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 Note: If there were mold/color changes between these toys and their American counterparts (where applicable) they will be noted on their specific country's sub-pages, which can be found on the Jap/Euro section of the site (scroll past the initial three sublists found there, and you'll see what I mean). |
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"I was thinking about all the Pre-TF lines and how almost all of them got giftsets, and how Japan got more giftsets in the TF line than the USA and I was wondering if there was any method to the madness." -Maz
First off, let's start with a list of all the giftsets in existance; 'giftset' in this context being a release which has embellishments when compared to the regular previous releases, or basically a release that can be called a 'set'. |
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Diaclone Construction Giftset (Pic 1 | Pic 2) More... Diaclone Insector Robo Giftset (Pic) Diaclone Trainrobo Giftset More... Diaclone Powered Convoy Giftset (Pic 1 | Pic 2 | Pic 3) More... Microman Cassette Giftset (Pic 1 | Pic 2) Microman MC13 U.N.C.L.E Set (Pic 1 | Pic 2) Blue Hoist/Grey Skids 2-Set (Pic) |
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Devastator Superion Defensor Menasor Bruticus (Pic 2) Computron Abominus (Pic 2) Predaking Piranacon (King Poseidon) Raiden VSX VSY (Pic 2) VSZ (Pic 2) VSA * (Don't go there.) =) Goodbye Convoy (Pic 2) Goodbye Megatron (Pic 2) God Ginrai Darkwings Liokaiser Roadceaser (Pic 2) Landcross (Pic 2) Victory Sabre Giftset (Pic 2) Victory Sabre | Star Sabre | Victory Leo DinoKing Giftset (Pic 2) Dinoking (Pic 2) Big Powered | Diatlas | Roadfire | Sonic-Bomber | Their Micromasters Battle Gaea (Pic 2) Guard City (Pic 2) Hero Giftset Here's a fun game: Try to tell the original God Ginrai giftsset from the reissue. :-)
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(Detailed list found here, includes Sixliner, Sixtrain, Sixwing, Sixturbo, SixBuild.)
Countdown (with Rescue Patrol) (Pic 2) Big Truck Team (with Microtrailer #1) Hot Rod Team (with Microtrailer #2) Military Team (with Microtrailer #3) Shuttle Rocket Team (with Microtrailer #4) Fire Tanker Team (with Microtrailer #5) Radar Hover Team (with Microtrailer #6) Dump Shovel Team (with Microtrailer #7) Crane Cannon Team (with Microtrailer #8) Jet Tank Team (with Microtrailer #9) Rescue Team (with Microtrailer #10) Military Team (with Microtrailer #11) Super Car Team (with Microtrailer #12) Catalog of the Micromaster teams. Note: Sky Garry came with trailers numbered 0, 1, & 2.
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TF-06 Spinroad vs Darkjet TF-07 Fireroad vs Shadowjet TF-08 Checkroad vs Moonjet TF-09 Machroad vs Flarejet |
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Magnaboss Tripledacus God Neptune |
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JRX Giftset (Pic 2) Buildking Giftset Valdigus Giftset Clear Super Car Brothers Giftset (Pic 2) Clear God Fire Convoy Giftset with Super God Sword -(Super God Sword is the master sword that originally came with Fortress/Grand Maximus.) Spychangers Giftset |
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MS-01 Hot Rod (Hotshot) & Air Defense Mini-Con Team Set MS-02 Grap (Smokescreen) & Race Mini-Con Team Set MS-03 Ironhide (Demolishor) & Land Military Mini-Con Team MS-04 Sandstorm (Cyclonus) & Destruction Mini-Con Team Set MS-05 Silverbolt & Turbo & Street Speed Team (Blurr & Incinerator) MS-06 Thrust & Thunder & Air Military Team (Thrust & Inferno) MS-07 Grap Supermode & Spark Grip & Adventure Team (Hoist & Refute) MS-08 Rampage (Wheeljack) & Air Assult Mini-Cons |
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** Magna Convoy DX giftset (Convoy & Clear Magnus) (Pic 2) SS-01 Super Link Hot Shot & Inferno SS-02 Super Link Road Buster & Skyfire Anniversary set: SL Convoy & Kicker & Energon Saber (Chrome Kicker Version) (Pic 2) Superion Bruticus Devastator (Buildtron) |
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VSX |
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Magnaboss Tripredacus JRX Buildking Valdigus 'vs' sets : DX-04 Break vs Bump DX-03 Mach-Kick vs Alcadius DX-02 Snake vs Striker Spychangers 4-pk Beasts 1 (Longrack, Break, Corhada, Stampy) 4-pk Beasts 2 (?) |
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Tundertron (Abominus) Tundertron (with Decoys) Computron Defensor Defensor (with Decoys) Defensor Package Variant 1 | Package Variant 2 Devastator (Pic 2) Pentajet (Superion) Multiforce (Bruticus) Pentacar (Menasaur) Hero Set (Pic 2) |
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Defensor (Pic 2) Devastator |
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Devastator |
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Defensor Devastator Menasaur Superion |
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For the complete American Giftset listing, go here. |
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God Ginrai (Original vs Reissue) Predaking (Original vs Reissue) |
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That is a lot of giftsets. Obviously, they didn't need much of an excuse to send out a giftset of a particular sub-line of TFs. There are a few obvious parallels that can be drawn too. Devastator giftset from Construction giftset, Raiden from trainrobo, Goodbye Convoy from Powered Convoy set (truck + F1 car + Countach...interesting coincidence...), even the mass-release Reflector from the MC-5 set...and with the Vs, Predaking, Abominus and Goodbye sets it's clear that Takara had no issue with releasing a set Hasbro wasn't planning to. "So my question is, why neglect the obvious? The Insecticons. Why did they decide against releasing an Insecticon giftset? Was the Diaclone Waruder set particularly unsuccessful as far as sales go? What was the determining factor or factors? The cassettes. Again, why no TF giftset in Japan? Surely the cost wouldn't be an issue seeing as how the toys were so much cheaper than some of the other things getting giftsets, like Predacons. Was the cassette set from Micro Change a flop in the market too? is that not a consideration?" -Maz
So many questions. :-) And so very many giftsets. Perhaps we'll never know the answer. But it's a fun ride, eh? |
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