That would be great, even if we have to put up with sucky toys for a while. If Thundercats can become a big, kid-powered cash cow, even for a couple of years, it might become one of those properties that is brought back year after year. Sort of like G.I. Joe or Transformers, shows that are constantly reinvented. I don’t want to wait another twenty years for the Thundercats to return. 
They wouldn’t have to distribute it the same way. You can walk into a Toys R’ Us and find NECA figures for Resistance Fall of Man and Street Fighter IV, so they could release them at retail instead of the online only option. Seriously though, tell me who they would market figures from the original 80s show to other than the original fans? I mean I doubt we’d even be discussing this now if the original toy line hadn’t been attached with a show.
The same philosophy pretty much holds true today: almost every successful action figure line has a current show/movie/comic/video game attachment (current being the key word). As far as I know, the only place the original show is being re-broadcast from my readings on these boards is Canada. A lot can change between now and then of course (CN could block out a Thundercats hour and do the first half hour of the new show and the other half a rebroadcast of the original…that honestly would be really cool), so if that happens, then my argument flies out the window. I’m just basing it on current television programming here in the U.S.
I wouldn’t say Resistance of Man and Street Fighter IV figures are very successful for NECA, but I could be wrong. As far as Adult Collector lines go, whether we like it or not, Mattel really have set the standard, followed by Sideshow Collectibles. I am just interested to see if Bandai would follow suit considering they have the Master License.
Even if they old cartoon was shown in a block with the new cartoon, I don’t think that would be enough to get kids to buy the original characters (if released). As you said, the only ones who are going to buy the orginal figures are the original (adult) fans. We don’t even know if Bandai are going to even cater to the original fans.
Until an announcement is made, it is all speculation. But that is what makes it so much fun 
Bandai Sucks
1980’s toy lines have enjoyed a comback over the last 10 years. This has been due to fans demanding a higher quality collectable. The bar was raised by Marvel Legends and then follwed suit by DCUC and MOTUC. Hasbro, even though they have destroyed the Marvel Legends Brand, have offered really good GI Joe 25th Anniversay Figures and a good Transformers Classics line.
The only reason why Thundercats are being made into a new Cartoon and Toy Line are because of the success of Marvel Legends, DCUC, and MOTUC. Don’t think for a second that if it wasn’t for the succes that Mattel was having now that Thundercats would even be looked at right now.
DCUC and MOTUC are fan supported which is why they are doing well. If the figures produced by Bandai are crap, fans will not support them. I’ve gone to Bandai’s website and there is nothing there to suggest that they are capable of offering what collectors demand. Collectors want a figure with good articulation, good likeness, good paint apps, and a good paint wash. Bandai is not capable of this.
Complain all you want about Mattel. I have collected all the DCUC Waves and all the MOTUC figures. I have never had the problems that many other “collectors” have had. I would rather Mattel get this license because the Four Horsemen kick ass. Hell, I would even Hasbor get this line, but no, please God, not Bandai!!!
I am inserting an image of a Bandai Figure and what a Thundercat Figure should look like.
Boskoes and Ben Bishop customs are probably going to remain the two best looking Thundercats figures out there even after Bandai’s release. But who knows, Mattel was able to strike gold with the 200x line (at least initially) and then again with the DC property they have released, so Bandai has to have taken notice of this. Maybe, at least for the 80s license, there’s hope of an adult oriented line with cool weapons and a lot of detail. Maybe Bandai can bring in some great sculptors from an outside company similar to how Mattel brought in the 4 Horsemen initially for the 200x line.
The Power Rangers is also a bit of a bad comparison because those figures are designed to look like they are in spandex suits as they were on the show. That leaves almost no room for sculpting detail like muscle ripple and unique clothing. I agree that Bandai hasn’t produced a single toyline yet that makes me have faith in them, but before writing it off as a complete failure…I’m waiting to see the figures in small hope that they have a new approach to this line we haven’t seen before.
A single PM was all it took to have any kind of hope i had for this BANDAI deal to get murdered, person whom i spoke to apparently had been in touch with BANDAI about doing high-end collectible action-figures and while they weren’t against he got cold feet when he realized he’d go bankrupt if they didnt sell.
So start showing love, show what you’d be willing to support for a collectible line to see the light of day and who knows it might happen.
Personally im convinced there are enough t-cats fans to keep a MOTUC type of deal alive long enough to atleast break even on the production costs, so start spreading the word, and demanding high end stuff, sculpted by respected artists (i hold this guy as one of the best atleast, and i know alot of others do aswell)
One thing to remember is that we are all thinking like adult collectors here.
Speaking strictly on the toys created for the new Thundercats series; depending on the target audience range Bandai may develop these toys strictly with young kids in mind. The same kids that aren’t thinking like collectors, rather they just want to rip the bubble off the card and play with the toy.
If the target audience is indeed for a much younger audience, then Bandai stands to make a lot more money making “kids toys” then “figures” we would dish out $20 bucks a pop for. Simply put the “kids” audience would out number us 10 to 1.
While I want some bad a$$ toys to come our way like the rest of you, unfortunately I understand it is all about the $$$ and we very well may have to accept that we are in the minority here wanting high end Thundercats figures.
Truth be told, the “high end” stuff we have been getting in the form of Statues has not been all that either. With the exception of the Mummra and Ma-mutt statue, there has been nothing “new” released for Thundercats that I have gone crazy for.
I just wish WB would give the license to a company that truly understands what Thundercats is all about and produce some great figures at a great price. Why that is so hard I don’t know. Again… It’s all about the $$$.
I know this was reported on in another thread (in the General section maybe) but Mattel apparently has the master Voltron license and will be producing figures from the original show and the new show Voltron Force, very similar to Bandai’s deal for Thundercats.
This seems just completely backwards to me 
. Bandai should be doing Voltron, which Power Rangers was more or less a live action ripoff of. They have that down pat. Heck they could just repackage the re-released Mighty Morphin Power Rangers figures on Voltron cards and there would be virtually no difference.
Is there anyway we can get Mattel and Bandai to do an even swap of Voltron for Thundercats??? Please???
Also this begs the question, if the rumor of Mattel not being willing to go for the Thundercats license because they only wanted to produce figures for the old show and not this new one, (as was speculated by AnimeTed in his actionfigureinsider.com article back in Jan or Feb this year where he’s been 100% accurate so far w/ a new show and Bandai getting the license) why would they be willing to go for the Voltron master license to produce figures for that old and new show instead??? What a bummer!! (from one of the people wishing Mattel had gotten the Thundercats license) :mad::mad::mad:
You know when you first said this I thought you were just being absurd, but in fact you’re partially right. Power Rangers was based on (and includes footage of) a series that pre-dates Voltron: The Super Sentai Series.
I’m not a fan of either so I didn’t know this until now. Still, my main point above is…can we get Bandai and Mattel to trade???
This whole conversation makes me giggle. First thing I think of when I hear Mattel is “Barbie”…I have a seven year old daughter that constantly has me buying this stuff. It’s like having another kid…you have to buy the clothes, the accessories, the friends, the cars, the house, etc. Do you really want to have Thundercats made by the same people that makes “Barbie”?
Think about it for a second…
Now…take that thought and apply the color pink to it. Which means pink thundertank, pink nosediver, powder pink skycutter…feel queasy yet? I know I do ROFLMAO
Now everytime you think you want Mattel to make Thundercats, splash on some pink and I guarantee you’ll think twice now LOL.
Bandai doesn’t seem so bad now, does it?
*queen lynxana giggles
MATTEL has the 4 horsemen on their roster, they are pretty much the staple today for measuring sculpting and toy design, BANDAI america have trashed every license they have ever gotten there hands on.
If BANDAI was just doing this for the new series i wouldnt care, but they also have the license to make figures for the “classic” version and them going the “kid route” with that would just be retarded considering the kids today have no clue what the thundercats looked like 20 years ago.
Been gone for a while but had to come back when I heard the news.
I of course was scared due to the crappy figs that bandai have put out but also have some hope due to the ben 10 line. My son has a few of these and I have played with them and they are not that bad and hold up to a 7 year olds abuse unlike the new fad with hasbro and hasbro rip offs that fall apart easily or the joints get loose in one day.
I am stoked and will support these even if they are not up to par. If the kids and big kids support it and voice their opinion on wanting more detail/articulation then it could lead to better toys. Like Bandai america getting support from their japanese company. If we snub it then it could mean another death to our beloved Thundercats. I also like to think that bandai has seen the support and way to market an old line like Mattel did with DCUC and MOTUC.
Like i said, iv’e spoken directly to a person many of you considers to be one of the foremost talented sculpters out there, and he’d already been in contact with bandai about doing this, and while they were intrested he got cold feet when he realised he’d go bankrupt if they didnt sell.
“I unfortunately wouldnt expect much from bandai. I talked to them about doing some higher end collectible action figures and they werent against it…but I got cold feet when i started to think how I could go bankrupt if they didnt sell.”
You got a name for this guy that everyone on here seems to know? I must be one of the few in the dark. Also, how would he go bankrupt if Bandai would be footing most of the bill, which I’m assuming they would for the cost of tooling and sculpting? I’m no expert but it seems to me that they would be on the hook for most if not the entire cost of it.
I am not expecting but putting out there that if we show support and get them some revenue going for whatever they choose then by sellling good they could get the funds and bring in a great sculpter for future figs. It might even sway those that see too much risk.
yeah either that or they take it as “hey look they buy these **** figures, why should we try harder and make better ones when these are cheap as hell to make and sell like hotcakes”
I’m a huge Thundercats fan(along with other lines),but I’ve never bought a Bandai toy in my life. Are they really that bad? What’s so bad about them? Sculpting? The way they’re made? I’m glad that they’re making new figures, but you all have me a little worried!
I picked up a few of the figures from the MMPR 2010 line. Mostly my favorites like Green Ranger and Goldar. They are very “simple” in design.
If you want to see what Bandai’s latest offerings look like you can simply go to their website, or just do a search for mmpr 2010 toys in Google image search.
Oh boy, i’ve been so engrossed in the New series i passed the Bandai Toyline up!!!:liono I am not very optimist about the new figures judging by Bandai’s products. I neither like the 4’’ plastic midget Power Rangers toys nor the childish and simplistic Ben 10 figures. However, let’s not forget that LJN’s other toylines like the Wresling Superstars, Tigersharks, Gremlins, E.T and Voltron had nothing to do in quality comparing to the Thundercats Action Figures. LJN’s Thundercats handling exceeded the expectations.
Who knows, the same might happen with Bandai 25 years later.
Most likely the new toyline will be related and primarily focused on the New series, consequently the design will match the one of the new Artwork so we are not talking about the Classic series toyline revival as we were suggesting a few months ago following the example of MOTU. However, i wouldn’t be surprised at all if within a year from now, we come to the conclusion that the LJN figures were in overall aesthetic presentation and appeal more rewarding…
after seeing this new motuc figure, I can not stop imagining a thundercats figure made by fourhorsemen. this would have been great.I hope bandai will surprise us, I believe in miracles.
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