Takara Predaking Reissue

asuka 24 · Post by **asuka 24** » Sat Jul 17, 2010 3:45 am

I got lucky back in 2007 I came across an auction on Ebay and got a Bootleg figure of Predaking for 30 bucks that is almost perfect, if the colors where the same the figure would have been perfect.

Even thought the color scheme don't match the original it still looks awesome.

:D:D

Skyquake87 · Post by **Skyquake87** » Sat Jul 17, 2010 7:37 am

Cliffjumper wrote:I've never been able to work out fandom's hard-on for the Predacons, really. "Prey" is awesome (as is "Grudge Match"), but aside from that they did bugger-all - did Predaking ever win a fight outside of fanfics? Maybe in Headmasters in those early episodes where there always seemed to be a combined robot hitting another one in the background?

I think its one of those 'must own/ can't own' things. The Preds were never available in the UK, and got some fair exposure in the comic. I think its the same reason I really, really like the Constructicons. Which might not be the most amazing figures out there, but at least there was some thought put into them.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Sat Jul 17, 2010 7:57 am

Were they really never released in the UK? I didn't know that. The UK comic was incredibly cruel in making all the toys we couldn't buy look cool wasn't it? Especially Whirl.

Rack 'n Ruin · Post by **Rack 'n Ruin** » Sat Jul 17, 2010 8:40 am

Yeah, I remember being particularly gutted as a child (it was an easy childhood) that Swoop & Blaster weren't available as toys. I don't think I thought about the situation outside the UK, I just knew I couldn't get them here. And I really wanted those figures.

Cue someone telling me they were out in the UK after all.

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Sat Jul 17, 2010 9:19 am

Nah, Swoop and Blaster were never released in the UK. I think Blaster was out in Germany (mentioned in a letters page, iirc). The Predacons and Trypticon were released in Italy, but that's because Gig just did whatever the hell they wanted.

Skyquake87 wrote:I think its one of those 'must own/ can't own' things. The Preds were never available in the UK, and got some fair exposure in the comic. I think its the same reason I really, really like the Constructicons.

The Constructicons were released in the UK. Eventually, anyway. In, like, 1992 ish. I got my Bonecrusher in Woolies... it was either when the Classics were still on the shelves or when I got my G2 Silverbolt. Better late than never.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Sat Jul 17, 2010 11:54 am

Wasn't Swoop held back for safety reasons? Which considering what did get released here suggests he must be some sort of fragile death trap. Considering they'd have certainly wanted to release all five Dinobots (some of the most popular characters, guaranteed good sellers all) there must have been some sort of outside constraint anyway.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Sat Jul 17, 2010 12:12 pm

The way I remember it (and I can't remember where I read this, so it could be bollocks), there were numerous returns in the States due to the head assembly falling apart, so Hasbro UK (who had plenty of figures to choose from anyway) just didn't bother in the first place.

Catalyst Dragon · Post by **Catalyst Dragon** » Sat Jul 17, 2010 11:55 pm

Skyquake87 wrote:Nope. They really look like that in real life. the legs sit forward on the connector points, so his torso looks like its set back from his legs.

Thats what I was afraid of, I suppose I already knew, I remembered seeing the connector port on the Hardhead I had as a kid. I just hoped it wasn't that pronounced...

As for Cliffy's question of what the Fandom sees in Predaking?
I can't speak for everyone else, but the main reasons I've always wanted him is: I never had him as a kid.(and probably the main reason I want him now)
He's the biggest of the combiners. He's made up of mostly(with the exception of Tantrum and Hardhead) Hunting animals. I'm a cat person so how can I not have a combiner that has two cats!

And finally, If someone invades your home he makes a good bludgeoning device!
...although I'd probably reach for MP Megatron before Predaking.

skywarp408 · Post by **skywarp408** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 12:20 am

Got the original mib, but might pick this up.

Post by **Clay** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 11:19 am

Skyquake87 wrote:Headstrong's metal back means he can't stand up in robot mode with toppling over. The only way to get him to stand is to have weapons in both hands and have his arms outstretched!

There's a tab in the back of his feet that folds out to prevent this.

As for the group as a whole, I had always wanted one since I was a kid because they just looked neat. They have a certain uniformity to them like the Constructicons do while being able to vary a bit more.

I also think that, by 1986 Transformers standards, the individual toys are rather good, and the combined mode is really quite articulate even today.

Post by **Sades** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 8:36 pm

skywarp408 wrote:Got the original mib, but might pick this up.

Wouldn't the "value" on those MIB items just plummet with this?

I don't understand why people are willing to pay MIB prices. Well, I do and I don't. As with everything I suppose.

I don't do the "brag factor" thing, and value means nothing to me. If I own it, it's because I liked it.

The only thing I have MIB is a couple of smaller Universe figs and my Fallen figure, but they're only still in the boxes because I forgot about them or/and didn't have any room for them anywhere so figured they'd be better off staying in their boxes.

Then again, that might be how some things become MIB... *shrugs*

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 8:52 pm

MIB != MISB. I've got shitloads of MIB toys, simply because some toys have great packaging (cross ref: Seacons, short version I'm not talking about Transformers). Most of my Ideon stuff is MIB, ditto Soul of Chogokin. Lots of the boxes look great, and when they're made properly (styrofoam inserts, plastic trays designed to hold parts rather than prop the toy up nicely in the shop) they're incredibly helpful for storage (though I'm trying to move away from keeping toys I don't have on display; I'd rather other people enjoyed the things... problem is when I take stuff out of boxes to do ebay listings I invariably remember why stuff is so great. Or weird). I'd have lost a lot of parts for my SoCs if I didn't hang onto the boxes, actually.

Post by **Sades** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 9:06 pm

Yeah... thinking about it, this is a question I think I've ruminated on more than once.

The packaging thing makes sense. There's been a lot of figures I've thought about keeping in-box because of the packaging.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 9:16 pm

It varies by line in my case - the only TF stuff I hold onto are for reissues, the TF Collection stuff because it looks good, the other Autobot cars for storage (the reissues' reworked bubbles are more reusable than the older ones). About the only other things I've kept are Legends Devastator (because I planned to sell him almost from the start, he was bought to review largely), and the ROTF Leaders, Supreme Devastator and MP Prime (because they're awkwardly big figures and it;s handy to have something to put them on). Most TF stuff leaves me cold, though - stock pictures, the briefest bios imaginable when they bother at all, big ugly plastic windows. Urgh.

S_Windell · Post by **S_Windell** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 5:21 am

King Over-rated is back.

CrazyDevy is selling upgrade kits now. Hopefully there will be an attachment to help those too noticeably forward-swept legs. That would be the most obvious, and good for folks who actually like Predaking. It seems "moar guns!" are next though...

http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transform ... hotos.html

Does Headstrong have new decals? I don't remember any of those.

Tantrum looks a bit like a Junkion. That's kinda cool. Divebomb's "now I'm short" alt mode. The whole "Boba Fett Predaking's so awesome he doesn't have to do anything to prove it" thing. I just don't get it. Even as a boy I didn't understand the hype. "Run, Kup, Run!"

Skyquake87 · Post by **Skyquake87** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 7:53 pm

Halfshell wrote:Nah, Swoop and Blaster were never released in the UK. I think Blaster was out in Germany (mentioned in a letters page, iirc). The Predacons and Trypticon were released in Italy, but that's because Gig just did whatever the hell they wanted.

The Constructicons were released in the UK. Eventually, anyway. In, like, 1992 ish. I got my Bonecrusher in Woolies... it was either when the Classics were still on the shelves or when I got my G2 Silverbolt. Better late than never.

This is true! The original green combining constructicons limped into retail in about 1991 (I remember a branch of Boots in Portsmouth, where I was holidaying at the time, had them. i got Mixmaster, whom i promptly pulled the arm off) and then we got the non-combining New Constructicons in 1992 (the yellow ones).

The only TF figure that I've been really impressed with that we originally missed out on is Perceptor. he's an awesome toy

Catalyst Dragon · Post by **Catalyst Dragon** » Sun Jul 25, 2010 11:52 pm

Skyquake87 wrote:we got the non-combining New Constructicons in 1992 (the yellow ones).

I had completely forgotten that those didn't combine. I think i had a couple of them too.

S_Windell · Post by **S_Windell** » Mon Jul 26, 2010 3:21 am

I've been curious about this. Were they literally retooled to not combine, or just missing the components?

Skyquake87 · Post by **Skyquake87** » Tue Jul 27, 2010 12:15 pm

Hook was slightly modified to remove the connector pin, so you can't connect Bonecrusher. Scavenger is also missing that flat panel that folds out of his chest, so he cannot be connected to Hook. None of the Devastator parts (Long Haul's waist connector/ wings, Scrapper's chest plate/ jet wings , the forearms that came with Bonecrusher/ Scavenger and the Head module) came with the yellow versions. Mixmaster also had the missile launcher removed, leaving him with an unslightly gap where the trigger for the launcher should be. Unlike his Generation 2 successor, he doesn't come with a non-firing missile accessory to go above his head.

The Wild One · Post by **The Wild One** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 6:55 pm

I want to get him. My problem is with getting the wife to let me spend more than a $100 on him. I didn't even pay $180 for my PS3. And those are even more expensive.