Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?

Category: 3rd Party Unlicensed

Posted From: TFW2005.COM - Transformers

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

Here comes the fun! What's next? I can see this becoming pretty popular over here too! Will ebay and the boards be our saviours for third party stuff or will ebay be forced into embargo as well? Who knows but I'm sure the answers will come sooner than later.

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

I can see Robot Kingdom becoming the sole retailer for buying 3rd party items. They'll be making a killing then. :rofl:

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

wow umm...I'm interested to see how this goes down the road.

Just hope this doesn't kill the 3rd party experience completely

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

Maybe that'll force them to come up with their own original creations.

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

I don't object to that, but I would certainly miss things that improve upon Takara/Tomy's creations. Upgrade kits are a good thing.

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

We can't say this wasn't expected eventually, but looking at the list of toys they banned I can't help but feel this might be a shot across the bow, "we see you stealing our IP and we will come after you".

The worst part for me as I love some of the third party stuff is... That I agree with them, having been in the film industry now for a few years and meeting more "money guys" than I like to think about I know what piracy means to the bottom line and how much it impacts the people who make the product (workers not just the company), if I were TT/Hasbro, the new trend of 3rd party standalones, and not nessacarely the rip offs like the igear seekers, but even the cameras from PE, instead of supporting TT they area taking (theoretical) money away from TT. And to be fair, TT/Hasbro, may not care at all but there lawers are paid to protect there interests no matter how petty they may seem.

If anything I can see this as the beggining of the end for 3rd party "homage figures" but the Add On and Upgrades, the things that support hasbro will continue just fine, and yes I know the kup heads and such were listed now but I see that as more a scare tactic to igears money people ,it's more likely a..."were not mad at you for making this, but back off the name Kup and our masterpiece molds and we'll go our seperate ways but we are watching now"

I hope I'm right, I would hate to see solid companys like fansproject get lumped in with the KO companys.

Takara Tomy is going after "our" boys !!!!
 

Third-party Transformers makers getting a crackdown !

http://tformers.com/transformers-tak...5462/news.html

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

Don't worry yet. The Chinese (the makers of many of the 3rd party toys), are not renowned for caring what the Japanese think. I think plenty more 3rd party toys will be made. I’m not sure Hasbro has the same attitude towards third market toys Takara Tomy has anyway. To Hasbro third parties are probably a drop in the bucket. To Takara third party toys, being more expensive and generally targeted at the collectors market, might be more of a threat.

Lastly, good luck to Hasbro if they did want to use international law to try to defend their copyrights in China. That’s a game that is almost certainly not worth the effort.

Re: Takara Tomy is going after "our" boys !!!!
 

Dear Takara,

Don't want me to buy Masterpiece ConeHeads from a third party? Produce some and I'll buy them from you.

Re: Takara Tomy is going after "our" boys !!!!
 

I've actually wondered when this would happen. Not surprised at all really and I'm sure it isn't a surprise to the third-party producers either.

Re: Takara Tomy is going after "our" boys !!!!
 

Takara, You are making it very difficult to love you anymore!

Re: Takara Tomy is going after "our" boys !!!!
 

Wow...that's sad. I don't buy as many 3rd party product as some collectors, but I feel this is an odd play by TakTomy.

Are they targetting those companies because of the add-ons? Which would be weird as to have any use for said items, you need to buy the legit product to them on.

Now watch some scalper buy up every single 3rd party product to sell online at inflated prices....

Re: Takara Tomy is going after "our" boys !!!!
 

this was posted in the news section much earlier today.

Re: Takara Tomy is going after "our" boys !!!!
 

Not surprising and this was in some time coming. I wish FansProject and the rest the best of luck in the lawsuits - should it get that far. I wish I had a law degree to defend them, but this one is really tough.

Re: Takara Tomy is going after "our" boys !!!!
 

Just so long it doesn't affect my chances of getting Protector and the other FP items I guess it really isn't that big a deal. Most third party items were never that big of an interest to me outside of the few choice items from FP and perhaps a few others.

That being said, considering that FP just helped a good number of people in Japan by encouraging TF fans to donate to recieve a special Sidearm repaint I find it very distressing that instead of commending these fans or trying to hire them onto their staff they are simply trying to destroy them utterly and irrevocably.

Some companies I could understand really, as they are no better than modern day pirates in the figures they choose to market. But when a few dedicated and talented fans attempt to give back to the franchise they love so much by creating add-ons and attachments for existing toys, how is that remotely a bad thing?

I find myself upset at such a development mostly because it may say something about legality and integrity for certain companies to go after such things, but it doesn't bode well for creativity... If that makes sense, I find myself lacking articulation at the moment, perhaps I just fell back into 1985 or something.

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

All I will say is that there a number of hasbro/takara figures I have bought solely based on the prinicple that they would be getting third-party add on sets.

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

this.

theres NO WAY in hell i'd buy rotf bruticus based on its own merits, as an example.

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

So are they going to go on the assault to all KO companies producing exact replicas? It is to bad they are targeting these accessories companies becaue they enhance through fandom the toys people love. Making artistic representations a reality. A sad day indeed.

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

Based on the quality of a lot of the 3rd party items I'm surprised none of them have approached getting an actual license from Hasbro/Takara. Obviously the full-out TF figures would get a resounding "no" but the add-ons are nothing but beautiful accessories that enhance and increase sales of the original toys. "We don't make Transformers. We make Transformers better."
Granted, the licensing would more than likely be a ridiculous fee but it would allow them to go into production on a larger scale and potentially get the items on retail shelves.

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

I know I'm in the minority here, but I think it is a step in the right direction. These 3rd party companies are blatently ripping off characters owned by Hasbro/Tomy/tak and making a profit.

If they kept it to add-on's then fine, but full toys? It is getting a bit out of control.

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

i dunno. i think saying hasbro's the only one who can make transforming robot toys is a little much. maybe hasbro/tt needs to talk to the gundam people too?

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

Really good point...what I'd like to see TT putting their "lawyer money" towards is a fair, accessible licensing program that capitalizes on all the momentum 3PP is creating...stuff that is greatly adding to the brand but is often, in effect, infringing on copyrights and patents.

I really hope the companies tread lightly around this issue 'cause the only loosers are going to be the fans. As much as I love Has/Tak, they simply aren't cranking out enough product to satisfy the ravenous fan base, IMHO.

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

sounds kinda biased,but for myself,i don't really care much for almost every other third party crud being pumped out,save for f/p.
i hope it doesn't affect them too much:(

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

I talked to someone on TFW, who is digging out more info on this from Japan. It seems only the 1 shop so far has received the ban. And among the banned items were Hasbro's DOTM figures! Seems like this is not just about 3rd party figures.



Surprisingly, some of these groups would rather not work with hasbro.

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

Good luck to Takara and Hasbro if they choose to go this route.

I'm on the fence, because on the one hand, I can see things like Masterpiece not-dirge and think "yeah, that's blatently ripping off Hasbro and Takara, they more or less deserve to get sued just for such flagrant disregard of copyright law. Then I see things like the hardhead upgrade, and Fansproject Protector Armour, and while it's still likely copyright infringment, I don't fee as "negatively" about it.

Legally there is no distinction, but like someone else said, good luck prosecuting copyright infringement in China...

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

Seems to me that Tomy and hasbro should pay attention to what is selling as a third party.... not cheap by price,... quality varies, but there seems to be a need to fill a void (these pieces sell) if they are not up to it than this makes an oppertunity for third party to produce,... all thay need to do is change the names to a non hasbro/tomy trade mark and continue to sell,.... as stated above the stuff from China such as the KO stuff is still around didn't see them jump on the g1 optimus,dino bots etc...........pieces such as the primars was a cool piece and orignal? why kill off a good piece maybe they (hasbr/tomy)should think about working together with these people doing limited runs like the wonderfest pieces? that way the fans don't suffer the loss of some good ideas and get us away from the dam repaints.

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

Often crackdowns of this nature are not necessarily a result of a particular company worrying about their market share being stolen by counterfeit items but more to do with complaints from other companies that actually pay for proper licensing from the parent company.
Why would anyone pay for a license if the big wigs are just going to turn a blind eye? I'm sure if the numbers were looked at on paper, the potential loss of revenue from licensing is probably greater than the potential loss of revenue due to 3rd party shops.

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

Heh, good luck.

I'll believe it when I see it.

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Hasbro/Takara are the ones that make all Transforming Toys, Licensors are only allowed to do certain things, bedsheets, clothing, comic books, videogames, so tell me how the hell does that give them the right to complain about Transformers Fans producing and selling their own accessories to other fans?

Sounds like petty jealousies to me.

That being said, if it was due to this issue, just offer the third party people actual license to make their products, maybe then I could get my hands on a nice new production run Protector, Munitioner, Explorer, 'G3' Trailer and so on and so forth. At a more reasonable price than secondary market pricing currently allows. I wouldn't mind a Shadow Commander either or for that matter Universe Nemesis Prime that isn't a bloody KO.

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

I'm sure a restricted license for accessories would be possible for any 3rd party company but, realistically, the fee would be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Imagine the price-hike on those items.
There is a reason why Hasbro and Takara don't make such accessories... most likely it's not a viable venture. It might be profitable for 3 or 4 people bootlegging without a license from their basement but not an international company.

Look at the kerfuffle Lucas's team makes over fan-made Stormtrooper armour. That's why getting the stuff is all through word of mouth and secret connections.

Like it or not everyone has a right to protect their personal or intellectual property. Nobody should be able to profit from something you invented or produce without giving you a return.

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

Yup.

I just don't see the issue of the add-on sets as you need the original figure to make them work. The blatent rip-offs though are crossing through that grey area.

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

the stuff that's out so far are fugly anyway. wonder if hasbro has balls to do this.

TFclub devastator would be great though. oh well.

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

I'm surprised they took this long to do it. Bummer though.

lol...what? Then we'd miss out on things like FP Springer, Swindle, and Blast Off.

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

hey guys I just realized, remember that Xovergen group that created Rolling Thunder Optimus? Didn't they say they were planning to make an upgrade set for WFC Optimus and Megatron? Are they in Japan too? :( ............

Re: Takara Tomy bans third party custom Transformers Products in Japan?
 

I think their in Singapore, or some of the members are. The Rolling Thunder prime figure hasn't done well in sales. I think thats why they haven't announced any thing new, and any updates on the WFC Prime and Megatron weapons. They basically screwed themselves by forcing retailers to pickup both colors of the prime figure, and controlling the way it was sold.