Jets" in Europe) were some of the first assortments to feature two consecutive waves within the same assortment that (sort of) contained different figures.

In the United States, that is.

Cyberjets Hooligan, Skyjack and Space Case were redecoed into Jetfire, Air Raid and Strafe, respectively:



Likewise, Go-Bots Firecracker and Blowout were redecoed into Optimus Prime and Megatron:


In Europe, things were a little different: While I haven't found any evidence that the wave 2 Mini-Jets and Gobots were ever available in English/Spanish/Portuguese packaging (the wave 1 figures certainly were!), they were definitely all available in French/Dutch/German packaging... but they were all marketed as the same characters as the wave 1 figures they were redecoed from, thus essentially making them running change color variants, like the G2 Dinobots and Constructicons before them.






This suggests that the decision to market them as separate characters might have been a last-minute decision. After all, both wave 2 "Jetfire" and "Strafe" in their new decos feature tampographed Generation 2 Decepticon insignias!

 

[Nevermore]

In case anyone here speaks Chinese, I would like some clarification regarding these:
View attachment 3315View attachment 3316View attachment 3317View attachment 3318View attachment 3319

Which markets were they available in? Mainland China? Taiwan?

All right, I think I may have been able to pinpoint Hasbro's use of bilingual English/Chinese packaging to the 2011-2014 era.

Here is Dark of the Moon Cyberverse Commander Optimus Prime with Chinese text on his packaging:


The first ever Chinese New Year redeco, "Year of the Dragon Optimus Prime", was initially available in English/Chinese packaging in Asia, but was later given English-only packaging for his Amazon exclusive United States release:



Then there are the "GDO" figures, for which I'm not sure if the bilingual versions were actually available in China. They were definitiely used for the Toys"R"Us exclusive United States and Canadian releases, even though Hasbro's other Asian markets got English-only packaging.


The most baffling GDO items are Leader Class Starscream and Ironhide. The wider Asian release came in English-only "Generations"-branded packaging, but then there are super-rare bilingual English/Chinese versions in "Dark of the Moon" packaging with additional "Movie Trilogy Series" labels!



English/Chinese packaging appears to have hit its stride with Transformers: Prime. I've been able to find First Edition, Robots in Disguise, Cyberverse and Beast Hunters packaging with Chinese texts on the packaging.

 

[Nevermore]

Another very minor detail which might only be news to me, but since I just had to fix the writeups on TFWiki, it appears I'm not alone in this regard:

G1 Long Haul had a variant where the original release featured a slot in his chest/truck grill, which was a hold-over from the first Diaclone variant which had the super wing chestplate connected to the dump truck, instead of the truck crane). The later version fills that slot in, leaving a very conspicous smooth patch that lacks the rigged grill pattern. This second version was used for all subsequent releases up until Generation 2 in 1993.

The Encore version, with is an all-new tooling, features a complete grill that lacks the patch, with the rigged grill pattern going all the way through.

 

[Powered Convoy]

The Longhaul my brother had was the slot version.

 

[RCX]

My G1 Longhaul was bought in NJ in June 1985, and it has the slot.

 

[engledogg]

As far as I know, the non-slot G1 version was only available in the Devastator Gift Set. I have two sets, one my brother got for Christmas the year of release and one I picked up sealed at an antique store sometime in the 90s, and both lacked the slots.

Also, looking at the pics there, I just noticed that the Encore Long Haul has little tabs on his legs (at the bottom) that the original mold lacked. Neat.

MIKE
engledogg