More Pics of USA Edition Japanese Universe Ultra Figures

Wow. That Onslaught looks Great! I'm actually considering a purchase... sorry Hasbro!

I really do like that Onslaught quite a lot better...
I'm diggin' the blue, and especially how the head was painted.
But I'm not dropping $55 when there's so much from the Universe Line that I'll be buying within the next couple weeks (and months).

And that Silverbolt is much nicer imo as well.

Unfortunately, I'll have to pass for now.
But who knows, maybe down the road.

I'll never ever have to worry about buying that Powerglide.


Thanks for sharing the pix!

They're really nice except for the price. I'll see if I can get a nicer deal somewhere but I hate the Hasbro versions, especially Hasbro's Powerglide.

What I don't get is about them being called USA Edition Japanese Universe Ultras. I don't understand what this means. Does it mean that they are now making English versions of the Japanese repaints or does it just mean the Japanese Universe Ultra repaints? Because adding USA Edition in front of the name is kind of confusing (I don't understand what that is there for, to be exact). Maybe someone can elaborate on that for me.

They're made for the Japanese market to be sold in Japan, but they're modeled after the US releases, like the USA Edition of Masterpiece Starscream. We only get them because we import. So they're just the Japanese versions of the regular Universe Ultras, but instead of being called Henkei they're USA Edition. I don't know why, maybe because they didn't want to add chrome, which is a benchmark of the Henkei line.

Anyway, I'm probably going to pass on all of these. While these paint jobs are better, I just don't like the molds enough. Powerglide is oddly proportioned in bot mode. I don't like Silverbolt's face, and the transformation is much too simplistic. Onslaught is the only one I'd consider buying, but I don't have any attachment to the character whatsoever, so it's another pass.

I want Powerglide!

So the packaging will be different from both Universe and Henkei?

kirbenvost wrote:They're made for the Japanese market to be sold in Japan, but they're modeled after the US releases, like the USA Edition of Masterpiece Starscream. We only get them because we import. So they're just the Japanese versions of the regular Universe Ultras, but instead of being called Henkei they're USA Edition. I don't know why, maybe because they didn't want to add chrome, which is a benchmark of the Henkei line.

Anyway, I'm probably going to pass on all of these. While these paint jobs are better, I just don't like the molds enough. Powerglide is oddly proportioned in bot mode. I don't like Silverbolt's face, and the transformation is much too simplistic. Onslaught is the only one I'd consider buying, but I don't have any attachment to the character whatsoever, so it's another pass.

That is a darn confusing name. I was about to cancel my preorder for PG thinking they announced a US release.

Anywho, I really like the molds. The Onslaught is great. He was the least of the 3 IMO before I got him. Really a top notch transformer. The import release may have better colors, but the US release looks good enough.

I admit I was disappointed with the transform on Silverbolt. It really is baby level simple. I checked the directions to see if there was any more to it! But all in all I think he works well in both modes, so I'm happy. Also I PREFER his US release. I think it looks less plastic-y.

But Powerglide, looks great to me in the red. These pics clinch it. I think it looks a lot less like a case of bot-boobs. The red color scheme just seems to work better for the design. Maybe that's just my take, but I can't wait!

rpetras wrote:But Powerglide, looks great to me in the red. These pics clinch it. I think it looks a lot less like a case of bot-boobs. The red color scheme just seems to work better for the design. Maybe that's just my take, but I can't wait!

Interesting, maybe I've gotten used to looking at my Hasbro Powerglide, but the Japanese version just looks like it's TOO red and it loses a lot of the details. Weird that I did a total 180 -- I was initially very intrigued by the red version.

Looking at them makes me wonder. what's wrong with hasbro with giving siverbolt colors in which he looks like a cheap KO?

I actually liked the Takara Powerglide more at first too, but am finding him too red for the size of the figure. There's just too much red. The original minibot could get away with it because it was so small... but even that had white/grey arms.

I don't think Takara put a lot of thought into the paint scheme, seems like they just reversed the red and white that Hasbro used. In particular I find the red hands and weapon look really wrong.

Onslaughts head looks a lot better but I quite like the blue-grey colour that Hasbro used.

And I think the Takara Silverbolt looks crap.

Usually I find TakaraTomy's stuff is much better, but with this USA Edition stuff and Henkei, I'm not as impressed. I've only grabbed Megatron and Astrotrain so far. And they were certainly worth it. I will get Ironhide from them too as the Hasbro one looks like a smurf with the blue face.

Hasbro were right, Powerglide does look silly with that much red. Silverbolt looks worse than the Hasbro version (I don't think the character was that white) and Onslaught... not really seeing anything that makes me think "Must get this version instead."

Somehow, i've been pointing out that Hasbro's version looks better. But there's always this "Takara must always be better" mentality.

These are just dancing on the graves of the Universe releases.

The colors are so much more vibrant and well executed. Now, I'm not usually one to try and make the case for Takara, Hasbro is usually far better than they get credit for, but these are vastly superior paint works.

I prefer the duller blue and green of the US Onslaught, but I am glad that I have waited for the Japanese Powerglide and Silverbolt

Auto Bot wrote:Somehow, i've been pointing out that Hasbro's version looks better. But there's always this "Takara must always be better" mentality.

The Takara releases come with the collector/techspecs cards. That means Takara is better

Takara 1
Hasbro 0

The Japanese line is far and away superior to the ones we are getting.

I don't care for these or the Hasbro ones, Powerglide is a maybe, the others, I don't care for I'm only interested in their combined form- oh wait they can't combine = FAIL.

BigRed wrote:I actually liked the Takara Powerglide more at first too, but am finding him too red for the size of the figure. There's just too much red. The original minibot could get away with it because it was so small... but even that had white/grey arms.

I don't think Takara put a lot of thought into the paint scheme, seems like they just reversed the red and white that Hasbro used. In particular I find the red hands and weapon look really wrong.

Onslaughts head looks a lot better but I quite like the blue-grey colour that Hasbro used.

And I think the Takara Silverbolt looks crap.

Usually I find TakaraTomy's stuff is much better, but with this USA Edition stuff and Henkei, I'm not as impressed. I've only grabbed Megatron and Astrotrain so far. And they were certainly worth it. I will get Ironhide from them too as the Hasbro one looks like a smurf with the blue face.

I think the issue isn't the too much red on Powerglide but that he's so damn big. Why did they make the minibot an Ultra while others like Tankor and Astrotrain are deluxes and Jazz is a Legend. I like Powerglide in red better than white but he just doesn't look right in the giant size.

I'm cool with Powerglide being an Ultra. Seems to be a good match for Jetfire. For the alt modes, that is. Also a closer match for the Autobot cars.

But Astrotrain should have been big. At least an Ultra. Starscream should have been a Voyager.

That will even out the score. Make the Decepticons more formidable adversary.

Mkall wrote:I prefer the duller blue and green of the US Onslaught, but I am glad that I have waited for the Japanese Powerglide and Silverbolt

That's pretty much what I'm doing. I've held out on getting the US versions of SB and PG, but have bought Onslaught cause I couldn't tell much of a difference from the pics before. If I would have waited I might have gotten the US edition Onslaught, but I'm definitely happy with the cheaper price for him. I don't think it's enough of a difference yet. Looks great though.

I prefer these paint jobs to the US ones but I'm not sure I like the molds enough to shell out for them

Powerglide and Onslought are awesome. Ordered both from Robotkingdom as soon as I got the release info... They'll be on my shelf in a week or so..