The Culture of KO's

[mrluthor]

I buy originals when I can but lately the original Takara Tomy MPs have more flaws than the KOs. For about $70 a figure I expect better quality in official figures. I had to buy KOs to fix my MP Prowl (black painted finger print on door) MP Bumblebee (miss fitting right arm) and I may as well replace my MP Diaclone Bluestreak (horrible paint smudge on hood no paint on one headlight and miss fitting bumper). I have the KOs of Streak, Silverstreak and Smokescreen and they are near exact copies of the originals. I also have KOs of G1 figures like Shockwave, Gnaw, Grimlock, Diaclone colour Swoop, Reflector, and some cassettes and quality of these are as good as the originals. Most straight up KOs have minor differences if you know what to look for to tell the difference between the KO and original. I also buy KOs to make custom figures so I have no problem buying them for that purpose too. I agree that if you sell a KO or a figure with KO parts that should be known to the buyer of the item. I like it when they make KOs of rare G1 figures like the Dino cassettes and Scorponok or repaints of figures like the red or black transparent versions of Mirage. The main reason why the straight up KOs even exist is that Hasbro/TT has not rereleased these figures again in the first place. If they do make them they tend to mark up the cost of them so much example the Platinum Insecticons. If the KO companies can make them affordable why can't Hasbro. I have no problem buying KOs to fill holes in my collection or to get figures I don’t think I would ever get otherwise. My collection is my collection so it doesn’t matter to me what others think of it. Whether it has original Hasbro/Takara Tomy, third party or KO’s in it.

[wervenom]

Originally Posted by pside9

And being different in scale, they really can't be used to dupe someone into thinking its an authentic hastak figure.

Good Point. I picked up an oversized AOE Hound recently and it was actually better than the official one IMHO. Better paint apps, die cast metal.

[Pascal]

Originally Posted by supermanTF

Does anyone have KO dinobots?

They're utter crap. Bought a set, all dinos had several issues. Poor molding (both for the plastic and die-cast parts), loose joints, weapons that wouldn't fit. Don't waste your money.

List of issues (from my review posted in 2014):

-Grimlock has loose lower t-rex legs, so in robot mode, the foreams want to slide out over the fists all the time
-Grimlock has a molding issue on his chest metal bar making it risky to move the chest up for robot mode because there isn't enough clearance
-Grimlock's sword won't fit because of extra plastic flash
-Slag has very loose fists that don't stay out
-Slag's weapons are loose in both fists
-Swoop has a very loose left wing
-Swoop's launchers don't fit at all his wings (posts are too wide and too long, had to cut them)
-Snarl's tail has molding issues and doesn't close properly
-Snarl's dino head also has molding issues and doesn't close properly
-Snarl's robot chest has a nasty gap in the middle
-Sludge's lower dino jaw moves more or less freely in the dino head
-several chroming issues on all 5 Dinobots, making the chrome black/dirty

[elburrito]

I read there would be a g1 dinobot reissue (http://news.tfw2005.com/2015/03/04/p...oy-fair-182210). So maybe a KO set won't be necessary?

[Pascal]

Wasn't that just the set of remolded AOE Dinobots?

[wervenom]

Originally Posted by Pascal

Wasn't that just the set of remolded AOE Dinobots?

Yes from what I remember

[elburrito]

The article referred to g1, but maybe just meant the paint. If so, for shame Has/Tak!

Originally Posted by wervenom

Yes from what I remember

[Mike]

I had a bunch of G1 KO's, but eventually got originals in the same condition, and they are infinitely better.

Will never touch another KO again.

[wervenom]

Originally Posted by elburrito

The article referred to g1, but maybe just meant the paint. If so, for shame Has/Tak!

It referred to G1 but I think the original article IIRC was just the listing in the computer and everyone assumed G1 and then the G1 coloured AOE was the actual product

[Megatron75]

I have no interest in modern reproductions but I do like vintage KO figures such as Prehistory Animal Dinobots and oversized (or undersized) G1 figures. I don't have much interest in KO versions of figures that I can readily buy unless they are for super rare and expensive G1 figures that I couldn't realistically find and buy on the aftermarket.