ALL THINGS TRANSFORMERS!!!!

[thecorsair]

Gross! What's the import price for Takara-Tomy figures for you guys? Is the 3rd party stuff also more expensive?

As a rule, we have to pay a lot more for everything in this part of the world, not just collectibles.

That said there are some cases where buying an imported figure worked out cheaper, the Hasbro release of MP Prowl for example showed up TRU computers at £59.99....it's possible to import the Takara Autobot cars from sites like Anime Export for around £40 shipped.

Somebody at Hasbro UK must have found this difference out as Prowl got added to the long list of toys the UK never got at retail

When I still collected official Masterpieces I didn't mind paying out for the Takara versions as I generally preferred their color schemes and packaging and have had far less in the way of QC issues.

3rd party pricing has traditionally been higher than official stuff too but some companies have let UK stores like Kapow Toys & TFS-Express officially distribute their products in Europe which has helped keep prices reasonable. I paid less for all my Fans Toys figures than I did for MP13 and the Asia Exclusive Skywarp and XTransbots Apollyon was very good value for the £100 it cost.

It obviously sucks having to pay more for stuff and it's why I'm so picky with what I buy as I feel if I'm paying out for something the quality had better justify it to some degree and the mass market lines haven't for some time, even the official Masterpiece line isn't worth following any more.

EDIT
LED test on XTRansbots Scourge,



I love how the headsculpt can be made visible during alt mode.

 

[karamazov80]

I'm sending my Apollyon back to BBTS, with the hope that the subsequent production run will work out some of these kinks. Too bad I'll have to pay a $15 markup, but I couldn't accept that messed up looking face.

 

[Misterscruff]

I doubt I'll be picking up X-Transbots Scourge. I wasn't too impressed with the quality of the Apollyon I recieved. Don't get me wrong it's a fantastic looking figure but there are just too many little niggly things wrong with it for me. Nothing at all pegs in properly on the side of the legs of mine and I'd hate to have to transform the thing. Mine also has slight dimples on the chest and head which are really noticeable in certain light. I noticed alot of others have the same problem too looking at photos on TFW. It's not really good enough for me, but it will do for now until Takara get around to him (if they ever do) and I'll put up with it to fill a major hole in the collection like Megatron. However I'm certainly not risking it for a second tier character like Scourge. I'll wait for Takara or someone else to cover him and if they never do a version then so be it. I was tempted to pick up XTB's Beachcomber but any enthusiasm I had for that has been dampened by Apollyon. Hopefully Badcube will have a go at him later so I can dodge XTB's stuff altogether!

 

[teemu]

I doubt I'll be picking up X-Transbots Scourge. I wasn't too impressed with the quality of the Apollyon I recieved. Don't get me wrong it's a fantastic looking figure but there are just too many little niggly things wrong with it for me. Nothing at all pegs in properly on the side of the legs of mine and I'd hate to have to transform the thing. Mine also has slight dimples on the chest and head which are really noticeable in certain light. I noticed alot of others have the same problem too looking at photos on TFW. It's not really good enough for me, but it will do for now until Takara get around to him (if they ever do) and I'll put up with it to fill a major hole in the collection like Megatron. However I'm certainly not risking it for a second tier character like Scourge. I'll wait for Takara or someone else to cover him and if they never do a version then so be it. I was tempted to pick up XTB's Beachcomber but any enthusiasm I had for that has been dampened by Apollyon. Hopefully Badcube will have a go at him later so I can dodge XTB's stuff altogether!

I agree...my biggest complaint is the transformation and the kibble parts on the legs.The dimples are on every figure.I do feel like it still fits with the other masterpieces and looks great on the shelf....I believe Takara won't be touching G1 Megatron anytime soon,so I think it's worth having to fill that important rank on the shelf

 

[dajuice]

I have received notice from BBTS that Wardog (Warpath) has arrived. I am finally shipping out my Pile of Loot which consists of Warpath, Apollyon, Gutter (Snarl), and Transistor (Blaster). Oh yeah. Hoping for no QC problems.

 

[DPrime]

Too many bad reports on Appolyon - I will not be buying any of XTransbots products.

It's too bad, since their designer is quite good, at least when it comes to aesthetics... but I am more than happy to be patient and wait for FansToys, Badcube or Takara.

 

[teemu]

Too many bad reports on Appolyon - I will not be buying any of XTransbots products.

It's too bad, since their designer is quite good, at least when it comes to aesthetics... but I am more than happy to be patient and wait for FansToys, Badcube or Takara.

Appolyon still makes a great stand in though...he is masterpiece level with the exception of a few issues and the pain in the butt transformation.I still think he is worth getting but it's understandable if folks want to wait for a Takara or Fans Toys....I think you are going to be waiting a long while for one from either company

 

[karamazov80]

Apart from a few glaring QC issues, Apollyon just feels cheap. But he looks great. So, I'm OK with keeping him until something better comes along, but feel there is definitely room for improvement from Takara, or possibly FansToys.

 

[Animal Mother.]

Is there a chance that quality will be improved with the second wave thats coming?

 

[karamazov80]

Of course there's a chance! I can only hope that they will make some changes based on basic lessons learned during the first run. Because each return, and bad review based on quality means money not in their pockets.

 

[karamazov80]

And following up on that, here is what BBTS said in a followup e-mail, though I suspect they're just trying to lower expectations, and maybe keep orders only from those who are going to accept issues and not ask for another refund

Please note, it is highly unlikely that there will be any changes to the next shipment of Apollyon in June, this is simply the next shipment of product and the issue that you have found on your Apollyon is consistent

 

[soundwave]

Wow little surprised by the consistency of the issues with Appolyon I assumed it would be limited to a few pieces not the entire run & when companies likt BBTS issue statements like that then it makes you think they won't be getting any better anytime soon.

I really think I've lived without one this long & if another one never comes along then so be it...he's important definitely but I honestly feel can live without him & my display won't suffer.

I won't totally count them out as I'd like Windcharger but I think I'll drop my Megs cash on finally get Ultra Magnus or something Hot Toys related

Neil

 

[Silent Bob]

As a display piece Apollyon is fantastic in my eyes.

Completes my Megatron display quite nicely




Bob

 

[Reinhardt]

Sick !

 

[karamazov80]

Love it. Reminds me of this scene from Alan Moore's Supreme:

 

[DPrime]

Appolyon still makes a great stand in though...he is masterpiece level with the exception of a few issues and the pain in the butt transformation.I still think he is worth getting but it's understandable if folks want to wait for a Takara or Fans Toys....I think you are going to be waiting a long while for one from either company

Man, I got kids - couple of years will fly by like nothing. And I really can't imagine it being much longer than that, at the most.

If a second, improved run gets made, I still might bite - but I certainly am not getting any other XTransbots offerings unless they drastically improve, quality-wise. Even if Appolyon was a success for them, I think they still missed a big opportunity - a lot of people are going to give them a "pass" because this is Megatron, but do people care as much about Scourge and Cyclonus?

No doubt they'll stay in business, but they are no FansToys.

 

[Silent Bob]

Sick !

Cheers mate

Love it. Reminds me of this scene from Alan Moore's Supreme:

LOL, I see what you mean. Fat Megs, skinny leg megs, Bobble head and orange cap Megs

Really hope your replacement gets here soon and issue free buddy


Bob

 

[Zildjian]

Apart from a few glaring QC issues, Apollyon just feels cheap. But he looks great. So, I'm OK with keeping him until something better comes along, but feel there is definitely room for improvement from Takara, or possibly FansToys.

EDIT.... yeah, so I guess someone has an issue with me and likes to post under my account, but I will tell you I have SEVERAL Apollyons in my possession and besides the shoulder floppiness, I love them.

I think the material is perfectly fine and I am not just saying that because I know the owner of the company!

 

[thecorsair]

Wow little surprised by the consistency of the issues with Appolyon I assumed it would be limited to a few pieces not the entire run & when companies likt BBTS issue statements like that then it makes you think they won't be getting any better anytime soon.

I really think I've lived without one this long & if another one never comes along then so be it...he's important definitely but I honestly feel can live without him & my display won't suffer.

I won't totally count them out as I'd like Windcharger but I think I'll drop my Megs cash on finally get Ultra Magnus or something Hot Toys related

Neil

Plenty of people have had good ones, myself included, it's just that they choose to spend time enjoying the figure instead of looking for some trivial little thing to whine about on a forum.

Like always there'll have been a few with legit issues such as karamazov80's, the rest are either nitpickers with unrealistic expectations, scaremongers who blow everything out of proportion or people who mishandled the toy and are looking for someone to blame for their own stupidity.

There will always be some kind of issue with a mass produced item, but most of the time it's so tiny that it doesn't affect the overall figure.

Apollyon is not perfect but it's not even close to being the disaster that some people in this thread and elsewhere are trying to suggest. To me it feels as sturdy as something like MP13 and several video reviewers have reported no major issues even after they've transformed it back & forth multiple times.

From what you've been saying it sounds like Megatron isn't that important a character to you and if that's the case fair enough, but don't let others put you off something else down the line because unless they're working in the factories where these things are made they don't know s**t about how it will turn out.

Megatron is an incredibly difficult Transformer to do right, Apollyon's designer said as much in the interview I posted in this thread a while back.

Nobody is making one in MP scale without a complex transformation which means a higher parts count than the average figure, it's physically impossible....even Hegemon was a pain in the butt to transform and that was smaller and meant for the Classics line.

Could somebody take Apollyon, tweak some of the tolerances and make it sturdier?

Perhaps, but there's no guarantee of that and unless you play with your TF's constantly which I'm assuming most adult collectors don't have time for the worst that'll happen is the arms popping off the ball joints.

Looking ahead characters like Windcharger are far easier in terms of complexity as the parts count will be much lower so there's less potential for stuff to go wrong.

DPrime,
All FT's figures so far have had issues of some kind, they just seem to be better than most at kicking their factory in the butt and getting them fixed.

 

[Misterscruff]

Glad you were one of the lucky ones who got a perfect Apollyon.