how would he know what frozen whale semen feels like
Transforming Model Kits: Why not?
- Thread starter KingSwoop
- Start date
Never ask questions on the internet unless you're sure you want to know the answer.
This thread reminds me of those Kabaya KOs that used to be on eBay. Not the terrible reboot series I only pretended to enjoy. The randomly colored KOs based on 1980s Kabaya. Despite being tiny model kits they generally retained the original transformations. I would get a kick out of that even if they suck.
But right when I finally had some spending money and was about to buy a whole bunch, the seller vanished off the face of the Earth.
But right when I finally had some spending money and was about to buy a whole bunch, the seller vanished off the face of the Earth.
Frankly there is a joy to assembling a model kit, but as I noted earlier one of the best thing about the Classics Seeker mold is that you can mix and match to make customs, and with a model kit it'd be even easier.
So we get an action figure model kit that transforms, but because of the superior design, is also easy to customize and because of the fiction fans might want to customize and/or troop build.
Now, hey, maybe you're not the kind of guy to have an armada of Seekers collect dust on a shell... but I think I'm that guy. So I'd love this. Do I need to wind down from a busy week? Buy 2 kits, kit bash them together, dig out some novel and color-appropriate guns from the spare parts bin, and BOOM - new character.
Would it be cool? Sure. Thing is, Hasbro is a business. Businesses don’t do things that are cool; they do things that sell. The venn diagram between:
1) people who troop build
2) people who want to make OCs
3) people who build model kits
Is a pretty small market.
As I understand, the model kit market in general isn’t very large outside Japan and the last time Takara dipped its toes into model kits with Arms Microns, sales weren’t very good, so I don’t see it happening soon. Even Hasbro doesn't think it’s worth expanding into a sub-industry seeing how they outsourced the nontransforming model kits to other companies.
1) people who troop build
2) people who want to make OCs
3) people who build model kits
Is a pretty small market.
As I understand, the model kit market in general isn’t very large outside Japan and the last time Takara dipped its toes into model kits with Arms Microns, sales weren’t very good, so I don’t see it happening soon. Even Hasbro doesn't think it’s worth expanding into a sub-industry seeing how they outsourced the nontransforming model kits to other companies.
I DO have an armada of Seekers on my shelf, and the space reserved for them has reached capacity without the ability to invent new characters
Regardless, offering fans more customization options is a good idea, but it's been explained to you a few times now why transforming model kits won't work here.
Thew posted this video today, which seems on point.
Keep in mind the Kabaya kits are meant to be cheap and tiny and don't try to replicate the transforming and poseability of mainline toys. Now, admittedly, a wing does fall off when transforming, but you'll note that's not the kind of joint we'd be using on a model kit seeker (which would either go "G1" with 5mm ports, or go Classics with pegs that snap the wing joints on.).
The question is how the arm and leg joints would work and whether they'd be suitable for play. I suspect the arms could be done with ball joints, and I'd argue the legs could be done as well, and ball joints can be fairly sturdy; indeed the boxier ball joint housings really do make a difference.
Keep in mind the Kabaya kits are meant to be cheap and tiny and don't try to replicate the transforming and poseability of mainline toys. Now, admittedly, a wing does fall off when transforming, but you'll note that's not the kind of joint we'd be using on a model kit seeker (which would either go "G1" with 5mm ports, or go Classics with pegs that snap the wing joints on.).
The question is how the arm and leg joints would work and whether they'd be suitable for play. I suspect the arms could be done with ball joints, and I'd argue the legs could be done as well, and ball joints can be fairly sturdy; indeed the boxier ball joint housings really do make a difference.
please just take the L at this point, it's getting sad.
If your standard is intentionally cheap, nasty toys sold for literal US pennies and made only to exploit Japanese tax loopholes and children’s naivety, sure it could work.
It was mentioned in passing in this thread but Bandai makes kits in the spirit of candy toys for sentai/Power Rangers and super robots. The average kit is somewhere between deluxe and voyager in size, partsforms things that could easily just fold or swivel away, has a gazillion stickers and costs $80 above. I have a few. They’re neat but not worth the hassle and honestly not worth the money.
It was mentioned in passing in this thread but Bandai makes kits in the spirit of candy toys for sentai/Power Rangers and super robots. The average kit is somewhere between deluxe and voyager in size, partsforms things that could easily just fold or swivel away, has a gazillion stickers and costs $80 above. I have a few. They’re neat but not worth the hassle and honestly not worth the money.
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I remember picking up the Shogun Megazord minipla on clearance for like $20. It wasn't a bad kit for that price, but not really worth the full $90 original price unless you're really into the design.
I originally wasn't going to post in this thread, until I remembered, "Wait, I own transforming model kits! Four of them!"
Behold, four fully transformable, fully articulated BeastDrive model kits from 52Toys.
Scales
Rodimouse
Velasa Raptor
Night Glider
All four are redecos of preexisting BeastDrive model kits made by 52Toys, so it doesn't have to be these specific ones.
There are options. Plenty of them. Out there. Just not from Transformers.
If you're really so intent of owning model kits that are fully buildable, fully articulated, and fully transformable, 52Toys's BeastDrive line is the way to go.
Behold, four fully transformable, fully articulated BeastDrive model kits from 52Toys.
Scales
Rodimouse
Velasa Raptor
Night Glider
All four are redecos of preexisting BeastDrive model kits made by 52Toys, so it doesn't have to be these specific ones.
There are options. Plenty of them. Out there. Just not from Transformers.
If you're really so intent of owning model kits that are fully buildable, fully articulated, and fully transformable, 52Toys's BeastDrive line is the way to go.
Not to be a purist but I dunno, if clipping parts off runners and placing them on a preassembled body is considered a model kit, a lot of RID2015 would count.
it’d probably be the best OP could hope for mind you.
it’d probably be the best OP could hope for mind you.
i paid like $170 total for my two sentai miniplas and i think only one component of the set has no partsforming at all (well beyond something that you'd have to have a real stick up your ass to consider 'partsforming' like full offense but if you'd count 'split this vehicle in half because it's the legs' as 'partsforming' idk what to tell you tbh)
and you know what they were worth every penny considering getting the original versions of this set would cost literally thousands of dollars at the cheapest and they're my favorite sentai robo lol
The skeletons have no functionality without the sprue pieces. They're just useless featureless chunks of plastic on their own.
Having most of the figure preassembled is not generally how model kits work, hence why I’d question its inclusion into the group. I don’t think even the entry level kits for children come like that.
"Most of the figure"? I question your hands on experience with these things because all of the vital body parts have to be built. A featureless lump of plastic with no discernable qualities on its own does not a figure make.
Having a central frame that you have to attach the parts to does not make a model kit make, doesn't matter how many things you gotta take off the sprue to get the final result.
These things are closer to what Metal Build do. Those are mostly Gundam that are a mostly assembled robot that some armor parts/wings/accessories are attached on top of. Most hobbyists don’t consider those model kits either.
Similar to some of the Real/Perfect grade kits but you assemble the frames for those.
Similar to some of the Real/Perfect grade kits but you assemble the frames for those.
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Sounds more like the Hi-Resolution Model kits Bandai tried out for a little while. A complete figure with die-cast parts that you built the armor onto. Which were also pretty pricey for 1/100-scale kits, and they haven't put any out in a while. And out of nine or ten kits they made, three of them were still Astrays.
You know I completely forgot about those things. Lol only really remember MetalBuild because of Evangelion
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