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The big question for me was when were the combiners coming! Ok, ok, so technically some of the pieces like Prowl and Rodimus Major can merge, but I'm talking the SPECIAL ones here. Where's Devastator? Where's Defensor? Sure, Tidal Wave is a great piece, but there's an entire family of mergers out there! Well, Hasbro/Takara heard our pain! The gestalts are coming!
So what's the deal? Based upon the pics from e-tailers doing pre-orders and from the OTFCC, Hasbro/Takara are keeping close to the original forms on this trio of giants. Bruticus is composed of five military vehicles. Superion is the result of five jets merging, and Devastator is made of five biiiiiig, baaaaaad construction vehicles. Naturally each vehicle has a snazzy, futuristic slant to them and all the vehicles also transform into robot forms as well as merging into the big 'bot form.
Something else evident from the shots is the beautiful craftsmanship of the pieces. Like I said these are futuristic vehicles, so we're talking panel lines, vents, weapons ports, and all sorts of whacky version of choppers, planes, and the like. Oohhhhhhhhhh In addition, the merged figures appear to have better articulation. Now I'm not talking Marvel Legends yoga-esque articulation, but enough so the legs and knees can bend for more realistic posing options. Sweet!
There is one small problem with these pieces. Apparently there are only three different types of vehicles being built for each merging 'bot. There's the torso, then one type for one limb, another type for another limb, i.e. to make the complete set of four limbs, Hasbro is just doing repaint to make 'another' vehicle. From a design and cost cutting standpoint, it does make sense. As a collector, though, I'm a bit bummed that they couldn't just make another set of molds for the other limbs. Oh well, if this will keep the costs down, it'll help. Another important note is each 'bot will be sold as separate units, like Landfill sold as single toys rather then a set.
Anything else at this point is a bit too difficult to say. Preliminary pics don't show any funky additional modes, a' la Tidal Waves alternate armor mode for 'Armada'. However, considering the gist of the new line is the 'Spark of Combination' I would think something is possible. Oh well, we'll see.
So when are these babies coming out? Well, looks like fall in Japan, so come 2005... you have a LOT of new possibilities! Oh yeah!