TakaraTomy designer Shogo Hasui has tweeted an image of an original concept design for a the figure that would go on to become Prowl, Bluestreak and Smokescreen. The image, which can be viewed below, is instantly recognisable though you will also spot obvious differences with the head. The original tweet was:

当時のプロールのコンセプトスケッチの一つ。肩の変形や頭部が異なるのが面白 いです。ここからさらにブラッシュアップされて、あの形にたどり着いているん ですね。#TT_TF pic.twitter.com/PW1o3tWMWR

— Shogo Hasui (@Hasui_TF) September 27, 2013

We have updated the Transformers toys instruction sheets section of the website with some new PDF instructon sheets entries.

Of the updates, the following new entries were added into the database:

1. Transformers Generations Deluxe Class Bumblebee Figure Instructions
2. Transformers Generations Megatron Instructions
3. Transformers Generations Orion Pax Instructions
4. Transformers Generations Springer Instructions
5. Transformers Generations Trailcutter Instructions

You can download copies of the instruction sheets from our Transformers toys instruction sheets section of the website.

Having briefly been hinted at fans the original concept of Megabolt Megatron has now been publicly revealed for the first time over on the Robot Points blog.  Robot Points blog is run by, arguably and most likely, the worlds leading collector of Transformers hardcopies, prototypes and un-released items, and is an update on a website he use to run many years ago.  If you are a fan of unreleased and pre-production items, especially from the Generation One era then it is worth bookmarking the blog and having a look around the various articles which are already there as you will see some amazing things.

For those wondering a little about the Megabolt Megatron concept it is a hardcopy figure (resin and finished in grey) which is much closer to the original animation model than the final figure that was released.  Just click the lead and check it out.

Hopefully over the coming months and years more articles will be share on this blog by the own much like The Space-Bridge is now finally able to do on Facebook, as between them they have so many rare, "unseen" (by most fans), amazing pieces of Transformers history it is genuinely an honour to see what they share next.  Both have live extremely busy lives over the last couple of decades so don't expect daily or weekly updates, but when those updates do come, they will be amazing ... trust us.

In 2004 an auction appeared on eBay (Item Number 5919935901) for PVC Unicron with a price of $2000 (USD). The seller described the item as an unreleased product and when asked on the 4th September 2004 by the eBay user "Chris" whether the figure was from Generation One, a Custom figure or one of the unreleased Super Hybred Models (which it isn't) he was told:

"Nobody did not make it "Custom".Only could make "Company" for sell. Because make prtotype cost,spend made time and made cost was not free.It is a cancelled toys.Do you understand? It is easy!"

Not exactly the clearest of descriptions from the seller, but he basically meant "No it's not a custom item, it was made for a company to sell who cancelled the item.

Currently we do not have images from that auction, just our notes :(

However in 2008 a grey "prototype" was posted by a seller who is well known for selling testshots, hardcopies, prize items but also "lunchtime specials". In that auction, the seller claimed that the figure was a prototype from the 1980s and had it for sale for what worked out at $5000 (again USD).

In September 2013 a painted version was listed on Yahoo Japan for 10,000yen (roughly $1000 USD). The auction ended on the 13th September with no bidders. The seller was the same person who was trying to sell the grey prototype in 2008. This time the description was given as:

２０００年前後の特大３０ｃｍサイズのユニクロンの試作品になります。未発売に終わった幻の品です。ＳＣＦロディマスコンボイは付属しません。

This roughly translates as
"It is a 30cm prototype of Unicron form around 2000. The item was cancelled before it would have been released. SCF Rodimus Convoy is not included in the auction"

So at this point the Unicron is being described as a unreleased SCF figure which is possible considering the design and articulation it has, though we do not have any proof of it being a legitimate TakaraTomy product, whether it was created to be a One-day licensed Winter Wonderfest garage kit, or whether it was a planned unlicensed kit.

Either way it's a pretty cool piece and we're glad that after 5 years additional images appeared.

You can view the images on our Facebook page where we will be hosting the images exclusively for a little while before creating a gallery here.

TakaraTomy have announced that they have extended the deadline for voting in their Transformers Masterpiece Fans' Choice Poll from August 31st to September 6th.  This extension gives fans an extra week to vote by submitting robot points from Transformers Go!, Generations, and GT toys to the character of their choice.  At the end of July it was announced that Star Saber was winning the poll. Click here to view the extension announcement.

The Allspark have managed to get its hands on a copy of Million Publishing's Transformers Generations 2013 book which features previews for many of TakaraTomy's upcoming items for 2013.  The book also comes complete with two mini-comics by artists / writers Yuki Ooshima and Guido Guidi. You can find the scans here.

UK Transformers and G.I.Joe convention Roll Out Roll Call have updated their Facebook page with a new album of images titled "Collecting Transformer & G.I. Joe in the 90's".  The image gallery contains scans from various catelogues, owned by Dave Tree (All The Cool Stuff), from a variety of years featuring Transformers, G.I.Joe, Action Man as well as other toy lines, along side some photographs from early BotCon's , JoeCons and Memorabillias.

Check it out as it contains some interesting testshots as well as some G2 artwork you may not have seen before.

The Space-Bridge has updated his Prototype image gallery on Facebook to include a look at the official Hasbro library images of what was the planned US release of the Commerative Edition Megatron figure in the early 2000s. The toy had to be repainted orange and blue to comply with US gun safety laws but still failed as it "looked too gun like".  You can view the images over on Facebook.

Don't forget to check out our own unreleased toy galleries whilst you are in the mood.

Peaugh has posted two new video reviews of figures from the nextd wave of Transformers Generations Legends class toys. The videos are of the Starscream and Waspinator 2-pack where Starscream is based on his recent IDW desigsn, with the 2nd video being Megatron with Chop Shop where Megatron is this time based on his pre-war IDW design. You can watch the videos using the YouTube plugins below

Transformers Generations Legends Starscream & Waspinator

Transformers Generations Legends Megatron & Chop Shop

Million Publishing have tweeted out that their forthcoming Transformers Generations 2013 book will now be released towards the end of July.  Via their blog the team apologise for the delay with the books release and say that everyone should keep their eyes on the groups Twitter feed, blog, and the book's official website for further details.

The Allspark have posted some scans from the July 2013 issue of Dengeki Hobby Magazine over on their Facebook page.  The images focus on the Transformers Go! series, Super GT as well as a focused look at the upcoming Masterpiece Tigertracks figure.

Gizmodo have now published their second "Inside Hasbro" article and video which looks at the process of creating a Transformer.  You can view  the article on Gizmodo and can watch the video below which include a brief cameo by Generations Metroplex.

Last night the special "Transformers episode" of Collectors Hangout took place live over Google Hangouts On Air and ran for an incredible 2 hours!!  The episode can be viewed on YouTube by using the plugin below.  We would like to Domingo Rogers for inviting us back onto the show which aims to help collectors find pieces to add to their collection, help sellers to connect to a larger audience of potential buyers, and help all to have a better appreciation for pieces by guest hosting appraisers and artisans on a regular basis

Collectors Hangout is apart of the Hangout10 network and is now a featured and suggested Google+ Hangout by Google themselves.

The Collectors Hangout Transformers special will start soon, you can join us by visiting http://goo.gl/aDfLS or via the Collectors Hangout website at www.collectorshangout.tv or you can watch the stream live using the YouTube link below

A quick reminder that the Transformers special of Collectors Hangout takes place in 6 hours. You can check what the time will be in your timezone by visiting EveryTimeZone, can join us on Google Hangouts On Air and find out more about Collectors Hangout on HOA by visiting CollectorsHangout.tv