TakaraTomy just unveiled another one of their Beast Wars 2-packs, but instead of just existing Kingdom toys in slightly different colors, this time it's Waspinator (a Kingdom toy in slightly different colors) packed with a translucent clear version of Earthrise Starscream. I've been looking forward to a ghost version of Starscream made from this mold for quite a long time, so I'm pleased to see it's finally happening!

....Well, he's about 90% translucent. His hands and forearms are still opaque as ever, and it looks like it's because those light blue parts come off the same plastic sprue as the vinyl structural parts that connect his upper legs to his lower legs. It's likely Hasbro wasn't planning a ghost version at all when they designed the toy and assigned the parts to different molds, and there's probably no way around this without having to create an entirely new mold for the forearms.

The vinyl parts are load-bearing and need to be made of somewhat flexible plastic, or else it will just snap if you twist it the wrong way. And clear plastic will be far more rigid.

Seems like this pretty much always happens with ghost versions of Starscream. The "reissue" made from the G1 molds still had the die-cast metal chest (and opaque stickers, unless you know somebody awesome like Delta Star who can make special see-through stickers for you!) and the Henkei version and the Masterpiece version and the Unite Warriors version all had opaque parts as well. I think Super7 Ultimates, and the vintage SCF figure, is just about the only time they've been able to make him completely clear.

Zob (I cannot believe that the Super Collection Figures are old enough to be "vintage" now... man, I'm getting old)

On Friday, October 6, 2023 at 7:56:55 PM UTC-6, Zobovor wrote:

> TakaraTomy just unveiled another one of their Beast Wars 2-packs

You didn't want a link or anything, did you? Stop being silly. I don't provide links to things.

https://tformers.com/bwvs08-phantom-confrontation-showdown-ghost-starscream-vs-haunted-waspnator-official-images-from-takara-tomy/51053/news.html

Zob (oh, okay, just this once)

On Friday, October 6, 2023 at 7:56:55 PM UTC-6, Zobovor wrote:

> TakaraTomy just unveiled another one of their Beast Wars 2-packs, but instead of just existing Kingdom toys in slightly different colors, this time it's Waspinator (a Kingdom toy in slightly different colors) packed with a translucent clear version of Earthrise Starscream.

The set is up for pre-order now on BBTS, selling for $69.99 with a release date of June 2024:

https://www.bigbadtoystore.com/Product/VariationDetails/256400

Ostensibly, this is Starscream as he appeared in the Beast Wars episode "Possession," though his color scheme was based more directly on Marvel Comics look in the episode in question. Waspinator is in darker colors to represent his "haunted" state, according to the Takara text, even though I don't remember his colors actually changing when Starscream's ghost invades his body. He does have Decepticon symbols on either side of his head to represent being possessed by Screamer, which is a nice touch.

It seems like Hasbro has been at least thinking about doing a Starscream's ghost toy of their own at some point (Evan Brooks floated the idea recently and theorized it would be part of Legacy instead of, say, Studio Series, not that there's a huge distinction). However, I went ahead and pre-ordered the Takara version because there's no guarantee Hasbro will actually do it, and I don't want to miss out.

That whole "worldwide unified market" thing sure didn't last long, did it?

Zob (we're right back to "the Takara version is more expensive, but has better deco" again)