Toys - Transformers/Robotech

HASBRO/TAKARA Movie Ironhide and Ratchet
Price: Approx. RM 100 (HASBRO)/ RM 140 (TAKARA)

********** UPDATE **********
TAKARA Movie Ironhide
Status: Acquired on 24th November 2007
Price: RM 150 (via www.play-asia.com)

HASBRO Limited Edition Metallic Ratchet
Status: Acquired on 17th December 2007
Price: RM 149 (via www.ebay.com.my)

And Ratchet makes the 5th and FINAL completing my Autobot collection. YAY!

********** UPDATE **********

The TRANSFORMERS bug has really gotten to me - I feel like I'm infected by some sort of virus. After the recent haul, I'm compelled to complete the collection - the AUTOBOTS at least. Technically, I already have Bumblebee from the "Evolution" 2-pack, although I'm still waiting for that 2-pack with the Voyager Optimus Prime.

This leaves Ironhide and Ratchet to complete my collection. And this it seems, sounds like Mission: Impossible at the moment, at least for Ironhide. Prices are sky-high - will I ever get it at normal prices?

Ratchet is still available - so that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Maybe, its because of these, repainted with metallic paint.

Metallic Movie Ratchet

Metallic Movie Megatron

There's news of new Metallic repaints coming out in the first half of 2008. Maybe I should wait to see if there's a Metallic Ironhide then?

HASBRO Ultimate Bumblebee
Price: Approx. RM 400

********** UPDATE **********
Status: Acquired on 20th October 2007
Price: RM 350 (Ultimate Bumblebee), RM 129 (Evolution Of A Hero 2-pack)

********** UPDATE **********

Michael Bay made a hero of Bumblebee in the latest Transformers movie. Now, any Bumblebee toy is difficult to find. Hell, you can thank your lucky stars if you find any Transformers toys at all!

This one, is the Ultimate Bumblebee, 14 inches tall in Robot mode, lights and sounds with some motion-sensor technology.

Unfortunately, these pictures look much better as the actual toy looks dull and not as shiny as they look here.

Still, these are selling like hotcakes!

HASBRO Deluxe Bumblebee 08 (Camaro Concept Version)
Price: Approx. RM 50, Scalped price: RM 90 and above

Yes, I didn't even see these on the shelves. They're that hot! I've been waiting for re-stocks since the middle of the year and there's no news of it arriving yet.

Scalpers stake out the toy stores like Toys R Us and other shops and grab these even before they reach the display shelves. I've read that fights almost broke out at one of the Toys R Us, grown men and women pushing and shoving to get them Transformers toys.

This isn't Sparta.....it's madness.

HASBRO Deluxe Bumblebee 08 and Voyager Optimus Prime 2-pack
Price: Approx. RM 150


********** UPDATE **********
HASBRO Deluxe Bumblebee 08 and Voyager Optimus Prime 2-pack
Status: Acquired on 6th January 2008
Price: RM 130

********** UPDATE **********


Yes, I'm still looking for my Bumblebee 08 Deluxe figure. So, the kind folks at Hasbro decided to repack these to make us part with our dollars.

I've placed 2 seperate orders from 2 different stores. No worries about having extras if I get both orders, I can easily sell off a set. In fact, I've already have an offer from a friend who helped me get some other Transformers stuff. Will I ever get it? Who knows?

HASBRO Deluxe Bumblebee 08 Repack - Capture Of Bumblebee
Price: Unknown, I'm thinking around the RM 80 - RM 100 mark (for 3 extra plastic men and new cardboard box - plastic and cardboard costs money!)

Yet another repack, just throw in the Bumblebee with some slight colour variations to make it more "movie-accurate" (legs are now moulded in gray plastic instead of black, compare with original Deluxe figure above) plus throw in a few extra plastic men.

If I don't get any one of the above, this will have to do.

Yamato Macross 1/60 scale VF-0S
Price: Approx RM 700 *UPDATED - 19th December 2007 - can be found for about RM 520*

I was never really exposed to Macross (Robotech in the USA). Macross was more Japanese anime-based whilst I was more into the American cartoons.

However, there's something about the fighter jets that make it look really cool.

I've recently had to watch the Macross Zero series, and the jets still look cool. This particular VF-0s Valkyrie Veritech fighter jet was piloted by a guy called Roy Fokker.

So, to have a toy with a character with a similar, how cool is that?!?

Read that this will be reissued with an additional thingamajig that fits onto the top called a Ghost. That's gonna cost more than the RM 700 for the first version that was released earlier this year.

Whatever that is - maybe its time to brush up on my Macross knowledge. Plus, there is probably a live-action version coming very soon. Tobey Maguire's movie studio has bought the rights and he's rumoured to have a role in the movie as well.

First, giant fighting robots in Transformers, now transforming fighter jets in Macross!