Official ThunderCats 2011 Toys Discussion Thread

[Shredder]

Lots of websites seem to be raining down on the 'cell phone' photo's.. lots of sour grapes of people getting scooped.

interesting how this latest website claims to 'have a pal' working on the show who sent them an official pic..

[RocketPunch]

Also, does the new Cheetara have her staff? I always thought that was a kickass weapon.

She does have her staff. One of the pictures shows them holding their classic weapons, from Lion-O's sword to Panthro's nunchuks.

I think some of the comments that this show looks too anime are a bit odd, since the original ThunderCats series was very heavily anime influenced. This new cartoon just has a more modern style of anime, and it's hard to judge how good it'll look until we've seen it in motion.

[Mern-Ra]

I dig the new looks and think Panthro looks bad a**, as does the Thundertank, even if it does look more like a Horde tank than the original Thundertank which actually looked like a cat.

Why do people dislike anime this much??

I think it's just a case of over-satturation. I like Anime, but only as one genre, NOT as the one and only type of animation available.

[REX-203]

We have done some pruning recently for accounts that were not active and accounts that were deemed as spam (not yours BTW). We had quite a bit of spammers and accounts that were not used for a while.

Sorry for the inconveniece...glad you signed up again

I think the same thing happened to me. I could have sworn I registered there not long after registering here, but I had to re-register earlier this morning.

Anyway, I really, really, like how everything looks for the new series. If I had one nitpick, it would be that Panthro is too big. And maybe Tygra's uniform being such a departure from his original. Otherwise, it all looks very promising. Can't wait to see more!!!

[Mr. Shokoti]

There probably are more reasons but since WB has a big hand in CN's schedule it will get pushed unlike MOTU, and that in itself will help move the product.

Its the same reason Hasbro ditched CN for the most part and started their own network.

MOTU 200x was a big ole epic fail, and it was like dominoes because without proper cartoon scheduling you had no real push for the toys, which were then not ordered by retailers (which is why Snakemen wound up at the Aldi's discount grocery chain and specialty dept stores like ShopKo).

Is it Mattel, is it CN, was it kids? Does not really matter because when one piece failed the whole house came crumbling down on the license

Don't get me wrong. I'm not a Mattel apologist. I feel they seem to have more respect for their franchises than Hasbro does & they also seem to listen to the fans more(for better or for worse), but in most other avenues, they tend to come up lacking. Just the fact that we don't have a MOTU comic from a third party is insane. Not only would it help promote MOTUC, I don't think it would cost Mattel anything. I just feel there were a lot of different reasons as to why the 2002 era died. It was a "perfect storm" of problems that just led to disastrous results.

[markatisu]

Don't get me wrong. I'm not a Mattel apologist. I feel they seem to have more respect for their franchises than Hasbro does & they also seem to listen to the fans more(for better or for worse), but in most other avenues, they tend to come up lacking. Just the fact that we don't have a MOTU comic from a third party is insane. Not only would it help promote MOTUC, I don't think it would cost Mattel anything. I just feel there were a lot of different reasons as to why the 2002 era died. It was a "perfect storm" of problems that just led to disastrous results.

Yeah its the support issue that I think will always trip Mattel up, they do not seem to understand that toys need support and cross promotion.

Its especially a shame for MOTU since the history is so vast its just a waste of potential to not have that stuff.

[Mr. Shokoti]

I think some of the comments that this show looks too anime are a bit odd, since the original ThunderCats series was very heavily anime influenced.

I actually thought for awhile as a kid that Thundercats was an imported anime cartoon similar to Voltron & Tranzor Z. I miss the days where you had anime cartoons in addition to the American ones. It seemed, during the whole card collecting craze, all of the popular cartoons & toys for kids were out of Japan.

[hemanrep]

Lots of websites seem to be raining down on the 'cell phone' photo's.. lots of sour grapes of people getting scooped.

interesting how this latest website claims to 'have a pal' working on the show who sent them an official pic..

I don't get it. I mean, you display these figures at a trade show event that is open to the public, not just retailers (the person who took those photos does not work in retail), and you expect it to stay private in this modern day of technology?

It doesn't make sense.

In fact, these photos, have been FREE publicity for WB and Bandai. i've read tons of comments from across the net and the majority have been fairly positive.

Then WB releases a press release in regards to the animated series with an official first look at the series, and even more free marketing.

So why would WB and Bandai be upset by these leaked photos?

I mean, I've been to Comic Con every year since 1999, and there are signs posted in certain booths that say no photos. And yet, I see all these photos on the internet of these same items that were not suppose to be photographed.

If it was a private trade show, I'd be more inclined to agree with keeping these leaked photos private. However, in this case...I 100% disagree.

I help run ThunderCats Lair and I DO NOT appreciate it when Toy News International runs an article about the photos, brings us down, then in turn links to the photos?

No offense, but if those photos were linked to their forums (and those images were when I last looked at their forums) first, they'd run that story like it was the greatest thing ever.

Oh well. Bandai will reveal everything in a couple weeks anyways, right?

[MegaGearMax]

We'll have to agree to disagree. I'm not even talking about older fans who prefer the original MOTU over the 2002 era. I feel there were many reasons why that cartoon & toyline failed with kids & non-MOTU fans and I don't think Mattel should be blamed for all of it.

Yes. Cartoon Network is the other moron. I'm worried about ThunderCats or Young Justice being on that station because CN moves cartoon timeslots that aren't Ben 10 without warning.

[synthalus]

Pearl Harbor



In all seriousness, it's just because its style and storytelling are quite different from traditional American animation for the most part. Some people don't like it because they didn't grow up with it while others just don't like its style. I do like some anime, but, unlike a lot of anime & manga fans, it will never be my first choice for animation or comics.

Nothing personal Mr. Shokoti, I'm just quoting regarding the subject

I find it very interesting how people are seeing anime and animation as two different things from two totally different sides. They are actually much closer than you think. ThunderCats was anime-inspired and/or made in Japan back in the 80s along with Transformers, Voltron, RoboTech, Teenage Muntant Ninja Turtles, Galaxy Rangers, just to name a few. Animation knows a lot of worldwide collaboration. I grew up the World Masterpiece Theater which had so many truly amazing animation series based on classic western stories.

Nowadays in the US we mostly get CGI... While the true art of animation is still being made in Japan, drawn by hand. I personally think it's a shame if the art becomes lost.

Another thing, Animation is usually considered a genre in the US mostly geared towards for kids while Anime in Japan is a medium by itself with all the genre's you can imagine. In the US, we mostly get kids Anime or butchered anime that is suppose to be cencored to death to make it "right" for kids to watch... There is a whole world of Anime out there, there's a genre and style out there for everyone as long as you can accept the Japanese cultural references.

[Obbie]

OMG!!! I will have these!!!!! I'm friggin' excited!!

[wolfsfang]

I really really like the new character designs and yes I can see the heavy anime influence but to me that is just another major selling point.

[blackiecats]

I help run ThunderCats Lair and I DO NOT appreciate it when Toy News International runs an article about the photos, brings us down, then in turn links to the photos?

Whoever wrote that article needs to grow up as they clearly threw their dummy out the pram I agree with Shredder, just a classic case of sour grapes.

Bandai should be rejoicing at the amount of free publicity they got and the fact that at least 90% of ThunderCats fans are pleased and excited at what has been leaked The community is buzzing with excitement, which can only be a good thing!

[Krueger]

I hope the series and toyline do really well. As we all know, it would bode well for MOTU. Also, at last year’s SDCC, a WB exec apparently did say that they're seriously considering doing a live-action movie, but that they want to see how the re-launch does first. So fingers crossed.

As for the characters, I like Panthro and Tygra the most, especially Tygra. Lion-O and Cheetara, though, do look very generic. They look like they could be from any show.

[Bonehead]

Hate to say it but I'm not digging the new designs at all.

Too much "hyper anime" for me.

WTH happened to Panthro???


As long as the show though stays true to the original characters, I'll be happy.

I honestly wasn't sold completely on the MOTU 200X series either until it premiered so hopefully it'll be the same case with Thundercats. Hopefully they don't ruin the Mutants.

Bandai is hit and miss when it comes to figures. Sometimes they do great and other times just down right horrible. I'll be passing on the smaller figures but hopefully the 6" figures look good enough.

[Adam_Prince of Eternia]

I don't get it. I mean, you display these figures at a trade show event that is open to the public, not just retailers (the person who took those photos does not work in retail), and you expect it to stay private in this modern day of technology?

It doesn't make sense.

By this reasoning, if a store is open to the public, and some of the public are shoplifters, then the store is open to shoplifting.

I mean, I've been to Comic Con every year since 1999, and there are signs posted in certain booths that say no photos. And yet, I see all these photos on the internet of these same items that were not suppose to be photographed.

If it was a private trade show, I'd be more inclined to agree with keeping these leaked photos private. However, in this case...I 100% disagree.

By this reasoning, since thieves do not obey the law, then there should be no prohibition against stealing.

In fact, these photos, have been FREE publicity for WB and Bandai. i've read tons of comments from across the net and the majority have been fairly positive.

Then WB releases a press release in regards to the animated series with an official first look at the series, and even more free marketing.

So why would WB and Bandai be upset by these leaked photos?

By this reasoning, if one shoplifts merchandise from a store, and identifies the store to others as a business where the merchandise is sold, then he is promoting the business, and the store owner should be thankful.




It may not seem fair to you, but Warner Bros. has the right to control how its property is displayed, reproduced, and distributed.

[Steph]

Nowadays in the US we mostly get CGI... While the true art of animation is still being made in Japan, drawn by hand. I personally think it's a shame if the art becomes lost.

I little adjustment to your fine summary . Anime was hand drawn by the Japanese up to the 2000. There has been a big shift to more and more of it being done in Korea because no one in Japan can make a living doing it anymore. Directors, save for very few, make more driving trucks doing deliveries. All the real talent from the 80 and 90's has moved over to video games.

[GP Legend]

I hope these actually find a way to the toy shelves, rather than limited, online-only orders. Though, considering these are all based around the new cartoon, chances are we will be seeing these in places like walmart and Toys R Us, which I will be glad for. I loved Thundercats as a kid, but never had any of the toys. I'd love to get these.

[krosfyah]

Don't get me wrong. I'm not a Mattel apologist. I feel they seem to have more respect for their franchises than Hasbro does & they also seem to listen to the fans more(for better or for worse), but in most other avenues, they tend to come up lacking. Just the fact that we don't have a MOTU comic from a third party is insane. Not only would it help promote MOTUC, I don't think it would cost Mattel anything.

Mattel would MAKE money on a comic as they charge the third party licensing fees to use the characters, the problem as I've translated it from what happened with MV Creations is that Mattel doesn't want to allow a story to grow from the comic amongst other things - not in the mood to rant tonight.

[Patreek]

I little adjustment to your fine summary . Anime was hand drawn by the Japanese up to the 2000. There has been a big shift to more and more of it being done in Korea because no one in Japan can make a living doing it anymore. Directors, save for very few, make more driving trucks doing deliveries. All the real talent from the 80 and 90's has moved over to video games.

Wow I didn't know that. Thats really sad! :-(

[Mr. Shokoti]

I think I know why the Tcat 2011 designs haven't wowed me like the 200X designs did.

I can't wait for the 2 of us to agree that it's a shame that the Thundercats reboot wasn't as well done as 2002's MOTU. It will be like the Berlin Wall being torn down all over again.



In all seriousness, I hope this is one of the times where my first impression is wrong.

[markatisu]

I hope these actually find a way to the toy shelves, rather than limited, online-only orders. Though, considering these are all based around the new cartoon, chances are we will be seeing these in places like walmart and Toys R Us, which I will be glad for. I loved Thundercats as a kid, but never had any of the toys. I'd love to get these.

Not sure how it works in Canada but I can promise you they will be at Walmart, Target, Toys R Us, and every other major store that carries toys in the US. Bandai has an insane ability to stuff the retail channel with their product, moreso then Mattel and even Hasbro.

[hemanrep]

By this reasoning, if a store is open to the public, and some of the public are shoplifters, then the store is open to shoplifting.






By this reasoning, since thieves do not obey the law, then there should be no prohibition against stealing.






By this reasoning, if one shoplifts merchandise from a store, and identifies the store to others as a business where the merchandise is sold, then he is promoting the business, and the store owner should be thankful.




It may not seem fair to you, but Warner Bros. has the right to control how its property is displayed, reproduced, and distributed.

Sorry I have to disagree. I'm not talking about breaking the law. Shoplifting and taking photos are two different issues. If we broke the law or the forum member broke the law, then we would have been notified.

[markatisu]

Sorry I have to disagree. I'm not talking about breaking the law. Shoplifting and taking photos are two different issues. If we broke the law or the forum member broke the law, then we would have been notified.

Yeah its called cease and desist

WB and I am sure Bandai are loving the free press. Other sites are just ****** because they got scooped and feel entitled. They need to put their big boy pants and realize their time will come in a few weeks at NYTF

The news spread like wildfire and even sites I frequent that have no interest in toys or cartoons are talking about it. You can't buy that kind of press

[Shredder]

Yeah its called cease and desist

WB and I am sure Bandai are loving the free press. Other sites are just ****** because they got scooped and feel entitled. They need to put their big boy pants and realize their time will come in a few weeks at NYTF

The news spread like wildfire and even sites I frequent that have no interest in toys or cartoons are talking about it. You can't buy that kind of press

once again, agreed. I just find it funny how all these sites put down the pics, then magically come up with their own 'exclusive' info. That one where the guy claimed to have an inside source linked to an official photo I first saw on Toonzone links....

In other news, I wonder if NYTF will have some turtle news? The pilot is apparently completed..