I completely agree... It's actually built better than the originals. I will never understand why Takara/Hasbro never fixed the mold issues with their additional releases of the mold. Even their cone heads share the same mold issues as the original seekers. To me, it just shows how little they care for their customers.
Ben, I got mine today. You're right about the tight joints and pegs. It is a lovely addition to my collection! Thank you! Edit: 5yrs later and it’s still holding up
i got mine and i can say it is so much better quality than the official with exactly the same as the original aesthetically. no regrets and actually felt really good buying this. i hope this will help make takara step up their game :p
Ben, as long as Takara /Hasbro are being straight up greedy a$$holes with this stupid old mold, I wish you'd just come right out and encourage everyone to start buying up these excellent 3rd party versions. They are giving us what Takara refuses: simple improvements to a below-average original mold, at prices that aren't completely outrageous. $200 for the crap 1st party version of this figure is completely offensive to a collector like myself. Their figures should be much improved, like this figure is, and at a price well under $100, like this figure is. Kudos BB7. Thanks for putting value back into the equation for all of us fans! /end rant :)
I do agree Takara products are pricier and they give us minimal upgrades or improvements, but I understand why they are so much more than 3rd party knock offs. I do not agree with encouraging every one to buy 3rd party products. Takara spends lots of money on designing, engineering, producing and marketing their products...3rd partys don't. They save a ton of money off reverse engineering the original product and make improvements on it. It's easy to improve on something that's already been made, no matter how well made or poorly made it is. Encouraging everyone to buy 3rd party over Takara would hurt Takara's sales and business which could cause them to close and stop production, which means 3rd parties would have to design, engineer, produce and market their own models which would drive up their price to the Takara ball park.
Jon G summed it up very nice, the Takara products are pricier due to expenses of the development process, which requires a lot more resources than the reverse engineering the KO companies do. And all the good products of the other companies that have their own design/molds are expensive as well (i.e. the Toyworld Constructor/Devastator or X-Transbots Eligos/Cyclonus).
There are no development costs for churning out repaints. Takara are just greedy whores who don't care about fixing their mistakes. They will do the same thing with the Starscream 3.0 mode. I'm so done with them.
I actually lucked out and nabbed my Hasbro Thundercraker at a random vendor at Sac Wizard Con for $75.00 MISB. But, I will probably switch him out for the Make Toys version when that finally drops. I was actually waiting for the Howling Meteor release before getting any of the official seekers, but I couldn't pass up Thundcracker at that price.
Hi Benscollectables, I received this item and very happy with it but I have never dealt with dry rub stickers. What's the easiest way to get these things on?
Robert Tristan Crame the stickers that come with it are actually very easy they are just transfers just cut the stickers off the sheet no need to cut close to them , peel the back off , place where you want it then rub the top with you fingers for about 10 seconds then peel the top layer off
Funny thing about people that hate ko's and love 3rd party's don't realize that 3rd party is considered bootleg and infinges upon licensed characters. Even if 3rd party's makes their own figure they still are bootlegs which are are also competing and stealing customer from hastak. From a legal standpoint both ko's and bootlegs are in the same boat.
Exactly, this is why I don't understand some people's logic in this department! At least not fully, sometimes I do understand but still, it makes you wonder
Gr8 review Ben. I didn't realize there were 2 different companies making the KO's. I always thought KBB was BB7 and vice versa until I saw on TF-Direct have a preorder for Skywarp with the coronation gear on then I got super confused lol. Anyways is it safe to say BB7 is better than the KBB?
AnT Booth they are very very close , in feel and build quality . I would just choose BB7 , the yes model versions as I like their colour scheme. BB7 also did the figures without the Yes Model help and they had bad QC like arms falling off . You can tell which is which buy the Yes Model having the big YM on its box
+Benscollectables So I'm looking on ebay for BB7 Skywarp and it doesn't say YM unlike Thundercracker's. Should I stay clear of that? Lol sorry for the confusion Ben but thanks for the heads up!
These were all pretty cool. Too bad that the MakeToys version of the Seekers exist...with those around, I can't justify getting any of these now. As for the pec issue...that's just incredibly poor design that could've been solved by some sort of tabbing/locking mechanism being implemented.
Hey Kids Remember Just because Sunbow hired lazy Animators doesn't mean you have to copy their mistakes and put the logos on upside down too. The only possible minuscule advantage I can see to justify people like me pointing and laughing is that at least the nose logo is the opposite way up now so he has a logo the right way up while climbing and diving. The shade of blue never bothered me as I tend to think it makes more sense to go with a reasonably dark shade for Thundercracker so that the pale blue "Rainmaker" (Bitstream) has somewhere to go colour wise, But I can see why some people might be looking for a paler colour - especially with Takara's obsession to cartoon accuracy over common sense. But the closest I'd go to accepting cartoon quirks is accepting a Blue chest on Swoop. I'm undecided on if I like Prime to have one logo or two on his shoulders too One logo has a practical disguise purpose I suppose in vehicle mode displays. Besides that cartoon is kinda terrible anyway - does anyone one even bother still watching it's nearly as bad as Deep Space Nine's first 4 seasons. There must be 50 better made cartoons in the 1980's alone.
90 Lancaster shhh you can't say that the G1ist will hunt you down in packs, there has been no better series since lol. The stories were actually terrible, at least with modern day ones they have an ongoing story line , 80s cartoons urm not so much
Ah marvellous stuff! I'll keep my fingers crossed for a starscream and coneheads too...... Why I'm at it let's have some rainmakers chucked in there for good measure!
If you are going to be so OCD about the nose cone then you likely want the stickers on upside down then - don't you ? They are upside down on the show after all.
I think Knockoff is a bad word for this! its a great copy with upgrades LOL
I completely agree... It's actually built better than the originals. I will never understand why Takara/Hasbro never fixed the mold issues with their additional releases of the mold. Even their cone heads share the same mold issues as the original seekers. To me, it just shows how little they care for their customers.
Ben, I got mine today. You're right about the tight joints and pegs. It is a lovely addition to my collection! Thank you!
Edit: 5yrs later and it’s still holding up
Nice review Ben...I just did this review yesterday and was really impressed.
Got mine today very impressed, like yours same stress on the under wing apart from that great buy
i got mine and i can say it is so much better quality than the official with exactly the same as the original aesthetically. no regrets and actually felt really good buying this. i hope this will help make takara step up their game :p
Ben, as long as Takara /Hasbro are being straight up greedy a$$holes with this stupid old mold, I wish you'd just come right out and encourage everyone to start buying up these excellent 3rd party versions. They are giving us what Takara refuses: simple improvements to a below-average original mold, at prices that aren't completely outrageous. $200 for the crap 1st party version of this figure is completely offensive to a collector like myself. Their figures should be much improved, like this figure is, and at a price well under $100, like this figure is.
Kudos BB7. Thanks for putting value back into the equation for all of us fans!
/end rant :)
I do agree Takara products are pricier and they give us minimal upgrades or improvements, but I understand why they are so much more than 3rd party knock offs. I do not agree with encouraging every one to buy 3rd party products. Takara spends lots of money on designing, engineering, producing and marketing their products...3rd partys don't. They save a ton of money off reverse engineering the original product and make improvements on it. It's easy to improve on something that's already been made, no matter how well made or poorly made it is. Encouraging everyone to buy 3rd party over Takara would hurt Takara's sales and business which could cause them to close and stop production, which means 3rd parties would have to design, engineer, produce and market their own models which would drive up their price to the Takara ball park.
Jon G summed it up very nice, the Takara products are pricier due to expenses of the development process, which requires a lot more resources than the reverse engineering the KO companies do. And all the good products of the other companies that have their own design/molds are expensive as well (i.e. the Toyworld Constructor/Devastator or X-Transbots Eligos/Cyclonus).
There are no development costs for churning out repaints. Takara are just greedy whores who don't care about fixing their mistakes. They will do the same thing with the Starscream 3.0 mode. I'm so done with them.
Too bad YM didn’t add the line detail like they did with Starscream.
Did you at least buy Thundercracker dinner first before stretching his holes?
man, its so amazing how they kept part of the original toy's transformation in this new one.
Nice comparison. Mine is on the way, can't wait!
oh my goodness that metallic silver is incrdible = O
blows the unpainted Hasbro grey out of the water
The Lazy Eyebrow Reviewer HI I love your channel
I actually lucked out and nabbed my Hasbro Thundercraker at a random vendor at Sac Wizard Con for $75.00 MISB. But, I will probably switch him out for the Make Toys version when that finally drops. I was actually waiting for the Howling Meteor release before getting any of the official seekers, but I couldn't pass up Thundcracker at that price.
this is nice,plus the skywarp.
Hi Benscollectables, I received this item and very happy with it but I have never dealt with dry rub stickers. What's the easiest way to get these things on?
Robert Tristan Crame the stickers that come with it are actually very easy they are just transfers just cut the stickers off the sheet no need to cut close to them , peel the back off , place where you want it then rub the top with you fingers for about 10 seconds then peel the top layer off
Thanks for explaining!
The blue on the Hasbro one looks better, I think.
G1 Smokescreen i dont like it is very detailed it has detail the thundercrack havent
To each their own.
Just curious are you planning on getting the other Seeker KO's when they come out? IE the Coneheads and Bitstream, Hotlink and Nacelle?
BB7 conehead thrust was shown recently.
I just ordered him today.
megatron stretched out his holes oh no....
HA HAA HAAAAAA!!
Funny thing about people that hate ko's and love 3rd party's don't realize that 3rd party is considered bootleg and infinges upon licensed characters. Even if 3rd party's makes their own figure they still are bootlegs which are are also competing and stealing customer from hastak. From a legal standpoint both ko's and bootlegs are in the same boat.
Exactly, this is why I don't understand some people's logic in this department! At least not fully, sometimes I do understand but still, it makes you wonder
actually have to correct you, the cartoon DOES have those black parts, at least I've seen em a few times int eh cartoon
had u already applied decepticon
the stickers or were they on when u got them ?
$109 you said later in review. Is that cheapest way for me to get hold of a figure just for a hand do you think?
Benscollectables Do you honestly believe this is the best version of Thundercracker? What do I search for on eBay?
KO or not, this mold has been showing its age for a few years now.
maybe I am not fully up to date with the toy makers but what is different between BB7 and YM figures?
None. BB7 = BBQ = YM.
Gr8 review Ben. I didn't realize there were 2 different companies making the KO's. I always thought KBB was BB7 and vice versa until I saw on TF-Direct have a preorder for Skywarp with the coronation gear on then I got super confused lol. Anyways is it safe to say BB7 is better than the KBB?
AnT Booth they are very very close , in feel and build quality . I would just choose BB7 , the yes model versions as I like their colour scheme. BB7 also did the figures without the Yes Model help and they had bad QC like arms falling off . You can tell which is which buy the Yes Model having the big YM on its box
+Benscollectables So I'm looking on ebay for BB7 Skywarp and it doesn't say YM unlike Thundercracker's. Should I stay clear of that? Lol sorry for the confusion Ben but thanks for the heads up!
If you search YM-01 a couple come up but make sure they mention Yes Model in the description
+Benscollectables OK buddy will do,Thanks!
this one's color and paint all refer to the takara's version, that's why it looks totally different to the hasbro's.
Shu Tan yes you are correct
what is the "YES" stands for ??? in the model name
Nobody ever remembers to tilt the silver shoulder intakes forward in bot mode.
wait why are the decepticon insignias upside down, they're supposed to be in robot mode
opsimathics They're upside down in the cartoon.
These were all pretty cool. Too bad that the MakeToys version of the Seekers exist...with those around, I can't justify getting any of these now.
As for the pec issue...that's just incredibly poor design that could've been solved by some sort of tabbing/locking mechanism being implemented.
does his waste connect better than the takara versions?
Zucchina yep
Soooo getting this 😄
Is this from the same company that made Skywarp? Oh, and fix the link from tf-direct, it doesn't work!
+StathIsOptimus yes it is
Does he have the problem with the chest that goes up and down or it's fixed like Skywarp? Because you didn't mention it.
StathIsOptimus no no broken chest nothing floppy
Hey Kids Remember Just because Sunbow hired lazy Animators doesn't mean you have to copy their mistakes and put the logos on upside down too.
The only possible minuscule advantage I can see to justify people like me pointing and laughing is that at least the nose logo is the opposite way up now so he has a logo the right way up while climbing and diving.
The shade of blue never bothered me as I tend to think it makes more sense to go with a reasonably dark shade for Thundercracker so that the pale blue "Rainmaker" (Bitstream) has somewhere to go colour wise, But I can see why some people might be looking for a paler colour - especially with Takara's obsession to cartoon accuracy over common sense.
But the closest I'd go to accepting cartoon quirks is accepting a Blue chest on Swoop.
I'm undecided on if I like Prime to have one logo or two on his shoulders too One logo has a practical disguise purpose I suppose in vehicle mode displays.
Besides that cartoon is kinda terrible anyway - does anyone one even bother still watching it's nearly as bad as Deep Space Nine's first 4 seasons. There must be 50 better made cartoons in the 1980's alone.
90 Lancaster shhh you can't say that the G1ist will hunt you down in packs, there has been no better series since lol. The stories were actually terrible, at least with modern day ones they have an ongoing story line , 80s cartoons urm not so much
what kind of stickers did you use?
langlest the ones that were included , they are transfers
Benscollectables ah ok, they look a lot better than reprolabels :) thanks for the reply
I prefer the KBB Thundercracker.
Do any of you guys where you can get this in the U.K.? And any idea of price??
Cliff Jacker eBay for £80 took 8 days to get delivered from China
Cliff Jacker search bbq bb7
Thanks so much mate!! Is it just Thundercracker they've done?
They have done a skywarp too
Ah marvellous stuff! I'll keep my fingers crossed for a starscream and coneheads too...... Why I'm at it let's have some rainmakers chucked in there for good measure!
o i need i right hand for masterpiece skywarp. mine came with 2 left hands. is this ko cheap
Neil Sowden why don't you buy KFC seeker hands
MrFennstar Thats what i've done. I was trying to have it all look official but had to get KFC in the end
If you are going to be so OCD about the nose cone then you likely want the stickers on upside down then - don't you ? They are upside down on the show after all.
90 Lancaster touché :)
Make toys makes the best mold
"Cracking" bang? I see what you did there...😏
Shaft, hole stretching, what am I watching? LOL
$109 you said later in review. Is that cheapest way for me to get hold of a figure just for a hand do you think?
Neil Sowden id just buy some new KFC seeker hands