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25 Aug 2003 |
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Dear transfans, welcome to TAAU's new-look, bi-weekly newsletter!
Because TAAU has just as many busy fans, curious visitors, shy lurkers, casual participants and industry researchers as we have regular and active members, then we thought it was about time we created a newsletter for everyone involved, so you can all keep up-to-date on the latest news direct from our Hasbro AU insider, Laserbeak, receive news scoops from our friends over at Madman Entertainment regarding their latest Transformers releases, get the all-important details on our latest monthly competition, read TAAU member articles and lots, lots more!
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NEWS AND IMAGES FROM NEW G1 PS2 GAME: TRANSFORMERS: TATAKAI
FantoFan.com has posted a great deal of information on the upcoming Takara PS2 video game, Transformers: Tatakai. After analysing several magazine scans from the August 8th issue Dengeki Playstation magazine, they have posted details on combos, bosses, additional playable characters and what appears to be the ability to spend Energon on permanent upgrades.
Please view the following information and pictures taken from their homepage:
Spark Combo: a special attack that can be used by a character when they are in Spark Charged mode (activated by charging up their spark gauge). The combo will display a series of stylish punches and kicks to their opponent.
Team Formation: at any time during the game, players can choose a formation for their Transformers. Depending on the formation, a combo attack can be activated, as seen here in this Red Fist combo by Optimus and Rodimus Prime as well as in this Lighting attack when WheelJack and Jazz, where characters are all attacking the same enemy. Although simple formation (Frontline, Sideline & Endline) options were available, this feature certainly adds an element of strategy to the game.
Item: besides the usual items you can pick up in the various stages to replenish HP and MP, there are some items that can permanently upgrade your character's abilities; these are known as Energon cubes. Only after the stage is clear can they be collected and used to upgrade the character's HP or MP.
Bosses: two bosses from the game were revelaed as being Trypticon and Predaking. While their size is at least three times bigger than the usual Transformers, it is not known if these bosses could be used by the player once they have been defeated.
New characters revealed in this report are Ultra Magnus, Arcee, Blurr, Springer, Cyclonus, Shartikon, Scourge and Octane.
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NEW HARD HERO FIGURE ANNOUNCED: BW RHINOX STATUE
TFW2005.com have posted pictures of the first Beast Wars figure from Hard Hero, a new Rhinox statue!
The following was taken from their announcement:
"This is the first in an on-going series beginning in 2004. The statues are being modeled right from Mainframe 3d files, so they should be 100 percent show accurate."
BW Rhinox > Image 1 > Image 2 > Image 3 > Image 4 > Image 5 > Image 6
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TRANSFORMERS / G.I.JOE PREVIEW NOW ONLINE
It seems that Transformers are crossing over into everything these days; Lego, Tonka, Play School, even McDonalds (again), and now they're going to feature in yet another iconic American line: G.I.Joe.
Dreamwave are again providing the involved storylines and breath-taking artwork for this 6 issue comic mini-series, and recently posted this announcement on their official Dreamwaveprod.ca site:
"This is it! This is the one you’ve all been waiting for! The year is 1939 and a twisted alliance between a hate-crazed dictator and a ruthless general has left Europe in flames. The world's only hope against the threat is the creation of an elite counterstrike force, code named G.I. Joe. But are even the Joes tough enough to take down this evil empire when it enlists the aid of a merciless army of alien war machines known as the Decepticons?"
View the full preview, including sample artwork, on the official Dreamwave site, here
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FANS CAMPAIGN TO USE ORIGINAL VOICE ACTORS IN TRANSFORMERS MOVIE
Following the announcement of an impending live action Transformers film by none other than Tom DeSanto and Don Murphy, a petition has been launched by the community to appeal to these two producers, asking that they consider using the original voice actors for the movie: Peter Cullen (Optimus Prime), Corey Burton (Shockwave), Frank Welker (Megatron) and Dan Gilvezan (Bumblebee), to name but a few.
If you would like to show your support and send a message to 20th Century Fox , please add your name to the ever growing list right here
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NEWS AND IMAGES FROM THE 2003 SUPER CHARCTER FESTIVAL IN JAPAN
Thanks to Remy of TFKencon.com, we are now able to view images from the recent 2003 Super Character Festival in Japan!
There are over 50 pictures covering everything from Micron Densetsu (Armada), Unicron, Alternators, G1 Soundwave and more, including an absolute mammoth Micron Convoy, as can be seen here!
It was also reported that Micron Ultra Magnus (Armada Overload) was on display, and according to Remy, the new Micron Densetsu packaging is going under the Convoy vs. Unicron sub-heading.
You can view the entire gallery here
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OTFCC.COM ONLINE STORE NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS
After what seems like months of waiting, it now appears that the OTFCC.com site has finally launched their online store!
Some of their current goodies include:
- Botcon Europe exclusive Rook (Windcharger redeco): $5 USD
- Transformers Universe #1 comic: $5 USD
- HOC Decepticon Air Cavalry Troop Builder set, featuring 1 x Starscream, 1 x Skywarp, 1 x Thundercracker and three (3) generic Decepticon Air Warriors: $25 USD
View their entire range right here
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TRANSFORMERS.COM: WIN $100 WORTH OF TOYS EVERY DAY!
Not only do Hasbro kindly donate toys to our very own TAAU competitions, but they're also giving away thousands of dollars worth of prizes on their official Transformers.com site as well!
Transformers.com is running the competition right through to September 17th and will be giving away prizes daily! So hurry on over to the contest entry page and enter to win! Good luck and let me know if you win anything!
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TRANSFORMERS STILL AT THE TOP AFTER ALL THIS TIME
20 years on and Transformers are still going strong! That's not just fanboy speak either, that's fact according to a recent issue of 'USA Today' who recently published a listing of the top selling toys in the US.
As you can see here, Transformers came in at #3, just below Yu-Gi-Oh! and Power Rangers, but still beating the likes of Star Wars, Barbie and Beyblade, to make it one of the longest running and biggest selling toys of all time.
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TRANSFORMERS AT THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM IN LONDON?
"Ferocious, cunning and powerful, Tyrannosaurus Rex was a force to be reckoned with..."
Sound like any Transformer you know?
That except was taken from the Natural History Museum's promotional brochure for it's T-Rex exhibition, and according to UK-based site TheTransformers.net, it seems that Dinobot Grimlock is getting in on the action!
It has been reported that there's currently a G1 Grimlock toy featured in the event, and even parts of his instruction booklet within a mural on the wall!
For those interested in learning more about the museum, you can view their official site here
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Disclaimer:
This e-newsletter is published to provide relevant information regarding our activities. We take no responsibility for inaccuracies or errors and will not be held responsible for any actions that may arise from the use of the information provided.
Spam policy:
We are against the sending of unsolicited email (SPAM) and have made every effort within our power to discourage and prohibit the sending of spam. If you believe that you have been spammed click here to report your complaint.
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IN THIS ISSUE: |
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in this week's TAAU newsletter we have: |
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AUGUST COMPETITION
In an effort to bring you even bigger and better prizes every month, TAAU has again teamed up with the big guys themselves, Hasbro AU, to bring you yet another fantastic prize: this time a very sexy and very new Powerlinx Optimus Prime! Worth approximately $100!
BLIMEY! SLAP MY THIGH AND CALL ME BETTY! WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO GRAB A PIECE OF THAT BABY?!
As TAAU has grown over the last few years, attracting more and more visitors each month, the groovy TAAU logo has become pretty well known within Transformers, youth culture and even design circles, and has become synonymous with the initial concept behind it; that the toys and fans are among us, somewhere, and so TAAU was created to unite both; to provide toys to the collectors and human contact to the fans.
However, in all this time, the cute little fella known amongst TAAU'ers as 'The Little Robot Guy' has never been christened, and so, instead of naming him myself, I have decided to pass the towel and holy water over to you, to anoint him with a cool and funky name yourselves!
So this month I am asking you to submit your name suggestions, with the best and most appropriate entry to be given to him, so check out those Baby Names books from the library, hop online and search your family trees, flick through census surveys and basically do whatever it takes to find the perfect name for... ?
HOW TO ENTER:
All you have to do for a chance to win this gorgeous Powerlinx Optimus Prime, and have the absolute privilege of naming TAAU's friendly mascot, is to chose a name which you think best sums up the little fella, then simply send it in to us!
A maximum of five names per contestant has been decided, to prevent people sending in thousands of names, from A - Z, and also to encourage people to really think about their entries before submitting them!
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