Transformers Legacy toyline

[CoffeeHorse]

As one who still has the original Animated Prowl, the Animated Samurai Prowl, and the Japanese-exclusive G1-colored Animated Elite Guard Prowl, I ask myself what this new G1-ified Animated Prowl offers me that those original toys don't?

Not looking completely weird when displayed with anything other than fellow Animated toys.

Not everyone is bothered by that, but there's definitely people who are just not going to buy an original Animated toy for that reason despite really liking a lot of things about the designs. And there's also going to be people who did buy the original Animated toys but see it as a dead-end collection that doesn't mix with their other stuff. Season 4 is never happening. Hasbro will never make new Animated toys that look like the old ones. They're just too far out there.

 

[ZacWilliam1]

Animated had a definite strong and unique design aesthetic and style. Far stronger a more unique than any other line in the brands history. It was cool and unique and looks good as its own thing.

Having THIS Prowl in a form that matches the aesthetic of 90% of the rest of the brand is also very cool. I think he's gonna get renamed Streetstar in my brain.

Junkion really reminds me of a background generic from the G1 toon. Not sure if there is a particular one that he's sparking my memory of or if it's just the overall vibe but I like it a lot

-ZacWilliam, Floro Dery made him up for a background shot is an aesthetic I'd like on more new characters.

 

[PrimalxConvoy]

One of the reasons I didn't bother with 99% of the animated line is that it was the only line of TF toys (IMO) that didn't display with any other line, both aesthetically and "by the laws of physics". Beast Machines, even though weird, "fitted" with other figures because they were meant to be an "evolution" of the TF race. Animated just seemed to be G1 characters seen through some bizarre "toon lense", rather than an actual physical state.

I imagine that anyone entering the Animated universe would look "animated" and vice versa in any other universe.

This Prowl is simply what he would look like upon entering any other universe and he looks, to me, all the better for it.

I'm glad I can start to get, for me at least, the "proper/correct" animated characters in this line. May more be released this way!

 

[CoffeeHorse]

There's a few I would want. Don't tell me Animated Ultra Magnus in a more standard boxy style wouldn't look great.

 

[MrBlud]

As one who still has the original Animated Prowl, the Animated Samurai Prowl, and the Japanese-exclusive G1-colored Animated Elite Guard Prowl, I ask myself what this new G1-ified Animated Prowl offers me that those original toys don't?

At the very least, he's another case of a once round and curvy character made blocky. It seems only BW, G1, and UT characters are allowed to keep their curves if they originally had any. No curviness allowed for any Prime or Animated characters, apparently.

And that bike mode is CHUNKY. Nowhere near as sleek as his original bike mode.

He is round though. Look at the bike chest.

I think that part in particular is actually *rounder* than on the original toy.

I’m not wild about the head but it’s super strange to see people acting like this is an abomination on par with Prime Bulkhead when I’m struggling to see how they could possibly thread the needle between “blocky G1” and “lithe Animated” any better.

 

[ZacDeath]

Are we sure that is a deluxe? the proportions look almost Legacy-sized.

 

[PrimalxConvoy]

Are we sure that is a deluxe? the proportions look almost Legacy-sized.

What's "Legacy-sized" mean?

 

[Blot]

Both Prowl and the Junkion look fantastic!

Give me a Leader Lugnut in that style please Hasbro!

A Leader Lugnut with the proper amount of CHUNK this time. Lugnut has to be an absolute unit of a robot.

 

[Superomegaprime]

A Leader Lugnut with the proper amount of CHUNK this time. Lugnut has to be an absolute unit of a robot.

SOD leader class, Comander class, he needs to tower over most bots

 

[ZacDeath]

What's "Legacy-sized" mean?

“Basic” size class,or whatever they call it now.

 

[Lobjob]

Prowl looks awesome and these Junkions are truly fantastic/inspired.

 

[Shadewing]

The Junkion seems to be based on the thrilling 30 design, with the seat being one leg, and the fuel tank being the other.

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Generations is old enough to be celebrated in Generations.

 

[Steevy Maximus]

As one who still has the original Animated Prowl, the Animated Samurai Prowl, and the Japanese-exclusive G1-colored Animated Elite Guard Prowl, I ask myself what this new G1-ified Animated Prowl offers me that those original toys don't?

For you? Probably not much aside from gelling with other recent Generations toys.
BUT, for someone who wasn’t able to get an Animated Prowl FIFTEEN YEARS AGO…it might be a more cost effective solution than trying to hunt down one on the secondary market.
I think it bears repeating that, if you have a remake or character from 2005 to about 2015? A new Generations version is very likely to NOT be a definitive update. At best, we’re seeing “sidegrades”, new iterations that choose a different design focus than prior attempts at a design or character. It’s not about finding something better, it’s about what this iteration does differently and if that works for you or not.

The Junkion looks fine. I’m not sure I’m going to be buying much into the subset, but I appreciate the design work work on another Junkion Bike that doesn’t share design notes with WreckGar. And I’m sure the more talented people will be making some wonderfully weird mixes with this and Scrapheap.

Prowl looks surprisingly good to me. If you had asked me what an Animated Prowl would look like in the current Generations brand, I’m not sure he would have ended up as nice as this turned out. He’s chonkier , but they still managed to keep all his core design elements. His chin is more pronounced, he has his ninja stars, and I think the thicker look actually helps with the CHiPs inspiration come through a little better. I’m actually quite surprised they gave him the “neutral hands”, a design quirk that kind of disappeared after 2013 or so, when Generations got a bit more standardized.
Not sure I see where the guns are some are talking about. I see the handlebars, but they don’t appear removable. If anything, it looks like they are supposed to be swung up farther to create a clean line on his “back wings”

 

[Cybersnark]

Typical. Prowl is the one Animated character I didn't need a new version of, given how the show ended.

 

[Agent X]

I'm just glad we're getting a Junkion motorcycle that will be able to ROLL.

 

[Haywire]

I think it bears repeating that, if you have a remake or character from 2005 to about 2015? A new Generations version is very likely to NOT be a definitive update. At best, we’re seeing “sidegrades”, new iterations that choose a different design focus than prior attempts at a design or character. It’s not about finding something better, it’s about what this iteration does differently and if that works for you or not.

I think this does describe the current mindset behind Legacy, and with that in mind, it makes me wonder why we haven't really seen any Movieverse characters in Legacy. (Assuming they are available outside of Studio series; obviously licensing rules might place a lot of restrictions on this.) Beyond Animated and Prime, the movieverse Transformers are probably the next farthest departure from the Generations/Legacy style.

Virtually all of the core cast from the first film would be departures from their usual decos and, sometimes, altmodes; and then there are the new characters. Barricade has seen some use as a redeco, but it would be cool to see a dedicated reimagining of the bad cop in a Legacy style. Likewise, while I hate the characterization of Skids and Mudflap in RotF, I would love to see a Legacy take on their original Ice Cream truck combined form.

There's a lot of unique ideas in the movieverse, but much like Animated, they don't often visually gel with most of the rest of my collection. It would be cool to have "movie" characters that did.

 

[Donocropolis]

Generations is old enough to be celebrated in Generations.

Why would you say this? What have I ever done to you?

 

[Rhinox]

I absolutely love Animated Prowl, I have every toy of him that I could get my hands on.
This looks great to me. I will be getting multiples so I can have one at work too. He looks just fantastic to me.

 

[NovaSaber]

At the very least, he's another case of a once round and curvy character made blocky. It seems only BW, G1, and UT characters are allowed to keep their curves if they originally had any. No curviness allowed for any Prime or Animated characters, apparently.

Even G1 characters aren't safe from being made blockier than their originals; look at Skullgrin.

I’m not wild about the head but it’s super strange to see people acting like this is an abomination on par with Prime Bulkhead when I’m struggling to see how they could possibly thread the needle between “blocky G1” and “lithe Animated” any better.

It's obviously better than Bulkhead by a wide margin (except for the head), but that doesn't mean it doesn't have some of the same issues.

And the balance you correctly say they seem to be going for is one of them; "lithe" is not a style-wide thing for Animated.
So once again I am saying that even within the premise of "unified aesthetic" being a goal, there is no reason why being "Generations aesthetic" has to mean standardizing body proportions.
In fact, the Modulators and Fossilizers basically prove that "Generations aesthetic" never meant "everyone has similar proportions" until Legacy started.

I think this does describe the current mindset behind Legacy, and with that in mind, it makes me wonder why we haven't really seen any Movieverse characters in Legacy. (Assuming they are available outside of Studio series; obviously licensing rules might place a lot of restrictions on this.) Beyond Animated and Prime, the movieverse Transformers are probably the next farthest departure from the Generations/Legacy style.

I'd say the movieverse (the first three movies in particular) is the farthest departure...or maybe tied with Beast Machines.

But I'm more interested in the opposite. If the rumors of the WfC (game) designs getting into Studio Series are true, it's no longer limited to movies, so I just want Studio Series versions of anything that Legacy seems unwilling to make accurately.