COUNTDOWN: 8 classic repaints for Generations Selects

Love ’em or hate ’em – and lord knows I love ’em – repaints are integral to Transformers collecting.

In recent times, a lot of that responsibility has fallen to the Generations Selects line. Since debuting in 2019, the series has pumped out countless weird and wonderful makeovers of standard main line retail releases, often looking to the franchise’s past for inspiration when it comes to characters and colour schemes.

Characters Hasbro can make for Selects or Buzzworthy that already have existing molds for them:

1. RID/BOTCON Megazarak from Legacy Megatron pic.twitter.com/38OvlXXMBa

— Goldbugbite (@Goldbug781) November 16, 2023

The above conversation got me thinking about the further potential for Generations Selects, as clearly, there are plenty more areas of Transformers history left to mine and many characters which could still be brought back under this banner.

So, quite simply, here are 8 classic repaints that deserve new life as Generations Selects releases!

#8: Universe Razorclaw (2003)

I’ve already enthused about this particular release a few times on the blog, but c’mon, who can blame me? After all, have you *seen* it? A sultry black and purple reimagining of the classic Beast Wars Transmetal Tigerhawk figure from 1999, the palette swap brings out all the best details of the original sculpt and looks super sexy as a result. With a new Legacy Tigerhawk now on the way, this one feels ripe for the picking when it comes to potential Generations Selects repaints, so we wouldn’t be too surprised to see it become a reality!

#7: G1 Treds (2004)

Although there’s often a temptation to look at a G1 recolour like this and think it’s simply ‘green Warpath’, here there’s a little more to it! Released as part of the ultra-desirable e-HOBBY exclusive Collector’s Edition six-pack, Treds is a homage (and reimagining of sorts) of the classic Gobots character of the same name. The new hue gives the vintage Warpath design a distinct new flavour and could be perfect fodder for Generations Selects to do the same with the Kingdom Warpath design, especially as we haven’t seen it re-used much so far!

#6: Generation 2 Dinobots (1993)

OK, a bit of a catchall here, but there’s plenty of inspiration still to be had in the already well-explored depths of Generation 2, especially when it comes to everyone’s favourite dim-witted dinosaurs, the Dinobots. Legacy Evolution has already delivered a blistering take on Studio Series Grimlock as the unreleased ‘tiger stripe’ concept from the ’90s. Surprisingly, however, all of the standard decos are still left on the table for consideration at this point! That means blue and turquoise Grimlock, as well as Snarl and the artist formerly known as Slag in both red and green, to say nothing of the unrealised art for Sludge and Swoop.

#5: Universe Megazarak (2004)

With a new Armada Megatron design in town, you can bet there’ll be repaints to follow, the most obvious being the souped-up Powerlinx upgrade, Galvatron. However, there are plenty of options besides, not least the super stunning Megazarak from 2004. Released as an exclusive to the Official Transformers Collectors Convention, it boasts a striking red, silver and navy vibe with gorgeous baby blue highlights for that extra pop. The original release is unbelievably nice, and the idea has all the potential to make for an equally worthwhile Generations Selects turn, too.

#4: Car Robots Super Wrecker Hook (2000)

Proving that Legacy is going to some diverse places when assembling a roster of ‘bots from years gone by, we’ve just had a Buzzworthy Bumblebee update on 2001’s Tow-Line, the Western release of Takara’s prior year Car Robots Wrecker Hook. Now, it’s not the only repainted take on the vintage figure, but the Japanese version did get a very snazzy orange makeover exclusive to Daiei stores, too, thrown in as a freebie with a purchase of a Build King giftset. It’s all kinds of fun to imagine as a Generations Selects release now, but maybe file this one firmly under ‘never going to happen’, if only because a fully clear plastic homage to a limited edition store-exclusive release from over twenty years ago feels a trifle niche, even in the current climate.

#3: Beast Wars II Flash Lio Convoy (1998)

Now, I might have been tempted to say this idea was equally as unlikely as the above… but TakaraTomy has just put out a translucent red Burning Convoy release of the Generations Voyager Optimus Primal design, so maybe there’s yet hope that his powered-up partner in prime might follow suit? In the Beast Wars II mini-movie, both Convoys join forces to take down the maniacal might of big bad Majin Zarak, receiving customary updated colour schemes and going a bit glowy in the process. The original is gorgeous to behold (yet perhaps a little perilous to handle), but could a new Generations Selects release of the current Leo Prime design prove as appealing?

#2: G-2 Laser Ultra Magnus (2006)

When people think of the Laser Optimus Prime design’s repaints, all eyes go to Scourge, maybe Toxitron… but somehow, this option frequently gets lost in the shuffle somewhere. That’s a shame as it’s a striking and very different spin on an already well-familiar mould, released as an e-HOBBY exclusive by Takara years after their ‘G-2’ version of Generation 2 had officially ended. Of course, there have already been multiple re-releases of the updated Laser Prime design in various colour schemes, and it seems unlikely that Hasbro or TakaraTomy may see fit to push their luck too much… but one more couldn’t hurt, could it?

#1: Robots in Disguise Cryotek (2002)

The vintage Transmetal 2 dragon Megatron design is an all-time classic. One of the most undeniably eye-catching figures to come out of Beast Wars, it didn’t receive a repainted effort for several more years, but what we got was certainly worth the wait! Cryotek is the icey yin to Megatron’s firey yang, the two proving the ultimate complement to one another even though they’re not actually intended as companion releases of any kind. With the new design of the Predacon Leader’s ultimate form now on release, I’d say a Generations Selects re-do in cool blue is all but a certainty. Let’s hope so, anyway!

So that’s our list! Would you be excited to see some of these happen?

TTFN