
We all knew there would be some enjoyable surprises as we lurched ever closer to the 40th anniversary of the Transformers brand, and now we have our first proper look at the next couple!
Just yesterday, we were talking about the origins of the original Blaster toy, but now we’re looking forward to yet another version as there’s a brand new reissue of both that and G1 Soundwave on the horizon. Made over in similar style to the recent spate of ‘Retro’ movie reissues, there’s much to say about these two. So, let’s dive in and see what’s shaking!
#10: Both releases are reissues of classic G1 toys

First things first, and for anyone unfamiliar with them, yes, these are fairly straight-up reissues of the vintage toy designs for both characters. Soundwave was first released in 1984 and Blaster in 1985, although they have been reissued many times. Both originally hail from Takara’s pre-Transformers ‘Micro Change’ line, where they represented transformable versions of household objects, in this case, a microcassette player and a miniature boom box, respectively. In some ways, these specific toys being re-released yet again isn’t a major surprise, even if it last happened in 2019 for Soundwave and 2020 for Blaster. However, those were much more traditional in their presentation, whereas both figures have been given quite a makeover here! We also know from conversations with Hasbro that the well of available G1 toy moulds is not particularly deep, but either way, there’s plenty to be excited about with these two all the same.
#9: The packaging has been given quite an overhaul too

Perhaps the biggest surprise of these releases is the new packaging, although I use ‘new’ in the loosest sense here, given the obvious homage to the franchise’s earliest years! Yes, despite the ‘Retro’ reissue line having rocked a 1986 Transformers movie vibe thus far, complete with some gorgeous Marcelo Matere art, it seems that the whole endeavour is being entirely rebooted and rebranded, perhaps to better celebrate the impending 40th anniversary. That means out with the new, in with the old, and back to a distinctly vintage style, albeit boasting some obvious updates to the card art to more closely reflect these specific releases. It’s fun to see, even if it’s an idea we’ve had a fair bit of in recent years, although it’s also likely to disgruntle collectors who favour a bit of consistency in their packaging!
#8: Soundwave looks very different to the original release

Moving onto the toys themselves, it’s immediately apparent that both of them look very different to how we’ve ever seen them done before, which makes the notion of yet another round of reissues after less than half a decade a lot more understandable! The intent is clearly to bring the designs closer in line with the ’80s animation, much as we’ve seen on the ‘Retro’ releases thus far, which means some big changes are afoot. In Soundwave’s case, the chrome is gone in favour of more cel-styled grey-ish plastic; the decals have all been stripped away (also avoiding the perennial debate about just where those ‘speaker’ stickers should be placed); the gold trim around the cassette deck door now looks uber vibrant with a thick coat of solid yellow paint; and the base blue has had a distinct boost in saturation. It all adds up to a very different vibe for this four-decade-old toy!

#7: As does Blaster!

Blaster is a similar story to Soundwave, although the changes are not quite so obvious given that the original toy did not feature any chrome and the colours are broadly the same. Still, keen eyes will notice that the grey is now a lot cooler, whilst sections such as the speakers and handle are now lighter than the classic black. Equally, there’s more painted detail on moulded sections, such as the tuning knob beside the cassette door, which feels unprecedented for an anime release!

#6: The robot modes are very cartoon-accurate in style…

Naturally, the cartoonish style also carries over to the two robot forms, with both toys looking closer to the screen than we’ve ever seen on these moulds. The chrome on Soundwave’s legs and weapon are gone, as are the various decals on areas such as the shins and shoulders. However, we now have a major upgrade in painted detail, with the striking red on the wrists and cannons looking very attractive! Equally, this is the first release of the design with a red eye visor, which certainly sets it apart from what we’ve already had over the years. I like it!

#5: …and feature some interesting details as a result!

Blaster is similarly updated in robot mode, with those baby blues now looking very distinct. However, the most obvious addition is on the clear plastic chest window, as you can see a new tampo styled after Blaster’s animation model. This detail is absent from the original version of the toy and appears to have originated based on the classic Micro Change release instead! It’s strange to see it recreated here, but it’s an appreciated attention to detail and makes this new take stand out even more. It also appears Hasbro has purposefully ‘mistransformed’ the knees in a manner that looks closer to the character’s appearance in the cartoon!

#4: Also featured is Ravage…

But wait, there’s more, as several microcassette companions are included across the two toys! First up with Soundwave, we have Ravage, who is given a similarly-styled makeover and looks suitably fresh. It makes his jaguar form appear closer to the screen than ever, though the trade-off is that most of the cassette mode detailing is gone, thanks to a lack of the original decals. Again, the chrome from the weapons has been removed, as they now feature a lovely brushed silver finish. It remains to be seen if the legs still contain the diecast of the classic version, but it certainly looks like they might. Finally, there’s a set of red eyes in place of the vintage silver detail and a rather colourful Decepticon logo on the metal joint for the leg. Neat!
#3: …Laserbeak…

Laserbeak follows suit as the second cassette companion packaged with Soundwave and, again, looks a little different from how we’ve ever seen him. If anything, this is a somewhat simplified take on the toy’s classic appearance, as the eye colour and overall palette are largely the same. Still, with the chrome now replaced by brushed silver paint and more streamlined wing decals, there’s enough to set this release apart from past iterations.
#2: …and Steeljaw!

On the Autobot side, we have one lonesome addition packaged with Blaster: lion-lad Steeljaw! Whilst the new take looks largely familiar versus its original 1986 outing, there’s now additional painted tape detail on the visible side here, and one can assume the decals will be lost from the other. Again, the gold chrome on the weapons has been removed, with the new brushed effect looking very striking. Finally, there’s a tampo Autobot logo where a rubsign once existed. Overall, it’s not a major change, but it’s worthwhile nonetheless! It’s just a shame that Rewind, Eject and Ramhorn are nowhere to be found, but perhaps they will follow later.
#1: There’s a new logo in town

The final thing to observe across these two releases is the new 40th-anniversary logo adorning the boxes. I suspect we’ll be seeing a fair bit of this over the next 18 months or so, right? And why not – it’s celebration time! Here’s hoping for many more reveals like this to come.
So that’s our list! Are you excited about the new takes on these classic toys?
TTFN
