D-310 Pretender Destron -Blue Bacchus (ブルーバッカス Burū Bakkasu) Arrived and Added to My Collection!

8:17 PM in Blue Bacchus, Crossformer, JUST BOUGHT, Space Vehicles, VINTAGE TRANSFORMERS VICTORY, Yet To Arrive

A shout out and huge appreciation to uber seller and pal Bodhar2000 for hooking me up with this very rare and highly sought after Vintage gem.  Updates! the package containing Blue Bacchus arrived safely a day earlier, 2 Dec 2011! Looks awesome up-close and in hand. 
Newer pics posted below! 

• Blue Bacchus (Crossformer, 1989)
  • Japanese ID number: D-310
  • Accessories: Crossformer shell, cannon/tail rotor, 2 small lasers, wing assembly, left & right landing gear, 2 thruster pods

Blue Bacchus is a redeco of the Mega Pretender Crossblades, transforming into a Cybertronic "dragster". His outer Crossformer shell's chest/head and waist pieces are retooled from Crossblades's to make it more robotic. The shell can still transform into a Cybertronic helicopter. Blue Bacchus can be stored inside his shell in either of his modes, and his vehicle mode can combine with the shell to form a helicopter with a Cybertronic "dragster" sticking out of its front.

Blue Bacchus (ブルーバッカス Burū Bakkasu) is Black Shadow's villainous partner in crime. Utterly cold-hearted and without mercy, he is an expert gunman with unerring aim and fantastic fast-draw abilities, but he still comes in a distinct second to Black Shadow in fighting ability. Blue Bacchus yearns to be as good as the other Crossformer, and follows him everywhere, hoping that he can learn from him and become just like him. Their partnership has made them infamous throughout space, and there is a massive bounty on their heads.

Blue Bacchus transforms into a helicopter, and can create an anti-gravitational phenomenon by spinning his rotors just so. This "Gravity Attack", as he calls it, can levitate any foes into his clutches.

Thus with the acquisition of Blue Bacchus,  the quest to complete my Transformers Victory collection is almost over, as I only have The Dinoforce aka Dinoking and the Autobot base Galaxy Shuttle to acquire.  It may take some time, but rest assured that it is a a given and highly possible.

Blue Bacchus' Packaging is pretty decent for it's age, and there seems to be little wear and tear, while the toy is immaculate and unused. There is only a minor dent on the front sheet of the box, but it does not hinder the appeal and display of the beautiful art-work and graphics of  the piece any way. Also, the stickers are untouched, making this a really sweet victory- ahem of sorts-  and although this might be the last Vintage for the year,  it certainly will not be consigned to the history books for long. I might be getting something more 'modest'  in terms of pricing and avalibility sometime next month. 

End of the day, just enjoy the hobby for what it's worth.  It's as simple as that. 

Blue Bacchus, Transformers: Victory Copyright 1989 Takara Co. Ltd. 

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WING SABER TOYZ SPECIAL: D-335 Liokaiser (ライオカイザー Raiokaizā) Giftset (MIB): Arriving Soon!

2:36 PM in Breast-force, GIFTSET, Japan exclusive, Liokaiser, Multi-Gelstat Warrior, VINTAGE TRANSFORMERS VICTORY, Yet To Arrive

MIB (Mint In Box) Liokaiser Giftset

Obtained: August 2011

Victory

^Combined Gestalt mode of All 6 Brestforce members.  

• Liocaesar [sic] (Multi-pack, 1989)
  • Japanese ID number: D-335
  • Component members/Accessories: Leozack (Liokaiser head), Drillhorn, Guyhawk, Hellbat, Jallguar (2 missiles), Killbison (2 cannons, combined gun handle)

Released only in Japan, Liokaiser is a unique and highly sought-after combiner. Unlike most other combiners, Liokaiser has almost no "combiner kibble", his feet and hands being built into the component robots. Only his combined-mode head is a separate accessory; even his hand-weapon is assembled from Killbison and Jallguar's extra weapons. However, in this form, the individuals' breastplate-animal partners cannot be stored and must be put aside.

Though his components were all sold as individuals, they were also available in a single Liokaiser box set.

Four of the six components to Liokaiser were used to make the European-exclusive Rescue Force. Unless you are in need of an armless combiner whose head is tiny, you should not attempt to combine them.

• More information on Liokaiser at TFU.info

[

Price: **** USD aka Priceless!

Condition: Box= C9.0

Toys: C9.0 with no signs of discoloring and GPS / Gold brittle plastic

Paperworks: Complete with toy brochure / instructions/ Bio card/ stickers applied

Pics credited to TFW2005 member & friend: Khaotika 

Liokaiser/ TF: Victory Copyright 1989 Takara.Co. Japan

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WING SABER TOYZ SNEAK PEEK: D-310 Destron-Cross-Former, Black Shadow! (ブラックシャドー Burakku Shadō): Space Gangster! (宇宙ギャング)!!

8:54 PM in Blackshadow, Crossformer, expensive, Pretender, Rare, Space Vehicles, Transformers Victory, VINTAGE TRANSFORMERS VICTORY, Yet To Arrive

Another teaser post! Arriving, hopefully sometime next month! 

Box-Art linked and credited to the awesome botchthecrab.com

Hailing from somewhere beyond the Milky Way galaxy, Black Shadow (ブラックシャドー Burakku Shadō) is a vile gangster whose skills in robbery, extortion and murder are available to anyone who can meet his price. He is loyal only to the highest bidder; even the Decepticons are loath to work with him that often, as they can never be sure he won't betray them in mid-job if he gets a better offer. In jet mode, he can devastate buildings around him with powerful sonic shockwaves by breaking the sound barrier while flying at low altitudes, a technique he calls his "Sonic Boomer Attack".

His partner in crime is Blue Bacchus, a gunman with a similar personality and moral fiber who looks up to him. The pair's partnership has made them infamous throughout space, and there is a massive bounty on their heads, but Black Shadow would actually kill Blue Bacchus without remorse if the situation demanded it.

All Text Linked to tfwiki.net.

Toys

[edit]Victory

He may not be a mafioso, but he'll still cut off your horse's head.

• Black Shadow (Crossformer, 1989)
  • Japanese ID number: D-309
  • Accessories: Crossformer shell, 2 large rifles, small rifle

Black Shadow is a redeco of the Pretender Thunderwing, transforming into a Cybertronic jet. His outer Crossformer shell's chestplate/head piece is retooled from Thunderwing's to make it more robotic. However, it still transforms into a larger Cybertronic jet like the original version. The inner vehicle can be attached underneath the nose of the larger vehicle to create a combined starship mode. All three of his guns can be mounted on his shell's vehicle mode.

• More information on Black Shadow at TFU.info

[edit]

Difficult to obtain. And it did cost me a small fortune, especially in the condition which it came. Let's just say that a used stickered piece can fetch up to the region of $700! For hardcore fanatics...who are oblivious to paying crazy amounts of copious cash...lol

Pic of MISB Blackshadow linked to Gerrutcamero, ebay Seller

Blackshadow/ Transformers Victory Copyright 1989 Takara

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WING SABER TOYZ SNEAK PEEK: OPERATION: HEAVY LINKED GESTALT WARRIOR- D-335 Liokaiser (ライオカイザー ) ! ANIMAL FEROCITY!

2:59 PM in Breast-force, Liokaiser, NOT IN COLLECTION, Possible Deal, VINTAGE TRANSFORMERS VICTORY, Yet To Arrive

^Possible Deal?! You bet your ass. LOL. >:)

Liokaiser/ Breast-Force/ Victory Copyright 1989 Takara Co. Ltd. -Japan

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WING SABER TOYZ SPOTLIGHT:- TRANSFORMERS VICTORY D-328: DINOKING! OVERVALUED AND HYPED?!

9:47 AM in DINO-FORCE, DINOKING, Exclusive, expensive, not in collection, VINTAGE TRANSFORMERS VICTORY

A warm welcome once again to my fellow readers to yet another random blog-post by Adam aka WSX! Well, first of all, I would like to mention that I currently am planning to obtain this beast of a super-rare combiner gift-set (fingers crossed) sometime by the end of the year, and, as such, obviously, I currently do NOT own any version of this awesome gestalt D-328 Dinoking, be it his American version which goes by the name of Monstructor or the Japanese Victory series.  I have my eye on the prize, so to speak, and can't reveal the source of the seller who has intimated of a definite sighting of a Dinoking giftset --price is not an issue, as the seller is pivvy to A POSSIBLE * pay-as you go monthly installment arrangement via PayPal. It sounds like a long-shot, IMHO, but any collector who is worth his salt would try and get this awesome collection by which ever means he/ she can!! >:-)

Picture above of one of the insane auction price from Ebay is linked to Heroic Decepticon's blog! Thanks-man! 

Thus, as I mentioned before, the blogger in me is simply just going to post, link and give my personal views on the said Dinoking giftset, individual toys, and how with time, (like most of the toys from the successfully popular Transformers Victory series), the overall value and inflation factors had played havoc on it's valuation.  The main reason for this blog-post however, is to reflect on an "eBay-bidding war" experience which I had earlier in the week. Oh man, did I ever feel the full effect & "geist" of adrenaline-pumping fight to despairingly  put in the winning margin in order to win the lot of individually boxed- Dinoforce members. Needless to say, the auction ended at the "acceptable" price of just over USD $1,500! Glad that I wasn't the person paying for that! Phew! LOL! 

 JEEZ, THAT MUCH FOR SIX PLASTIC TOYS AND DINO-SHELLS?! 

*All pictures, linked & credited, courtesy of Seibertron.com!

TECH SPECS

As one might expect of a Transformer combining the entire Dinoforce, he's the top Destron when it comes to being violent. His rival is Landcross, the Cybertrons' Multiforce gestalt. He's pushing to become Emperor of Destruction, and if left alone, he won't stop what he's doing 'til he drops dead.

Strength:	9
Intelligence:	7
Speed:	7
Endurance:	9
Rank:	7
Courage:	9
Firepower:	9
Skill:	8

Personal experience of crazy "endurance bidding" aside, here have only been a handful of Dinoking sightings on the Ebay market-place, or as I personally like to call it, "Evil bay! -- the latest one after my "botched" attempt at snapping up those individual boxed ones, here is another copy-cat and more daring and ridiculously inflated priced listing for yet another (yellowed box and plastic tray inserts! No-go for me!) Sometimes I wonder, if the price is worth the value of the toy or in this case, this supposedly uber-rare giftset consisting of just six individually different (beautifully crafted and made) Dinosaur shells/  and accessories to combine six tiny 5-7 inches robots into a 10-12 inch figure in height. Hefty "investment" if you will, unnecessarily crazy-expensive to even fathom, one might think...well...THE TRUTH of the matter is blindingly obvious to this avid Transformer collector-- Yes, the collector in me tends to overlook the issue of price and valuation, but also, the rational and sensible part of me has rejected the notion of justifying the purchase of such an unnecessary buy,.. However, ultimately, WSX has to see 

through the potential deal from the local seller in due course! Stay tuned, people! 

BUT THOSE ARE ONE-OFF AND UNIQUE!!

In a nut shell, we all know as well as I do, that the human wants are unlimited, but somehow, we can find other means of getting a really sought-after item if we pull our thoughts and resources together. SINCE THESE TOYS WILL UNLIKELY SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY to be re-released in the near future, this will most likely go down in Transformers collecting history as the most sought-after versions ever, (yes, to those Monstructor fan-boys) --DINOSAURS Rule. Nuff said! 

FINAL VERDICT

AS A "PINT-SIZED-COMBINER"-- DINOKING'S OVERALL COLOUR SCHEME IS MILES BETTER THAN THAT OF MONSTRUCTOR'S, HANDS DOWN.  THIS, ADDING TO THE FACT THAT THE GIFTSET IS A HIGHLY SOUGHT-AFTER COLLECTOR'S "GRAIL" IS ONE OF THE MANY REASONS THAT THE PRICE HAS INFLATED OVER THE YEARS BEYOND THE REALM OF RATIONAL THINKING .  PERSONALLY, I LOVE THE ONE-OFF CRAFTED DINOSAUR SHELLS/ PRETENDER UNITS WITH SENTIENT BEHAVIOR, PLUS THE COMEDY ( IN THE SHAPE OF THE KIND-HEARTED AND BUMBLING Kakuryū) AND REPENTANT WAYS SHOWN BY THE MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY 

Gōryū

- THE LEADER OF THE DINOFORCE, IN THE LATER PART OF THE SERIES, is an endearing factor which fills me up with nostalgia. love  the way the characters are crafted into the story!).  THIS IS NOT A MISSION IMPOSSIBLE FOR HARD-CORE COLLECTORS, HOWEVER, THOSE CASUAL ONES SHOULD BE WARNED THAT COLLECTING THIS BEASTLY BUT BEAUTIFUL COMBINER IS CERTAINLY NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED!  A BIG RESOUNDING A+++++!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! 

DINOKING & TRANSFORMERS VICTORY COPYRIGHT 1989 TAKARA CO. LTD. JAPAN

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