Machine Robo/Gobots/Robo Machines

[legios]

Nice looking Heatseeker in that line-up. Looks like it hasn't gotten quite as many flight hours logged on it as the one I picked up (either that or has had a better maintenance regime - mine looks a lot like it has been owned by a eastern european nation that has been determined to keep operating it, even though their budget wouldn't stretch to depot-level maintenance... :-) ) Snoop is looking rather sharp too.

Karl

[The Huff]

Very nice. I also have a collection of Robo Machines that I include as part of my Transformers collection.
In fact, the orange dump truck (also in your picture) is the toy I still consider my first ever 'Transformer' and have a nice boxed one in my display.

[blueshift]

In the post came some ebay lots
£60 of lovely Gobots!

[Grand Moff Muffin]

The big ones make me go "Ooh!"
But what do the orange ones do?

Martin

[blueshift]

The orange things are nothing finer
Than limbs for the Power Suit combiner
A basic gobot can sit inside
The Renegades will have nowhere to hide!

[The Doctor]

The best Gobot is Zod-Monster,
Get him you funster!

-Ralph

[blueshift]

Today's job is fixing Toy Fu stock
Water Walk looked like he'd been kept in a sock

[Jim]

I saw preorders appear for two new releases (the big blue truck and the plane) in the Action Toys Machine Robo line today. Funny how they trickle out like that, I keep forgetting about it.

[Toph]

news.toyark.com/2022/10/06/nycc-2022-bandai-toys-booth-images-new-york-comic-con-486531







...these are not the Action Toys molds.

[Dezzeh]

Yeah, aren't these actual Bandai, Revenge of Cronos stuff?

[blueshift]

Oct 7, 2022 7:33:09 GMT Dezzeh said:

Yeah, aren't these actual Bandai, Revenge of Cronos stuff?

The Action Toys stuff were using the same Revenge of Cronos license too

[Toph]

All Bandai does with the OG Machine Robo is license it out to other companies.
So... why don't they just license it out to Takara and Hasbro?

[legios]

Well, Tomy is their main competitor in the domestic market - and a lot more of a heavyweight than it used to be prior to absorbing the late-Takara. (And Hasbro was historically Takara's overseas partner, a relationship that Tomy inherited). So perhaps they don't see it as really in their interests?

Karl

[Toph]

Playmates licenses out TMNT to just about everyone, including Hasbro. While still making TMNT toys of their own. While I know this isn't Bandai, it's proof that when money is involved, companies don't behave how you'd expect.

Hasbro bought Bandai's biggest american property (Power Rangers), and likely maintains a cordial relationship with them.

These designs have two sets of fans who're hungry for them. Neither one has enough buying power on their own, but the Machine Robo and Gobot fans combined rival some solid fandoms. Bandai has no interest in producing toys of these designs themselves, but recognizes there's demand, because they keep licensing other companies to make them.
License it put to Tomy and Hasbro? You get your competitors, who make the best transforming robots in the business, to take all the risk while you just collect the licensing fees and a percentage of the profits, for a property you have little interest in using yourself?

[Andy Turnbull]

Jan 10, 2024 20:37:06 GMT Toph said:

Playmates licenses out TMNT to just about everyone, including Hasbro. While still making TMNT toys of their own. While I know this isn't Bandai, it's proof that when money is involved, companies don't behave how you'd expect.

Hasbro bought Bandai's biggest american property (Power Rangers), and likely maintains a cordial relationship with them.

These designs have two sets of fans who're hungry for them. Neither one has enough buying power on their own, but the Machine Robo and Gobot fans combined rival some solid fandoms. Bandai has no interest in producing toys of these designs themselves, but recognizes there's demand, because they keep licensing other companies to make them.
License it put to Tomy and Hasbro? You get your competitors, who make the best transforming robots in the business, to take all the risk while you just collect the licensing fees and a percentage of the profits, for a property you have little interest in using yourself?

You seem to be labouring under the notion that the reason Hasbro/Tomy aren't able to make them, is because Bandai refuse to license to them.

I don't imagine there is much of an appetite within Hasbro/Tomy to license Machine Robo/Gobots whatsoever. They don't need to try and resurrect a failed brand. They have Transformers, they also have Power Rangers. There is no need.

[The Doctor]

What if they went after the Jugger Morph?

-Ralph

[Toph]

Jan 10, 2024 20:59:33 GMT Andy Turnbull said:

Jan 10, 2024 20:37:06 GMT Toph said:

Playmates licenses out TMNT to just about everyone, including Hasbro. While still making TMNT toys of their own. While I know this isn't Bandai, it's proof that when money is involved, companies don't behave how you'd expect.

Hasbro bought Bandai's biggest american property (Power Rangers), and likely maintains a cordial relationship with them.

These designs have two sets of fans who're hungry for them. Neither one has enough buying power on their own, but the Machine Robo and Gobot fans combined rival some solid fandoms. Bandai has no interest in producing toys of these designs themselves, but recognizes there's demand, because they keep licensing other companies to make them.
License it put to Tomy and Hasbro? You get your competitors, who make the best transforming robots in the business, to take all the risk while you just collect the licensing fees and a percentage of the profits, for a property you have little interest in using yourself?

You seem to be labouring under the notion that the reason Hasbro/Tomy aren't able to make them, is because Bandai refuse to license to them.

I don't imagine there is much of an appetite within Hasbro/Tomy to license Machine Robo/Gobots whatsoever. They don't need to try and resurrect a failed brand. They have Transformers, they also have Power Rangers. There is no need.

Takara was the first one to use gobots, and the only reason they didn't use gobot names is fear of bandai.
And Hasbro has been giving us gobot homages since the first movie, and are now openly using gobot names on gobot homages and openly proclaimed Road Ranger is a gobot.
You're telling me hasbro wouldn't jump on the chance to do a new mold for Leader-1, if it didn't open them up for a lawsuit?

Hasbro is openly working with Mattel, now. I don't think "gobots are icky" is the mentality that's stopping them.

I think it's that they've never actually thought to approach bandai, or bandai has never approached them.

[Andy Turnbull]

Jan 10, 2024 23:43:25 GMT Toph said:

Jan 10, 2024 20:59:33 GMT Andy Turnbull said:

You seem to be labouring under the notion that the reason Hasbro/Tomy aren't able to make them, is because Bandai refuse to license to them.

I don't imagine there is much of an appetite within Hasbro/Tomy to license Machine Robo/Gobots whatsoever. They don't need to try and resurrect a failed brand. They have Transformers, they also have Power Rangers. There is no need.

Takara was the first one to use gobots, and the only reason they didn't use gobot names is fear of bandai.
And Hasbro has been giving us gobot homages since the first movie, and are now openly using gobot names on gobot homages and openly proclaimed Road Ranger is a gobot.
You're telling me hasbro wouldn't jump on the chance to do a new mold for Leader-1, if it didn't open them up for a lawsuit?

Hasbro is openly working with Mattel, now. I don't think "gobots are icky" is the mentality that's stopping them.

I think it's that they've never actually thought to approach bandai, or bandai has never approached them.

You conflate the brand and design teams actions with Hasbro's corporate position. These are two very distinct things and the decisions about who they choose to work with are well above their pay grade. What the brand and design team want to do is one thing, Hasbro's leadership team is another, and they will protect the brand. They'll tolerate or approve the homaages because they are released all under the Transformers banner. If you want to license something, you don't dictate terms, the licensor does, so why help a rival resurrect and strengthen a dead property.

[Philip Ayres]

Machine Robo Wedge book is getting a reissue.

I recommend owning one

www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4798636207